PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies say first baseman Ryan Howard has a torn Achilles tendon and it’s uncertain if he will be ready for spring training next year.

The power-hitting first baseman was injured on the final play of Philadelphia’s season-ending loss to St. Louis in Game 5 of the NL division series Friday night, falling as he ran out of the batter’s box on his grounder.

The team said Saturday an MRI revealed a rupture of the left Achilles tendon and he will need surgery once the swelling goes down. Injuries of that type usually require at least six months of recuperation.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Updated Aug 25, 2011 4:56 PM ET

PHILADELPHIA

The Philadelphia Phillies have rescheduled Sunday’s game against the Florida Marlins due to the threat posed by Hurricane Irene, the club announced Thursday.

The game was moved to Saturday, setting up a doubleheader in the hopes the teams can finish their three-game series before Irene overtakes the region.

Irene continued to pummel the Bahamas Thursday as it bore down on the US East Coast, prompting evacuations and emergency preparations as it threatened to strengthen into a Category 4 storm.

Approximately 200,000 people were ordered to evacuate from the Atlantic Coast of North Carolina with tourists barred from most of the beach towns of the Outer Banks ahead of the storm’s anticipated Saturday arrival, according to The Raleigh News & Observer.

The hurricane could impact several weekend games, with Red Sox manager Terry Francona saying Wednesday his team was considering a similar move for Boston’s home series against the Oakland A’s.

The Yankees, currently in Baltimore, are already slated to play a doubleheader Saturday against the Orioles with the fourth game of a five-game series scheduled for Sunday.

The New York Mets are at home this weekend for a series against the Atlanta Braves, with the series’ final game scheduled for Sunday, the same day Irene is expected to hit the region.

By BOB GROTZ, Special to the Local News

PHILADELPHIA — Phillies video production manager Dan Stephenson figured he had just about taped it all in his 30 years with the team.

But this Major League Baseball draft was different.

“Video Dan” thought something was amiss when the Phillies asked him to shoot the last two rounds of the Wednesday lottery.

By the time he added two and two, though, his son, Ocean City (N.J.) High pitcher Kolya Stephenson was selected by the Phils with the final pick in the 50 round draft. Don’t tell the Stephensons it’s irrelevant.

“Just the idea that the Phillies had enough interest in him to look at him is good enough for us,” Stephenson said.

The Phillies worked out Stephenson, among other prospects, the Saturday before the draft. They also had a nameplate for the right hander on their draft board.

Stephenson said Rob Holliday, the Phillies’ assistant scouting director, offered to write college letters of recommendation for Kolya. They suggested a Division III program for the hurler, who for now is headed to Alvernia University in Reading.

None of that prepared the senior Stephenson for the old misdirection and filming what now is a sentimental video.

“They asked me to come up to shoot the final rounds of the draft,” Stephenson said. “They allegedly said that Pat Gillick is going to give a speech and you should there to tape it. But what they really were doing was luring me up there. So the last pick of the draft came and I was actually taping it. It was really nice to have it on tape. We called him right away and he was beside himself. He had no idea it was coming and neither did I. It was neat.”

Stephenson earned three varsity letters at Ocean City High. He was 6-1 for the team that almost went to the state title game two years ago and 5-4 this past season. Continued…

“He throws strikes and challenges the hitters,” Stephenson said. “St. Augustine Academy, which is going for the (N.J) state championship Saturday, they beat him twice. But they have nine legitimate hitters in their lineup. He went after them and paid the price. He doesn’t nibble. That’s the kind of guy he is.”

In the 47th round the Phillies selected second baseman Andrew Amaro of Penn Charter. Amaro is the nephew of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

“He runs pretty well,” Amaro Jr. said. “He’s like a 4.0 runner down the line. He looks like he’ll probably be better off going to school but he’s got some ability. And he’s kind of the overachiever type of kid. He likes to play and he’s a real aggressive kid and we’ll see where it goes for his career down the line.”

