Projecting the Phillies’ Opening Day roster

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Monday was Day 6 of spring training when, for the first time, hitters faced pitchers in live batting practice sessions. The exercise sounds a lot cooler on paper than in practice. Many of the hitters did not swing the bat, instead using the session to stand in the box and get acclimated to recognizing and timing pitches. The younger guys tend to be less patient.

Will Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown be on the Opening Day roster? (Yong Kim/Staff Photographer)Read more

by By David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer | Columnist

Published Feb. 19, 2013, 1:45 a.m. ET

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Monday was Day 6 of spring training when, for the first time, hitters faced pitchers in live batting practice sessions. The exercise sounds a lot cooler on paper than in practice. Many of the hitters did not swing the bat, instead using the session to stand in the box and get acclimated to recognizing and timing pitches. The younger guys tend to be less patient.

Throughout the spring, we'll take a stab at projecting what the 25-man Opening Day roster will look like. What follows is our first attempt.

STARTING LINEUP

(With odds of making roster/DL)

PlayerPos. Pct.

1. Jimmy Rollins. . . SS 100%

2. Michael Young. . . 3B 100%

3. Chase Utley. . . 2B 100%

4. Ryan Howard. . . 1B 100%

5. Darin Ruf. . . LF 60%

6. Domonic Brown. . . RF 65%

7. Erik Kratz. . . C 95%

8. Ben Revere. . . CF 100%

STARTING ROTATION

PlayerThrows Pct.

1. Cole Hamels. . . LHP 100%

2. Roy Halladay. . . RHP 100%

3. Cliff Lee. . . LHP 100%

4. Kyle Kendrick. . . RHP 100%

5. John Lannan. . . LHP 95%

BULLPEN

PlayerThrows Pos. Pct.

1. Jonathan Papelbon. . . RH Closer 100%

2. Mike Adams. . . RH Setup 100%

3. Antonio Bastardo. . . LH Setup 98%

4. Chad Durbin. . . RH Middle 100%

5. Jeremy Horst. . . LH Middle 75%

6. Justin De Fratus. . . RH Middle 50%

7. Raul Valdes. . . LH Middle 50%

BENCH

PlayerPos. Bats Pct.

1. Laynce Nix. . . OF-1B LH 95%

2. Kevin Frandsen. . . 3B-2B RH 95%

3. Humberto Quintero. . . C RH 50%

4. Freddy Galvis. . . SS-2B-3B SH 70%

5. John Mayberry Jr.. . . OF-1B RH 80%

DISABLED LIST

PlayerPos. Bats Pct.

1. Delmon Young. . . OF RH 100%

Breakdown

The Phillies sound as if they expect Delmon Young to begin the season on the disabled list, which takes some drama out of an intense outfield battle . . . John Mayberry Jr. seems likely to make the team as he is out of options and is one of the few members of the organization with major league experience in centerfield, although Laynce Nix has played the position and Rule 5 pick Ender Inciarte will try to give the Phillies a difficult decision on Mayberry . . . Young starting the season on the DL would leave the last few spots in the bullpen as the tightest roster battle. Mike Stutes, Jake Diekman and Phillippe Aumont would be the last three players off the roster in this scenario.