Next Stop: Opening Day!

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phils Edge Prospects 6-5

Cesar Hernandez hit a walk-off single to lead the Phillies to a 6-5 victory over the Futures team, comprised of some of the organization's best prospects, at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday. And the good news continued for the Phils, because if they're looking for an outfielder at some point this season, Nick Williams did what he could to make sure the front office will remember him. Williams, part of the Cole Hamels deal with Texas last July, had a home run, a double and three RBIs for the Futures team. The 22-year-old is rated the organization's No. 3 prospect by MLBPipeline.com. He'll open this season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. After joining the organization last year, he batted .320 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 22 games at Double-A Reading. Williams came up with one out and No. 1 prospect J.P. Crawford on first in the first inning and drove in the first run of the game with a booming double to center. He had sacrifice fly in the second and homered to lead off the fifth, breaking a 3-3 tie. All of Williams' at-bats came against veteran Charlie Morton, who will be the Phillies' No. 3 starter this season. Morton pitched 4 2/3 innings in his final tuneup, allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out three. Right-hander Jake Thompson, the No. 2-ranked prospect, started for the Futures team. The 22-year-old, who was also part of the Hamels trade, held the Phillies to three runs in his five innings, allowing eight hits but also striking out four. The Phillies got on the board in the first with an RBI single by Darin Ruf and an RBI double by Ryan Howard, and Freddy Galvis added an RBI double in the second, all with Thompson pitching. Rhys Hoskins hit a solo homer in the top of the eighth for the Futures team to bring the score to 5-3. In the bottom of the ninth, though, Ruf tied things up with a two-run double, and Hernandez delivered in the next at-bat for the walk-off victory.

PHILS PHACTS:

• To make room for Hunter, Burriss and Russell on the 40-man roster, left-handers Matt Harrison (back/disc injury) and Mario Hollands (Tommy John surgery) and outfielder Aaron Altherr (left wrist surgery) were placed on the 60-day disabled list. In addition, right-hander Michael Mariot (right ankle strain) and outfielder Cody Asche (right oblique strain) were placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 25.
• Eickhoff will start the fourth game of the season and Velasquez the fifth against the Mets, Mackanin said. Hellickson will start on Opening Day against the Reds on Monday followed by Nola on Wednesday and Morton on Thursday.
• Two notable releases from Minor League camp include left-hander Ken Roberts, who was claimed on waivers from the Rockies last season and made six big league relief appearances for Philly in September and October, and right-hander Greg Burke, a 33-year-old South Jersey native who was in big league camp this spring as a non-roster player. Burke has pitched 80 games in the big leagues for the Padres and Mets.

NEXT GAME:

Veteran right-hander Jeremy Hellickson will make the first Opening Day start of his career Monday when the Phillies play the Reds at Great American Ball Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET. "It's definitely going to be different," Hellickson said. "The emotions are going to be high. The atmosphere is going to be crazy. The adrenaline is going to be flowing, and I'm going to be really excited. I'm grateful for the opportunity, and I'm looking forward to it." Outfielder Cedric Hunter, 28, is expected to make his first big league start after coming to camp as a non-roster player.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hunter Makes The Cut – He didn't sign until a month before Spring Training. It was a Minor League deal, he was a 28-year-old non-roster invitee, the kind of guy who doesn't get much attention on his way in the door -- or on the way out, either, when he's just another name on the list of players assigned to the complex. Then a funny thing happened to Cedric Hunter. He hit a walk-off homer to beat the Braves in a Grapefruit League game. He had a great at-bat against the Rays, fouling off a pitch in the dirt to protect the runner on a hit-and-run. Aaron Altherr, who had been penciled in as the everyday right fielder, got hurt. Springs often reveal a surprise, a Cinderella player, a heart-warming tale. This year, Hunter was it. Not only did Hunter, whose entire big league resume consists of six games for the Padres in 2011, make the Phillies' Opening Day roster, but he's also projected to be one of manager Pete Mackanin's regular outfielders, along with Odubel Herrera and Peter Bourjos. The only other remaining outfielder is Rule 5 pick Tyler Goeddel; infielders Emmanuel Burriss and Darin Ruf could also play in the outfield if needed. "It's great news. I'm very humbled by it," Hunter said before going 2-for-5 as the Phillies closed out the exhibition season with a 6-5 walk-off win over a Futures team made up of some of the Phillies' best prospects Saturday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. This is the best opportunity Hunter has ever had, even though he batted .288 in 1,151 Minor League games, and he isn't afraid to admit that he got discouraged at times. "I didn't just all the way want to give up," Hunter said. "But there were times I definitely had my doubts. I just know how this game is. Sometimes you can have good years, and it's just about the situation of the team and what they want to do, and it's never really a fair situation. And you can't control it. "A lot of things go through your mind when you put up some good years and don't get called up. In the Braves situation [in 2014 and '15], where they really needed help, not to get called up with them and them being my hometown and everything is definitely a letdown." Hunter had targeted the Phillies because he liked the way they gave players chances last season. For his part, Mackanin came in with no preconceived notions. "He surprised me," the manager said. "I didn't really know much about him. I know he was a perennial .280-plus Triple-A hitter. I didn't know what kind of defender he was, but I found out he's a good defensive player, and I like his aggressive approach at the plate. He gives you quality at-bats and doesn't care if it's lefty or righty." Hunter has been around long enough to understand that he has written a nice opening chapter and that it's still up to him to furnish a happy ending. "To be realistic, it's just beginning," he said. "I haven't proved myself at all on this level yet. So everybody's giving me congrats and I'm happy about that, but in the back of my mind, I'm like, 'Look, this is just the beginning. I've really got to go out and prove myself and show that I'm ready to be here.'"

