Philadelphia Phillies - TeamReport | Reuters

Sun Jun 15, 2014 8:52pm EDT

MLB Team Report - Philadelphia Phillies - INSIDE PITCH
PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Phillies offense has been one of the worst in the National League
through the first 2 1/2 months of the season. The Phillies were 11th in batting average, 11th in on-
base percentage, 10th in slugging percentage and outside of the top 10 in the 15-team league in
numerous other categories heading into play Sunday.
That bad offense reared its head again Sunday in a 3-0 loss to Chicago in which the club was held to
just three hits and three walks, getting two men into scoring position all game long.
"We've just been hot and cold and inconsistent, in a string of games, on the offensive side of things,"
Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Everybody's had a chance, everybody's had opportunities, we
just haven't been able to put numbers up on the board consistently."
There are problems all throughout the lineup, but the bottom of the order has especially been a
problem. Starting outfielder Dominic Brown is batting just .215/.262./326, and they continue to look
for production out of the third base slot, as a platoon has combined to hit .214/.298/.333 thus far on
the year.
Even the team's best hitter, second baseman Chase Utley (.308/.366/.490) is slumping, with just a
.252 average in the 26 games since May 17 before an 0-for-4 performance on Sunday.
The Phillies are entering a tough stretch of the schedule, with 32 of their next 35 games coming
against teams that currently have a record at .500 or better. The only games that don't fit that
criteria is a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are just one game under .500. Of
those 35 games, 20 come against NL East competition, including 10 against the division-leading
Atlanta Braves.
While Philadelphia's offense has been poor, the pitching hasn't been much better. The club is 13th in
ERA, 13th in strikeouts and runs allowed--the only thing they're tops in the league at are wild
pitches and balks. But unless the offense can start putting some runs on the board, they're going to
need to count on starters limiting opposing offenses as much as possible.
"Our pitching's kept us in games, and our bullpen's been outstanding for about a month now,"
Sandberg said. "So on the offensive side of things, it's about picking it up."
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MLB Team Report - Philadelphia Phillies - NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 29-38
STREAK: Lost one
NEXT: Phillies (LHP Cole Hamels, 2-3,
3.07 ERA) at Braves (RHP Julio
Teheran, 6-4, 2.41 ERA)
PLAYER NOTES:
--RHP A.J. Burnett took the loss
against Chicago on Sunday, dropping
his record to 4-6 though he lowered
his ERA from 4.24 to 4.17 in going
eight innings while giving up three
runs and eight hits. With his 2,252nd
strikeout of his career coming against
Luis Valbuena in the fifth inning of the game, Burnett moved into sole possession of 50th place on
Major League Baseball's all-time strikeout list, passing Hall of Famer Eddie Plank (2,251). Up next
on the list in 49th place is another Hall of Famer, Lefty Grove, with 2,270 strikeouts.
--LHP Cole Hamels, Monday's starter, has been on a roll his last few starts. Through 22 ? innings in
June, he's given up just one earned run (two total) for an ERA of 0.40, although he's just 1-0 with two
no-decisions in those three starts. That's lowered his ERA from 4.43 at the end of May all the way
down to the 3.07 it currently sits at. In seven career starts against the Cubs, Hamels is 3-1 with a
2.40 ERA.
--SS Jimmy Rollins followed up a historic game on Saturday by going 1-for-4 against the Cubs in
Sunday's loss. The longtime Phillies infielder became the club's all-time leader in hits on Saturday,
when a single to leadoff the fifth inning pushed him past Mike Schmidt with 2,235 base knocks.
Sunday's hit was the 10th game in a row he's picked one up, his longest hitting streak since
September 14-24, 2013.
--3B Ronny Cedeno earned his first start in a Phillies uniform on Sunday in his fourth overall game
with the club since a callup earlier this month, but he wasn't able to help the team's offense. The
journeyman infielder went 0-for-3 to stay hitless with the club in five at-bats; Philadelphia has been
struggling to find offensive production from the hot corner all season long.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We've just been hot and cold and inconsistent, in a string of games, on the
offensive side of things. Everybody's had a chance, everybody's had opportunities, we just haven't
been able to put numbers up on the board consistently." -- Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg after a 3-
0 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.
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MLB Team Report - Philadelphia Phillies - ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
--LHP Cliff Lee (left elbow strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 19. He played
catch for the first time in more than two weeks June 10 and threw some pitches on flat ground again
June 12.
--RHP Mike Adams (right rotator cuff inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to
June 7. An MRI that revealed fraying of the labrum but no rotator cuff damage. He was due to get a
cortisone shot, meaning he would not be able to throw for at least 10 days starting June 11.
--RHP Jeff Manship (strained right quadriceps) went on the 15-day disabled list June 1.
--RHP Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez (right shoulder soreness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive
to March 21, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on March 29. He began a rehab assignment
with Class A Clearwater on May 15. He underwent an MRI on May 27 after complaining of a dead
arm three starts into his rehab assignment. A team spokesman said May 28 there were no significant
changes from the MRI that Gonzalez underwent late in spring training
--3B Cody Asche (left hamstring strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 23. He
played in simulated games until June 12 and began a rehab assignment with Class A Lakewood on
June 13.
ROTATION:
LHP Cole Hamels
RHP A.J. Burnett
RHP Kyle Kendrick
RHP Roberto Hernandez
RHP David Buchanan
BULLPEN:
RHP Jonathan Papelbon (closer)
LHP Antonio Bastardo
LHP Jake Diekman
LHP Mario Hollands
RHP Justin De Fratus
RHP Ethan Martin
RHP Ken Giles
CATCHERS:
Carlos Ruiz
Wil Nieves
INFIELDERS:
1B Ryan Howard
2B Chase Utley
SS Jimmy Rollins
3B Cesar Hernandez
INF Reid Brignac
INF Ronny Cedeno
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Domonic Brown
CF Ben Revere
RF Marlon Byrd
OF Tony Gwynn Jr.
OF John Mayberry Jr.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/16/bbo-phillies-teamreport-idUSMTZEA6G8L4B2620140616