Lineup change helps Phils end April with win over Cubs

PBR - A day after the lineup produced a measly two hits, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel made a few switches to the batting order before Monday night in an effort to shake things up and find a rhythm anyway possible.

Well, let's just say Charlie knows best, because the offense broke right out of the gates with a four-run first inning that looked to be all the team would need.

However, even though the bullpen would come in and give up two runs late to allow the Cubs back in the game to make things interesting, that lineup would not disappoint, surging again in the eighth inning for two runs of its own to take the lead for good in a 6-4 victory over the Cubs at Citizens Bank Park.

In the eighth inning, Jimmy Rollins hit a single that advanced the go-ahead runner Juan Pierre from first-to-third setting up Placido Polanco, who ripped a game-winning double that cleared the bases and gave the Phillies a lead it would not relinquish.

Jonathon Papelbon came on in the ninth inning for his eighth save in as many opportunities for the Phillies (11-12) and secured the win.

Worley allowed just one run with five strikeouts over seven innings. In the no-decision, Worley pitched very well, helping his outstanding 1.97 ERA. He is now 9-3 with a 3.05 ERA in 18 starts since last season's All-Star break.

Against Cubs pitcher Chris Volstad, the Phils offense attacked early. Overall, the bats accounted for 11 hits total on the night, a big sign considering the lack of hits recently.

Carlos Ruiz hit a two-out slider for a two-run single that scored Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence before Pete Orr added a RBI single in the first inning to give the Phillies an early 4-0 jump. Ruiz was 1-for-3 with two RBI (10 RBI for season) while Pence finished 1-for-4 with a run scored.

Worley walked into trouble in the seventh with the bases jammed and no out, but Polanco was quick to tag the bag and turn the 5-3 double play despite Alfonso Soriano scoring from third.

Antonio Bastardo and Chad Qualls together pitched the eighth and gave up two runs in the inning to let Chicago (8-15) tie the game, 4-4. 

Volstad pitched six innings and allowing four runs with four strikeouts in the start. Bryan LaHair led Chicago offensively, going 2-for-4 with a two-run home run off Qualls in the eighth that tied the game.

Although Qualls gave up the homer and subsequently  the win for Worley, he was actually awarded the win - his first as a Phillie.

Tomorrow, the team will back on the road in Atlanta for a three-game series against the Braves at Turner Field. Cole Hamels (3-1, 2.73 ERA) will be on the mound for the Phils against Atlanta starter Brandon Beachy (2-1, 1.05 ERA) with first pitch set for 7:10.

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Once again, bats nowhere to be found for Phils

PBR - After a dreadful first start in place of the injured Cliff Lee, Kyle Kendrick set out to put it all behind him and focus solely on pitching a better game against the Cubs at home.

Sure, Kendrick may have pitched better for the Phillies, but it was not enough as the offense once again was anemic, providing very little support and two hits total Sunday afternoon in a 5-1 loss to Chicago at Citizens Bank Park.

Kendrick settled for another loss after six quality innings, allowing three runs on five hits and seven strikeouts. But, the song remains the same: the bats need to come alive to manufacture the runs.

Jimmy Rollins led off the first inning with a single, but the Phillies (10-12) were hitless until the ninth inning when Hunter Pence singled in hopes of sparking a rally.

With two outs and the bases loaded, a perfect chance to extend his 13-game hit streak, Ty Wigginton opted to take the walk and score Pete Orr to dodge the shutout. But, Shane Victorino grounded out to end the game in the next at-bat.

It was the opposing starter Matt Garza that was on his game, throwing 10 strikeouts over seven innings of one-hit ball and using a sharp slider for an out-pitch to fool the Phillies lineup. 

In the fourth, Joe Mather hit his first home run of the season for the Cubs (also was first HR from outfielder for club) off Kendrick to make it 3-0. That run came only one inning after shortstop Starlin Castro hit a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Tony Campana from third on a close play at the plate.

Castro knocked in Campana again in the eighth on a fielder's choice.

Both Jose Contreras and David Herndon came out the the bullpen for the Phillies in relief, with Herndon allowing two runs in his two innings.

Chicago (8-14) started the scoring for the day in the second inning when Bryan LaHair scored following a ground-rule double. LaHair ended the day 3-for-4 with two runs.

Tomorrow night, the Phils will put Vance Worley on the hill for the final game of the series against Cubs Chris Volstad. First pitch scheduled for 7:05.

