2023 Phils Spring Training News and Discussion

[LoneStarPhan]

The fact that Kingery is NOT on the 40 man roster is a huge plus for the Phillies. Unless Kingery is viewed by management as clearly above the others trying for the final roster spots, then it is very advantageous to keep him off the 40 man roster and play him in AAA. IMO, he needs a couple very good months in AAA before he should be considered for a return to the majors. IF Kingery is doing well in AAA and a need comes up, as is always likely with injuries, then consider bringing him up. In the meantime, let others (Cave, Clemens, Guthrie, Hall) fill the active ML roster as needed and don't lose another player from the 40 man roster to rush Kingery back.; Kingery needs to play every day in AAA and prove if is truly ready before moving him to the majors and to the 40 man roster.

It sure would be great if he does come back and prove he deserves to be in the majors. I wish him the best.

[zambonir]

I've practically forgotten about Clemens, who also seems like the same guy as Kingery (yeah, he followed a more traditional development path and put up some good numbers, but he cratered in the bigs).

Look, I get it, Scott Kingery put up an absolutely horrifying OPS in 2020, but it was still .788 in 2019. Only .710 in that second half as he began to show those holes, but that's still better than most of the Phillies bench last year (Camargo, Munoz, Vierling, Herrera) to say nothing of Stott and Castellanos... and Bohm and Segura weren't all that much better.

Any of these bench candidates beyond Hall are going to give you that .700 OPS and serviceable defense; Kingery is tantalizing because he might still be able to do better on both ends. Jake Cave is probably who his baseball card says he is, Guthrie is an apparent non-prospect to some (per recent discussion in that thread) who is only one year younger than Kingery and Clemens needs AAA time himself.

[andyb]

The Athletic here values Aaron Nola highly (like $32 million a year). Suggests maybe the Phillies would stretch a deal to 8 years and $200 million to get the AAV down. On the other hand they think Hoskins is more in the 4/60 extension range.

MLB Contract Extension Week: What will it take to keep Aaron Nola and other...

[andyb]

Bad day for the fringe LHPs trying to make the team. Losing badly to the Braves 10-2. Sanchez gives up 4 and Vasquez 3. Only bright spot a Castellanos HR.

And small injury news again from the WBC.

BREAKING-

Team #Israel has removed C/3B Garrett Stubbs from their WBC roster and have added his brother C/UTIL C.J, Stubbs as his replacement.

Garrett did not play yesterday because of knee soreness and is now out for the tournament. #WorldBaseballClassic

— Noah Berger🧩 ( @Trainboy100 ) March 14, 2023

Looks like Suarez threw this morning and is still possible for his first start. Fun fact, CJ Stubbs is Garrett's younger brother and is also a catcher in the minors. But he is 6'3" and Garrett is only 5'10" (and really looks like he could be 5'9"). CJ hit 21 HRs last year in only 271 ABs.

A little more here on Stubbs.

Garrett Stubbs is rejoining the team. He has right knee irritation, according to Rob Thomson. He said they don’t think it’s serious, but he will receive imaging tomorrow.

— Todd Zolecki ( @ToddZolecki ) March 14, 2023

[zambonir]

Well, I guess we can slow our roll not only on Kingery, but Guthrie?

The Phillies, according to major-league sources, have told other teams they are looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder for a backup role.

Phillies have 2 weeks to determine what back of rotation looks like

[Austinfan]

Keeping their options open, I'd think they'd want a cheap one year deal, given the kids at Lehigh this summer, and the need to control salary,

[zambonir]

Well it's the middle of spring training, it would likely be someone on a minor league deal or someone still in arbitration... though that would seem to just get you more of what you already have. Given Harrison can play the corners and Kingery and Guthrie are also both RHBs I would think they're looking for a RH Bradley Zimmer or Trevor Jankowski - someone who is absolutely a CF. I believe Cave actually has the most experience there, but still more at the corners, and of course he can't spell Marsh against RHP. Seems like this also means they've decided they'd rather not put Sosa out there.

But yeah looking is also not the same as doing.

[andyb]

Well, I guess we can slow our roll not only on Kingery, but Guthrie?

I guess this is not surprising. This team has had a tendency to look around for a veteran that can fit that last slot on the bench for, like, forever. Guthrie is probably not considered a great defensive CF, maybe not even an average one. And he has not hit this spring. Kingery probably has better tools defensively and is a little faster, but as others have said, really should prove it a month or two longer.

It probably does not matter on a team that is not salary limited. In hindsight maybe they should have signed a CF instead of Harrison who is there really for the clubhouse (and is not needed to potentially platoon with Stott since Sosa is better there).