Phils Finalize Roster – Before getting on the plane taking them to Cincinnati, where their regular season will begin at Great American Ball Park on Monday (4:10 p.m. ET), the Phillies formally finalized their Opening Day roster. Making the team are both Rule 5 Draft picks (outfielder Tyler Goeddel, left-hander Daniel Stumpf) and three players who had come to camp as non-roster invitees (outfielder Cedric Hunter, infielder/outfielder Emmanuel Burriss and left-hander James Russell). The composition of the 25-man roster became largely apparent late Friday night with the announcement that four players -- right-handers Andrew Bailey and Ernesto Frieri, catcher J.P. Arencibia and outfielder Will Venable -- had been reassigned to Minor League camp. The biggest surprise was that Bailey, the 2009 American League Rookie of the Year who is coming back from reconstructive right shoulder surgery, was among those sent out. The announcement came shortly after he had pitched two hitless innings against the Orioles on Friday. "It's frustrating because they told me I pitched good enough to make the team, but yet they sent me to Triple-A," Bailey said Saturday morning. "So we'll see what happens. I'll go down, do my thing and hopefully get an opportunity soon." Bailey, who missed the entire 2014 season, worked his way through the Yankees' farm system last season and made 10 relief appearances in the big leagues down the stretch. He signed a Minor League contract with the Phillies last December. "You've got to take the good with the bad," Bailey said. "I'm not the first guy it's going to happen to, and I'm not the last guy it's going to happen to. No one's bigger than the game. Although players think they deserve to be in the big leagues or whatever, sometimes you've got to put your time in. "I'm back, you know? I pitched in the big leagues last year. In my opinion, I had one bad [Grapefruit League] outing. I know how to pitch. I've played for a long time. I thought I was going to hear differently, but that's the way the business side of things works." Manager Pete Mackanin indicated recently that he'd like to see Bailey, 31, show a little more velocity. But the reality is that, since the pitcher has a May 1 opt-out clause, he's likely to be in the big leagues sooner rather than later if he gets off to a good start at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. "It'll be fine," Bailey said. "It's going to be a fun year [for the Phillies], and hopefully, at some point, I'll be part of it." Here's a complete look at the roster: Rotation: Jeremy Hellickson (RHP); Aaron Nola (RHP); Charlie Morton (RHP); Jerad Eickhoff (RHP); Vince Velasquez (RHP). Bullpen: David Hernandez (RHP); Dalier Hinojosa (RHP); Brett Oberholtzer (LHP); Jeanmar Gomez (RHP); Hector Neris (RHP); Stumpf; Russell. Catchers: Cameron Rupp; Carlos Ruiz. Infielders: Ryan Howard; Darin Ruf; Cesar Hernandez; Freddy Galvis; Maikel Franco; Andres Blanco; Burriss. Outfielders: Odubel Herrera; Peter Bourjos; Hunter; Goeddel.

Bailey And Others Reassigned – Right-handers Andrew Bailey and Ernesto Frieri, catcher J.P. Arencibia and outfielder Will Venable have been reassigned to Minor League camp. The moves were announced after Friday night's 8-7 loss to the Orioles at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies open the regular season against the Reds on Monday at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. The team will fly to Cincinnati after Saturday afternoon's final exhibition game against the Phillies' Futures team. Manager Pete Mackanin had said prior to the game that Bailey, the South Jersey native and 2009 American League Rookie of the Year Award winner who is trying to make a comeback from a series of injuries, had a pivotal appearance against Baltimore. The 31-year-old reliever came in to pitch the seventh and got Pedro Alvarez to ground into a double play after Julio Borbon led off with a walk. He struck out Xavier Avery to end the frame. He then pitched a perfect eighth. Bailey went 2-1 with a 4.50 ERA in nine spring appearances. Over 10 innings, he struck out 10 batters and walked one. Six of his outings were scoreless. Mackanin stressed that he isn't writing Bailey off. "We just need to see a little bit more," Mackanin said. "We need him to go down there and improve his command. He's a little bit behind for whatever reason. We'd just like to see him pitch a little better. That's what it boils down to. "You know how this works. We're going to see plenty of guys up and down. At this point, we feel he's capable of pitching in the Major Leagues. He's proven it. He needs a little bit of fine-tuning." All four were non-roster players who are on Minor League contracts. Mackanin said each has a chance to make a contribution this season. He mentioned that Venable was fighting an uphill battle because he didn't sign until March 28 after being released by the Indians. "We just haven't seen enough of Venable," Mackanin said. "We've seen him in the past, but he just got here so late that he's going to go down to Triple-A [Norfolk] and get some at bats. We've got flexibility with a lot of players." While the Phillies have 31 players remaining, they are expected to officially announce their final roster Saturday, but Friday night's transactions seem to leave just 25 healthy players: Pitchers (12): Jeremy Hellickson, Aaron Nola, Charlie Morton, Jerad Eickhoff, Vince Velasquez, David Hernandez, Brett Oberholtzer, James Russell, Jeanmar Gomez, Hector Neris, Daniel Stumpf and Dalier Hinojosa; Catchers (2): Carlos Ruiz, Cameron Rupp; Infielders (7): Ryan Howard, Darin Ruf, Cesar Hernandez, Maikel Franco, Freddy Galvis, Emmanuel Burriss, Andres Blanco; Outfielders (4): Odubel Herrera, Peter Bourjos, Tyler Goeddel, Cedric Hunter. Of course, that could change with a trade, waiver wire acquisition or injury.