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Ruiz Fuels Phils

PBR- After scoring four runs in the fourth, the Phillies tied their series with the Cubs at one. Behind a strong pitching performance by starter Joe Blanton, Philadelphia finally found offense.

Carlos Ruiz and Jimmy Rollins fueled the rally in the fourth, with each driving in two runs. For the Cubs, shortstop Starlin Castro led the offensive charge by scoring a run and driving in a run.

But for the Phillies, it was the Chooch Show. Ruiz scored two runs on two hits and drove in three. Ruiz's bat paired with Blanton's seven and a third innings of two-run baseball pushed the Phillies past the Cubs.

Jonathan Paplebon shut the door with his seventh save.

Chicago starter Randy Wells lasted only three and two thirds inning, giving up four runs and picking up the loss.

Tomorrow the Phillies will take on the Cubs again, with Kyle Kendrick taking the mound against Matt Garza. Kendrick is looking to bounce back from a tough last outing against Arizona.

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Phillies Fall 5-1 As Offense Stuggles Once Again

PBR- The Cubs jumped out to a 1-0 lead against Roy Halladay at Citizens Bank Park, and never looked back. Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro blooped a single to center scoring Tony Campana. The Phillies could not answer the Cubs until the 7th, once again showing how their offense is struggling.

Castro and Campana led the Cubs with two hits a piece, to lead the Cubs to their 5-1 rout of the Phillies. Although Halladay only gave up six hits in seven innings, the Phillies couldn't respond, only gathering eight hits and one run.

Chicago starter Paul Maholm scattered only five hits in six and one third innings, and gave up only one run on a Ty Wiggington home run.

The Cubs gathered two more runs in the ninth on a triple by left fielder Reed Johnson, and a single by right fielder David DeJesus.

Philadelphia drops to 9-11 on the year, while the win puts Chicago at 7-13. Next up for the Phillies, Joe Blanton will take on Randy Wells at 7:05pm.

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April means little when it comes to forecasting Phils' potential success

PBR - Fans often contend a team's success hinges on how it performs during the first month of the season. 

Though logical, this assertion often is inaccurate.

A recent study conducted by the Review of Phillies' monthly winning percentages (dating from 2000 to 2011) indicates a minor correlation between April success (or lack thereof)  and end-of-season winning percentage.

Instead, the study indicates performances in the months May and June are more telling than April.

To begin the study, I found Phillies' month-by-month records from 2000 to present on Baseball Reference and placed them in Excel. I then ran a multiple regression analysis with the Y variable equaling season winning percentage and the X variables equaling the various monthly winning percentages. I did not include the instances where games were played in March or October.

PHI monthly winning percentages, 2000 - 2011

Using the information above, the regression analysis resulted in the following coefficients (all statistically significant):

• April: .127
• May: .244
• June: .219
• July: .143
• August: .175
• September: .178 

The higher the number, the more closely that month is linked to the end-of-season winning percentage.

To further examine the importance (or lack thereof) April has in forecasting success, I looked at every club dating to 2000 that won the World Series. I made note of their April winning percentage and subtracted April's won-loss record to find overall season winning percentage. I did the same with the Phillies and charted the following (* means March games added in April, October games added in September):

Phillies WPct in April and End of Season

World Series Winners in April and End of Season.

The correlation for the Phillies was .652, meaning the winning percentages (April and non-April) were moderately linked, but not significantly. In contrast, the correlation of April winning percentages and overall winning percentages of World Series winners from 2000 to present was -.470, meaning April performances are lousy indicators of future success.

So, what does all of this mean?

Put simply, you can't read too much into April performances. Sure, winning early is a great opportunity to build a lead in a division, but the season is a marathon, not a sprint. 

Sustained success in the middle months of the season is much more meaningful than a solid winning percentage in April.

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Opinion: Guillen wrong, but public outcry is exaggerated

PBR - Let's not get things twisted. I'm no fan of Fidel Castro or Communism, nor am I a huge fan of Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen. 

That said, the political correctness needs to stop.

Guillen shoots off the hip with reckless abandon. He always has. He doesn't have the censoring filter in his mind that you and I take for granted.  

"I love Fidel Castro," Guillen told Time in an interview. “I respect Fidel Castro, you know why? A lot of people have wanted to kill Fidel Castro for the last 60 years, but that motherf****r is still here.”

