Phils' job battles getting underway

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Let's be honest with ourselves. After 12 days of bullpen sessions, batting practices and fielding drills, we possess very little knowledge with regard to this Phillies team that we did not bring with us to Florida.

That might suggest a bit of disingenuity on the part of a media corps that has suckered you into reading its dispatches over the past couple of weeks, but we've done our best to cull what little substance exists in these early days of camp.

We've verified the existence of Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, in the process witnessing the reason for the hesitation that has been present in the front office's public assessments of the Cuban righthander throughout most of the winter. We've learned that Jonathan Pettibone and Cole Hamels are both behind schedule, and that Chad Gaudin is, according to the team, not physically fit to be a Phillie. And we've laid eyes on the sleek-and-healthy frame of Ryan Howard that we heard so much about.

Still, we'll leave it to first-year pitching coach Bob McClure to remind us of the caveat attached to everything that you have read and heard and watched thus far.

"I've seen guys who are great in sides and BP but they can't get my mom out," he said yesterday.

While McClure's mom - a switch-hitter with more power from the right side, he says - is not expected to be in uniform for today's intrasquad scrimmage, the 58 players in major league camp will be, and thus the real evaluation process will begin.

The Phillies have a pretty good idea of what their Opening Day roster will look like. Barring injuries, the lineup is set with Ben Revere in centerfield, Jimmy Rollins at shortstop, Chase Utley at second base, Ryan Howard at first base, Marlon Byrd in rightfield, Domonic Brown in leftfield, Carlos Ruiz at catcher, and Cody Asche at third base. Every indication from manager Ryne Sandberg holds that to be the batting order you should expect for Opening Day in Arlington, Texas, not including the designated hitter. On the mound facing Yu Darvish will, in all likelihood, be Cliff Lee. After that, it will be A.J. Burnett, followed by Kyle Kendrick, followed by Roberto Hernandez. Backing up Ruiz will be Wil Nieves. The utility infielder will be Freddy Galvis. In the bullpen: Jonathan Papelbon, Antonio Bastardo and Jake Diekman.

For those scoring at home, that's 17 jobs that are locked up, with Hamels and setup man Mike Adams expected to join the pitching staff at some point in April.

The moral of the story is that there are jobs to be won. Kevin Frandsen and John Mayberry Jr. would seem to have the inside track on two of the remaining three bench jobs, thanks to the fact that their salaries are guaranteed ($900,000 for Frandsen, $1.59 million for Mayberry).

But that would mean Darin Ruf starting the season at Triple A Lehigh Valley, stripping the big-league club of a righthanded power bat to pair with Howard and Brown. The third bench spot will almost certainly go to a lefty bat (Bobby Abreu is the front-runner).

If Ruf has a big spring training, he could force the Phillies to contemplate parting ways with Frandsen, whose defensive capabilities at second and third base are trumped by Galvis.

The club could also look to move Mayberry, either via trade or by exposing him to waivers. If Mayberry cleared waivers, the Phillies could send him to Triple A, where he would provide them with depth at first base and all three outfield positions, albeit at a relatively steep price.

The pecking order of the bullpen and the back of the rotation is also subject to sorting out. The Phillies do not need a fifth starter until April 14, by which point Hamels could be ready to rejoin the club. But they will need a fill-in at some point.

Righthander Ethan Martin will get a long look. Gonzalez, El Hombre Misterioso, also will have plenty of opportunities to pitch his way into the mix. Beyond those two, little-known righty David Buchanan, who went 4-2 with a 3.00 ERA, 5.1 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and 0.5 HR/9 in six starts at Triple A Lehigh Valley at the end of last season, will get a look. Martin and Buchanan are both scheduled to pitch two innings in today's scrimmage.

Lefty Jesse Biddle, the organization's top pitching prospect, is not in the mix, and will need a dynamite 3-month stretch in the minors to even warrant consideration for a post-All-Star-break promotion. Right now, the odds are on 2015 for his MLB debut.

If Martin is unable to convince the Phillies that he can contribute as a starter, he could factor into the bullpen, where he made a handful of solid appearances at the end of last season. He is among a number of players who are competing for the final three or four spots behind Papelbon, Bastardo and Diekman. Righthander Brad Lincoln will receive plenty of benefit of the doubt because he is out of options and seems likely to be claimed if exposed to waivers. The handicappers would likely have Martin and righthander Justin De Fratus following Lincoln, but both are susceptible should the Phillies see a strong spring from any of the following: lefty Jeremy Horst and righties Phillippe Aumont, Mike Stutes and B.J. Rosenberg.

All of the above will be in action over the next few days. Let the games begin.

Blog: ph.ly/HighCheese