If the Phillies think they will be fighting for another World Series title in 2010, the front office will need to improve three areas of the club. The three most glaring areas are at third base, the back end of the bullpen, and the bench. It did not take GM Ruben Amaro Jr. long to get working on the 2010 season. In fact, he informed starter turned reliever Brett Myers (Phillies 1999 1st round pick-12th overall) that he would not be offered a contract to remain with the club for 2010 only days after his team was eliminated by the Yankees.

1. Who’s on Third?

One of the most glaring problems that surfaced for the Phillies during their previous two playoff runs was the lack of offensive production from the third base side of the diamond. Pedro Feliz signed a two year contract with the Phillies prior to the 2008 season with a club option for a third season (2010), which was declined by Amaro on November 8, 2009. Feliz is one of the strongest third baseman in the National League defensively but his offensive numbers have declined since joining the Phillies in the 2008 season. Feliz previously played eight seasons for the Giants in pitcher-friendly AT&T Park. From 2003-2007 Feliz hit 16, 22, 20, 22 and 20 homeruns for the Giants. Since joining the Phillies Feliz has hit 26 homeruns combined over two seasons in hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park. The problem with Feliz has been his offensive drop-off once the playoffs begin. In two playoff appearances with the Phillies Feliz has hit .250 in 2008 and .167 in 2009. He became an automatic out at the bottom of the batting order during the 2009 postseason, hitting ahead of the scorching hot Carlos Ruiz. In total, Feliz hit .204 over two postseasons with the Phillies with two homeruns and eight RBIs.

The Phillies have already said that they are still interested in resigning Feliz at a lower price. His option was for $5 million. On the team’s wish list for 2010 are Mariners third baseman Adrian Beltre, Angels third baseman Chone Figgins, Cardinals third basemen Troy Glaus and Mark DeRosa, Tigers second baseman Placido Polanco (played in Philly from 2002-2005) and possibly Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada (who could move to third). Other options include trading for a third baseman. Amaro spoke with reporters at the GM meetings in Chicago and did not mention any players by name but Pirates third baseman Andy LaRoche and Padres third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff could also be available via trade. If the Phillies cannot land a third base free agent or trade for one they could reopen negotiations with Feliz.

2. Every Team Needs Relief

The old saying is that pitching and defense wins championships because good pitching beats good hitting any day of the week. That proved true during the 2009 World Series when the Yankee lefthanders (starters and relievers) stifled the left handed bats in the Phillies lineup. The Phillies bullpen struggled in 2009 after being nearly perfect when leading after seven innings in 2008. Brad Lidge, the closer, was 48 for 48 in save opportunities in 2008 but blew a league leading 11 saves in 2009. Ryan Madson struggled as a fill-in closer when Lidge was ‘removed’ from the role during the regular season and when Lidge was on the Disabled List in June.

One of the items on Amaro’s wish list for this off-season is the addition of one or two arms via free agency to the Phillies bullpen. One free agent said to be garnering interest from the Phillies is Tigers closer Fernando Rodney. Rodney converted 37 of his 38 save opportunities in 2009 for the Tigers and will likely not be resigned by the Tigers. Rodney could prove to be a shut down setup man for the Phillies and step in to the closer’s role if Lidge struggles or is placed on the DL with an injury. Lidge had successful elbow surgery on November 11, 2009 and is said to be ready for Spring Training. Another free agent reliever the Phillies could possibly target is Braves closer Rafael Soriano. Soriano converted 27 of his 31 save opportunities in 2009 for the Braves. The Phillies could also consider making a trade for an established reliever since they do not seem to be in the running for Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay this off-season, despite his asking value possibly being reduced.

