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Much is being made of the Phillies' upcoming seven-game series at Miami.  A potentially season-defining weekend that will feature two separate double-headers pit the Phils (21-18) against their pesky division rival, the germ sharing Marlins (19-19). The teams will meet for a lengthy series due to both clubs missing considerable time after the Marlins dealt with a coronavirus outbreak when the season got underway in July and the Phillies were the last team they faced.   If the Phillies can't secure a series win against a Marlins team that is in the midst of a rebuild, media types and baseball fans alike have been critical in stating that the big-budget Phils (2020 team salary was slated to be 6th highest in the big leagues while Miami was set to be fourth lowest) likely won't have a place in the postseason.   Read ahead for a rundown of the pitching match ups as well as some key statistics from this series.  Thursday, 6:40pm.  Jake Arrieta (3-4, ...

Rhys Hoskins, image- Jay Floyd At long last, it is Opening Day for the Phillies.  The delayed season, a result of the global coronavirus pandemic, gets underway for the Phils and Marlins on Friday, as the two teams open a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park. Entering the 2020 campaign with new manager Joe Girardi at the helm, the Phillies hope this is the year they can return to the postseason for the first time since 2011 after under-performing and faltering down the stretch in each of the past two seasons. On Thursday, Major League Baseball announced arrangements for an expanded playoff format this year, increasing the amount of post-season teams from 10 to 16. Coming off back-to-back last place finishes in the National League East division, Miami looks to surprise many and contend for one of those spots.  The Marlins lost 105 games last year. Read ahead for specifics on the pitching match ups and more from this series.  Friday, 7/24/20...7:05PM....

Sanchez with Lakewood in 2017, image- Jay Floyd We interrupt this Phillies prospect countdown to offer up some breaking news.  Reports have surfaced on Thursday that the Phils have agreed to a trade that would send highly touted pitching prospect Sixto Sanchez , big league catcher Jorge Alfaro along with hurler Will Stewart and international bonus slot to Miami for backstop J.T. Realmuto . Sanchez, a much-raved-about 20-year-old right-hander that reaches triples digits with his fastball, was the key to the deal and had long been mentioned in trade talks. A native of the Dominican Republic, Sanchez has missed time in each of the past two seasons with injuries and sat out of the prestigious Arizona Fall League this off-season due to an ailment. Last season in eight starts with Class A Advanced Clearwater, Sanchez posted a 4-3 record with a 2.51 ERA and an 8.7 K.9 mark. Alfaro, a 25-year-old righty batter, posted a .262 average with 10 home runs and 37 RBI in 108 g...

Image- Jay Floyd The Phillies kick off their 2018 home schedule on Thursday April 5th at Citizens Bank Park.  Here is a listed schedule of events for the day along with some key statistical notes for the contest. 12:00 PM- Block Party begins.  Presented by Budweiser on Citizens Bank Way, the party features a live band, a Ferris Wheel, Gametrain a Budweiser Macro Bar and samplings from Turkey Hill Dairy, Diet Coke and others.  12:35 PM- All gates open.  Fans will receive a commemorative knit hat. 12:40 PM- Phillies batting practice. 1:10 PM- Marlin batting practice. 2:26 PM- Phillies lead off walk onto the field, entering the park from the outfield. 2:35 PM- "America the Beautiful" performed by the Philadelphia Boys Choire and Men;s Chorale.  2:39 PM- Marlins team introduction. 2:44 PM- Phillies team introduction. 2:49 PM- Tribute video & moment of silence for Roy Halladay. 2:51 PM- National Anthem performed by Kane Kalas at his father...

Photo courtesy of Cord Sandberg, pictured 3rd from right It’s all part of it! Are you wondering what that means? That’s okay. You’ll be in the know soon enough. It's a simple saying that has become a slogan for baseball players for life inside and outside of the game.  In a sport where its competitors are faced with an immense amount of failure while life presents similar outcomes at times, It's All Part of It has become an important adage for scores of players to lean on for reassurance and motivation. “Whatever happens, the bus breaks down (or) you break a bat- hey, that’s all part of it,” Phillies outfield prospect Cord Sandberg excitedly shared in the home dugout of Lakewood’s FirstEnergy Park recently. Seems like an insightful thought process. The motto has really caught on quite a bit and seems to be making an impression at multiple levels, in various organizations and even across continents. The phrase “It’s all part of it” or sometimes referred to a...

Todd Pratt, Image- Jay Floyd Former Phillies catcher Todd Pratt has returned to professional baseball for the first time since he played with the Braves in 2006. He’s now the manager of the Marlins Class A affiliate, the Greensboro Grasshoppers, a team that he played for when it was a Boston affiliate 21 years ago. In 14 big league seasons, primarily as a backup, Pratt posted a .251 batting average with 49 home runs and 224 RBI. He also played with the Mets, Braves and Cubs. This weekend, I talked with Pratt about his transition to the coaching ranks, differences in the minor league lifestyle now compared to when he was riding the buses from town to town, his team and more. Read ahead for that full interview. -I was surprised to see you today. Didn’t know you were managing this club, till I saw your name on the roster today. Talk to me about the new gig. Is this a brand new venture for you, or have you coached in the pro’s before. This is my first year as a profess...

