Phillies' Spring Training Player List!

My Fellow Phans,


Here, as promised, is yet another part of my Spring Training Preview! I am going to start with a list of the players whom are actually invited to spring training. They include those on the roster as well as non-roster invitees.

Note: I am going to do a deeper look at these guys and will try to provide you with some basic info about the lesser known players, as well as the ones we all know and love. It will be sort of a “Who’s-who” of the Phillies Spring Training players. Stay tuned for that!

Pitchers:

Roster
Danys Baez: 3-4 5.48 ERA 1.636 WHIP 47.2IP

Antonio Bastardo: 2-0 4.34 ERA 18.2IP 1.50 WHIP 

Joe Blanton: 9-6 4.82 ERA 175.2IP 1.42 WHIP 

Drew Carpenter: 8-11 4.05 151IP 1.36 WHIP (AAA)

Jose Contreras: 6-4 4SV 3.34 ERA 56.2IP 1.22 WHIP 

Justin De Fratus: 3-0 21SV 1.94 ERA 65IP 0.98 WHIP (A&AA)

Roy Halladay: 21-10 2.44ERA 250.2IP 1.04 WHIP

Cole Hamels: 12-11 3.06 ERA 208.2IP 1.17 WHIP

David Herndon: 1-3 4.30 ERA 52.1IP 1.60 WHIP 

Kyle Kendrick: 11-10 4.73 ERA 180.2IP 1.37 WHIP

Cliff Lee: 12-9 3.18 ERA 212.1IP 1.00 WHIP

Brad Lidge: 1-1 27SV 2.96 ERA 45.2IP 1.22 WHIP 

Ryan Madson: 6-2 2.55 ERA 53IP 1.03 WHIP 

Scott Mathieson: 3-6 26SV 2.80 ERA 64.1IP 1.35 WHIP (AAA)

Drew Naylor: 12-10 4.63 ERA 167IP 1.29 WHIP (AA)

Roy Oswalt: 13-13 2.76 ERA 211.2 IP 1.02 WHIP

J.C. Ramirez: 7-7 4.82 ERA 142IP 1.35 WHIP (A+ & AA)

J.C. Romero: 1-0 3.68 ERA 36.2IP 1.60 WHIP

Brian Schlitter: 2-1 3.15 ERA 45.2 IP 1.42 WHIP (AAA)

Vance Worley: 10-7 3.36 ERA 158IP 1.30 WHIP (AA & AAA)

Mike Zagurski: 2-3 3.27 ERA 52.1IP 1.35 WHIP (AAA)

Non-Roster

Brian Bass: 4-4 3.26 ERA 69IP 1.40 WHIP (AAA)

Eddie Bonine: 4-1 4.63 ERA 68IP 1.55 WHIP

Ryan Feierabend: 5-8 5.14 ERA 122.2 IP 1.53 WHIP (A&AA&AAA)

Dan Meyer: 1-2 3.38 ERA 40IP 1.20 WHIP (AAA)

Juan Perez: 4-3 2.83 ERA 47.2IP 1.21 WHIP (AAA)

Michael Schwimer: 7-5 2.85 ERA 60IP 1.18 WHIP (AA& AAA)

Michael Stutes: 7-1 3.42 ERA 76.1IP 1.32 WHIP (AA &AAA)

Catchers

Roster:
Carlos Ruiz: .302 8 HR 53 RBI .847 OPS

Brian Schneider: .240 4 HR 15 RBI .729 OPS

Non-Roster:
Tuffy Gosewisch: .241 9 HR 32 RBI .759 OPS (AA)

Erik Kratz: .274 9 HR 41 RBI .875 OPS (AAA)

Joel Naughton : .308 5 HR 31 RBI .782 OPS (A)

Dane Sardinha:  .207 5 HR 24 RBI .572 OPS (AAA)

Infielders

Roster

Brian Bocock: .226 4 HR 31 RBI .615 OPS (AAA)

Freddy Galvis: .233 5 HR 48 RBI 15 SB .586 OPS (AA)

Harold Garcia:.305 8 HR 64 RBI 29 SB .807 OPS (A&AA)

Cesar Hernandez: .325 0 HR 23 RBI 32 SB .782 OPS (A)

Ryan Howard: .276 31 HR 108 RBI .859 OPS

Michael Martinez: .312 11 HR 56 RBI 23 SB .720 OPS (AA,&AAA)

Placido Polanco: .298 6 HR 52 RBI .726 OPS

Carlos Rivera: .232 6 HR 43 RBI .603 OPS (AA)

