Breakout Performances from Phillies’ First Two Weeks of Spring Training

It’s already been a long spring for the Philadelphia Phillies, and it may be the start of an unbearably long season. While spring training usually isn’t a full indication of the regular season to come, all games are taken into account by some measure.

At this point in time, the Phillies’ spring training record is 4-10. They’re the worst team in the Grapefruit League, the worst National League team in spring training and the second-worst team in baseball this spring. Only the 3-9 Texas Rangers are worse. Simply put, spring has been a disaster for the Phillies thus far.

The offense has not looked sharp. The rotation continues to thin out due to injuries. And while bullpen pitching has been surprisingly decent, the relievers have had their moments of surrendering hits and runs.

However, there have been a few bright spots worth mentioning. Here are the breakout performances from the Phillies’ first two weeks of spring training games.

Begin Slideshow

Ryne Sandberg Already Picking the Wrong Battles as Philadelphia Phillies Manager

Ryne Sandberg waited a very long time to become a major league manager. So you can understand that, finally having the chance to run a club from the beginning of a season, he would want to do things his way.

But Sandberg‘s way this week was the wrong way.

Depending on whether you believe him or not, Sandberg‘s decision to rest Jimmy Rollins for three consecutive days this week in favor of proven reserve Freddy Galvis was either necessary rest for a veteran player, or a message.

As is his wont, Rollins ran his mouth earlier in the week when his slow start (and his team’s) was brought up in his earshot.

“Who cares,” Rollins said, according to Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News. Perhaps to soften his tone, Rollins followed that sharp remark with this: “You come (to Clearwater) and you work towards getting ready for the start of the season. Then, when the season starts, things matter.”

In the days that followed Rollins’ latest sermon on the meaning of spring training baseball, it seemed that maybe Sandberg only heard Rollins’ first two words.

The day after Rollins’ apathetic quote, Lawrence wrote the following:

Sandberg was asked whether Galvis could compete with Rollins for playing time in 2014.

‘Freddy’s a guy that will get playing time at various positions,’ Sandberg said. ‘He’s a guy that I like in the lineup. I feel good about what he brings to the table. The biggest thing, I like his energy and his positive influence that he sets out there. He’s a positive influence on everybody around him.’

And what have you thought about Jimmy in that regard this spring?

‘Uh, no comment,’ Sandberg said.

Sandberg‘s Fifth Amendment take, combined with Rollins’ ongoing ride on the Phillies bench, sent the bored baseball media into full controversy speculation mode.

Leading the charge was ESPN.com’s (subscription required) Buster Olney, who wrote that “Sandberg, a Hall of Famer himself, has shown that he is not accepting the status quo, and the numbers on the back of a baseball card don’t necessarily guarantee anybody playing time.”

Sandberg has since let a lot of the air out of this balloon, saying today, according to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, that his “no comment” was the wrong move. “I would like to have not said that and expand on what Jimmy has to offer and what he means to the ballclub,” Sandberg explained.

In retrospect, this dust-up will easily be forgotten, assuming there are no further fireworks between manager and player.

But Sandberg was wrong to ever pick this fight in the first place.

For one thing, Rollins is the Phillies’ only legitimate option at shortstop in 2014. Galvis cannot hit enough to start at the position, and the minor league shortstops in Philadelphia’s minor league system are years away from the big club.

For another, even if Sandberg thought he could live with Galvis, he could never survive having a benched Rollins lingering in the dugout like a decomposing corpse (only mouthier).

And since Rollins notoriously has 10-and-5 rights, there is no guarantee that Sandberg could rid himself of the incumbent shortstop via trade, even if he found a taker.

In law school, professors teach you early never to ask a question you do not already know the answer to.

A corollary for Sandberg going forward should be never to pick a fight he cannot possibly hope to win.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Predicting the Outcome of Growing Jimmy Rollins vs. Ryne Sandberg Phillies Feud

The Philadelphia Phillies have committed to a number of veterans over the past few years, opting to retain their in-house talent in hopes of making one last run at contention, rather than blowing things up and rebuilding like some believe they should.

Among those retained veterans was shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who signed a three-year, $33 million extension prior to the 2012 season that includes an $11 million vesting option for 2015.

Now, it appears that the 35-year-old Rollins is butting heads with manager Ryne Sandberg this spring. Could this be the beginning of the end for the long-time Phillies star?

The former NL MVP was out of the lineup on Tuesday and Wednesday and is not listed among the Phillies starters for a televised home game against the New York Yankees on Thursday, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.

As the article notes, Rollins was among a number of Phillies in camp dealing with a stomach bug, but when asked if anything was wrong with him on Wednesday Sandberg claimed he was fine.

