3/26 Phillies Roster Projections

Another day, another day closer to Opening Day. Today's the day we'll find out about Aaron Cook's future here, as he'll either make the team, be sent to AAA and get $100,000 in bonus money, or walk away from camp. I hope he stays, and don't think he will. If he goes the way of our old friend Yuniesky Betancourt, it's worth noting that Betancourt ended yesterday unemployed still.

Beyond that, the battles are very, very clear now. There's Cook-Valdes, which is likely to be settled today. If Cook wins, expect a 40 man move as well, so there's two losers. Then there's the Aumont-Stutes battle, which kind of goes hand in hand with the other. Then of course, you have the Quintero-Lerud battle, which is coming down to the finish, closer than expected. Finally there's the Inciarte-Orr-nameless pick-up battle for the last outfield spot.

With all of that said, here's the roster projection:

  • Rotation: Hamels, Halladay, Lee, Kendrick, Lannan.
  • Line-Up: Rollins-SS, Revere-CF, Utley-2B, Howard-1B, M. Young-3B, Brown-RF, Mayberry-LF, Kratz-C.
  • Bullpen: Papelbon, Adams, Durbin, Bastardo, Horst, Aumont, Valdes. In the running: Stutes, Cook.
  • Bench: Nix, Frandsen, Galvis, Lerud, Inciarte. In the running: Orr, Quintero.
  • DL: D. Young.
  • Restricted: Ruiz.
  • 40 man, inactive: Gillies, Collier, Ruf, Hernandez, Valle, Pettibone, Cloyd, Martin, Stutes, De Fratus, Rosenberg, Diekman, Robles, Savery.
The big story here is that Lerud now beats out Quintero because he had a better spring. Cook narrowly misses and stays off the 40 man, since he'll get the bonus either way and it makes no sense to give him a spot.
This takes me down to AAA. The Morning Call's "Hog Blog" has their roster projection up. Phuture Phillies is up with the last set of workout groups. Here's my version of AAA, Lehigh Valley:
  • Rotation: Cloyd, Pettibone, Martin, Cochran, Hyatt. In the running: Cook, Morgan, Bass.
  • Line-Up: Gillies-CF, Orr-2B, J. Mitchell-RF, Ruf-LF, Asche-3B, Joseph-C, Overbeck-1B, Fields-DH, Martinez-SS.
  • Bullpen: Stutes, De Fratus, Diekman, Rosenberg, Savery, Jimenez, Friend.
  • Bench: Castro, Quintero, Susdorf, Tolbert.
  • DL: Hernandez. 
There's a lot of buzz that Morgan will make this team, but I'm in the doubting camp. He wasn't up in Reading that long last summer, and I don't see them rushing him right now. It's hard to tell who comes back ready to go between Martinez, Hernandez, and Tolbert, as all are shelved right now, but I doubt that even two of them go to the DL. 
Now AA:
  • Rotation: Morgan, Biddle, Buchanan, Garcia, Wright. In the running: Colvin.
  • Line-Up: Collier-CF, Hanzawa-SS, Welty-RF, Murphy-1B, Valle-C/DH, Rupp-DH/C, Mitchell-LF, Abreu-3B, Cartwright-2B. 
  • Bullpen: Simon, Robles, Ramirez, Ellis, Rosin, Sosa, Johnson.
  • Bench: Suomi, Murphy, Henson, Hewitt.
  • DL: James, Duran.
My sense here is that the offense is a little down compared to last year, but they have some talent. I'm putting Valle and Rupp in as regulars because I don't think they'll sit one regularly, although sometimes you'll see Hewitt or Suomi DH, and the other sit as a back-up catcher.
So then, A ball in Clearwater:
  • Rotation: Colvin, Hollands, Garner, Stewart, Kleven.
  • Line-Up: Hudson-CF, Altherr-RF, Alvarez-LF, Franco-3B, Martinez-DH/1B, Alonso-1B/DH, Ludy-C, Villalobos-SS, Carver-2B.
  • Bullpen: Arias, Shreve, Milner, O'Sullivan, Murray, Nesseth, Hernandez.
  • Bench: Moore, Roof, Stassi, Lavin,
  • DL: Dugan, Stumpo.
Lot of talent here, I would hardly be shocked to see some of it in AA this season. The offense is pretty good, the staff has guys who are ready for the next step, and there's actually going to be some decent guys not starting everyday.
Finally, A ball in Lakewood:
  • Rotation: Watson, Warner, Brady, Stefan, Martinez.
  • Line-Up: Quinn-SS, Tocci-OF, Walding-3B, Serritella-1B, Pointer-OF, Greene-2B, Hill-C, Perkins-OF, Arthur-DH.
  • Bullpen: Inch, Santos, Rojas, Broussard, Aizenstadt, Cooper, Oviedo.
  • Bench: Quaranto, Olmo, Taylor, Mora.
  • DL: Numata, Carmona.
That's all for today. The workout groups seem to be pretty telling.
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