A word on Mayberry
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A word on Mayberry
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The volume of questions about John Mayberry Jr. has expanded in recent days. The majority sound something like this: "Should we worry?"
If it's spring stats that make you worry, then absolutely not.
Yes, Mayberry is tied for the team lead in Grapefruit League at-bats with 68 and he is currently toting a .191/.247/.250 slash line. He's 13 for 68 and four of those hits are doubles. He has no home runs and has struck out 10 times with five walks.
It hasn't been pretty; few times has Mayberry squared up the ball.
But how soon we forget Ben Francisco. Certainly you'll remember Francisco began 2011 as the Phillies starting right fielder. He came to camp with purpose and it showed. He batted .361/.439/.667 in 72 Grapefruit League at-bats. Eleven of his 26 hits were for extra bases, including a team-leading five home runs.
By the end of May, of course, Francisco was on the bench. From April 1 to May 20, Francisco hit .221/.331/.368 in 136 at-bats. On May 21, Domonic Brown was recalled from triple-A Lehigh Valley to assume the majority of playing time. Later, Hunter Pence filled right field.
This is a roundabout way of stating the irrelevancy of spring stats. Sure, they sometimes are a tool for teams to make roster decisions. But, mostly, a spring won't make or break a player.
Now, back to that question: Should you worry? There should be trepidation. Even if Mayberry was hitting .600 with seven home runs this spring, there would still be pause. The Phillies have no clue what to expect from Mayberry. His second half in 2011 was a revelation, but hardly a coronation. Before spring training started, we examined why it was impossible to be sold on Mayberry as an everyday player. None of that changes with a good or bad spring.
And it's this writer's opinion that Mayberry is the most important offensive piece in a new Phillies reality that excludes Ryan Howard and Chase Utley.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
My concern is that big league pitchers have big league breaking pitches, and Mayberry can look very foolish when facing them. I guess that's why we hang onto Dom Brown. If we could clone Mayberry's defense, baserunning and attitude into Brown's swing, we'd really have something.— eman- Then you have to worry about the whole team, except Polanco and Ruiz, among the regulars, and they have been rested, while guys who had almost no shot of winning a spot coming into Spring Training are leading or among the leaders in a lot of offensive categories: Podsednik, Luna, Galvis and Montañez. Even Kratz is hitting .400 and tied for second in HR.— EL Zorro
- He is a utility player. He has major offensive holes like the majority of the hitters. The offense shas been bad the past few seasons. It has gotten worse. It could be a very frustrating season. You must score to win. Two runs won't get it done.— wmontanez27
- Mayberry stinks.— spittooncj
- I’m more worried about Bastardo lack of velocity/health, Contreras health and the struggles of Michael Stutes. Mayberry can give you steady defense wherever you put him and he’ll hit a lot better that what he’s showing right now. I would rather see him struggle now. I’m more worried that with a few days to start the season this team still has some decisions to make. It’s Luna or Orr for the last INF utility spot or Pierre and Pods for the 5th OF position? How about Montañez? Which tell you how serious the situation is for this WS contending team that with a few days away from the opener we have so many unanswered questions and these veterans and career minor leaguers are getting a serious look down the stretch. Even Raul Valdes, a Mets reject, could figure into the bullpen as a LH reliever as well. Oh, Wigginton, Nix and Thome figure to to get a lot of playing time to start the season. The defense when you have to use some of those guys mentioned above. That’s a bigger concern, IMO. Can Polanco stay healthy? Mayberry is the least of our worries.— EL Zorro
- What a bunch of handwringers.— Russ
- EZ sums it up pretty well; but then it is Spring training; when the $#@! hits the fan April 5th, we will start to know what is really going on...— M60tanker
- Why worry about spring training numbers anyway. The great baseball minds that run this team do not pay any attention to them anyway. This spring the most over powering lefty out of the pen will pitch in AAA and the leading hitter is not likely even to make the team. That's the real story line.— Dull
- "The offense shas been bad the past few seasons."
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Hmm... Phillies rank in scoring, and vs. the NL average:
2007: 1st, 17% over the average
2008: 2(T), 9% over
2009: 1, 14% over
2010: 2, 10% over
2011: 7, 7% over
2011: 1, 12% over (after Utley returned in May)— schmenkman - It's only Spring..................................It's October
No Playoffs, No WS No Problem.— Phil Lee - Mayberry has new pressure on him as the starting left fielder plus he's been filling in at first. A big change from being a career minor leaguer. I think he will play well, he's a smart kid. He's proven he can field and hit in the majors.— Barneyboy
- Hand wringers ???? Yea probably but while many of us were complaining ALL LAST YEAR about the lack of hitting.....and the lack of hitting the year before against the Giants in the playoffs.....and the year before that against the Yankees............you can call it WHINING OR HANDWRINGING..........and you can remain as optimistic as you like.....but ask yourself one question.....with all the moaning and handwringing that many of us do regarding this team and all of their enormous expectations WERE WE WRONG ????— klew
- Sign Derrick Lee and let him play 1B. Pods should make the team and give you a leadoff batter and play a good LF. Move Rollins to the third slot in the lineup and let him swing away. Send JP packing and play Wiggington at 3B, move PP to 2nd, and let Galvis come in for defense. Viola. One signing and a couple shifts around the lineup card and we're back on track.— World
- The only way Galvis stays up is to play regularly. Your plan projects him as a utility guy. The team will pursue an infielder off of waivers before Galvis plays a supporting role. I could see the team doing what you propose but it would involve Freddie at AA/AAA.
— Cakes - There are certain dead fastball hitters that can't afford to watch one go by, no matter what the count is. Most pitchers telegraph when they are going to throw fastballs compared to breaking balls. Only the greatest pitchers can hide it. Mayberry, Howard, and others have to attack that fastball. Too many times last year I watched these guys take a fastball right down the pipe. Then go chasing.— Ron