Fresh off a series loss on the road in St. Louis that saw the cruising Phillies (16-13) drop three of four, the team heads south to take on the division rival Marlins (15-12) in the three-game set this weekend. The Phils had been winners of 15 of their last 21 games prior to visiting the Cardinals. Now, they'll look to get back on the winning track in Miami. This will be the first meeting between the two clubs this season. Friday, 7:10 PM. RHP Vince Velasquez (4-1, 1.44 ERA) vs. LHP Wei-Yin Chen (2-1, 4.26 ERA). In two road starts this season, Velasquez has a 2-0 record with a 2.25 ERA. Velasquez's .164 batting average against ranks 6th best in MLB so far this season. He has not allowed a run in three of his five outings this season. Chen threw eight shutout innings in his lone career start against the Phillies last June. Chen sports a 4.91 ERA in three home starts this season. Saturday, 7:10 PM. RHP Jeremy Hellickson (2-2, 4.88 ERA) vs. RHP Tom Koehler (2...

Getting swept in a double header at home has likely never had such a positive spin as it did for the Phillies on Saturday as they lost a pair of contests against the division rival Marlins. In the opening game of the twin bill, the Phils would lose for the first time this season when leading after eight innings as flame throwing closer Kenny Giles blew just his second save opportunity since taking over the duties at the back end of the bullpen after the trade of Jonathan Papelbon . In the night cap, rookie hurler Alec Asher , acquired from Texas in the Cole Hamels deal, surrendered three earned runs in two innings of work to fall to 0-6 on the season in the big leagues. The Marlins were victors by scores of 7-6 and 5-2. The Phillies solidified their worst record since 1969 with their 99th loss of the season. With one game remaining this season, the century mark isn't out of the question in the loss column. They've not lost 100 or more games since 1961 when the club dro...

Tug and Jay are back with the latest edition on the PhoulBallz Minor League Podcast. On the 77th edition of the show, the guys talk about Jake Fox 's transition to Korea, Mark Leiter Jr.'s, Brandon Leibrandt 's and J.P. Crawford 's excellent efforts for Clearwater as well as Carlos Tocci posting terrific numbers in the Sally League. Reading slugger Art Charles joins the show for the segment Nine Silly-ass Questions, plus Marlins pitching prospect Ben Holmes (AKA Ben Wetzler) takes time to answer questions about the Phillies reporting him to the NCAA for having an agent represent him at the negotiation table in 2013. Use the media player below to stream the full episode, or simply download it by clicking HERE . You can also check out previous episodes and subscribe on iTunes . Thanks so much to the thousands of you that listen to each episode. We appreciate you.

Here's a quick review of the pitching match ups for this week's three-game series between the Phillies (71-84) and the Marlins (57-99), in Miami. Monday, 7:10 PM.  Roy Halladay (4-4, 6.71 ERA) vs. Nathan Eovaldi (3-6, 3.79 ERA).  In his last five starts, Halladay is 2-0 with a 4.28 ERA.  Halladay is 9-5 with a 3.53 ERA in 17 career outings against the Marlins.  Juan Pierre is 0-for-15 in his career against Halladay.  In his last five starts, Eovaldi is 1-3 with a 3.41 ERA.  The 23-year-old Eovaldi has a 0-4 record with a 5.40 ERA in five career starts against the Phils.  Carlos Ruiz is 4-for-8 (.500 avg) with three doubles and two RBI in his career against Eovaldi. Tuesday, 7:10 PM.  Zach Miner (0-1, 3.22 ERA) vs. Henderson Alvarez (4-5, 4.05 ERA).   Miner posted a 3.90 ERA in 27 appearances with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs this season.  Opponents are batting .262 against Miner in 14 big league outings this ye...

With the worst offense in the major leagues, the Marlins (55-94) seem to be an ideal opponent for a Phillies (69-80) team looking to avoid their first losing season since 2002.  Miami, which ranks last in the big leagues in batting average (.231), runs scored (479), home runs (90), OPS (.627), will face Phils ace Cliff Lee in the opener of a three-game series on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park. The Phils have been victorious in five straight games against Miami. Read ahead for full details in the pitching match ups and plenty more details from this series. Monday, 7:05 PM.  Sam Dyson (0-0, 4.50 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (13-6, 2.97 ERA).   The 25-year-old Dyson will be making his first big league start.  In five big league relief appearances, Dyson sports a 7.27 ERA and a .371 batting average against.  In his last five starts, Lee has a 3-0 record with a 2.00 ERA.  After throwing six complete game shutouts in 2011, Lee has completed one game, a...