3. A Strong Bench Wins Games

Aside from pitching and defense, a strong bench is also a staple to a championship winning club. Just as the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were single handedly defeated by the Phillies in game four of the 2008 NLCS by a strong bench. The Phillies had acquired Matt Stairs on August 30, 2008, one day prior to the playoff roster deadline. Stairs hit a two-run pinch hit go ahead homerun off of Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton in the eighth inning of game four in 2008. The Phillies would win game five and then go on to win the World Series in five games against the Rays. Stairs struggled mightily as a bench player in 2009, hitting .194 with five homeruns and 17 RBIs in 103 at-bats. His performance in the post-season was even worse, hitting .100 with one RBI in 10 at-bats.

Other weaknesses for the Phillies on the bench this year was a viable right handed hitter off the bench to face a lefty late in the game. The Phillies began the year with Miguel Cairo, Eric Bruntlett, and Chris Coste as right handed hitting options off the bench. They also used Lou Marson, John Mayberry Jr., and Ben Francisco. Their left handed hitters off the bench aside from Stairs were Greg Dobbs, Paul Bako, and Andy Tracy (when rosters expanded on September 1st).

The sad truth of 2009 for the Phillies was that their bench did not perform as well as it did in 2008, during the regular season or the playoffs. More than likely Stairs will not be back with the Phillies in 2010 unless he signs a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Dobbs will be back as possibly the lone left handed bat off the bench but he hit only .247 with five homeruns and 20 RBIs during the regular season and went a combined zero for four in the playoffs. Eric Bruntlett, in his two seasons with the Phillies, has only been useful as a defensive replacement for manager Charlie Manuel. Bruntlett was primarily used as a late inning defensive replacement for former left fielder Pat Burrell in 2008 and all throughout the team’s World Series run. Bruntlett hit .171 in 2009 with seven RBIs and zero homeruns. He has hit .202 during his two year stay in Philadelphia.

The other problem with the bench from 2009 that must be fixed in 2010 is the need for a backup catcher. The Phillies traded prospect Jason Jaramillo to the Pirates in the off-season for Ronny Paulino. Paulino was then shipped to the San Francisco Giants for lefty reliever Jack Taschner at the end of Spring Training. Paulino would be traded right away to the Marlins, were he spent the 2009 season. In season the Phillies traded catching prospect Lou Marson with three other prospects to Cleveland for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco. When Brad Lidge was on the DL in June Paul Bako was called up and the Phillies went with three catchers, signaling the end of Chris Coste’s time in the City of Brotherly Love. Coste was claimed on waivers by the Astros on July 10, 2009. The Phillies were happy with Bako’s ability to handle the pitching staff and at the plate (.224, 3 homeruns, 9 RBIs) but he is a free agent and the team would like to improve in that area as well.

The Class of the NL for a Third Straight Season?

Not many people will be surprised if the Phillies return to the World Series for a third straight season in 2010. If they do so by winning the NL East then it would be the first time in franchise history that the team has won four consecutive division crowns, which would cement Charlie Manuel as the best manager in team history as he climbs towards the top of the team’s all-time wins list. If GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and his staff can improve the bench, the bullpen, and the situation at third base, or even two of three, then this club will be in line for another title run in 2010 and maybe even 2011.

Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins is mobbed at third base after hitting a two-run walk-off double against the Dodgers in Game Four of the NLCS on Monday night.

The Braves performed the same feat in 1991-1992 when they lost in the World Series to the Minnesota Twins in seven games in 1991 and lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in six games in 1992. Prior to the Braves, the Los Angeles Dodgers performed this rare feat in 1977-1978 when they lost back to back World Series to the New York Yankees in six games both times. The last National League team to win two straight World Series titles was the 1975-1976 Cincinnati Reds. The Reds defeated the Red Sox in seven games in 1975 and the Yankees in a four game sweep in 1976.

Unless you live under a rock, you know how the Phillies have put themselves in the position they are in right now. With one out in the bottom of the ninth and the bases empty, Pedro Feliz was scheduled to hit for the Phillies Monday night. Feliz, who is hitting .148 in the postseason (.077 in the NLCS), was lifted for pinch hitter Matt Stairs. Stairs has 19 regular season pinch hit homeruns in his career and hit the biggest homerun in Phillies playoff history in game four of the NLCS in 2008 against Jonathan Broxton. Broxton has said often during the 2009 season that he would like to face Stairs again. This time the Phillies were trailing 4-3 in Philly, not tied at 5 in LA. Stairs dug in against Broxton, who did not throw one strike even remotely close to the strike zone. Obviously, the image of the Stairs homerun was still fresh in the mind of Broxton.

