Phillies 2021 Spring Training Discussion

[German41]

I'm cautiously optimistic.

[phillychuck]

Honestly, I never thought he would be doing this well in a MLB spring camp. Let's keep up the positive momentum!

[andyb]

Today's game is on MLB Network. Nola vs Cole for the first few innings. Herrera in the lineup (and Kingery) as the CF competition proceeds.

[andyb]

Nola was OK. Wind blown HR in the first but he got through 4 pretty well. Had my first look at Coonrod and the stuff is decent though the command and control were a little shaky. Sits 96 and touched 98 today. 91 mph slider is an interesting second pitch though it does not move quite as much as you would want. Given he has an option I am assuming he probably does not make the opening day bullpen, but there is some promise there.

[Austinfan]

I'm gonna start watching games this weekend, even Girardi said that he discounts the first couple weeks as pitchers are just stretching out.

[zambonir]

Good read. Phillies haven't made any moves yet I don't think. But this really shows you how valuable that major league invite is, it's not just about playing time and opportunity.

Reassigned to ... where? MLB clubs aren't sure how to make cuts this spring

Players have every motivation to elude getting cut for another day. As long as they stay in major-league camp, they receive major-league meal allowances. For 2021, a player on a Cactus League team who doesn’t make his year-round home in the Phoenix metro area is entitled to a weekly allowance of $345.50, a supplemental weekly allowance of $61.50, a daily room allowance of $40 and a daily meal and tip allowance of $98.

[LoneStarPhan]

Phillies on the road against the Orioles today. Looks like no TV, no radio, and surprisingly, no Gameday on MLB website. MLB does have a running box score and running plays summary going on line. Phillies trail 2-1 after 5 innings. Wheeler pitched first 4 innings and gave up the 2 runs on 4 hits and a walk. Alvarado pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning. Phillies had first and third with one out in the top of the fifth, but Quinn and Kingery both struck out, the second time for both in this game.

Don't want to turn this into a game thread, but with two out in top of the sixth, Chatham singles, Jankowski singles, and Maton homers to put Phillies up 4-2.

Final edit:
Final score is 6-2 win for the Phillies. Of note, bullpen gives them 5 scoreless, hitless, walkless innings. One each by Alvarado, Brogdon, Bradley, Neris, and de los Santos. A total of 8 strikeouts over the five innings including 3 from de los Santos in the ninth. Bullpen looks to be shaping up.

[andyb]

Bad day for CF competitors. Quinn, Herrera, Kingery all 0-3 today against the Orioles. Jankowski 1-3.

Moniak has yet to start a game so he is probably not a serious part of the competition.

Maton with a 3 run HR to help seal the 6-2 win. It was against the Orioles kids, but the bullpen was great again. 5 perfect innings with 8 Ks. De Los Santos again looked really good striking out the side in the final inning. Alvarado and Brogdon also looked good again.

[andyb]

He is probably not in the mix for the opening roster, but one has to like what Enyel De Los Santos has done so far. 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER (a HR), 0 BB, 9 K.

So 9 of his 10 outs have been Ks and he has been sitting in the 96 range. I thought it was pretty obvious that he should have been a bullpen conversion the last couple of years but they kept stretching him out, and then recalling him to pitch in the bullpen. Maybe they should just leave him in the bullpen and see if his stuff is better.

[zambonir]

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/phillies/transactions-phillies-spring-training-roster-2021-players-optioned.

No surprises. Also Llovera apparently (per Gelb) who either has yet to report or still isn't ready (visa issues). They could still call him over from mini-camp I suppose, especially if his roster spot is in danger.

Funny how everyone handed Odubel the job based on three games and are now ready to take it away from him too. Numbers are all meaningless either way since they could change again with one good game, but right now he's the same guy he was in 2019, .235 OBP, .647 OPS. Of course, as the articles have all noted, no one else is better either, but if nothing changes I reckon it's Kingery's job to lose and that also allows the Phillies to keep Quinn or Joyce, at least until Haseley's back.

Phillies still waiting for a CF to step up — 'We need somebody to do it'

[David_Criss]

I know there is a 40-man crunch issue, but Jankowski isn't even mentioned. The man has never been able to hit Major League pitching, but his defense is stellar. If Haseley only needs a few weeks to get back, why not let a gold glove caliber glove patrol centerfield for the first 3 weeks or so, give or take?

At this point, it would not surprise me to see Kingery optioned to play everyday and work on cutting down on the strikeouts.

[zambonir]

At this point, it would not surprise me to see Kingery optioned to play everyday and work on cutting down on the strikeouts.

