By Grant Brisbee

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Dec 20, 2011 – The Houston Astros fired former general manager Ed Wade because of esoteric reasons, such as “not acquiring good players at the major- and minor-league levels” and “losing a lot of games.” But it’s worth remembering that he helped build the foundation for the current Philadelphia Phillies team. The Phillies sure remembered him, as they hired him as a special consultant to their baseball operations office. From the Houston Chronicle:

He will be a professional scout, both at the major league and minor league levels seeing clubs within and outside the system, and assist in arbitration.

No, he isn’t going to suggest Carlos Lee for left field. Though that Domonic Brown fella sure is unproven. Hrmm, wonder if the Astros would just do a straight-up swap …

Wade also made light of his trading history with the Phillies during his reign as Astros GM.

“I’m prepared for the remarks that I only traded with the Phillies so Ruben would give me a job if I got fired.”

Wade traded away Hunter Pence, Roy Oswalt, and Brad Lidge to the Phillies while he was with the Astros. When he was with the Phillies, he traded for Billy Wagner, starting the Astros’ tradition of sending their star players to Philadelphia.

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PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 28 (UPI) — Jerry Clothier, vice president for business and finance for the Philadelphia Phillies, died Saturday after battling prostate cancer, the team said. He was 66.

Clothier, a vice president since joining the team in 1982, had received in September the annual Richie Ashburn Special Achievement Award, given by the team for loyalty, dedication and passion for the game, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

“For the past 30 years, Jerry made an enormous contribution to the Phillies and the game of baseball,” team President David Montgomery said in a statement.

“His engaging personality endeared him to all who knew him. He was more than a colleague, he was a dear friend to all of us.”

While a Phillies executive, Clothier had served as a trustee for the Pension Committee of the Major League Baseball Players Benefit Plan for more than 10 years and was a member of Major League Baseball’s Non-Uniformed Personnel Pension Plan Committee.

Clothier was a board member of Phillies Charities Inc.

He also served as a trustee for the Free Library of Philadelphia and from 1996 to 2000 was a member of the board of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority.

Clothier was born in Claymont, Del., and grew up in Swarthmore.

He graduated from the University of Delaware and after serving three years in the U.S. Navy as a supply officer, received an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Donations may be sent to Phillies Charities Inc., One Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia, Pa. 19148 or the Free Library of Philadelphia, Development Office, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103.

DENVER – The Colorado Rockies announced today that the club has traded infielder Ty Wigginton to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.

Wigginton, played in 130 games for Colorado in 2011 after being signed as a Major League free agent on December 16, 2010. Wigginton batted .242 (97-for-401) with 21 doubles, 2 triples, 15 home runs and 47 RBI while seeing time in the field at first base (36 games), third base (68 games), left field (21 games) and right field (6 games).

Colorado became the sixth Major League franchise that Wigginton has played for in his 10-year Big League career, joining the New York Mets (2002-04), Pittsburgh (2004-05), Tampa Bay (2006-07), Houston (2007-08) and Baltimore (2009-10). In his 10-year career, Wigginton is a .265 (1087-for-4107) hitter with 232 doubles, 14 triples, 158 home runs and 548 RBI in 1,190 games.

The San Diego native connected on his 1,000th career Major League hit when he blasted a 3-run home run on April 20, 2011 vs. San Francisco off Matt Cain at Coors Field. Wigginton has at least 15 home runs in seven of his last eight seasons, since the 2004 season.

The Rockies currently have 37 players on their 40-man roster.

Losing a series to the San Francisco Giants in July doesn’t matter to the Philadelphia Phillies. They’re focused on beating them in October.

Tim Lincecum threw six scoreless innings, Pablo Sandoval hit a solo homer and the Giants beat the Phillies 4-1 on Thursday night in their first game with Carlos Beltran.

The all-star outfielder was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in his debut with the defending World Series champions, who won two of three against the major league-leading Phillies in a rematch of the NLCS.

“I know we can get them,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “It’s a matter of us putting things together, and that’s pitching, hitting and playing defence the right way. We can beat them. I know we can. They’re not in our head.”

The Phillies didn’t start two of their three all-star pitchers in this series — Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. The other all-star — Cole Hamels — pitched well, but took the loss Wednesday night.

Elsewhere in the NL it was: Pittsburgh 5 Atlanta 2; Houston 5 St. Louis 3; New York 10 Cincinnati 9; Milwaukee 4 Chicago 2; Florida 5 Washington 2; and San Diego 4 Arizona 3.

At Philadelphia, Lincecum (9-8) showed no negative effects from the stomach illness that forced him to push his start back two days. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner allowed three hits, struck out six and worked around four walks.

The Phillies hadn’t lost consecutive games since June 4. They went a club-record 45 straight games without dropping two straight.

Sandoval gave the NL West leaders a 1-0 lead when he led off the second inning with an opposite-field shot to left. It was Sandoval’s 10th homer, becoming the first Giant to reach double digits this season. Beltran hit 15 for the Mets before he was traded to San Francisco for pitching prospect Zack Wheeler.

The addition of Beltran should bolster a sagging offence that’s near the bottom in the major statistical categories. Beltran started in right field and batted third. He contributed defensively, making a sliding catch to rob Jimmy Rollins of a hit on a shallow fly in the fifth. Beltran’s streak of reaching base safely was snapped at 32 games.

Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick (5-5) gave up four runs — three earned — and six hits in 6 1-3 innings.

“We’ll see them next road trip,” Kendrick said. “Hopefully we win that series.”

The Giants went up 2-0 in the fourth when Nate Schierholtz ripped an RBI single. Aubrey Huff hit a two-out double and scored on Schierholtz’s liner to right-centre.