The most telling quote of the day had to do with Rollins’ backup Freddy Galvis, when Sandberg was asked if he could push Rollins for the starting job:

Freddy’s a guy that will get playing time at various positions. He’s a guy that I like in the lineup. I felt good about what he brings to the table. The biggest thing I like is his energy and his positive influence, his positive influence on everyone around him.

After that, Sandberg was asked how he feels about Rollins in the same regard and he responded with a short and sweet “no comment,” raising more than a few eyebrows.

Rollins responded to this, and it sounds like the tension is not going away anytime soon (h/t to Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News):

Neither player has been impressive so far this spring and this could simply be a matter of Sandberg trying to light a fire under Rollins.

On the other hand, getting the 24-year-old Galvis into the everyday lineup would certainly bring some much-needed youth.

This could simply be a matter of a single quote being over-analyzed, but it at least begs the question if there could be something bigger at play here. Could the team look to move on from Rollins after 14 seasons?

Rollins saw his name come up in trade rumors this offseason and the club was reportedly “very willing” to listen to offers on him, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.

Those rumors were at least somewhat put to rest when Rollins indicated he would likely be unwilling to waive his 10-5 rights, according to another article from Salisbury back in February:

I’m not planning on waiving my no-trade clause. My plan is to bring a championship back here, to be honest. So until something else happens and the situation presents itself where it may help the team, then I’ll think about it. But until then there’s nothing to think about.

Could a trip to Sandberg’s doghouse be exactly the situation Rollins needs to consider waiving his no-trade rights? Time will tell, but this is certainly something worth keeping an eye on over the next couple weeks as we push ever closer to Opening Day.

There would certainly be some teams interested in acquiring Rollins if he were made available and was willing to move.

He is not the superstar player he once was, but he was still a productive option last year, hitting .252/.318/.348 with 36 doubles, six home runs and 22 stolen bases.

On top of those numbers, he is also still a solid defensive option, though not with the same range he once had, and a good clubhouse guy.

The New York Mets immediately come to mind as a team that is in serious need of a shortstop upgrade, but it’s hard to imagine the Phillies making a move in-division.

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers could use infield depth, but would Rollins accept a diminished role for a chance to be a piece of one of those contenders? It’s all hypotheticals and questions at this point, but it’s an interesting storyline this spring nonetheless.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies Spring Training Stock Watch: Who Is Rising, Falling

Last week in this space my message was that the negative perception of the Phillies by the team’s fans and the Philadelphia media probably was overblown.

In the past week, the Phillies have done everything in their power to prove that the fans and the media were right all along.

Look at this list of spring training results.

Thanks to the phenomenon that is the spring training tie, the Phillies are 1-4-2 in their last seven and 2-10-2 overall.

Despite these ugly numbers, quite a few of the Phillies are on the rise based on their individual statistics.

But a few of them are falling like a skydiver with a faulty ripcord.

Begin Slideshow

Predicting the Phillies’ Starting Lineup Halfway Through Spring Training

The Philadelphia Phillies have not exactly been dominating the competition as of yet, but we can already start to put together a little bit of a picture of what might happen during the regular season.

The lineup is starting to become a little bit more regular, and we can understand a little bit more about the way Ryne Sandberg is going to put together his lineup.

Although this certainly could change over the next few weeks, here is my personal prediction of how the Philadelphia lineup will look on Opening Day.

Begin Slideshow

Bobby Abreu Making It Tough for Philadelphia Phillies to Cut Him

The phrase “age before beauty” can be applied to the decision that the Philadelphia Phillies will have to make on veteran outfielder Bobby Abreu. The former All-Star has an opt-out clause in his minor league contract that allows Abreu to be granted his release if he is not placed on the Phillies’ MLB roster by March 26.

Abreu spent nine of his 17 major league seasons with Philadelphia. Before sitting out last season, he spent time with the Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros.

Abreu, 39, hit .322 with three homers, 28 RBI and a .877 OPS in 50 games in the Venezuelan League this winter, which was a big reason why Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. wanted to take a look at him.

Early on in spring training, Abreu is hitting .133 in 21 plate appearances. A veteran with two hits this spring doesn’t look like a good option to have on the bench heading into 2014. However, Abreu still does one thing very well, which he’s done his entire career—he gets on base.

Abreu currently has five walks in those 21 plate appearances, giving him a .381 on-base percentage. The veteran outfielder is a .292 career hitter but is also the owner of a .396 career OBP, which ranks among the top 100 all time, according to Baseball Reference.

Philadelphia has struggled getting guys on base over the last couple of seasons, which is part of the reason the Phillies have struggled so much offensively. This is why Abreu made it past the team’s first cuts of the spring. Knowing this, manager Ryne Sandberg will be able to get more looks at Abreu as the spring progresses.

In fact, Abreu is making an impression on the Hall of Fame player, now manager.