The Phillies mob Carlos Ruiz at homeplate after he scores the winning run Monday night in a 5-4 win over the Dodgers.

After Stairs took first, Manuel sent out Eric Bruntlett to pinch run for the power hitter as Carlos Ruiz stepped to the plate. On the first pitch of the at-bat Broxton threw a 96 MPH fastball inside to Ruiz, who took it off his elbow, putting the tying run at second and the winning run at first. The next batter to the plate, Jimmy Rollins, worked a 1-1 count against the overpowering right handed pitcher when lightning struck again in Philadelphia. Rollins laced a two out double into the right centerfield gap scoring Bruntlett as the tying run and Ruiz as the winning run. As Ruiz crossed the plate, the city of Philadelphia celebrated as the clock closed in on midnight.

The Phillies won the game 5-4 and took a 3-1 series lead with Game five slated to be played at 8pm on Wednesday night in Philadelphia. The reigning League and World Champions will send 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP Cole Hamels to the bump against former Phillie Vicente Padilla. Padilla threw 7.1 innings of one run ball in game two in LA for the Dodgers but did not factor in the decision as the Dodgers took the game 2-1. There is still a slight chance that the Dodgers might make a risky decision and throw Clayton Kershaw in game five, who was roughed up by the Phillies in game one, but they need to win this game. You never know what type of pitching decisions will be made with Joe Torre at the helm. As one of my close friends (a lifelong Yankee fan) said in reference to Torre on Sunday night: “It’s not hard to manage when you are up by 7 every night but when you are in a tie ballgame or trailing he is an idiot.”

Rollins Walk Off Double

Jim Vassallo is the creator of JAV Baseball. He also owns his own Internet Content company, JAV Freelancing. Vassallo coached baseball for three years at the high school level in New Jersey and has since joined the prominent D-III program at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He can be reached at jim@javbaseball.com for questions and comments.

The Cleveland Indians have traded their Cy Young pitcher from the previous year for the second year in a row. The Indians traded left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee and outfielder Ben Francisco to the Philadelphia Phillies for four minor league prospects. Those prospects are right-handed pitchers Jason Knapp and Carlos Carrasco, shortstop Jason Donald and catcher Lou Marson. This trade looks to benefit both teams as both team’s needs were addressed in this blockbuster trade.

The Phillies have been looking for starting pitching as of late, and Cliff Lee should fit into the rotation rather nicely. Cliff Lee was last season’s American League Cy Young award winner. He went 22-3 with 2.54 ERA and 170 strikeouts. He pitched 223.1 innings over 31 games with four complete games, two of which were shut outs. This year, Lee is pitching better than his numbers suggest. He is 7-9 with a 3.14 ERA and 107 strikeouts. His win-loss record could be better, had he been pitching for a better team this season. Lee pitches a lot of innings, helping a bullpen rest, which is crucial down the stretch. Lee will give the Phillies four left-handed pitchers in their starting rotation, along with Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer and J.A. Happ. Right-hander Joe Blanton rounds out the rotation with right-hander Pedro Martinez due to join the club as soon as next week. It is unknown who will be delegated to the bullpen yet.

The Phillies are also getting outfielder Ben Francisco, giving them a right-handed bat off of the bench and an extra outfielder to give the All-Star trio of Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth a break here and there. Francisco is batting .250 with 10 home runs and 33 RBI’s this season.

After turning down an offer to give up three prospects for Toronto Blue Jay ace pitcher Roy Halladay, the Phillies made a move that would give up four prospects. Toronto wanted pitchers Kyle Drabek and J.A. Happ, but the Phillies were not willing to part with both as a package. The package of prospects going to Cleveland includes four players, three of which are almost Major League ready.