Beginning And Ending - Phildelphia became one of the stops during Jay Johnstone's journey through baseball when they signed him in 1974. Dale Murphy, hampered by injuries, only played a handful of games after the Phillies released him on this day in 1993. And in 2011 the Phillies opened the season with their first three game sweep since 1899... if only the season ended the same way that it began.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have an impressive record this spring… 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). 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!

Only A Few Spots Remain With Less Than A Week To Go!

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Exhibition Game Washed Away

Did Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka do enough? Yankees manager Joe Girardi challenged his starter before Tuesday afternoon's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies at Bright House Field, which was called after the fourth inning because of rain. Tanaka entered the game with a 7.36 ERA in his first four starts, and Girardi wanted to see better before he named him the Opening Day starter. Tanaka allowed seven hits, one run, one walk and struck out five in four innings, and he threw in the bullpen during the delay to extend his pitch count. Phillies left-hander Brett Oberholtzer allowed seven runs in four innings. Yankees first baseman Dustin Ackley hit a three-run homer in the first. Miguel Andujar hit a two-run homer in the fourth. Darin Ruf singled in the first to score the Phillies' only run.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson starts the Phillies' final Grapefruit League game on Wednesday at 1:05 p.m. ET, facing the Houston Astros at Bright House Field. It will be the final tuneup for Hellickson before he starts on Opening Day in Cincinnati on Monday.

PHILS PHACTS:

One Less Option – The Phillies released Edward Mujica on Tuesday to tighten their bullpen competition. Mujica signed a Minor League contract with Philadelphia in December, and he pitched well this spring. He had a 2.16 ERA in seven Grapefruit League appearances, allowing four hits, two runs, two walks and striking out seven in 8 1/3 innings. Opponents hit .154 against him. But the Phillies like their other options better. "They told me I'm free to go," Mujica said. Mujica's release leaves nine healthy relievers in camp. Right-handers David Hernandez, Dalier Hinojosa and Jeanmar Gomez and left-hander Brett Oberholtzer are locks. Rule 5 Draft pick Daniel Stumpf looks like a lock, too. The Phillies love his arm, and they must keep him on the 25-man roster or risk losing him. Non-roster invitees James Russell (3.38 ERA in six appearances), Andrew Bailey (5.14 ERA in seven) and Ernesto Frieri (6.75 ERA in six) remain in camp. Hector Neris (6.23 ERA in eight appearances) is on the 40-man roster, and he also remains. Unless the Phillies acquire somebody before Opening Day, those four are fighting for the final two bullpen jobs. Russell has the edge on one of those spots. Manager Pete Mackanin said the other day that there is a good possibility the team will carry three left-handers in the bullpen. Frieri can exercise an out clause on Thursday, but only if he has a spot on a 25-man roster elsewhere, and that is highly unlikely. Bailey has a May 1 out clause; Mackanin has been lukewarm, at best, about his past three appearances. It is not a stretch to think Frieri and Bailey could open the season in Triple-A and Neris works his way onto the team. Neris has not pitched well this spring, but he had a 3.79 ERA in 32 appearances last season. Mackanin has said that although Grapefruit League performances are important, he will consider regular-season performances, too. Mujica activated an out clause in his contract when the Phillies did not add him to the Opening Day roster by midnight ET Sunday. They then had 48 hours to make a final decision on him. The Phils called Mujica into Mackanin's office on Tuesday morning to inform him of his release. The Phillies saved $100,000 in the process. Article XX-B free agents with six or more years of Major League service time who sign Minor League contracts must be placed on the 25-man roster or released five days before the regular season. If the team does neither, choosing to instead send the player to the Minor Leagues, the team must pay him a $100,000 retention bonus. Mujica could re-sign with the Phils and open the season in Triple-A if he cannot find a big league job elsewhere. "I'll have to see," Mujica said. "Pete told me I'm going to have pretty good chances if I go to Triple-A, in getting back to the big leagues."

