PHILS PHACTS:
Lee Finally Faces Batters – Everything
seems fine so far with Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee. He threw to hitters Wednesday morning at
Carpenter Complex, the first time he had faced hitters since his 2014 season
ended in July because of an injured left elbow. If Lee is behind schedule
compared to other starters in camp, it does not appear to be much. "Felt
good, felt normal," Lee said. "No complaints." Phillies manager
Ryne Sandberg said there has been some thought Lee could miss his first turn in
the rotation once Grapefruit League games start next week, but he could not be
certain. Sandberg cited an "upper respiratory" illness for setting
back Lee a bit, but the lefty said it has not been an issue. "I don't know
what the schedule says," Lee said. "I know we discussed just easing
into it, making sure we don't do anything stupid early. I had two days in
between bullpens, where everyone else had a day. Trying to make sure you're
better safe than sorry early. But everything feels good." One thing is
certain: whenever Lee pitches, he will have plenty of scouts on hand. If Lee is
healthy and effective, he is a trade candidate. He makes $25 million this
season, plus a $12.5 million buyout on a 2016 club option worth $27.5 million. The
club option automatically vests if Lee pitches 200 innings this season and does
not finish the season on the disabled list with a left arm or elbow injury.
Getting An Early Start – Manager
Ryne Sandberg seems to be impressed with how Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard has looked during the team's first two
full-squad workouts at Carpenter Complex. "Ryno looks like, his body looks
like right now, he's going to allow himself to be more productive,"
Sandberg said Wednesday afternoon. Howard, 35, enters camp following an
interesting offseason. He settled a nasty legal battle with his family. He
heard Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. say on radio the Phillies would
be better without him, and he heard plenty of speculation about being traded.
But Howard remains with the organization and hopes to bounce back following some
rough seasons. "Just running the bases he looks better, a much better
chance of scoring from second base," Sandberg said. "Much better
getting to the cutoff spots playing first base. There should be more range
there with the way that he looks from the waist down." Howard has declined
comment to reporters since he arrived in camp Monday. Some wonder if he could
be playing with a chip on his shoulder this season. "He doesn't act like
he has a chip on his shoulder," Sandberg said. "He acts like he's a
teammate here and he's a veteran guy helping the young players. So I like the
attitude and the fact that he's getting after it and doing extra work with
Charlie [Manuel], but with [Larry] Bowa in the mornings and sometimes
afterwards on the defensive side of things. That'll go a long way with getting
the most out of Ryno, really getting back to the ability and where he needs to
be on the field."
Bullpen Bubbles – Projecting
the Phillies' Opening Day roster is an annual rite of spring. For that reason
it is worth knowing the players in camp without options. Options play a
considerable role in a player's chances of making the 25-man roster. Players
without options must clear waivers before they can be assigned to the Minor
Leagues, so there is risk in losing the player altogether if he does not make
the team. In Phillies camp there are six players without options: right-handers
Jerome Williams and Justin De Fratus;
left-handers Phillippe Aumont and Andy Oliver; and infielders Freddy Galvis and Cesar Hernandez. It is not a factor for Williams, who
signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract in the offseason. He is expected to be
the team's No. 4 starter behind Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee and Aaron Harang. It also is not a factor for Oliver, who
is a Rule 5 Draft pick. The Phils must keep Oliver on their 25-man roster the
entire season or he must be offered back to the Pirates. Galvis is expected to
be the everyday shortstop, so options should not be an issue. De Fratus is a
heavy favorite to make the bullpen, so the same holds true for him. But the
performances of Aumont and Hernandez this spring are worth watching because of
their situations. Aumont is 1-5 with a 6.13 ERA in 45 appearances over the past
three seasons. He has averaged 6.1 walks per nine innings in that time. The
Phillies love his stuff, but he will need to throw strikes and pitch much more
consistently to earn a spot in the bullpen, which already includes locks like Jonathan Papelbon, Ken Giles and Jake Diekman,
with De Fratus a strong favorite for a fourth spot. Hernandez seems to be a
better bet to make the team because he can play a little bit at shortstop, and
the Phillies do not have a true backup for Galvis. Hernandez has hit .264 with
a .624 OPS in 256 plate appearances the past two seasons.
