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Howard sets Phillies HR mark with No. 49

The Phillies have dominated the Nationals this series. They hand the ball to Randy Wolf tonight to complete the sweep in Washington, and pull into a tie for the NL Wild Card. Update: Ryan Howard has hit his 49th home run of the season to set the all-time Phillies mark.

Game Preview: In Beerleaguer world, pitcher Randy Wolf would bat ahead of Abraham Nunez, who's had trouble getting the ball past the pitcher for most of the 2006 season. Wolf is hitting .273 since his return, and Abe is down below the Mendoza line again. Oh well. Tonight’s lineups have been posted, and Wolf has been inserted into the traditional nine-hole.

Wolf (3-0, 5.58 ERA) won his third straight start Friday, but he really hasn’t offered much to write home about since his return from Tommy John surgery. According to the AP, Wolf has allowed 11 runs in 17 innings during his winning streak, but has received an average of 9.98 runs of support in his six starts.

Wolf will duke it out with Pedro Astacio (3-4, 6.10 ERA), who absolutely stinks. The right-hander lost his second straight start Saturday, allowing six runs and eight hits in 2 2-3 innings in a 10-1 loss to Atlanta. Before that, he lasted just two innings against the Phils on Aug. 20.

Time for a clean sweep. A victory tonight means the Phils pull into a tie for the lead in the NL Wild Card race. San Diego is idle tonight.

Beer nuts: Phillies recall Carlos Ruiz

The Phillies recalled catcher Carlos Ruiz after last night's game, and optioned lefthander Matt Smith back to the minors. That, and some other stuff, too.

Ruiz may not have done much during his earlier call-up, but the 27-year-old catcher has flat out been Scranton’s best player this season. Chooch was hitting .308 with a robust .505 SLG, 16 homers and a .389 OBP, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio was totally fine (56/44). Plus, he's considered a plus fielder with a good arm.

This should be the last Ruiz ever sees of the minor leagues, either here, or with some other organization where he has a chance to play. There’s absolutely nothing left for him in the minor leagues, unless he falls on his face in the majors.

Next season, I’d like to see the Phils keep him in a backup capacity and catch our pitchers from the very beginning. I have a suspicion that Lidle, Lieber and the rest had a hand in shipping him back to Scranton so soon. However, the biggest offender is the Phillies’ front office for signing a broken down catcher in Sal Fasano, who can’t play ... who could never play.

Brito back in bullpen
Beerleaguer senior correspondent has passed along word that Eude Brito is no longer starting and has been moved back to the bullpen. We both agree this is the right decision for the short and long-term. If Brito has any future with the club, it will be in this role, not starter. We could soon see him in this capacity when rosters expand.

Orioles get infielder for Conine
The Phillies and Orioles named infielder Angel Chavez as the player to be named in the Jeff Conine trade. Chavez is a 25-year-old infielder who split time at Reading and Scranton this season. He was claimed off waivers from San Francisco before the season. This is not a big loss for the Phillies, who have plenty of infielders just like him in their system.

2005 or 2006? It's not even close

We’ve reached the point in the season when it's time to take stock of where the Phillies are, and how far they’ve come. Here's a look at the 2006 Phillies, in comparison to last year's version.

Yesterday’s debate focused on whether the 2006 season is better than 2005. While the wins and losses were better last season, the Phillies are once again knocking on the door to the playoffs, playing their best baseball down the stretch. In a playoff context, there’s little difference between where they stand today and where they stood one year ago.

From a writer’s standpoint, this season has been more fruitful for generating fresh conversation and well-reasoned posts. To put it in perspective, I would ask readers to think back to last season at the stories that made news. Here’s a quick and dirty version.

The season started under a cloud of controversy. Ed Wade was still GM, and made an unpopular choice in hiring Charlie Manuel, a player’s manager, to replace Larry Bowa. Manuel immediately got off on the wrong foot with fans by platooning Placido Polanco and Chase Utley at second base. Polanco wasn’t even supposed to be here, but at the last minute, he accepted arbitration. Meanwhile, Utley – a fan favorite – sat the bench once again.

This controversy lingered for two months, and the Phillies got off to a bad start under Manuel and his first-year staff. Meanwhile, setup man Tim Worrell had imploded and took personal leave, and cleanup hitter Jim Thome was mired in the worst slump of his career.

Riding Brett Myers, Jon Lieber and the hot bat of Pat Burrell, who won player-of-the-week honors twice in the early going, the Phils barely managed to stay afloat in the tight NL East. At their worst, they dropped 10 games below .500 and 10 games behind the division-leading Nationals. Everyone expected the division to be a fistfight until the bitter end, but after two months, things didn’t look good for the hometown nine.

Bobby Abreu got hot in May and earned a spot in the All-Star game. Meanwhile, the Phillies needed bullpen help and traded Polanco to the Tigers for Ugueth Urbina and Ramon Martinez. This would turn out to be their only significant move of the season, to go with a handful of fringe acquisitions, including Endy Chavez and Michael Tucker. It also cleared way for Utley to start at second.

After a brief May call-up, Ryan Howard returned when Thome was put on the shelf for the rest of the season. It was the second major injury to a key player, having also lost left-hander Randy Wolf to Tommy John surgery.

With the starting job his, it didn’t take long for Utley to become a major contributor. After the season, he and Burrell would earn co-MVP from teammates, even though Burrell cooled significantly down the stretch, as did Abreu. Utley quickly earned a reputation as the team’s hardest worker, and perhaps best overall player.

The deadline talk centered on whether to trade closer Billy Wagner before he became a free agent. Instead, Wade held on to Wags, who was mostly dominant, all except for a critical game against the eventual NL champion Astros. Wags would walk to New York after the season.

Jimmy Rollins had his best month in September and went on to have the longest hitting streak in Phillies history. Along with big contributions from the center field platoon of Kenny Lofton and Jason Michaels, a rejuvenated Lieber, and Howard, who would go on to hit 22 homers and win Rookie of the Year, the Phils got close, but eventually came up short in their quest for the Wild Card, finishing 88-74 on the season.

Other stories included Gavin Floyd’s fall from grace, the Black Hole of David Bell and Mike Lieberthal, Vicente Padilla’s delayed start and inconsistency (then a string of excellent starts in June/July), Robinson Tejeda’s surprising effectiveness, Manuel’s overuse of bullpen -- particularly Ryan Madson -- and the eventual replacement of Ed Wade as team GM.

There was a lot to talk about, as always, but as it stands, the headlines from 2006 are simply superior. Certainly, the Wild Card possibility helps, but the excitement surrounding this team is much higher than it was last season. Fans are beginning to fall in love with the new generation of players – Howard, Utley, Hamels -- and eager to move past the old guard that was supposed to win it all, but failed – Lieberthal, Abreu, Burrell, Bell.

Here's the 10 cent version of this season's headlines: In just his second season, Howard is about to post one of the best power seasons on record. Utley rattled off a hitting streak of his own, 35 games, the longest in baseball. Positive or not, the Abreu trade sparked the most debate in Beerleaguer history, followed by the arrest of Brett Myers. The team's reaction might have been the hotter topic. Aaron Rowand’s catch showed fans a new element of grit and determination. Chris Coste's rise to the majors is such an unlikely story, he's getting offers from movie studios. The Phillies had the guts to promote Cole Hamels in May, and darned if he isn’t one of the National League’s most dominant pitchers the second half of the season. And don't forget Sal's Pals, early retirement, third basemen hitting below the Mendoza line, the catcher debate, Victorino's arm, Rowand's rag, Lidle's ice cream cone, Flash, Franklin, 40-year-old outfielders and 43-year-old pitchers.

The Pat Gillick era is very different than the one before, and much more interesting to talk about. Buyer and seller indeed. I cannot recall this many moves, good or bad, from a Phillies team.

A common complaint from past seasons was the team was too stale, and showed little life on the field. But this season, there’s always something new to talk about, fresh faces to discuss, and a personality that wasn’t there before, even though the wins are ultimately not there.

Writing about this season has been pure joy.

Howard seeks history; Conine makes Phillies debut

The Phillies have scored 37 runs this month against Washington, eight against tonight’s starter Ramon Ortiz. They continue their pursuit of the NL Wild Card tonight at RFK, as Ryan Howard goes for No. 49.

Ortiz (9-11, 5.38) is teetering on the edge these days, looking for his first victory in four starts. The Phillies crushed him last Sunday, and overall, the right-hander is 0-2 with a 15.09 ERA in his last three outings.

It’s a good bet Ryan Howard could set the Phillies franchise record with his 49th homer tonight. Left-handers are hitting .318 off Ortiz, who surrendered a long ball to the Howitzer the last time they faced. Howard tied Mike Schmidt’s franchise mark of 48 in last night’s game and is on pace for 57 on the season (although one gets the sense he's capable of hitting one in every at bat.)

The Phillies like to score runs for Cole Hamels (6-7, 4.79 ERA), but not even the mightiest war clubs could save him his last start. The 22-year-old rookie suffered his worst career start, gaving up nine runs -- five earned -- in two innings of an 11-2 loss to the Cubs. Carlos Zambrano held the Phils in check for the Cubbies.

Jeff Conine makes his first start in a Phillies uniform tonight, replacing David Dellucci in right field. Dellucci is riding an 0-for-11 slump and has just three hits since Aug. 18. Conine has yet to get in a game since Sunday’s trade with the Orioles.

Beer Nuts: Franklin serves up loss to L.A.

Former Phillie Ramon Martinez homered off former Phillie Ryan Franklin in the 16th inning to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 last night.

One reader has taken to calling the Franklin swap the best deal Pat Gillick made at the trade deadline. It’s hard to argue with the logic, as far as the 2006 season is concerned. Indeed, the Phillies need opponent losses just as much as they need wins, and Franklin can certainly serve them up in a hurry.

It took one pitch for Franklin to blow it last night. He has surrendered three runs in his last three relief appearances. In addition, Rheal Cormier has fallen back to earth in a big way since the Phils shipped him to Cincinnati. In 10 1-3 August innings, Frenchy has allowed 3 homers, 16 hits and five earned runs for a 4.65 ERA. That ERA should be worse. Opponents are hitting .356 of him in a Reds uniform.

With the loss, coupled by the Phillies 10-6 win at Washington, the Reds are now tied with the Phillies in the Wild Card race, just 0.5 games behind San Diego. Their WC stronghold, which they held for most of the summer, has now been compromised. "Sabotaged" might be the better word.

Back so soon
The top story in baseball is a Marlins team on the brink of a Wild Card birth. They’ve won 9-straight games and find themselves 1 1/2 games back of San Diego with a record of 65-66.

If the season ended today, first-year manager Joe Girardi should win manager of the year. Even if they lose their next 31 games, 65 wins is more than most experts thought this $15 million team would achieve, considering they started the season 11-31.

I remember telling people what a sad shame it was to see a team dismantled the way the Marlins were this offseason. Now, I’m praying the Phillies can fend them off. Their young lineup is hot from top-to-bottom, and Miguel Cabrera is a candidate for MVP. Cabrera, the seasoned veteran, is all of 23-years-old. The highest ERA among their starting five is 4.45. Dontrelle Willis, the seasoned veteran, is all of 24-years-old. That’s two years older than Josh Johnson, who’s nothing short of a Cy Young candidate at this point: (12-6, 2.87 ERA).

Watch out, Phillies. Remember the name, Mets. The Marlins are back to being, well, the no-good, stinkin' Marlins.

In progress: Howard ties Schmidt with 48th HR

The Phillies and Nationals look to squeeze in a game between the raindrops when they open a three-game set tonight in Washington.

The last thing the Phillies need is another rainout to prolong this 10-game road trip. Sunday’s washout couldn’t have come at a worse time, wiping out yesterday’s off day after their series with the white-hot Mets.

Yesterday, the Phils looked like zombies in a one-sided 8-3 defeat and have suddenly lost three out of four games. Ryan Howard hit his league-leading 47th home run and now trails Mike Schmidt by one home run on the all-time Phillies list.

Brett Myers (9-6, 4.23 ERA) will look to build on one of his strongest outings of the season, eight innings of one-run ball against Chicago. Myers has won his last four road decisions. He’s opposed by Tony Armas Jr., (8-9, 5.05) coming off one of the worst outings of his career Wednesday at Florida, giving up eight runs -- five earned -- and 10 hits in a season-low 1 2-3 innings in a 9-7 defeat.

