Opinion: Taking Stock In Small Spots
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Thu, February 26, 2009 10:20 AM | Comments: 18
Opinion, Posts
It’s difficult, really, to fill the final spots of a major league team, which is why most managers settle for veteran hands to start a season. Look at last year’s Phillies – Adam Eaton won the final starting spot while Clay Condrey got the last bullpen job. Were both pitchers clear-cut winners of those spots in Spring Training? No, not at all.
Spring Training is nothing more than a warm-up. It gives established players a chance to walk before the marathon begins. It gives the young, unestablished players a chance to dash out to a quick lead, hoping they get noticed enough to win a roster spot at some point during the marathon. And it gives the experienced but garbage players a chance to use all their might to make an impression, hoping the wheels don’t fall off halfway through. The Phillies currently have about 20 players walking and jogging, waiting until April 5 to start the race. There are dozens more trying to charge for a few precious positions.
The five spots (if you can define them hastily) that seemingly have open windows are fifth starting pitcher, swing-middle relief pitcher, utility infielder, infield platoon/reserve and backup catcher. Hand me a poll today, and I’ll tell you Kyle Kendrick, Chan Ho Park, Eric Bruntlett, Miguel Cairo and Chris Coste are likely winners for these spots. Almost no matter what happens.
Still, there are battles, and Charlie Manuel and Co. will scrutinize, criticize and eliminate. A few real contenders live, while a slew of itching hopefuls try valiantly. Two of them – Scott Nestor and Joe Bisenius – may have already wrote themselves off the island, but that doesn’t mean they can win spots with the IronPigs, hoping to find an emergency victory as part of the world champions. Ultimately, that’s why we don’t need to scrutinize, criticize and eliminate a lot of these performances. They are what they are: Chances for the Nestors and Biseniuses of the world to catch lightning in a bottle, and if not, at least pitch well enough to earn Triple-A green cards.
Carrasco and Happ
Today Carlos Carrasco and JA Happ will pitch – both have been mentioned in the Fight For Fifth (TM Phillies Nation, 2009). Can Carrasco win the battle? Sure. But will he? Probably not. Instead, the Phillies want to see if Carrasco’s strong Venezuelan Winter League performance translates against a combination of major league and Triple-A talent. If so, he’s on the short list of callups, and at the top of the IronPig depth chart. If not, he’s still going to Lehigh Valley, but with a little more caution than before. For Carrsaco, this spring is about proving himself for midseason.
Can Happ win the battle? Sure. But will he? Maybe. Happ, Kendrick and Park are the three competing for fifth starter; still, if Kendrick doesn’t self destruct in Florida, he wins. What if Happ pitches extremely well? He’s probably going back to Lehigh Valley, and he’s probably first on the trading block.
At this point, much of Phillies brass has made up their minds about March, April and May. They know who’s going to hover around the Citizens Bank Park clubhouse, and they know who might be in other organizations altogether. The only battle that might really yield interesting results is the battle for Chase Utley’s doppelganger. Jason Donald could find a loophole onto the club, but it’ll take a performance that shows off everything he can do. Really, though, this month is about tweaking the scheme and maybe giving that one fast starter a chance. Maybe. So don’t read too far into Jeremy Slayden’s two-hit game. If he keeps working at this pace for another week or two, okay, then we can stand up and take notice. But for now, it’s all merely tune up work.
Posts: 0 Justin
Well done Tim very good read. My only question being why Miguel Cairo over Marcus Giles? Has Cairo really shown off more than Giles has so far?
Posted: 10:28 AM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Chooch's Cooches
I would hate to see them trade Happ. Good, young pitching. Why shouldn’t he get a shot over Kendrick? Kendrick proved he could pitch well before anyone saw him, and then tanked the second time around. I really think Happ deserves more of a shot than six midseason starts and a swift boot out the door
Posted: 10:29 AM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Kevin
Playing devil’s advocate though, who says batters won’t figure Happ out the second time they see him? Granted he has only faced a small handful of teams but it would be foolish to believe that Happ won’t go through the same growing pains that Kendrick did.
I’m looking forward to seeing Kendrick in spring and see what he does.
Posted: 10:33 AM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Chooch's Cooches
Kevin, I hear what you’re saying. And my rebuttal is, Kendrick had his second go-around. Why not give Happ his and at least see if he gets figured out? You can’t just assume that because Kendrick did, Happ will.
Posted: 10:38 AM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Chooch's Cooches
Also, this is from MLBTR:
Ohman, 31, has deals on the table from the Pirates, Marlins and Padres, but is reportedly hoping the Phillies, Dodgers or Mets will come calling. He finished 4-1 with a 3.68 ERA last year for the Braves. “We’re offering flexibility, too,” said Ohman’s agent, Page Odle. “We’re hoping one of the playoff teams will want that shutdown lefty.”
Posted: 10:39 AM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
But thats the problem with all this. You cant just…hand the 5th starter spot to someone who was so terrible they had to demote him. They did that last year and it blew up in their face…terribly and they had to make a trade to fix the problem, a trade involving a top 100 prospect. it turned out to be a good trade for blanton, but they never should have handed that to eaton outright.
same goes with kendrick here. kyle kendrick should not even be on this team anymore after his performances last july. you cant have a ballooned era like that, i mean, thats just flat out dog dirt terrible. theres no way kyle kenrick is the 5th starter when the season starts. no way. if he is, then its a mistake. happ is going to be the 5th starter unless park takes it away from him..period. kyle kendrick is just auditioning for another team right now.
