Philadelphia Phillies

Thanks to some scheduled off days, the Phillies have been able to get by with just four starters recently, but come Tuesday, the team needs a fifth starter, and before Sunday's game, the final one of the homestand, they announced who will get the ball in Miami. Tyler Cloydwill be recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley for Tuesday's game; the Phillies have not announced a corresponding roster move yet. I'd guess they will put reliever Mike Adams, who on Friday was diagnosed with a mild, mid-back strain, on the DL, which would be retroactive to last Sunday. He hasn't pitched since Saturday, May 11.  

By Jason Wolf  Ryan Howard was given off Sunday, replaced at first base by Michael Young. Freddy Galvis took over at third. Howard is batting a woeful .179/.258/.375 this month and is just 4-for-34 (.118) since hitting his last home run May 7 at San Francisco. The 33-year-old is batting .245/.282/.430 with six homers this season. Cloyd to start Tyler Cloyd will start Tuesday at Miami, the Phillies announced. A roster move will be made that day to accommodate him. Cloyd has an ugly 6.57 ERA and 1-4 record in seven starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season. But the 26-year-old acquitted himself well in his lone big league appearance this season, hurling 6 1/3 innings of two-hit, two-run ball while striking out four and walking three in a loss at Arizona on May 10. Relief pitcher Mike Adams, who’s dealing with a achey back, could be moved to the disabled list to make room on the roster for Cloyd. Adams hasn’t appeared in a game since May 10, meaning any DL stint could be backdated, allowing him to return as early as next Sunday.

The Phillies can win a series and make it a successful week against the two Ohio teams if they’re victorious Sunday. They’ll need to quickly put Saturday’s 10-0 embarrassment out of their minds. It was the sixth time they’ve been shut out this season, which is the most shutouts of the Phillies through their first 43 games since 1985, according to CSN’s Reuben Frank. The Phils were lifeless and again failed to hit junkballer Bronson Arroyo. On Sunday, they’ll face...

The Phillies have signed players from all over the world and recently they added an outfielder from Germany. Julsan Kamara, a 17-year-old outfielder and a member of the German Junior National Team, was recently signed to a seven-year minor league contract.

If a Phillies relief pitcher enters a game with a runner on base there is a very good chance he will allow that runner to score. The Phillies bullpen has allowed 46.3 percent (25 of 54) of its inherited runners to score, which is the worst mark in baseball. (The Mariners have been the stingiest at just 15.9 percent.) Upon further inspection, the Phillies’ mark is one of the worst in baseball in nearly 40 years. Going back to 1974, the 2013 Phillies’ bullpen has been the second-worst in baseball in allowing inherited runners to score. 1977 Reds: 48.1 percent (74 of 154) 2013 Phillies: 46.3 percent (25 of 54) 1974 Mets: 46.0 percent (63 of 137) 1992 Phillies: 44.8 percent (73 of 163) 1974 Expos: 44.2 percent (69 of 156) The MLB average from 1974 through today is 33 percent. The best Phillies bullpen in that stretch? The 2011 bullpen, which allowed only 25 percent to score. “I have a big concern about our bullpen,” Charlie Manuel said. “If we can’t hold people how can we win the game? You can say you’ve got to score runs to win, but at the same time how many runs do you have to score?” Here is how individuals in the Phillies’ bullpen have fared: Justin De Fratus: 0 percent (0 of 4) Raul Valdes: 33 percent (1 of 3) Mike Adams: 40 percent (2 of 5) Jeremy Horst: 42.9 percent (9 of 21) Antonio Bastardo: 50 percent (1 of 2) Jonathan Papelbon: 50 percent (1 of 2) Chad Durbin: 60 percent (9 of 15) Phillippe Aumont: 100 percent (2 of 2) “I think it’s a matter of pounding the zone, being the aggressor,” Durbin said about pitching better with runners on base. “I think we get 1-0 and 2-0 then you have to throw the ball over the plate and all the pressure is on us. So, the success I’ve had in the past with it has been getting ahead with an offspeed pitch or a well-located fastball to put the pressure on them and kind of let our defense get comfortable.”

Aaron Altherr came back from the “Whatever that’s called that’s not the disabled list” List on Thursday, after recovering from what I’m guessing was a concussion related to his collision last week. He had an interesting night – 1-5 with a triple and 4Ks. He’s hit in 12 straight, wrapped around that “Listing”, but on the downside, he’s got one more K in May than he did in April, and there’s still a week and a half left. A bit of a flag to watch out for on him. Elsewhere, Nic Hanson (I’m not the only one who thinks he omits the “k” from his first name, right?), struck out 9 of the 24 men he faced in 5 2/3 innings, though he allowed 7 hits and 4 runs. The hits and runs aren’t great, but that’s a lot of Ks, regardless. Here’s the affiliate Scoreboard from MiLB. http://www.milb.com/scoreboard/index.jsp?sid=milb&org=143&ymd=20130518

Per FOXSPORTSREDNEXX, here’s Jake the Snake Robers singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame: Click here to view the embedded video. Can’t wait until the Marlins get Val Venis next week.

It's odd to hear a man who has never hit a big-league home run talking about regaining his power stroke, but that's the subject centerfielder Ben Revere raised Saturday afternoon after finding out his name was not in the starting lineup for the fourth straight game.

When Phillies fifth starter John Lannan was placed on the disabled list last month with a knee injury, one of the players who was in consideration to be called up was Lehigh Valley lefthander Adam Morgan.

READING - A year ago at this time, Sebastian Valle was considered the best catching prospect in the Phillies' farm system.