Amaro sees a lot of himself in Andrew, who is committed to playing baseball at the University of Maryland.

Amaro also has his fingers crossed that Andrew or his nephew Robert, who plays for Virginia, will “carry on the name” in the pro ranks.

“They’re both good kids,” Amaro said. “I know they have dreams and aspirations of playing professional baseball.”

n

The Phillies wouldn’t have entered the day with the best record in baseball had they not had Cole Hamels.

Hamels has eight victories, tied for the team lead with defending Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay.

Pitching coach Rich Dubee thinks Halladay’s influence has rubbed off. But Dubee didn’t want to minimize the “adversity” Hamels fought through after being on top of the baseball world earning World Series MVP honors in 2008. Continued…

By BOB GROTZ, Special to the Local News

PHILADELPHIA — Phillies video production manager Dan Stephenson figured he had just about taped it all in his 30 years with the team.

But this Major League Baseball draft was different.

“Video Dan” thought something was amiss when the Phillies asked him to shoot the last two rounds of the Wednesday lottery.

By the time he added two and two, though, his son, Ocean City (N.J.) High pitcher Kolya Stephenson was selected by the Phils with the final pick in the 50 round draft. Don’t tell the Stephensons it’s irrelevant.

“Just the idea that the Phillies had enough interest in him to look at him is good enough for us,” Stephenson said.

The Phillies worked out Stephenson, among other prospects, the Saturday before the draft. They also had a nameplate for the right hander on their draft board.

Stephenson said Rob Holliday, the Phillies’ assistant scouting director, offered to write college letters of recommendation for Kolya. They suggested a Division III program for the hurler, who for now is headed to Alvernia University in Reading.

None of that prepared the senior Stephenson for the old misdirection and filming what now is a sentimental video.

“They asked me to come up to shoot the final rounds of the draft,” Stephenson said. “They allegedly said that Pat Gillick is going to give a speech and you should there to tape it. But what they really were doing was luring me up there. So the last pick of the draft came and I was actually taping it. It was really nice to have it on tape. We called him right away and he was beside himself. He had no idea it was coming and neither did I. It was neat.”

Stephenson earned three varsity letters at Ocean City High. He was 6-1 for the team that almost went to the state title game two years ago and 5-4 this past season.

“He throws strikes and challenges the hitters,” Stephenson said. “St. Augustine Academy, which is going for the (N.J) state championship Saturday, they beat him twice. But they have nine legitimate hitters in their lineup. He went after them and paid the price. He doesn’t nibble. That’s the kind of guy he is.”

In the 47th round the Phillies selected second baseman Andrew Amaro of Penn Charter. Amaro is the nephew of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

“He runs pretty well,” Amaro Jr. said. “He’s like a 4.0 runner down the line. He looks like he’ll probably be better off going to school but he’s got some ability. And he’s kind of the overachiever type of kid. He likes to play and he’s a real aggressive kid and we’ll see where it goes for his career down the line.”

Amaro sees a lot of himself in Andrew, who is committed to playing baseball at the University of Maryland.

Amaro also has his fingers crossed that Andrew or his nephew Robert, who plays for Virginia, will “carry on the name” in the pro ranks.

“They’re both good kids,” Amaro said. “I know they have dreams and aspirations of playing professional baseball.”

n

The Phillies wouldn’t have entered the day with the best record in baseball had they not had Cole Hamels.

Hamels has eight victories, tied for the team lead with defending Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay.

Pitching coach Rich Dubee thinks Halladay’s influence has rubbed off. But Dubee didn’t want to minimize the “adversity” Hamels fought through after being on top of the baseball world earning World Series MVP honors in 2008.

“He had never faced adversity on the field,” Dubee said. “He was very hard on himself. He was too good, too soon. All of the sudden those are big expectations to live up to with very little experience. This guy has come a long way, and he had to do it by taking on a little adversity.”

