Philadelphia Phillies

Over last off-season, righty hurler Tyson Brummett parted ways with the Phillies following six season in their developmental ranks and after making his big league debut late last season with the Phils. Brummett was picked up off waivers by Toronto in October. The 28-year-old was then optioned shortly afterward. After being outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo, Brummett landed on the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats roster in April. Through nine games with NH thus far this season, Brummett is without a win and sports a 5.91 ERA, but tossed six shutout innings against his former club, Reading, early this month. Recently, I spoke with Tyson about the differences between the Phils and Blue Jays organizations, his time playing in the Venezuelan Winter League, facing top Phils prospect Jesse Biddle and plenty more. Read ahead for that full interview. - What would you say are the key differences between the Phillies and Blue Jays organizations? There's always a lot of differences. I was in that organization for a long time. I grew up with a lot of those guys, you know, roommates and people like that, coming up through the ranks. This is my first time in a different organization, obviously there are new people, new faces. At the end of the day, it's still baseball. You've gotta go out there and perform and do all those fun things on the field. - I saw you earlier this month out in Reading, competing against your old organization and matching a great performance by their top prospect, Jesse Biddle. Do you get up when facing the Phillies and does it make a difference facing the guy that's their top prospect? I mean it's always...you get up to face your old organization. I know there's guys that jump around and have played for three or four different organizations. I think there's that kind of connection there. They know you and you know them and things like that, but you always want to go out and put on a show for the team that you used to be with and obviously the team that you're with against your old team. Kind of like giving a message like, "Hey, I can still help a team win." As for Biddle, that kid's got a great future ahead of him. He's definitely on his way to a very good career. - I spoke with your teammate Kevin Pillar and he admitted to me that, after that outing against Biddle in Reading when he threw six scoreless innings and struck out 10, Pillar had the date circled on his calendar for another shot at him. Did you get the vibe from a lot of the Fisher Cats players that they all felt the same way? Oh, yeah! Definitely, with how things started over there (in Reading), both times we've faced him, he's gotten into a little bit of trouble early. He got lucky over there. The one up there in Manchester, he wasn't lucky. He walked a couple guys, hit a pitch count and stuff like that. I think that's how we all are, competitors. If I pitch bad against a team, I want to go back at them and get them again. I'm sure with hitters, for anyone that's a top prospect that gets the best of you, or with anyone that kind of makes them look stupid, so they want to circle the date or wonder, "When's the next time we get to take a crack at him?" - In recent years you've gotten to pitch in the winter leagues, when you've completed in Venezuela. What can you tell me about enjoying success down there? Winters leagues are fun. I've been down there the past two years. My first year down there I had what anyone would call my better winter league experience. I mean, I came kind of toward the end of November. Pitched there, started real hot, made the playoffs, went to the Caribbean World Series. So, I kind of got the whole caboodle all in one take. My first year down there I was kind of amazed. I have a special spot in my heart for that stuff. It's good competition. The guys that are there are former big league players, or guys from that country that are on their way to the big l