It would surprise me. His bench job is safe if nothing else (and it doesn't open up a 40-man spot) and he's still gonna get 4-5 starts a week. Playing fake games for a month is not going to help him., it's bad enough we're probably gonna waste Howard on those.

You're not wrong that Jankowski could help, but if they are going to take Chatham or Maton - not saying they should, especially if Herrera makes the team - they can't really carry a defense-first OF, and would seemingly rather have Joyce's bat and PH experience and leadership (plus as I keep mentioning he is friends with the GM).

I doubt they are too worried about losing any of these guys, most players are probably going to accept their assignments, especially if they have the retention bonus. A lot of guys who opt out just end up signing another minor league deal, and who wants that disruption now when they can just go north with the whole team and chill on the taxi squad and at the alternate site.

[andyb]

No surprises in those cuts, though I thought Morales was not on that initial camp list. I think these cuts are sending players to minor league camp rather than eventually to the alternate site camp in April though I suppose the distinction between the two makes no difference at this point. When the major league players leave we will probably have 20 more minor league players go North to the alternate site. The rest stay in minor league camp in Clearwater. Then in May it gets tricky because it may be quicker to call up an alternate site player than a minor league player for COVID emergencies.

[Taudawg]

I think Kingery is safe, but mostly because he is defensively versatile. A couple good at bats this spring and that's it. 9 Ks in 19 ABs is very troubling.

[andyb]

I still would not put it past the Phillies to go with 14 pitchers until Haseley gets back. Pretty sure the roster will fluctuate all season between 13 and 14 pitchers. The key is really whether the team is comfortable with anyone in CF. None of the candidates are running away with it. I am not sure more players on the roster is the answer though. They can keep both Kingery and either Quinn/Herrera and still have an extra backup middle infielder (likely Chatham).

The question then would be whether having Jankowski or Joyce on the team is more helpful than an extra pitcher (such as JoJo Romero who is probably 50-50 to make the roster now since Watson is pitching well).

Edit - Quinn the only one in the competition to start today. Vierling gets a start in RF which might be a nice reward for pulling a HR back over the fence the other day. Harper starts us of with a 2 run HR.

[zambonir]

Yeah for now all it means is they've been sent to "mini-camp." But I would think most of them will absolutely be going to the alternate site. Dohy, Jones and Medina are going in the AAA rotation, no? Morales and Falter into the bullpen. And they'll need pitchers for intrasquad games more than they need guys pitching to minor leaguers who are a month behind them.

I think the CF/roster call still really depends on Herrera both making the team and getting more than 50% of the playing time. If he's not going to start, or is only placeholding for Haseley, it may or may not be worth the trouble of a 40-man move. OTOH with no AAA, if you're really ready to do it and no one else has won the job, may as well give him a shot in games that count until Haseley is ready.

But if he's just gonna be on the bench, Joyce and Quinn both might be better choices, and it's also not worth losing Quinn just yet.

Chatham is useful if you want to play the extra pitcher game, but so are relief pitchers with options obviously.

[LoneStarPhan]

Harper led off the fifth inning with a drive that hit just behind the top of the solid wall in right center and wedged in front of the wire fence extension in front of the brim grass seating area. Ball just stuck there. A ground rule double. Phillies went on to score 3 without another hit. Next inning, McCutchen started with a double off the wall and a single by Hoskins followed. Phillies didn't score although two of the three outs to follow were scorched line drives right at infielders. Watson and Rondon have put up scoreless innings of relief so far today. Bullpen looking like a real strength of late.

EDIT: Speaking of the bullpen and just like that, Mitchell comes on for the 7th and starts off giving up a double and home run to start his inning. After a K, another double.

[andyb]

Yeah for now all it means is they've been sent to "mini-camp."

I think all of them were on the 40, so yes this is likely a paper move to say they are not going to be on the 25-man roster but no definitive next assignment.

Didi with the grand slam, so the regular bats are doing the damage today. Largely against hot prospect Mize also.

[LoneStarPhan]

McCutchen looking pretty good this spring. It will be a huge benefit if he can start most games and play well.

Phillies also optioned 7 players on the 40 man roster today, moving them to the minor league camp list. They are left-handed pitchers Kyle Dohy, Bailey Falter and Damon Jones, right-handed pitchers Mauricio Llovera, Adonis Medina and Francisco Morales and outfielder Simon Muzziotti. Ruben was saying on the broadcast today that there is a date after which if they get hurt, they can't be optioned and would end up on the ML DL. Money and ML service time could result.

[fish]

Zack Efflin just threw a 92 mph cutter- don’t think I’ve seen that before