The Phillies arrived at work Wednesday with a 37-25 (.596) record. After 62 games last season they were 32-30 (.516).

NOTES: Halladay (8-3, 2.56 ERA) takes on Carlos Zambrano (5-2, 3.98) tonight in second game of Phils-Cubs tonight at 7:05 (Comcast) … The game-time temperature for the opening pitch was a cool 93 degrees. It was 102 a couple of hours earlier. Phils manager Charlie Manuel didn’t remember the hottest game he ever worked although “those Orlando day games were pretty tough,” he said of his 1984-85 gig. “Especially the 11:45 (a.m.) businessmen’s specials. It would get 102 or better.” … The Phillies still are trying to find a right-handed bat to supply at least a portion of the pop they lost when Jayson Werth exited in free agency. Until and if that happens, Manuel offered an old school contingency plan. “I guess we better work on hitting left-handed pitchers better,” he said. … Right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton returned from Florida, where he rehabbed the elbow inflammation that landed him on the disabled list. It took awhile to adjust to the surroundings. “It kind of feels like the first day of spring training when you come in and see all of the new faces,” he said. Blanton is a good doctor’s appointment away from throwing since 16th.

{ET

By BOB GROTZ
Journal Register News Service

PHILADELPHIA – Phillies video production manager Dan Stephenson figured he had just about taped it all in his 30 years with the team.

But this Major League Baseball draft was different.

“Video Dan” thought something was amiss when the Phillies asked him to shoot the last two rounds of the Wednesday lottery.

By the time he added two and two, though, his son, Ocean City (N.J.) High pitcher Kolya Stephenson was selected by the Phils with the final pick in the 50 round draft. Don’t tell the Stephensons it’s irrelevant.

“Just the idea that the Phillies had enough interest in him to look at him is good enough for us,” Stephenson said.

The Phillies worked out Stephenson, among other prospects, the Saturday before the draft. They also had a nameplate for the right hander on their draft board.

Stephenson said Rob Holliday, the Phillies’ assistant scouting director, offered to write college letters of recommendation for Kolya. They suggested a Division III program for the hurler, who for now is headed to Alvernia University in Reading.

None of that prepared the senior Stephenson for the old misdirection and filming what now is a sentimental video.

“They asked me to come up to shoot the final rounds of the draft,” Stephenson said. “They allegedly said that Pat Gillick is going to give a speech and you should there to tape it. But what they really were doing was luring me up there. So the last pick of the draft came and I was actually taping it. It was really nice to have it on tape. We called him right away and he was beside himself. He had no idea it was coming and neither did I. It was neat.”

Stephenson earned three varsity letters at Ocean City High. He was 6-1 for the team that almost went to the state title game two years ago and 5-4 this past season. Continued…

“He throws strikes and challenges the hitters,” Stephenson said. “St. Augustine Academy, which is going for the (N.J) state championship Saturday, they beat him twice. But they have nine legitimate hitters in their lineup. He went after them and paid the price. He doesn’t nibble. That’s the kind of guy he is.”

In the 47th round the Phillies selected second baseman Andrew Amaro of Penn Charter. Amaro is the nephew of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

“He runs pretty well,” Amaro Jr. said. “He’s like a 4.0 runner down the line. He looks like he’ll probably be better off going to school but he’s got some ability. And he’s kind of the overachiever type of kid. He likes to play and he’s a real aggressive kid and we’ll see where it goes for his career down the line.”

Amaro sees a lot of himself in Andrew, who is committed to playing baseball at the University of Maryland.

Amaro also has his fingers crossed that Andrew or his nephew Robert, who plays for Virginia, will “carry on the name” in the pro ranks.

“They’re both good kids,” Amaro said. “I know they have dreams and aspirations of playing professional baseball.”

L l l

The Phillies wouldn’t have entered the day with the best record in baseball had they not had Cole Hamels.

Hamels has eight victories, tied for the team lead with defending Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay.

