Philadelphia Phillies: Power Ranking 10 Players To Watch in Spring Training
Some people look down on Spring Training saying that "it is just a warm up for the players," "the real payers don't play much," "you can't predict anything from it."
Truth is, Spring Training is a great way to judge how a player is performing coming into the season. A player can come in hot and hit 10 homers in April or a player can come in cold and bat under .100 for the first few months. Obviously these are not the only two possibilities, but you get the idea. Performance in Spring Training shows how a player will do in the regular season.
During Spring Training a player can secure himself a role on the team, a prospect can show what he's got, a bench player can step up to a starting role or any number of possibilities.
This Spring Training there are a few storylines for the Phillies that every fan should be watching, and these are those storylines.
10. Ben Francisco (OF)
1 of 10
Ben Francisco is a right fielder who came over in the first Cliff Lee deal in 2009. Since then, Francisco has been a backup outfielder who started games only to give players time off or replace them when they were injured.
This year is a different story. Francisco is projected to start in right field for the Phillies this season since Jayson Werth went to Washington to sign with the Nationals. Francisco has been a bench player for a few years, and this season he needs to step up his game to the high expectations.
Francisco has averaged 18 home runs and a .263 batting average for his 162 game average. With the No. 4 prospect in baseball, Domonic Brown, nipping at his heels, Francisco will need to step it up this season if he wants to remain a starter.
A good way to measure how Francisco will do will be his Spring Training performance. Francisco needs to get hot in the spring and continue right into the regular season. Francisco will be replacing All-Star Jayson Werth and Phillies fans have come to expect a lot from their right fielder. Francisco will absolutely need to get hot in Spring Training, because if he goes cold, Domonic Brown or even Ross Gload could be the Opening Day starter in right field.
9. Danys Baez (RP)
2 of 10
Danys Baez has had a roller coaster of a career. From starting pitcher in 2002 to reliever in 2003, from All-Star in 2005 to not even playing in 2008. Last season Baez had a 5.48 ERA (the second worst of his career), but he is almost a lock to be a reliever this season because of his contract.
We Phillies fans are all hoping that Baez can return to his All-Star form, because he might have to play a big role this season. The Phillies bullpen was shaky over the last two seasons, and even though they have four of the best pitchers in the game, their bullpen will still factor in. If Lidge and Madson have poor seasons again then Baez will have to step up to a much bigger role.
Baez will have to show something special in Spring Training if he wants to be given a big role this season. Baez's Spring Training will be very telling of his season, and Phillies fans have to hope that he comes in and shuts down the opposition.
8. Carlos Ruiz (C)
3 of 10
Carlos Ruiz has always managed the Phillies' pitching staff very well, knowing what to tell pitchers to throe and when and calming them down whenever necessary, but last year he broke out the big boy bat.
Ruiz hit an astounding .302 from the eighth spot in the batting order, and hit eight home runs and 53 RBIs (both one short of career highs). Chooch fever broke out in Philadelphia, where Ruiz's big bat came up in the clutch time after time, whether hitting an RBI double in the seventh or a walk-off home run two pitches after he hit a foul ball home run distance.
This season Chooch might have to step up again. With Jayson Werth gone, the Phillies' offense will need some help in every category, and Chooch will be asked to fill the void a bit.
This Spring Training will show how Ruiz will do this year, whether he will come in hot or cold, and whether he will play a vital role or his old minimal role.
.png?w=256)
7. Chase Utley (2B)
4 of 10
Utley is an All-Star second baseman who used to be the best in the game. Used to be. Now that Utley is in his 30s, he is suffering some health issues, since he has broken his hand (2007) and he needed surgery to repair a ligament in his right thumb (2010).
With Utley coming off of an injured year last season, his Spring Training may show how he is recovering, and he could suffer a relapse.
Utley will be an interesting player to watch this Spring Training. He could have a very telling spring and we Phillies fans will have to hope that Utley will have a successful Spring Training and not have any relapses.
6. Cole Hamels (SP)
5 of 10
No, Hamels isn't injured, and no, he isn't competing about his spot in the rotation, but this could be his breakout year.