Matt Rizzotti: .343 17 HR 76 RBI .985 OPS (A&AA&AAA)

Jimmy Rollins: 243 8HR 41 RBI 17 SB .694 OPS

Chase Utley: .275 16 HR 75 RBI 13 SB .832 OPS

Wilson Valdez: .258 4 HR 35 RBI 7 SB .667 OPS

Non-Roster

Josh Barfield: .294 5 HR 36 RBI .725 OPS (AAA)

Tagg Bozied: .315 27 HR 92 RBI 1.033 OPS (AA)

Jeff Larish: .284 20 HR 74 RBI .910 OPS (AAA)

Pete Orr: 2010: .264 12 HR 45 RBI .761 OPS (AAA)

Robb Quinlan: .121 0 HR 2 RBI .353 OPS

Outfielders 

Roster

Domonic Brown: .327 20 HR 68 RBI 17 SB .980 OPS (AA&AAA)

Ben Francisco: .268 6 HR 28 RBI 8 SB .768 OPS

Ross Gload: .281 6 HR 22 RBI .813 OPS

Raul Ibanez: .275 16 HR 83 RBI .793 OPS

John Mayberry: .267 15 HR 65 RBI 20 SB .740 OPS (AAA)

Shane Victorino: .259 18 HR 69 RBI 34 SB .756 OPS

Non-Roster
Matt Miller: .325 10 HR 81 RBI .840 OPS (AAA)

Brandon Moss: .266 22 HR 96 RBI .800 OPS (AAA)

Delwyn Young: .236 7 HR 28 RBI .700 OPS

Until we meet again Phillies Fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies! 

Phillies Open Exhibition Season!

My Fellow Phans,

Oh what a lovely morning it truly is. The sun is shining, the temperature sits at a blistering 45 degrees and the Phillies have started their exhibition schedule. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the best time of the year has officially started! The Phillies are back and playing ball; let the fun begin!

Now yesterday was just an exhibition game, but it was important for several reasons. Miss the game? Well, I will let my buddy Stewie Griffin update you on its result:

 Now, what can we make of this game? Well. First off, they won the game 5-4. Yes, a win in any context is a good win, at least in my opinion. Secondly, they beat the Yankees. Again, I don’t care the situation, but anytime you beat the Yankees is a damn good time! Am I right people?!  The final reason, and best of all, baseball is back! The greatest sport that God placed on this green Earth has returned again for its 2011 edition. Many of you know that I have a very unhealthy, although I don’t see it in that manner, with the game of baseball. So, the fact that I can say that baseball is back in action is one of the greatest feelings in the world to me!

Anyway, back to the game. I am trying something new with this box score. I added it to this post as sort of a test run for this season. Let me know what you think. 

Some people said Hamels didn’t do that well. I disagree. He only allowed a single, unearned run over 2 innings and just a single hit to go along with it. True, it was not the best Hamels, but he did not really struggle either. Plus, it is the first start for him this spring so he gets a pass there. Vance Worley had two scoreless innings, another young gun on this team that I am a big fan of. As for the remaining pitchers used, I doubt that any of them have a serious shot to make this club.

The Phillies gathered 11 hits offensively. It was nice to see bench guys and younger players register some hits. I guess I don’t have to give specifics with the box score, but players like Pete Orr, John Mayberry, Ben Fransisco, Ross Gload, Wilson Valdez, and Dane Sardinha, whose RBIs put the Phillies ahead for good in the 8^th, all stepped up and had solid games offensively.  This was a great sign to see.

Now it’s time for the downside:

What wasn’t so great is that Chase Utley missed the game due to “soreness”. I’m presuming that to mean that he’s injured, but Chase would never admit that so I will keep referring to it as soreness.

Another rough spot was Dannys Baez. Baez didn’t even pitch in this game, but started in a “B” game. He gave up 5 hits, 5 runs, in just 2/3 of an inning. Yes, my friends, he is horrible. If last year wasn’t evidence enough, he is just proving it more and more this season. Wow…

Oh and Jayson Werth is running his mouth and badmouthing the Phillies . I’m not sure if I am going to indulge him with a story, but that remains to be seen…

Until we meet again Phillies Fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies!

Spring Training Preview Part 1: 3 Burning Questions

My Fellow Phans,

So, we sit just days away from the Philies’ first spring training game and it is time to take a deeper look at Spring Training. For the first part of my Spring Training look, I present to you my fans, the 5 biggest questions / concerns that are surrounding the Phillies’ time in Clearwater.