Posted: 11:28 AM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Manny
Geoff, don’t underestimate Kendrick… and please, don’t compare his performance to Eaton’s. Kendrick became our No. 3 pitcher at some point and we all know his pitching style fits well with our infield… I still believe he has “something to prove.” However, I do agree with you in that Happ should be the one with the job to lose, just like it was for Kendrick in 08 after finishing strong in 07.
Posted: 11:38 AM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Albert
Good article, and you’re probably right on the money. However, I like to dream that Carrasco is going to be this lights out 22 year old stud. I don’t know what it would take for him to actually win a spot in the rotation, but I’m guessing your analysis is correct. He will probably end up at AAA, and depending on how well he pitches in Spring training, be a call up when we need a spot starter.
Posted: 11:39 AM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Chuck P
That’s interesting, Chooch. I doubt we’ll be able to offer him what he’s looking for from a “playoff team.” You have to think that the Dodgers will win that battle unless they over-extend for Manny to the point where it’s not reasonable.
I highly doubt that we trade Happ… without giving him a shot. I’m not sold on him but I think that he’ll get a real shot when someone gets injured (which they will) and we’ll have a real opportunity to see if he’s got what it takes for more than a one-two week stretch.
Posted: 11:41 AM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Jeff
I think some of you have such short memories. Kyle Kendrick won 10 games 2 years in a row. He obviously has the Big League stuff, not electric like Hamels or even Carrasco, but big league stuff. He got rattled last year. This is a team sport, when he was falling apart others picked him up just like Myers, and of course Eaton.
I would love to see Carrasco win this 5th Starter. Haap needs to stick around, Kendrick is solid and I am sure will stay solid, better chance of trading him than Haap, due to his service and stats in the bigs. Haap will eventually replace Moyer’s spot, so I don’t see him leaving
Posted: 11:42 AM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
I see them resigning Myers during the season if he gets off to a good start – and Id be all about that. Blanton is iffy and its all up to how well he ptiches but I think hell be pretty solid. Actually…Kendrick always has been the same. One year he got all the breaks, last year he didnt. But hes TOTALLY dependant on the umps K-zone just like moyer. if they make either of those two throw over the plate theyll get knocked out of the game by the 4th inning. thats just the cold hard reality of being that kind of pitcher.
Posted: 11:51 AM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 NEPA
Happ better win the 5th spot. Kendrick/Park scare the hell outta me.
Posted: 12:10 PM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Jeff
Geoff,
I agree totally, but when you lineup your staff, you can’t have a whole staff of fireballers just like you can’t have a whole staff of Moyers. The best staffs are great combos of both.
Posted: 12:14 PM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Eli
I think Happ deserves the spot over everyone besides carrasco, who needs a little more time in the minors. But i think the race for the last bench spot will also be interesting. Overall, I’m just glad to see baseball back in action and can’t wait for the mets to choke again.
Go Phils!
Posted: 12:16 PM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 NEPA
Not sure if this was mentioned yet: Santana scratched from his start Friday with left elbow tenderness.
Posted: 12:21 PM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Evan
I don’t like the idea of trading Happ. If Kendrick wins the job and Happ gets traded away, what happens if Kendrick or Meyers blows up. What if Hamels gets hurt again? Without Happ you have to move Park from the bullpen which would cut a hole in long relief. I have no doubt there will be a spot in the Phils lineup for him soon, if not the beginning of this season.
A more important question would be what kind of current need or long term investment would the Phils want to trade Happ for?
Posted: 12:21 PM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 From Section 113
I don’t think we sign another player and we’ll just go with what we have in camp. With that being said, I would have rather the Phills go after Ohman for the lefty specialist spot. But Park will be on this team no matter what, so I just hope Kendrick wins the #5 spot and its not just handed to him.
I am surprised no one is bringing up the fact that Stairs presents a little problem for us. If we go with last yrs roster and just replace So Taguchi with Stairs we are all set. No room for anyone else.
Therefore, to add another inf. we would need to shed Stairs? Would the Phills really shed Stairs AND Eaton???
At the same time, Happ whould win the #5 spot. I just think it’s his time. Kendrick is young enough to rebound.
With Myers leaving next year, we should let him walk and let Hamels/Moyer/Blanton/Kendrick/Happ/Carrasco all battle it out. Maybe by then Naylor will be ready.
Posted: 12:35 PM on February 26, 2009
Posts: 0 Doug D
Happ is probably ahead of Kendrick because he has a more complete selection of pitches and, of course, he’s a southpaw. I don’t see the Phils trading any pitching away. It makes no sense to trade young pitching. What do you get in return? There are just no glaring needs, and you can’t acquire draft picks in a trade. Besides, Myers is a FA after this year and Moyer’s contract expires after next year. As long as the Phils have “options” on the Kendrick and Happ (and of course, Carrasco) they will be assigned to the Minors to grow, stay sharp and/or serve as insurance until either (a) a spot in the rotation or opens up through injury, bad performance, or free agency, or (b) God forbid, some kind of major injury sidelines a major cog in the lineup which necessitates a trade to plug the gap.
Posted: 04:23 PM on February 26, 2009