Two more minor-league signings a big yawner

Photo by Keith Allison

In case you missed it (honestly, nobody blames you), the Phillies signed two more players to minor league contracts this week: outfielder Collin Cowgill and infielder Ryan Flaherty.

Cowgill, 31, hit .235/.297/.390 over 200 at-bats last year for San Diego’s triple-A squad in El Paso. He played all three positions in the outfield.

Flaherty, 31, hit .211/.302/.237 over 38 at-bats last year with the Orioles. Otherwise he shifted between advanced- and double-A, hitting .333/.500/.510 over 41 at-bats. The big thing about Flaherty, however is he can play plenty of positions. Last year for the Orioles he spent time in left field, right field, second base, shortstop and third base. In 2016 he even pitched an inning (three hits, two runs).

You can put Cowgill and Flaherty together in a giant competition for the last one or two roster spots with Pedro Florimon, Elierzer Alvarez, Jesmuel Valentin, Dylan Cozens, Roman Quinn, Heiker Meneses, Will Middlebrooks, Adam Rosales, Danny Ortiz and Andrew Pullin.

Fun, right?

It’s becoming more and more likely that, at best, the Phils will add just one more starting pitcher.

Maybe.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.