2023 Phils Spring Training News and Discussion

Rojas had a minor shoulder injury in the AFL but he went home early for personal reasons. He is supposed to be fine for Spring Training. I think Muzziotti is also fine though his injury and knee surgery was more serious (partially torn right patellar tendon).

I am actually surprised there are not a few more position player names. Certainly there is at least one bench spot up for grabs if not two (if they want more defense instead of Hall on the roster).

Kingery has a real shot at making the team I think unless they bring in more AAAA players. Fun fact - If Kingery makes the team we could actually keep him for 2 more years at a modest cost beyond 2023 which is the last year of his contract. He has lost so much major league service time that all we need to do for him is decline his options and offer him arbitration. He probably would be a small arbitration award no matter what he did if it was in a utility role.

I think they struggled to find people to come and compete, and from an internal prospect side there isn't anyone who has a realistic chance of making the team. I would expect we will see Carlos De La Cruz over from minor league camp, but he is almost certainly going to get more reps and hands on dev on that side of things (and already is because he is at the high performance camp).

All 40 man players are automatically invited so that means Rojas, Jhailyn Ortiz, Kody Clemens, Jake Cave are there in addition to Hall and Guthrie and the names mentioned in above posts. Rojas also briefly appeared in the Dominican Winter League, so he is definitely healthy.

The bench will have 5 spots if we include the DH position and initially slot Schwarber and Castellanos in the outfield positions.

Locks: Stubbs (L), Sosa (R)
Likely: Guthrie (R)
Probable: Hall (L)
Possible: Cave (L), Clemens (L), Kingery (R)

I suppose 3 catchers would be possible if they committed to playing JT at 1B or DH more often but I don't expect that. Guthrie gets the likely nod because of speed and flexibility on defense (and being right handed). I have to think Cave is more likely than Clemens because we really don't need Clemens to play defense with Sosa and Guthrie on the roster. Kingery is not on the 40 so would need multiple things to happen to make the team.

Anyone else we should think about other than the last week of camp trade that sometimes happens as all teams cut down? I guess the case for Clemens is better if the team plans to sit Bohm more often and wants a left-handed bat at 3B.

Kingery has absolutely no chance of making the roster in a reasonable world. Anything he would do in spring training would have to be compared to the miserable numbers he has posted in AAA over the last few seasons. The AAA numbers are a larger sample size and are against pitchers actually trying to get him out, rather than guys working on their fastballs. He'd have to hit .450 with a 1100 OPS in a lot of spring ABs, and I'd still be skeptical. I like the guy, but he forgot how to play somewhere a long the line. Never really showed he could hit MLB pitching and stay in the strike zone (probably related).

The counter with Kingery is that his second half last season was pretty good. 762 OPS from July 1 on. He had a solid walk rate the entire year (54 BB in 366 PA). 18 for 20 stealing bases. Decent defense in both infield and outfield.

Guthrie is ahead of him, but Hall does not offer the defensive ability and both Cave and Clemens have significant questions also.

He won't make the team out of Spring Training unless somebody like Guthrie gets hurt, but the argument to put him on the roster is not awful if you compare him to the current competition. I think the odds are better than 50-50 that he spends at least half the season in the majors. Not 100%, but the opportunity is out there.

Well, Paleolithic, but I don’t know about the rest!

Definitely unlikely, but if he comes up and puts up a 725 OPS as a capable supersub and his arbitration estimate is like $1.5 million - that might be more worthwhile then a free agent. Just saying it is possible though not likely. It is all predicated on playing well. I do come back to his minor league career and it was usually the second time through a level where his walk rate improved. He never got the AAA reps to master that level too and the majors proved too difficult at the time. His walk rate got decidedly better in AAA last year. Does that mean he has improved? Hard to say. AAA ain't the majors, but an improved walk rate is usually a good sign.

I'll give the counter-argument against Kingery. He's 28 years old, there is little chance for future improvement. His strike-out rate for LV last season was 30%, and he doesn't hit for consistent power. Defensively, he can stand in a lot of positions and give you average or just below average defense; the only position where he is a "plus" is 2B. If the team is making a decision on him based on some sort of "he's been hampered by illness and injuries for years; he's finally reaching his potential", they can't base it on Spring Training where he'll be seeing more fastballs from not-yet-fully-conditioned arms, and AAA arms. I'd rather take a shot with Clemens or Cave. If he tears up AAA sometime in the first half of the season I'll reevaluate then, not before.

An example "freely available" player who was on the market this year and just signed is Cesar Hernandez (ex-Phillie, too). He projects to about 1-1.5 fWAR if used in a bench role this season, can credibly play 3B and stand at SS and CF. For this season I'd prefer him substantially to Kingery. I honestly think there are a lot better solutions to the bench job we are discussing than SK.

Hernandez will make $1.5 million though and the past 2 seasons has been under 1.0 WAR. Kingery is a sunk cost. Clearly he'll have to win a job by playing well and whether he can do that is not certain, but there really is not much separating him from Dalton Guthrie who is almost as old (27). Guthrie was a bit better last season but not dramatically better.

Kingery costs us nothing. If he plays well (thinking AAA rather than Spring Training) he should get a chance. Maybe there are waiver type acquisitions better than both Guthrie and Kingery but it is not as if either of them is really that great.

Agree. Although, $1.5M is a rounding error in our budget!

I do think it is 50-50 we'll make a small deal for another team's minor league free agent that is getting cut before opening day to serve primarily as a pinch hitter and outfield reserve. I know we will not pinch hit much for any of the 8 presumed starters other than Marsh, but most managers do like that veteran presence on the bench. Maybe Thomson is secure enough to be different, but on keeping a veteran reserve pinch hitter (the Matt Joyce if he could still actually hit role) I tend to think he will prefer having that security blanket.

Guthrie is really the 3rd spot and Hall the 4th.

I am assuming Sosa will just play a great deal until Harper comes back. Against all left-handed pitching certainly though unclear which LH bat gets to sit. Marsh sits if they play Guthrie more. Stott might sit some as well.

None of this is that important really. I'd probably have 14 pitchers and 12 hitters if MLB still allowed it. The last man on the bench will just not play that much.

I think it is basically Cave vs Clemens. Kingery only if somebody gets hurt.

That is why the trade scenario is possible since none of them are really that good. Muzziotti does not really makes sense because he is another left-handed CF and also really needs a few healthy months of plate appearances.

I agree that Kingery will need to show consistency in AAA to be considered for a call up later in the season if a need arises.