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While Monday didn't bring much luck for the big league Phillies, as they continued to have difficulty scoring runs and dropped their home opener to the Miami Marlins, a couple of the organization's minor league clubs didn't have much trouble making their marks against a trio of pitchers with some considerable big league ties. The Double-A Reading Phillies handled Toronto left-hander Brett Cecil , who has 66 Major League starts under his belt. Cecil went 6 2/3 innings, allowing 11 hits and 5 runs (4 earned) while taking the loss for the defending Eastern League champions New Hampshire Fisher Cats. The newly slim starter, who dropped 30 pounds over the off-season, is working on pitching with his "new body" and needs to improve the sharpness of his pitches, according to New Hampshire pitching coach Tom Signore. The veteran baseball man stressed the importance of Cecil getting himself right, in an interview with PhoulBallz.com's Jay Floyd this past weekend. "...

It's here! Opening day...well, the home opening day...is here! Just as you can expect every year, the Phillies have loads of fun planned for the big day as the defending five-time National League East Division champions kick off their home schedule for the 2012 season. Check out all the details... 8:00 AM- Majestic Clubhouse Store opens . However, expect to need your ticket to get into the store, as folks ran into an issue last year where the store wasn't actually OPEN to the public, like the Phillies advertise. 10:35 AM- All gates open. All fans will receive a 2’x3’ replica of the 2011 National League East Champions Pennant that will fly above Ashburn Alley all season, compliments of Modell’s Sporting Goods. And don't forget about the Opening Day Block Party on Citizens Bank Way. Hip hop legend and native Philadelphian DJ Jazzy Jeff will be spinning at this annual Opening Day block party. (No time listed)- Phillies batting practice. The team did the same thing last...

The Phillies will kick off their home schedule on Monday when they host a familiar division rival, the newly named Miami Marlins, in the opener of a three-game set. Led by lefty Cole Hamels , who will start on Monday afternoon, the Phillies will try to get back to the winning ways that brought their organization five straight division championships, after losing their last two contests in disappointing, walk-off fashion to Pittsburgh over the weekend. Hamels, who posted a 2.93 ERA in 7 spring training outings, begins a crucial season, with not only the Phillies' run of division dominance on the line, but perhaps his entire future on it too, as the 2008 World Series Most Valuable Player will have the opportunity to sign a hefty contract sometime in the next 10 months, or so. With a sluggish offense thus far in 2012, averaging 2 runs per contest, the Phillies have depended on their starting pitching to keep them in games. In the first three games the season, Philadelphia starters ...

The big league Phillies weren't the only ball players kicking off their 2012 campaign on Thursday. Here's a glance how the Phillies' minor league clubs and their players did on opening day... In a rain-shortened 8 inning affair, the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws dropped their South Atlantic League season opener by a score of 4-2 against the Red Sox affiliate Greenville Drive. Lefty hurler Lino Martinez got the start on the mound and allowed 1 earned run in 5 2/3 innings while striking out 4 and walking none. Righty reliever Gabriel Arias took the loss, allowing 3 earned runs in 1 2/3 innings. On the offensive side, Kelly Dugan , the Phillies' top draft pick from 2009, notched 2 hits in his full season Class A debut. Third baseman Maikel Franco (pictured, right) went hitless in 4 at bats, lowering his batting average in the SAL to .116 in 19 games, including time spent with Lakewood last year. The Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers fell to Dunedin (Toronto af...

With high hopes for another big season, the Phillies will travel to Pittsburgh to open a brand new campaign against the Pirates in a 3-game set. Last year, the Phillies notched a franchise record 102 wins, but fell short of great expectations by losing in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual champion Cardinals. In the season opener, the Phils will lean on the man that took the loss in their last game from 2011, Roy Halladay. In that outing, Halladay was strong, allowing just 1 run over 8 innings, but it was not enough to keep the Phillies afloat in October. Thursday's game will mark the tenth time that Halladay will start on opening day. All-time, the Phillies are 58-69-2 on opening day. Philadelphia will begin the regular season without two of their key offensive stars that have helped the club lock down five consecutive division titles. Second baseman Chase Utley is recovering from a nagging left knee ailment, while first baseman Ryan Howard is allowing his surgical...

This week on PhilliesNation.com, the writing staff took to predicting the 2012 MLB season. Site contributors including 97.5 The Fanatic's Pat Gallen, CSNPhilly's Corey Seidman, yours truly and others all took on the challenge of guessing which players would acquire some important hardware and proclaimed which individuals fans should look out for throughout the new season. Have a look at my predictions, then click the link that follows to see what the full Phillies Nation staff had to say. AL Cy Young Award Winner- Justin Verlander DET NL Cy Young Award Winner- Cliff Lee PHI AL Most Valuable Player- Albert Pujols ANA NL Most Valuable Player- Matt Kemp LAD AL Manager of the Year - John Farrell TOR NL Manager of the Year- Charlie Manuel PHI AL Rookie of the Year - Yu Darvish TEX NL Rookie of the Year- Yonder Alonso SD AL Hitter to Watch - Eric Hosmer KC NL Hitter to Watch- Paul Goldschmidt ARI AL Pitcher to Watch - Henderson Alvarez TOR NL Pitcher to Watch- Jake Diekman ...

