Your '09 Phillies
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Your '09 Phillies
Todd Zolecki
Chase Utley looks to be in serious pain. Actually, he's just acting.
The Phillies later today will introduce Raul Ibanez as their new leftfielder.
It is expected to be their last "major" announcement before spring training in February. If you want to know how your 2009 Phillies will look, take a look at today's roster:
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Catchers: Chris Coste, Ronny Paulino and Carlos Ruiz.
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Infielders: Eric Bruntlett, Greg Dobbs, Pedro Feliz, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley.
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Outfielders: Raul Ibanez, Geoff Jenkins, Matt Stairs, Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth.
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Rotation: Joe Blanton, Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer and Brett Myers. Drew Carpenter, Carlos Carrasco, J.A. Happ, Kyle Kendrick and Chan Ho Park are expected to be candidates for the rotation's fifth spot.
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Bullpen: Clay Condrey, Chad Durbin, Scott Eyre, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, Park and J.C. Romero.
Between today and spring training the Phillies are expected to make Park's signing official. (He is scheduled to take his physical next month.) They also could try to add a righthanded bat to the bench because the Phillies currently have three lefthanded ones: Dobbs, Jenkins and Stairs. If the Phillies added a righthanded bat, they could move Jenkins or Stairs to help make it happen. Other than that, I think the Phillies' off-season business is mostly finished. Of course, something could pop up, but I don't see the Phillies making any major changes right now.
Storylines in spring training -- in terms of roster spots -- should be pretty clear at this point:
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Coste and Paulino will compete to be Ruiz's back up. Lou Marson is expected to open the season in triple-A Lehigh Valley, but if he has an awesome spring he could force Charlie Manuel to give him serious consideration. The Florida Marlins have some interest in Coste, which is worth watching. I suppose the Phillies could keep Coste and Paulino, but I'm not sure how that would work. Marson clearly is the franchise's catcher of the future and I'm sure they want him playing every day in Lehigh Valley. I can't imagine the Phillies would have Coste or Paulino play a reserve role in the minors, know what I mean?
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Bruntlett and Jason Donald will man the fort at second base until Utley is ready to play.
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Several pitchers are going to compete for the fifth's starter's job. A lot of people have been asking if there is a favorite. I think Happ and Kendrick have the early edge because of their experience. I think the Phillies might prefer to see Carrasco gain a little more experience in Lehigh Valley, but if he pitches great in Clearwater he could force the Phillies to make a decision on him. I think Park will get a look at the rotation, but I feel his future is in the bullpen. He is a nice option should one of the regular starters miss a start or two, but I think they want him in the bullpen because he can pitch multiple innings. The Phillies have been trying to give away Adam Eaton this winter, so I don't think he has a chance to make the team. If he is in camp, I think it will be to showcase him for a trade.
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If the Phillies add a righthanded bat and don't clear room for him, there could be a battle for a bench spot.
Obviously, there are other things that could develop -- injuries, etc. -- but those seem to be the most obvious at the moment. The bullpen is pretty much set, assuming Park is in the bullpen. If he somehow makes the rotation, that would open up a bullpen job.
"We have as good a chance of repeating a world championship as anybody," Moyer said yesterday. "It's going to be a competitive race. I'm not going out predicting that we are going to win, but we have as good a chance as any other club out there. It's not like we've lost four or five players to free agency and key players and things like that."
"I think that we're pretty good," Manuel said.
Agree?
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Comments (76)
toccheyhockey: Please learn to count. We will only carry 12 pitchers. Starters are: Joe Blanton, Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer and Brett Myers + Whomever wins the 5th spot. Relievers are: Clay Condrey, Chad Durbin, Scott Eyre, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, Park and J.C. Romero. 5 Starters and 7 relievers are 12. If you'd read Todd's blog you'd have seen this for yourself and not have made a stupid posting.— jeff gross- Jeff - I think we can generally do without the insults. Unless its Truth, there really isn't much need for it.— Gary Varsho
- I think we'll have another right-handed bat come April and I think it will come at the expense of Stairs, he's easier to move. Unless I'm overwhelmed in a trade I keep whatever three out of Carpenter/Carrasco/Happ/Kendrick that do not get the #5 job at AAA. We're going to need the pitching depth at some point during the season, it's a nice commodity to have.— KMG
- Stank - Does that name originate from your prognostication abilties? The Mets were favored the last seasons!!! Choke, choke, cough, cough!!! Your pre-season prediction is as worthless as the Mets bullpen. Here's two locks for you : 1) K-Rod will blow at least two saves to Phils and will have season-ending shoulder surgery by the All-Star and 2) The Yankees will once again be the laughing stock of baseball with their ridiculous spening spree (Carl Pavano, anyone?).— mphils
- Gary: In general I agree with you regarding insults, but I can't stand the one time posters who don't bother to read the blog before posting their comments. Todd lists the 25 man roster and the areas where we have more then one player for a posistion. how he got to a 13 man pitching staff only he knows.....— jeff gross
- mphils, do not feed the trolls. If we all ignore them, they will go away. There's no need to fuel the fire of hate and negativity. We're World F'n Champions. We can FINALLY stroke our chins and look down our noses at the rest of the country, especially the teams that play juuuuust outside of New York City, without joining their flame war.— Sully
Comment removed.- I looked at Carpenters stats today for the first time..WOW..his ERA at all levels is Hamelsesque..have any of you seen him pitch in person, Zo? I had no idea he was mowing people down that much..interesting.— philsfan in the atx
- didderbops: While Werth is the best power option, Feliz can hit for power (se 2 years ago in SF) and so can Rollins and Vic when batting from Right side. That said, I wouldn't mind exchanging Stairs for his right-handed twin— jeff gross
- jeff: It was a simple counting error on my part, I fully admit that. And I read the blog, pal. I come on here to read the blogs and share thoughts with fellow fans, not to insult fellow fans as you do. Next time you refer to our ace as "Hammel", I'll be sure to mention it. Go Phils and Merry Christmas.— toccheyhockey
- I wouldn't mind trading Pedro Feliz for a 3B who actually swings a third baseman's bat. I know it's not nice to pick on the guy who plays nice defense and knocked in the Series clinching run, but still, .249/.302/.402 w/ 14 HR, 58 RBI is unacceptable for a corner-IF who put up better power numbers in a pitcher's park his whole career. Those numbers are David Bell-esque.— RollinsWasRight
- I'll be the first one to admit I can't type to save my life. In fact, I've asked for spell check on this blog countless times. I'm sorry if I insulted you, but since Todd listed name by name every player with a chance to make teh roster, and what his posistion will be, I had a hard time understanding how you could get to 13 pitchers. In any case, have a great holiday and I hope we all get a second WS championship to put under our trees— jeff gross
- RWR: go back a year to when Feliz was in SF. his numbers were fine. I think that he was suffering from his back most of the year and it affected his swing. Lets give him the benifit of the doubt and see how he does this year (contract year). I'm hoping that Donald learns the corner in AAA and is the future. Imagine a infield of all home grown talent. What a sight that would be— jeff gross
- the mets have a history of signing big name pitchers and gaining little or nothing from those signings. pitching and defense wins and the phillies have both. injuries of course change the best of plans and the phillies are starting out with a key injury (chase).— JACK V
- Sully: "Do not feed the trolls"...LOL!!! You are absolutely right! What was I thinking? We answer to no one now!!!— mphils
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The Phillies Zone is the place for up-to-the-minute Phillies coverage from the Inquirer.
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