Position Players, Welcome to Clearwater, Florida!

Now the fun begins. Today, February 24, the position players for the Philadelphia Phillies that have yet to venture down to Clearwater, Florida for Spring Training 2012 must report. Now spring training is in full swing. There is now a measly six days until the very first spring training game. Just six days until the Phillies take the field against….the Florida State Seminoles. All right, well that isn’t too much to get excited about, but it is a start. There are very few tweaks to the starters from last season. There is a new regime of bench players, but the core of the team remains the same. There are a few questions surrounding the starters, particularly about their defense. I can’t wait to get started, so let’s go.

Infielders:

Let’s go around the horn similar to after the final warm-up pitch has been thrown and the catcher throws down to second base. Starting behind the dish is Carlos Ruiz. There is no surprise there as he is one the best catchers in the MLB right now. Ruiz’s bat has been increasing its’ productivity each season, let’s see if that continues. His defense was and always will be superb.

First base is one of the big questions for the Phillies. Howard had surgery in the off-season on his right Achilles and he is not expected to be ready for opening day. The replacement for Howard: Jim Thome. The 41 year old, Thome, has not played the field for a good amount of time as he has spent the last two seasons in the American League, mainly being the designated hitter in the lineup. Thome has been down in Florida working very hard trying to get his body in shape to play first base every day. We will have to wait and see if Thome can step up and fill the void.

Chase Utley is at second base. We Phillies fans feel secure obviously with Utley there as he is a stellar player. Utley is known for his work ethic and hard style of play. Sometimes his aggressive play lands him on the disabled list. Let’s hope he avoids that dungeon for most of the season.

Jimmy Rollins is at short stop where he has been since the turn of the century. J-Roll is aging and might not be able preform at same level he has been during his 12-year career. Any guesses on his pre-season proclamation?

Polanco battled injuries a lot last year. He had a sports hernia among other ailments. He says he will be back and refreshed for 2012. Everyone will have an eye on him during spring training and the beginning of the regular season. Polanco is a veteran and he will rehab properly and should be back to his old ways.

Outfield:

Hunter Pence was acquired from the Astros mid-way through the season last year. Pence made an immediate impact on this ball club, but now with spring training and the ability to get a full season from start to finish together, Pence will gel even better with the guys in the clubhouse. Pence is a solid baseball player. Not just a good left-fielder, but a great baseball player.

Shane Victorino will assume his typical position in center. The speedy Victorino has improved his hitting over the years. His speed is his number one threat though. I’d like to see him swipe some more bags this year, but he will be solid no matter what.

The left-field position is the next big question. Raul Ibanez is now in blue pinstripes. This leaves it open for a new every day starter and the winner is……..John Mayberry Jr.! It is Mayberry’s job to lose during spring training. He really doesn’t have much competition as Dom Brown is more worried about making the 25-man roster than battling for a starting job. Mayberry really proved his worth last season. His hitting is still a work-in-progress, but his defense is his best asset.

Bench Players:

This category is tough to project as it isn’t as clear who will make the roster and who will go to the minor leagues or get cut. In the off-season the Phils added Laynce Nix, Thome and Ty Wigginton. Thome was mostly going to be a situational hitter, but as of right now he is preparing to be the starting first baseman. Upon Howard’s return, Thome will be relegated back to the bench. Wigginton is a right-handed batter that helps the left-handed dominant Phillies lineup. Nix is a left-handed batter that will just complement all the other lefty’s the Phils boast.

This season will be very exciting and I’m sure it will bring a lot of success. I’m not going to make a bold prediction this early as that is Rollins’ job. In the future look for a more in-depth breakdown of the team and constant reports of how the team is doing during their workouts in lovely Clearwater, Florida here at Section 215.

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