Who’s ready for the regular season? Who desperately wants spring training to end? Who yearns for the 25 and 40-man rotations to be set? Me. It’s me. I’m ready. I’m desperate. I’m yearning! And I bet you are, too, so let’s get to the news.
Alec Asher traded to the Orioles
We had to say goodbye to Alec Asher today, one of the five million players that came back in the 2015 Cole Hamels trade. He’s off to the Orioles to start a new life. I wrote about the trade here, and how Asher was mainly the victim of a lack of space. They traded him because there was no room for him, but they also needed a spot on the 40-man roster. For which player, you might ask? Well...
Brock Stassi has probably made the opening day roster
Brock Stassi! What a name, what a spring, what a story he has. Nothing is final yet, but Matt Gelb of Philly.com tweeted yesterday that Stassi has probably made the opening day roster, and that Klentak is high on Jesmuel Valentin. Who will take that last bench spot on the Phillies? Who knows.
Chris Coghlan released, presumably into the wild
Where else would the Phillies find roster space? By releasing the eternally baby-faced Chris Coghlan, either into the wild or back into normal society. Whatever he prefers. He hit just .231 in 39 spring training at-bats, and he’s been pretty iffy over the last few years, so it’s not too sad to see him go. It was easy to assume that the Phillies would opt for Coghlan’s experience over Stassi’s relative inexperience, but the team seems to be okay with that younger bench. I can’t say I mind either. John Stolnis wrote about the trade here, but you should also read Matt Gelb’s article about the Phillies’ young bench.
Last night’s game wasn’t great for pitchers
The Phillies lost 10-4 to their perennial/long ago rivals the Blue Jays, and while the Phillies managed 10 hits, the Jays got 16. And when you see 16 hits in the box score, you know the pitching was turrible. Aaron Nola had a 1-2-3 first inning, but didn’t make it out of the second. He gave up seven hits and five runs, which wasn’t a great way to end a difficult spring training. That’s an 8.38 ERA this spring for Nola, which: woof. Hoby Milner gave up three runs in 3 1/3 innings, but things were sort of looking up when Colton Murray came into the game. He had pitched 10 1⁄3 scoreless innings this spring, so of course he entered the game and gave up two runs. Of course! He also left after 2 2⁄3 holding his back, so something is definitely wrong there.
A few other tidbits
INF Cole Stobbe and RHP Sixto Sanchez win Bill Giles and Larry Rojas awards as standouts in Phillies minor league camp
— Jim Salisbury (@JSalisburyCSN) March 28, 2017
Cesar Ramos, Hoby Milner, Colton Murray, Pat Venditte and Pedro Florimon told they won't make team, but will remain in camp through Friday.
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) March 28, 2017
Around the Phight
- The Phillies have a lot of catchers now, somehow. Read our preview of all of them!
- Jeanmar Gomez is the Phillies closer, but for how long?
Tweet of the day
Okay, this is adorable.
So, last year, @CameronRupp's roommate situation wasn't exactly ideal... pic.twitter.com/6dbKCABThN
— Phillies (@Phillies) March 28, 2017