Need something to get your mind off of the cold, wet snow that we can’t seem to escape from anywhere along the Eastern seaboard? Well March is right around the corner, and with March comes spring, and with spring comes baseball. If you’re a Phillies fan, you might have been taking a break from the team this winter in an effort to get over the atrocity that was the 2013 Phillies. So as spring approaches (slowly but surely) you are probably finding yourself wondering, what have the Phillies been up to this offseason? The answer to that is: quite a bit. There weren’t any Cliff Lee sized shockers to come along this winter, but there are certainly some changes in the clubhouse for 2014, so I’m here to tell you what they are.
Who’s missing?
Well, you will be happy (or maybe not) to know that there will be a lot of familiar faces in the clubhouse in 2014. The noticeable absence will be that of Roy Halladay or “Doc” as he is so fondly called. Halladay called it quits this winter, after two years of injuries and decreasing velocity. You’ve got to respect the man for making the decision to go out on his own terms, just as you’ve got to feel bad for the one guy in baseball that probably deserved a World Series ring more than anyone else and had to retire without one. Doc will be missed by all of baseball, but especially by us Phillies fans, because even though these last two years were tough, we were lucky enough to see some of his best baseball.
Who did we re-sign?
Give me a CHOOOOCH! Carloz Ruiz was one of the bigger free agents that the Phils had to make a decision on after 2013. But rest easy, because the lovable catcher will be back for a few more seasons. Yes he is getting up there in age, but Chooch was the only viable option for the Phillies at catcher, because there is nobody in the system that is ready to come up, and none of the other free agents made sense in the lineup or against the payroll.
There were a few other questions about tendering certain contracts, mainly with Kyle Kendrick and John Mayberry Jr., both of whom will be back this season.
Who are the new guys?
Well this is a trick question, because there are surprisingly (or not so surprisingly if you are familiar with the workings of Ruben Amaro Jr.) a few players that were signed this off-season that have actually played for the Phillies before. A long, long time ago.
Okay, so who are the new-old guys?
Well, early in the offseason, the Phillies locked up Marlon Byrd, who you might remember having played for the Phillies over a decade ago. I was 11 at the time and he wasn’t that big of a deal, so I barely remember him. So that was when he was in the early stages of his career, and now he is in the twilight. So welcome back Marlon Byrd!
Another familiar name (and this one is really familiar, so brace yourself) being welcomed back is none other than Bobby Abreu. Yes, that Bobby Abreu. His deal is a minor league contract in which he has a chance to earn a spot on the team in spring training. So pay attention to see what happens with him.
Now that we’ve covered that, who are the new-new guys?
Well with Doc’s retirement and the questions that surround the young guys, we’ve got ourselves a few new pitchers. First is what I have decided to refer to as the Cuban question mark, who is none other than Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, whom you might have already heard of because he was signed last season. Nobody really knows quite what to expect out of this guy, so that is something to keep an eye on during spring training. He could earn the 5th starter’s job, he could really impress and jump over Kendrick in the rotation, or he could be restricted to more of a relief role. Only time will tell.
The other new-new guy is actually kind of new-new-new, as he just signed with the Phillies last week, and I’m pretty sure I saw a photograph of him arriving to spring training still carrying a Pirates bag (You would think that a new duffel bag would come with the contract). That guy is A.J. Burnett. Apparently there was an issue with Hamels’ shoulder and he probably won’t be ready for opening day, so in comes Burnett. It’s unclear how related the two things actually are, but I think the Phillies needed Burnett regardless of any injuries. After (or between since he’s a righty) Hamels and Lee, Burnett will actually give the Phillies a solid top 3. It’s no four aces (or even 3 aces), but it’s a pretty solid top 3 for a team with a lot of other question marks.
So what will the starting lineup look like?
Well, there will be a lot of the same from 2013, but hopefully the lineup (cough, Howard) will be much healthier, which is a necessary factor for this team to have ANY chance to contend. With Howard, Utley, Rollins, Ruiz, and a pitching core with almost literally no depth, there is very, very little margin for error. These guys can still play baseball. That I am certain of. But that is if they stay healthy, and that is a big if.
1B – Howard
2B-Utley
3B-Asche
SS- Rollins
OF- Brown, Revere, Ruf/Byrd
C- Ruiz
Starting Pitchers: Lee, Hamels, Burnett, Kendrick, Gonzalez/Pettibone
What do we expect?
Well, we’re Phillies fans, so not much. I’m an optimist, but even I know better than to expect anything from the Phillies this year. The glory days are behind us. But (yes there’s a but) I will be hopeful. Which is very different from expecting anything. On paper, this team is old and injury-prone and not very deep, but they aren’t bad. Hamels and Lee are still going to be one of the top duos in the game. Burnett should give us a solid third starter. Maybe Kendrick will pick up his game to the level it was in the beginning of 2013 when everyone (briefly) thought he was good. And there is always the possibility that Gonzalez could end up reaching his potential. Everyone keeps saying that Howard is finally 100% healthy, so we are about to find out if it is age or injuries that have really been keeping him down these past few years. Utley looked good last year when he was playing, and if he can keep stay in good health, then that is one less concern. Like it has been for the past few years, A LOT would have to go their way for this team to come even close to contending, but never say never. So my answer is, don’t expect too much from the Phillies. Just try to enjoy some baseball and allow yourself to be just a little bit hopeful.
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