Posted by Pat Gallen, Wed, February 15, 2012 01:30 PM | Comments: 9
2012 Spring Training, Analysis, News, Opinion, Posts
If you’ve been keeping track – and I’m sure you have – you know the rest of the NL East has undergone a transformation. Each team has done something to try and dethrone the Phillies from their perch atop the division. Below, we look at some things to watch for when Spring Training opens.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: Can Juan Pierre win a spot on the roster?
We know what Jonathan Papelbon is capable of. He’s been in the league forever and is one of the best at his position. It’s a foregone conclusion he will make a difference. Ty Wigginton, Laynce Nix, Jim Thome; they all figure to get steady playing time. Dontrelle Willis is an interesting subject, but he seems to have solid chance at a late-inning bullpen role. That basically leaves one spot remaining on the roster.
The man to win it could very well be veteran outfielder Juan Pierre. Look for the Phillies to give him plenty of opportunities to make the team. If he has any speed remaining in those 34-year-old legs, he could be nice asset to have as the Phillies 5th outfielder. He’ll also be in a fight with Scott Podsednik, among others, for the final roster position.
ATLANTA BRAVES: Can they hit?
What a wild season for the Braves in 2011. Heading into the season, the lineup looked rather formidable. Jason Heyward tore it up in his rookie season, so the Braves were hoping for more. They brought in Dan Uggla. Martin Prado, Brian McCann, and Chipper Jones still resided there. On the surface, it didn’t look awful. But it pretty much came crashing down.
Uggla had pronounced ebbs and flows throughout 2011, Heyward had a sophomore slump, Prado and Jones, of course, dealt with injuries.
Can they overcome those and have a better offense in 2012? Their playoff lives depend on it. The starting rotation and bullpen can only do so much.
In talking with many people around the league, there is a resounding negative opinion of Hanley Ramirez. His true character will be tested even more as the Marlins brought in Jose Reyes to man his old position, shortstop, leaving him as the everyday third baseman for 2012. Fantasy nerds rejoice, as Ramirez will have dual position eligibility!
Beyond that, we’ll find out what kind of player Ramirez is. The 28-year old had his worst season as a major leaguer in 2011, hitting just 10 home runs while missing 70 games, many of them stemming from a bum shoulder that required surgery.
An awful 2011 and now questions as to whether or not he’ll accept his new role; not good. “I don’t think he’s 100 percent on board, not yet,” Marlins Manager Ozzie Guillen told MLB.com. “Not from the last time I talked with him. I don’t expect him to be. I expect him to be 100 percent on board with this move when we play St. Louis, the first day of the year”
Sounds like a team with a lot of talent and a lot questions pertaining to their best player.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS: Will Bryce Harper make the team
I’m also interested to see how the team will handle Stephen Strasberg this spring and into the season. Will they coddle him after he missed a full year due to Tommy John surgery?
Another interesting dilemma is, how will the Nats proceed with prospect Bryce Harper. We’ve all seen the videos, we’ve seen the ability, we know what he’s capable of. Can that sweet swing translate to the big leagues this season? The Nationals organization has to be chomping at the bit to see what he’s made of at the next level. However, they’ve stated many times before that they won’t rush the prodigy. Is that a good move or bad move?
The Nationals look close to being a full breakout team after 80 wins a season ago. If Bryce Harper hits the big stage, he could provide them a few more.
In Port St. Lucie, the Mets will need to find someone, anyone, to pick up the slack that was left when Reyes took $100 million-plus to go to Miami. Who can that be? Who knows.
Firstly, they’ll need Johan Santana to be close to the Johan of old, which is asking a hell of a lot. Not sure anyone knows what the Mets will get from a guy who has been crushed by shoulder surgery. He may not be ready for opening day. Beyond Santana, the starting rotation is probably the best thing they’ve got going.
Offensively, who do they have? David Wright heads a cast of misfits and injury risks, like Jason Bay and Ike Davis. It’s going to be an ugly season in Flushing.
9 CommentsPosts: 1993 Lefty
They are so pathetic that it’s not even fun rooting against the Muts anymore.
Well, almost not as fun.
On third thought, it’s still a blast!
