Monthly Archives: February 2013
Outfield
Predicting the IronPigs roster is difficult enough, but the Phillies keep inviting guys to Clearwater. It’s an exercise in futility, I know. But, I like it anyway. Let’s narrow our focus a bit and make some bold predictions. Today: Outfield
The pool:
“The Jeffersons (We’re A-Movin’ On Up)”
Tyson Gillies
Leandro Castro
Jiwan James
“Old Friends”
Domonic Brown
Derrick Mitchell
Steve Susdorf
“Eastward Bound”
Joe Mather
Jermaine Mitchell
“We Hardly (read: Never) Knew Ye”
Darrin Ruf
Discussion:
From the nine candidates above, I’ll put five with the IronPigs. The Phillies probably need five as well, and they’ll start with Revere, D.Young, Mayberry, and Nix. That leaves one spot. It’s sink or swim time for Domonic Brown. I listed him above because he does have an option year left. I think the scenario where he starts the year with the IronPigs is extremely unlikely. It’s probably even more likely that he’d be traded than that. So let’s put him with Philly.
Delmon Young may need to start the year on the DL. If he does, it opens another spot in the Phillies outfield or on the bench. I’d think Ruf has the inside track on that unless one of the “Eastward Bound” has a great spring. Joe Mather spent last year with the Cubs where he hit a blistering .209. In 2011 he spent time with Gwinnett (note Brundage connection) and Colorado Springs where he predictably did better in the PCL vs. the IL. He bats right-handed. Jermaine Mitchell comes from the A’s, where I believe he had some injury trouble last year. In 2011 is PCL numbers were very good, though. He’s a Lefty and primarily a center fielder.
I don’t think Jiwan James is ready for AAA. The converted pitcher is a good enough outfielder, but I’m not sure he did enough at the plate in Reading to be considered for AAA to start the season. Similarly, with Castro, while he may have earned the promotion, I’ll start him with Reading based on the roster squeeze. Derrick Mitchell and Susdorf could also get squeezed to Reading in certain scenarios.
Bold Predictions:
Out of nine, two to Philly: Brown and Ruf (with D.Young to the D.L.). Two to Reading: James, Castro
Five to LHV: Gillies, Mather, J. Mitchell, Susdorf, D.Mitchell
Kram’s Keys: (What to watch for during Spring Training to see if I’m on track with my predictions):
1. Health. It’s always first, but here we need to know if Delmon is recovered from offseason surgery and if he’s managed to avoid the food truck. We also need to know if Tyson Gillies can make it through S/T unscathed.
2. Fielding. We pretty much know their spots in the outfield, but it will be interesting to see if guys get time in unexpected positions. Also, if Delmon’s on the field, watch to see how he does fielding the ball (he was a DH for much of last season). This goes for Darrin Ruf as well, to see if the Phillies think he can contribute as an adequate Left Fielder defensively.
@Kram209
Middle Infield
Predicting the IronPigs roster is difficult enough, but the Phillies keep inviting guys to Clearwater. It’s an excercise in futility, I know. But, I like it anyway. Let’s narrow our focus a bit and make some bold predictions. Today: Middle Infield
Yesterday, Decal posted some interesting info about contracts and opt-outs which he got from Todd Zolecki from Philadelphia. I urge those interested to go back and read that information in the comments section of the “odds and ends” post. Usually, I don’t get worried about opt-outs and the like until after the season starts. Guys are playing well and I want them to stick around, so I get worried they’ll opt-out. Sometimes I refer to it as a “Dewayne Wise.” Recently, though, it seems a few NRI (non-roster invite) guys have come into Spring Training with immediate opt-outs if they don’t make the team out of camp. The interesting one this year, from Decal’s comment/re-post, is Yuni Betancourt. As the Phillies make a decision about what to do with Yuni, the ripples will be felt all the way down the system for the initial rosters.
Here’s our pool:
“Old Friends”
Pete Orr
Andres Blanco
Michael Martinez
“Prospects”
Cesar Hernandez
Freddy Galvis
“Vets”
Yuni Betancourt
Matt Tolbert
Not included, are the big boys: Rollins and Utley. If they’re healthy, they’ll have their traditional spots in Philadelphia, of course. Kevin Frandsen isn’t included in my pool, either. He’s on the 40-man and if something happens where he or the Phillies are unhappy, I see him going elsewhere. Otherwise, he can back up every infield position and hit doubles. He won’t be on the ‘Pigs.
