Phillies Spring Training Notes

Random Philadelphia Phillies observations from Spring Training that could prove to be significant as the regular season gets underway…

1-2 punch. Brett Myers seems locked in as he returns to a starting role, posting a sparkling 1.13 ERA and holding the New York Yankees scoreless for five innings in his final spring start. Myers has always had dominant stuff and may finally be putting it all together. Cole Hamels didn’t dominate, but he stunk last year during the pre-season and did just fine. Phillies fans couldn’t ask for much more at the top of the rotation. As for the bottom of the rotation…

Eaton still stinks. Adam Eaton teased us with a couple decent outings, then tossed a clunker against the Yankees in the Spring Training finale. I’m praying that Charlie Manuel keeps Eaton on a short leash so the Phillies aren’t giving away games every fifth day.

Starting pitching insurance. Kris Benson accepted a minor league assignment instead of exercising his option to become a free agent and hopes to be ready in May. The San Francisco Giants did not want to take on the contract of Rule 5 draft pick Travis Blackley, and the lefthander chose to accept a Triple A assignment with the Phillies. Having these two starters on-call will prevent the Phillies from rushing prospects like Carlos Carrasco, Josh Outman, and Andrew Carpenter.

Historic Howard? I’ve said before that I think Ryan Howard will put up historic numbers this year. His preseason numbers did nothing to change my mind. .311 BA, 5 HR, 12 RBI. As for those 19 strikeouts…

Swingin’ and missin’. You can pretty much pencil in Ryan Howard for 175 strikeouts, Pat Burrell for 150 and Geoff Jenkins/Jayson Werth for 125… and there are others who will have quite a few K’s next to their names on the scorecard.  The lineup is devastating, but a strikeout artist can shut them down. Guys like Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Chase Utley will have to do everything they can while on the base paths to disrupt pitchers.

Production from the bottom of the order. Pedro Feliz, projected to hit sixth or seventh, slugged five home runs and drove in 13 runs. Batting eighth will be catcher Carlos Ruiz, who led Phils starters with a .372 batting average, eight doubles and 12 runs scored. Opposing pitchers won’t get a break against this Phillies lineup.

By the way, is anyone else psyched that baseball season is finally here? PLAY BALL!

Sj-hypocycloidAll-American

608 days ago

Score 3

I'll second the sentiment of being psyched for baseball. But, since all the experts are already counting the Phils out of the playoff hunt, I guess we shouldn't bother tuning in, right? If it's all the same to Olney, Stark, Kurkjian and Gammons...I'll assume the Phils have a shot and see how the season progresses. I hope the Phils can get some decent innings from their pitchers...if they can...the offense, strikeout prone as it is, should be able to pick up the slack.

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JuTMSY4Legend

608 days ago

Score 3

They'll be "out of it" by may... adn inevitably go something like 20-4 in june and be right back in it...

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Sj-hypocycloidAll-American

608 days ago

Score 3

For once, I'd like to see them have a good April. I'd even settle for something like 13-13. They haven't helped themselves by starting out with losing Aprils since 2004.

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TheSportsAppleAll-American

607 days ago

Score 6

I can't beleive all the experts are counting the Phils out. Thats just ridiculous. I expect the NL East race (including the Braves) to be right down to the wire in September. before counting them out, lets wait to see injury issues with the Mets before annoiting them division champs. baseball is right around the corner!!

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RomiezzoLegend

607 days ago

Score 3

That exactly how I predict it to be. It all depends on many factors (factors that I will not name due to the fact that the list is endless). I'm sorry to the AL East, West, Central, and NL West and Central, but I the NL East will, by far, be the division I'm looking forward to watching the most.

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JuTMSY4Legend

608 days ago

Score 3

Nice article:

My thoughts:

Adam Eaton is on anything but a short leash. With about 8 mil due this year and next, he is the phillies 5th starter. That's not to say he won't get mysteriously injured when his ERA balloons to 7, but the phillies will live with most of what he does. And (and i think you know this), like some uneducated fans might suggest, the pen isn't an option, as eaton is terrible early in the game. Adam Eaton's best friend? Probably Ryan Madson, who can come out of the pen and pitch 3+ ; - )

And while Pedro Feliz is no stud, a guy like that makes the phillies lineup downright devestating

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Phils Phan ScottWaterboy

607 days ago

Score 1

Thanks! I have to disagree about Eaton. They didn't bring in Kris Benson to be strictly an injury replacement. If we get to the middle of May and Eaton's ERA is hovering around 6.00, Benson will get the call if he's healthy. The Phillies can't jeopardize a postseason run because they signed Eaton to a stupid contract.

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RomiezzoLegend

607 days ago

Score 2

I definitely agree with you JuT, especially when it comes to Pedro Feliz. Feliz is going to hit 25-30 homers, and his average and OBP is going to get a lot better due to the fact that Feliz is now playing in a hitter's ballpark.

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Niteowl049AAA-er

607 days ago

Score 3

Eaton as bad as he is an improvement over J.D. Durbin. Surprised that the Phillies didn't do anything during the offseason to strengthen the starting rotation. Am hoping Carrasco will get some starts in minors and be called up but not sure if Phillies want him up before September.

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Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

607 days ago

Score 1

Eaton is making $8 million and 5th in the rotation? What an indictment against current baseball economics.

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JuTMSY4Legend

606 days ago

Score 0

Cole Hamels is making 500k...

Actually, when the number came out (and hamels was pissed) Bill Conlin (i think), a phillies writer, talked about just that issue...

In a nut shell, players in their youth generally get shafted. Ryan Howard is worth 20 mil a season, but he got 900k last season and now 10 mil....he earns his money...

Richie Sexson is making 14 mil....he's much worse than Howard, but he makes more?

Players get their paydays later in their careers, because of the current CBA and what not...its just the way its structured right now. I guess the benefit is you become overpaid later, while you were underpaid before. Eventually, Howard will become a strikeout monster, with a burgeoning contract, and hamels an injury prone K artist who never hits 150 IP a year again...but they'll be well paid and griped about...

Does it need tweaking? Yeah, but to the bulk of major leaguers, its not terribly unfair...

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Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

606 days ago

Score 1

I don't care what is fair or not fair to spoiled 6 figure - 7 figure professional baseball players.

What I do care about is Joe Fan getting raped, plundered and looted by owners to pay players these ridiculous contracts such as the deal garnered by Adam Eaton.

Sooner or later, this obscene economic landscape of professional baseball will crumble. And you know what? It damn well deserves to fall apart.

Every CBA negotiations has these same owners bitching and whining about player salaries escalating beyond control. But that is ridiculous. They are the owners. Of course, they control their own product's market. However, due to arrogance, mismanagement and plain old ego, they continuously overpay for mediocre or downright crappy "talent".

This bubble will burst. And baseball will have nobody to blame but itself.

Now to everyone here that doesn't pay taxes and lives on somebody else's dime, go ahead and minus me. You are the fool. Not me.

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JuTMSY4Legend

606 days ago

Score 0

So you agree the players deserve a piece of the pie?

Tyrone, in all seriousness, you're a little jaded by your city...

My buddy, born and bred in massachusetts has no idea how the other (baseball) half lives...I explained to him that in most cities, you can usually walk up to the park and buy a ticket...boston is an exception, not the rule...

This applies to Chicago (cubs) I assume...of course, they also have their own ticket scalper thing (which is total bullshit)...

But now his movie to Milwaukee and I told him..."soon you'll understand what i mean...enjoy $10 brewers tickets, it'll be fun"

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RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

606 days ago

Score 0

Didn't the owners try to keep down player salaries once? I think they called it collusion.

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