In hindsight, Ryan Howard's contract an expensive mistake for PhilliesCome, Let us slay the sabremetric calf! Meanwhile, our own Peter Lyons seethes, because this is what he wrote on April 26, 2010: only once in Howard's career, according to Fangraphs' WAR metric, has he been worth more than the $25 million AAV (average annual value) that this deal will pay him: his MVP season back in 2006. Amaro believes offense will turn things aroundAmidst the self-delusional talk, some interesting comments on Grilli, Ruf, and Zambrano. Phillies fan seeks like-minded date to take to Nats Park"We'll discuss the finer points of advanced statistics and look for metaphorical frameworks to guide future verse about the Phillies." Owait, that's my Craigslist ad. Major League Soccer announces New York expansion team: New York City Football Club | MLSsoccer.comSoccer-wise, this is an abomination unto heaven on a scale that makes Red Phanatic look like a two-bit corner pimp. The major US investor is a curious one, though. Marks of the NL EastBeasts Washington sequester fails to account for San Francisco animal menagerie, Giants win late - McCovey ChroniclesI've gotta admit: I thought the Nationals would be so much better than one game ahead of the Phillies. Gattis's Heroics, Freeman's Walk-Off Lead Braves To Exhilarating Comeback Win Over Twins - Talking ChopExhilarating. Yeah. Don't worry, folks, Our man Vance Worley will lead the Twins to a salvager this afternoon. Mets vs Reds Recap: Poor first inning, quiet bats doom Mets in 4-0 loss - Amazin' AvenueMike Leake is some kind of a wizard. Or the Mets' offense is just as pathetic as the Phillies'. Worth Two in the Bushers Phillies Minor League Report: Jesse Biddle dominates againJesse Biddle has pitched well enough so that his cap has been upgraded. Attaboy. Yo, Larry "Fudgie" Greene: please hit your first home run. Oh, and big game for Ethan Martin today. Roman Quinn Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights | Lakewood BlueClaws StatsThe Roman Candle is starting to spark up in the last 10 games. Time to head up to Lakewood, y'all. Phillies catching prospect Sebastian Valle's stock has dropped - Philly.comAnd he's in the midst of international incidents within his own organization. h/t to Cormican for this one.

Ryan has slipped from his pedestal in Philly sports Ryan Howard hasn't set the world on fire this season, yet. He started to make some noise last night though as the Phillies thumped the Miami Marlins behind Howards 3 H and 3 RBI last night. Philly.com declared Ryan Howard's contract to be one of the worst mistakes in baseball today, as the long standing love affair that the press in Philadelphia has had with Howard appears to be coming to an end. Howard has been an MLB player now for 10 seasons including this year. We haven't seen that talent in him that he had in his late 20's however, and it seems since he has signed that $125M extension from the Phillies, that he isn't the same player that he used to be at all. Maybe he's found his pot of gold and now doesn't care much about yearning to climb to greatness. In 2008, Howard played in all 162 regular season games for the Phillies and smacked 48 HR, his efforts were a big reason the Phillies got where they went in 2008 which of course is when the won a World Championship. It's been a series of bad events for Howard, he only played 71 games for the Phils in 2012, and then lamely announced he dropped a bat weight on his foot towards the end of the season and was done for the season. It may have been a good thing, in 71 games last year, he struck out 99 times, he ended up with 14 HR. What happened to that 'old Ryan' that wanted to win at any cost. Did he join that 'country club' mentality that he has it made and it doesn't matter anymore? It seemed like he was trying to push his game to new areas with getting more hits for a while, then that seemed to fizzle, whatever the case, it's a lot of this type of play (poor) that has made the Phillies a mediocre team. Howard is bubbling under now, he has 6 HR and 25 RBI, not exactly great numbers for a guy like Howard. He is kind of a streaky player though, he can start to put some more numbers on the board and that's what the Phillies need him to do for the team. Maybe it started last night, maybe he's out of that funk that he's been in, we'll have to see.