Carlos Carrasco, once deemed to be the Phillies star pitcher of the future, may be the highlight of the package. His numbers are down this year with a 6-9 record and a 5.18 ERA in 20 games this season at the AAA level. He was selected to the Futures Game, the minor league All-Star game, in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He is currently Major League Baseball’s 28^th ranked prospect. The other pitcher in this deal is Jason Knapp. Knapp has been pitching at the A level this year. He is 2-7 with an ERA of 4.01 and 111 strikeouts in 85.1 innings pitched over 17 games.

Jason Donald, who recently had knee surgery, is batting .236 with 1 home run and 16 RBI’s in 51 games at the AAA level. He is a young middle infielder that was in an organization with Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins holding down the positions he plays. Lou Marson is batting .294 with 1 home run and 24 RBI’s in 63 games at the AAA level. He appeared in seven games with the Phillies this year and was part of their September call-ups last year.

The Phillies found a front line starting pitcher in Cliff Lee to give them a strong one-two punch with Cole Hamels. The Indians found four prospects, three possibly Major League ready by the end of the season. This has been a very exciting trade season with two days left until the deadline. The biggest question remaining is where, if anywhere, will Roy Halladay end up? It won’t be the Phillies anymore. They picked up a Cy Young caliber pitcher and held on to the prospects that they did not want to part with. This looks like a great move, but only time will tell if it actually is though.

Conversations between Toronto and Philadelphia, said to be the front runner for acquiring Halladay, are in a stalemate because the Phillies will not part with top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek. The Blue Jays have repeatedly asked for Drabek along with J.A. Happ and Dominic Brown. The Phillies countered with a package that would include one or more of the following players; Michael Taylor, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald and Lou Marson.

Toronto balked at the counter offer from the Phillies and sources claim that both teams are still in negotiations regarding Halladay but that talks turned nasty at one point over the weekend. The second team said to be in the running for Halladay are the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim but Toronto is said to be asking for three players on the Angels’ 25-man roster in return for Halladay.

Halladay, wherever he lands, will make a major impact on his new team if he is traded at all. Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi claims he really doesn’t think that Halladay will be traded by the time the 4pm Friday deadline arrives because he doesn’t believe that any team will want to part with the prospects they are asking for in return. If Halladay does change teams he will likely end up with the Phillies, Dodgers, or Angels. These three teams seem to be the ones that have the talent it will take to pry the Cy Young Award winner from the only team he has ever played for.

So what happens to the rest of the league if Halladay does not get traded or if the Blue Jays decide to hold onto him even if there is time left prior to the deadline? Many teams could turn to the Cleveland Indians and the Seattle Mariners. The Indians haven’t decided yet if they are willing to trade former Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee or hold onto him. The Mariners also aren’t sure if they are ready to part with Jarrod Washburn prior to the deadline. If teams are looking for a plan B then they could possibly turn their attention towards Lee and/or Washburn.

Other pitching options for teams looking for relievers include Baltimore’s George Sherrill, possibly the Reds’ Arthur Rhodes, the Diamondbacks’ Chad Qualls, the Nationals’ Joe Beimel and the Pirates’ John Grabow and Matt Capps. It is still difficult to determine whether or not there will be a flurry of minor trades by week’s end or if the Holliday to St. Louis trade will be the only blockbuster deal of the 2009 regular season.

The Philadelphia Phillies’ biggest surprise of the 2009 season is young left-handed pitcher J.A. Happ. During spring training, seven pitchers were fighting for five spots in the starting rotation. Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton were locks for the first four spots. The fifth spot in the Phillies’ starting rotation was a three player battle between Kyle Kendrick, Chan Ho Park and J.A. Happ. No one expected Happ to earn the spot, and no one ever expected the numbers that he would go on to put up when he eventually earned his way into the rotation. He has become a great compliment to an excellent rotation.