Luckily, the Phillies lost no ground to the Wild Card-leading Reds, who lost last night’s game to the Dodgers.

Top 10 Phillies Resources: 2006 Edition

Beerleaguer secrets revealed part deux! It's time for the second annual listing of my top 10 Phillies resources!

10: ESPN.com: ESPN took a hit when Peter Gammons was sidelined in early May. ESPN tried to replace his column with a bevy of blogs, but quantity certainly did not replace quality. Buster Olney’s blog, for example, is just a sampling of stories from the local papers. Still, ESPN’s stats are the second-easiest to used behind Yahoo! Sports and include some useful advanced numbers and splits. (Last year’s ranking: Tied #8)

9: Minor league beat writers: Writers like Chad Jennings of the Scranton-Times Tribune and Mike Drago of the Reading Eagle offer better, focused coverage of prospects than national magazines, such as Baseball America. While BA has the resources to gloss over the entire minor leagues, college, and high school circuits, the minor league writers follow the affiliates from opening day. Their objectivity is the best way for casual follows to sift through the hype. Jennings has appeared on this space answering questions on the Red Barons, while Drago generates daily coverage and opinion on the R-Phils in the Reading Eagle, and on his blog "Keeping Score." (2005 ranking: Unranked)

8. Hardball Times: Win Shares are the greatest thing to happen to baseball statistics since the asterisk, and I find the Hardball Times essayists superior to those at Baseball Prospectus. I’ll glance at Win Shares and the advanced numbers for pitchers and hitters almost daily. (2005 ranking: #6)

7. Daily News Live: DNL is one of the only true gateways to the players, offering a glimpse of their personality, with casual interviews throughout the season. I’m a big fan of the work Emmy-winner Michael Barkann does as host, keeping the conversation light and lively, but also thoughtful and topical. Regular guests include Paul Hagen and John Marzano, both excellent contributors, offering different perspectives as academic and ex-jock, respectively. As a blogger, I use DNL to get injury updates and information about the starting lineup. As a fan, DNL is just a great place to pre-game. (Last year’s ranking: Unranked)

6. Phillies.com/MLB.com: You’d think the team’s official site would register higher on this list. If it wasn’t for "Press Pass," which offers free, official pre-game press notes for all the major league teams, I would have little use for this site. The stat interface is clunky, and the home page bogs down on my G3 iBook. The site is more useful in the offseason when I’m searching for something to write about. However, the free press notes are an extremely valued source for my previews, citing information from the Elias Sports Bureau and offering a quick glimpse at how that night’s pitchers match up. (Last year’s ranking: Tied #8)

5. FOX Sports: For those keeping score, Ken Rosenthal has buried Jayson Stark, Tim Kurkjian and Buster Olney this season when it comes to legitimate trade speculation. The non-trade of Alfonso Soriano to the White Sox was very ugly for ESPN. Meanwhile, Rosenthal broke the Bobby Abreu deal first among the national sites. I’ve had very little use for ESPN.com this year and plan on letting my Insider subscription run out. Why shouldn’t I, when I can get a more accurate scoop for free on FOX Sports? (Last year’s ranking: Unranked)

4. 2006 Phillies Media Guide: Call me a traditionalist, but I have two media guides, one at work and one at home, and I swear to you, this site wouldn’t be nearly as good without them. Where else can you get four pages of 6-point type on Rheal Cormier? It’s like having the entire organization in the palm of your hand. (Last year’s ranking: #1)

3. Philly.com: The day always begins with a morning glance at the Inquirer and Daily News. Obviously, readers of this site are no strangers to the talented columnists and writers covering the Phils. My favorite this season has been Todd Zolecki, who first joined the club when pitchers and catchers reported in February and has been with them since. Zolecki has a knack for knowing what people will be talking about tomorrow, and offers a balanced take on the games and the players making news. (2005 ranking: #3)

2. PhilliesPhans.com: The most active phan-run message board is the best place to get breaking news. When a story breaks, chances are one of the hundreds of phanatical posters are on top of it. For an open chat room, the opinion is astoundingly informed, and posters do a commendable job policing one another and keeping the dialogue on point. Generally, the site has a sabermetric bent, making Bobby Abreu the subject of much adulation. Whatever your take, PhilliesPhans is a fun place to discuss a variety of topics, from the war in Iraq to the number of games between each Fabio Castro appearance. From a blogger standpoint, PhilliesPhans is my go-to source for comprehensive, up-to-the-minute information. (2005 ranking: Unranked)

1. Yahoo! Sports: Clean, simple and comprehensive. Box scores, AP coverage, career stats, career splits, schedules, photos and a honey of a good fantasy baseball news aggregate. It’s all there in one, easy-to-use hub. A daily flush of my browser history might include 100 Yahoo! pages or more – and none of them will make my computer crash. Here’s what I like most: Yahoo! embraces the lost art of white space. Their style hasn’t changed since my college days, and I hope it never does. (2005 ranking: #2)

Phils to temporarily move Class-AAA team to Ottawa

The International League voted Monday to approve the partial sale of the Ottawa Lynx to Joseph Finley and Craig Stein, who plan to relocate the Class-AAA team to a $34 million stadium in Allentown in time for the 2008 season, the Morning Call has reported.

The Phillies' Class-AAA affiliation with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons expires at the end of this season. In 2007, Ottawa will temporarily serve as Philadelphia's top minor league franchise, meaning that in 2008, Allentown will become the top farm team in the Phillies' system.

Ottawa, the only Canadian team in the International League, currently serves as Baltimore’s Class-AAA affiliate. There has been speculation that the Orioles will then move the franchise to Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Ottawa’s sagging attendance forced the team owner to make this move, the Morning Call reported.

Construction of a 7,000-seat Allentown stadium is set to begin next week. Finley is the owner of two successful minor league franchises — the Trenton Thunder (the Yankees' Class-AA affiliate) and Lakewood BlueClaws (the Phillies' Class-A team). Stein is the owner of the Class-AA Reading Phillies and co-owner of the BlueClaws.

Mets, Phillies close out series today at noon

After yesterday’s rainout, new acquisition Jeff Conine and the Phillies finish off their series with the Mets today at 12:10.

These holdovers are torture for teams on the road. The Phillies would have been off today before beginning a series with the Nationals tomorrow. Instead, they’re being held hostage in New York after yesterday’s washout.

If the Phils can persevere and take the final game this afternoon, then can wake up tomorrow morning with the possibility of a share of the Wild Card lead. The front-running Reds are at Los Angeles tonight and are clinging to a one-game lead after yesterday’s loss. Meanwhile, San Diego, a half-game up on the Phils, are at Arizona.

After a successful debut, the Phillies hand the ball to Jamie Moyer (1-0, 4.50 ERA), making his second start for the Phillies. Moyer allowed three runs in six innings of a 6-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, becoming the oldest Phillies pitcher ever to earn a win. He faces 25-year-old right-hander John Maine (3-3, 3.58 ERA), looking to bounce back from a career-high seven earned runs in five innings against the Cardinals.

Sandoval optioned to Double-A Reading
Today’s game will also feature the Phillies debut of Jeff Conine, who was acquired along with cash Sunday from Baltimore for a player to be named. To clear room, the Phillies optioned utility infielder Danny Sandoval to Double-A Reading. The move is probably just temporary for Sandoval until the Phillies settle on the player to be named later, rumored to be either LHP Eude Brito, RHP Brian Sanches or INF Angel Chavez, all with Triple-A Scranton. Sandoval could also return when rosters expand on Friday.

Conine became the second right-handed bat acquired by the Phils after the trade deadline, joining infielder Jose Hernandez, who was added last week. Hernandez will likely take over the primary utility role vacated by Sandoval, with second baseman Joe Thurston providing a secondary support as a left-handed bat.

Beerleaguer’s reaction to Conine was lukewarm at first, but now it's clear this was a deal the Phillies had to make. Anything to help the bench, without getting crazy, is the right call at this point, as the Phils find themselves just one-game out, perhaps with a better chance at slipping in than any contender. After today, they face sub-.500 teams the rest of the way.

The post-season is there for the taking. With the addition of Conine, the bench meets the grade.

Phils have eyes on October with addition of Conine

The Phillies kept busy on a rainy afternoon by swinging a deal for Baltimore outfielder Jeff Conine. The Phils also receive cash considerations in exchange for a player to be named later.

Splitting time at first base and left field, the 40-year-old veteran was hitting .265 with nine homers and 49 RBIs and will add another right-handed bat to the Phillies bench. However, this deal probably has more to do with playing in 32 post-season games.

Along with experience, Conine carries some heavy baggage, reportedly the reason this deal wasn’t made sooner. His $2 million option for next season vests if he logs 18 more plate appearances, making it almost certain he will return in 2007, which will be his 17th professional season.

The Orioles also sent cash for a player to be named. The deal was reportedly completed during the seventh inning of Baltimore's 5-4 win over Tampa Bay.

Beerleaguer take
Conine won’t be phased by the bright lights and snapbulbs of the post-season, and as much as I hate to say it, the Phillies probably needed someone like that. Therein lies the rub: If they fall short, his 113 post-season plate appearances are totally useless.

It should always be about October, but this is truly about the ring. Although I’m not particularly thrilled at the loss of a prospect and addition of another long-term contract, if the Phillies do make it, it’s going to be totally worth it. Conine is still in very good shape and has some fair RBI totals. Even though his skills have erroded, better Conine than Joe Thurston or Chris Roberson down one run in the ninth against Mariano Rivera. Conine brings 31 postseason hits to the table, which is 31 more than the entire starting lineup minus Abraham Nunez, who has nine.

I don’t think it will be impossible to trade Conine before next season, but it’s entirely possible they will need him anyway. Having some flexibility is an added bonus. The Phillies would love to unload Pat Burrell. They will likely lose David Dellucci, who said he wants to play in the southern part of the country. There’s also no room for both Chris Roberson or Michael Bourn, and neither one is a sure bet at all. They could still take a cold, hard look at Aaron Rowand and decide his $5 million option isn’t worth it.

In Gillick we trust.

A month after Bobby, Phillies are a changed team

The trade of star outfielder Bobby Abreu, the most symbolic player move since the acquisition of Jim Thome, has cleared the way for unproven and established players to rise to new challenges.

The Phillies are 18-11 since Bobby Abreu last took the field in a Phillies uniform. Since July 30, the day he was traded along with pitcher Cory Lidle, they’ve climbed to within 1.5 games of the Wild Card after all hope seemed lost.

There are several factors, starting with a reborn starting rotation. Since the start of the season, the Phils have been constantly trying to fill two holes in the rotation, due to injury, ineffectiveness, inexperience, personal leaves and trades. With the return of Randy Wolf and acquisition of Jamie Moyer, this is the first time the starting five has been anything close to stable.

In addition, the bullpen has remained strong despite an injury to closer Tom Gordon. Ryan Madson’s demotion from the starting rotation has worked like a deadline deal for a proven reliever. Mad Dog got his second save Friday night and has been razor sharp since his second bullpen tour of duty.

It starts with pitching, but the team also received a significant boost from the offense, despite the subtraction of one of the best run producers in the game. Since Abreu, the Phils have taken over the NL lead in runs scored, scoring six or more runs 14 times since the trade.

Ryan Howard has 34 RBIs in August to raise his league-leading total to 121, all without the benefit of one of the league’s best on-base men ahead of him. This has been made possible by Howard’s continued power surge, but also the outstanding hitting of Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino. Victorino, in particular, has stepped up his game since earning a full-time gig, likely for the duration of the season due to the injury to Aaron Rowand. Victorino has 17 RBIs this month, almost half his season total of 36.

David Dellucci had been red-hot until he went day-to-day with a quad injury. Many feel, as do I, that Dellucci is best as a platoon player. So do the Phillies apparently, as they continue to test players to share outfield duties with Looch.

Chase Utley is one player who has not excelled since the trade. Utley, who had been batting second during his best stretch, now finds himself hitting third. Since then, his numbers have dropped (I’ve always preferred him batting second, even with Abreu here). On top of this, many see Utley as the new leader of the team, which could generate some added pressure, especially with a handful of players coming and going. Plus, his gritty style of play could drain his tank earlier than most, and it’s unlikely he’s fully recovered from Tuesday’s center field collision.

Time off seems to help Pat Burrell, but only to an extent. He’s gotten a little better, but it seems like he’s pulling punches in order to just make contact. He’s hardly a power threat these days.