“He’s having quality at-bats,” Sandberg said to CSN Philly’s Jim Salisbury. “He’s battling pitchers. He’s been a base runner quite often.”

Abreu is replicating on the field what Sandberg has been preaching since he was given the managerial job. Getting on base as well as running the bases effectively are important parts of the game. From day one, Sandberg preached this method.

Now Abreu, a proven veteran, is proving why Sandberg‘s message makes sense for the Phillies.

“Working counts and getting on base is a big part of the game,” he said in the same interview with CSN Philly. “I just try to put the ball in play and if they don’t throw me a strike, I don’t swing.”

So what should Phillies fans look for from Abreu until a decision needs to be made?

Expect him to go out and have quality at-bats. Be sure to not put an emphasis on the batting average. Instead, look at the amount of pitches he is seeing per at-bat. Look at his OBP, see if he still has a keen eye at the plate.

If Abreu can play acceptable defense and continue to have a consistent arm in the outfield, then the coaching staff will need to put Abreu on the MLB roster. He would likely be their go-to, left-handed bat off of the bench as well as a designated hitter during interleague play.

Abreu is making it tough for the Phillies to cut him, which is not a bad thing for a determined ballclub. 

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies Finding an Embarrassment of Riches in Bullpen

The Philadelphia Phillies are dealing with some problems right now. Their lineup cannot hit, their ace is dealing with shoulder tendonitis and the team is a combined 1-8 this spring. All of those things have put Philadelphia in a state of shock and worry for the upcoming season.

There has been a bright spot, though—actually a few bright spots—for the 2014 Phillies. The Philadelphia bullpen looks like it will be the team’s biggest asset after years of inconsistency.

The last time Philadelphia had a consistent bullpen? 2008.

Obviously, the 2008 Phillies were a different ballclub and had other strong points, but being able to have reliability in relief makes manager Ryne Sandberg’s job easier. Early in spring training, the Phillies are finding an embarrassment of riches in their bullpen.

Jonathan Papelbon, Antonio Bastardo and Mike Adams are the household names that the Philadelphia faithful know, and they are prepared to anchor the back end of the pen. But these five players could round out a bullpen that could have a chance to be one of the best in the National League if its production remains consistent.

 

Jake Diekman

Jake Diekman made his MLB debut in May 2012, immediately making an impact. Diekman struck out three batters in 1.1 innings pitched. He was arguably on of the Phils‘ best pitchers in the bullpen, going 1-4 with a 2.58 ERA in 45 appearances last season.

The mid- to upper-90 mph-throwing left-hander struck out 41 hitters through 38.1 innings pitched with the Phillies in 2013. Diekman, 27, held left-handed hitters to a .148 batting average with a .221 on-base percentage as well.

He jokingly attributed his success to chewing bubblegum on the mound, telling CSN Philly’s Jim Salisbury that the gum makes him “think less” on the mound.

So far this spring, Diekman has given up two runs but has struck out three hitters in three innings of work. The Phillies bullpen could use a hard-throwing lefty in late-game situations. Diekman could be the man for the job.

 

Brad Lincoln

General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. was looking to build depth in the pen at the beginning of the offseason. As a result, he traded catcher Erik Kratz to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for right-handed reliever Brad Lincoln.

Lincoln was one of the reasons the Pittsburgh Pirates were competitive in 2012, going 3-0 with a 2.80 ERA in 47 relief appearances. But he struggled in 2013, posting a 4.77 ERA in 46 games. However, the 28-year-old reliever is confident that he will get back to the basics. 

He sat down with Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News to discuss the the transition from life with the Pittsburgh Pirates to Toronto.

“I never felt that comfort after I got traded,” Lincoln said. “I don’t know if it was because of the new surroundings, feeling you have to impress a whole different group or something like that. I don’t know. It just hadn’t worked out. But I’m looking forward to turning it around.”

To start the spring, Lincoln has yet to give up an earned run in his 3.2 innings of work. The Phillies like his body of work, and it could make him a viable lock to make the Opening Day roster.

 

Sean O’Sullivan

In December, the Phillies brought in right-hander Sean O’Sullivan as a non-roster invitee for the spring. O’Sullivan has been short of disappointing thus far. In 5.0 innings of work, the right-hander has only allowed three hits while striking out five hitters.

With Cole Hamels dealing with an injury, O’Sullivan could find himself as one of the long men in the bullpen. He could also split time as the fifth starter if needed.

 

David Buchanan

David Buchanan is the wild card for the Phillies bullpen. The right-hander was a Rule 5 selection by Philadelphia back in December. Buchanan, 24, has made 79 starts in the minor leagues, but only six have come with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

If the Phillies were to keep him with the club, they would have a pitcher who is effective on the mound, getting hitters to ground out. In a hitter’s ballpark, that is the type of production Philadelphia needs. Look for Buchanan to find a job as a long reliever.

