Roy Halladay got rocked today. Like, rocked, rocked. He's only being clocked in the 84-85 range today too.
Ok, enough awful-ness, let's run through some other topics in the blogosphere today:
- The Phillies cut five guys: Tyler Cloyd, Tyson Gillies, Sebastian Valle, Mauricio Robles, and B.J. Rosenberg. High Cheese had notes on all five. None of these are shocks, though I guess I thought they'd look longer at some of these guys, with 20 days to spare.
- From the department of writing things too early that may be true in a few months, Bill Baer at Crashburn Alley says it's time to move on from Tyson Gillies. I'm not necessarily saying he's wrong on anything he writes here, I'd just like to see the season play out a bit before assuming that. If Ben Revere is everything we hope, he's right. If he's not, well then things change.
- Phillippe Aumont spoke out about his fight with Sebastian Valle. Kind of a non-issue to me, and I bet it was to the Phillies too. Valle was cut because he's not in the Phillies plans anymore, not because he hit someone in a baseball fight.
- Lament! Yuniesky Betancourt might make this team. I seriously doubt this. Yes, he's played well, but Freddy Galvis has played better, so unless they want Galvis to play everyday in Allentown, this is done. Besides that, they would have to add him to the 40 man by March 24th, and I'm guessing they're more likely to add Aaron Cook now after today.
Ok, so here's where we're at roster wise- be freaked out about Roy Halladay, seriously. That's really, really bad. Be heartened though by this- Ryan Howard, Michael Young, Ben Revere, Cole Hamels, Freddy Galvis, and Dom Brown are having great springs. Unfortunately, that's not enough right now. They'll need some more guys to have good years for this to work out. So here's what I have right now:
- Rotation: Hamels, Halladay, Lee, Kendrick, Lannan. Still in the running: Cook, Lopez.
- Line-Up: Rollins-SS, Revere-CF, Utley-2B, Howard-1B, M. Young-3B, Brown-RF, Mayberry/Nix-LF, Kratz-C. Still in the running: Ruf-LF.
- Bullpen: Papelbon, Adams, Durbin, Bastardo, Aumont, Horst, De Fratus. Still in the running: Valdes, Stutes, Diekman.
- Bench: Quintero, Frandsen, Mayberry/Nix, Galvis, Inciarte. Still in the running: Betancourt, Lerud.
- DL: D. Young.
- Restricted: Ruiz
- 40 Man, Re-Assigned: Ruf, Gillies, Valle, Hernandez, Collier, Robles, Rosenberg, Cloyd, Martin, Pettibone, Valdes, Stutes, Diekman, Cook.
- Waivers: Savery
Alright, lots here. I have the rotation unchanged right now. Halladay will say he's fine, even if he's not. I don't think Ruf has won a spot yet, and he's running out of time for it. Other than that, the line-up is mildly good so far, and relatively set. The bullpen race is hot, but I think Aumont, Horst, and De Fratus win the jobs narrowly over Valdes, Stutes, and Diekman. With Valle and Joseph out of camp, my guess is that either Quintero or Lerud is getting the 40th man slot, and 25th spot, to be the back-up catcher until Chooch is back, and they get DFA'ed. I think Inciarte will make this team, and I feel confident that Galvis has won his spot, if it's on merit. I also don't see Betancourt having any room on the 40 man to take this from him. Now that leaves me with the 40 man slots. I essentially see the Phillies having a spot to decide on here: do you cut Savery or Robles, to keep Cook around (or for that matter Betancourt)? My guess after today is that Cook's stock is up, and Savery's fast cut takes him down. What could save Savery is if the Phillies decide that either A.) They'll save that slot for Adam Morgan or Jesse Biddle, or whoever later on, or B.) They decide now that they're happy with their AAA options here, on the current 40 man.
Obviously this changes the AAA team a lot too. Here's what I have there:
- Rotation: Cook, Lopez, Cloyd, Pettibone, Martin. In the running: Cochran, Bass.
- Line-Up: Gillies-CF, Hernandez-2B, J. Mitchell-RF, Ruf-LF, Fields-1B, Mather/Overbeck-DH, Valle-C, Martinez-SS, Orr-3B. In the running: Asche-3B, Joseph-C, Betancourt-SS.
- Bullpen: Stutes, Diekman, Valdes, Rosenberg, Robles, Friend, Jimenez.
- Bench: Mather/Overbeck, Lerud, D. Mitchell, Susdorf, Tolbert.
Ok, so I think the Phillies keep Lopez and Cook around. I don't believe Betancourt stays though. With all of that said, you get the roster above. I'm totally unclear at this stage as to whether or not they keep Joseph or Valle here, even though it's clear that Joseph has the lead through camp for the future. Same goes for Cody Asche. Justin Friend's good camp keeps him up here too. He's ready for the move.
