Spring Training 2014, Day 2

Spring Training 2014

I arrived at the Carpenter Complex early and found out that the position players who had already reported would be taking batting practice in Bright House Field at 10:30AM and that it would be open to the public.  I checked the schedule for the Carpenter Complex fields (each guard is issued one each day) and found that the pitchers and catchers would be following the same regimen they followed on Thursday.  So, rather than watch PFPs and strugglung to get a peek at the pitchers thowing off the mounds, I walked over to watch BP.

BP is conducted in small groups of 4 or 5 batters.  I walked in on the first group – Brown, Revere, Byrd, and Mayberry.  The second group included Asche, Utley, Frandsen, and Howard.  The third Ruf, Galvis, Brignac, and Thomas.  Finally the fourth group – Franco, Castro, Dugan, Blanco, and Gillies.  (For some reason Altherr didn’t bat.)

It’s early and just BP off some crippled, old coach, so take this with a shaker of salt.  The young guys looked pretty good.

Gillies made consistent, hard contact.  He hit a lot of line drives.  Even showed a little power.  I was pleasantly surprised.  He hadn’t started this well in camp the past two years.  I think he went oh-for-WBC last year.  He did end one set with a slug bunt.

Castro showed some surprising power, reaching the Tiki Terrace in left twice.  He made some nice contact, but not as consistently as Gillies.

Blanco was similar to Castro, but with less power.

Dugan started slowly, but started spraying line drives to all fields.  He hit two balls deep into the Tiki Terrace and finally pulled one into the RF berm.  I saw Dugan hit several home runs last season when he was with the Threshers.  All were at or over the Oakley sign at the back of the RF berm.  It was good to see power to left, even if it was in batting practice.

And then there was Franco.  He warmed up on his second set and laced line drives to all fields.  He peppered the RF and LF walls 4 or 5 times, and finally launched one off the back wall of the bullpen.  If the Phillies are serious about letting him compete for a position, he may force their hand earlier than I expected.  But, it is early.

When BP was over, Juan Samuel prepared to hit balls to the outfielders.  I had to leave to drive my son to the airport when I passed the practice infield outside Bright House.  Howard and Utley had finished their infield drills and the younger guys were getting their reps.  Bowa was hitting to the left side and Morandi to the right side.  Sandberg was catching for Bowa.

Frandsen, Asche, and Franco were at third.  I know what the scouting reports say, but I don’t see why Franco can’t play third.  He has soft hands and quick reflexes.  I’m not good enough to discern his slow first step.  He looks a lot quicker than Michael Young, but so is a glacier.  I’m not taking anything away from Asche.  He looks good there too.  I guess it’s a good problem to have.

Brignac, Galvis, and Blanco were rotating among shortstop and second.  Mostly timing tosses for the DP turn.

Ruf was getting all the action at first.  He looks much better and more comfortable at first.  No longer a defensive liability when playing his natural position.  It’s good that Bowa and Morandini are the coaches for these exercises.  They’re real ball busters.  No easy grounders.  Left.  Right.  Charge.  Right at ’em.   I can’t wait for the infield drills next week.  If they’re like last year’s, they’ll be fun to report.

Phillies are practicing both days this weekend.  I’ll be at both, but will condense my observations into  Monday’s report.

Oh, I know Ruf is no longer a prospect, but I thought you might like to know he hit the first pitch he saw into the Tiki Terrace, two rows deep.  And they are wide rows.  Later he bounced one off the top of Frenchy’s.  Yeah, we can’t find a spot for that kind of power.  Sheesh.

22 thoughts on “Spring Training 2014, Day 2”

    1. Rollins never reports early, so no surprise there. Only other position players not listed as there I can come up with are Cesar Hernandez and Tony Gwynn Jr.

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      1. I do not think Bobby Abreu is there yet, But they do not need to report for a few more days anyway.
        Also, Papelbon’s media day is Monday, so that should be interesting conversation.

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  3. Thanks for your work Jim. As one who has not been to the complex yet (I blame my wife 100%) could you or someone use the overhead view in the Day 1 report to point out where the Tiki deck and other ball landing spots are.
    I am in the minority but I believe that some of our youngsters will come through, Ruf and Ashe in particular. And not right away but as they figure things out over the year. This is a learning year with new coaches and a new “you arent owed anything” managerial style, much like the Eagles had. Maybe a little of that mojo will find its way across the street to CBP this year.

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    1. The Tiki Terrace is the left field bleacher area between the foul pole and the bullpens.

      Frenchy’s refers to the advertising sign on top of the Tiki Bar in the space at the top of the Tiki Terrace. Tiki Terrace is the actual designation for the LF bleacher area when you go online to buy tickets.

      The bullpens are between the Terrace and the Berm. Berm is their ticket designation for the lawn areas on either side of the “batter’s eye” in dead centerfield.

      There is a pathway that runs behind the Tiki Bar and the two Berm areas. They have placed tables and stools between the pathway and the outer fence behind the bar and bullpens. Last year Miguel Cabrerra hit a HR over that fence off Papelbon. Today , Maikel Franco hit one off that fence.

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  4. Great report. Was supposed to make it to spring training this year job transition is getting in the way. Keep them coming.

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  5. Jim, looking forward to further reporting – thanks for your willingness to enable my phils minor league addiction!

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  7. Thanks so much to the updates, always look for news during spring training. Usually only get the news paper fluff stories. Nice to have honest eyes down there.

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  8. Awesome report and greatly appreciated as this is first hand stuff and i am stoked to hear it

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  9. To echo every one…thank you, these reports, which are definitely helpful if not just entertaining when there’s not much else going on.

    I realize you say you’re not a scout but i’m inclined to add this to the reports of people including John Sickels, who I trust, who say quite simply Franco plays good defense.

    On the other side of the argument seem to be those who look at his body and speed and speculate he’ll have to moved. That argument doesn’t really capture me. The guy’s 20 years old and likely to see big league action this year. If he eventually has to move to first at 25 or 26, thats a lot of team control during which he plays third. If he later switches to first and loses some value, the phillies arent required to keep him around.

    I just have a hard time dismissing the scouting reports that say he’s a good 3d at this very moment.

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  10. Not that its a big deal, but not seeing non-roster invitee OF Dave Sappelt on the roster anymore? Did something happen with his physical also?

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    1. I haven’t seen or heard ahything about him. He’s still listed as a Phillie in Baseball Reference and Baseball America. But he’s not listed on the Phillies site with the other non-roster invitees, and he’s not on the roster they handed out at the Carpenter Complex. I’ll try and find out.

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  11. Howard says he lost weight…he said he is now between 240 and 250 lbs…..my guess 248…still 13 pounds too much for my liking.
    Sandberg was impressed however, since he says Howard was 260plus last year.
    Howard should be more flexible and mobile at least then last year.

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