Gone Again

Hector Neris was sent to the minors on June 18 on merit. He was recalled from the minors on June 25 due to necessity. He's back in the minors as of this afternoon. Why? He earned it. He stinks like feet.

Neris was brutal last night. How brutal? Let's relive it, shall we?

- Brian Goodwin hit Neris' first pitch of the ninth inning out to deep right center (408 feet). Out as in home run.
- Michael Taylor lined out to left.
- Trea Turner hit a line drive single to left.
- Bryce Harper walked.
- Anthony Rendon struck out swinging.
- Juan Soto crushed a ball to deep center (419 feet) for a 3-run homer.
- Mark Reynolds homered to left, a 449-foot shot.
- Wilmer Difo struck out swinging.

So that's 5 runs on 4 hits (3 homers), a walk, and a strikeout. All that on 24 pitches. I have a feeling we won't be seeing Hector Neris doing Hector Neris things for quite a while. And that's a really good thing.

Still Undefeated

Thanks to a brilliant pitching performance from Aaron Nola, a timely 3-run homer by Rhys Hoskins, and a 9th-inning crisis intervention by Seranthony Dominguez, the Phillies beat the Nationals 4-3 last night.

I was at the game with my son and with the win, the Phils remain unbeaten with me in the stands.  That’s 4-0, for those of you scoring at home. I’m not saying it’s a thing, I’m just saying they’re unbeaten when I’m there. We’ll be back out at CBP next month when the Dodgers are in town. Unless of course the Phils think they need a little extra something to assure a win.  #PutJeffInTheSeats #RingTheBell

Defense: Flipping Out

This play yesterday by Brewers pitcher Brent Suter is one of my favorites of the season. It's amazing and goofy at the same time. Suter lunged off the mound to grab a dribbler, somersaulted, then managed to dive and tag a sliding Alex Gordon.

The Stopper

Zach Eflin made 5 starts for the Phillies in June. The Phillies won all 5 games, against teams in playoff contention (Yankees, Nationals, Brewers twice, and Cubs). And 3 of those wins ended 3-game losing streaks. Not bad for a guy acquired in 2014 for Jimmy Rollins.

In Eflin's last 5 starts, he's pitched 30.2 innings, allowing 24 hits and 6 walks while striking out 28. For the year, his ERA is down to 3.02 and his WHIP is 1.13. And he's only 24 years old.

Eflin was brilliant last night. He shut out the mighty Yankees over 7 innings, allowing just 6 baserunners. The Phillies needed an outing like that from Eflin last night and man oh man, did he deliver.

Today is Aaron Nola Day as the Phils ace goes against Tanner Roark, who they roughed up last week. I think another winning streak is about to begin.

Must win?

Going into Sunday's game against the Nationals, the Phillies had won 4 straight series. But the bullpen faltered on Sunday night, costing the Phils a chance at a sweep in Washington. And last night, Yankees fans invaded Citizens Bank Park and the Phils fell to New York, 4-2.

The 4 straight series wins have become a 2-game losing streak. Tonight, prized free agent Jake Arrieta gets the start against righthander Luis Severino, who is 11-2 with a sparkling 2.24 ERA. Severino, the Yankees ace, has struck out 123 in 104.2 innings and walked only 26. He's allowed only 6 home runs.  Carlos Santana is the only Phillie to have faced Severino before, and he's homered twice in 13 at-bats.

Arrieta needs to be just about perfect for the Phillies to halt this mini-skid and boost their confidence. He has lost 3 of his last 4 starts and hasn't won since beating the Dodgers on May 29. They need Arrieta to go deep into the game to take some heat off the recently struggling bullpen. Only 6 Yankees have faced Arrieta before. Neil Walker, Giancarlo Stanton, Didi Gregorius, Brett Gardner, Brandon Drury, and Aaron Hicks are a combined 14 for 77 against Arrieta with a paltry .491 OPS and only 2 home runs.