Venable In, Asche Out? – Will Venable has five games to prove himself and win a job on the Phillies' Opening Day roster. Venable arrived in camp on Tuesday morning after Philadelphia signed him to a Minor League contract on Monday. Venable, 33, hit .133 in 13 Cactus League games with the Indians, who released him on Sunday, but he has a chance to make the Phillies, as they have few other options in the outfield. He went 1-for-2 before the Phillies' Grapefruit League game against the Yankees was cancelled because of rain. "I have no expectations," Venable said. "I'm just in camp right now. If it means I have to go to Triple-A and prove myself there -- whatever it takes -- I know that at some point I would like to be here contributing at the big league level." Outfielders Aaron Altherr and Cody Asche will open the season on the disabled list. Altherr had surgery on his left wrist this month, which will sideline him until July at the earliest. Asche has not played a game this spring because of a strained right oblique. He aggravated the injury the other day, essentially resetting his recovery to the very beginning, and he could miss another several weeks. "It's just giving it more time to heal," Asche said. "Obviously, the time frame we had last time wasn't enough. This time we've just got to be a little more cautious." The Phillies re-assigned outfielder David Lough and infielder Ryan Jackson to Minor League camp on Tuesday, leaving Venable and non-roster invitees Cedric Hunter and Emmanuel Burriss the final three candidates for the final two bench jobs. Burriss has a good shot because he can play the infield and outfield, and at the moment, the only utility infielder is Andres Blanco. Manager Pete Mackanin has hinted that he likes the flexibility Burriss provides when it comes to maneuvering the lineup during National League games with double switches, etc. Hunter has impressed nearly everybody in camp. In fact, Mackanin said that if Hunter makes the team, he could be his leadoff hitter. The fact that he has been in camp from the beginning and earned the right to be in the conversation for a bench job will play a factor, Mackanin said. "Hunter has had the best at-bats of anybody other than [Maikel Franco] in camp, in my opinion," Mackanin said. "I'll put it that way." Venable posted a .669 OPS in 390 plate appearances last season with the Padres and Rangers. He had a .613 OPS in 448 plate appearances with San Diego in 2014 but posted a solid .796 OPS with the Padres in '13. "I'm not far off," he said. Venable also can play all three outfield positions, which makes him attractive to the Phillies. "There was mutual interest," he said. "I got released in the morning, and by the afternoon ... we had some momentum going on a possible deal." Venable knows the Philadelphia area relatively well. He played basketball and baseball at Princeton, and played a few games at The Palestra. "Not good memories at The Palestra," Venable said. "I think we blew, like, a 15-point lead in the last minute of a game one time. But great venue."

Closer Spot Still Up For Grabs – If the Phillies have a three-run lead in the ninth inning on Opening Day in Cincinnati, somebody will have to pitch to protect it. Will it be their closer? Do they even have a closer? "You'll find out," general manager Matt Klentak said on Tuesday afternoon at Bright House Field. "So will I." This is the first time in more than 15 years the Phillies have not entered the season with an established closer. In years past, it has been Jonathan Papelbon, Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge, Tom Gordon, Billy Wagner and Jose Mesa. This season it could be David Hernandez or Dalier Hinojosa or ... somebody else. "It's up in the air," manager Pete Mackanin said. "You guys see what we see. Hinojosa is still a candidate. Hernandez is a candidate. After that we might have to use a committee situation. It is what it is, and we have to try to find somebody that can do it." It has been an interesting spring in that regard. Hernandez began camp as the favorite because he signed a one-year, $3.9 million contract in the offseason, making him the only free agent the Phillies inked to a Major League deal. But Hernandez started the spring slowly because of soreness in his right elbow. He is healthy, but he has pitched in only three Grapefruit League games. Tuesday's appearance was cancelled because of rain. Hinojosa had a 0.78 ERA in 18 appearances last season. He has a 4.50 ERA in seven appearances this spring, although he allowed two hits and two runs in one inning on Monday against the Blue Jays. "That's probably the worst outing that we've all seen from him," Mackanin said. "I think he was overthrowing all of his pitches. I think he might have been auditioning for that role." Right-hander Andrew Bailey emerged as a favorite early in camp, based on four scoreless innings in four appearances, but Mackanin has not been enamored with Bailey's past three performances, and Bailey could open the season in Triple-A. "I don't have a rooting interest in this," Klentak said. "I want the best seven guys in the bullpen to get outs. Sometimes declaring who pitches the ninth allows who pitches the eighth and who pitches the seventh to kind of fall into place a little bit better. I understand the way that works. But ultimately, we're looking for the best combination of relievers to get outs toward the end of the game." Mackanin will not name a closer unless he is "100 percent sure about somebody that I want to call a closer." "I'm not going to call anybody a closer," he said. "A closer is somebody that you can count on for the ninth inning. I don't know if we probably have one. I hope we have one, but I'm not going to name one right now just to call a guy a closer. It doesn't really mean anything."

Big Piece Not So Big Anymore – Ryan Howard is struggling at the plate, going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts on Tuesday. Since hitting a grand slam over the batter's eye at Bright House Field on March 18, he is 2-for-19 with one double, two walks and 11 strikeouts. That does not include a 1-for-5 effort with four strikeouts in a Minor League game on Sunday at Carpenter Complex. "Yeah, I'd like to see better at-bats," Mackanin said. Howard entered camp with the opportunity to earn more playing time, but it looks as though he and Darin Ruf will be platooning at first base. "Let's put it this way: I need to see more," Mackanin said. "More production. In his defense, [Howard is] behind everybody, [because] he was sick for a week. I'd like to think he caught up. I think he's caught up. This is performance. We have to get performance. Numbers matter."