Eric Pettis proved that even 35th round draft picks can make a name for themselves. In roughly a year and a half in the Phillies organization, the UC Irvine product posted a 10-3 record, a 2.17 ERA and 12 saves with 122 strike outs in 128 2/3 innings pitched. Last week the Phillies surprised many by releasing the 23-year-old who was selected late by Philadelphia in the 2010 amateur draft. With the bad came some good, however, as Pettis announced the release of his first book. Available in electronic formats, Just a Minor Perspective: Through the Eyes of a Minor League Rookie, became available to the public last week. With his newly found free time, Pettis was able to answer questions about being cut by the Philadelphia organization as well as a few inquiries about his debut as an author. Read ahead for that exclusive interview. Many people were surprised to learn of your release from the Phillies organization this past week. I imagine your were more surprised than anyone. Can you talk ...

The fan favorite known to his family and friends as "J-Bone" is back with another inside look at his progress to begin a new season. Right-handed reliever Justin De Fratus shares his thoughts, exclusively with PhoulBallz.com and PhilliesNation.com once again, from Clearwater, FL. The 24-year-old hurler, who was selected in the 11th round of the 2007 draft, went 6-3 with 15 saves, a 2.99 ERA and 99 strike outs in 75 1/3 innings in his time with Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley last year before making his big league debut in September and holding opponents to a .083 batting average in 5 appearances. Heading forward, De Fratus, a native of Oxnard, CA, hopes to be an impact contributor in the Phillies bullpen for years to come. In the latest edition of The J-Bone Zone, Justin discusses his recovery from elbow soreness this spring, his plans to compete in game action, the always dreaded cuts days in minor league camp and much more. Read ahead to get in the Zone. On...

On the heels of a string of cuts this week, the Phillies released three more players from minor league camp on Friday, including outfielders Bill Rice (pictured) and Brent Clevlen as well as catcher Jeff Lanning . Rice, a native of Sewell, NJ, was signed by the Phillies following a tryout at Lakewood's FirstEnergy Park in June, 2010. Always a standout at every amateur level he has played, Rice's lifelong dream of competing as a professional was achieved when the team he grew up cheering for offered him a contract. Last year, in 46 combined games with the rookie level Gulf Coast League Phillies and the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws, the 5-foot-11-inch 185-pounder sported a .296 batting average with 1 HR, 13 RBI and 10 stolen bases. After watching several teammates receive similar news in recent weeks, the lefty hitting speedster was stunned to learn he was being released early Friday. Speaking exclusively with PhoulBallz.com's Jay Floyd, Rice expressed his greatest apprec...

News out of Phillies camp on Friday detailed a not-so-surprising event going down. Matt Rizzotti, who has long been held back in the Philadelphia organization, was dealt to the Minnesota Twins for cash considerations. The 26-year-old first baseman was steadily blocked at the highest level of the system by former National League Most Valuable Player and All-Star Ryan Howard. Rizzotti, a power hitter with often-critiqued defense, had improved his overall game and strived to improve his conditioning in recent years, only to be removed from the Phillies’ 40-man roster and more-or-less demoted back to Double-A Reading in 2011 after making his Triple-A debut in 2010. Selected in the 6th round of the 2007 MLB amateur draft, Rizzotti often dominated minor league pitching in his minor league career, slugging 66 homeruns and driving in 231 runs while batting .292 in five pro seasons. In the Minnesota organization, Rizzotti will have an improved shot at reaching the big leagues, as American Leagu...

Lefty pitching prospect Mario Hollands took great strides in 2011 with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws. After beginning the year as the club's opening day starting pitcher, Hollands, a 10th round draft choice by the Phillies in 2010, went through some difficult times and was moved to the bullpen, where he flourished. In 15 starts in the South Atlantic League, the California native posted a 4-4 record with a 4.64 ERA and a .306 batting average against. In 13 relief appearances, Hollands performed considerably better, going 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA and a .205 batting average against. Hollands, 23, took some time this week to chat about spring training, the stress of the steady wave of player cuts in camp and more. Read on for my check in with Mario. How would you assess spring training to date? What have you taken from these past few weeks? I'm really happy it's almost over. It's a long road for everyone. But besides that, with all the changes in personnel, I...

The Phillies continued their trimming of the masses in minor league camp Wednesday morning by releasing another group of players. Among those who were let go was lefty pitcher Matthew Way . Right-handed hurler Eric Pettis (pictured) was also among those cut. Way was often injured during his time in the Philadelphia organization. In three seasons as a pro, including 2011 in which he did not pitch, Way posted a 13-9 record with a 3.22 ERA in 31 games (30 starts). The 24-year-old was a 5th round draft choice in 2009, out of Washington State. Pettis stormed onto the pro scene as a 35th round draft selection in 2010, going 8-0 with 7 saves and a 1.37 ERA in 20 outings (5 starts) and becoming a NY-Penn League All-Star with the Williamsport Crosscutters that year before joining Class A Lakewood for their playoff push. Last season, Pettis, now 23-years-old, continued his success, tallying a 2-3 record with 5 saves and a 2.84 ERA in 47 combined relief appearances with Class A Lakewood and Cl...