Before Tuesday night’s 7-3 win over the Marlins in Miami, things certainly did not seem as though things were going to go well. First, Chase Utley was scratched from the lineup with a rib cage issue. Second, the pitching match-up was not a favorable one for the Phils. Miami was sending young right-hander Jose Fernandez against the Phillies against AAA fodder Tyler Cloyd. The Phils offense had been unable to hit Fernandez in two previous starts against them… Jose Fernandez, 20, against the Phillies: 18 IP, 0.50 ERA. Against everyone else: 31 IP, 4.94 ERA. — Matt Gelb (@magelb) May 22, 2013 …and Cloyd wasn’t exactly spectacular in his last start for Lehigh Valley… #TylerCloyd hed less trouble with Miami tonight than he did with Norfolk last week with #IronPigs (3.1 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 4 HR) — jeff schuler (@jschulermc) May 22, 2013 …which of course could only mean one thing… Tonight’s Fernandez-Cloyd matchup almost screams reverse lock, doesn’t it? — John Stolnis (@FelskeFiles) May 21, 2013 Sometimes I’m so freaking smart I don’t know what to do with myself. May 21, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Tyler Cloyd (50) during the fifth inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports The Phils came out on top of a pitching match-up in which they should have been beaten. It’s the 2013 Cole Hamels Corallary… or the 2012 Cliff Lee Corallary. Both are similar. And while the Phillies didn’t exactly beat the pants off of Fernandez – 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 Ks, 1 BB – they knocked him out of the game early enough to finally take advantage of the Fish’s bullpen, scoring six runs in the final four innings. That’s right, the Phillies scored runs last night. Seven of them. Actual, real, live runs that actually counted. Meanwhile, Cloyd managed to corral a Marlins lineup that had outscored the Phillies 28-20 in the eight games in which they had played against each other heading into last night. His line – 7 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 5 Ks, 2 BB – was certainly good enough to beat a Marlins lineup that was without Giancarlo Stanton and featured some guy named Derek Deitrich as their #3 hitter. Seriously, there’s really no excuse for anyone to EVER lose a game to the Marlins, right? Despite indications that Ryan Howard was headed to the disabled list after a cortisone shot to his left knee, Howard returned to the lineup last night, and had an immediate impact. He went 3 for 5 with 2 runs, 3 RBI and no strikeouts. Every member of the starting lineup, except for Cloyd, had at least one hit, including Delmon Young, who hit his second homer of the season. That homer will probably buy him another month. Ben Revere continued his hot May, going 3 for 5 with two runs scored, while Dom Brown went 1 for 5 with 2 key RBIs. You know, when the Phillies score runs, they look like a competent team. They actually are pretty fun to watch. All it takes, really, is four runs for the Phils to be a different ballclub. Ryan Howard’s two-run single gives the Phillies a 4-1 lead. They are 15-5 this season when they score at least 4 runs. — Ryan Lawrence (@ryanlawrence21) May 22, 2013 Meanwhile, that sound you hear is Cole Hamels gently sobbing, rocking back and forth in the fetal position over there in the corner… The Phillies have scored six runs tonight, which are as many runs as they have scored in Cole Hamels’ last four starts combined. — Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) May 22, 2013 Someone give him a cookie, please. Where It All Went Right When Howard smacked a bases loaded double to right field, scoring two huge runs and giving the Phillies a 4-1 lead. Howard proved to a weary Phillies nation that yes, baseball players are allowed to get extra-base hits with runners in scoring position. It actually ADDS WAR points. Good note. Hero Howard, who returned to the lineup after

Here’s a rundown on how the Phillies’ minor league teams fared on Tuesday, May 21.

Mike Trout even surprised himself in adding to his growing list of impressive big league achievements.

MIAMI - Ryan Howard is not a fatalist except when it comes to matters of health, those of which are generally beyond the $125 million first baseman's control. He will take his chances. A cortisone shot reduced the pain from inflammation in his left knee. A doctor examined it and proclaimed him fit for action.

His team has failed to win more than three games in a row this season. Two-thirds of the season-opening starting rotation is on the disabled list, as are the starting catcher and setup man. The power-hitting first baseman has not hit for much power or much at all lately and is dealing with a sore left knee. Middle relief is an oxymoron and the offense is often marked absent. The two biggest offseason additions in the outfield have contributed little.

MIAMI - The last time Cole Hamels threw a pitch with his team in the lead was April 7. It was a crisp Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, in the high 50s, with the wind gusting to center. The season was six games old. In the fifth inning, Billy Butler smashed a 92-m.p.h. Hamels fastball to left for a grand slam. Hamels pitched to eight more batters that day, a 9-8 Phillies loss to Kansas City, and suffered his second loss of 2013.

As it turns out, Ryan Howard's $125 million contract arguably is one of the worst in sports, Rich Hofmann is sorry to say.