With a raucous, full ballpark, I expect Arrieta to pitch one of his best games of the season. He's pitched 7 innings or more only 4 times this season. Tonight needs to be a signature, big game start for the former Cy Young Award winner. He needs to be the stopper and stop a losing streak before it really takes hold.

Fun fact: The last Phillies starting pitcher credited with a win over the Yankees was Kyle Kendrick (!), who beat New York 7-1 on June 17, 2010.

Viva Vince!

Vince Velasquez starts the first of three games against the Yankees tonight.  The Phillies right hander should be appropriately amped up. 

Look for him to throw a fastball so hard it explodes through Jorge Alfaro’s mitt, tunnels beneath the ballpark and explodes into Xfinity Live causing significant damage.  

This should be entertaining as hell. The Phils have the best home record in the National League and the Yankees have the best record in baseball.  

Oh, and Hector Neris is back, his demotion to the minors lasting less than a week. Edubray Ramos is on the DL, so Hector is back.  Sigh.  

The Next 10 Games

The Phillies are finishing up a murderous nearly month-long stretch of the schedule where they've faced opponents with winning records. Beginning tonight, they play 3 in Washington against the Nationals, and then return home for 3 against the Yankees and 4 more against the Nationals.

After starting the month slowly, the Phils have played well, winning their last 3 series and 7 out of the last 10 games.

Phillies starters for the first series against the Nationals are Zach Eflin, Aaron Nola, and Nick Pivetta, while the Nationals go with Tanner Roark, Erick Fedde, and Jefry Rodriguez. The Phils have hit Roark well over time, with Odubel Herrera and Cesar Hernandez doing most of the damage. Roark has a 5.20 ERA in his last 5 starts against the Phillies, while Eflin has never faced the Nationals as a starter. Eflin has only appeared against 2 Nationals batters, and has pitched well in his last 3 starts, recording 2 wins against the Brewers and 1 against the Cubs.

I expect the Phils to take the first 2 games of the series, with the Nationals taking Sunday night's game against Pivetta. The Nats have a 1.265 OPS against him and have homered 6 times in 54 at-bats. But Saturday could be an issue because Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy both have OPS above 1.200 against Nola.

Then the Yankees come to town. The Phils have the best home record in the National League and will throw Vince Velasquez, Jake Arrieta, and Elfin against the Yankees. The Yankees have baseball's best record and bring their truly scary lineup to Philadelphia for the first time since the 2009 World Series. There's not much history with Phils pitchers against Yankees hitters, except for Giancarlo Stanton. I'm trying to be realistic here, but I think the Phils can manage to win 1 of the 3 games.

Then it's the Nationals again. The Phils will probably see Max Scherzer in this meeting, missing him this weekend. The Phils will go with Nola, Pivetta, Velasquez, and Arietta. The Phils should be able to win 2 of the 4. 

A friend asked me if this was a make-or-break string of games for the Phils. A 5-5 showing against 2 World Series contenders would be OK with me. I don't think more than 6 wins in this stretch is realistic, but losing 7 or more of these games could pretty much doom this team's faint playoff hopes.

Why is He Here?

Mitch Walding was summoned from AAA to take the roster spot of injured infielder JP Crawford.  This is Walding’s second time up this season, and he’s hitless in 7 at-bats with 7 strikeouts.  

Walding had OK numbers in the minors, but he seems either overmatched or extremely nervous.  But when he came on to pinch hit in the 8th inning today, all the Cardinals infielders shifted to positions between first and second base.  The whole left side of the infield was empty. The situation screamed for a bunt attempt. Walding didn’t bunt. He struck out for the 7th straight time. 

Why didn’t he get the signal to bunt? Why didn’t he do it on his own? Is this the best guy the Phils have in the minors to fill an infield hole?

All Star Picks, NL Edition

I really used to like the All Star Game. But as soon as the powers that be decided to make it "mean something," I got turned off. The decision to award home field advantage in the World Series to the team from the league that wins this exhibition game is one of the dumbest ideas in recent memory.

If the owners want more eyeballs, maybe make it U.S. players against the rest of the world. Kind of fits with the current political climate.