Guillen has always played loose. He used a gay slur in 2006 to belittle a reporter in Chicago. He's openly admitted to routinely getting drunk following games he manages, but this is different. This time the off-handed remarks about Castro have people clamoring for his ouster in Miami.

Bill Mahr said it best on his show "Real Time" on Friday night; "So what? [Guillen's quotes] sound like something out of a Quentin Tarantino movie. Also, it is true. Despite all odds and all logic, Castro still draws breath ... he's the political equivalent of Keith Richards." 

Guillen never said he supported Castro's policies, nor did he tout Cuba as a rising power. Instead, he praised Castro's perseverance and that's the real meaning of the quotes. He appreciates the fact that Castro stares death in the face nearly every day and still goes about his daily life.  

Poorly chosen? Absolutely. Has the public massaged the quotes to mean something different than what Guillen originally intended? Absolutely.

Guillen was given the Marlins' coaching job because the organization felt he could build a bond with the Hispanic fan base. He's a polarizing figure sometimes supportive of unpopular ideas, but that doesn't mean those ideas are wrong. 

In this instance, Guillen's quote had meaning, but it was diluted by poor public perception and assumption. 

Digging deeper, Guillen's take on Castro is nothing more than a backhanded compliment on tenacity and perseverance. Sure, he could have picked hundreds of other examples of leaders that exude those traits, but he didn't.

Does that really matter?

Everyone is at fault here, so let's not take a holier than thou attitude towards Guillen.

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Hamels settles down as Phils thrash Mets

PBR - Cole Hamels surrendered a two-run home run in the first inning, but settled down to throw seven solid innings to lead the Phillies past the Mets 8-2 on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.

Juan Pierre finished the contest 3-for-4, while Hunter Pence and Jimmy Rollins chipped in a pair of hits apiece.

Ike Davis gave the Mets an early 2-0 lead with his blast in the first inning, but Hamels bounced back, scattering six hits while striking out 10. Chad Qualls and Jonathan Papelbon each tossed a scoreless inning of relief to preserve the win.

Trailing 2-1 in the seventh, Jimmy Rollins lofted a single to right field and Hunter Pence followed with a single to left. Ramon Ramirez then uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Rollins and Pence to advance, before Ty Wigginton hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Rollins to tie the contest. Laynce Nix then proceeded to launch a double to left scoring Pence to push the Phillies ahead 3-2.

The offense went on to score five more runs in the eighth, all with two outs, to secure the victory. 

The Phillies head west and will begin a three-game series in San Francisco on Monday night with Roy Halladay opposing Tim Lincecum.

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Offensive Struggles Add Up for Phillies

PBR- The Phillies dropped their second straight game to the Mets this afternoon by a score of 6-0. The bats fell silent for the Phils as they left five runners on base and were 0 for 2 with runners in scoring position. The Mets' southpaw Jon Niese threw six and two thirds inning of shut out ball, giving up only five hits.

Right fielder Lucas Duda drove in two runs on two hits and scored a run for Mets, who lit up Phillies starter Vance Worley. Worley lasted six innings and gave up four runs on eight hits. Third baseman David Wright collected three hits for New York.

Philadelphia struggled to find offense throughout the game, while New York found offense seemingly with ease. Even with leaving eight men on base, the Mets still plated five runs.

Up next for the Phillies is the final game of their three game set against the Mets. Cole Hamels will be on the mound looking for his for his first win of the year, and hoping to prevent the Phillies from getting swept by the Mets

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Lee falters as Mets topple Phillies

PBR - Cliff Lee struggled early, surrendering three runs in the first inning on Friday night as the Mets defeated the Phillies 5-2 at Citizens Bank Park.

Lee entered the contest without surrendering a home run to the Mets in three straight starts, but he gave up a pair in five innings of work, including a two-run blast by Jason Bay in the first inning.

Ruben Tejada and Daniel Murphy had opened the game with back-to-back doubles.

Freddy Galvis put the Phillies on the board in the third with a solo home run, the first of his career. Jimmy Rollins added three hits in the losing effort.

The Phillies collected 11 hits on the evening but went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

R.A. Dickey tossed seven innings, striking out seven to notch his second victory of the season. Lee also struck out seven through seven innings, but the home runs made the difference.

