What do the latest roster cuts mean for the Opening Day roster?
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What do the latest roster cuts mean for the Opening Day roster?
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
In case you have not heard, the Phillies have trimmed three more players from their spring training roster, assigning veteran righthanders Brian Sanches and Scott Elarton to the minors and optioning lefty Jake Diekman. All three pitchers are expected to open up the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
The cuts bring the total number of players in major league camp down to 37. One of those players is righthander Justin De Fratus, who is certain to the start the season in the minor leagues, assuming he does not start it on the disabled list as he continues to work his way back from a bout with elbow soreness that sunk his spring.
None of the roster cuts come as a surprise. Sanches and Elarton will be depth guys at Lehigh Valley, while Diekman could end up being this year's Mike Stutes. He struck out nine and walked one while allowing just one unearned run in five innings, putting himself in position for a potential call-up should the Phillies suffer an injury in the back end of their bullpen, particularly if that injury afflicts Antonio Bastardo.
First, the players still in camp:
REGULARS (8):
- SS Jimmy Rollins
- 3B Placido Polanco
- CF Shane Victorino
- RF Hunter Pence
- LF John Mayberry Jr.
- 1B Ty Wigginton
- C Carlos Ruiz
- 2B Freddy Galvis
- RHP Roy Halladay
- LHP Cliff Lee
- LHP Cole Hamels
- RHP Vance Worley
- RHP Joe Blanton
- 1B/LHB Jim Thome
- C/LHB Brian Schneider
- LF/1B/LHB Laynce Nix
- RHP Jonathan Papelbon
- LHP Antonio Bastado
- RHP Jose Contreras
- RHP Chad Qualls
- RHP Kyle Kendrick
- RHP Mike Stutes
- OF/LHB Scott Podsednik
- OF/LHB Juan Pierre
- OF/RHB Lou Montanez
- 2B/3B/LHB Pete Orr
- 1B/3B/RHB Hector Luna
- LHP Joe Savery
- LHP Raul Valdes
- RHP David Herndon
- C/LHB Erik Kratz
- C/RHP Tuffy Gosewisch
- C Tim Kennelly
- 2B Chase Utley
- 1B Ryan Howard
- UTIL Michael Martinez
- RHP Justin De Fratus
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You have Wigginton in there twice... Once at 1B and once on the bench...— PhillyFan127- You've discovered RAJ's plan for infield depth: They've cloned Ty Wigginton. Murphy was going to break the story later. — s
- Lefty Valdes has to make the team as the "Baez" heritage replacement. Dubee wants to please the GM. How many games have they ever played with an 11 man pitching staff? You don't keep two players if any of them with the same skill set such as Pierre and Pods. Erik Kratz has been the best right handed pinch hitter in the spring going 3 for 4 with a home run.— Dull
- Agree, Kratz should be kept. He can catch half the time, with Chooch at 3B & Polly at 2d, will be less wear & tear on Ruiz's body, we need his bat in there as often as possible to give a modicum of relief to the anemia of the offense. Galvis needs to be at AAA.— princeton22
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- Any ability that Juan can provide, would be preferable, and an improvement over any coaching skill.
— Phiggles - with Utley, Howard and Martinez on the DL, unless they make a trade, Pierre, Podsednik and Orr will probably be on the roster opening day.— pbuscio
- KRATZ HAS POP. Schneider don't— stoky
- Diekman should be on yhis roster— WFChamps
- Pods should make it...much better hitter than stinkin Pierre...he's washed up.— mbutley
- The problem with Pierre versus Pods is Pierre can walk if he's not on the roster by March 30th. Podsednik has until June 1 -- he can play in the minors until then. The Phillies may want to see Pierre in some real games rather than just letting him walk. Remember that a lot of decisions come down to contracts and minor league options since contracts are guaranteed.— s
- I don't see them starting with a 6 man bullpen, I would say either Herndon or Savery make the team (or Herndon in place of Stutes. Let's face it Stutes had like 3 good months, he is not an established quantity). Plus Pierre, plus a Utility man TBD.— Phils Phan 28
- Kratz is a no brainer. Schneider is worse than terrible and Kratz has absolutely earned the right to be the everyday backup for the Phils. His average is 400, Schnider is 200. How many players are batting 400???
Kratz should have that spot unless hitting, getting on base, throwing from behind the plate and being a solid defensive catcher do not matter...than just keep that waste Schneider.— kelprod2 - Do the Phillies really believe Blanton is a starter?
I watched him against the Sox yesterday, and he had nothing. If they're going to make Blanton the starter, they might as well concede every 5th game before they start.
Kendrick is a better pitcher than Blanton, and he's a loyal soldier. He would be my choice as the 5th starter.— fmMD