Anyway, here are my National League selections

1B - Freddie Freeman, Braves. He leads the NL in hits, OPS, and total bases.
2B - Scooter Gennett, Reds. He's hitting .337 for a terrible team and might be the best player you've never heard of.
SS - Brandon Crawford, Giants. He leads all NL shortstops in hitting, second in OPS.
3B - Nolan Arenado, Rockies. 14 HR, .958 OPS, and a highlight-reel defensive play every night.
OF - Matt Kemp, Dodgers. Having his best season since 2011 with an OPS leading all NL outfielders.
OF - Nick Markakis, Braves. He's having a career year and is fifth in NL in hitting.
OF - Odubel Herrera, Phillies. With a recent slump behind him, he's the best hitter in Philadelphia.
C - JP Realmuto, Marlins. Best hitting catcher in the league.

I'm not sure if Herrera makes the team because fans want Bryce Harper in the game. Harper may be leading the NL in home runs, but he's having a terrible year.

And I fully expect Phillies ace Aaron Nola to get named to the pitching staff, along with Max Scherzer, Jacob DeGrom, Jon Lester, Russ Stripling, Michael Wacha, and Sean Newcomb.

Umps are People, Too

I'm not sure how many baseball fans have favorite umpires, but I really enjoyed the work of two in my years of watching the game.

Dutch Rennert, was a National League umpire from 1974 to 1992, has passed away at the age of 88. He had a rather distinct way of calling a strike. You could hear him clearly in the background when watching a game or listening on the radio. At the ballpark, his voice boomed through the stands.

My other favorite umpire was Philadelphia native Eric Gregg. I've never watched an umpire work a game with such joy. He clearly loved what he did and was thrilled to be on the field every game. He battled weight problems throughout his life and died in 2006 at the age of 55. 

He was a good-natured official who was known for dancing with the Phillie Phanatic between innings. And he had a great sense of humor. Check his reaction to this prank when someone left a cheeseburger for him on third base. 

Rennert and Gregg were part of the game without becoming part of the game, if that makes sense. Some current umpires seem to think the fans have paid to see them work. Yes, Joe West, I'm talking about you. 

Demote/Release Hector Neris.

Right freaking now.  He stinks like feet.  

Phillies GOAT - Manager

Five straight division titles. Two straight National League pennants. A World Series championship. A 100-win season. Charlie Manuel is the greatest Phillies manager of all time. And no, you can't make an argument for anyone else.

Manuel won more games than any other Phillies manager (780) and finished with a .551 winning percentage.

Manuel joined the Phils in 2003 and helped persuade Jim Thome to sign in Philadelphia. Thome, being enshrined in the hall of fame this summer, has often called Charlie his second father. Manuel took over as manager in 2005 and the team won 88 games. They won 86 the following year and finally broke through in 2007. Manuel's Phils were 7 games out of first place with 17 to play and overtook the Mets to win their first division title since 1993.

He led the Phils to their second World Series title in 2008 and got them back to the Series the following season.

Charlie was beloved by his players and fans, initially cool to the quiet West Virginian, came around to elevate Charlie to legendary status.

Dear Phillies...

Dear Phillies,

I think we might be on to something here. I've attended 3 games so far this season and in those games, the Phils are 3-0. You shut out the Marlins at the Home Opener 5-0 on April 5. Then, on May 10, you beat the Giants 6-3. And yesterday, you throttled the Rockies 9-3.

I'm not saying it's me, but you can't argue with the data. I parked in the same location all 3 games. I ate the same food (Bull's BBQ) before each game. I attended games with family members (the first two with my son and yesterday with my dad). The data doesn't lie. Analytics. It's a thing.

Odubel Herrera is 7 for 12 in those games with 2 runs and 4 RBI. Vince Velasquez is 2-0 with 18 strikeouts in 12.2 innings. Adam Morgan has pitched 2.1 innings and struck out 2 while not allowing any baserunners. Rhys Hoskins and Maikel Franco each have 4 RBI in those 3 games and Nick Williams is 3 for 4 with 2 RBI. Cesar Hernandez has a .400 OBP when I'm in the building.