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Blanton, Phillies beat Fish 3-1 to take series

PBR - Shane Victorino and Ty Wigginton hit solo home runs and Joe Blanton pitched seven innings of one-run ball as the Phillies beat the Marlins, 3-1, Thursday night at Citizens Bank Park.

Blanton allowed only three hits, walking one batter and striking out three others in his first start of the
season.

John Mayberry Jr. had an RBI single that plated Hunter Pence in the fourth inning following Victorino's homer. Mayberry Jr. finished 1-for-3 with an RBI single Pence ended the night 2-for-4 with a double in the win.

Wigginton added the insurance run in the seventh with a long shot over the left-field wall for his first home run as a Phillie.

In relief, Chad Qualls pitched a scoreless eighth inning to set up closer Jonathon Papelbon in the ninth for his second save on the year.

Defensively, Freddy Galvis has continued to display his skills at second base for the Phils (3-3), making a few very nice plays in the infield. As a whole, the defense played exceptionally well.

Marlins catcher John Buck had an RBI double in the top of the fifth for Miami's lone run.

Mark Buehrle started for Miami, pitching 6 1/3 innings and surrendering three runs in the loss for the Marlins (2-5).

Friday night, the New York Mets come to town for the first of a three-game series starting at 7:05. Cliff Lee will get the start for the Phillies as knuckleballer R.A. Dickey takes the mound for the Mets.

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Offense erupts as Phils slam Marlins, 7-1

PBR - Freddy Galvis hit a two-run double to highlight a five-run third inning as the Phillies trumped the Marlins on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park, 7-1.

Roy Halladay tossed seven innings, allowing five hits while striking out three. He pitched in and out of trouble, throwing 109 pitches - 69 for strikes.

Placido Polanco, Jimmy Rollins, Carlos Ruiz and Shane Victorino all collected a pair of hits, while Hunter Pence chipped in with three hits in the win.

Josh Johnson failed to get out of the fourth inning, surrendering six runs on 11 hits.

Juan Pierre started the five-run rally with a single to right. He went on to steal second and scored on a ball that Polanco hit up the middle that deflected off Johnson's foot. Rollins, Pence and Victorino each followed with singles of their own before Galvis clubbed a 2-2 pitch down the line in right to drive in a pair.

The offensive output surpassed that of the first four games combined.

The two clubs wil finish the three-game series on Thursday when Joe Blanton opposes Mark Buehrle at 7:05.

For the latest news and commentary be sure to folllow the Philadelphia Baseball Review on Twitter @Philabaseball.

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McCutchen Leads Pirates Over Phillies

PBR- Andrew McCutchen hit a walk-off single, scoring pinch runner Josh Harrison to push the Pirates over the Phillies by a score of 5-4.

The Phillies jumped out early in the top of the first with a two-out double by Hunter Pence, scoring Shane Victorino. Philadelphia starter Vance Worley pitched six innings of one run ball, allowing his only earned run on home run by Pittsburgh third baseman Pedro Alvarez. Pittsburgh starter James McDonald scattered four hits through six innings.

With the Phillies leading 2-1 going into the seventh, both teams exploded for two runs apiece in the seventh inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Pirates tied the game 4-4, with a single by pinch hitter Matt Hague, scoring center fielder Andrew McCutchen from third.

In the bottom of the ninth, Pirates third baseman Casey McGehee doubled. McGehee then scored on a single to deep center over the head of Victorino.

McCutchen led the Pittsburgh offense, scoring one run on three hits. For Philadelphia, both Victorino and Pence collected two hits and drove in two runs apiece.

Up next the Phillies come back to the City of Brotherly Love for the home opener against the Miami Marlins. Cole Hamels is set to take the mound for Philadelphia against Miami starter Carlos Zambrano.

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Sunday Morning Notes: Examining Cliff Lee's performance

PBR - If you watched last night's contest against the Pirates you could easily tell Cliff Lee did not have complete command of his pitches.

He threw just six curveballs and none were strikes. One actually bounced in front of Carlos Ruiz in the sixth and allowed the Pirates to tie the contest at 1-1.

Lee's ball-to-strike ratio was also abnormal - of 99 pitches only 59 were strikes.

The irony is that as mediocre as Lee was, the Pirates did not have a base runner reach second until the sixth inning.

The chart below, thanks to Brooks Baseball, demonstrates how inaccurate Lee was last night.

Last night's loss cannot be blamed on Lee. He battled himself and pitched well enough to walk away with a victory, but with an anemic offense behind him his margin for error was minuscule.