Pitching coach Rich Dubee thinks Halladay’s influence has rubbed off. But Dubee didn’t want to minimize the “adversity” Hamels fought through after being on top of the baseball world earning World Series MVP honors in 2008. Continued…

By BOB GROTZ
Journal Register News Service

PHILADELPHIA – Phillies video production manager Dan Stephenson figured he had just about taped it all in his 30 years with the team.

But this Major League Baseball draft was different.

“Video Dan” thought something was amiss when the Phillies asked him to shoot the last two rounds of the Wednesday lottery.

By the time he added two and two, though, his son, Ocean City (N.J.) High pitcher Kolya Stephenson was selected by the Phils with the final pick in the 50 round draft. Don’t tell the Stephensons it’s irrelevant.

“Just the idea that the Phillies had enough interest in him to look at him is good enough for us,” Stephenson said.

The Phillies worked out Stephenson, among other prospects, the Saturday before the draft. They also had a nameplate for the right hander on their draft board.

Stephenson said Rob Holliday, the Phillies’ assistant scouting director, offered to write college letters of recommendation for Kolya. They suggested a Division III program for the hurler, who for now is headed to Alvernia University in Reading.

None of that prepared the senior Stephenson for the old misdirection and filming what now is a sentimental video.

“They asked me to come up to shoot the final rounds of the draft,” Stephenson said. “They allegedly said that Pat Gillick is going to give a speech and you should there to tape it. But what they really were doing was luring me up there. So the last pick of the draft came and I was actually taping it. It was really nice to have it on tape. We called him right away and he was beside himself. He had no idea it was coming and neither did I. It was neat.”

Stephenson earned three varsity letters at Ocean City High. He was 6-1 for the team that almost went to the state title game two years ago and 5-4 this past season.

“He throws strikes and challenges the hitters,” Stephenson said. “St. Augustine Academy, which is going for the (N.J) state championship Saturday, they beat him twice. But they have nine legitimate hitters in their lineup. He went after them and paid the price. He doesn’t nibble. That’s the kind of guy he is.”

In the 47th round the Phillies selected second baseman Andrew Amaro of Penn Charter. Amaro is the nephew of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

“He runs pretty well,” Amaro Jr. said. “He’s like a 4.0 runner down the line. He looks like he’ll probably be better off going to school but he’s got some ability. And he’s kind of the overachiever type of kid. He likes to play and he’s a real aggressive kid and we’ll see where it goes for his career down the line.”

Amaro sees a lot of himself in Andrew, who is committed to playing baseball at the University of Maryland.

Amaro also has his fingers crossed that Andrew or his nephew Robert, who plays for Virginia, will “carry on the name” in the pro ranks.

“They’re both good kids,” Amaro said. “I know they have dreams and aspirations of playing professional baseball.”

L l l

The Phillies wouldn’t have entered the day with the best record in baseball had they not had Cole Hamels.

Hamels has eight victories, tied for the team lead with defending Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay.

Pitching coach Rich Dubee thinks Halladay’s influence has rubbed off. But Dubee didn’t want to minimize the “adversity” Hamels fought through after being on top of the baseball world earning World Series MVP honors in 2008.

“He had never faced adversity on the field,” Dubee said. “He was very hard on himself. He was too good, too soon. All of the sudden those are big expectations to live up to with very little experience. This guy has come a long way, and he had to do it by taking on a little adversity.”

The Phillies arrived at work Wednesday with a 37-25 (.596) record. After 62 games last season they were 32-30 (.516).

