Rob Parent

1 week ago | mcall.com | Rob Parent

PHILADELPHIA — Through his first five tries this season, pitching was kind of a pain in the neck for Aaron Nola. The longest tenured Phillie never did warm up much to pitching when there’s still a chill in the air, thus was an inconsistent April force on the mound. But Nola had never had a season start like this one, a loser in his first five starts with an ERA of 6.43 and a 1.61 WHIP after lasting one out deep into the seventh inning in a road loss to the Mets on April 21.

1 week ago | mcall.com | Rob Parent

PHILADELPHIA — Perhaps injuries can be a good thing. For obvious example, we reintroduce Brandon Marsh. The Phillies’ now former starting center fielder was back in action Saturday night for the first time since April 16, when he hurt his right hamstring. At the time, Marsh hadn’t had a hit in his previous 31 official at-bats. Overall, his batting average had fallen to .095.

1 week ago | citizensvoice.com | Rob Parent

PHILADELPHIA — The sometimes baffling Johan Rojas has more than a few people wondering again. Only this time, the question seems to be whether Rojas’ reborn offensive production is a one-month mirage or not. Still hitting out of the No. 9 hole, Rojas was instead sitting Friday night at the start of a series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citizens Bank Park. He was replaced in the lineup and center field by recent Lehigh Valley IronPigs promotee Cal Stevenson.

1 week ago | mcall.com | Rob Parent

The man who took down Soviet Central Red Army star Valeri Kharlamov, nearly causing an international incident in the process, has died. The Flyers announced the passing of Ed Van Impe, 84, on Thursday. The rock-solid, “stand-up” defenseman from Saskatoon, Sask. was the second team captain in Flyers history. He was taken in the 1967 expansion draft off the Chicago Black Hawks roster, and went on two Stanley Cups with the “Broad Street Bullies” in 1974 and ’75.

1 week ago | mcall.com | Rob Parent

PHILADELPHIA — Ranger Suarez had a team translator next to him in the Phillies clubhouse Thursday. That didn’t mean he misunderstood the question when it came, one which he might have hoped hadn’t been asked. Suarez, whose achy but not breaky back has set him back since spring training, has finally been cleared to rejoin the club on an active basis, and is slated to start Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citizens Bank Park.