Archive: June, 2012
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
MINNEAPOLIS — Carlos Ruiz has passed Brian McCann in All-Star voting for National League catchers, but the Phillies backstop still ranks third with some 500,000 votes to overcome.
San Francisco's Buster Posey is the new leader with 1,713,839 votes. He tops St. Louis' Yadier Molina, who has 1,576,199 votes. Ruiz is third with 1,191,194 votes.
In-stadium balloting concludes June 22 and online voting continues until June 28. The rosters are announced July 1.
Bob Brookover, Inquirer Baseball Columnist
The final hurdle to rejoining the Phillies is now directly in front of Chase Utley.
The team announced Monday night that the second baseman will officially begin a minor-league rehab assignment by playing Tuesday night for the single-A Clearwater Threshers at Bright House Field.
Utley, out since the start of the season because of chronic soreness in both his knees, will serve as a designated hitter in Clearwater's Florida State League game against the Tampa Yankees. The start of Utley's rehab comes nine days after he went to Clearwater and played in two extended spring-training games over a three-day period.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
It hardly served as the defining image of another defeat Sunday — Ty Wigginton's botched attempt at fielding a grounder in the 10th inning did that — but Shane Victorino's swing in the first inning was so emblematic of a numbing season that continues to spiral into hopelessness.
These Phillies are historically bad at situational hitting.
When Victorino swung at the second pitch from Jason Hammel and popped it into foul territory behind third base, he failed to score a runner from third base with less than two outs. It was the only such chance of the day.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
BALTIMORE — In the middle of a 9-6 victory Friday, Jim Thome handed Juan Pierre an autographed bat. "Congratulations," Thome wrote and signed his name. He wrote the number 1,675 on the bat to mark Thome's career RBIs.
But the more important numbers were 1,000, 2,000 and 500.
Pierre became only the 30th player in baseball history to achieve 1,000 runs scored, 2,000 hits and 500 stolen bases. He scored run No. 1,000 in the second inning Friday on Thome's double.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
UPDATE (9:41 a.m.): Indeed, it's B.J. Rosenberg who gets the call. He'll wear No. 53 and is available beginning Saturday.
EARLIER:
BALTIMORE — Raul Valdes has the unfortunate distinction of being lefthanded. Typically, that will prolong a pitcher's career, but in this case, it earned Valdes a ticket to Allentown despite a 2.13 ERA in 12 2/3 innings for the Phillies.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
BALTIMORE — It does not take a genius to know the Phillies require reinforcements for their depleted bullpen. Charlie Manuel intimated Friday the front office is actively searching for just that.
"We're trying to do some things," Manuel said.
The Phillies have just two righthanded relievers before Jonathan Papelbon. One is a maligned Chad Qualls, who has a 5.32 ERA and allowed 29 hits in 22 innings. The other is Michael Schwimer, who has all of 22 1/3 major-league innings to his name.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
BALTIMORE — The last time the Phillies played at Camden Yards, Ryan Madson tossed 8 2/3 scoreless innings and Sal Fasano caught. So, yeah, it's been a while.
Charlie Manuel will attempt to conjure old spirits by batting Jim Thome cleanup in the first of nine games with a designated hitter.
1. Jimmy Rollins 6
2. Juan Pierre 7
3. Hunter Pence 9
4. Jim Thome 0
5. Shane Victorino 8
6. Carlos Ruiz 2
7. Ty Wigginton 5
8. John Mayberry Jr. 3
9. Mike Fontenot 4
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
BALTIMORE — The Phillies, owners of a 28-31 record, have not been this bad through 59 games since 2002 when a Larry Bowa-managed team was 25-34. Terry Adams and Joe Roa combined to make 30 starts that season, Travis Lee ran off the field with one out left in the season, and the Phillies finished under .500.
Charlie Manuel reached a clear point of frustration Thursday when his painfully average roster punted away another one to make it a six-game losing streak. The Phillies are 12-19 at Citizens Bank Park and maybe this road trip comes at an opportune time.
Or maybe none of it matters. Manuel is the source of consternation for a whole lot of angry Phillies fans, and that's understandable. He's the public face of the franchise. He's the one who has to answer the same questions about unacceptable baseball on a daily basis. He's the one who makes the lineups, the substitutions, and guides the players.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Freddy Galvis had dressed and left Citizens Bank Park before reporters entered the Phillies clubhouse with a back injury serious enough to not even require a day of testing or rest before making a roster move.
He is disabled for at least 15 days with what is currently termed as "lower back soreness," but the extent of the injury is unknown. The rookie hurt himself on a swing in the fifth inning. He attempted to stay in the game, and even fouled off two more pitches, before removing himself.
The frustration was evident when he tossed his bat down the dugout tunnel.
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Placido Polanco was not available to hit Wednesday and could miss a few days of action with a cut finger suffered Tuesday when Matt Treanor spiked him on a slide at third base.
Polanco tested the injury very briefly in the batting cage. He did not require stitches to close the wound, but it was hurting enough to sideline him.
"He's going to be a few days," Manuel said.
