Manuel eager to watch Ruf this spring
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Manuel eager to watch Ruf this spring
Bob Brookover, Inquirer Baseball Columnist
It remains to be seen who will be most impacted by the late offseason addition of right fielder Delmon Young, because that's the sort of thing that gets sorted out in spring training.
Do the Phillies carry 11 pitchers, opening the door for six infielders and six outfielders? Does it cost an outfielder a job? Does it mean Darin Ruf opens the season at triple-A Lehigh Valley, a stop he skipped on the way to the big leagues last September?
These and other answers will be revealed under the swaying palm trees of Florida's Gulf Coast when the Phillies report to Clearwater, Fla. in two weeks.
What we can tell you on a morning that had a wintery mix here in Philadelphia is that manager Charlie Manuel remains enamored with Ruf.
"We got a situation in the outfield that is going to be good, especially with Ruf," Manuel said without being asked about the power-hitting outfielder recently. "He could make it real interesting."
Those words jarred Manuel's memory from his days in Cleveland. He recalled the time when Indians general manager John Hart acquired Ruben Amaro Jr. from the Phillies in exchange for Heathcliff Slocumb.
"John Hart and I talked and we thought that Ruben and Wayne Kirby were going to be platooning in right field," Manuel said. "The only trouble was a guy by the name of Manny Ramirez came by at the age of 19 or 20 years old.
"So you get what I'm talking about with Ruf? Ruf might be ready."
It's a stretch to compare Ruf to Ramirez for a number of reasons. Ramirez was a first-round pick who was expected to become a star player and did. A year ago at this time, Ruf still wasn't on the radar as a prospect.
Ruf, a 20th-round pick in 2009, didn't reach the big leagues until the age of 25.
Regardless, it's clear that Manuel has an open mind about who will be his opening-day left fielder and that's good news for the kid who powered his way into the picture a year ago.
This makes me happy. Say what you will about Cholly, but he knows hitting when he sees it, and me thinks he really likes what he sees in Ruf. I agree 100%, if that's the case.— The Pack Leader- exposed, Ruf "didn't exactly tear the league up when he was called up?" In 12 games, he had 37 plate appearances, 11 hits, 2 doubles, 1 triple,
3 homers, 10 RBIs, a .333 BA, .351 OPB, .727 slugging average, 1.079 OPS and 1.000 fielding %. Although, this is a relatively small sample size, it is statistically significant. What's more, Ruf hit the most home runs in the minor leagues last year with 38 and, before he left winter ball in Venezuala prior to the end of the season, he was on track to set a new home run record there as well. He hit 8 homers in his first 14 games in Venezuala and also another 4 homers in 2 days there. The bottom line here is that this kid is a legitimate slugger who has learned how to hit home runs wherever he goes. As far as your comment about his not tearing the league up in September, trust me - he did. What does all this mean? A lot. Ruf broke the Phillies minor league home run record last season. The guy who previously hit the most minor home runs for the Phils was Ryan Howard. The past is prologue and, just as Howard's Phillie minor league home run records presaged his success as a major league home run hitter, so too will Ruf's.— onthebucks - I am starting to think "onthebucks" also works for the Phillies ... warbiscuit -- will you please investigate these fraudsters?!?— Copper34
I just hope he doesn't platoon Ruf. I'd like to see him get a good shot at 250-300 at-bats before any judgement is made. I like this kid.— John621- Darin. Please, please, please be the real thing!— ACBaughman
- Brookover, the question is...do we GIVE a f...k what Chollie the Rhesus Monkey brained field manager who is the perennial laughing stock of the Major Leagues says, about anything?! As long as this Appalachian troglodyte continues to influence decisions and blunder along as a disastrous field manager, the Phils have no chance unless, there are zero injuries, Halliday comes back, Lee & Hamels pitch to Cy Young stats, Howard & Utley have stellar years, Papelbon, Bastardo and Adams slam the door, Young rebounds at third base and either Brown, Ruf or the other no-names explode as viable impact hitting outfielders and one of them wins the triple crown. Short of that, Cholly's imbecilic laughable moves or line up changes will sink the Phallicies into competing with the Marlins and Mets for basement honors.— daystrum
- hitting guru Magoo is a sly old dog ... there is no doubt he reads these comments, and makes public responses to try to tamp down the fires. Here's he's trying to paint himself as pro-Ruf. This could simply be propaganda. Must wait for Ruf's first 0-10 and see. Let's hope Magoo doesn't obsess on pulling the ball and change Ruf's natural power to the alleys swing.
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— Quixote II - I hope the best for Ruf, but Ruf and Ramirez in the same sentence? Pass the Kool-Aid Charlie.— s
- PhilliesSubsMac, why the know-it-all condescending attitude all the time? Why do you continually root for failure? Ruf happens to be a great kid who deserves our best wishes and support. You are the posterboy for what ails Philly fans.— Russ
- He seems like a nice kid, but the scouting reports on him aren't exactly promising. He played a couple of years older than most of the players at his level last year, expecting him to contribute at the big league level is a real stretch (and I think the organization knows it).— Jeff Dowder
- If someone disagrees with Copper, they work for the Phillies. No exceptions.— cloudkitt
- Actually, Copper34 IS Warbiscuit. Notice how he refers to himself to back-up his negative, angry, senseless, drivel-based rants. I truly look forward to seeing some winning baseball and watching these scared, negative little whiners slink back into the darkness. — The Pack Leader
- Wayne Kirby would have made an excellent GM, but unfortunately we endednup with the other guy,— NewMick314