For the good of the team, and dare I say, the good of the city's psyche, I think it would behoove the organization to make sure I'm in attendance at all remaining home games. You're 3-0 with me in the seats. I've crunched the numbers. To paraphrase Jack Nicholson, you want me at those games. You need me at those games.

Thome Thome Thome

Great ceremony honoring the hall of famer on the anniversary of his 400th home run.  And his daughter was outstanding when performing the national anthem. It’s too bad the ballpark is 75 percent empty.  

Trade Talk and Roster Rumblings

Orioles shortstop Manny Machado will be a Phillie. In 2019. I don't see the Phils trading for him this season, because Machado would be insane not to test free agency over the winter. And the Orioles will ask for the moon for him, which wouldn't be worth a 2-month rental.

The Phils have money, money, and more money to spend next winter. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Phils offer Machado 10 years at $375 million. Yes, 10 years. He doesn't turn 26 for another 3 weeks. He's young, he's sublimely talented, and the Phillies need him. Desperately.

As for other free agents, I pass on Bryce Harper. I think he's overrated. This is his 7th season, and he's had 2 fantastic seasons. But he's only played 150 or more games in a season once in his career. Something about him irks me. Serious irkage. Besides, he's going to want $400 million and the Phils need to hold on to that cash because Philadelphia sports superfan and best player on the planet, Mike Trout, is a free agent after the 2020 season. He'll be 28 years old. And he'll be a Phillie as well.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Cole Hamels back in Philly this summer. The starters not named Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta have been inconsistent. I'd love to have a World Series MVP finish his career here.

As for trades this summer, the only untouchables on the 40-man roster are Nola, minor league pitcher Sixto Sanchez, Rhys Hoskins, and probably Jorge Alfaro. Hoskins is the face of the franchise and he's not going anywhere. But everyone else is up for grabs. I'd love to see the Phils unload Carlos Santana and pick up a big chunk of his salary to sweeten the deal. I didn't want him in the first place. I wanted JD Martinez. I even tweeted about it in September.

If Santana gets traded, Hoskins can move back to first base and we can see Aaron Altherr and Nick Williams play every day. And doing that will go a long way to determining who will be in the outfield next season.

Phillies GOAT - Bullpen

The single greatest bullpen season in Phillies history was authored by Brad Lidge in 2008. In 72 games and 69.1 innings, he allowed just 50 hits and struck out 92. He was a perfect 41 for 41 in save opportunities and finished the season with a 1.95 ERA. In the playoffs and World Series, he saved 5 more games and had an ERA of 0.00.

But this list isn't about single seasons. It's about sustained success. So here are 5 relievers who usually pitched more than an inning (nearly unheard of today) per game with success for 4 or more seasons.

Gene Garber pitched in 250 games over 5 seasons from 1974 to 1978. He threw 392.2 innings with a WHIP of 1.15 and a 2.68 ERA and 51 saves.

Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw was the beloved closer on the 1980 World Championship team. He logged 10 years with the Phillies and finished with 94 saves. In 463 games, he pitched 722 innings with an ERA of 3.10 and a WHIP of 1.198.

Ron Reed finished with 90 saves in his 8 years with the Phillies. From 1976 to 1983, he threw 809 innings over 458 games. His Phillies ERA was 3.06 and his WHIP was 1.252.

Jack Baldschun pitched in 333 games for the Phillies from 1961 to 1965. In 543.1 innings, he allowed just 497 hits and struck out 420, but he also walked 280. I think that's known as being effectively wild. His Phillies ERA was 3.18 and he was credited with 59 saves.

Steve Bedrosian won a Cy Young Award as the Phillies closer in 1987, when he saved 40 games to go along with a 5-3 record and a 2.83 ERA. In his Phillies career, he was summoned in 218 games and pitched 287.1 innings. He struck out 241 and had an ERA of 3.29.

Jim Konstanty was the closer for the 1950 National League champs, but his numbers were really nothing special. In 7 seasons and 314 games, he had a 3.64 ERA and a WHIP of 1.294. He won 51 games and saved 54 while striking out 205 in 675 innings. He's on the second team.