Hamels pitched great last season, posting a career-best 3.06 ERA, and that was against much better opposing pitchers. Now that Hamels is surrounded by three other aces, and is pitching against fourth starters instead of second, he should have a great season.
We need to watch Hamels to see if he comes in hot, which could lead to career numbers for the season. On the flip side, if Hamels comes in cold, he could have a poor start, and not have the numbers that Phillies fans expect
Hamels will be an interesting story line for the Phils this Spring Training, and if Hamels comes out right, it could be a great season.
5. Joe Blanton (SP)
6 of 10
"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link."
Joe Blanton is the weakest link for the Phillies pitching staff, so he will have an important role in the Phillies season. If Blanton were to have a season with a record over .500, then every pitcher on the Phillies staff will.
This Spring Training will show how well he will do and how strong the Phillies chain will be. If Blanton comes out strong and gets over his first-inning woes, he could become a great pitcher and the Phillies would have a legitimate shot at 100 wins this season. If he struggles, he may be replaced by Kyle Kendrick who he barely beat out for the job.
4. The Fight For The Utility Infielder's Spot
7 of 10
Wilson Valdez, Mike Martinez, Robb Quinlan and maybe even Albert Cartwright are all competing for the job.
Last season Wilson Valdez played 111 games as a reserve, which showed the importance of the role. If the Phillies suffer injuries to just about every player on their roster again, then the utility infielder will play another big role.
Valdez performed decently with a .258 batting average, but some of these other guys who the Phillies signed might be a little bit better.
It is for these reasons that the Phillies infielders all need to show what they've got if they want to get the job since the others will be moved to Triple-A in Lehigh Valley.
This will be a very interesting story to follow this Spring Training.
Fight For The Last Reliever
8 of 10
Mike Zagurski, Vance Worley, David Herndon and Scott Mathieson are all competing for the spot in the bullpen. Right now Brad Lidge, Jose Contreras, Ryan Madson, Danys Baez, J.C. Romero and Kyle Kendrick are the locks for the pen.
The bullpen played a crucial role in the Phillies World Series championship in 2008, and with many people expecting another title, they will have to come up big again. These four guys are the ones to watch in Spring Training because they will close out the seven bullpen pitchers, and the rest will be sent down to Lehigh Valley.
Spring Training is essentially a trial period for each of these guys, and it will be the deciding factor for who's in and who's out. That is why we Phillies fans should watch and see who is doing what in Spring Training.
2. Jimmy Rollins (SS)
9 of 10
Jimmy Rollins is coming off a season in which he suffered two injuries and only played 88 games, the lowest of his starting career. J-Roll is the guy who played all 162 games in 2007, and has been a day-in day-out player for the Phils. He is the catalyst for their offense and he needs to bounce back from a pitiful .243 batting average.
Rollins also has contract issues on his mind, considering that this is his last season of his contract and he will need to step up if he wants to stay in Philadelphia.
With all of this going on in his baseball life, Rollins has a lot to play for and a lot to be distracted by. Spring Training will be a good way to evaluate how well he will cope with these distractions, and to judge if he is fully healthy.
Rollins needs a good Spring Training so that he can come in hot to the regular season, and get back to his old self. If not, he might struggle and need to find a gig elsewhere.
Rollins is definitely the second biggest player to watch in Spring Training.
1. Domonic Brown (OF)
10 of 10
Who else would it be?
Brown was recently rated in the top five for MLB prospects, and this Spring Training he will be getting a lot of ABs. Brown needs time to develop, and he is also competing with Ben Francisco and Ross Gload for the starting job in right field.
When Werth left the Phillies, a lot of fans started to hope that Domonic Brown would develop into their next All-Star right fielder over the offseason. While this is too much to ask for of the 23-year-old Brown, he definitely needs to develop into a complete player this Spring Training.
Brown struggles hitting against lefties in all categories, and he made a few atrocious baserunning errors at the end of last season. If Brown can shave off the rough edges this Spring Training then he could become the starter for the Phils.
Domonic Brown is the face of this team's minor league system, and that is why Domonic Brown is the No. 1 player to watch for the Phillies this Spring Training.
.png?w=480)
