Jerome Williams will make his second appearance of this young Grapefruit League season. Thus far, he has seen two innings of work, allowing just one hit and striking out a single batter.
The Phillies (1-2-1) are in Clearwater for today's afternoon ballgame, as the Toronto Blue Jays (2-2) will be making their way in from Dunedin. A familiar face for both organizations will be in attendance, 6,000 of them to be exact, as fans will be treated to the second Roy Halladay bobblehead giveaway since the beginning of August.
Starting Pitching Matchup:
|
New York Yankees (1-1-1) |
Philadelphia Phillies (1-1-1) |
||||
|
LHP |
2014: (13-10, 3.39 ERA) |
RHP |
2015 Spring: (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 IP) |
||
Veteran Mark Buehrle makes his Spring Training debut today, entering his third season with Toronto. It will be Buehrle's 16th overall season, a career in which he has also played for the Chicago White Sox and the Miami Marlins, making five total All-Star appearances.
The Missouri native is the definition of a workhorse, making at least 31 starts and surpassing 200 innings pitched in every season since 2001. He is also well-known for his fast-paced demeanor on the mound, similar to Cliff Lee.
Since the start of the 2012 season, Buehrle has faced the Phillies six total times. A 2.68 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 40.1 innings is a sign of his usual performance against most major league teams: consistent.
Toronto has faced both the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Baltimore Orioles twice to this point in Spring Training. They split their games with each team, placing their record at 2-2.
A couple of fresh faces grace the Blue Jays lineup, as Russell Martin and Josh Donaldson are entering their first season with the team. Noticeably absent is All-Star Jose Bautista.
Starting Lineups:
|
Toronto Blue Jays (2-2) |
Philadelphia Phillies (1-2-1) |
||||
|
|
Position/Bats |
Player |
|
Position/Bats |
Player |
|
1 |
3/L |
1 |
8/L |
||
|
2 |
2/R |
2 |
6/S |
||
|
3 |
5/R |
3 |
7/R |
||
|
4 |
DH/S |
4 |
3/L |
||
|
5 |
8/S |
5 |
DH/R |
||
|
6 |
7/R |
6 |
9/L |
||
|
7 |
9/R |
7 |
7/R |
||
|
8 |
4/R |
8 |
2/R |
||
|
9 |
6/L |
9 |
4/S |
||
Out of the Pen:
RHP David Buchanan, LHP Jesse Biddle, RHP Jonathan Papelbon, LHP Mario Hollands and RHP Jeanmar Gomez are all set to come out of the bullpen for the Phillies today, according to beat writer Meghan Montemurro.
The most notable name on this list is Jonathan Papelbon. The controversial closer has been at the center of trade rumors all offseason, and will surely have the spotlight on him today as he makes his Spring Training debut.
Jesse Biddle will likely start the 2015 season with either the Reading Fightin Phils or the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.
Meanwhile, Buchanan, Hollands and Gomez will all be competing for spots on the major league roster. All three have been on a big league club in their career, with Gomez spending his last two seasons with the Pirates.
Broadcast Information:
– First-pitch: 1:05 pm EST
– TV: TCN, MLBN
– Radio: 1210 WPHT, 94 WIP
Andrew Gillen, Managing Editor of Philliedelphia.com