Say Hello To The X Factor – It took Matt Klentak just a couple months to make his first bold move with the Phillies. The new general manager traded Ken Giles and Minor League infielder Jonathan Arauz to Houston for five pitchers: right-handers Vince Velasquez, Mark Appel, Thomas Eshelman and Harold Arauz and left-hander Brett Oberholtzer. The Phillies badly wanted Velasquez in the deal, and Monday they named him their No. 5 starter. "We like Velasquez's power arm," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. Velasquez is the Phillies' X factor in 2016. The Phillies see big-time potential in Velasquez because of his stuff. If he pitches as advertised this season, the Phillies' rotation could set up nicely for the future, particularly if Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff pick up where they finished as rookies last year. Going into 2017 believing in Nola, Eickhoff and Velasquez would give the Phillies more room for error with prospects like Jake Thompson, Zach Eflin and Appel. Now, nobody seems to be expecting Velasquez to make 33 starts this season. He pitched just 88 2/3 innings last season and pitched a career-high 124 2/3 innings in 2013. The Phillies want to be careful with him. They need to keep him healthy. The original four-player return for Giles included Houston outfield prospect Derek Fisher, but Appel and Arauz were late additions after sources said the Phillies had concerns about Velasquez's physical. Velasquez had Tommy John surgery on Sept. 22, 2010. "I'm healthy as an ox," Velasquez said. No issues with his shoulder? "I've never had any problems with my shoulder," he said. "Any type of soreness I've had was in the biceps or triceps. Nothing in the shoulder." That is a good thing. Because for the Phillies to speed up their rebuild, they need Velasquez to pay off. That does not mean he needs to immediately be one of the top young pitchers in the National League. But he needs to show he belongs. He needs to show there is no doubt he is part of the Phillies' future. That is why the Phillies insisted on getting him, after all.

Phillies Have An Impressive Collection – This year's Spring Training is the first time that the Phillies have been able to observe their impressive collection of top prospects, many acquired in the past year. Though the organization is trying to temper expectations, there's still a palpable excitement in camp regarding the future of the club. "This is the most talent we've had in the four years I've been here," said Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan. "We got to see all of our big prospects -- J.P. Crawford, Roman Quinn, Nick Williams, Jorge Alfaro, Andrew Knapp, Mark Appel, Zach Eflin andJake Thompson -- together in big league camp this year, and they all represented themselves very well. There are a lot of good things happening." The aforementioned core of Phils prospects all enter 2016 with at least some upper-level experience, and many of them -- save for Appel, who came over from the Astros in the Ken Giles trade during the offseason -- have already played together after finishing last season at Double-A Reading. "A lot of those guys were together in Double-A last year, so they kind of formed that kind of cohesive, team unit," said Jordan. "It gave them all some level of comfort to be together in big league camp at the same time. "Right now, it's just about keeping them all healthy and building them up for the season, because we have a chance to put some really good [Minor League] rosters together." Camp standouts: MLBPipeline.com No. 99 overall prospect Roman Quinn has proved to be a dynamic player when healthy. However, the 2015 season marked the third straight injury-shortened campaign for the 22-year-old outfielder, who was in the midst of a breakout performance (.306/.356/.435, 29 SB) when he suffered a tear in his hip flexor on June 12 while he attempted to beat out an infield single. Now fully recovered from the injury, Quinn impressed club officials with his showing this year in his first big league camp, hitting .300 with one home run, three triples and two steals. "He's really stood out," said Jordan. "He hit a home run and big two-out single with a couple RBIs and a stolen bag the other day, and he was doing that in the big league camp all spring. He had some days there where you really saw what he has a chance to do." The Phillies have also liked what they've seen so far from Alfaro, MLBPipeline.com's No. 96 overall prospect, as he's impressed club officials with his exceptional tools on both sides of the ball after missing most of the 2015 season with an ankle injury. In his first Spring Training with the Phils, the 22-year-old backstop went 5-for-17 (.294) with a pair of RBIs before he was sent to Minor League camp. "We're still getting to know him because he didn't get to play at all last year with us. His strengths are easy to see -- the power, the arm strength -- but the weaknesses and what he needs from us, that's all still evolving. He needs some work defensively, but he gives a great effort and works very hard behind the plate. He's an impressive young man," said Jordan. Breakout candidates: After a mediocre full-season debut, Dylan Cozens didn't rank among the Phillies' Top 30 prospects headed into 2015. But the former 2012 second-rounder bounced back last season against advanced competition, compiling a solid .286/.336/.426 batting line and finishing the year with a strong showing at Double-A Reading. He continued to make strides during the offseason in the Puerto Rican Winter League, and he enters 2016 ranked as the Phils' No. 23 prospect. "We have a lot of people that, industry-wise, get a little more notice, but he's going to be a name people talk about this season," said Jordan. "He had some success in Puerto Rico this offseason, and we think he's going to have a big year." The Phillies also have high hopes for No. 11 prospect Scott Kingery, the club's second-round Draft pick in 2015. After an outstanding career at the University of Arizona, highlighted by a .984 OPS last spring as a junior, Kingery made the jump directly to full-season ball after signing, hitting .250 with 11 steals in 66 games at Class A Lakewood. "He can really hit," said Jordan. "He was worn down last summer after a taxing college season, but we think is first full season is going to be very productive. He has a real chance to be an everyday player in the big leagues for us."