Who would have thought that out of the three players competing, Happ would be the one to go on and shine? Kyle Kendrick went 10-4 with a 3.87 ERA in 20 starts in 2007, his rookie year. He was a little less consistent in 2008, posting an 11-9 record with an ERA of 5.49 in 31 starts. Chan Ho Park brought a career record of 117-92 and an All-Star appearance on his resume. J.A. Happ had only made five career starts at the Major League level with a 1-1 record with 31 strikeouts in nine total appearances over the previous two seasons. Chan Ho Park would go on to win the fifth spot, Kyle Kendrick would be sent to the AAA to pitch on a regular basis, and J.A. Happ would make the Phillies’ roster as a relief pitcher, mainly used as a long reliever.

Chan Ho Park would struggle early on this season in the starting rotation. In his first six starts, Park had a 1-1 record with 22 earned runs. On top of that, Brett Myers would be lost for the season due to a torn hip labrum. J.A. Happ was given a chance to start, and he has been quietly outshining the rest of the pitchers in the Phillies’ formidable rotation. In 11 starts since taking over for Park, Happ has gone 5-0 with eight quality starts, pitching at least six innings and giving up three earned runs or less, including six in a row. That is the same amount of quality starts that ace Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer, the ageless wonder himself, each have while starting the whole season.

Now the Phillies have four front line starters in Hamels, Moyer, Blanton and Happ. A fifth starter is on the way, as the Phillies have recently signed three time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez. Martinez brings with him a 214-99 record, a very respectable 2.91 ERA and 3117 strikeouts in his career. He also brings experience, veteran guidance for the locker room and a World Series Championship that he won with the Boston Red Sox in 2004. The down side to this move, however, is his health. Pedro spent most of the 2007 and 2008 seasons injured, and he has yet to pitch in the Majors this year. Only time will tell if Pedro can still pitch at Cy Young caliber.

While the Phillies wait to see how well Pedro can pitch this year, and while they hope that Hamels, Moyer and Blanton can find some consistency, one thing is sure right now. J.A. Happ is the best pitcher the Phillies have. He is young but pitches with the poise and confidence of a skilled veteran right now. If he maintains his composure and continues to pitch at this rate, he could be looking at a Rookie of the Year award. It may be one of the quietest Rookie of the Year campaigns in Major League Baseball, but it cannot be overlooked. When a rookie pitches as good as, if not better, than a World Series MVP and a 20+ year veteran, it is very difficult to overlook him during Rookie of the Year conversations. J.A. Happ could become the first Philadelphia Phillies pitcher to win the Rookie of the Year award since Jack Sanford won it in 1957. That is if he isn’t traded to Toronto for Roy Halladay, but that is another story.

Let’s begin with Ryan Dempster and the obscure injury that has forced the Cubs starting pitcher to the disabled list. Dempster injured his big right toe on Sunday when jumping over the dugout railing to celebrate his team’s win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Dempster fractured his toe and could be on the shelf for at least a month. He got his leg stuck on the railing and landed hard, causing the injury.

The injury to Dempster is a big blow to the Cubs; who activated Aramis Ramirez, Angel Guzman, and Reed Johnson from the Disabled List on Monday to help the team get just a little bit healthier. Now Dempster is in danger of missing at least three starts, maybe even five, after winning 17 games in 2008 with the Cubs.

Phillies Scout Martinez:

Not long after Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. told reporters that the team has no interest in signing Pedro Martinez the club sent scouts to watch him throw a simulated game in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday.

An unnamed source from another club monitoring Martinez claims that the Phillies are more interested in the righty then they are actually letting on in the media. The Phillies were supposedly the only club present on Tuesday. Stay tuned for more on this development.

Beltran and Reyes Not Close:

The Mets received some harsh news earlier this week when they found out that injured stars Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes will not return to the lineup any time soon. Beltran will not be evaluated until after the All-Star Break and will need a rehab assignment prior to being activated from the Disabled List. On the other hand, Reyes needed a cortisone shot in his right leg Tuesday because he still felt pain. The Mets did not say what the timetable for his return would be either.