In total, the Phils have responded well since the Bobby Abreu deal, a swap that was supposed to bury the 2006 season six feet under and create flexibility for next season. Instead, they're playing better than they have all year, in just about every facet of the game.

Moyer, Maine match up this afternoon
After a successful debut, the Phillies turn to Jamie Moyer (1-0, 4.50 ERA) once again in order to wraps up their three-game series this afternoon at Shea. Moyer allowed three runs in six innings of a 6-3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, becoming the oldest Phillies pitcher ever to earn a win. He faces 25-year-old right-hander John Maine (3-3, 3.58 ERA), looking to bounce back from a career-high seven earned runs in five innings against the Cardinals.

Perez spots Glavine as Phils, Mets set to square

Right-hander Jon Lieber looks to build on the five-hitter he threw against the Mets on Aug. 16 as the Phillies and Mets battle again tonight. For the Mets, Oliver Perez will replace Tom Glavine's turn in the rotation.

Lieber (6-9, 5.04) has faced the Mets three times this season and is 1-1 with a 1.96 ERA. The 36-year-old right-hander has been a hot hand since the trade deadline, and a big reason why the Phillies find themselves just 1.5 games back of Cincinnati in the Wild Card race. The Reds play game two of their series with San Francisco after losing 4-1 Friday night.

Speaking of unsung heroes, Ryan Madson has been a key contributor in his new/old role out of the Phillies bullpen. Madson notched his second save last night in a tight 4-3 win against the Mets, and has been very effective since rejoining the bullpen.

Shane Victorino has been another unsung sparkplug since the trade of outfielder Bobby Abreu. The Flyin’ Hawaiian has nine multi-hit games this month, and is hitting .305 with 16 runs scored, primarily out of the No. 2 hole.

Ryan Howard was last night’s star performer. The Howitzer hit his league-leading 45th homer and drove in three runs, giving him an NL-best 117 RBIs. After the game, pitcher Randy Wolf touted him for MVP.

On the other side, Oliver Perez (2-10, 6.63 ERA) was called up from Triple-A to replace Tom Glavine, and is making his first start since the trade that sent him from the Pirates to the Mets. Perez has been an erratic pitcher this season, and particularly brutal against right-handed hitters, so this is another good opportunity for the Phils to cash in.

They’ll stack the lineup with RH bats, including the first Phillies outfield start for recent acquisition Jose Hernandez. Hernandez will play right field and bat sixth. Pat Burrell also returns to the lineup against the left-hander, as does Chris Coste, Lieber’s catcher of choice.

Wolf tries to extend unbeaten streak to 13 games

The Phillies continue their quest for the post-season when they open a three-game series with the Mets at Shea Stadium.

A couple of interesting figures are on the Phillies side tonight in Queens. The Phillies have won 10 straight games started by Randy Wolf (2-0, 5.61), and overall, the left-hander is unbeaten in his last 12 starts dating back to last season. Wolf has also been great at Shea Stadium, going 5-1 with a 2.42 ERA in 12 starts (credit AP preview for these numbers). Wolf has also been swinging a hot bat since his return.

The revenge factor will work against him, however, as the Mets will look to rebound from a poor showing in their four-game series at Citizen’s Bank Park. Their rotation may be ragged, but they’re getting it done, most recently a three-game sweep over the scuffling Cardinals. New York also enters with an 11-game home winning streak on the line.

For the Mets, rookie Brian Bannister (2-0, 2.89 ERA) will come off the 60-day disabled list and start in place of Orlando Hernandez.

Beer Nuts: Phillies recall LHP Matt Smith

Matt Smith, part of the four-player package received from the Yankees in the Bobby Abreu/Cory Lidle deal, will replace struggling right-hander Brian Sanches in the Phillies bullpen.

Smith has pitched well this season in stops with the Yankees, Columbus and Scranton Wilkes-Barre. He posted a 2.00 ERA in nine games for the Red Barons and a 2.08 ERA in 24 games for the Clippers, in addition to 12 shutout innings for the Yankees earlier in the season.

The Phillies are high on the 27-year-old left-hander, who was recently converted to a full-time reliever. At the time of the acquisition, Phils assistant GM Mike Arbuckle said it wouldn’t take long before Smith would get his promotion.

The 6-5, 225-pound southpaw is a former fourth-round pick of the Yankees. He was acquired July 30 with three other players in the deal for Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle.

To clear room, Brian Sanches was optioned back to Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Sanches wore out his welcome yesterday after giving up back-to-back home runs in the Cubs 11-2 route of the Phillies. He leaves with a 6.38 ERA in 19 innings, with 18 strikeouts and 12 walks. It’s possible the right-hander will return shortly when rosters are expanded next week.

The addition of Smith means over one-half of the Phillies entire pitching staff are lefties.

Coste cards are hot sellers
Chris Coste baseball cards, which could have been had for $2 bucks plus shipping before the season, are going for as high as $20 in the most recent Ebay auctions. Coste was a guest on ESPN2’s "Cold Pizza" this morning, and recently launched his own Web site, which includes a sample of his forthcoming second book.

Phillies looking at Conine
The Phillies are still looking for bench help and have reportedly looked at 40-year-old Orioles all-purpose veteran Jeff Conine. According to FoxSports, the stumbling block is that Conine, 40, needs just 38 plate appearances to guarantee his $2 million option for next season. The Orioles, however, are willing to include cash to facilitate a deal. The thought is that Conine, who burned the Phillies badly during the Marlins run at the World Series, could be used as a spare bat off the bench, or even a platoon partner with David Dellucci. Former Phillie outfielder Ricky Ledee was also designated for assignment today by the Mets.

King Cole takes aim at series sweep

What a great day for a ballgame, especially with rookie sensation Cole Hamels on the hill looking to close out a four-game sweep against Carlos Zambrano and the Cubs.

It’s a tough time to be stuck at the office. This would be a perfect afternoon to fire up the grill, turn on 1210-AM and crack open a cold one.

Life is indeed good for Phillies fans. Their team, once left for dead, has clawed back to within 1.5 games of the National League Wild Card lead, with some surprisingly good odds on their side. The offense is clicking, and the bullpen is on a roll. They travel an easy road the rest of the way, facing mostly sub-.500 competition with nothing to play for. Plus, the addition of Jamie Moyer gives them five stable arms the rest of the season.

Two starters have been red-hot. Jon Lieber is one of them. The other is today’s starter Cole Hamels (6-6, 4.40 ERA), who can be counted among the best pitchers in the NL since the all-star break. Here’s how he ranks since the turn:

Strikeouts: 59 (3rd)
Wins: 4 (5th)
K/9 IP: 11.71 (1st)
WHIP: 97 (2nd)

Like the rest of us, the team must get a charge when Hamels throws. The Phils have given him 52 runs of support in his six wins, so those numbers should be seen in that context. Still, he’s indeed missing some bats with three solid pitches in his bag of tricks, and takes the mound with the poise of a World Series winner.

The Phils (64-62) held on to beat the Cubs 2-1 last night for their fifth straight victory. Ryan Howard hit his 44th homer of the season, and is just four away from tying Mike Schmidt’s Phillies record set in 1980.

Jimmy Rollins, the subject of Rich Hofmann’s column in this morning’s Daily News, doubled in the winning run in the top of the ninth inning. Hofmann’s piece basically reiterated what a lot of fans have known for a long time: as Jimmy goes, so goes the offense. While Chase Utley is commonly considered the team’s best all-around player, Rollins shouldn’t be far behind, if at all. J-Roll is the team’s best defender, and having a career year with both the bat and glove.

The Cubs will turn to ace Carlos Zambrano (13-5, 3.35 ERA) to salvage the final game of this series. Zambrano leads the league with 173 strikeouts.

Thurston replaces Burrell in LF
Joe Thurston will make his first career start in left field today, replacing Pat Burrell against the right-hander Zambrano. The 27-year-old former Dodger was used primarily at second base this season and got a hit in last night's game.

Myers must bear down tonight vs. Cubs

The Phillies have a chance to pull to 1.5 games back in the Wild Card if Brett Myers and the Phillies can get the job done tonight in Chicago.

(Editor's note: Listen up, Brett. I'm only going to write this once. No more excuses. None of this tired legs business. Bear down and do it. This is a big night, one that will define you in the eyes of many fans.)

Moving on, there can be no excuses as the Phils should have a clear edge tonight in Game 3. The Phillies are hot, so Myers (8-6, 4.40 ERA) should have a wide-open chance to end a four-game slide.

Myers allowed six runs, nine hits and four walks in 3 1-3 inning of a 6-4 loss to Washington on Friday and has a 9.45 ERA in his last four starts. Time away from the Bank should be good. He’s won his last three contests away from home.

The Cubs are a brutal team, with nothing to play for and a lame-duck manager in Dusty Baker. Baker will counter with rookie Angel Guzman (0-3, 6.68 ERA), who’s seen time in both the rotation and bullpen. Guzman makes his sixth start in place of Carlos Marmol, on the DL with a shoulder injury.

It was a long, hard road, which saw many a bailout, but the Phillies managed to top .500 yesterday for the first time since June 14. They have a chance to pull to within 1.5 games of the Wild Card-leading Reds, who lost this afternoon. Suddenly, there's talk from national writers that the Phillies might just slip into the postseason after all.

Second baseman Chase Utley is expected to return to the lineup following Monday’s outfield collision. Infielder Jose Hernandez, acquired yesterday from Pittsburgh, will be in uniform. Outfielder Michael Bourn was optioned last night to clear room for Hernandez.

The unsung heroes of August

With all the praise laid at the feet of a high-scoring offense and rejuvenated rotation, it was time to celebrate a Phillies bullpen that has been steady all season long.

A while back, Beerleaguer regular RickSchuBlues made a motion to forbid posters from complaining about Charlie Manuel’s bullpen use until further notice.

Today, that motion should be passed into law.

On paper, there isn’t an official in baseball who would endorse Aaron Fultz and the rest of the Phillies’ bullpen, yet over the course of this season, it’s the one area the team has been able to count on. They have been among the top National League bullpens all season in ERA, and have dropped anchor over this past month. Here are the August numbers:

ERA
Castro: 0.00
Fultz: 0.93
Rhodes: 2.45
Geary: 2.77
White: 2.79
Madson 3.21
Sanches: 3.52
Gordon: 9.64

For two seasons, bullpen use represents the single biggest complaint about Manuel by posters on this site. It can be traced back to games two and three of the 2005 season when Tim Worrell blew back-to-back games.

The beef continues today, alleging Manuel too often uses the wrong guy in the wrong situation, takes them out too early, or leaves them in too long. They say he’s too strict in his bullpen assignments.

Some complaints are justifiable, but after two seasons, that last part – his bullpen assignments – should be seen as nothing but a true strength. Frankly, the talent isn't all that great, yet Manuel has established a system that allows pitchers to pitch up to their capability. He knows what they can and can't do, and uses them accordingly.

Aaron Fultz and Geoff Geary represent the heart and soul of the bullpen under Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee. Fultz signed as a minor league free agent last season and barely made the team. He has been nothing short of rock-solid ever since. Look at Geary, a short right-hander on pace to pitch 85-plus innings. Hard to believe he was optioned twice since the start of '05. All he's done is mature into the team’s most durable middle reliever.

The latest additions are starting to make GM Pat Gillick look good. Rick White, scooped off the scrap pile after his hometown Cincinnati Reds left him out with the trash, has shut the door this month, usually in big innings. Fabio Castro, just 21, hasn't allowed a run.

Manuel and Dubee can only play with the hand they’re dealt, yet they’re stealing the pot almost every night. Don’t forget those who were traded in for better cards. Rheal Cormier left with an ERA under 2.00. Even Ryan Franklin found some purpose.

This afternoon, Franklin and Cormier are busy helping the Reds lose.

Moyer makes debut; Utley sits for Sandoval

Jamie Moyer returns to the site of his ML debut when he makes his first start in a Phillies uniform tonight at Wrigley. Chase Utley sits with soreness following yesterday's collision.

The 43-year-old left-hander, acquired Saturday in a trade with Seattle, went 6-12 with a 4.39 ERA in 25 starts. He gets a clean slate tonight when he begins the last leg of his career with his hometown team.

Last night's collision between center fielder Aaron Rowand and second baseman Chase Utley had a ripple effect today, resulting in a 4-to-6 week trip to the DL for Rowand, a night off for Utley, a contract purchase of second baseman Joe Thurston, a recall and cancelled flight to Cuba for Michael Bourn, the acquisition of veteran infielder Jose Hernandez, and a couple thousand bucks floated Pittsburgh's way.

