David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
I’m supposed to complete all of my stories for our Opening Day preview section and send them to my sports editor today, which means I am just now getting to work on them (hi Chuck!). Because I have spent the last 40 some odd days watching Phillies baseball and talking to Phillies people, it is sometimes difficult to view the team in a greater context. As I noted last week, Domonic Brown and Ryan Howard have both produced tremendous spring trainings, which might lead me to believe that people are selling this lineup short. Except Freddie Freeman and B.J. Upton have both had tremendous spring trainings as well. So have Lucas Duda and Colin Cowgill. And Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford. Anyway, you get the idea.
I’ve learned in the past that spring training really doesn’t mean anything beyond what your eyes tell you, and because my eyes have seen little beyond the Phillies, it probably is not in my best interest to base much of my prognostication on spring training (except Josh Johnson. He looked awesome and I drafted him way early in my fantasy baseball draft).
So anyway, I am in the process of going position-by-position and lineup-by-lineup in attempt to recalibrate my mind. I figure I might as well provide running updates of my progress.
Philly.com Sports
The Daily News' Ryan Lawrence takes your Phillies questions in a live chat, beginning at noon on Wednesday.
On a mobile device? Click HERE to follow along and submit questions.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
The Phillies have released righthander Aaron Cook, who was eligible for a $100,000 bonus if he accepted an assignment to the minor leagues. Assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said the Phillies decided on their own to release Cook rather than pay him the bonus.
Cook, a veteran sinkerballer who has struggled the last couple of season, posted a 3.38 ERA in six spring outings. As usual, his strikeout numbers were low (five in 18 2/3 innings, against four walks).
Cook did not have an obvious spot on the big league roster. His departure leaves the Phillies without a veteran starter at Triple-A. The move would seem to indicate that promising lefty Adam Morgan will start the season at Triple-A along with righties Jonathan Pettibone and perhaps Ethan Martin. Righthander Tyler Cloyd is on the 40-man roster and started a handful of games last season and provides added depth.
Ryan Lawrence, Daily News Staff Writer
Although no official Opening Day roster has been set, Freddy Galvis has a job. His spot was all but guaranteed when veteran infielder Yuniesky Betancourt was released on Sunday.
Galvis might need to invest in a new glove before Monday's opener though.
For the second time in four days, Galvis is playing the outfield. After playing in right for a few innings on Saturday, Galvis is starting in left field on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
The hits kept on coming. And coming. And coming. The Toronto Blue Jays' new-look lineup lived up to its billing against Phillies lefty John Lannan, who allowed 12 runs in four innings of work in his final Grapefruit League start.
Lannan allowed two home runs to Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia and a triple to Jose Reyes as Toronto finished with six extra base hits against him.
Lannan, who will enter the season as the Phillies No. 5 starter, had pitched relatively well up until Monday afternoon's start.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Charlie Manuel's batting order has been a topic of conversation throughout spring training, and with one week to go before the regular season it still isn't clear if he has made up his mind on how to handle the leadoff spot that for the last decade has been manned by Jimmy Rollins. Rollins and speedy center fielder Ben Revere have been rotating in the spot the last few days, with one player batting first and the other batting second. Today, against righthander Josh Johnson, Rollins is leading off with Revere batting second. Yesterday, it was reversed, as it will be tomorrow against the Rays. This past Friday, Rollins hit leadoff and Revere hit second.
A lot depends on where Manuel decides to hit Chase Utley. He has been hitting third, with Ryan Howard hitting fourth. If that continues to be the case, then it would make sense to have Rollins hit second to avoid hitting three lefties in a row (Revere-Utley-Howard), although the switch-hitting Rollins has struggled from the right side of the plate the last couple of seasons.
Here's today's lineup against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, where Phillippe Aumont is scheduled to pitch at some point in one of his final chances to impress the coaching staff.
- Jimmy Rollins SS
- Ben Revere CF
- Chase Utley DH
- Ryan Howard 1B
- Michael Young 3B
- Dom Brown RF
- John Mayberry Jr. LF
- Kevin Frandsen 2B
- Erik Kratz C
- Revere
- Rollins
- Utley
- Howard
- Brown
- Frandsen
- Orr
- Galvis
- Quintero
Ryan Lawrence, Daily News Staff Writer
The Phillies do not have to put together their final, 25-man roster for Opening Day for another week. But a clause in veteran infielder Yuniesky Betancourt's contract forced them into action on Sunday.
As a result, the makeup of the bench became somewhat clearer.
Following Sunday's game, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced the team had released Betancourt, thus opening the likely door for Freddy Galvis on the roster.
Ryan Lawrence, Daily News Staff Writer
If you looked at the box score, you might be concerned about Roy Halladay.
Of the 18 batters he faced in a minor league game in Clearwater on Saturday, he retired just seven. He gave up two sharply hit doubles in four innings, walked two more and hit a batter.
Three runs crossed the plate.
Ryan Lawrence, Daily News Staff Writer
Darin Ruf will not be on the Phillies' Opening Day roster.
Less than a half hour after hitting a walk-off home run to lead the Phillies to a 7-6 win over the Braves, Ruf was called into the manager's office where he was told he was heading to minor league camp. Ruf will begin the 2013 season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
"I need to get out there and play left field on a daily basis," Ruf said.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
No team in the Grapefruit League has scored more than the Braves' 147 runs. By itself, that doesn't really mean anything. It might not mean anything even when you consider the fact that, last spring, they scored just 125 runs in 33 spring games. But if we are operating on the assumptions that big springs by Domonic Brown and Ryan Howard portend good things, we should also acknowledge the following numbers. . .
Freddie Freeman: .373/.397/.780, seven home runs, 59 ABs
Justin Upton: .286/.344/.589, five home runs, 56 ABs
