Cody Asche rejoins Phillies
Cody Asche's minor-league stint ended on Friday morning as the third baseman turned left fielder was recalled to the Phillies.
Cody Asche said he was bitter for a few days earlier this month after the Phillies sent him to triple-A Lehigh Valley. He said he was bitter about being sent down. And Asche was bitter about changing positions.
Asche said it was "human nature" to feel like that. The Phillies sent the third baseman to the minors to transition to the outfield. He returned Friday morning and started the night's game in left field. Ben Revere moved over to right field and Odubel Herrera remained in center.
"You kind of feel like you failed a little bit," Asche said. "But the more you sit back and reflect on it, that's not the case. You have to look at it as an opportunity and once I really got over that hurdle I was able to have a little more clarity with what was going on and how I was going to become a better baseball player."
Asche said he came to the ballpark on Friday like it was a normal day. He had more nerves before his first triple-A game, Asche said. He played 15 games with the IronPigs. The stint, Asche said, felt like two months. Asche spent his afternoons working with outfield coordinator Andy Abad and IronPigs manager Dave Brundage. He made one error in 24 chances.
"Now to get that experience and do it here at the major-league level is a whole different thing," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "But I think getting those basics out of the way and getting his feet wet, I think that gives him a good chance."
Friday night's outfield presented three fielders playing a position that was pretty much foreign to them before this season. Herrera is a converted second baseman. Revere had played most of his career in center before moving to left during spring training. Sandberg said Revere is flexible and good fill-in at center. He has experience at all three positions. The manager said Herrera is a "plus" on defense.
One of the biggest parts of the transition to the outfield, Asche said, was being so far away from the action. He played his entire career at third base. Asche was right on top of every pitch. Asche said sometimes an outfielder can feel like they're not in the game as much. Another challenge, Asche said, was the running.
"And then it was a little bit of a shock to the legs," Asche said. "I didn't really think outfielders ran that much, but I was wrong."
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