3 Burning Topics:

1. The Rotation: This isn’t so much a question or issue as much as something to watch this spring. With real game action coming up, it will be interesting and entertaining to watch what these 5 guys, yes we have 5 starters thank you much – Joe Blanton is one of them, do on the diamond.

I guess if you want to put a concern, the only viable option would the health of these guys. I’m not expecting this rotation to stay totally healthy this season, it never works out like that no matter what team it is. I heard that Cliff Lee recently had an injury and this was way before the season ever started. Cliff Lee is fine now, thankfully.

I guess the point is that the health is the key element to these guys performing at the highest level possible throughout the entire season.

2. Right Field:  As much as I read about this position being a battle, I keep feeling that Ben Francisco is going to win the starting spot although that has been decided since before the season even started.

I could be wrong though.  It is just when you look at this lineup, Francisco is a much better fit for us now. That is not to say that Dominic Brown will not see time as I think he may, I just think his time will be limited. We need a qualified hitter in that lineup and Francisco fits that void well, don’t forget that he is also a right hander which I think this lineup needs to break up the strong lefties in our starting lineup.

I still see Brown as taking over for Ibanez next season once his contract expires. That would be a perfect fit as it would replace a lefty for a lefty and it gives Brown one more season to prep for the majors. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Brown needs to play every day to be effective and he will not get that this season. I don’t see why you can’t give him another year of fine tuning and then throw him into the outfield as an everyday starter in 2012 where his skills can be used and expanded on, on a daily basis.

3. The Offense:  Looking at our returning lineup, there was much DL time last season. The one player that seemed to be healthy for the entire season bolted for Washington once they threw a contract at him, a deal I might add that they will regret down the line.

However, everyone seemed to be banged up and that played a critical role in how our offense produced in 2010. This year, health is the number one concern for this group. One they are healthy, the offense will start to flow once again. With this staff, we hopefully won’t need to score a lot of runs, but that cannot be assumed. We all saw last October how the lack of offense impacted us during the playoffs. We cannot afford that again this season. With our rotation as strong as it is, we need to score runs to back them up. It is that simple. If we hit this season, we will win and if we win this season, we will reach the postseason, and if we reach the postseason, anything can happen so that’s where we got to get to.

I will have more Spring Training notes later, but this is just the opener post of what has the appearance of being a very busy Baseball Blogging Season.

Until we meet again Phillies Fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies!  

Petition to Phillies' Fans: Relax, It Is a Long Way to Go

My Fellow Phans,

I’m sure most of you have seen the press conference with our starting rotation that was held on Monday. I actually missed the live version, but thankfully was able to view courtesy of the internet. What I got from that, besides the fact that we may have the coolest and classiest rotation in the entire league, is the fact that people are jumping to conclusions way too quickly about this bunch.

I like Cliff Lee’s assessment on the situation when he said something to the effect of “we haven’t even thrown a pitch yet”. This is the same sentiment that I would like to express. Ever since Lee signed with the Phillies, people have been trying to come up with catchy names for our rotation, and although I have to say that some are extremely creative and make a lot of sense, people need to relax with all this stuff. The season hasn’t even started yet, the team hasn’t played a game together yet, and people in this area seem to be crowning them the World Series champs.

Not that I wouldn’t love to see that happen again, but it is a bit too premature. The same people that are making these claims are probably the same people that will never lay off Ryan Howard for his strikeout to end last year’s playoff run. My message to those is simply, to relax. Take a deep breath, and let this season play out. Regardless of what happens, this is going to be a fun season for us Phillies’ fans and this team is going to be a joy to watch for these 162 games. Don’t get ahead of yourselves people, please. 

You build up all this hype for these guys and if this season doesn’t go as planned, you will cry, whine, and rip the Phillies until the 2012 season starts. This is not the time to do that. It is a time to sit back and enjoy the ride. You are lucky enough to be living in one of the greatest eras in Phillies’ history, just bask in it while it lasts. We all remember, at least us diehards out there, how bad we were in the 90s when the Phillies had a much smaller fan base. Nobody hyped them up back then so why should you do it now? 2011 is just like any previous season. 

Baseball is an unpredictable sport. Who would have guessed that a team led by a girly looking fireballer and a castoff from our division rivals, the Marlins, would win the World Series? Nobody, except those in San Francisco. 