Cubs For Sale:

The Chicago Cubs, owned by the Tribune Co., received a second offer for the sale of the franchise on Tuesday. The group, run by private equity investor Marc Utay, is the second offer made to the Tribune Co. recently. The Tribune Co. now has two offers to submit to the bankruptcy court regarding their sale.

DeRosa to the D.L.:

The St. Louis Cardinals acquired Mark DeRosa from the Cleveland Indians not too long ago and have now placed the utility player on the Disabled List with a strained left wrist. DeRosa went 0-for-9 in his first three games with the RedBirds after hitting .270 with the Indians in 2009.

LaRussa Drops Twitter Lawsuit:

Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa dropped all claims in a lawsuit against the social media site Twitter. The one paragraph statement also said that LaRussa was not compensated in exchange for the drop of the suit and that he cannot reopen the same suit against Twitter in the future.

The lawsuit stated that Twitter committed an alleged trademark infringement, cybersquatting, and misappropriation of his name. He accuses Twitter of posting an unauthorized page with his name on it which caused emotional distress because the page made light of his DUI charge and the recent deaths of two Cardinals pitchers.

Halladay on the Market?:

General Manager J.P. Ricciardi of the Toronto Blue Jays told the media on Tuesday that the team will listen to offers on their star pitcher. Halladay has a no-trade clause that he will have to waive if the Blue Jays wish to trade him before the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline.

“He’s open to at least listening,” said Ricciardi. “He’s not going to be a guy who will let you do all the work [preparing for a possible trade], and then he’s not willing to listen. If it makes sense, he will listen.”

Halladay will be eligible for free agency after the 2010 season and said he would like to stay in Toronto but it might be tough to get an extension done, causing the Jays to get as much in return for their ace as possible via a trade.

“I want to stay, but I think it’s a situation you have to evaluate,” Halladay said. “I’m really not at that situation just yet. If something does come up, you weigh your options at that point. I hate to put the cart in front of the horse and start saying ‘Do I want to do that?’ I think you just evaluate the situations when they come.”

The teams interested in Halladay are the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Philadelphia Phillies, possibly the Boston Red Sox, possibly the New York Yankees, the Chicago Cubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers and maybe even the New York Mets.

The 22 runs were the most scored by the Phils since they posted a 26-7 win over the New York Mets on June 11, 1985. The 22 run effort was the fifth highest outburst in Phillies history and the fourth time they scored 10 runs in the first inning of a game in franchise history. The last time the team scored 10 runs in the first inning was against the Montreal Expos (Washington Nationals) in June of the 2002 season.

The Phillies sent 13 batters to the plate in Monday’s game against Dusty Baker’s Reds scoring 10 runs on six hits, three walks, and one hit batter. The Phillies also hit three homeruns in the inning (Shane Victorino, Greg Dobbs, and Chase Utley).

The Phillies then went on to score one run in the second, one run in the third, and four runs in the fourth before the Reds bullpen posted three straight scoreless innings of relief. The Phillies would explode for six more runs in the bottom of the eighth off of backup shortstop Paul Janish. Janish was making his second pitching appearance of the season.

He previously pitched against the Milwaukee Brewers, allowing five runs in one inning of work, his first career appearance on the mound. This time around he allowed an RBI single to Victorino, an RBI single to Eric Bruntlett, and a grand slam to Jayson Werth before the dust settled.

Coming into the game Janish had an ERA of 45.00 and after the outing it ballooned to 49.50. He walked two and struck out one, Pedro Feliz, to end the inning. On the other side of the field Scott Eyre returned to game action after being activated from the disabled list on Sunday.

Eyre got himself into trouble in the top of the ninth inning when he put Reds runners on second and third with none out. He then proceeded to induce a shallow fly out to left field and two straight strikeouts to retire the side and end the game. Eyre had been on the disabled list since June 12 with a strained calf that he suffered running in from the bullpen the previous day against the Mets in New York.