Lidge gets the single season nod but he was inconsistent in his Phillies career. He was never the same after hurting his knee in the 2008 World Series celebration pileup. His 2009 numbers were scary bad. But the photo above of Lidge is one of the most iconic in team history. So there's that.

Jonathan Papelbon is the franchise all-time saves leader, but aside from being a Hall of Fame asshat, he usually only pitched an inning. Jose Mesa and Mitch Williams are second and fourth on the list, but they were anxiety inducers with too many blown saves and 1-inning outings.

Bold Prediction

The Phillies bats will come to life today and they'll score at least 6 runs. And then the rain will come and it will all be for naught because it will get rained out.

My name is Jeff and today I'm a Negadelphian.

Prospecting

Since things at the big league level have been pretty bleak over the last two weeks, I thought I'd take a look at some of the top prospects in the minors.

Sixto Sanchez (Clearwater, High A) is probably the best pitcher in the organization. Unfortunately, it was announced yesterday he's been shut down with sore elbow. But Sanchez, who doesn't turn 20 until next month, was fantastic over his last 4 starts. In 25.2 innings, he allowed just 2 runs and struck out 29 while walking 4. He was probably on track to a promotion to Reading and a possible appearance in Philadelphia later in the summer. Let's just hope there's nothing seriously wrong with his elbow.

Jan Hernandez is a 23-year-old right fielder for AA Reading. After hitting no higher than .255 in his minor league career, Hernandez seems to have figured things out to the tune of .315/.349/.494 with 7 homers in 178 at-bats.

Cole Irvin, a fifth-round draft pick in 2016, is a lefthanded starting pitcher who is 7-1 in 11 starts at AAA Lehigh Valley. Opponents are hitting just .222 against him and he's struck out 61 while walking only 18 in 68.2 innings.

Enyel De Los Santos was the return from the San Diego Padres for shortstop Freddy Galvis. De Los Santos is a righthanded starting pitcher with a 6-3 record and a microscopic 1.63 ERA in 11 starts. He's allowed 0 runs 3 times, 1 run 5 times, and 3 runs twice. He's struck out 69 in 66.1 innings and walked 20 and has a 1.01 WHIP. I expect to see either Irvin or De Los Santos with the Phillies the next time they need a starting pitcher from the minors.

Jose Pujols is slashing .306/.356/.503 for High A Clearwater. Pujols, 22, plays right field and has 9 homers and 31 RBI in 193 at-bats, but he's also struck out 73 times.

Adam Haseley, last year's first-round draft choice, is on fire right now in Clearwater. He's hitting .372 over his last 10 games and has raised his average to .298 for the season.

The Phillies system is a little short on major league ready hitters, but there are a number of promising arms down there.

Wanted - New Leadoff Hitter

The Phillies have made a transition to become a more attuned to statistical analysis. Well, analyze this. Cesar Hernandez should not be leading off. As a leadoff hitter or when leading off an inning, Hernandez has a lousy OPS of .693 in 119 plate appearances (PA).

And the Phillies best hitter when leading off an inning is–Rhys Hoskins. Last year's rookie sensation is due to come off the disabled list today after fouling a ball off his own face (yes really). Hoskins was off to a great start but then went ice cold in May. From April 29 to May 28, Hoskins hit .143 with 36 strikeouts in 98 at-bats.

But even with that stretch of awfulness, Hoskins has a 1.284 OPS when leading off an inning in 39 PA. Nick Williams is second in leadoff OPS at .900 (42 PA) and Carlos Santana is third at .887 (46 PA).

In the last 2 weeks, the Phillies are 4-10, scoring just 39 runs, or 2.8 per game. It's time to shake up the lineup and let Hoskins or Williams hit first. What do they have to lose?

And another thing. The Phillies have preached patience at the plate this season, but is it really helping? When swinging at the first pitch (which has happened 201 times so far this year), Phillies hitters have a .943 OPS. Pitchers know the Phils are patient. They figure they can throw a strike without any consequences. Maybe if they start swinging at the first pitch, the offense will come to life.