5 Questions For Future Phillies Outfielder – As part of MLBPipeline.com's visit to all 30 Spring Training facilities this month, we will be sitting down with prospects and getting to know them a little better. At Phillies camp, it was No. 3 prospect Nick Williams. A second-round Draft pick of the Rangers in 2012, Williams has put up impressive offensive numbers at every Minor League stop throughout his young career, amassing a .296/.346/.489 batting line in 374 games. He took a major step forward in 2015 and was having a tremendous season at Double-A Frisco when he was sent to the Phillies as part of the Cole Hamels blockbuster. The 22-year-old outfielder capped his season with a strong showing at Double-A Reading and has continued to impress this spring in his first camp with the Phils. MLBPipeline.com: Where were you and what were you doing when you learned that you had been traded last summer? Williams: I was playing for Double-A Frisco, and we were going into either the seventh or eighth inning when I was pulled from the game. I didn't know that those other guys had been traded too until I got into the clubhouse. While waiting for the trade to become final, I went home for about a week and went to the beach and hung out with some friends. I was getting in the car with my girlfriend to go pack up my stuff at Frisco when I learned the trade went through, so we drove 22 hours to Reading to meet up with the team. MLBPipeline.com: Upon joining Reading, you collected two hits in your first game and then went 4-for-4 with two home runs the next day. Was the transition from the Rangers to the Phillies as easy as you made it seem? Williams: It was extremely easy. Jake [Thomson] told me that it would be tough, but it really wasn't. After that 22-hour drive, we spent another five hours on the bus going to Trenton because we got stuck behind a dump truck that was on fire, so I basically went a full week without hitting before that first game with Reading. MLBPipeline.com: You and a lot of the Phillies' other acquisitions were in big league camp together this spring. What was that experience like -- to play together with all of the other big-name prospects who, like yourself, are viewed as the future of the franchise? Williams: It was great not just being the one guy who goes in there and feels out of place. The younger guys were asking me questions and the veterans were all very welcoming -- it was just great energy overall. You can tell the team chemistry is going to be really, really good, because everyone is clicking already. MLBPipeline.com: You've always had an impressive knack for hitting, but last season you seemed to make big strides with your approach and plate discipline. To what do you attribute that improvement? Williams: They put me at leadoff last year at Frisco, and it allowed me to see a lot of pitches and also made me realize just how overaggressive I can be at the plate. Really focusing on the pitchers and the counts, I started to learn how to put all the pieces together and be a more complete hitter. MLBPipeline.com: Video question: You hit this impressive home run with Reading on August 24. First of all, how did you manage to keep this ball fair? Secondly, how on earth did you hit it out of the park? Williams: I can't explain it, really. I get asked those types of questions a lot, and I really can't explain how I hit like that. I just see the pitch and my hands want to attack it, so I let 'em go.

Today In Phils History - We bid adieu to The Bull as the Phillies sold him to the White Sox on this day in 1981.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have an impressive record this spring… 14-10-3 (15-10-3 if you include the exhibition game against the University of Tampa). 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!

Final Performances Making Roster Decisions Difficult

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Jays Jack Phils 2-1

Pitching and a pair of homers dominated the day as Marcus Stroman and Vince Velasquez had scoreless outings for their respective teams in a game that the Blue Jays went on to win, 2-1, over the Phillies on Monday afternoon at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Center fielder Darrell Ceciliani launched a two-run home blast in the bottom of the eighth inning off Dalier Hinojosa to give the Jays the game-winning lead. Stroman made his final start before Opening Day and allowed three hits without issuing a walk over four strong innings. He also struck out three and had an abbreviated outing in an attempt to rest up for the 162-game grind of the MLB season. "I understand that it's for my best interests," Stroman said. "My body, everything, my pitches, my arm feels great, and I'm just looking forward to getting out there Sunday for Opening Day." Right-hander Jesse Chavez then entered out of the bullpen and had an equally impressive day. He struck out three and didn't allow a hit over two scoreless frames. Chavez is scheduled to begin the year as a reliever after right-hander Aaron Sanchez was announced as the Blue Jays' fifth starter earlier in the day. Velasquez was officially named to Philadelphia's rotation Monday morning, and he promptly came through with his best outing of the spring. He struck out eight and allowed two hits and three walks over six impressive innings. Kevin Pillar was the lone player in the Blue Jays lineup with hits off Velasquez, as he went 2-for-3 with a double. "It wasn't easy," Velasquez said. "I was pretty overwhelmed today. I was pretty excited. I was a little drained, to be honest. But I kept fighting and pushing through it." Philadelphia took the first lead of the game in the top of the seventh inning against Toronto lefty Randy Choate. Designated hitter Darin Ruf delivered the big blow with a home run to center field that came on a 3-2 pitch. Choate was charged with one run on two hits over one third of an inning.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies left-hander Brett Oberholtzer is expected to start Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees at Bright House Field. He will open the season in the bullpen, but he is starting because Adam Morgan got sent to the Minors.

