Phillies news & links — HEY GUYS NICK WILLIAMS HIT A GRAND SLAM

HI GUYS I’M REALLY EXCITED TODAY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY, DO YOU DO YOU DO YOU, I BET YOU DO!!!!!

NICK WILLIAMS HIT A GRAND SLAM AND IT WAS SUPER GREAT

If you haven’t watched Nick Williams hit his first career grand slam and his second home run, here’s the video. And if you have watched it, watch it again. You’ll be glad you did.

Okay, I have to say it. Nick Williams is a handsome, handsome guy. Look at that smile! He’s been wearing a hat all game and his hair is still passable-to-good! He’s tall and he looks just so sharp in that powder blue uniform. This is a clip we’ll watch a lot in the coming years, and every time we watch it, we get to see young, handsome Nick Williams in a powder blue throwback uniform. Praise be.

And that swing. Sweet merciful Mary was that ever a SWING. Watching him in the batter’s box is so interesting, because his long limbs are all crunched up. In that throwback uniform with those tighter pants, he looks like he’s straight out of 1983.

Williams is up to .279/.319/.465, and I’m very much enjoying his rookie season.

And speaking of the Rhineland Rocket...

Aaron Altherr is going on the DL

The “mild hamstring strain” that Altherr contracted on Saturday has now surpassed mildness and is severe enough to send him to the disabled list. Remember it’s just the 10-day DL now, so it’s possible that he won’t be out for too long. But hamstring strains are tricky. I’ll never forget Jimmy Rollins’ hamstring strain in 2010 that kept him out for most of the season, including Roy Halladay’s perfect game and postseason no-hitter.

Of course, Altherr isn’t at risk of missing anything like that. (Sigh.) But he will be missed from the lineup. His breakout has been unexpected but wholly welcome on this team, a canary in the putrid cave of losing. Come back soon, Aaron.

Jeremy Hellickson is probably okay

Hellickson went five more-than-decent innings in Sunday’s game before he was removed with calf tightness. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem to be like Altherr’s issue. Hellickson didn’t even describe it as pain, and Mackanin is barely worried. Here’s what he told Matt Gelb at Philly.com:

“He should be fine,” Mackanin said. “He had that before and I had to take him out. It’s not a big issue.”

Whew.

So J.P. Crawford has been doing some things

::opens can of worms::

It’s been a tough year for Crawford. But this is when we find out some important things about him. Can he adjust? Because the talent everyone saw in him in the earlier minors wasn’t imaginary. It was there. It exists. But his future is contingent on being able to take that talent and adjust it as the competition gets more difficult.

As it has been for over a year, the best thing about this situation is Crawford’s age: he’s just 22. And if an organization gives up on a player like JP Crawford when he’s this young and with this much natural talent, then they don’t deserve our fandom. Thankfully, the Phillies aren’t going to do that. Crawford just has to keep working to get better, and I have faith that he will. Join me on the Faith and Hope Express Train, won’t you? It’s much nicer than the Mopey Assumption of Future Disappointment Trolley.

A few more links...

• Episode 133 of the Felske Files podcast is here! John Stolnis and Justin Klugh talk about... trading Aaron Nola!??!?! WHAT?! YOU ARE BOTH FIRED.
• (I’m kidding.)
• (OR AM I?!)
• Phillies prospect Carlos Tocci sat down with Jay Floyd and talked about a bunch of stuff, and it’s very timely because Tocci has been on fire lately.
• Meghan Montemurro wrote about a talk Nick Williams had with IronPigs manager Dusty Wathan earlier this season. It’s what made Williams, who had been benched for failing to run out grounders last year, start to try hard every time. He gives some truly marvelous quotes, so I urge you to read it.

Tweet of the day

From the great Justin Klugh.

I’m hoping you can tell what that is just by looking at the still of the video. But if not, it’s Phillies fans behind home plate making fun of Craig Kimbrel’s zany set up position. And it’s just so, so great. There is never a bad time to be reminded of this.