Measuring Heartbreak

The 2018 Phillies are 32-28, 3 games out of first place in the National League East. They are on pace to finish with a record of 86-76, which would be a huuuuuuuuuuge improvement over last year's 66-96 train wreck/dumpster fire/hazardous waste site.

But you get the feeling that this team might have already peaked this season. On May 26, just 13 days ago, this team was 9 games over .500. Since then, the Phils are 3-8. They've averaged just 2.9 runs a game in this awful stretch, which included 20 consecutive scoreless innings and a devastating walk-off grand slam loss to the Cubs on Wednesday.

Things are not getting any easier. Six of the next nine games are against the Brewers, owners of the best record in National League. They also play Colorado (2nd in the NL West), St. Louis (just 3 games behind the Brewers), 7 games against the Nationals (currently tied for the NL East lead), and the Yankees, who happen to have the best winning percentage in baseball. The Phillies won't face a team with a losing record until July 3, when the Orioles come to town.

This past road trip got me to thinking which loss of the season was the worst. The crap de la crap, if you will.

The Contenders:
Thursday, March 29 - Braves 8, Phillies 5
The Phils actually led this game 5-0 at one point. Aaron Nola was pulled in the 6th inning, having thrown just 68 pitches, a clear class of overmanaging by rookie skipper Gabe Kapler. The Braves scored 2 in the 6th, tied the game with 3 in the 8th, and won it in the 9th when Nick Markakis hit a 3-run walkoff homer to win it. In innings 7 though 9, the Phillies had 1 hit and 1 walk and struck out 7 times.

Tuesday, May 1 - Marlins 2, Phillies 1 (10 innings)
Mustering just 8 hits, the Phils could score just 1 run against the vaunted Marlins pitching staff. They had a chance to take the lead in the 9th when Carlos Santana led off with a double. Maikel Franco hit a fly ball to center for the first out, and Scott Kingery was hit by a pitch, putting runners at first and second. But Jorge Alfaro and Pedro Florimon both struck out to end the threat.

In the 10th inning, the Phillies had the bases loaded with 2 out, but Franco hit a line drive to short to end the inning. In the bottom of the 10th, reliever Yacksel Rios, in his second inning of work, gave up a 1-out triple to Cameron Maybin. Miguel Rojas was intentionally walked, and then Yadiel Rivera singled to center to end the game.

Sunday, May 6 - Nationals 5, Phillies 4
Starter Jake Arrieta was terrific, allowing just 1 run and surrendering 2 hits and 2 walks in 6 innings. It was Arrieta's 6th start of the season, and he had thrown just 75 pitches, but Kapler pinch-hit Nick Williams for Arrieta in the 7th with Phils down 1-0.  Williams knocked in a run and the Phils added 2 more, taking a 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the 7th, Kapler used THREE different relievers to get 3 outs.

Franco homered in the 8th, giving the Phils a 4-1 lead. With 1 on and 1 out in the 8th, $9 million reliever Tommy Hunter entered the game. His line went as follows: walk, strikeout, single to load the bases, single that scored 2 runs, wild pitch, strikeout. Ugh. The Nationals trailed 4-3.

The Phils didn't score in the top of the 9th, and closer Hector Neris came in and did Hector Neris things. He gave up a leadoff infield single, but picked off pinch runner Rafael Bautista. He hit Howie Kendrick with a pitch and walked Michael Taylor. Neris then walked Pedro Severino on a 3-2 count to force in the tying run. Wilmer Difo singled to center to score Kendrick for the win.

Wednesday, June 6 - Cubs 7, Nationals 5
Starter Aaron Nola wasn't as sharp as usual and gave up 3 runs over 6 innings. With scored tied at 3 in the 9th, rookie outfielder Dylan Cozens sliced his first big league homer into the basket in left field to give the Phils a 5-3 lead.  In the bottom of the 9th, Kapler kept in the previously unblemished Seranthony Dominguez in the game. Dominguez threw 14 pitches in the 8th and retired the Cubs in order on 3 fly balls. The 9th was a different story. Dominguez walked Kyle Schwarber to lead off the inning and Javier Baez struck out. Schwarber advanced to second on an error by catch Jorge Alfaro and he moved to third when Albert Almora singled. That was it for Dominguez.