Remember we also likely have 2 open 40-man spots assuming Vasquez does not make the team. We don't need one for Painter any more. We'll quickly use one for Song but then potentially shift him to the 60-day IL (don't want him stretching that back out in cold, cold Jersey Shore or Reading or Lehigh Valley!). We'll use one with Harper if we need it.

Marsh is not lighting it up in Spring Training also like Guthrie. Adding a right-handed CF bat could be as much about him as it is about Guthrie.

[zambonir]

Yeah, especially given how little Harrison has really played the OF he's still a weird signing. He's probably not better than Castellanos defensively (simply for not having played the position much) and Schwarber is not going to get that many days off. He offers no platoon advantage for RF, 3B or 1B. And Sosa is a better choice for 2B and 3B.

He's a 2021 National League player, really. I guess his main role may yet be DH - or to play 3B, 1B or possibly RF when those guys DH.

Still think the rotation depth is worth watching/worrying about.

Will also be real interesting if the Phillies did put Song on the 60-day. My impression is they still hope to get him back in action sooner than that (this says he was going to be reevaluated yesterday) though so long as he isn't deemed ready to pitch in a real game I suppose he's technically still injured.

Inside the Phillies’ plan for Noah Song, the naval flight officer and pitcher...

[andyb]

With Song they will use the full 30-day minor league injury rehab, so putting him on the 60-day IL at the start of the season (which is when he needs to be on the 40) would still let him start his minor league rehab in late April. I imagine Song could also pitch in extended Spring Training games before his rehab clock is up, though that could get dicey if the Phillies are trying to get him more rehab time.

It really feels like Song came back throwing 90-92 as opposed to 95-97 also. Which is completely understandable with the time off and nobody may know how much more there is in the short term. By next year I imagine he'll be back to his former velocity but for this year all bets are off.

[Austinfan]

To be useful at the back of the pen, he just needs to get back to 95 with one average secondary pitch.
He's not going to be used in high leverage situations.

[gmwannabe]

Nola looking pretty good against the yankees. but what the heck. I hope this is a Yankees feed because 90% of the talk is about the yankees. Now Nola with a very good fourth. he looks ready to go.
gm

[andyb]

Looking more like Marte will make the team. Sanchez is shut down with a triceps injury and Nelson has a hamstring. I guess Vasquez has a shot with his lack of options, but he really needs to pitch well first.

[zambonir]

They'd really be in trouble if Ranger (or anyone else) can't go.

[LoneStarPhan]

Phillies playing at the Tigers tonight. Wheeler pitches 4.1 innings, one run, 3 hits, one walk, 5 strikeouts. Pitch count after a K in the fifth inning was at 66. Looks like he is progressing well toward opening day.

Phillies lead 6-1 when Jeremy Walker comes in to pitch for the Phillies in the 5th.

Hall with a two run home run. Stott lead off the game with a homer and has 2 hits so far. Haley also with a solo home run. Clemens with a 2 RBI single.

UPDATE: Final,
Phillies 10-12-0
Tigers 1-5-0

Cade Fergus hit a grand slam in the top of the ninth for the final 4 runs.
Not many "regulars" playing tonight. Stott did lead off and went 3 for 4 with a home run.

[andyb]

One small thing I suspected from this article on Strahm. The Phillies had the lowest number of 4+ out relief appearances in the majors last season. Some of that is due of course from getting starting pitchers to go deeper in games, but I think it was also a weakness of our hard throwing bullpen.

Getting more multi-inning outings will lead to fewer overall outings from some relievers and that would be a good thing. It is also nice to have a LHP that does that since most of the starters are right-handed.

Matt Strahm and the Phillies' pitching puzzle: Fireman? Starter? 'Swiss Army...

[Aquapong]

Phils vs Jays on St Patty’s Day.

Rhys w/ a homer early. Rincones Jr misplays a ball in LF in the 5th leading to the Jays second run. Then he came back and made up for it in the bottom of the inning w/ a 2 run hr.

[andyb]

Nice easy swing for Rincones. Not that great a pitch of course. Rincones is one of our big unknowns. He gets ranked in the bottom of our top 10 by most people. Just need to see him actually play.

. @GaBeRincones homers to gives the @Phillies the lead against the Blue Jays in Spring Training! pic.twitter.com/tusTwO9rGj

— Phillies Player Development ( @PhilsPlayerDev ) March 17, 2023

[LoneStarPhan]

Split squad day,

Phillies win two from the Blue Jays today. 4-2 and 8-1.

Good to win.

[zambonir]

The one thing that story merely dances around is that Strahm could become the de facto 6th starter, whether temporarily early on or as the opener in bullpen games (rather than calling up a pure spot starter0.