Cole Hamels took the win, his fifth of the season, and his first since June 4 when he threw a five hit shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers in California. Hamels lowered his ERA to 4.70. The only run he allowed was on a Jonny Gomes homerun, one of only three hits surrendered in the game by the 2008 World Series MVP. Hamels also collected a two run double in the first inning and a single in the fourth inning.

The 21 run loss for the Reds was their worst loss in their 140 year history. Don’t forget that the Reds are the oldest team in the Major Leagues. “That’s the worst beating I can remember on a baseball field,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said on the team’s site. “There’s not a whole bunch to say. We just got slaughtered.”

Reds starter Johnny Cueto didn’t get out of the first inning, recording only two outs, before being lifted for Daniel Ray Herrera. Cueto allowed nine earned runs on five hits, three walks, and allowed two homeruns. The Utley homerun was off of Herrera. Cueto’s ERA jumped from 2.69 to 3.45 after the nine runs allowed in the first inning.

The Phillies continue their four game set with the Reds tonight at 7:05 at Citizens Bank Park. J.A. Happ opposes Aaron Harang of the Reds. Happ is 5-0 and Harang is 5-8. Happ is coming off two superb starts in which he has allowed only two runs in 16 innings pitched. He has also struck out 9 while walking only two hitters and allowing only 12 hits in that span.

Happ pitched a shutout against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 27, a 10-0 win, and allowed only two runs in seven innings against the Atlanta Braves on July 2, a 5-2 Braves win for a series sweep of the Phillies. Happ took the no decision. Happ has lowered his ERA to 2.96 for the 2009 season.

Kalas' final ceremonial first pitch

Monday April 13, 2009 will forever be remembered as the day that millions of Phillies fans in the Delaware Valley, around the country, and even around the world lost their ‘voice.’ Harry Kalas collapsed in the broadcast booth at Nationals Park around 12:30pm, hours before the Phillies played the Nationals in DC. Director of Broadcasting Rob Brooks found Kalas and he was rushed to GWU Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:20pm. It was released on Tuesday that Kalas had died of cardiovascular disease.

The Phillies will allow their fans to pay tribute to the legendary voice on Saturday beginning at 8am at Citizens Bank Park. Fans can pay tribute on a first come first served basis until 12:45pm. At 1pm the team will honor the late Kalas with a tribute that the fans at the stadium are invited to remain in attendance for. Also, on Friday night, the Phillies will honor Kalas prior to their game with the San Diego Padres and the team is requesting that fans arrive to the stadium early. Phillies players, coaches, and manager Charlie Manuel will wear a black patch with the letters HK stiched on it. The patch will be sewn on the jersey in the area of the wearers’ heart.

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Kalas will always be remembered in Philadelphia and around the entire baseball world for his ‘Outta Here!’ homerun calls and his call of the final out of the World Series in which his Phillies defeated his son’s Tampa Bay Rays in five games. Todd Kalas and Harry Kalas had the opportunity to broadcast a couple of innings together on Phillies radio during the World Series, a thrill for both men.

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Kalas was honored by the Phillies on Wednesday of last week when he was asked to throw out the first pitch prior to the Phillies-Braves game after the Phillies players and coaches received their World Series Championship rings on the field in a ceremony prior to the game. Kalas bounced the ball to home plate but he talked to CSN Philly’s Leslie Gudel afterwards and said with all smiles, “At least I hit my target.” Carlos Ruiz had the honor of catching Kalas’ final ceremonial first pitch.

Phillies baseball will never be the same again without the voice of Harry Kalas but one must always remember how lucky the world of baseball was to have such a kind hearted, baritone voiced man call baseball games in the City of Brotherly Love. Fans have been showing an outpouring of support to the Phillies organization and the Kalas family by constructing a memorial outside the stadium at the Michael Jack Schmidt statue. Schmidt was one of Kalas’ favorite players in phillies history (he called all of Schmidt’s 548 career homeruns).

