Phillies news & links — Vince Velasquez is hurt

I can’t lie: some mornings it’s hard to be upbeat about the Phillies. So let’s start with something good.

Howie Kendrick hit a home run last night

Yes indeedy! Howie Kendrick, off the disabled list for just two days, hit his first home run of the season! Woo hoo! Don’t think about the game that surrounded that home run. Don’t think about it. Really, you don’t want to! I promise! Nothing good can come from that! No —

The Phillies lost again

I told you not to think about it. But we might as well. The Phillies lost once again, and folks, the numbers are bad. Let’s look at those numbers, and witness how they keep getting worse and worse the more you learn.

So that last one isn’t a number, but it’s still bad. What can Pete Mackanin even say at this point? It’s not like they’re not trying. There’s just nothing that can really be done. This is the team they’ve got. Sure, they could call up whoever, but I think that would be a shortsighted panic move just to squeeze out a few more meaningless wins. This is not a team that will make the postseason, so I don’t know what the point of that would be.

I mean, the point would be to make the season slightly less painful to watch. But I think of it this way: if bringing up one of the minor league guys has a chance to hurt their long term development in any way, I’m happy to endure the major league losses. I don’t want to trade in the possible future of the Phillies just so I’m a little less annoyed in the present. Sure, I’d love it if my sanity stopped fraying at the edges, but you can’t always get what you want.

Oh, and Vince Velasquez is hurt

I’m sorry! Do you think I like bringing you this news? I’d rather say something like “Vince Velasquez threw a no-hitter,” but if I did say that I’d be lying because it didn’t happen. So instead I’m left with the actual news.

Vince Velasquez left last night’s game in the second inning, and while it seemed right away that he was grabbing at his hip, it ended up being a right elbow flexor strain. If that injury sounds familiar, it might be because Clay Buchholz (remember him?) had the same injury to start the season. And Cliff Lee had it before him. Buchholz had surgery, which ended his season, and Lee... well, he didn’t have surgery and ended his career. Velasquez has already had Tommy John surgery on that arm, way back in 2010. So besides knowing that this injury is Not Good, we don’t know anything right now. We don’t know what the plan is to get him healed, and we don’t know if he’ll have surgery. Stay tuned, everyone.

Around the Phight

It’s been a bleak few days. But we’re here for you.

• Here’s last night’s game recap, and Monday’s recap as well.
• That probably won’t make you happy, so here’s a critical evaluation of Bryce Harper’s recent brawl-starting helmet throw.
• The Phillies have discussed demoting Maikel Franco, and John Stolnis asks if they should actually do it.
• Sunday was the seventh anniversary of Roy Halladay’s perfect game, and I wrote an appreciation of that wonderful accomplishment.
• Nick Williams has come alive in Triple-A, and John Stolnis talks about it on the latest Felske Files podcast.
• Do you like awesome things? Then give The Dirty Inning a listen! It’s their 10th episode “craptacular” and they pulled out all the stops.

Tweet of the day

I don’t know if Giancarlo Stanton’s ass is indeed “America’s Favorite Buns,” but it’s gotta be up there. I mean, look at it. It’s glorious.

Thank you for that tweet, CSNPhilly. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.