Kapler called on leftie Aaron Morgan to face pinch-hitter Ian Happ, who walked to load the bases. Morgan got Ben Zobrist on a fielder's choice. Zobrist hit a ball back to Morgan, who threw home for the force, but the bases were still loaded. The lefthanded hitting Jayson Hayward was next, and he hit a 2-2 pitch in the vicinity of suburban Milwaukee for a walkoff grand slam.

And the loser is...
As bad as Wednesday's loss was, I think the May 6 loss to the Nats was the worst. Nats starter Max Scherzer was cruising. Through 6 innings, gave up just 1 run and struck out 14. Entering the 7th, he had thrown 102 pitches. He allowed a single and a stolen bases and recorded his 15th strikeout on his 111th pitch. The Phils took the lead when they scored 3 runs off 2 Washington relievers. Had the Phillies bullpen been able to hold the lead, it would have been a great win in a game in which they had been dominated early.

Phillies GOAT - Starting Pitchers

How does a starting rotation of Steve Carlton, Grover Cleveland "Pete" Alexander, Robin Roberts, and Jim Bunning sound? It works for me. There are some others you can argue for, but to me, these four guys are the Phillies GOAT starting pitchers.

Carlton won 4 Cy Young Awards in his 15 years with the Phillies, winning 241 games and striking out 3,031 hitters. His 1972 season was absolutely amazing, especially when you consider how awful the team around him was. Carlton won 27 games and posted an ERA of 1.97. As a team, the Phillies only won 59 games and finished dead last, 37.5 games out of first. Lefty pitched 346.1 innings in 1972, striking out 310 and allowing only 257 hits in his 40 starts. All of the figures were best in the National League, by the way, including 30 complete games, an unthinkable figure in today's game.

His best start came on April 25, 1972, when he allowed just 1 hit and 1 walk and struck out 14 San Francisco Giants. He beat the Kansas Royals twice in the 1980 World Series, striking out 17 in 15 innings. And he's in the Hall of Fame.

Pete Alexander pitched for the Phillies from 1911 to 1917 and again in 1930, when he pitched in 9 games at age 43. He appeared in 338 games and won 190 of them, and threw 219 complete games. From 1911 to 1917, his worst ERA was 2.81 and his lowest win total was 19. He threw 16 shutouts in 1916 alone, and finished with 61 for the Phillies. His Phillies WHIP was 1.075 and he averaged 356 innings per season.

Robin Roberts was another workhorse. He won 19 games or more for 6 straight years and led the National League in wins every year from 1952 to 1955. He threw 272 complete games, a franchise record, as well as the most innings in team history. He was a 7 time all-star.

Jim Bunning only pitched in Philadelphia for 6 seasons, but his ERA in that time was 2.93. He started 208 games and had 65 complete games. He held opposing hitters to a .233 batting average and won at least 17 games for 4 straight years. He also threw the first perfect game in team history and was a 2-time All-Star.

Also under consideration were Chris Short, Cole Hamels, Curt Schilling, Roy Halladay, and Cliff Lee. But my 4 GOATs got the nod for their consistent dominance.

Malcolm Jenkins is a National Treasure

From the heart, with class. This man needs to be heard and should hold national office.

Phillies GOAT - Outfield

Three Hall-of-Famers in the outfield? Yes please. The Phillies GOATs are Ed Delehanty, Chuck Klein, and Richie Ashburn.

Delehanty, a Phillie from 1888 to 1901 (with a 1-season stop in Cleveland), holds the team record for highest single-season batting average, when he hit .410 in 1899. He hit the most triples in team history (157) and is third all-time in OPS (.923). He hit .400 3 times, led the league in OPS 4 times, hitting twice, and RBIs 3 times. His career batting average as a Phillie was .348.