L l l

NOTES: Halladay (8-3, 2.56 ERA) takes on Carlos Zambrano (5-2, 3.98) tonight in second game of Phils-Cubs tonight at 7:05 (Comcast) … The game-time temperature for the opening pitch was a cool 93. It was 102 a couple of hours earlier. Phils manager Charlie Manuel didn’t remember the hottest game he ever worked although “those Orlando day games were pretty tough,” he said of his 1984-85 gig. “Especially the 11:45 (a.m.) businessmen’s specials. It would get 102 or better.” … The Phillies still are trying to find a right-handed bat to supply at least a portion of the pop they lost when Jayson Werth exited in free agency. Until and if that happens, Manuel offered an old school contingency plan. “I guess we better work on hitting left-handed pitchers better,” he said. … Right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton returned from Florida, where he rehabbed the elbow inflammation that landed him on the disabled list. It took awhile to adjust to the surroundings. “It kind of feels like the first day of spring training when you come in and see all of the new faces,” he said. Blanton is a good doctor’s appointment away from throwing since 16th.

By BOB GROTZ
bobgrotz@gmail.com

PHILADELPHIA — Phillies video production manager Dan Stephenson figured he had just about taped it all in his 30 years with the team.

But this Major League Baseball draft was different.

“Video Dan” thought something was amiss when the Phillies asked him to shoot the last two rounds of the Wednesday lottery.

By the time he added two and two, though, his son, Ocean City High pitcher Kolya Stephenson was selected by the Phils with the final pick in the 50-round draft. Don’t tell the Stephensons it’s irrelevant.

“Just the idea that the Phillies had enough interest in him to look at him is good enough for us,” Stephenson said.

The Phillies worked out Stephenson, among other prospects, the Saturday before the draft. They also had a nameplate for the right hander on their draft board.

Stephenson said Rob Holliday, the Phillies’ assistant scouting director, offered to write college letters of recommendation for Kolya. They suggested a Division III program for the hurler, who, for now, is headed to Alvernia University in Reading.

None of that prepared the senior Stephenson for the old misdirection and filming what now is a sentimental video.

“They asked me to come up to shoot the final rounds of the draft,” Stephenson said. “They allegedly said that Pat Gillick is going to give a speech and you should be there to tape it. But what they really were doing was luring me up there. So the last pick of the draft came and I was actually taping it. It was really nice to have it on tape. We called him right away and he was beside himself. He had no idea it was coming and neither did I. It was neat.”

Stephenson earned three varsity letters at Ocean City High. He was 6-1 for the team that almost went to the state title game two years ago and 5-4 this past season. Continued…

“He throws strikes and challenges the hitters,” Stephenson said. “St. Augustine Academy, which is going for the state championship Saturday, they beat him twice. But they have nine legitimate hitters in their lineup. He went after them and paid the price. He doesn’t nibble. That’s the kind of guy he is.”

In the 47th round the Phillies selected second baseman Andrew Amaro of Penn Charter. Amaro is the nephew of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

“He runs pretty well,” Amaro Jr. said. “He’s like a 4.0 runner down the line. He looks like he’ll probably be better off going to school but he’s got some ability. And he’s kind of the overachiever type of kid. He likes to play and he’s a real aggressive kid and we’ll see where it goes for his career down the line.”

Amaro sees a lot of himself in Andrew, who is committed to playing baseball at the University of Maryland.

Amaro also has his fingers crossed that Andrew or his nephew Robert, who plays for Virginia, will “carry on the name” in the pro ranks.

“They’re both good kids,” Amaro said. “I know they have dreams and aspirations of playing professional baseball.”

•••

The Phillies wouldn’t have entered the day with the best record in baseball had they not had Cole Hamels.

Hamels has eight victories, tied for the team lead with defending Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay.

Pitching coach Rich Dubee thinks Halladay’s influence has rubbed off. But Dubee didn’t want to minimize the “adversity” Hamels fought through after being on top of the baseball world earning World Series MVP honors in 2008. Continued…

By BOB GROTZ
bobgrotz@gmail.com

PHILADELPHIA — Phillies video production manager Dan Stephenson figured he had just about taped it all in his 30 years with the team.

But this Major League Baseball draft was different.

“Video Dan” thought something was amiss when the Phillies asked him to shoot the last two rounds of the Wednesday lottery.