Unfortunately, even aces sometimes need a little cushioning. He didn't have that last night.

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Phillies fall in extras to Pirates

PBR- The Phillies dropped their second game to the Pirates in the bottom of the 10^th. Pittsburgh left fielder Alex Presley hit a single to deep short with two outs, allowing pinch runner Michael McKenry to score.

Joe Blanton (0-1) picked up the loss, while Juan Cruz (1-0) got the win.

Both sides had strong pitching, with Cliff Lee and Jeff Karstens going six innings and giving up one each. Lee gave up only two hits, and struck out four.

With the game winning single, Presley picked up his second hit. The Pirates scored their first run on a wild pitch.

Both center fielder Shane Victorino and third baseman Placido Polanco picked up two hits for the Phillies. Victorino scored the lone run for the Phillies on a Hunter Pence single.

The Phillies now drop to (1-1) on the season.

Up next for Philadelphia will be the rubber game of the series with Pittsburgh. Vance Worley will take the mound for the Phillies against the Pirates’ James McDonald.

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Wildcats put together a historic inning vs. West Virginia

PBR - Villanova exploded for a 17-run fifth inning en route to a 26-11 win over West Virginia in Morgantown on Friday.

The offensive output in the fifth broke the Big East record for runs scored in an inning, and the 26 total runs marked the most the Wildcats have ever scored against a conference opponent.

On two separate occasions in the inning the Wildcats had nine consecutive batters reach base. All told, Villanova collected six hits in addition to seven walks, four batters hit by a pitch and were assisted by three errors.

Matt Fleishman finished the contest 3-for-6 with 5 RBIs while Connor Jones and Adam Nelson collected four hits each.

The win improved the Wildcats to 17-15 on the season and 3-5 in the Big East.

Box score

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Saturday Night Notes: Nix set for Phillies debut

PBR - Laynce Nix will make his Phillies debut tonight with a start at first base against the Pirates.

Nix didn't have a great spring, but he's left-handed bat that provides depth at first base and in the outfield. He started six games at first base last season while with the Nationals.

Those of you waiting for Jim Thome to get his first start at first base will have to wait a little while longer. If he doesn't get the start tomorrow against lefty James McDonald it may mean he'll start in the home opener on Monday against lefty Anibal Sanchez.

Tonight's lineup:

1. Victorino, CF
2. Polanco, 3B
3. Rollins, SS
4. Pence, RF
5. Nix, 1B
6. Mayberry, Jr. LF
7. Ruiz, C
8. Galvis, SS
9. Lee, P

Recap to follow. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @Philabaseball.

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Halladay stellar as Phils shutout Pirates on Opening Day

PBR - Roy Halladay breezed through eight scoreless innings in his first start of the season on Opening Day before new closer Jonathon Papelbon recorded his first save as the Phillies defeated the Pirates, 1-0, Thursday afternoon at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

Halladay gave up only two hits and struck out five in the win. This was Halladay's third consecutive Opening Day start in a Phillies uniform.

The contest was at a stalemate until the top of the seventh inning when catcher Carlos Ruiz knocked in Ty Wigginton on a sacrifice fly ... and ultimately gave Halladay all the run support he needed. Ruiz finished the day a perfect 3-for-3.

In relief of Halladay, Papelbon shut the door quickly, striking out the first batter he faced and getting the other two to ground out for his first save as a Phillie and the club's first win of the season.

On offense, the bats could only generate eight hits and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position as a whole. Freddy Galvis went 0-for-4 and grounded into double plays in his first two career at-bats, leaving five total on base for the game.

John Mayberry, Jr. collected two hits and went 2-for-4, while Wigginton and Jimmy Rollins also had a hit each.

Defensively, the Phillies (1-0) made some great plays behind their ace to keep the Pirates off the board, especially Mayberry Jr. who made two great plays out in left field. 

For Pittsburgh (0-1), lefty Erik Bedard hurled seven innings of one-run ball despite recording the loss. Outfielders Alex Presley and Jose Tabata were the only Pirates to record hits.

Saturday night, Cliff Lee will take the mound in the second game of the series. Lee will be opposed by Pirates right-hander Jeff Karstens. First pitch will be 7:05.