In the seventh, the Giants had runners at first and third with one out when pinch-hitter Aaron Rowand hit a grounder to third. Michael Martinez bobbled it and then made a wild throw to first base. Schierholtz scored from third and Chris Stewart came all the way around from first, sliding in safely on a close play at the plate to make it 4-0.

Ramon Ramirez took over for Lincecum to start the seventh. He gave up a double to Carlos Ruiz. Chase Utley drove him in when he hit a double off Jeremy Affeldt later in the inning.

Brian Wilson finished for his 33rd save in 37 chances.

Before the at-bat against Affeldt, Utley had stranded five runners, including three in scoring position, in his first three times up.

The Phillies had a runner on third with one out in the first after Rollins led off with a double and advanced on a bunt. But Utley popped out to shortstop and Ryan Howard struck out. Utley struck out with men on first and third to end the third. He struck out with two runners on to end the fifth.

“The core players that we have have to hit and be around their typical years,” Manuel said.

A crowd of 45,646 on Fireworks Night was the 192nd straight sellout, including post-season play, at Citizens Bank Park. They gave Beltran an earful of boos when he batted in the first.

Pirates 5 Braves 2

At Atlanta, Andrew McCutchen had three hits, including a go-ahead double in the fifth inning and a two-run homer in the ninth, and Pittsburgh managed a split of the four-game series.

—

Astros 5 Cardinals 3

At St. Louis, Wandy Rodriguez pitched seven innings and retired the last 13 batters he faced and Jason Bourgeois hit a tiebreaking double in the fifth inning to lead Houston.

—

Mets 10 Reds 9

At Cincinnati, Lucas Duda and Jason Bay of Trail, B.C., each drove in three runs with bases-loaded doubles and New York got its first ever four-game sweep in Cincinnati.

—

Brewers 4 Cubs 2

At Milwaukee, Ryan Braun had three hits, including a home run, to lead the Braves to their first sweep of Chicago at home since May 2005.

John Axford of Simcoe, Ont., closed out the game to record his 30th save in 32 chances.

—

Marlins 5 Nationals 2

At Washington, Mike Stanton homered for the second straight game and five Marlins relievers held the Nationals to one run over 5 1-3 innings as Florida completed a three-game sweep.

—

Padres 4 Diamondbacks 3

At San Diego, Jesus Guzman had two RBIs and rookie Luis Martinez drove in the go-ahead run as the Padres avoided a three-game sweep and won for the second time in six games.

Losing a series to the San Francisco Giants in July doesn’t matter to the Philadelphia Phillies. They’re focused on beating them in October.

Tim Lincecum threw six scoreless innings, Pablo Sandoval hit a solo homer and the Giants beat the Phillies 4-1 on Thursday night in their first game with Carlos Beltran.

The All-Star outfielder was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in his debut with the defending World Series champions, who won two of three against the major league-leading Phillies in a rematch of the NLCS.

“I know we can get them,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “It’s a matter of us putting things together, and that’s pitching, hitting and playing defense the right way. We can beat them. I know we can. They’re not in our head.”

The Phillies didn’t start two of their three All-Star pitchers in this series — Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. The other All-Star — Cole Hamels — pitched well, but took the loss Wednesday night.

Lincecum (9-8) showed no negative effects from the stomach illness that forced him to push his start back two days. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner allowed three hits, struck out six and worked around four walks.

The Phillies hadn’t lost consecutive games since June 4. They went a club-record 45 straight games without dropping two straight.

Sandoval gave the NL West leaders a 1-0 lead when he led off the second inning with an opposite-field shot to left. It was Sandoval’s 10th homer, becoming the first Giant to reach double digits this season. Beltran hit 15 for the Mets before he was traded to San Francisco for pitching prospect Zack Wheeler.

The addition of Beltran should bolster a sagging offense that’s near the bottom in the major statistical categories. Beltran started in right field and batted third. He contributed defensively, making a sliding catch to rob Jimmy Rollins of a hit on a shallow fly in the fifth. Beltran’s streak of reaching base safely was snapped at 32 games.

Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick (5-5) gave up four runs — three earned — and six hits in 6 1-3 innings.

“We’ll see them next road trip,” Kendrick said. “Hopefully we win that series.”

The Giants went up 2-0 in the fourth when Nate Schierholtz ripped an RBI single. Aubrey Huff hit a two-out double and scored on Schierholtz’s liner to right-center.

In the seventh, the Giants had runners at first and third with one out when pinch-hitter Aaron Rowand hit a grounder to third. Michael Martinez bobbled it and then made a wild throw to first base. Schierholtz scored from third and Chris Stewart came all the way around from first, sliding in safely on a close play at the plate to make it 4-0.

Ramon Ramirez took over for Lincecum to start the seventh. He gave up a double to Carlos Ruiz. Chase Utley drove him in when he hit a double off Jeremy Affeldt later in the inning.

Brian Wilson finished for his 33rd save in 37 chances.

Before the at-bat against Affeldt, Utley had stranded five runners, including three in scoring position, in his first three times up.

The Phillies had a runner on third with one out in the first after Rollins led off with a double and advanced on a bunt. But Utley popped out to shortstop and Ryan Howard struck out. Utley struck out with men on first and third to end the third. He struck out with two runners on to end the fifth.

“The core players that we have have to hit and be around their typical years,” Manuel said.

A crowd of 45,646 on Fireworks Night was the 192nd straight sellout, including postseason play, at Citizens Bank Park. They gave Beltran an earful of boos when he batted in the first.

Notes: Roy Oswalt (back) is expected to make another rehab start before possibly rejoining Philadelphia’s rotation. … All-Star 3B Placido Polanco is moving closer toward returning to the Phillies. He’s scheduled to play nine innings for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday. … Rollins snapped an 0-for-19 slump with his double. … San Francisco is 8-1 in rubber games of series.