By the time he added two and two, though, his son, Ocean City High pitcher Kolya Stephenson was selected by the Phils with the final pick in the 50-round draft. Don’t tell the Stephensons it’s irrelevant.

“Just the idea that the Phillies had enough interest in him to look at him is good enough for us,” Stephenson said.

The Phillies worked out Stephenson, among other prospects, the Saturday before the draft. They also had a nameplate for the right hander on their draft board.

Stephenson said Rob Holliday, the Phillies’ assistant scouting director, offered to write college letters of recommendation for Kolya. They suggested a Division III program for the hurler, who, for now, is headed to Alvernia University in Reading.

None of that prepared the senior Stephenson for the old misdirection and filming what now is a sentimental video.

“They asked me to come up to shoot the final rounds of the draft,” Stephenson said. “They allegedly said that Pat Gillick is going to give a speech and you should be there to tape it. But what they really were doing was luring me up there. So the last pick of the draft came and I was actually taping it. It was really nice to have it on tape. We called him right away and he was beside himself. He had no idea it was coming and neither did I. It was neat.”

Stephenson earned three varsity letters at Ocean City High. He was 6-1 for the team that almost went to the state title game two years ago and 5-4 this past season.

“He throws strikes and challenges the hitters,” Stephenson said. “St. Augustine Academy, which is going for the state championship Saturday, they beat him twice. But they have nine legitimate hitters in their lineup. He went after them and paid the price. He doesn’t nibble. That’s the kind of guy he is.”

In the 47th round the Phillies selected second baseman Andrew Amaro of Penn Charter. Amaro is the nephew of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

“He runs pretty well,” Amaro Jr. said. “He’s like a 4.0 runner down the line. He looks like he’ll probably be better off going to school but he’s got some ability. And he’s kind of the overachiever type of kid. He likes to play and he’s a real aggressive kid and we’ll see where it goes for his career down the line.”

Amaro sees a lot of himself in Andrew, who is committed to playing baseball at the University of Maryland.

Amaro also has his fingers crossed that Andrew or his nephew Robert, who plays for Virginia, will “carry on the name” in the pro ranks.

“They’re both good kids,” Amaro said. “I know they have dreams and aspirations of playing professional baseball.”

•••

The Phillies wouldn’t have entered the day with the best record in baseball had they not had Cole Hamels.

Hamels has eight victories, tied for the team lead with defending Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay.

Pitching coach Rich Dubee thinks Halladay’s influence has rubbed off. But Dubee didn’t want to minimize the “adversity” Hamels fought through after being on top of the baseball world earning World Series MVP honors in 2008.

“He had never faced adversity on the field,” Dubee said. “He was very hard on himself. He was too good, too soon. All of the sudden those are big expectations to live up to with very little experience. This guy has come a long way, and he had to do it by taking on a little adversity.”

The Phillies arrived at work Wednesday with a 37-25 (.596) record. After 62 games last season they were 32-30 (.516).

•••

NOTES: Halladay (8-3, 2.56 ERA) takes on Carlos Zambrano (5-2, 3.98) tonight in the second game of Phils-Cubs tonight at 7:05 (Comcast) … The game-time temperature for the opening pitch was a cool 93. It was 102 a couple of hours earlier. Phils manager Charlie Manuel didn’t remember the hottest game he ever worked although “those Orlando day games were pretty tough,” he said of his 1984-85 gig. “Especially the 11:45 (a.m.) businessmen’s specials. It would get 102 or better.” … The Phillies still are trying to find a right-handed bat to supply at least a portion of the pop they lost when Jayson Werth exited in free agency. Until and if that happens, Manuel offered an old school contingency plan. “I guess we better work on hitting left-handed pitchers better,” he said. … Right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton returned from Florida, where he rehabbed the elbow inflammation that landed him on the disabled list. It took awhile to adjust to the surroundings. “It kind of feels like the first day of spring training when you come in and see all of the new faces,” he said. Blanton is a good doctor’s appointment away from throwing for the first time since the 16th.