Phillies Nation

Philadelphia Phillies (17-19) at Chicago Cubs (15-21)

Kyle Kendrick (0-3, 7.32) vs. Matt Garza (2-1, 2.56)

Time: 8:05, Wrigley Field
TV: CSN
Weather: Sunny, 60
Media: Twitter and Facebook

NEWS ALERT! – Vance Worley has no structural damage according to the beat writers with the team in Chicago. He has inflammation in a joint of the right elbow. He wont throw for one week. No Tommy John!!

Also, Chase Utley is taking ground balls with the team in Chicago for the first time this season. This is a HUGE step in the right direction because it’s the only issue he’s had thus far. Let’s see if he can keep this up pain free – that is the key.

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The friendly confines of Wrigley Field will be the site tonight when the Phillies kick off a short, two-game road trip against the Chicago Cubs. Along with looking to extend their season-high three-game winning streak in tonight’s game, the Phils will try to get back to .500 for the first time since May 3rd, when they were 13-13.

Continue reading Gameday: Phillies (18-19) at Cubs (15-21)

(Photo: CBSPhilly.com)

-By now you likely know that Vance Worley has hit the DL with elbow inflammation. The injury was reported yesterday and today the Phillies decided to DL him with Joe Savery joining the team in Chicago. There is no word on the severity of the injury, but it’s never good when it’s an elbow. Kyle Kendrick starts in his place tonight.

On a side note, Will Carroll from SI.com tweeted recently that 91 pitchers were currently on the DL. If that number is correct, I expect that Worley is the 92nd. Think about that for a second. That’s a ridiculous amount of injured pitchers.

-The Phillies have reportedly swapped minor leaguers with the Tampa Bay Rays. Long-time Phillies farmhand Rich Thompson goes to the Rays for OF Kyle Hudson.

Thompson had a cup of tea with the Royals in ’04 but hasn’t been back to the show since. Hudson had a brief stint with the Orioles a year ago. He’s expected to go to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Infielder Stephen Malcolm joined the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws last weekend after a solid 6 weeks in extended spring training.  Thus far in South Atlantic League play, the 22-year-old Malcolm has gone 1-for-7 with a stolen base, but is slated to get playing time at both second base and shortstop.

An 8th round draft selection by the Phillies in 2010, Malcolm missed the entire 2011 season after he was sent home for disciplinary reasons in April.

In 2010, after signing as a pro, Malcolm posted a .253 batting average with 3 doubles and 10 RBI in 27 games with the Gulf Coast League Phillies.

Recently, I spoke with Stephen about his promotion, working closely with his manager, former Phillies All-Star Mickey Morandini, his feelings toward the Phillies’ brass and plenty more.  Check out the media player below to hear the full interview.

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Jay Floyd is PhilliesNation’s minor league insider.  You can read more from Jay by visiting his site, PhoulBallz.com.

Diekman heads to the bigs for the first time. (PhoulBallz)

Listening to Jake Diekman talk to the media, you could tell the nerves were still running high. That’s why it was cool to see the rookie pitch in his first major league game AND come away with the win. It’s not the way anyone envisioned it, but moments like this can hardly be scripted.

Diekman was called upon because Chad Qualls hadn’t done his job in the ninth inning. Privately, I wondered if Diekman was ready for a situation like the one he was summoned for. Runners on second and third with two out, in to clean up the mess of a veteran reliever who had already blown the game for a former Cy Young pitcher. He struck the batter out, of course.

Did he think he’d be pitching in a situation like this right away? “Nope, not at all,” said Diekman. “I really thought I was going to have a four or five-run lead, or something like that.” But it never works out that way, and during Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the Astros it didn’t go according to plan for the Phillies.

With Qualls and Jose Contreras both struggling and Antonio Bastardo now just coming around, a void needs to be filled. Someone needs to hand the game to Jonathan Papelbon without incident and that man could be Diekman. No one else wants to take the role, so in the words of Charlie Manuel, “like, what the hell.”

How did Diekman get through the situation? “When I got put in, I had to make sure I didn’t trip down the stairs first. And then, I just wanted to make it all the way to the mound without tripping.”

“I felt pretty comfortable because I tried to control my breathing as much as possible. So, the second inning helped out a lot, because I had that one hitter already (in the ninth). So I felt like, I did it before, just go do it again.”

With the bullpen in disarray, the Phillies may ask him to do that more than just one time.

On this latest edition of Phillies Nation TV, Corey and I go the whole way without Natalie. Sorry guys.

But we do get into some pretty good baseball talk, including Carlos Ruiz and his all-star prospects this season. His numbers are silly good, does he deserve it. We also look at a lineup with Ryan Howard in it.

Enjoy!

Worley sits with arm trouble.