PHILS PHACTS:

Phillies Finalize Rotation – Vince Velasquez entered Spring Training the favorite to be the Phillies' fifth starter, and they awarded him the job on Monday, when they announced they had optioned left-hander Adam Morgan to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Velasquez and Morgan had been the finalists to be the fifth starter behind Jeremy Hellickson, Aaron Nola, Charlie Morton and Jerad Eickhoff. "We like Velasquez's power arm," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We want to see him in the big leagues." It was not an easy call to make. Velasquez entered Monday's start against the Blue Jays in Dunedin with a 3.21 ERA in four Grapefruit League appearances (three starts). In 14 innings, he allowed 13 hits, six runs (five earned), four walks and struck out 16. Velasquez has dominant stuff, and he showed it. But Morgan is a strike-thrower who impressed. In fact, an argument can be made that he outperformed Velasquez and Eickhoff, who has pitched just twice this spring because of a fractured right thumb. Including three scoreless innings Morgan threw on Thursday in a rain-shortened game against the Braves, he had a 1.50 ERA in four starts. In 12 innings, he allowed six hits, two runs, three walks and struck out four. Morgan had been scheduled to pitch on Tuesday against the Yankees, but the Phils wanted to take their final Grapefruit League starts out of the equation. "Probably one of the toughest decisions we ever had to make," Mackanin said. Velasquez entered camp the favorite for a couple of reasons: First, he has a power arm and the best stuff of anybody in the rotation. Second, he is the prized piece of the trade that sent Ken Giles to Houston. Perhaps Velasquez's status as the top dog in the deal gave him the edge. "Possibly," Mackanin said. "When you're talking about certain players, just because a guy was a No. 1 pick, don't give him any preferential treatment. The guys who are high Draft picks, you don't want to look at them any differently than a 30th-round pick because it's not fair. Sometimes it happens, but in this case that didn't even enter into it for me. We like his stuff. He's got good stuff. And I want to see him in the big leagues." Velasquez pitched splendidly against a stacked Blue Jays lineup Monday in the Phillies' 2-1 loss, allowing two hits and three walks and striking out eight in six scoreless innings at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. He said he learned he had won the job from teammate Chris Leroux, who had just been optioned, and the MLB At Bat app, which he said sent him a push notification to his cell phone. Velasquez simply put two and two together. "Every day, you have to set goals for yourself," Velasquez said. "Coming into Spring Training, I set a high goal for myself, break off of camp [with the team]. To find out today the goal is accomplished, it doesn't stop there. I've got to set more goals for myself later on and try to achieve them. But on that note, it's pretty exciting. I can't really show much right now because I'm tired, but in the back of my mind, I'm really excited." Mackanin said Morgan was extremely disappointed with the news. He went 5-7 with a 4.48 ERA in 15 starts last season, making him one of the precious few competent starters in a rotation that ranked as one of the worst in baseball in 2015. Morgan then put up better numbers than every starter in camp. "I'm upset," Morgan said. "But there's nothing you can do about it. It's out of my control. I thought I was doing a good job." Morgan also said he asked for but did not get much of an explanation why he did not win a job. "Not really getting an answer is probably the hardest part," Morgan said. "'Keep working.' OK. Other than that, it's just the nature of the beast, I guess." No Morgan means no left-handers in the rotation. Mackanin said it will not be a problem. "We're just going to go with the best pitchers we have," Mackanin said. "You'd like to have some kind of versatility, a mix. But that being said, it's not of the utmost importance to me if we have all right-handers starting for us. It is what it is. As the season wears on, we're most likely going to see more than five starters up there." Morgan is expected to be the first option should the Phillies need a starter. The call could come because of an injury or ineffectiveness or because the Phils want to monitor the innings of some of their young pitchers. Velasquez pitched only 88 2/3 innings last year. He pitched a career-high 124 2/3 innings in 2013. It is difficult to picture Velasquez making 30-plus starts this season. "That's a good question," Mackanin said. "We're going to find out. We need to find that out as soon as possible. We're building toward the future and it's important for us to get him going and see exactly what we've got there." The Phillies plan to give prospects Jake Thompson, Mark Appel and Zach Eflin time to develop in Triple-A this season. If they come up, it figures to be later in the year. Hellickson, Nola and Morton will pitch the first series of the season in Cincinnati. Mackanin said the Phils have not decided who will pitch the first two games of a three-game series that follows in New York. Eickhoff and Velasquez will remain in Florida and pitch Saturday before joining the team.

Late Addition With A Chance – Put outfielder Will Venable into the mix to make the Phillies' Opening Day roster. The Phillies announced Monday they had agreed to a Minor League contract with Venable, who will be in camp Tuesday. "I'm anxious to see him," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. The Indians released Venable, 33, after he hit .133 (4-for-30) in 13 Cactus League games. But the Phillies like him because they are thin in the outfield due to injuries to Aaron Altherr, who is sidelined until at least July following left wrist surgery, and Cody Asche, who is expected to open the season on the disabled list because of a strained right oblique. The Phillies' projected Opening Day outfielders are Odubel Herrera, Peter Bourjos and Rule 5 Draft pick Tyler Goeddel, although Venable could put Goeddel on the bench if he makes the team. The move leaves Venable, Cedric Hunter, Emmanuel Burriss and David Lough fighting for the final two bench jobs. "Out of those four, we'll probably choose two of them," Mackanin said. Venable, who suddenly becomes a favorite for one of those jobs, posted a .669 OPS in 390 plate appearances last season with the Padres and Rangers. He had a .613 OPS in 448 plate appearances with San Diego in 2014, but posted a respectable .796 OPS with the Padres in '13.

