2018 Phillies Spring Training News/Notes/Discussion

[zambonir]

Florimon is apparently out of options which I didn't realize so I'd say he's in pretty good shape (though certainly we've seen people in that role get DFA'd, cleared and called back up in the past).

Full count: Implications of Phillies' Eickhoff starting...

[LoneStarPhan]

There was some talk of a fifth bench player starting the season until they need a fifth starter.

I saw Cozzens in one at bat Wednesday at the complex. He took 3 pitches, all called strikes. That said, I agree that he should be given a chance to play but it may be his last chance, at least in this organization.

[zambonir]

I'm sure there will be a 5th bench player but I don't think they will want to squander a 40-man spot on that player. Or trade a month of Eickhoff for two weeks of a pinch-hitter. If it were me I'd just call up Rupp (for the bat) or Valentin (for the glove).

Now, if for some reason Eickhoff turns out to be hurt worse, his 60-day spot would be timed perfectly for Kingery.

[allentown]

I agree that he should be given a chance to play but it may be his last chance, at least in this organization.

I'm not sure what this means. I don't want Cozens on the Phillies bench -- not good for his development or the team, but it's not like he's costing playing time at Allentown for likelier prospects. I'm not at all sure he'll be costing a significant prospect playing time in 2019, either. Cozens has tremendous power, which is a reason to be patient, just as he needs to be a lot more patient and selective at the plate. While Haseley and Moniak could find themselves in Allentown in 2019, Ortiz and Randolph won't.

[Austinfan]

Watching Velasquez today, he might be behind more pitchers than you think.
FB was 94-96, explosive but he struggles to locate. Explosive low in the zone but flattens when he elevates.
Slider was 84-86, decent break but too many were high in the K-zone.
Curve in the low 80s, more of a show me pitch.
Tried a few changeups then gave them up.
60 pitches in 2 2/3 innings. 5H, 5K.

Ramos has a real nice curve.
Milner k'd the side, showed his new curve ball and it wasn't bad.
Leiter struggled with location and got hit.
Neris looked like he was ready for the season to start.
Aruna looked like he's already got his Lehigh apartment lined up.

[julio]

Philadelphia Phillies (Phillies)

[Jazzhead]

Two errors for Florimon this afternoon, along with a double. I suspect Flaherty (who has also hit a double) has the inside track on the roster spot.

[Jazzhead]

Franco's hit the ball hard a couple times today with nothing to show for it. Now he turns on one and sends it screaming into the seats. 7-6 Phils. Good game.

[donaldorc]

And they won 10-6. Braves pitching was pretty sloppy in the later innings. The Phillies just a little less so.

[Austinfan]

Flaherty didn't show much fielding 2B, turned two outs into hits.

Eflin was throwing 94-95 with movement, good slider but I didn't see a changeup or curve (unless that was the 84 slider instead of the 87 slider). You can see he's stronger, but I think he'll need time to smooth out his new mechanics, he's not used to using his legs in his delivery. I can see him in AAA for a couple months then coming up and taking someone's job.

Garcia and Hunter look ready.
Windle, meh, Frazier meh.
Davis surprised me with his lack of velocity, 90-91, thought he'd add something in the pen, good sweeping breaking ball to LH hitters.

[tom81]

I agree that Eflin will get better as the season progresses as he gets used to his new mechanics. It will be interesting to see where the team decides for him to do it. They could decide that he can make that adjustment at the MLB level. They may think he is a better pitcher now than some of the other choices for the rotation and that he gives them their best shot of winning now even though he is still working on things. They may feel he is capable of making those adjustments at the MLB level.

They could have him or someone else as the 5th starter and not have him on the opening day roster. They don’t need a 5th starter till the 17th so they may keep that pitcher in AAA to keep him stretched out and keep an extra reliever because Arrieta probably won’t be pitching deep into his first few starts.

[Austinfan]

Turns out the reason I didn't see a change or curve is Eflin is working on his slider, and just kept throwing them - which points out why you need to take ST statistics with a bag of salt.

94-95 with better movement and an improved slider to go with a changeup and curve, we'll see, but that could be a nice package.

[zambonir]

I guess I would take Lively over Eflin short-term. Eflin's pitching fully healthy for the first time, apparently has things to work on, is younger, and only has 100 innings at AAA in two seasons. While I'm not really sold on Lively long-term, he is older, has twice as many AAA innings, can't really pitch any better there than he already did, and has the best major league track record.

Thompson is kind of the wild card. He could also be the extra reliever for the first three weeks or even someone who is specifically slated to pitch two innings for Arrieta's first two starts. But if they don't take a 5th starter they might take a hitter, given they were already gonna have bigger bullpen.

[DurhamBull]

Kingery starting at 3B today. Already has a hit.

[zambonir]

If you go to Phillies.com there are stories suggesting Valentin and Eflin have the inside track on making the team (the Inquirer has said as much about Eflin too).

Also, Gillick came out and basically he didn't think this year's team would make the playoffs, revisiting his original comments about 2018/2019. His take is that there are too many young players who might be struggling/adjusting, which is fair enough, but...

[Slinging_Southpaw]

Times up!! I'm guessing, Tommy Joseph is now going through waivers.

[David_Criss]

Arrieta isn't going to be ready the first week, maybe not even the second and that is okay as a fifth starter isn't needed until week 3. This is about the time I think we could see some real interesting moves - Is Kingery playing 3B at AAA and Franco still struggling come April 13? Franco has had more at bats than anyone this Spring.

I can see the first two turns through the rotation looking like Nola, Velasquez, Lively and ? - Eflin and Pivetta should start at AAA - notice I said start not end there - Leiter is heading to the pen when looking at how he has been used this Spring. Anyone know why we haven't seen more from Eshleman? Hutchison could be the fourth starter. I think the first two weeks of the season can be used as a Spring training extension if you will with Hutchison and Flaherty making the team to buy just a little more time with the pitching prospects and Valentin, Quinn, Kingery, etc.

[phillychuck]

Hutchison and Eshelman would require 40-man roster moves which the Phils will probably delay, unless they put Eichkoff on the 60-day DL.

[rkeden]

Does Flaherty make the team over Valentin? I really like the pop in Valentin's bat. For a guy who isn't huge, he really drives the ball and that could be useful on our short (no pun intended) bench.

[andyb]

Players ready to crush their 2018 projections

ESPN picks Alfaro here. Basically says the power tool is there even if he did not show too much last year in AAA. He is having a decent Spring.