So if I’ve got to make a prediction on February 10, here it is:
Of the above seven players, I see one in Philadelphia and four with the IronPigs.
Jimmy and Chase are healthy. Charlie likes vets, so Yuni gets a job to start the season in Philadelphia.
Joe Jordan’s comments lead me to believe that I’m not the only one who wants to see Freddy start at AAA and play every day to begin the season (it’ll change fast, and he’ll be up sooner rather than later). Pete Orr can play third, so they keep him around. Blanco will be the AAA shortstop once Galvis receives the inevitable call-up, and Tolbert is a vet with experience who can help fill 2B should Utley go down for an extended period. That leaves Hernandez and Martinez. Cesar gets pushed back to Reading to start the season. It’s temporary and I know he has nothing to prove at that level, but he gets caught in the opening-day numbers game. Martinez does too–doesn’t handle it as well and gets cut just before opening day.
So that’s my take on it at this moment. What say you, Pig Nation? I know I had to make a lot of assumptions in my prediction, and we all know how that works out. So leave your own in the comments below. Thanks for dropping by,
@Kram209
February Odds and Ends
It’s February now, and folks are counting the days until Pitchers and Catchers report (9 days, for the Phillies, as of this writing). In fact, many of our favorite players are already in Clearwater, finding a place to stay and settling in so that they can hit the ground running. I’m not sure if they have a Florida State University scrimmage this year, but the MLB campers open their Grapefruit League games on Saturday, February 23 at 1:05ET versus the Astros.
In the mean time, here in the land of the pigs, we’ve got a couple things that normally happen during February:
First, Season Ticket Holders have the opportunity to purchase single-game IronPigs tickets before they go on sale to the general public. I’m not sure the date’s been announced yet, but I often take advantage of this, stocking up on extra seats for games when I estimate that I’ll have guests in town over the summer. Often I need 9-12 tickets semi-together. It’s not enough for a “group” but tough to get if you wait until later in the season.
Second, Season Ticket Holders have the opportunity to purchase single-game Phillies tickets before they go on sale to the general public. I’ve done this in the past, too, but it’s not much of an advantage. They put the same access code out on Twitter last year for anyone to go on and buy tickets. Also, with the recent popularity of the Phillies, the seats are not that good. Perhaps with the .500 season last year, some Phillies season ticket holders who buy on “speculation” in order to re-sell tickets, will be discouraged. I’ll probably check it out, but more than likely I’ll hold off and buy tickets closer to the time I wish to go down to a game (if I even do this year).
I forget, but at some point, season ticket holders will be able to pick up our packages. It might be into March. I know National Pig Day will be Saturday March 3, though, so those non-season ticket holders who need single game tix can pick them up starting then. I’ve heard it’s a good time: hanging out at the park and hot dogs and festivities and whatnot. I’ve never been, but maybe this year. I’ll check my son’s indoor soccer schedule. Any excuse to spend time at the park…
Here’s something: Tyler Cloyd’s wife Tonya writes a blog about “Married Life in Minor League Baseball.” It’s quite good and offers a lot of insight about the players and their families and the game from their perspective. Her latest entry was about their trip to the AAA All-Star game in Buffalo last season. Give it a read here .
One last thing; here’s an old story from a previous season*:
“The Episode of the Lost Radio”
Once upon a time at a Minor League park, there was a staffer named “Boris.” “Boris” was leading a tour of the ballpark for out-of-town guests early one afternoon before a game. While he was showing his group the home-team dugout, he accidently left his Walkie-Talkie there on the bench. Soon, he realized his error. He returned, but found that it was gone. A search was initiated. But, alas, no luck. The Walkie-Talkie was nowhere to be found.
Later that evening during the game, emergency calls began over the radios: unruly fan behavior, indecent exposure, fans getting ready to run onto the field, and other “emergencies.” Stadium security was dispatched each time to investigate. Each time they found nothing. It didn’t take long to figure out that a player had gotten ahold of that lost Walkie-Talkie, and was using it for maximum amusement. Personally, I would expect no less from young men charged with playing 144 baseball games over 152 days.
The next day, the radio was returned. “Coincidently,” that same day, a player–let’s call him “Potato Chip”–was traded away for no compensation. Since then, though, this minor league team has had no difficulty with lost radios or player practical jokes.
*Names changed to protect the guilty
@Kram209
noisenation.mlblogs.com 