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 01:42 PM on February 15, 2012Posts: 590 betasigmadeltashag
I reallly think that the first thing is how is the team going to look for the first month with out the Big Piece playing. Will Wiggington, Nix, JMJ, and who ever wins the spot in the OF step up and have a big first month of the season, or will they just tread water until Ryan is at full strength. The Bench is going to be a big part of the season for the phillies in my opionon
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 02:11 PM on February 15, 2012Posts: 0 Gregg
Rollins, Utley, Howard, Thome, Pierre are hurt or “over the hill” I hope the young guys can play.Go Phillies. I had a “Pain Clinic” for 14 years. Anything ruptured means it was dysfunctional and not working properly. Everything starts at the feet.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 02:30 PM on February 15, 2012Posts: 312 EricL
Why is “Pain Clinic” in quotations? Was it not really a pain clinic? Some shady basement pill-mill office? A tax-shelter sham of a corporation? Your interesting use of punctuation intrigues me.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 02:59 PM on February 15, 2012Posts: 1993 Lefty
Maybe it’s a “torture chamber”?
Flag commentPosted: 03:05 PM on February 15, 2012Posts: 0 Don M
I think the Braves hopes rest on the arms of Jurrgens and Hanson … if they are healthy, I think the Braves finish 2nd …. If not, I could see the Braves finish 4th…
We know that the Braves and Marlins will have solid teams … and that the Mets will be bad.
The biggest question to me is the Washington Nationals…. Werth has to improve on last year’s numbers … but are Espinosa, Desmond, and Morse legit??
I think the “Can they hit?” question belongs to the Nats … I think with Strasburg, Zimm, Gio Gonzalez, and Edwin Jackson … they’ll “be kept in games” just about every night – this isn’t Jason Marquis anymore … but can they put 4+ on the board to get wins, to allow Lidge, Clippard, Storen to finish things up . . . .If they stay healthy (missing Ryan Zimm, and Adam LaRoche for chunks hurt them last year), but to go along with Pat’s stanc -if Bryce Harper can contribute, they could be a very dangerous team
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 02:45 PM on February 15, 2012Posts: 1993 Lefty
Strasburg will be coddled. I read he is on a strict 160 innings limit. It will be interesting to see them actually shut him down in early/mid August if they are in a pennant/ wild card contention.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 03:10 PM on February 15, 2012Posts: 0 Don M
I read that too about the 160-innings limit …. don’t know if that’s a strict thing or not, but i’d imagine they’ll try to limit his early outings anyway … strict in-game pitch counts etc ..
Jordan Zimmerman is going to be a key to their season … great stats except for “wins” last year – had an 8-11 record , but a 3.18 ERA, 1.14 WHIP … 124 Ks in 161 innings… his k’s per 9 went down but so did his walks, and his ERA/WHIP … I think he’s going to be a good one
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 04:44 PM on February 15, 2012Posts: 645 Manny
I think the real storyline for the Phillies heading into ST should be: Will our key guys be healthy enough for the season?
Whether Pod, Pierre, or whoever makes the 25-man roster is a decision that will have minimal impact. But if Utley’s knee is not cooperating, or Polanco’s arm is dangling off, J-roll’s legs are betraying him…(you get the drift)… then we’d be in big trouble.
All I wanna see this ST is health, health, health.
Oh and D-brown smashing the ball left and right :)
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Manny commented on the blog post 9 seconds ago · View
I think the real storyline for the Phillies heading into ST should be: Will our key guys be healthy enough for the season? Whether Pod, Pierre, or whoever makes the 25-man roster is a decision that will have minimal impact. But if Utley’s knee is not cooperating, or Polanco’s arm is dangling off, J-roll’s legs [...]
Don M commented on the blog post 27 minutes ago · View
I read that too about the 160-innings limit …. don’t know if that’s a strict thing or not, but i’d imagine they’ll try to limit his early outings anyway … strict in-game pitch counts etc .. Jordan Zimmerman is going to be a key to their season … great stats except for “wins” last year [...]
HugePhilsFan913 commented on the blog post Phillies Reaching Yankees Status? 37 minutes ago · View
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2012 Phillies SalariesCharlie Manuel
$3 million
Cliff Lee
$21.5 million
Ryan Howard
$20 million
Roy Halladay
$20 million
Chase Utley
$15 million
Jonathan Papelbon
$11 million
Jimmy Rollins
$11 million
Cole Hamels
$9.5 million
Shane Victorino
$9.5 million
Joe Blanton
$8.5 million
Hunter Pence
$6.9 million
Placido Polanco
$6.25 million
Ty Wigginton
$4 million
Carlos Ruiz
$3.7 million
Jose Contreras
$2.5 million
Kyle Kendrick
$2.45 million
Jim Thome
$1.25 million
Laynce Nix
$1.15 million
Dontrelle Willis
$850,000
Brian Schneider
$800,000
John Mayberry
$414,000
Vance Worley
$405,000
Antonio Bastardo
$405,000
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