Seeking Rebirth – Some
people just hit it off. Who knows why? It happens in life. It happens in
baseball. Jeff Francoeur quickly became a star after breaking in with the
Braves in 2005. From the opposite dugout, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel liked
what he saw. And understand this: Manuel appreciates good hitting the way
oenophiles swoon over the nuances of a great wine and art experts will
endlessly analyze every brushstroke of a Monet. "Half the time I felt like
Charlie was my manager," Francoeur said with a laugh before a recent
Phillies workout at Bright House Field. "I'd be on deck and I'd look in
their dugout. And Charlie was always [shaking his fist] at me. And I was like,
'Is he pulling for me or is he hoping I'll strike out?'" "I'd always
be getting on him," Manuel admitted with a grin. They had never worked
together, though, until now. The 31-year-old outfielder, trying to get his
career back on track after spending most of last season in Triple-A, signed
with the Phils as a Minor League free agent and is a non-roster invitee.
Manuel, after being dismissed as manager midway through the 2013 season, is back
with the organization as a senior adviser to the general manager. This spring,
he's working with hitters; Francoeur may just be his passion project. Their
paths nearly intersected four years ago, when Francoeur was a free agent for
the first time. The Phillies, looking for a right-handed bat, were interested.
Manuel's eyes lit up at the Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., that
year when asked if he thought he could help Francoeur regain his hitting
stroke. "I see some mechanics and things that I would like to sit down and
talk with him about," Manuel said at the time. "I would like to sit
down and go over his approach and things like that. I see some things that I
would like to suggest to him." In the end, Francoeur ended up signing with
the Royals, though he never really found his groove again. Released by Kansas
City on July 5, 2013, he bounced to the Giants, Indians and Padres before
signing with the Phils -- $18,000 per month, $925,000 plus incentives if he
makes the team. Maybe, Francoeur admitted, he would have been better off if he
had worked with Manuel four years ago. "There's always that,"
francoeur said. "But then, once it's done, I think you always kind of look
forward, especially now that I'm here and with Charlie. I'm just kind of looking
forward to it. We're going to work one on one, and that's what I've been
looking forward to all offseason. When they told me he'd be here the whole time
and I'd have the opportunity to work with him, it was a no-brainer for me. I've
always respected him. I'm looking forward to working with him big-time."
"I've talked to Jim Thome, Jayson Werth, and they swear by Charlie. He knows so
much about hitting. To be honest with you, I felt like if I could get here and
get a chance to work with him and do what I can, I've still got a lot of good
years ahead of me. I feel that way. I'm getting smarter about my body and
different things." Said Manuel: "He's got talent. I was kind of
surprised when I talked to him. He knows hitting. He knows who he is now. When
he was young, his adrenaline would get going and he'd overswing a lot. He's
definitely got a chance to be a good hitter. I've always liked the way he hit.
Hopefully, we can get him back to where he was a few years ago. "I used to
always talk to him. He's that kind of player. He has a tremendous personality.
He smiles. He's upbeat. He brings energy. If we can get him to where he was a
couple years ago, then he's still got a chance to be a good player. That's all
I can tell you." General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has promised nothing
beyond giving an outfielder whose OPS has declined each season since he posted
an .848 in 2010 the chance to show what he can do. Last season, Francoeur
appeared in just 10 big league games, and he batted .289 for the Triple-A El
Paso Chihuahuas. The Phils' depth chart lists Darin Ruf in left, Ben Revere in center and Domonic Brown in right, with Grady Sizemore as the primary backup. "By no
means has [Francoeur] made this club or is locked in," Amaro said.
"He's going to get an opportunity to be with us, and we'll see how it
goes. He can be a good addition as an extra outfielder for us. "He didn't
have the greatest season last year, but we think he provides some things -- or
at least could provide some things -- that we need. Some balance in the
outfield. He's a very good defender, he's a quality person. He just kind of
fits the mold of what we think could be a piece of the puzzle here. But he's
going to have to prove to us and to himself and others that he can be a
contributor to this club. "It's hard to tell [what his upside is]. I don't
know. I know the people are excited about working with him, and hopefully, he
feels the same about being with us." Nobody's more excited about working
with Francoeur than Manuel, and the feeling is mutual. "I've always loved
playing in Philly," Francoeur said. "I've always hit well there. And
I like the fans, man. I know they're tough, but it's the type of place where
there's passion. You don't get that in some other places. Fans up there love
professional sports. So, for me, I'm looking forward to the challenge of
hopefully making this team and then contributing throughout the year." And
for what it's worth, of all the incentives the Phillies included in Francoeur's
contract, one stands out. He'll get an extra $50,000 for being named Comeback
Player of the Year.
ON THE RECORD:
The
Phillies will look to rebound this season from a 73-89 record last year. While
uncertainty abounds, there is little question that the franchise is in rebuild
mode based on the moves and statements that have been made during the
offseason. The only question that remains is whether or not the young and
veteran talent on the team can work together to disprove Gillick’s predictions
either this year or next.
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