The minor league games with the Pirates were cancelled today due to rain along the coast.  It must have been heavier in the Bradenton area, because Group 5 was able to play their scheduled game against the Canadian Junior National Team.  Groups 1 and 2 worked out on one of the fields and Groups 3 and 4 played an intra-squad game.  Kyle Kendrick pitched for Group 3, Carlos Ruiz, caught, and Cesar Hernandez played third base.  Innings started with different on base scenarios and Ruiz and Hernandez batted in most innings.

Kendrick missed a throwing session yesterday due to the flu.  He threw 5 respectable innings today.  Group 4 managed a few opposite field singles, but were generally over-matched when he threw his off-speed stuff.  Jan Hernandez made a great diving catch but left the game afterwards. Continue reading MILB Spring Training 2014; March 12th, Phillies vs. Pirates rained out →

Groups 1 and 2 played at the Carpenter Complex.  Groups 3 and 4 traveled to Dunedin.  Group 5 hosted the Three Rivers College Raiders, an NJCAA member from the MCCAC.  I decided to go to the Complex to watch Groups 1 and 2.  Hoby Milner started for Group 2, Barry Enright for Group 1.  I opted to watch Milner and the younger pitchers in Group 2. Continue reading Spring Training 2014; March 11th, Phillies vs. Blue Jays →

Severino Gonzalez threw two innings in Group 3’s game against Group 4 today.  I had spent the previous innings watching Groups 1 and 2 square off, but came over to Ashburn Field to observe Gonzalez.  He faced Nick Ferdinand, Cameron Perkins, and Edgar Duran in his first inning.  He threw 5 strikes to Ferdinand before finally striking him out swinging.  He threw 3 strikes to Perkins before tempting him with two purpose pitches low and just off the plate.  Continue reading 2014 MiLB Spring Training, Seve Gonzalez, and Other Observations →

Baseball Betsy posted the first posted workout groups of the year up on her site.

Continue reading First Workout Groups of the Year →

The kids are back in town!  According to Larry Shenk, about 50 minor leaguers have been working out at the Carpenter Complex for the past few weeks, and the rest of the 170 invited to minor league spring training reported this past Friday.  I caught most of the workouts held on Saturday and Sunday.

I need to explain that it is near impossible to keep track of particular players.  The organization hasn’t broken the players out into their respective groups, nor have they provided rosters yet.  The kids are wearing light gray T-shirts with their uniform pants.  The white lettering on their backs is difficult to make out from a distance.  The outfielders are usually in the outfield when they aren’t taking batting practice.  So I’m really not 100% sure who is or isn’t here.  It has been easier identifying the pitchers, infielders, and catchers. Continue reading They’re here! →

Before the game, the Phillies held a morning workout at the Carpenter Complex.  It consisted of stretching exercises, sprints around the bases, long toss, and BP off the coaches.  I spotted Dugan and decided to watch him and his group which included Franco, Joseph, and Marson, who followed Brown, Byrd, and Gwynn.  I didn’t pay much attention to the first group while waiting for Dugan and Franco.  Dugan started slow but really picked it up after his first two ABs.  He made good contact before launching a couple towering home runs to right.  However, towering drives is not his trade mark result.  Franco launched a couple over the left field fence.  But otherwise made inconsistent contact on his other swings.  Joseph looked good and showed a little power.  Marson had a nice swing and hit a lot of line drives, but no power.  Practice ended, on to Bright House. Continue reading 2014 Spring Training, Intrasquad Game →

Not much to report today.  Just a short practice.  The annual golf outing is this afternoon.

They started a few minutes early.  I arrived after the meeting and exercises.  They were just finishing their run around the bases.

The pitchers long tossed on Schmidt Field.  Cole Hamels was among them, and looked to be throwing well. Continue reading 2014 Spring Training, Day 12 →

So, tomorrow is the last day of major league spring training at the Carpenter Complex.  Tuesday the Phillies are playing an intra-squad game at Bright House Field.  The Complex will be turned over to the minor leaguers for their spring training.  Already there are dozens of them reporting to the Complex to use weight and batting in the facilities there. Continue reading 2014 Spring Training, Day 11 →

Same start as on previous days – meeting at the mound, stretching routines, exercises, then running drills.  Today’s drill had the runners take a turn at first.  When all were in line again, they went from first to third.  You could see the coach watching the runner approach second then looking down to watch the foot placement as each player touched the base.  Kelly Dugan was Continue reading 2014 Spring Training, Day 10 →

Larry Andersen is a special pitching instructor this year.  I had a conversation with Larry during Phantasy week in January.  Larry presides as the commissioner during Phantasy week and spends a lot of time visiting with the people watching the games.  During one of these visits, I asked him about his upcoming stint as instructor and his future in the broadcasting booth.  Larry said that he was supposed to be a special instructor each of the past two seasons but that something came up each year that cancelled his appearance.  He said that he would love to be a pitching coach again and that he would gladly Continue reading 2014 Spring Training, Day 9 →