If you grew up listening to Harold Norbert Kalas as a kid and into your 20s, 30s, and 40s then the news of Kalas’ passing on Monday touched your heart in a way that most people outside of the Delaware Valley will never understand. It’s quite alright if you shed a tear, or two, or three. I know I did. I still get choked up when I watch tributes of Kalas on Philly television stations. Listening to the game on Monday was difficult. Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen did an incredible job fighting through the tears while trying to call the first homerun by a Phillies players since Harry’s passing. It was Shane Victorino. He crossed himself after touching the plate and then pointed towards the press box, where Harry would have been sitting.

Tom McCarthy, Chris Wheeler, and Gary Matthews also did an excellent job calling the game on television. I recorded the game that afternoon since I was running a high school baseball practice and upon returning home watched the first handful of innings. The opening tease by McCarthy, Wheeler, and Matthews was an incredibly touching tribute to the most beloved voice in Philadelphia (along with his longtime partner and friend Richie ‘Whitey’ Ashburn). Wheeler and Matthews were visibily tearing up on the air and McCarthy was doing all he could to hold back the tears.

Whitey and Harry are finally reunited at the ballpark in the sky, preparing to play 18 holes together, with cigars lit and jokes flying and sarcastic remarks being thrown back and forth. The entire sports world will never be the same again without the beloved Harry Kalas, who called Phillies games since 1971, and was inducted into the broadcaster’s wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2002 as the Ford C. Frick Award Winner.

Kalas was my idol growing up as a kid in the suburbs of Philadelphia and was the reason I majored in Radio/TV/Film in college, spending all four of my years at my college’s radio station broadcasting football, baseball, softball and basketball games. Kalas touched so many lives throughout the Delaware Valley and beyond without even knowing it. He was in our lives for close to 40 years for 162 games per year not counting Spring Training or playoff games. That’s close to 6,000 Phillies games. Even though the Phillies were the first team to 10,000 losses, Kalas made every single game interesting. Whether we were suffering through a pitching staff that featured Omar Daal and Chad Ogea or an offense that boasted Ricky Otero and Gregg Jefferies, Kalas made every game fun to listen to or watch.

Kalas did get to call some of the most important events in Phillies history though. He was behind the microphone for seven NLCS series, a World Series win in 2008, Jim Thome’s 400th homerun, Schmidt’s 500th homerun, Rick Wise’s no hitter, Terry Mulholland’s no hitter, Tommy Greene’s no hitter and Kevin Millwood’s no hitter. Wise’s no hitter came on June 23, 1971, Kalas’ first season with the Phillies.

Kalas was also the master of ceremonies when the Vet opened its doors for the first time in 1971 on Opening Day. He was the master of ceremonies for countless Phillies tributes and events throughout the years. Ryan Howard said it best, “He wasn’t just the voice of the Phillies, he was the Phillies to so many people.”

Kalas will never be forgotten in the world of baseball, especially in Philadelphia, because everyone that had the chance to listen to the baritone voice will surely pass on their memories of the broadcaster to their children. We should count our blessings for having had the chance to listen to such a legendary voice call baseball in our beloved city for close to 40 years. He led the city in numerous singalongs of ‘High Hopes’ and led the way during the Phillies post-parade pep rally at the ballpark in 2008.

Be glad that Kalas went out as a champion. Be glad that Kalas died doing what he loved doing most. Be glad that Kalas was the richest man in the city of Philadelphia not because of his money but because of all the friends he had during his time in his adopted city. Be glad that Bill Giles brought Kalas to Philadelphia via Houston. Be glad that Kalas and Whitey called Phillies games together for so long. Be glad that Kalas lent his world class voice and baseball knowledge to us all.

Harry Kalas will never be forgotten. His ‘outta here’ call for homeruns will always resonate in our memory banks along with his final out call of the 2008 World Series. Harry the K we love you, we miss you, and we ask that you tell Whitey we miss him too.