Tonight's lineup has a truly "unique" look, with utility infielder Danny Sandoval starting at second and hitting second behind Shane Victorino. Jimmy Rollins bats third in place of Utley.

For Chicago, 26-year-old left-hander Ryan O'Malley (1-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the nod.

Phillies acquire professional hitter Jose Hernandez

Two weeks ago, the Phillies were dumping every expendable veteran for low-level prospects. Now, they're acquiring veterans in pursuit of the Wild Card with their latest acquisition of shortstop Jose Hernandez.

The 37-year-old utility man, who made his big-league debut in 1991 with Texas, will fill the role of the extra right-handed bat the Phils were seeking for their bench. Hernandez was hitting .267 with 2 homers and .678 OPS in 132 plate appearances with Pittsburgh. The Phillies are his 9th team, and it does not appear he worked under Pat Gillick at any point in his career.

The Phillies will send cash to the Pirates in exchange for Hernandez. The signing was first reported on Comcast Daily News Live this evening.

Hernandez has had some good power seasons, totaling 167 career homers. Hernandez earned an all-star nod in 2002 with Milwaukee. It was his best season, finishing with a .288 BA with 24 home runs and 78 RBIs.

Beerleaguer take
Better than Danny Sandoval, Hernandez has proven experience and can still play, plus, the Phillies managed to hold onto their prospects. Let's hope what I'm really thinking isn't true ... that Chase Utley is injured. He's out of tonight's lineup with soreness following yesterday's collision.

Update: Phillies promote Thurston, Bourn

Primarily a second baseman, Joe Thurston was hitting .282 with 9 homers and 28 doubles for Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. The 27-year-old former fourth-round pick of the Dodgers has seen time in left field this season.

Update: The Phillies have also recalled outfielder Michael Bourn, who was in Florida for Olympic qualifying.

We knew it would be interesting, and this move comes as something of a surprise.

Thurston, who is not included on the 40-man roster and will have his contract purchased, was signed this offseason as a minor league free agent. You may remember he was in the running for the final spot off the Phillies bench for a little while. The job eventually went to David Dellucci.

Thurston saw action with the Dodgers in parts of three seasons between 2002 and 2004 and spent all of last season in Triple-A. He’s a good hitting second baseman and is 11-40 (.274) lifetime in the majors. I don't know much about him, but his career certainly resembles that of a Marlon Anderson-type player; good left-handed bat, but must have a shaky glove or some other holes. Now, it seems his versatility will be used to help the Phillies bench desperate for outfield depth and another man for the infield.

As for Bourn, he's back after a brief cup of coffee a few weeks back. The slashing center fielder was hitting .286 with Scranton. This season, in stops with Reading and Scranton, he has tallied more triples than doubles (13 triples, 10 doubles) and has totalled a combined 45 stolen bases.

EL player of the week Gary Burnham will replace Thurston at Scranton.

Rowand injury puts the squeeze on Phils bench

According to sources cited by the Daily News, Aaron Rowand will miss at least 5 weeks with a broken ankle following an outfield collision in last night’s game. His absence leaves the Phillies scrambling for bats.

It’s not ideal, but the Phils can survive without Rowand in the starting lineup the rest of the season. Shane Victorino has proven to be a competent fill-in. We can also rest easy knowing none of our franchise players runs the risk of getting spiked in the face.

But now the Phillies face a serious dilemma. David Dellucci, better in a platoon role and nursing a nagging injury, will be forced into everyday play. Same for Victorino. Beneath their starting nine, where Chris Roberson, who’s just 5-for-28 (.179), is now the first option off the pine. The Phils have played with a short deck for weeks because they’re carrying a 13th pitcher. But with an injury to Rowand, and the recent retroactive trip to the DL for closer Tom Gordon, the Phillies have a wide open shot to look for creative ways to add bench help, and the moves could get a little goofy. The immediate answer may not be as easy as recalling speedy outfielder Michael Bourn, who’s headed to Cuba for Olympic qualifying.

All the options at Triple-A Scranton would appear to be a reach. They could be forced into inserting a career minor-league lifer like 35-year-old outfielder Pedro Swann, who’s hitting like crazy since he was signed from the independent leagues earlier this season. Bobby Scales would be a versatile addition; he can play infield and reportedly the outfield corners. Carlos Ruiz would figure to stay put in Scranton until rosters are expanded next week.

Swann and Scales would need to have their contracts purchased to be included on the 40-man roster. Luckily, the Phils have two slots available, even after Saturday’s addition of Jamie Moyer.

The Phils could conceivably bring up two hitters since Gordon went on the DL, or they could add another pitcher, likely Clay Condrey, who’s already on the 40-man. Scott Mathieson could also make an early return.

It’s not out of the question that they scour bats of all varieties from outside the organization. A number of bats recently fell out of baseball, like Vinny Castilla and Tony Batista, both right-handed, but probably washed up. Ruben Sierra is out there. Richard Hidalgo is out there. B.J. Surhoff might be out there, and was talked about during the pre-seasons. Sammy Sosa is somewhere. Nothing more than extreme longshots who are either cooked or nearly cooked.

They may also scour the waiver wire for older outfielders on teams who fell out of the race. Kansas City’s Reggie Sanders is a name often mentioned, and has proven experience in playoff races. Sanders is having a down year, but has heated up lately. Of all the options mentioned here, Sanders would seem to be the best fit. For an acquisition to happen, he would need to pass through waivers, which is not out of the question.

We'll know more as the day progresses.

Phillies begin four-game series with Cubs

Jon Lieber and the Phillies reach for .500 when they meet Rich Hill and the Cubs tonight at Wrigley Field.

Growing up, it felt like every other Phillies game was played in front of outfield ivy. Man, times have changed since realignment. This will be the first Wrigley telecast I’ve seen in over a year.

Wrigley field is of course the site where Jon Lieber (5-9, 5.10 ERA), who pitched for the Cubs from 1999-2002, posted his 20-win season, and the pitcher we’ve seen lately looks a lot like that guy. Lieber is 1-1 with a 1.13 ERA in his last three starts.

The red-hot Phillies offense will try to stay hot against left-hander Rich Hill (6-8, 6.90 ERA), who has a terrible strikeout/walk ratio of 32/26. The Phillies bats are averaging over 7 runs a game since July 28 and have taken over the league lead in runs scored.

Fresh fodder from the press notes
- The Phillies had seven sac hits in yesterday’s game, including three sac flies, which tied a club record.

- Collectively, the Phils have been plunked by pitches 68 times this season, the most in baseball and on pace to break the franchise record set in 1900.

- Jimmy Rollins needs two more home runs and the Phillies will have their first 20-homer double play combo ever in Rollins and Chase Utley. Utley has 21.

Mathieson optioned
- Pitcher Scott Mathieson was optioned back to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre to make room for new starter Jamie Moyer. Mathieson should become a valuable asset in the Red Baron’s pursuit of the International League championship.

Late essay
For those who missed it, I posted a late essay this afternoon on the career of Mike Lieberthal. You can find it directly below.

Mike the catcher's final act

Before pennant fever takes over, some parting words for Mike Lieberthal, in case the curtain comes down on his Philadelphia career.

Catcher Mike Lieberthal has been at it for 14 seasons, 1160 games and a franchise-record 1,126 starts behind the plate, making him the longest-tenured athlete in the city of Philadelphia.

If he is not retained, or walks away from baseball when his contract expires, he will disappear into the sunset as perhaps the best backstop in team history. Certainly, he’s the team's most prolific run producer to wear a mask, chest protector and shin guards over an extended period of time, all the same color, all for the same employer since June of 1990.

Despite his longevity, his career doesn't resonate the way it should. Blame can be assigned to a number of guilty parties, none of whom are named Mike Lieberthal.

It took a conversation with Inquirer baseball writer Jim Salisbury, one year ago at Citizens Bank Park, to remember that Lieberthal had two bad knees, to unlock that repressed memory from the recesses of my brain, buried under the popular notion that Lieby was just "too pretty" to be a catcher.

It took this brilliant nugget of wisdom, mouthed like a puppet, for Salisbury to counter with his point about a pair of creaky knees, a tactful way of explaining that Lieberthal was getting the short end of the stick, specifically from punks like me.

It felt like I had been knocked from my consequence-free bubble and buried under a pile of flesh and bone. Surgery. Pain. Dirt. What did I know about any of it? Ever since then, I never felt comfortable writing about Mike the catcher, and never again deluded myself into thinking I’m on equal footing with a beat writer.

"Lieberthal is bored." There’s another dandy that attached itself like a bur and grew roots. "Lieberthal is bored, playing a game for complacently for millions, when any one of us would trade anything for just one day in his cleats."

Bogus tradeoff. Here’s a trade with some validity. In 2001, Lieberthal traded in a burgeoning career, one that included 46 total home runs in two injury-shortened seasons in 1999 and 2000, for a torn ACL, MCL and lateral meniscus in his right knee, diving back to first on a routine pickoff play. After that, he was never the same. That’s a fact you only hear in conversations with reporters, or in the whispers of season ticket holders with matching seat cushions, who remember when the standards weren't so high. The time before Piazza, Javy, Pudge and Lieby rewrote the rules.

"Bored" wasn’t the right word, either. "Regretful" was. The perfect word to describe looking back over 14 underappreciated seasons of good baseball.

Phillies acquire Jamie Moyer from Mariners

Trade! The Phillies acquired left-hander Jamie Moyer and cash from the Mariners in exchange for a pair of minor league right-handers late Saturday night. The 43-year-old veteran went 6-12 with a 4.39 ERA.

This deal has all the makings of one of those savvy Pat Gillick moves we've been waiting for.

Stability and deception … these are the two key benefits to acquiring Moyer for the remaining leg, and if it works, you’re sitting on a guy who’s won in the playoffs.

It’s impossible to believe there would have been a better available option for what the Phils were looking for at this stage of the season. Instead of having eight games over the remaining 40 where losing is very likely, Gillick got on the horn with his old team and subtracted that uncertainty by adding a reliable pitcher who knows more about the craft than just about anyone. Better him than Scott Mathieson, Eude Brito, Brian Mazone or Gavin Floyd. We can all agree on that.

Let’s take care of the negatives first. Moyer is a well-known flyball pitcher, having given up 25 homers already, 13 at pitcher-friendly Safeco. Five of his eight probable starts will be inside bandboxes, possibly three starts at Citizens Bank Park, in addition to two games at Minute Maid and Wrigley, where he will make his Phillies debut on Tuesday. The rest are on the road in the NL East, all pitcher's parks.

But looking at just this one aspect fails to capture the big picture. What the Phillies are trying to do is avoid the early blowouts that have plagued them all season long. Moyer is steady. Moving to a new league, it should take opposing hitters three innings just to figure out what he's dealing. He’s been tucked away in the AL West for over a decade. Now, he's exposed to some fresh lineups, including a handful of clubs that will have nothing to play for by September. Plus, the intangibles (fresh start, homecoming) would seem to be on his side.

Moyer faced the National League three times this season, and smoked them each time. In starts against San Diego, San Francisco and Colorado, he lasted 7, 8 and 9 innings and didn’t allow more than two runs in any game.

The AL book on Moyer must be 10,000 pages; it’s quite an accomplishment that he’s been this effective for so long. A 4.39 ERA isn’t shabby in that league, but he’s also benefited from superb infield defense, possibly the best in the AL. Even 25 homers and .285 OBA seem acceptable when you’ve faced teams like Texas, Los Angeles and Oakland about 40 times each. Talking straight stats, there’s not a whole lot of statistical difference between Moyer and Brett Myers this season. The quality of the two defenses and home parks are really what seperate them, making Myers the better pitcher.

This deal also shines bright because Gillick has become a believer again. Perhaps he always was. Like he said, he’s “a buyer and seller,” the phrase he was crucified for saying by silly radio hosts.

Beerleaguer is feeling giddy this morning. I don't see much risk in it. Here’s a post-deadline deal for a starting pitcher who can stablize the rotation and get this team over the hump. And there's a certain beauty knowing it came straight out of left field.

More on the trade
In exchange, the Phils sent Class-A right-handers Andrew Baldwin and Andrew Barb to the Mariners. Baldwin was 8-8 with a 4.04 ERA at Single-A Clearwater. Barb, a reliever, was 6-2 with a 2.23 ERA and 18 saves at Class-A Lakewood. Neither is considered a high-ceiling prospect.