Delehanty is probably best known for his bizarre death. While playing for the Washington Senators in 1903, a drunken Delehanty was kicked off a train in Fort Erie, Ontario, for being drunk and disorderly and threatening passengers. He started walking along the International Bridge and either jumped or fell into the Niagara River and was swept over Niagara Falls.

Klein played in Philadelphia from 1928-1933, 1936-1939, and 1940-1944. He hit 243 home runs and knocked in 983. As a Phillie, he led the league in home runs 4 times and RBIs twice. In 1930, he drove in 170 runs, a team record that still stands. He was a career .326 hitter with a .935 OPS for the Phillies.

Ashburn, remembered as much for his years as a broadcaster and his time in the outfield, was a Phillie from 1948 to 1959. As a Phillie, he hit .311 and led the league in hitting twice. He led the National League in hits 3 times, amassing more than 200 hits in each of those seasons. He was a 5-time All-Star.

There are others worthy of consideration, and most surprisingly in my mind, Bobby Abreu. People forget what a great hitter he was. Abreu holds the second-highest career OPS for a Phillie at .928, just behind Klein. Cy Williams (1918-1930) hit .300 or better 7 times. Del Ennis (1946-1956) hit more than 20 homers in a season 8 times and had 6 seasons with more than 100 RBI.

Nola+Dominguez=Wins

Everybody in Philadelphia was excited when the Phils signed Jake Arrieta in spring training. "Finally," the masses muttered, "we'll have an ace again."

Guess what folks. The Phils already had an ace. His name is Aaron Nola. And he's got the numbers to prove it:
- 8th in MLB in ERA
- 6th in WHIP
- 4th in innings pitched
- 4th in wins

He was terrific again last night against the Dodgers. In 7 innings, he gave up 1 run on 2 hits and a walk and struck out 7. He threw 111 pitches, including a ridiculous 11-pitch at-bat against Max Muncy. For the year, Nola is 7-2 with a 2.18 ERA. And he doesn't turn 25 until next week. Sign this man to an extension right freaking now. He's going to win a Cy Young Award, and probably more than one.

And speaking of impressive, Seranthony Dominguez has been pretty nearly perfcet since getting called up. In 13.2 innings, he's faced 43 hitters. Only 3 have reached base. Yes, 3. Three. He's given up 2 hits and hit one batter. His ERA is 0.00. He has 15 strikeouts. His WHIP is 0.146. He got a drama-free 2-inning save last night. He has the coolest name in the organization. Somebody check this guy's DNA.

His fastball hit 99.7 mph and his sinker measured 99.4. His changeup was clocked at 92.4 and his slider was 89.3. And he's 23 years old. I know Gabe Kapler doesn't like labels and roles for the bullpen, but this guy needs to close from now on. He's unflappably unhittable.

Phillies GOAT - Third Base

Only 15 other players in baseball history hit more home runs. He's in the Top 40 all time for RBI and the Top 75 for runs scored. He's a 3-time National League MVP and a 12-time all-star with 10 Gold Gloves and 6 Silver Sluggers. Mike Schmidt is the greatest third baseman in Phillies history and one of the best ever to play the position.

More? He's 52nd all time with a slugging percentage of .527; 56th all time in OPS; and 23rd all time in offensive WAR. He played in 2,404 games with 10, 062 plate appearances. He holds the Phillies team record for games, runs, home runs, RBI, and walks, and is second in doubles and hits.

Schmidt was a frequent target of Philadelphia's notoriously tough fans. In 1985, he said something disparaging about the fans to a reporter while the team was in Montreal. How he didn't think word would get back to Philadelphia is beyond me. Fans were ready to destroy Schmidt in his return to Philadelphia. So what did he do? He trotted out for warmups wearing a wig and glasses and Veterans Stadium burst into laughter. This was the turning point in his relationship with the fans.

Schmidt's defense was astounding. When we were kids, we'd throw ground balls to each other and try to duplicate Schmidt's barehanded grab and throw. We called it the Mike Schmidt School of Barehanding.