Vance Worley will not start for the Phillies in tomorrow’s opener against the Chicago Cubs on the road. He sits with arm soreness, according to multiple reports. No word yet if he is heading to the DL, but Kyle Kendrick will get the start.

Joe Savery is on his way up from Lehigh Valley and will accompany the Phillies on their road trip, according to Matt Gelb. That does not necessarily mean Worley goes to the DL, as another player can be optioned. Worley told Todd Zolecki he isn’t worried about it.

Maybe Worley isn’t concerned, but you never want to hear arm soreness connected to one of your starting pitchers. Especially when it’s those starting pitchers keeping you in games.

Lee was stellar. Others were not. (AP)

What a weird one. Hunter Pence hits a game-winning solo home run in the bottom of the 10th inning, his second home run of the game in the Phillies 4-3 win. It’s the Phillies first three-game winning streak of the season.

ANOTHER ONE BLOWN

-Man, this is getting old. Chad Qualls gave up two runs in the ninth inning, his fourth blown save of this season already. Absolutely brutal.

-Hunter Pence added to the madness by mishandling a single to right field that allowed the tying run to score in the ninth.

-Jake Diekman made his major league debut to clean up the mess Qualls left and held the tie with a strikeout in the ninth. He then retired the Astros in order in the 10th with two more strikeouts giving him the victory. Give the kid the eighth inning.

LEE IN TOP FORM

-Cliff Lee finally almost won his first game this season. He hadn’t hasn’t won a regular season game since September 26, 2011 against Atlanta. His line on Tuesday: eight innings, five hits, one run (earned), one walk, 10 strikeouts. He’s back.

-Lee dazzled with his array of pitches. He struck Astros hitters out with three changeups, three two-seam fastballs, three curveballs, and a cutter.

-He made a mistake to Matt Downs in the seventh inning, which landed 10 rows up in the left field seats for a long solo home run. There weren’t many other mistakes made.

-With 10 strikeouts, it was Lee’s 19th career double-digit strikeout game, and the first this year.

Continue reading Phillies Win on Pence Walk-Off in 10th

Houston Astros (15-20) at Philadelphia Phillies (17-19)

Jordan Lyles vs. Cliff Lee (0-1, 2.17)

Time: 1:05, Citizens Bank Park
TV: CSN
Weather: Thunderstorms, 69
Media: Twitter and Facebook

On Monday, Joe Blanton continued his consistency en route to a 5-1 win.  Highlighting the offense, Freddy Galvis went 3-for-4 and Placido Polanco smacked a home run, marking his 2,000th career hit.  This afternoon, Cliff Lee looks to finish off this two game series with another Phillies’ victory.

Continue reading Gameday: Astros (15-20) at Phillies (17-19)

After last night’s game, Placido Polanco gave a signed bat to the fan who caught his 2,000th career hit, which of course was a two-run home run. It was a nice gesture by the fan, Ryan McCoy of Pottstown, PA, to give it back, and a kind move by Polanco to give him a piece of memorabilia.

Funny part about it – Polly signed it with the wrong date. Makes it worth even more, I suppose.

(Thanks to Ryan Petzar, @Petzar, for snapping this photo outside the Phillies clubhouse).

Thanks to Ryan Petzar for the photo.

Puerto Rican born starting pitcher Julio Rodriguez grew up dreaming of becoming a baseball star. These days, he is among the core of young Philadelphia pitching prospects that
have begun to get a lot of attention after some considerable success in
recent years and he is happy to now be standing out practically in the Phillies’ back yard.

Last year, with the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers, the 6-foot-4-inch 230-pounder led the Florida State League in wins when he posted a 16-7 record with a 2.76 ERA and a .186 batting average against. The season before that, Rodriguez split time at short-season Williamsport and with Class A Lakewood, where he combined to post a 7-3 record with a 1.89 ERA in 20 games (12 starts). Prior to that he played two seasons with the Gulf Coast League Phillies.  In those areas, fan attention toward rising prospects isn’t very prevalent.  Things would certainly change when Rodriguez came north to show what he’s all about.

Having never possessed a blazing fastball, regularly registering in the high-80′s with his best offerings, Rodriguez still produces big-time strikeout totals that are reflective of a power pitcher. His 10.50 K’s per 9 innings mark, in his 4 pro season entering this season, is extremely impressive and indicative of some serious talent.

The 8th round draft selection from 2008 uses a bit of trickery on the mound to draw swings and misses. Rodriguez attributes his deceiving windup with helping to blow away opposing batters.

“I just forget about the velocity and try to make my pitches the best that I can and keep the ball down,” Rodriguez stated in an exclusive interview with PhilliesNation.com’s Jay Floyd. “I have a difficult wind up. I keep the ball back and hidden from view. I think that bothers the hitters.” Continue reading Baby Ace Rodriguez Feeling at Home in Reading