Moyer is making $5.5 million this season and needed to approve this deal because he’s a 5/10 guy. There is a mutual option on his contract for 2007. Gillick told the Philadelphia Inquirer there is a chance Moyer could be back next season, which might not be the worst idea in the world. The Phils also received cash in the deal.

More on Moyer
A native of Souderton, Moyer began his career with the Cubs in 1986. He's 211-164 with a 4.17 ERA in 563 career games for the Cubs, Rangers, Cardinals, Orioles, Red Sox and Mariners.

Moyer joined the Mariners on July 30, 1996 in a trade with Boston for outfielder Darren Bragg. He went 145-87 with a 3.97 ERA in 324 games (323 starts) with the Mariners and is the franchise leader in wins, starts and innings pitched. He is the only Seattle pitcher to win 20 or more games more than once. It took him until age 40 to make his first All-Star game.

Hamels deals in a must-win game for Phils

The Phillies need a win tonight to put themselves in position to take this series and leave town on a positive note.

The is a crucial game, but you have to feel confident about the home-team’s chances. The Phils send a hot pitcher to the mound in the form of Cole Hamels (5-6, 4.50 ERA), looking to milk all the wins from this homestand as they can before they take to the road.

Hamels is coming off the best outing of his career, allowing just four hits in a career-high eight innings in Monday's shutout win over the Mets. Over his last four starts, Hamels is 3-1 with a 1.59 ERA, using three pitches to break down some of the league's best hitters. Ramon Ortiz (9-10, 4.88) goes for the opposition, looking to rebound following a seven-run drubbing at the hands of Atlanta.

Last night, Brett Myers, the man supposed to deliver the goods in meaningful August games, never gave them a chance, allowing the Nationals to go up 6-0 before the Phils could respond. It was the Phils second straight loss following a juggernaut start to the Mets series.

Luckily, the Phils remain 2 1/2 games behind Cincinnati following their loss to Pittsburgh. However, they can’t count on another Bucco favor tonight, and need to start taking advantage of these games against the Nationals. Ortiz is a pitcher they must punish, and Hamels must continue dealing.

Lieberthal on Myers: 'He seems a little tired'

Add fatigue to the growing list of problems concerning pitcher Brett Myers, who surrendered two homers and three runs before he recorded his first out yesterday.

After the game, Mike Lieberthal, who passed Red Dooin for the most games caught in team history (1,125), said Myers “seems a little tired,” as a way to explain why his fastball arrived up in the zone. Myers agreed, telling Comcast he’s throwing well in the pen, but not getting it done on the field.

Myers lasted only 3 1-3 innings and gave up six earned runs, not even close to the output most have come to expect from the right-hander. He hasn’t gone more than 6 innings in his last four starts, and during that stretch, has given up seven homers, putting him at astronomical 23 for the season.

Mediocre finishes are nothing new to the 26-year-old, who tailed off at the end of 2005 as well. He’s at an age, and has the talent, to outlast hitters through the season, to be “the man” in these important stretch-run games, when the goal is clearly in sight. His ERA this month is now 9.45.

To the naked eye, he’s battling not just hitters, but an extra 30 pounds. The physical fitness of the pitching staff is an indictment of the players and coaching staff for allowing this to continue. There’s no excuse for it. Myers has the stuff to become the club’s keystone pitcher, yet for the second season, he’s ballooned to a self-destructive size.

Before the season, GM Pat Gillick said Myers was the player most likely to have a breakout year. He’s regressed. His 23 homers and 4.40 ERA are well off-pace of his final 2005 total. In addition, his off-the-field issues and in-game demeanor further separate him from the high-character of the rest of the club.

Myers is this season's greatest disappointment. 

Sick day – talk amongst yourselves

Topics: Phils take series 3-1. Brett Myers (8-5, 4.12 ERA) vs. Tony Armas (7-8, 4.72 ERA) tonight. Have learned that publishing houses are in search of Chris Coste. Want to republish his memoir. Howard hits 42nd homer. End of season in sight. Players like Chase Utley starting to look tired. I'm tired. So weak, feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. Considering boiling Phillies media guide to make crude stew for nourishment.

Phillies set sights on series sweep

Pitcher Scott Mathieson represents the final link to complete a chain outstanding starts, as the Phils look to take all four games with the Mets this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.

Nobody could have expected that Jon Lieber, the same pitcher who surrendered thirteen hits and nine earned runs in 4 2-3 innings a little over two weeks ago, could rebound for three lights-out starts, including last night’s complete-game shutout.

Isn’t it funny how a pitcher no team wanted, so far, would have helped a contending team as much as any player moved by July 31 deadline. Lucky for the Phils, he’s helping their own playoff cause.

On the subject of "not knowing how good you have it until it’s gone," it’s such a sad indictment knowing that Chris Coste would still be floundering in Scranton Wilke-Barre had it not been for an injury to Sal Fasano. If this season accomplishes one thing, I hope the club begins to think outside the box when it comes finding ways to use talent already at their disposal. Coste hit another home run in a 3-for-3 night at the plate.

Back to Lieber, the player considered among the most disappointing this season. I never thought we'd see that kind of outing from him again. Suddenly, the pitching staff – clearly the biggest weakness all season long – is quite formidable. Now the pressure is firmly on Brett Myers to put excuses aside and break out of his late-season swoon.

Every team in Wild Card contention has a Scott Mathieson (1-3, 6.24 ERA), who will be looking to ride this moment and notch his first quality start since July 5. The Mets, however, appear to have found their answer at No. 5 in John Maine (2-3, 2.64 ERA), challenging Mathieson and the Phils for the second time this month. On Aug. 6, Maine scattered three hits over six innings.

Unfortunately, the Phils gained no ground on the Reds last night. However, the Reds are inching closer to toppling St. Louis from atop the NL Central. The Reds beat the Cards 7-2.

Victorino/Rowand debate
Shane Victorino has showcased more across-the-board talent than Aaron Rowand, and like Coste, falls into the category of players that could help the team as an everyday player as early as next season. In his brief time in Philadelphia, the Flyin' Hawaiian has showcased an arm that’s second to none, greased-lightening speed, and a certain spark that ties the lineup together to generate big rallies.

Meanwhile, Rowand is the lineup's oddest peg. He's not a power hitter, he doesn't make contact and he doesn't have great speed. He's 0-for-his-last-11 and has been a drag on the offense since June.

June: .223/.275/.330
July: .224/.327/.400
August: .215/.257/.354

In the spirit of thinking outside the box, the Phillies need to take a hard look at center field next season. Rowand is in the second season of 2-year contract he originally signed with the White Sox. Next season, Rowand can pick up a $3.25 player option, or if he does not exercise the option, the Phils may exercise a $5 million team option. At this point, it’s very difficult to justify the investment.

Improving Lieber aims for another solid outing

The Phillies have scored 24 runs in the first two games this series, and will try to keep the flood gates open tonight for Jon Lieber (4-9, 5.51 ERA), seeking his first win since July 26.

Lieber's season has taken a turn for the better following two solid post-deadline starts. The Phillies attempted to deal the 36-year-old right-hander at the non-waiver trade deadline, but found no takers. Lieber is 1-4 with a 5.12 ERA in seven starts since coming off the disabled list and was unimpressive in starts that were reportedly attended by scouts.

The good news is Lieber has typically been a strong finisher, and if the Phils are to have any shot at the playoffs, he must finish strong over the remaining 45 games. He’s pitched well against the Mets. Lifetime, he is 5-6 with a 4.09 ERA in 19 career games against them, and is 0-1 with a 3.21 ERA in two starts this season.

Tom Glavine (12-5, 3.92 ERA) faces the Phillies for the fourth time this season. The veteran left-hander is 2-0 with a 4.92 ERA against them this season.

Last night, Randy Wolf lived up to his reputation as a poor-man’s Glavine with an excellent 7-inning, 2-run effort. Wolf, who appears to be in superb physical shape, helped himself with a 2-for-2 night at the plate.

Pat Burrell will likely return to the lineup after getting benched the last two nights. In doing so, manager Charlie Manuel may be taking the bat out of the hand of red-hot David Dellucci, who still has a .815 OPS against left-handers. The former reservist hit a three-run homer yesterday and is batting .421 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in the month of August.

Shane Victorino, also swinging a hot bat, could also sit. Victorino went 2-for-4 with a home run and a triple last night and is hitting .310 with a 1.018 OPS this month.

Time to show Dallas the door

Present-day manager Charlie Manuel got into it with glory day manager and present-day advisor Dallas Green before yesterday's game, according to a report by Jim Salisbury in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

According to the story, Manuel has been seething ever since Green publicly criticized him on radio several weeks ago. Manuel confronted Green near the dugout before the start of the Phillies game against the Mets. According to Salisbury, the confrontation lasted 60 seconds, with Manuel doing most of the talking and finger pointing.

Sources told Salisbury that Green was "slapped on the wrist" for criticizing Manuel and was told to stay away from the field, clubhouse and dugout. He was reportedly showing a group of friends around the field.

The 72-year-old manager of the 1980 World Championship team was enshrined Wall of Fame last week, leading to speculation he would retire or not be retained as advisor next year. Always outspoken, Green last made headlines by criticizing since-departed third baseman Scott Rolen.

Beerleaguer take
The Phillies began the process of cutting ties with the old regime by firing Larry Bowa, and they’re long overdue to wave goodbye to Dinosaur Dallas. Tom Goodman of Swing and a Miss has long championed this cause. This morning, Goodman writes:

Once or twice a season, Green can be counted on to open his big mouth and publicly ridicule some player ... Green (pictured right with mouth open) was enshrined for something he accomplished 26 years ago this October. There are many, including several of his former ballplayers, who have publicly stated that the 1980 team won the World Series despite or to spite him. Regardless of how one views that magical season of long ago, Green has done nothing since to endear him to fans or players alike ... Since his return as a senior advisor Green has remained in the background for the most part save the occasional sally forth to utter some public ridicule. Once again, Mr. Montgomery, the debt to Mr. Green has been paid in full. Consider the enshrinement your final payment and do the right thing. Tell the Big Mouth goodbye. By the way, does the wall plaque show him with his mouth open?

It’s up to the Phillies decision-makers to decide whether they’re truly serious about moving forward and not looking back. Pat Gillick’s job is hard enough without a so-called advisor throwing his field manager under the bus. I struggle to grasp how a disruptive former manager, whose frame of reference lies 26 years in the past, can offer fresh advice for a GM whose Mariners team set an AL record with 116 wins just five years ago.

It’s time for Mr. Green to join many of the legends enshrined on that wall: Present only in memory; absent in physical and audible form.

Q&A: Mazone a worthy alternative to Mathieson

Scranton Times-Tribune beat writer Chad Jennings checks in to answer questions about pitchers Brian Mazone, Justin Germano and the possibility of adding a third baseman to replace Abraham Nunez.

Beerleaguer: Readers are clamoring for another starter to replace 22-year-old pitcher Scott Mathieson, who doesn’t look ready for prime time. Obviously, Brian Mazone's line jumps off the page. Is the 30-year-old left-hander a realistic alternative? He’s 11-2 with a 2.05 ERA. And what do you make of Justin Germano since his acquisition?

Chad Jennings: How can anyone deny Mazone at this point? Yes, he's a remarkably unlikely story, but so is Chris Coste and he seems to be working out pretty well. Mazone doesn't have the big fastball like Mathieson, but he changes speeds, commands all four pitches (fastball, change, curve and cutter) and he keeps balls in the park. He has been remarkably consistent and right now he's in line to lead the league in ERA. I think he's worth a look.

As for Justin Germano, he's pitching tonight and that will be just my second time seeing him. (Note: Last night, Germano pitched seven scoreless innings to earn his first win). So far my impression is that he's a solid young pitcher. He could be the answer, but Mazone has been much better this season. Also, Eude Brito is starting to pitch much better, to the point that he's been dominant at times. That said, no one has been better, longer this season than Mazone.

Beerleaguer: Do the Red Barons have an answer at third base? Bobby Scales and Brennan King have good numbers, but do they have the gloves to hold their own in the majors?