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Manuel goes with Victorino in leadoff spot for opener

PBR - Charlie Manuel spoke highly of Juan Pierre throughout the spring, but decided Shane Victorino belongs in the leadoff spot - at least for Opening Day.

The decision makes sense.

Victorino's career batting average is nearly 20 points less than Pierre's, but Victorino brings more power to the lineup and that is something the club needs in the absence of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.

Victorino had a career year last season and was the best hitter in the Phillies' lineup. His speed makes him even more valuable and he's been more successful over the last three years than Pierre with an 82% stolen base success rate  vs. 73% success rate.

Today's Opening Day lineup:

1. Victorino, CF
2. Polanco, 3B
3. Rollins, SS
4. Pence, RF
5. Wigginton, 3B
6. Mayberry Jr., LF
7. Ruiz, C
8. Galvis, 2B
9. Halladay, P

Notes: Today will be Roy Halladay's 10th consecutive Opening Day start ... He's allowed two earned runs or less in all five of his career starts against the Pirates ... The Phillies have an all-time record of 13-22 at PNC Park.

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Phils March Past Pirates on Polanco Homer

PBR- Starting pitcher Cole Hamels went four strong innings, scattering three hits and striking out five. Second baseman Pete Orr had two runs on two hits and drove in one. For the Pirates, first baseman Matt Hague went 2 for 3, and left fielder Robbie Grossman also scored a run. Center fielder Shane Victorino also helped the Phillies stop the Pirates with two runs. The final score was 7-2.

On The Mound: Hamels led the way for the Phils throwing four shut out innings, but didn’t get the win. David Herndon earned the win, pitching one and a third innings, and striking out two. Raul Valdes, Chad Qualls, and Jonathan Paplebon threw three perfect innings from the seventh to the ninth. For the Pirates, Chris Leroux got the loss, surrendering three earned runs.

In The Batter's Box: The bats for the Phillies remained pretty silent until third baseman Placido Polanco smacked a home run in the bottom of the fifth. Orr had another productive game with two hits, and Victorino also had a solid offensive showing with a walk and a hit and two runs.

What It All Means: With the season opener only days away, the silent offense isn’t good news for the ailing Phillies. with Orr and a first base by association, the right side of the infield isn't looking promising, at least offensively. Though Thome provides much needed power, he isn't getting younger. Young talent such as Domonic Brown and John Mayberry Jr. need to step up and earn their spot in the offense if the Phillies want to succeed in the beginning of the season. Without Ryan Howard and Chase Utley to begin the season a new hero needs to emerge.

Look Ahead: Up next the Phillies will be traveling across the state to take on the Pirates. Roy Halladay will take the bump against Erik Bedard. It will be the first regular season action for both clubs.

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Galvis' RBI triple lifts Phils over Pirates in Game 1 of On-Deck Series

PBR - Back home at Citizens Bank Park, Freddy Galvis had the game-winning triple in the seventh inning and Joe Blanton allowed two runs and struck out three in 4 2/3 innings Monday night as the Phillies beat Pittsburgh, 4-3, in the opening game of the On Deck Series.

Phillies Pitching: Blanton has made his case for the fifth starting spot and looked good on the mound in Monday's no-decision, mixing in a sharp curve and changeup. He has a 4.58 ERA in five starts this spring ... Pat Misch pitched three innings in relief, giving up one run on a solo shot to Pirates' centerfielder Andrew McCutchen ... Kyle Kendrick picked up the save, pitching a scoreless ninth.

Phillies Offense: Galvis finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI and Jimmy Rollins went 1-for-2 with two RBI and a double ... Shane Victorino had a stand-up triple in the second inning and finished 1-for-3 ... Juan Pierre scored two runs and stole a base in the leadoff spot.

Let's Review: After a great spring in which he solidified an Opening Day roster spot, Pierre seems he can fit in nicely at the top of the order against right-handed pitchers, especially if John Mayberry, Jr. takes his slumping bat with him into the regular season. Pierre's presence gives manager Charlie Manuel a lot of options. At the same time, Manuel can use Pierre or Victorino in the leadoff slot and slide Rollins down to the three-hole for the time being with two of the main sluggers on the mend. Rollins will have to improve on his weak .705 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) when the games start to count if the offense wants to generate runs.

On Deck: The Phillies will play another against the Pirates tomorrow night at Citizens Bank Park before Opening Day in Pittsburgh on Thursday. Cole Hamels is scheduled to pitch in the spring training finale.

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