Stage being set for Howard’s Philly farwell

we’ve seen the second half play out, the fans are recognizing that this is getting closer to the end and they want to express their appreciation for what Ryan has meant to this franchise.”

The Phillies will entertain Miami this weekend, are off Monday and host the Chicago White Sox Tuesday and Wednesday. After road series against the Mets and Braves, the Phillies will play the final homestand of the Howard era Sept. 30-Oct. 2 against the Mets.

“My hope,” Klentak said, “is that in the final homestand, in those three games against the Mets, we would be able to do something that Ryan would be able to get the proper end of a season that he deserves.”

Mackanin said it is his plan to start Howard in those three Mets games.

*** Dusty Wathan, who is serving as a Phillies coach after managing the Class AA Reading Fightin’ Phils, will replace Dave Brundage as the manager of the Class AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs next season.

“We felt like it was time to move forward and make a change there,” Klentak said. “I’ll say this about the Triple-A managerial job, not only on the Phillies but throughout baseball: That’s the hardest level to manage in professional baseball. Most teams will have a blend of young kids fighting to reach the big leagues for the first time and a mix of older, veteran players that have been in the big leagues and are trying to get back to the big leagues. That’s a very difficult thing to manage.

“We just felt it was time to make a change and we feel we have a ready replacement in house.”

The IronPigs were 85-58 this season. Reading was 89-52.

“I think it will be a unique situation next year just because we’ll have so many guys that came through the system, so many guys that have already played for me,” Wathan said. “It won’t be like a lot of typical Triple-A teams where we’re going to have a lot of free-agent guys that aren’t happy with the situation. We’re going to have a bunch of guys that have come through the system and are excited to try and get here.”

*** Jerad Eickhoff lasted 6.2 innings of the Phillies’ 15-2 loss to the Pirates, striking out five. He allowed six runs, just three were earned. Eickhoff allowed three solo home runs and a three-run shot to Jordy Mercer in the seventh.

“The three-run homers kill you,” Eickhoff said. “They are frustrating. I feel like I let the guys down in here.”

MATT SLOCUM — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Phillies center fielder Roman Quinn can’t snag the catch on a single by the Pirates’ Francisco Cervelli during the ninth inning of a 15-2 Pittsburgh win Thursday.