Infielder Jason Donald along with pitchers Jake Woods and Dave Borkowski were all optioned to minor league camp this evening, Donald had a strong Spring, seeing time at both SS and 3B, hitting .293 in 58 at bats. He had a homer, 4 RBI’s and 3 stolen bases. Borkowski was effective this spring, throwing 5.1 innings with a 1.69 ERA. He walked two and struck out three. Woods, who had some major league experience had an outside shot at sticking as a lefty out of the pen. That shot was quickly dimished with a 7.94 ERA in his 5.2 innings this Spring. Expect all three to have an impact with the IronPigs this year.
These cuts leave Mike Koplove and Gary Majewski fighting for the last spot in the Phillies bullpen if the Phils go North with 12 pitchers.
Phuture Phillies 
Mayberry in ??????????????
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read today that dubee has decided to go north with 11 to start since we have so many off days. which means both guys will be sent down to AAA. Im guessing Majewski is the first call up.
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Figure on Giles and his .182 avg being gone soon.
My guess is the bench will be Coste, Dobbs, Bruntlett, Jenkins, Stairs, Cairo to start the year. That’s a WEAK bench. I hope that Rube pulls a rabbit out of the hat to fix this situation.
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Switch Mayberry and Coste and I like that bench a little bit. Those lefties could really cause some teams some problems late in the games. And I still would like to see Dobbs get 2 starts per week at third base.
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Oh and of course we would need a backup catcher…so I think Paulino should get a job over Cairo. We don’t need two Eric Bruntletts on the team
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jenkins will go
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Where will he go, nowheels?
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I’m liking the Iron Pigs more and more. After the horrible season last year, this year will have prospects and AAAA guys who will keep the fans coming back.
I see former Phillie farmhand, Kelvin Pichardo, has tested positive for enhancements. I saw him last year pitching against Reading. He was throwing hard but Slayden took him “yard” to put an ‘L’ on the scorecard. Sorry about that.
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The only one who cares where Jenkins goes is his banker
as long as he is out of Philly
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How soon they forget! Jenkins had a big hit as a pinch hitter in the last game of the world series. He just needs to be used the right way-leading off an inning of a suspended game-and he”ll be fine!
I would keep Coste over Paulino. I think that he is better offensively and defensively.
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SIFPA one hit please this is a new year and Jenkin hasnt been good for four years and has no future. Paulino is a mystery
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I’m confused as to the questions about Mayberry, Majewski, Cairo and Koplove making the team. I counted 26 players already on the roster, including Romero. I guess Paulino, Coste and Stairs are still in question?
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NEPP, weak bench? That’s the best bench we’ve had in ages.
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nowheels please, I was kidding about Jenkins being used only in suspended games.
I have thought for a while that Park is the best candidate for starter especially with the need for a leftie in the pen (could be Happ); today we will see how Park does under pressure with his starting position on the line. You can’t put too much credence in Grapefruit League stats, but it is interesting that in 20 innings, Happ has allowed 6 walks and 18 hits while striking out 14 while Park has pitched 11.2 innings, allowed 10 hits (comparable), struck out 11 (better) and no walks at all (amazing control for so early).
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I agree, I think the bench looks pretty good. Barring injury, their 8 man starting lineup is not going to sit much. That means that the bench needs to be able to pinch hit and fill in for a day or two in the event of a small injury. I think the bench will be Coste, Dobbs, Bruntlett, Stairs, Cairo, and someone not yet on the team. They’ll go with 11 pitchers early and keep Cairo as an extra infielder in case Utley or Feliz have any health issues. Assuming they don’t, he’ll be the guy to go for the 12th pitcher. Also, before everyone assumes the 2 relief pitchers are going down, remembver that this assumes that Happ will beat out Park. If Park wins that spot, it looks like they’ll send Happ down to keep him starting and keep one of the two older guys (probably Majewski). Its a good roster with lots of ability. By the way, my guess on Kendrick is that he eventually gets traded.
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Not too surprizing of the cuts. Now they get tougher. If Jenkins doesn’t hit the first 2 months, he’ll be cut. Heck he may be gone already. In the old days, we were always short players, now we’re overloaded. Or maybe Monty’s just ‘loaded’.
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Sifpa
sorry the suspended part when over my head like Bruntlett
playing center field . I will try harder wink
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I was all over Werth for coming in out of shape. Maybe every one should . He seems to be the only one hitting
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Park struk out 7 and walked one, but allowed 3 runs in four innings on a day when the wind was blowing in. I guess the competition for the fifth starter is still on.
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Make that struck out 7!
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The Phils traded Paulino to SF for Jack Taschner. Taschner will become their lefty specialist. Not much of a specialist. Lefties hit .279 versus .308 for righties. The Mets and Braves murder him whereas the Nats and Marlins don’t hit him well. On the plus side, May and June are his best months. He posts an ERA at or less than 1.00 in those months. They only need him until Romero comes back.
What does this do for the Happ/Park battle? If Park wins the battle, is Happ going to LHV? I’d be really torn by that occurrance. I didn’t want to Phils to make him a lefty specialist… even for a short time. He’s a starter and a pretty good one and he also has pitched well enough to win that 5th spot.
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2008 vs lefties worse than Taschner
Joe Blanton† .278
Chad Durbin .311
Adam Eaton .318
Clay Condrey .320
R.J. Swindle .333
Kyle Kendrick .334
better
Happ .209
Romero .102
Eyre .174
If he makes the roster this is terrible. Taschner pitchs best
with 3-5 days rest. omg
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This also closes the book on the Jaramillo trade. It’s now Jason for Taschner. Jason’s having his usual bad spring with the Bucs. He’s hitting .143 (4 – 28) with no extra-base hits. OBP is only .220 or so. But he could stick as Doumit’s backup because he’s thrown out 50% of those nasty stealers. He’s 6 for 12. Doumit’s 0 -14. I still wish Jason well. I liked him when he was in the Phil’s organization. He couldn’t get it going enough to beat out Marson as #1 Catching prospect.
Paulino was traded from the Giants to the Marlins for Hector Correa. Don’t we have a Hector Correa? Oh no, his name’s Heiter.
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If carry 12 pitchers, 7 bullpen jobs.
Condrey
C. Durbin
Madson
Taschner
Eyre
Lidge
That’s 6 , so room for Happ or Park, or one of the other guys even or they switch some up, that’s how I see it.
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And I just seen the Giants immeadiately flipped Paulino for Hector Correa, so I would think Phillies could have had Hector Correa.
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