 

Jeff Manship

Jeff Manship has been impressive in the minor leagues, but a 6.42 ERA in 52 career big league appearances should be something to worry about.

Manship is vying to add depth to the Phillies pen, especially in a fifth- or sixth-inning role. He currently has been lights-out this spring in the bullpen. 

As you can see, the Phillies bullpen has more depth than it has had in a long time. Though it is early in spring training, the Phillies’ bright spot has been the arms coming out of the bullpen. The health of the starting rotation is in question, but these players can fill voids. If there is one key to Philadelphia’s 2014 success, the consistency of their pen is it.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Cole Hamels’ Injury Should Scare Philadelphia Phillies Fans

2008 World Series MVP and Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels has been sidelined with shoulder tendinitis, putting him behind schedule in getting ready for the 2014 MLB season.

The injury has gone from having a positive outlook to being a cause for concern in a matter of a few weeks. Hamels’ health should scare fans in the Philadelphia area.

Hamels spoke to CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury about progressing with his rehab on February 23:

“I’m feeling like my body is ready to make a big jump. I feel right where I usually am about Feb. 1 going into spring training. That’s about the time I’m usually ready for my first ‘pen. I’m happy where I am.”

On Thursday, March 6, however, Hamels spoke to the Philadelphia Daily News‘ Ryan Lawrence. The injury has began taking a turn for the worst:

I believe I threw 35 pitches. To my body it felt like a thousand. I think I pushed it a little too hard too quickly. And I wasn’t able to recover the way I obviously use to or would be accustomed to. I didn’t feel like it was safe to push it in that direction because I think that would have led to injuries. So I’m just really trying to allow my body to catch up. I’m trying to build the biggest base of strength that I possibly can to throw. And in the short period that I have had, I wasn’t able to build it the best I could to face hitters.

To top it off, the Phillies’ starting rotation is not panning out to what it was projected to be. Hamels was supposed to anchor a rotation that featured innings-eater A.J. Burnett, former Cy Young winner Cliff Lee, Kyle Kendrick and a combination of veteran Roberto Hernandez and offseason acquisition Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez.

Lee has been impressive in his brief stint this spring.

Burnett surrendered six runs on seven hits in three innings of work on Friday afternoon against the Baltimore Orioles.

Kendrick bounced back after a rough first appearance against the New York Yankees.

Hernandez has been decent, and Gonzalez has struggled mightily, which has created room for speculating if he is good enough to be in the starting rotation come April.

Where do the 1-8 Phillies go from here if Hamels can’t be ready until April or later and the rotation is undecided?

There was also a report from The Boston Globe‘s Nick Cafardo, regarding the status of free-agent starting pitcher Ervin Santana:

Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer later refuted the original report via Twitter:

But should Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. take a look at the veteran starter?

Santana is reportedly looking for a one-year deal from a ballclub prior to Opening Day, according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (h/t MLB Trade Rumors). Signing him to a deal would cost the team a draft pick.

The team could also look to youth in the rotation, but again, there are not many positives to consider.

Jonathan Pettibone went 5-4 with a 4.04 ERA in 18 starts during the 2013 season for Philadelphia. David Buchanan, a Rule 5 pick from December, is impressing on the mound but has made only six starts at Triple-A Lehigh Valley prior to this season. Jeff Manship has started 10 games in his major league career and owns a 6.42 ERA. Ethan Martin went down with an injury the first day of spring training.

What originally started out as a minor injury, resulting in a few missed starts, has turned into a major scare for the Phillies.

A team that needs a plethora of things to pan out has experienced failure from the rotation early on. There are a bunch of “ifs” to help fill the voids, but zero reliability. Because of these reasons, the city of Philadelphia should be concerned with the health of its ace.

The team’s success dwindles along with Hamels’ shoulder.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

5 Philadelphia Phillies Turning Heads Early at Spring Training

The pessimism around the Philadelphia Phillies, particularly among the team’s fans, has probably gone too far.

Sports talk radio in town cannot get anyone interested in talking about the Phillies because there just does not seem to be that much to talk about. The Phillies are an old team that got older in free agency.

The Phillies are also stuck in the National League East with two teams (Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals) that look to be demonstrably better than they are.

Still, the negativity feels incorrectly unchecked. The Phillies won only 73 games in 2013. They should be better in 2014, though that may not be saying all that much.

But isn’t getting better the whole point?

Here are five Phillies doing their part early in spring training to get people in Philadelphia talking about the baseball team again.

Begin Slideshow

Debate: Predict the Phillies’ Starting Rotation Order

With spring training officially underway, what will the Phillies‘ starting rotation order look like in the regular season? 

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

« Previous Page — Next Page »