Chad Jennings: At third base, King is a better defensive player and has more pop, but Scales is probably a more consistent hitter and he can play second base and the outfield corners, so that's a plus. I think King would have been an interesting option in Philly after the Bell trade, but he's on the DL right now with a sprained ankle and might not be back for at least a week. Regardless of what happens this year, King might have been an off-season steal for the Phillies. This is his first Triple-A season and he's steadily gotten better. Even if he doesn't get a chance this season, he could play a role in the future.

If you're looking for a quick fix, Scales is probably the best bet. I don't think he would do anything overwhelming up there, but I think he would be solid at third base. I keep wondering whether Joe Thurston could play third. I know he has a little bit of time at shortstop, and the Red Barons started him a few times in left field, but if he could play third he might be the wild card option. The guy has a slick glove, good speed and he can hit for average. Plus he has some big league time with the Dodgers. I'm not at all saying the Phillies are going to make that move, but it seems like an interesting option to me.

Chad Jennings covers the Red Barons for the Scranton Times-Tribune. He welcomes e-mail at [email protected].

Phillies locked and loaded for Game 2

After a blowout win against Pedro, the Phillies look to keep the bats clicking tonight against Orlando Hernandez and the Mets. Randy Wolf tries for win No. 1.

The Phillies unloaded for six runs off Pedro yesterday, knocking him out after just one inning, his shortest outing since his days in Montreal. Martinez left the game due to a right calf strain, and the Phils went on to win 13-0 behind a dazzling performance by Cole Hamels.

The good guys try to keep the momentum going tonight against Orlando Hernandez (8-8, 4.91). El Duque is 4-0 with a 3.44 ERA over his last six outings and pitched against the Phils just 11 days ago in a six-inning no-decision.

Randy Wolf (0-0, 5.27 ERA) will make his fourth start since returning from the disabled list. His last start was his best and longest, allowing 2 runs over 5 1-3 innings.

Don't mess with success
The Phils will go with the same lineup as last night, with Mike Lieberthal replacing Chris Coste at catcher. Since the second half, the team is 17-13, the second-best mark in the National League. Over that span, they lead the NL in hits (315), runs (194), RBIs (184), total bases (540), batting average (.288) and OBP (.371) , and rank second in HR (50) and walks (126).

Minor leagues back in winning swing

The talent pool may be a little dry, but the top four levels of the Phillies farm system are headed toward winning seasons.

Phillies GM Pat Gillick believes winning is a part of development. If that’s the case, the players currently moving through the high levels of the Phillies farm system are getting a valuable taste of success.

The top four levels – Scranton Wilkes-Barre (AAA), Reading (AA), Clearwater (A) and Lakewood (A) – all have winning records, totaling 263 wins to 215 losses (.550).

Scranton (71-51, 1st place, North Division) defeated Syracuse 3-2 for their fourth straight win yesterday. Gavin Floyd (7-3, 4.15 ERA) earned the victory by pitching seven strong innings. Catcher Carlos Ruiz went 2-for-4 and hit his 12th home run of the season. Ruiz has been the Barons’ best hitter, bar none, and has not cooled off all this season. The Red Barons are now 2.5 games up on Rochester in the North Division.

After a dismal start, Reading (61-57, 3rd place) has somehow clawed back into the playoff picture. They’re getting the biggest push from veteran hitters like Gary Burnham, John Castellano and Matt Padgett, but also a huge lift from a red-hot bullpen, led by Talley Haines, Evan Fahrner and closer Joe Bisenius. This was a team that had high expectations, but virtually all the young bats fell flat, including second baseman Tim Moss and Jason Jaramillo. The unfortunate early effect is that the young arms – Gio Gonzalez, Zach Segovia, Scott Mathieson, and before his trade, Dan Haigwood – were sort of wilting away on the vine while the offense banged out two or three hits. Finally, the have something worth playing for. Castellano says it’s the best group he’s ever been around.

Clearwater (29-21, 2nd place, West Division, 60-59 overall) defeated St. Lucie yesterday to continue their second-half surge. At long last, position prospects Greg Golson (OF), Tim Moss (2B) and last season’s first pick Mike Costanzo (3B) are starting to hit a little. Kyle Kendrick is the club’s best pitcher at 7-5 and a 3.89 ERA.

Powered by a dynamite collection of arms, Lakewood (34-16, 1st place, Northern Division, 71-48 overall) is having the best season of any affiliate. They defeated Lexington 8-2 yesterday for their fifth straight win. Matt Maloney, Carlos Carrasco and Joshua Outman have been the team’s best pitchers, but they’ve gotten good results from just about everyone they've put on the hill. Yesterday, RHP Ben Pfinsgraff struck out eight in seven innings to earn the win in his BlueClaws debut. Just three nights ago, Carrasco combined on a no-hitter.

Short-season Batavia and the Gulf Coast rookie academy have fared a little worse. Batavia is 25-27, while the GCL Phillies have started 15-29.

Gordon will undergo MRI on right shoulder

Closer Tom Gordon is out for at least the rest of this series with inflammation in his pitching shoulder. Flash is scheduled for an MRI sometime today.

After some speculation after his latest outing against Cincinnati, Gordon (3-4, 3.28 ERA, 27 SV) told MLB.com that he’s felt discomfort for "a couple of months." Since June 19, the All-Start has a 6.26 ERA, including runs in seven of his last 18 appearances after surrendering runs in just four of his first 31 outings.

Manager Charlie Manuel said Arthur Rhodes (0-3, 5.11 ERA) will take over closer duties. Rhodes told the Daily News recently that he has fixed a flaw in his delivery after studying tapes of his outings. The veteran left-hander hasn’t allowed a run or a hit in his last seven appearances.

Phils open four-game set with Mets

Expect a good fight when rookie Cole Hamels faces Pedro Martinez and the Mets for the first time in his career.

Regardless of the outcome, tonight is a priceless step in the development of a young career. A good showing tonight by Cole Hamels (4-6, 4.97 ERA) should boost an already burgeoning confidence.

The 22-year-old left-hander, seen by some as something of a franchise savior, has allowed just five runs and 14 hits in 20 1-3 innings in his last three starts, while striking out a Carlton-like 25.

For those keeping score (I know I am), Hamels has a solid chance to supplant Brett Myers as the team’s best pitcher by the end of the season. Hamels limited Atlanta to one run over six innings last Tuesday, but took the loss in a 3-1 defeat. Meanwhile, Myers has been disappointing in his last three starts. After early success, Myers has allowed a carb-bloated 21 home runs to raise his ERA to 4.12.

If you're the Phillies, attitude, maturity, home runs and personal fitness are all worth bringing to the arbitration table when Myers' one-year deal expires after the season.

Coming of a crucial loss to the Reds, the Phillies should be tired, but hungry. Pedro (9-4, 3.42 ERA) is undefeated since coming off the disabled list. The veteran right-hander is 7-4 with a 2.91 ERA in 20 career appearances against the Phils.

Mathieson still slated for Thursday
According to the pre-game notes, Scott Mathieson will remain in the starting rotation follow the bloodletting in Saturday’s game. In doing so, Pat Gillick appears to be following the Beerleaguer decree from about a month ago: The kids stay. Is it too late for a retraction?

Hustle and flow

Chase Utley’s bat may have gone missing in the series loss to Cincinnati, but his spirit was alive in a team that never quit.

If the Phillies miss the playoffs, poor starting pitching will absorb most of the blame. However, don’t forget the first two months where deficient glove work and obtuse base running proved costly. Probably "4-games out of the Wild Card" costly.

It wasn’t long ago that readers issued serious concern over Ryan Howard’s glove. In a town like Philadelphia, lapses in the field won’t go unnoticed, no matter how many balls clear left field. It’s hard to believe Howard went through a stretch of May games that caused fans to grumble about his cool and casual approach. Words like "outfield" and "platoon" flew like darts. Radio hosts were worried he’d cross into "the Dark Side," where Bobby Abreu apparently played the role of Darth Vader.

Today, Howard – once rated the best defensive first basemen when he played in Triple-A – is probably the most improved fielder since the first half of the season.

If Chase Utley is the new face of the Phillies, Howard is the poster boy for the team’s metamorphosis under their new captain. In the words of Baseball Tonight analyst John Kruk, the former Phillies first baseman said the team is taking on the personality of their best player:

"Every time you think of the Yankees, it starts with Derek Jeter, and everything with the Phillies starts with Chase Utley," Kruk said. "I came to the Phillies two weeks before Mike Schmidt retired, and everybody on the team had the attitude of Schmidt, which was laid back and cool. It works if you are Mike Schmidt because he is a Hall of Famer, but the others on the team weren't great players. Bobby was a great player, but he was laid back, and the others on the Phillies often acted like that. Now the younger kids will see Utley busting his [behind] every play, taking out guys at second, never giving up, and they feel that is how you play the game."

Poignant commentary from Krukker. This is clearly the hardest they’ve played in 2006. On any given night, the lineup is peppered with players with something to prove: David Dellucci, Shane Victorino, Abraham Nunez. The real beauty is that players with job security - Howard, Rollins, and of course, Utley - are bleeding right there with them.

Giving 110 percent is more than lip service for the blue collar mob. Defense is a huge part of baseball, especially with a starting staff like the Phillies, where pitchers like Jon Lieber put an awful lot of balls in play.

After the Reds series, there can be no doubt that the team is grinding. While the one-on-one match-ups between pitchers and hitters prove difficult to measure in these terms, hustle and focus are plain as day in two important areas: defense and base running.

Starting with base running: The defining moment of the second half came when Utley scored from second on a high chopper to the pitcher (pictured above). What a beautiful scene that must have been. Since then, I dare anyone to identify a player who hasn’t busted it on the bases. They’ve rallied for big innings and have scored runs at an enormous rate.

Defensively, Rollins and Nunez are shutting down the left side. What a treat it was to watch J-Roll live yesterday. He absorbed every strike his way.

Shane Victorino has the gift of turning doubles into singles. He did this yesterday on a bullet hit by Ken Griffey Jr. Between Aaron Rowand and Victorino, the gaps at Citizens Bank Park have never been smaller.

Ever notice how Utley is always in the right place at the right time. I doubt this is a coincidence. He plays with a cat-like awareness I’ve only read about in David Halberstam books.

If the Phillies indeed miss the playoffs, starting pitching will rightfully absorb the blame. However, it’s interesting to think where they’d stand if the torch was passed a little earlier.

Two out of three ain't bad

Twelve hours after the Phillies dropped a wild one to the Reds, cooler heads prevail at Beerleaguer headquarters, as fans await the deciding game of this important series.

My long-standing prejudice against closers surfaced in an ugly scene that must sent shockwaves through this readership. I allowed a three-letter baseball slur to fly during last night’s in-game discussion. It happened for the first time since Billy Wagner served up that cookie to Craig Biggio. “Boo.” I apologize to Tom Gordon, his family, the Phillies, and to my readers for violating their trust.

Moving forward, the Phillies have a chance to escape with the series win this afternoon. For that to happen, they need a minimum of seven good innings from Brett Myers (8-5, 3.95 ERA), who’s due for a gem following two mediocre starts. The bullpen is absolutely spent, to the point where they should call on reinforcements from Triple-A.

As for Gordon ... after going back-and-forth on whether the issue is physical or mental, I've settled on calling it - simply - "a rough patch."

As for the opposition, left-hander Eric Milton (8-7, 5.01 ERA) may have a reputation as a home run pitcher, coming back into a home-run park, but he’s been no pushover this season. He’s the type of pitcher that makes me a little nervous against this Phillies team. They can sometimes fall flat against this type of hurler.

The first two games were wild affairs, but expect a tight, close finale to this emotionally draining series.

The sun is shining, the beer is cold, and the Phillies are in a rubber match against the team they’re chasing in the Wild Card race. There’s no chance I’m watching this one at home.

J-Roll makes history
Jimmy Rollins homered from both sides of the plate yesterday, becoming (I believe) the first Phillie to do it since Dave Hollins. Rollins has three home runs this series and five already in August, helping raise his OPS to 1.080 this month.

Howard’s OPS
On the subject of OPS, Ryan Howard’s on-base + slugging has reached its highest point since April, cresting over 1.008 following last night’s 40th home run and 2-for-5 performance. Like J-Roll, he’s having a monster month, hitting .378 with a 1.256 OPS.

Dellucci still slugging
As hot as J-Roll and the Howitzer have been, nobody has been more out of their mind this month than David Dellucci, who’s hitting just about everything for extra bases. In August, the former reservist is hitting .483/.579/.828 for an OPS of 1.407.