Making Moves – The Phillies solidified their rotation Monday, prior to a 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays, when they named Vince Velasquez their No. 5 starter. But they also crystallized their bullpen and bench battles. They signed outfielder Will Venable to a Minor League contract after the Indians released him. He could make the Opening Day roster. They also optioned left-hander Elvis Araujo, right-hander Luis Garciaand outfielder Darnell Sweeney to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and reassigned left-hander Bobby LaFromboise, right-hander Reinier Roibal, right-hander Chris Leroux, catcher Logan Moore and infielder Angelys Nina to Minor League camp. The moves point to Rule 5 Draft pick Daniel Stumpf making the Phils' bullpen. There are four locks to make the Phillies' bullpen: right-handers David Hernandez, Dalier Hinojosa and Jeanmar Gomez and left-hander Brett Oberholtzer. Stumpf figures to get one of the final three jobs as Philadelphia tries to stockpile arms. If he does not make the Opening Day roster, the Phils could lose him because of his Rule 5 Draft status. Simply put, it makes sense to open the season with him to give him a longer evaluation. "Stumpf has the pitches to be an effective Major League pitcher," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "Since we're building for the future, it's important that you have a 26-year-old left-hander with what I consider good stuff. You don't want to just give him back. So that's still to be decided, but we like him so far." Right-handers Edward Mujica, Ernesto Frieri and Andrew Bailey and left-hander James Russell have a chance for jobs, although plenty can happen with less than a week remaining before Opening Day. The Phils must place Mujica on the Opening Day roster by Tuesday, or he can become a free agent. The decision has not yet been made. Frieri can exercise an out clause Thursday, although he has only pitched well as of late. Russell has a June 1 out clause. Bailey has a May 1 out clause. Mackanin has been lukewarm at best about Bailey's past three appearances. Mackanin said the other day that there is a good possibility the Phillies might carry three left-handers in the bullpen, which, if true, indicates Russell has the edge with Araujo and LaFromboise sent to the Minors. Optioning pitchers like Araujo and Garcia and sending LaFromboise to Minor League camp indicates the Phils are trying to keep as many arms as possible for the 162-game season. Keep in mind, the Phillies also could find relievers outside the organization this week that could bump out Mujica, Frieri, Russell or Bailey. "That's part of the reason -- we have more depth to go to at the Minor League level," Mackanin said about Monday's moves. "But strike-throwers are important. We need guys that we can count on to pitch ahead in the count. We want to be able to trust them to throw strikes, and we feel like we've got those guys right now." Venable, Cedric Hunter, Emmanuel Burriss and David Lough are in the running for the team's final bench jobs.

Can We Start The Season Now? – Maikel Franco crushed a fly ball to deep left field on Sunday afternoon at JetBlue Park. The ball appeared to sail over the miniature Green Monster for his ninth Grapefruit League home run, but umpires instead ruled it a ground-rule double. Franco looked perfectly perplexed as he stood on second base. He wanted to add one more dinger to his Spring Training ledger. The Phillies, meanwhile, would like Franco to save some homers for when they truly count beginning April 4 on Opening Day in Cincinnati against the Reds. "Hurry up and get to April," Jeremy Hellickson said about Franco recently. "I don't think he'll stop, but hurry up and get here." Franco has had one heck of a spring following an impressive rookie season, which could mean a breakout season as not only one of the game's best third basemen, but best hitters. He batted .280 with 22 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 50 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 335 plate appearances. He had started to enter the conversation for National League Rookie of the Year Award honors before breaking his left wrist in August. Franco's 127 OPS+ ranked 42nd among 245 players with 300-or-more plate appearances. He ranked sixth among 30 rookies. "The sky is the limit with Maikel, man," Ryan Howard said. "His ball gets small really quick." Franco entered Monday with a .737 slugging percentage, which might mean he is in line for a huge season. "I'm just trying to be healthy this year," Franco said. "I know if I'm healthy, something good is going to happen." John Dewan of Baseball Info Solutions once found a correlation between Spring Training power numbers and regular-season power numbers. At one time, he discovered 60 percent of hitters that boosted their career slugging percentage (minimum 200 career at-bats) by 200 or more points in Spring Training (minimum 40 at-bats) experienced an increase in power that season. While that formula has been far less accurate in recent seasons, it once correctly predicted big seasons for Pat Burrell and Placido Polanco in 2005, Howard in 2006, Chase Utley and Greg Dobbs in 2007, Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz in 2009, Ruiz in 2012 and Domonic Brown in 2013. Franco has a career .453 slugging percentage in 360 career at-bats in the regular season and a .737 slugging percentage in 57 at-bats this spring. That is a 284-point increase. "I don't want him to waste all of his home runs in the spring," manager Pete Mackanin said, smiling. "He looks really good at the plate, aggressive, confident. I'm sure he's going to carry it into the season. It's a good guy to have in the middle of the lineup right now."

Today In Phil History - The 'other guy' who was acquired in the Brad Lidge deal, Eric Bruntlett, was born on this day in 1978. The following year the Phillies signed Del Unser. Both players would play key roles on World Series winning teams.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have an impressive record this spring… 14-10-3 (15-10-3 if you include the exhibition game against the University of Tampa). 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!