The Marlins (16-41) come to town to take on the division rival Phillies (27-30) in a three-game series that begins at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park on Monday night.  Right-hander Tom Koehler will open the series on the mound for Miami.  Koehler has yet to lock down a win thus far in his brief big league career.  The Phils will counter with righty Kyle Kendrick , who has been victorious in nine straight decisions against the Marlins. The Phillies have won six of 10 meetings with the Marlins this season. Read ahead for full details on the pitching match ups and other key stats from this series. Monday, 7:05 PM.  Tom Koehler (0-3, 3.22 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick (5-3, 3.27 ERA).   Koehler, an 18th round draft pick by the Marlins in 2008, has allowed three earned runs in 2 2/3 career innings against the Phillies.  The Koehler has a 4.42 ERA in six road outings this season.  In six home starts this season, Kendrick is 3-2 with a 4.17 ERA....

The Phillies (21-23) hit the road this week, beginning a three-game series against the Marlins (12-23) in Miami on Monday night . Looking to get back on the positive side of .500, the Phillies will kick off the series with two of their main stars ailing, as Ryan Howard is sidelined with right knee soreness and Carlos Ruiz left Sunday's contest against the Reds with a right hamstring issue. The Phils have won four of seven meetings with Miami thus far this season.  Read ahead for full details on the pitching match ups from this series and plenty more key stats from this series. Monday, 7:10 PM.  Cole Hamels (1-6, 4.61 ERA) vs. Alex Sanabia (2-6, 5.00 ERA).  In four road starts this year, Hamels is 1-2 with a 3.52 ERA.  In 26 career starts against the Marlins, Hamels is 8-11 with a 3.24 ERA.  In two career starts against the Phils, Sanabia is 0-1 with a 2.45 ERA.  Sanabia is 1-3 with a 5.70 ERA in four home starts this season.  Jimmy ...

The Phillies (12-16) are set to kick off a four-game series as host to the Marlins (8-20).  The series marks the returns of Phils Gold Glove Award winner Placido Polanco and speedster Juan Pierre to Philadelphia for the first time since each man parted ways via free agency. The Phillies have won nine of their last 12 meetings with the Marlins.  Additionally, the Phils were victorious in six of nine games against Miami at Philly's Citizens Bank Park last season. Read ahead for full details on the pitching match ups and other key details from this series. Thursday, 7:05 PM. Alex Sanabia (2-3, 4.85 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick (2-1, 2.41 ERA). Sanabia, a 24-year-old righty, allowed one earned run in six innings pitched in his lone career start against the Phillies in 2011. In 13 career road outings, Sanabia has a 4-1 record along with a 3.32 ERA. In three home starts this year, Kendrick is 1-1 with a 4.58 ERA. In 19 career games against Miami, Kendrick has a 10-2 rec...

On Friday, the Marlins will attempt to turn around their troublesome start to the 2013 season, as they host the division rival Phillies for a three-game set at Miami's Marlins Park.  Through three series, the Marlins have won only once and they've gone scoreless in four of nine contests. The Phillies lost each of their first two series this season, but locked down two wins against the Mets this week to notch their first winning set of the year. In the series opener, lefty John Lannan will make his second start for the Phillies after he allowed three earned runs over seven innings in his season debut against the Royals for a no decision.  Miami will counter with Ricky Nolasco , who has posted a 5.40 ERA in his last four outings against the Phils. Last season, the Phillies won 10 of 18 meetings with the Marlins, including six of nine in Miami.  Read ahead for full details on the pitching match ups and more for this series. Friday, 7:10 PM.  John Lannan (0-...

Fresh off their first back-to-back series losses since the All-Star break, the Phillies (78-78) travel south to take on the division rival Marlins (66-90) in a three-game series. Both teams have had disappointing seasons, as the Phillies are set to miss the postseason for the first time since 2006 and the Marlins, who increased their team payroll by near $54 million this year, are in last place in the National League East division. The Phillies have won 8 of 15 meetings with the Marlins this season. Read ahead for details on the pitching match ups and other key statistical notes from this series. Friday, 7:10 PM.  Cliff Lee (6-8, 3.18 ERA) vs. Mark Buehrle (13-13, 3.84 ERA).   In 14 road starts this season, Lee has a 4-2 record with a 2.84 ERA.  Lee has a 5-3 record with a 2.41 ERA in 14 starts since the All-Star break.  Carlos Lee is 11-for-27 (.407 avg) with 3 HR in his career against Lee.  In 7 career starts against the Phillies, Buehrle has a ...

A recent surge by the Phillies (69-71) has many people beginning to entertain how possible a wild card entry to the 2012 postseason could be for the team that has been below .500 for the majority of the season. Fresh off a weekend sweep of the Colorado Rockies and after having been victorious in 15 of their past 21 outings, the Phils have drawn within six games of a the second wild card lead. This week, the Phillies host the division rival Marlins (63-78) in a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park. Miami is well out of playoff contention, holding down last place in the National league East division. The two teams have split the six games played in Philadelphia so far this year. Read ahead for details on the pitching match ups and other key statistical information from this series. Monday, 7:05 PM. Wade LeBlanc (2-3, 2.72 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick (8-10, 3.96 ERA). In 2 career starts against the Phillies, LeBlanc has a 1-1 record with a 1.80 ERA. In 9 games on the road this season, the l...