Phillies turn to Mathieson tonight in Round 2

Following a spine-tingling, 14-inning victory, the Phillies are back in business tonight when their important series with the Reds continues.

Before the season, Scott Mathieson, who had never pitched above Class-A Lakewood, was glad to be a late addition to Double-A Reading. Today, he’s pitching in a Wild Card race.

The promising right-hander (1-3, 5.40 ERA) has had his share of growing pains since getting recalled from the minor leagues, but has also mixed in some auspicious moments. The 22-year-old fireballer lost 8-1 to the Mets on Sunday, allowing six hits and seven runs -- two earned -- in just 3 2-3 innings. At his best, he’s shown an ability to throw a heavy fastball, enduce ground balls and miss some bats.

He’ll be opposed by Elizardo Ramirez (4-9, 5.00), who was forced into action during last night’s marathon. The former Phillies prospect will try to snap a three-game losing streak.

The Phillies had their share of heroes in last-night’s thrill ride: Jimmy Rollins; Chris Coste; Ryan Madson; Aaron Rowand; Chase Utley; Jon Lieber; and the list goes on. The team has played inspired ball since the all-star break, and particularly well since the exodus of several key players, including Bobby Abreu, Cory Lidle and David Bell. Lately, they’ve benefited from solid starting pitching, stalwart relief and a parade of timely hits.

The biggest wild card could be the man on the mound tonight. If the Phillies are to keep pace, Mathieson must mature in a hurry, starting tonight.

Segovia earns baseball-best 16th victory

Counting the five Class-A wins earlier this season, Reading pitcher Zach Segovia notched his 16th win last night in a 1-0 victory over Harrisburg. It’s the most in organized baseball.

Segovia, who’s 11-5 in Reading and went 5-1 at Class-A Clearwater, allowed two hits in seven shutout innings, with two walks and seven strikeouts. Joe Bisenius, the subject of yesterday’s post on Beerleaguer, pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.

Lidle takes the loss
Former Phillies pitcher Cory Lidle gave up two home rs and three earned runs in just four innings in the Yankees’ 7-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Former Phillies catcher Sal Fasano added two RBIs for the Bombers, while Bobby Abreu went 1-for-4.

Abreu snaps home run drought
Something I missed – Bobby Abreu ended a stretch of 163 at-bats without a homer when he took Jon Garland deep in Wednesday’s game. That’s Abreu’s ninth home run of the season.

Mets feature ex-Phillies outfield
On Thursday night, the Mets started Ricky Ledee in left, Endy Chavez in center, and Michael Tucker in right, all ex-Phils from the previous two seasons. Tucker started last night’s game, Chavez came into the game to pinch run, and Ledee, who was acquired by the Mets this week, was called on to pinch hit. The Mets lost to the Nationals 2-1.

Wild Card update
With last night’s win, the Phillies are two games behind Cincinnati and Arizona in the NL Wild Card race. The Diamondbacks lost their game with Florida.

Arizona (58-56) –
Cincinnati (59-57) –
San Diego (58-57) 0.5
Houston (57-58) 1.5
Philadelphia (56-58) 2.0
Colorado (55-59) 3.0
San Francisco (54-60) 4.0
Milwaukee (54-61) 4.5

At the bottom of this list, the Brewers are starting to fall out of it. Former Phillies prospect Derrick Turnbow spoiled another one, taking the loss in 1-3 inning of so-called relief. Without Carlos Lee, who was traded to the Rangers for a package of players, they’re a below average club, and very rough in the bullpen. I wonder how long Turnbow and his 6.40 ERA will continue to hold a major-league job.

Indians designate Mota
In a move that has little to do with the Phillies, the Indians designated reliever Guillermo Mota for assignment. Mota was one of the four players received in the seven-player trade with Boston before the season. I mention it only because there had been some chatter about the Phillies possibly getting Mota back when they were shopping Jason Michaels. Mota went 1-3 with a 6.21 ERA in 34 appearances.

Phils host Reds, playoff race heating up

The Phillies have a chance to gain ground in the NL Wild Card race when they open a three-game series against the Reds.

If the 52-61 Braves still count as having legitimate playoff hopes, more than 1/3 of all the major league games this weekend have significant National League Wild Card implications.

"You just never know," Randy Wolf told MLB.com. "This game is crazy. I think people have given up on us 10 times already. You look at what the Dodgers have done; I think they've won like 40 in a row now. You can make up a lot of ground quickly."

The Phillies have an opportunity to close the gap, or fall out of the race even more. Teams in the hunt are gunning for either 59-56 Cincinnati or 59-56 Los Angeles at this point.

If the Phils get all the right breaks this weekend, they could be tied for the Wild Card lead by Monday morning.

They can’t control the outcome of the other games, but they have an excellent chance to help themselves against a scuffling Reds club that has lost 8-of-12 and five in a row to the Phillies, who completed a sweep of the Reds at Great American Ballpark back on May 14.

Jon Lieber (4-9, 5.71 ERA) will try to build on a solid nine-inning effort against the Mets, but will also try to forget the critical throwing error that all but cost them the game. He’ll face right-hander Kyle Loshe (0-0, 4.50 ERA), making his second start for the Reds since coming over from Minnesota.

This is the start of a 10-game homestand for the Phils.

Beer nuts: Reading reliever turning heads

In the latest installment of Mike Drago’s "Keeping Score," the Reading Phillies beat writer has his eye on fast-rising reliever Joe Bisenius.

Bisenius isn’t a player that generated much buzz around the Phillies organization prior to this season, but the former 12th-round pick out of Oklahoma City University is starting to make a name for himself at Double-A Reading. Using a fastball that sits at 94-95 mph and a late-breaking curve, Drago says the 6-foot-5, 23-year-old right-hander blew away the Bowie Baysox for the second straight night on Wednesday.

"It's obvious this guy has some talent, and a future," Drago said.

Reading pitching coach Tom Filer agreed. "To me, I don’t think he can miss right now," Filer told Drago. "He’s gonna pitch in the big leagues just by looking at his stuff. The only thing that could hold him back is possibly command problems, but tonight he looked sharper than he did last night."

Last season, Bisenius struggled with his command and finished with a 5.88 ERA in 40 games for Lakewood, but pitching this season in Clearwater, it appears he turned a corner, going 4-1 with a 1.93 ERA and averaging better than a strikeout per inning.

In 9.1 innings at Reading, Bisenius has tallied 13 strikeouts, 3 walks and 2 saves.

Swann song
Also from Drago, the Reading Phillies can give a lot of credit to the addition of free agent outfielder Pedro Swann for the team's mid-season comeback. The Phillies went 17-8 and climbed closer to .500 with the 35-year-old outfielder batting in the middle of the lineup. He has since been promoted to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre, where the Barons are making a run at the playoffs. The team also called up Reading infielder Carlos Leon, who was having a solid season for the R-Phils. Drago said it's unlikely the R-Phils will add any more free agents this season.

Bernero earns a second chance
Pitching tonight for those Kansas City Royals ... none other than Adam Benero (0-1, 36.00 ERA), the guy who allowed 8-runs during a spot start for the Phils back on June 30. Bernero was originally signed off waivers from the Royals when a clause in his contract made him available. Bernero allowed four runs in each of his two innings against Toronto and was mercilessly banished from the Phillies organization forever.

A.J. Hinch promoted ...
... to a high-ranking position in the Diamondbacks' front office, that is. The former Phillies catcher, who never held a big-league catching job for very long during his professional career, became the D-Backs director of minor league operations yesterday. Hinch, a Stanford product and former second-round pick of the Athletics, retired from catching in 2005 after spending his last two seasons with Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Hinch was recently featured as "a young executive to watch" by Baseball America magazine.

Phillies trade deadline review: Part 2

In addition to salary relief, the Phillies came away with eight prospects in the weeks surrounding the trade deadline. Was eight enough?

The Phillies farm system reached embarrassing lows this season. Dangerously thin to begin with, several highly regarded players withered away, while the best talent was forced into action with call-ups to either Philadelphia or Scranton. The organization had no choice but to sign vets off the scrap pile just to keep clubs competitive.

The hasty patch-up job worked in places like Double-A Reading, where the wins and losses evened out. But that’s not how you run a farm system, where the main purpose is to develop young talent. On any given night this season, one could attend a Reading or Clearwater game and watch a starting lineup where over half the players were 26 or older.

In the past two weeks, the Phillies have shown that player development has emerged as the No. 1 priority. I do not disagree with this. Highlighted by the trade of Bobby Abreu, arguably the best Phillies player of the past 10 years, the team unloaded veteran after veteran, all for prospects.

First things first: they understood the need to inject more youth and let it spread over the cracks like caulk. For better or worse, the chose "quantity" over "quality." Not every player can be a blue-chip prospect; many come out of nowhere. But that can’t happen when half your roster is comprised of retreads.

Top-drawer prospects are another matter, and the reason these deals received such poor marks from officials around baseball. The Phillies failed to acquire a single, high-level prospect. In the case of the Bobby Abreu/Cory Lidle trade -- players that will give the Yankees a significant edge the rest of the season and through to October -- Gillick appeared to have been strong-armed by the younger, more aggressive Brian Cashman. The Yankees needed to relinquish only their 6th-rated prospect in C.J. Henry, a raw talent that few scouts endorse. In addition, the Phils received triple-A reliever Matt Smith and two prospects from the rookie leagues. Cashman stonewalled efforts to snare top prospects Phillip Hughes and Jose Tabata. Because of Abreu’s no-trade clause, and the size of the contract, the Yankees were the Phillies best match. Cashman knew he could get away with it, and did.

When the smoke cleared, the Phils added eight unheralded prospects, most of them years away from the bigs. Here’s a review of the eight prospects acquired around the trade deadline, gathered from bits and pieces read along the way:

Matt Smith, left-handed reliever (Triple-A Scranton)
AAA Columbus: 0-1, 26.1 IP, 2.08 ERA, 22 SO, 8 BB
NY Yankees: 0-0, 12 IP, 0.00 ERA, 9 SO, 8 BB

Beerleaguer: Smith has a chance to become a useful pickup. Bullpen will become a serious concern next season because of the upcoming exodus of several vets. I don’t believe the Phillies would prefer to gamble on expensive veterans like Arthur Rhodes. In Smith, they received a left-hander at a decent age to develop with some other arms in the pen, a list that could include Fabio Castro, Brian Sanches, Ryan Madson, Geoff Geary, and if they go a different direction, Scott Mathieson. Smith has solid numbers this season in Columbus and New York, and assistant GM Mike Arbuckle told the Inquirer we’ll see him in Philadelphia soon.

Justin Germano, right-handed starter (Triple-A Scranton)
AAA Louisville: 8-6, 3.69 ERA, 67 SO, 22 BB
Cincinnati: 0-1, 5.40 ERA, 8 SO, 3 BB

Beerleaguer: Matt Smith’s teammate in Scranton might be the Phillies No. 6 starter, and pitched well in his Scranton debut. Germano has achieved all that he can in Triple-A, but the issue is whether the 23-year-old can cross that fateful chalk line. I know of another 23-year-old Red Baron who can’t seem to do it.

Germano started seven games in the majors with mixed results. I read somewhere that his numbers project favorably as a No. 5 starter, which is all the Phillies will ask. He has good command of his pitches, but isn’t a strikeout pitcher. Considering the inexperience of the rotation, and decline of Jon Lieber, the Phillies did well in scooping up a "pitcher at the ready" straight up for Rheal Cormier, who was headed out the door anyway.

C.J. Henry, shortstop (Class-A Lakewood)
Class-A Charleston: .330 OBP, .353 SLG .240 BA, 2 HR, 89 SO, 14 SB

Beerleaguer: Nobody seems to like the Yankees’ 2005 first-round pick. They say the 19-year-old has a hitch in his throwing motion. Raw talent doesn’t seem to bother Gillick and crew. It’s reportedly over the place in this batch of eight. The issue of course is the team’s poor reputation for identifying this kind of talent. Gillick’s crew is mostly held over from the old regime. Remember Matt Kata, the player who was supposed to confidently field every infield position? Turns out, he could not, yet the Phillies told us he could. Kata’s just one example. The rest can be illustrated by the utter dearth of position prospects throughout the system. It’s likely that Adrien Cardenas, the shortstop drafted just this year, will become the Phillies’ highest-rated position prospect once Baseball America updates its list.

Henry is still very young, very "toolsy," but with this much bad pub, and reputation for identifying talent, one can’t help but feel skeptical.