There is still a long season to be played out and we must take it in stride. Take it one step at a time and enjoy the great things that this team is capable of doing. There is no telling what will happen in October, or if this team will make that run, we just don’t know until it gets here. So, I ask you once again to relax. I am just as excited as the next person, but I know it is unrealistic to pin these guys at champs already. They may very well have the best rotation that the game has ever seen, but that remains to be seen. 

Give Blanton his props!

Oh, and one side note.  A beat reporter began a question with “Cole , you're the only one of the five Phillies starters with a World Series ring …"  Now that statement astonished me beyond belief. Thankfully, Joe Blanton interrupted reminding the moronic reporter that he has one as well.  I’m not sure who that is, but he is an embarrassment to the Phillies’ fan base. Do these writers know anything about the team or do they just not care about Blanton.

Blanton is going to as big of a factor this season for the Phillies as any other starter. Give the guy his props. He’s a classy guy and DOES HAVE A RING. I guess people forget his great pitching performance and HOME RUN in game 4 of the World Series. Just remember that he does indeed have that ring and pitched his behind off to help us get to the Promised Land. How can anyone forget that? Some people also obviously forget the 3.46 ERA that he had in the 2^nd half of last season that played a critical role in getting us past Atlanta Braves down the stretch. 

He is not the only Phillie that never seems to get any credit. Our closer, Brad Lidge had a great season last year and was lights out at the end, but still people badmouth him. This perplexes me. I just don’t get why it is that Blanton and Lidge never seem to get any respect no matter how well they perform?

Oh my reporter friend, Get a clue buddy. I could do your job better. In fact, I welcome the opportunity… 

In regards to Joe Blanton, it pains me to see the man forgotten. I plan on cheering for him this season even more so than the previous 4 starters. He is a classy guy and deserves his props and acknowledgment that he does exist! I’m telling you now that Blanton will play a much bigger role in this season than anyone will have ever imagined. Mark my words. 

Oh and before I forget, I promised a good friend of mine that I would mention him on my page. He is a fellow blogger, a good friend of mine, and writes some damn good articles. Check him out: http://phanaticaddict.mlblogs.com/

Until we meet again Phillies Fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies! 

It's Time: Baseball Season Is Upon Us

My Fellow Phans,

It is here! The day that so many people have been counting down towards is upon us. It is February 13^th, the official start of baseball season.  Today, the Phillies’ pitchers and catchers are reporting to Clearwater, Florida as we speak. Photos and stories have already been swirling and are slowly taking over the Phillies’ twitter and Facebook airwaves. 

The Phillies are set to take
 the field this spring

No, it is not a National Holiday, although it should be, at least in my opinion. I feel rejuvenated this afternoon as I type this story; I am so ready for this season to start. The good news is, there is just 46 days left until opening day is here.

Now this is just an introductory post. I will have plenty of Spring Training coverage coming your way. There will be a spring training preview this week which will include the actual list of invites of who’s all down there in Florida, questions heading into this year’s preseason, as well as plenty of other stuff.

Stay tuned for further details and enjoy this day everyone, it is going to be a fun journey from now until October.

Oh, and on the fantasy side of things: I am running two personal “fantasy baseball” leagues this year. One will be a normal league on yahoo, and the other will be a new style of which I created this year so I will be testing that out. I will post more information later. Contact me if you’re interested.

For you fans of the Philly Phans, I am also running the Baseball Fantasy League for them this year so that should be coming out soon. Stay tuned for that as well. I’m looking forward to it.

Until we meet again Phillies Fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies! 

Phillies' Equipment Truck Leaving Philly - Video Here!

My Fellow Phans, 

I recently found this video and I have to admit that it is quite excited. The Phillies' equipment truck is leaving Philly for Clearwater and is on the road as we speak! More details to come! 

Just 9 more days!!!!!!!

Until we meet again Phillies Fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies!

Phillies' TV Schedule Released!

My Fellow Phans,

For the first time in awhile, there is news to report on the Phillies front in back to back days. This hasn't happened in quite some time.

The Phillies announced their TV schedule for this upcoming season. Now, I cannot find a link to the full schedule yet, but here are the basics of their release. 

Comcast SportsNet will carry 103 games this season. The Comcast Network will show 3 games, all in April. MyPHL17 will be carrying 45 Phillies games this season. There will be 9 games on Fox as well as 2, so far, on ESPN this season.

The good news is that all of the Phillies' games this season will be televised so you don't have to pay those outrageous prices if you want to watch your Phightin' Phillies

As you already know, all games will be broadcast on 1210 AM: WPHT.

Until we meet again Phillies Fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies!