Young Phillies Ready For The Spotlight

PHILS PHACTS:

One In, One Out – After fracturing his right thumb in a bunting drill last week, projected starter Jerad Eickhoff said his injury wasn't anything serious. Apparently it's not. Eickhoff returned to Phillies camp on Thursday to throw a bullpen session, and he was happy to be back. "Absolutely, just to get back on that slope was a great feeling. Wish I could have threw more," Eickhoff said. "I just wanted to get that feel back." Manager Pete Mackanin was encouraged by the quick return. "Very much," Mackanin said. "We know that he's gonna be ready for the season. I'd like to believe it would be in that first rotation. He's set back a little bit. It was unfortunate, but I think he's going to be fine." Eickhoff felt great, but he admitted the injury scared him at first. "A little bit," he said. "I was pretty nervous obviously the day it happened. It's been a good feeling. All the trainers and coaches have been real supportive. They said, 'Don't rush back by any means. Just make sure you get that thing healthy before you get back.'" Asche out: Cody Asche is listed as day to day in camp after getting hit by a pitch and tweaking his oblique. Mackanin says it's simply a precautionary measure, as Asche doesn't want to risk making it worse and should be back soon. On the clock: Major League Baseball is making big efforts to speed up its games, with the latest measure a 30-second stadium clock counting down each mound visit. The clock begins the moment each coach leaves the dugout. "I'm going to have to keep my legs loose so I can jog out to the mound," Mackanin quipped. Mackanin doesn't have a problem with the new mandate, as he says most trips are quick, unless a manager needs to bring his infielders in to make them aware of a certain play. "I think it can be done in 30 seconds."

Ready For Round Two – He's only 22, yet Aaron Nola is quickly checking all the boxes. First-round Draft Pick? Check. Successful big league debut? Check. Opening Day starter? ... "It's all of our dreams to be an Opening Day Starter if you haven't been one," Nola proclaimed Thursday at Phillies camp. The young right-hander is the odds-on favorite to start for Philadelphia on Opening Day on April 4 in Cincinnati, but don't mistake his confidence for cockiness. He's not brash or boastful. Nola is humble, and the proof lies in the priority he puts in getting along with his teammates. "Forming those relationships when I was up in Philly this past year definitely has helped me this Spring Training so far, and I feel it's going to continue to help me." It also helps he earned the respect of his teammates by living up to all of the hype last season. Nola entered the big leagues and acted every bit the seventh overall pick of the 2014 Draft, going 6-2 with 68 strikeouts and 19 walks in 13 starts. Nola wasn't content with his debut, so this offseason he fine-tuned his repertoire. "I put a lot of work into my changeup, trying to get my changeup where I want it to be, have it be a strong pitch in my arsenal this year." Nola's teammate, Jeremy Hellickson, can relate to building off a great Major League debut. Hellickson was an American League Rookie of the Year Award winner with the Rays in 2011, and the new Phillies righty compares Nola's stuff to his former Tampa Bay teammate, James Shields. "I think he's handling it great," Hellickson said. "I don't think much gets to him. He works extremely hard." Nola may be young, but he's wise enough to know big league hitters will be ready to make adjustments this season. "They put whatever I did to them into like a computer in their brain, and I try to do the same," Nola said. "At the end of the day, it's about making adjustments." Learning and adjusting? Check and check. Nola seems to have all the bases covered.

It Could Be A Ruf Year – Entering his eighth year in the Phillies' organization, the past four in the big leagues, the time is now for potential-packed slugger Darin Ruf. "He's at a point, he's [29] years old, he's got to put up or shut up this year," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. Ruf feels the urgency and also understands to reach his potential, he's going to have to compete with fellow first baseman Ryan Howard for at-bats. Entering this spring, Ruf endured yet another offseason of Howard trade talk, which Ruf admits has become quite the broken record. "We've been hearing those rumors for like two to three years now, and nothing has happened," Ruf said. Ruf insists the obvious: both players want to be starters, but the relationship off the field remains a friendly one. "We have a great relationship," Ruf said. "We try to help each other all the time, on the field and off the field. We get together as much as possible, get dinners, lunches." Ruf is certainly the yin to Howard's yang. While Howard has struggled against lefties, Ruf has thrived. His OPS vs. lefties was an eye-opening 1.107 last season, which would have tied Nelson Cruz for the Major League lead if Ruf had enough at-bats. Playing strictly against lefties is a role he has mastered. "I might have the coach throw lefty and work on a little bit more fast-slow things in the cage," Ruf said. "It's a point of emphasis for me." This spring, Ruf is poised to break out of his comfort zone and face more righties, against whom his OPS was .483 last year, compared to Howard's .770. "Yeah I hope so," Ruf said. "I'm going to have to earn those and show I can regularly throw quality at-bats out there. You have more of a comfort level the more years you do it. [It's my] fourth big league Spring Training now. I know how it works." He wants to take playing time away from Howard, a player Ruf has great respect for on the field and the way the veteran has carried himself off of it. "I just try to watch him the way he goes about his work habits," Ruf said. "If there are things I can pick up, implement in the kind of person I am, the way I treat my fellow teammates, coaches, I think it will lead to a long career." It's a career at a crossroads this season, where for Ruf, the time is now.

Today In Phils History - In 1914, baseball was quite a different sport so when the Phillies spring training camp in Wilmington, NC was delayed due to weather manager Red Dooin held an indoor practice at the local YMCA. 40 years later the game had changed to the point that Robin Roberts signed a then NL record contract worth over $40,000 for the season ending his hold out. Of course, we must also remember a couple of players from the early days who have birthdays today including Ed Sixsmith (1863) who had only two plate appearances in his career and Hall of Famer Pete Alexander (1887) who is still one of the greatest pitchers to have ever played the game. 

THE BEGINNING:

With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Encouraging Start For Veterans At Camp

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.