Darin Ruf

Of 3,745 players to earn big-league rookie status in their age-26 season or later, just nine hit more than 20 home runs that year.

With spring training two weeks and a day away, now's about the time fans start figuring best-case scenarios for their team's seasons. For the Phillies, that's Delmon Young, Domonic Brown and Darin Ruf all breaking out with 25 home run-a-year potential -- making Brown (not traded-for Ben Revere) their Opening Day center fielder...

There's a reason I didn't give much credit to the possibility of a spring training deal: They don't often happen, not the way they used to in the 1980s and 1990s.  But even if you understand why the Phillies would make a move now, should they...

With yesterday's word that the Phillies are "likely going with what we've got," it's now time to diagnose why the team is stuck filling two outfield spots with Domonic Brown, Darin Ruf, John Mayberry and Laynce Nix, when one should still be filled: They traded Hunter Pence last July...

The off-season as thus far been under-whelming, to say the least. Not that Michael Young and Mike Adams aren't solid additions, but who knows if an offer was ever really made to Josh Hamilton and now the Phillies appear to be chasing guys who are not nearly as good as the guy they traded away back in the summer.

That Carlos Ruiz will miss the first 25 games of 2013 isn't what's most troubling about the announcement Tuesday that he was suspended for using amphetamines. Of those, 16 will be against non-2012 playoff qualifiers. Erik Kratz, the fastest catcher ever to hit eight home runs, is a more than capable spell for the meantime...

Flaws. Holes. Limits. That's what the Phillies have at third base and in the outfield. That's what they need to contend next year. That's right. Flaws. Holes. Limits. Quit the hopes for signings and trades and splashes. None are expected before the first bout of general manager's meetings ends Friday -- reports are Ruben Amaro has only feelers, no offers or specifics or anything, really -- but non

The Phillies will decline Ty Wigginton's $4 million option this offseason. The Phillies have a lot of younger, cheaper options around that make Wigginton and his $4 million price tag expendable.  With Ryan Howard back playing first base everyday, coupled with the emergence of Kevin Frandsen as either the third basemen or top utility player, plus Darin Ruf as the back-up to Howard, Wigginton is not

Mashing your first hit, first RBI, first home run — those are all steps toward bona fide MLBdom. Being the subject of some good ol’ fashioned rookie hazing, though, might be the first tiptoe. Welcome to the bigs, Darin Ruf...

With Sunday night's news that the Phillies will select from Double-A Reading the contract of Darin Ruf, who plays to the soft spot of this particular baseball man like no other, Charlie Manuel had to be beyond giddy. But, considering the position he was in, facing the media for the first time since the decision and after the Phillies 7-4 win over the Rockies in the second half of a day/nigh