As we enter the final week of Spring ball, here are the top story lines from Clearwater.
Franco Stays Hot
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Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco belted his league leading 8th Spring homer Friday night. The 23 year old is hitting .302 with 8 homers and 19 RBIs so far this Spring.
Mackanin Gets Extension
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Phillies skipper Pete Mackanin is entering his first full season as the manager, but it won’t be his last. The Phillies and Mackanin agreed to a deal to keep him as manager through the 2017 season, with a club option for 2018. Mackanin, 64, had this to say about the extension:
“I couldn’t be more grateful. This is a great opportunity. Now that I’m the captain of the ship, I want to keep the guys pointed in the right direction. So this is a great day, a great moment for me, and especially for my wife who has hung around with me for 40 years. I think she’s very deserving of this opportunity.”
Outfield Competition
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Extension aside, Mackanin and staff have some decisions to make regarding the outfield. Right now the only two locks are Peter Bourjos, who is hitting .326 this Spring, and Odubel Herrera, who has been a little banged up with a finger injury. Besides those two, the other three spots seem to be wide open. One who I believe will secure a spot is Tyler Goedell. The first pick in this winter’s Rule 5 draft has shown great versatility playing all 3 outfield positions. His bat hasn’t been head-turning this Spring, but he still posses plenty of offensive potential. Cedric Hunter, 28, looks like he may be making his first MLB roster since 2012. He’s hitting .286 with 3 homers and 11 RBIs this Spring. The last spot might be the toughest to get a read on. If healthy, the Phillies would give the nod to their home grown player in Cody Asche. If Asche stays on the shelf, 30 year old David Lough might find himself in the conversation. Lough is hitting .282 with a homer and 5 RBIs this Spring.
Rotation Storylines
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On Wednesday, Mackanin announced that newly acquired Jeremy Hellickson will be starter against the Reds on Opening Day. Many believed youngster Aaron Nola would get the nod, but don’t fear Nola fans, the 22 year old will start the home opener on the 11th of April.
The rotation seems to be:
- Hellickson
- Nola
- Morton
- Eickoff
- TBD
The fifth spot seems to be between Adam Morgan and Vincent Velasquez. Both have been decent this Spring, but Velasquez has been lighting up the radar gun hitting 98MPH. I would have to give the nod to Velasquez.
The trip North
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The Phillies will end their Grapefruit league campaign Wednesday against the Astros at Brighthouse Field. The team will then head back to Pennsylvania, but not to Philadelphia, to Reading. On Thursday the Phillies will face a group of top prospects from the organization in a 7 inning game at FirstEnergy Stadium. I will be in attendance for this one.
The Phillies, 14-8-2 this Spring, will head to Philadelphia on Friday and play the Orioles and then on Saturday, face the prospects again. The team will then travel to Cincinnati for the season opener on April 4th.
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