Here are the rest:

Carlos Monestarios, right-handed pitcher (GCL Phillies)
Beerleaguer: This tall, 20-year-old pitcher was seen by Gillick himself.

Jesus Sanchez, catcher (GCL Phillies)
Beerleaguer: Phillies have a catcher shortage. Arbuckle told the Inquirer that Sanchez is an outstanding defender, but they are wishing on his bat.

Zac Stott, right-handed reliever (Class-A Clearwater)
Beerleaguer: See today’s earlier post.

Wilfredo Laureano, right-hander (Class-A Lakewood)
Beerleaguer: The 6-foot-6, 170-pound Dominican fanned 62 in 63 2-3 innings for his previous team.

Hector Made, infielder (Class-A Clearwater)
Beerleaguer: According to scout.com, Made receives high marks for smooth fielding, plate discipline and has all the tools to become a major-league utility infielder.

Overall grade: C-
Eight prospects is difficult to accomplish, especially when your team is still very much in the playoff hunt. However, the lack of a top-drawer prospect brings this grade down significantly.

Phillies receive reliever to complete Franklin deal

It’s official: The Phillies like tall prospects with great frames, making 6-5 right-hander Zac Stott the player to be named later in the Ryan Franklin deal with Cincinnati.

The 23-year-old Stott had a 2.53 ERA in 23 relief appearances for Class A Sarasota and fits the physical profile of some of the other pitchers acquired over the past two weeks.

With Sarasota, Stott allowed 23 hits in 32 innings with 22 strikeouts and 10 walks. In the past two seasons, he has been used almost exclusively as a reliever. A former 27th round pick of the Reds, Stott becomes the eighth prospect acquired in deals around the trade deadline. He was assigned to Clearwater.

Beerleaguer take
I won’t even pretend to know anything about young Mr. Stott, but I definitely endorse the idea of developing your own relief pitching. This is an area where the Phillies have sorely lacked, and in general, the relievers in their system have been around the block too long.

In addition, Mr. Gillick and company are definitely from the old school, adding yet another player with repordely excellent physical gifts. 

Road to recovery goes through Atlanta

Randy Wolf tries to win his first game since returning from Tommy John surgery when the Phillies and Braves finish their series this afternoon.

Wolf (0-0, 6.48 ERA) has pitched as expected. The idea of leaning on him the rest of the season, to help in their pursuit of the post-season, is, and always has been, an unlikely stretch.

The veteran left-hander missed more than a year recovering from surgery to repair his pitching elbow. He hasn't exactly been eased back into it, facing the Cardinals and Mets in his first two starts. The 30-year-old left-hander was knocked out early in both games due to high pitch counts. His velocity has been a little better than it was before surgery, but he’s shaking off rust and trying to find the target. He’s walked 8 in 8 1-3 innings.

The Braves didn’t expect rookie Chuck James (4-3, 5.07 ERA) to play a big part in this season, either, but the junkball left-hander was one of their better surprises of the first half. Since June 25, however, he has an 8.78 ERA and has lost three-straight decisions.

The Phillies are still 3.5 games out in the Wild Card race; Atlanta is 5.5 back. Lineups are set. Shane Victorino starts in right field and bats second. Play ball!

Box Score

Phillies hoping for Hamels encore

Last Thursday, in a sparkling 12-strikeout gem against St. Louis, Cole Hamels finally showed why the Phillies believe he has limitless potential. The young left-hander tries to make it three wins in a row tonight against Atlanta.

Here's an nice stat from the Elias Sports Bureau, courtesy of the Phils' press notes: Over the last 10 years, only three rookie pitchers have had two, 12-strikeout or more performances over the span of two weeks: Kerry Wood, Mark Prior and Cole Hamels.

On second thought, maybe it's better not to be grouped with that pair.

Colbert M. Hamels (4-5, 5.27 ERA) has indeed piled on the strikeouts (83) since his call-up, averaging 10.3 per 9 innings, which puts him near the front of starting pitchers in the National League. The problem has been his command and untimely long balls. Both areas have improved recently.

On the opposite side, Tim Hudson (8-10, 5.22 ERA) goes for Atlanta, a pitcher and team that no longer scare you. This is another good opportunity to pick up some ground in the NL Wild Card.

Team offense rising
The Phillies offense now ranks in the NL top 4 in several categories: runs (3rd, 573); RBIs (4th, 544); HRs (3rd, 148); SLG (4th, .444); OBP (4th, .340).

Individually, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are hogging up the league lead in several categories, including home runs (Howard, 39), RBIs (Howard, 101), hits (Utley, 147), and runs (Utley, 94).

Site update: Minor league stats added

Finally: Statistical links to all eight Phillies affiliates have been added to the right sidebar, in addition to expanded links for the regular Phillies.

I was tired of navigating the Web trying to gather bits for my posts, so I decided to bring the research in-house. To the right, you’ll find direct links to the hitting and pitching stats for Scranton Wilkes-Barre, Reading, Clearwater, Lakewood and Batavia, in addition to links for the three rookie academies, Gulf Coast, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

In addition, the primary Phillies links have been reorganized and expanded. Individual fielding, hitting and pitching are located at the very top of the left sidebar. Advanced numbers such as EQA, Win Shares and VORP have also been included, along with salary information and the list of the latest transactions.

Howitzer at 39: A look back

Ryan Howard needs one home run to reach the arbitrary ceiling of 40. Next stop, Phillies history.

Pitchers cannot see his eyes under the shadow of his crimson helmet, but they know the menace is watching. He grips the black beacon and wields it skyward. This is the instrument of a ceremonial death, laid bare before the rapid blow.

All the uncertainties surrounding Ryan Howard have been compromised. Doubts about his bat speed proved inaccurate. Experts failed to account for the size of the bludgeon, perhaps the most massive and feared instrument in baseball. Hence, the frequency of balls catapulted to the peasantry in left field.

Howard is one of the game's most unique specimens. With every swing, he reopening studies of baseball physics. Nearly every home run is preposterous.

He can just as easily get around on a left-hander as he can a right-hander, a fact that would have never been realized if Jim Thome was still wearing red pinstripes. Howard’s 10 home runs and .883 OPS in 125 at bats against southpaws is truly astounding. Against right-handers, it’s reached a point where it’s no longer advisable to face him.

Pitchers in general no longer know how to work him. He’ll burn you for a double on a good pitch out of the zone. He’ll hit savvy pitchers just as easily as Jeff Weaver. He can run – and as we’re starting to see – he can field.

Howard is far from one dimensional. In fact, he's closer to becoming a Triple-Crown winner than a one-trick pony. He's even hitting close to .300. But his specialty will always be the majestic long ball, belted at a Ruthian rate of one in every 10 at bats (39 in 390 AB). When he hits them, they win. After last night, the Phillies are 21-12 in games he goes yard (and it should have been more).

NL Rankings:
1st in HR (39)
1st in RBI (101)
1st in HR ratio (10)
3rd in slugging (.627)
T-3rd in multi-hit games (39)

Site note: Comments are working, but the comment counters are stuck.

Phillies hope to rebound tonight in Atlanta

There are worse crimes than dropping two-of-three against the league’s best team, as long as you win the games you’re supposed to. Tonight’s game would qualify.

The Phillies offense is known to fall out of whack against random left-handers, but tonight’s starter is not one of them.

Horacio Ramirez (5-4, 4.35 ERA) has had a tough time handling the Phils. The team is hitting .333 lifetime against him and head to Turner Field in something of a revenge situation. Ramirez held the Phils to 1 run over 7 innings back on July 23, during a game in which the Phils spoiled some good scoring opportunities.

Brett Myers (7-5, 3.83 ERA) took a hard loss in that game after pitching eight solid innings. Some of Myers’ best starts have come against Atlanta, but the Phillies ace has not won a game against them this season.

The Phillies’ offense will try to get clicking again. The hot-bats seemed to have died along with Chase Utley’s hitting streak. Last night in front of a prime time audience, they still appeared out of sorts, nobody more than Pat Burrell, who went 0-for-4.

Castro still dealing
Fabio Castro extended his string of scoreless frames to 10 2-3 innings yesterday. The 21-year-old left-hander has allowed just three hits, two walks with four strikeouts since coming over from Texas. Opponents are hitting just .148 against him in 18 2-3 innings for the Rangers and Phils.

Phillies trade Ryan Franklin to Reds

The last two Phillies trades have been with the team they’re trying to catch in the NL Wild Card race. Today, they sent reliever Ryan Franklin to the Reds for a player to be named later.

Considering the Phillies inconsistency on the field, one can only wonder if GM Pat Gillick has resorted to catching the front-running Reds by deceiving them into adopting our orphaned, napalm-laced relievers.

It’s hard to consider Franklin as anything more than a time bomb, waiting to explode during the critical moment of a decisive game, hopefully this weekend in Philadelphia.

Franklin, a 33-year-old right-hander, who once tested positive for performance enhancing drugs, was designated for assignment July 30 after going 1-5 with a 4.58 ERA in 46 relief appearances. He signed a one-year, $2.6 million deal with the Phillies on Jan. 5, becoming the highest-priced pitcher added by the Phillies through 2006 free agency. The Reds will now pay the remainder of Franklin’s contract.

As expected, Franklin never fit in with the Phillies and their cozy confines, and is now headed to another bandbox in Great American. True to form, he surrendered an absurd number of game-killing home runs and gradually worked himself from critical late-game situations, to DFA limbo, to punchline for the early stages of the Pat Gillick era.

In every report you read, it says Franklin had trouble adjusting to his role in the bullpen. In Cincinnati, it appears he will be doing more of it, mainly in long relief.

I’m not up on my Reds headlines like I ought to be, but it appears this trade has a lot to do with their decision regarding Brandon Claussen, whose 30-day rehab assignment ends today. That means the club must make a roster move by tomorrow. Claussen has been even worse than Franklin this season. The club recently added Kyle Loshe to shore up its fifth starter spot, so it was looking like Claussen would be pushed to long relief when he returned from the DL. Since then, Claussen has been lit up in his two rehab starts, and now it looks like he’s out, Franklin is in.

It feels good knowing that the Phillies aren’t the only team making frequent voyages to the island of misfit pitchers. The Reds have been frequently using their map to this dreadful place, where stone idols of Todd Jones, Rick White and Ed Wade guard the inner sanctuary. Inside, there are tears.

Phillies, Mets set for prime time rubber match

Rookie Scott Mathieson faces the toughest challenge of his career when the Phillies and Mets settle the series score tonight at Shea. The game will be carried nationally by ESPN.

The hometown nine will try to shake of a bumbling loss yesterday afternoon, which saw the defense cough it up in one daft inning. Pat Burrell was at the center of the spectacle both offensively and defensively in spoiling a rare good effort by Jon Lieber. No word on whether Burrell will start tonight against right-hander John Maine (1-3, 2.45 ERA). Maine is riding a streak of 17 scoreless innings.

Hard-throwing rookie Scott Mathieson (1-2, 5.47 ERA) will make his fifth career start. Mathieson pitched good enough to earn his first career win Tuesday, giving up three runs and walking five in five innings against the Cardinals.

This and that
--- Chase Utley will likely return to the lineup after sitting out yesterday’s game. Utley had his 35-game hitting streak snapped Friday night.

--- The Phillies must decide what to do with Ryan Franklin by tomorrow. Franklin was designated for assignment a week ago when Randy Wolf came off the DL. If they aren't able to trade him, he'll become a free agent.

--- I would like to start a new trade rumor: Lieber to the Angels to replace injured starter Bartolo Colon. There’s little doubt Lieber would clear waivers because of the size of his remaining contract. Perhaps yesterday's start will capture the Halos' interest. Handing the ball the rest of the way to Lieber or displaced starter Ryan Madson is largely a toss-up anyway. Given the payroll flexibility this would create for the Phils next season, there's still little reason not to unload Lieber to any team that wants him.

--- Finally, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa accused former Phillie David Bell of a dangerous play after Bell upended shortstop David Eckstein with a hard slide on Saturday night.

"I know David Bell is a hard-playing guy and he was a St. Louis Cardinal one time, but he crossed the line," La Russa said. "When you watch that thing, that's the slide that's real dangerous and has been outlawed.

Replays showed that Bell slid well out of the base line and then popped up in time to catch a leaping Eckstein at third after the shortstop had taken a force throw on a bunt, sending him sprawling. La Russa called it a "rolling block."