Franco 'no slam dunk' to make Phillies, Amaro says

PHOENIX - Maikel Franco is off to a great start with his winter league team in the Dominican Republic, but general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. made it clear that he will need to do a lot more than that to earn a spot on the Phillies' opening-day roster.

"It's important for us for him to play well," Amaro said Wednesday at the general managers meetings. "It's important for him to play the kind of baseball we need him to play to give himself a chance to be on our club next year. He's no slam dunk to make our club."

Through his first 13 games with the Gigantes del Cibao, Franco hit .302 with four home runs and 14 RBIs. In a game Monday, he slammed a couple of home runs.

"Defensively, he's ready to play," Amaro said. "That's not a problem. But as Charlie Manuel says all the time, 'You have to be awfully good to be an everyday major-league player.' When he's ready to do that, he will be in the big leagues and he'll be in the big leagues hopefully to stay."

Amaro also praised Cody Asche's rookie season, which saw the 24-year-old third baseman hit .252 with 25 doubles, 10 home runs and 46 RBIs.

"I would say Cody is going to be our third baseman," Amaro said. "I think it's his to have and to lose as far as where it stands right now. Cody has actually done very well. Cody had a very good rookie season."

Amaro said lefthander Cliff Lee, who was shut down with an elbow injury for the final two months of the 2014 season, will begin his offseason throwing program later this month. The general manager conceded the Phillies will not know anything for certain until Lee starts throwing off a mound in spring training.