Spring Training Notebook
A quick look from around spring training with a former BlueClaws flavor.
We’ll start in Clearwater, where Todd Zolecki wrote this article for MLB.com about the Phillies revamping their farm system.
“We were fortunate to be in a position to do it,” Phillies assistant general manager Chuck LaMar said Sunday at the Carpenter Complex. “Secondly, we were able to do it because we weren’t completely wiping out the system.”
Remember, as we talked about with Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times, the Phillies cupboard was replenished at least a little bit with the prospects they got back from Seattle in the Cliff Lee portion of the Halladay trade.
“It becomes a little bit more difficult to continue to pull from your Minor Leagues,” Philadelphia general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “You keep doing that, and you kind of defeat the purpose of what we’re trying to do, which is try to extend our ability to contend for more years than just 2010, 2011 and 2012. We want to extend it beyond that. But time and circumstance will dictate what we want to do and what we’ll be able to do. We have some depth in certain areas. We have less depth in others, just like every other organization. But we’ve moved a lot of talent from our system and you want to try to preserve the talent as much as you can.”
Dave Murphy writes here about Domonic Brown’s education, learning from some of the best in the game to prepare himself to join them, someday soon most likely. As detailed in the article: when Brown first heard about the Halladay trade, he was driving to Port St. Lucie to see his mother. He called Michael Taylor, and it was Taylor who told Brown that he, not Brown, had been traded away.
Paul Hagen of the Daily News is in Goodyear, Arizona at Indians camp, where he spoke to several former BlueClaws: Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, and Lou Marson, all sent over as part of the Cliff Lee trade in July.
“Lou’s coming into camp with an opportunity to be our starting catcher,” said assistant general manager Chris Antonetti. “He did have some exposure at the major league level with us last year for a more extended period than he’d had in the past and we saw some good things. We were encouraged by some of the things he’s done both at Triple A with us and in a short time at the major league level.”
On Carrasco: “We do have a number of guys competing for that spot so we’ll have to see how camp takes shape,” Antonetti said. “But we’re very encouraged by what we saw developmentally with him last year when he came over and pitched for us in Columbus. He pitched deep into games a number of different times and showed some really good stuff.”
On Donald: “In a brief time with us and consistent with our scouting reports he made a very favorable impression on everybody. Staff and teammates. By the way he carries himself and the way he approaches the game. His toughness. It’s been fun to watch.”
Also in Goodyear, Matt Maloney is batting for the fifth-starter job with about six others. The 2006 BlueClaw made his debut last year and is now trying to secure a spot on the Opening Day roster. Said Dusty Baker to the Cincinnati Enquirer:
“There are quite a few guys who we’re going to have to find innings for. I think the fact that we have Cleveland right next door and is convenient. I’m sure with their uncertainty, they might welcome B games as well. B games don’t count as far as stats. They count in our eyes.”
By the way, this is what Reds beat writer John Fay wrote about Maloney before camp.
He was a different pitcher in his second stint with the Reds, thanks to a cut fastball he learned. He went 2-1 with a 2.65 in three September starts. His stuff isn’t overpowering. But he competes well.
Great note from Ed Price of MLB Fanhouse: Kyle Drabek would be the first pitcher to wear number four in the big leagues since Mike Fornieles of the 1952 Senators.
Finally, an interesting note from Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Taylor said he’s going to do his best to win a roster spot and if he does, great, and if not, he’ll go to Triple-A Sacramento with more to work on. I think he’s likely to start the season at Sacramento, barring an injury or two in Oakland, but I’m not sure there’s much Taylor would need to do there; I think the team would just delay calling him up to ensure that he is not a super-two. Super-two status would earn him a fourth arbitration year, and as the Giants can attest after Tin Lincecum’s first of four arbitration-eligible years, it’s better for teams to delay arbitration if possible.
There you go.
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