McCaffery: ‘Summer camp’ a hot success for Phillies
PHILADELPHIA » Their summer camp moved to a new level Saturday when the Phillies traveled to Nationals Park to begin a three-game exhibition “season.”
By any measure, the two-week run-up was a success.
The practices and intrasquad games went on as scheduled, both in Citizens Bank Park and across the street in FDR Park. The virus testing worked as designed, identifying players and staff with any link to infection and shielding them from the rest of the team for an appropriate recovery time.
With the press having been bumped from the clubhouses, it has been up to Joe Girardi and the players to declare the social-distancing protocols effective. Since no one offered an opposing claim, that unanimous approval of the system was plausible.
Some players chose to wear masks while working, including Didi Gregorius, who has been haunted for years by a life-altering kidney ailment. Others chose to go mask-free on the field, with no apparent in-house friction. Indeed, the only apparel decision that caused any real stir was when Bryce Harper, aware that photographers would be in the building when camp opened, chose to model a J.T. Realmuto ensemble, all the better to remind the front office that the best catcher in baseball needs an extended contract.
“I’m really comfortable,” Gregorius said, echoing the overwhelming sentiment. “Everybody is following the rules.”
There were no major injuries, not even an oblique strain, not even one to Roman Quinn. The pitchers looked stronger than the hitters, who were not exactly pouring home runs into the empty stands. But even that pitchers-ahead-of-the-hitters effect was normal by usual early-baseball-camp standards. The players looked in shape, as they should have been, given
102 games off to remain fit.
So all of that worked.
Then, there was the baseball.
And that worked, too. At least the minicamp came close to answering all of the concerns and most of the questions the Phillies faced before it began.
Those questions, and the answers:
• How has the pitching rotation developed? Aaron Nola was a late camp arrival after having been found to have been in contact with a virus victim. He should be sufficiently conditioned for Opening Day and Joe Girardi said Saturday he expects Nola to do just that. If not, he will definitely start sometime during the first rotation.
Zack Wheeler, the Phillies’ signature free-agent acquisition, has looked strong and will provide a sturdy second No. 1 starter. Jake Arrieta showed that he was fully recovered from elbow surgery. Zach Eflin shook off early-camp back spasms to impress the coaches. And Vince Velasquez, who has added a cutter to his repertoire, did enough to claim the No. 5 spot.
• How did Jean Segura handle the move from short to third?
Though he played as much second base while Scott Kingery recovered from a virus, the former shortstop impressed defensively whenever he was at third.
• Is Andrew McCutchen himself again?
He’s 33 and is coming off major knee surgery. But the hiatus did allow him to heal fully. The former MVP hit a leadoff home run, seemed bouncy and fluid on the field and has Girardi’s full top-of-the-order commitment.
• Who won the centerfield battle? No one … but that’s only because neither Adam Haseley nor Quinn lost it. Both hit well.
• Has Realmuto appeared tentative, considering that any injury theoretically could put him at a $100,000,000 risk? No.
• Is the bullpen gaining any clarity? Clarity, yes. Dominance, no. Hector Neris has returned from a viruslist stint, though he claims he was not stricken by the illness. So he is the closer. His story is familiar. When right, he looks like an All-Star. When not, he has had to EZ-Pass-it to Allentown. “Consistency is the thing with Hector,” Girardi said.
Adam Morgan, ever talented, has caught Girardi’s eye. Nick Pivetta adds depth. After a short bookkeeping diversion to Allentown, Spencer Howard is going to win a big-league job a year ahead of schedule. Tommy Hunter, ever fragile, is throwing.
• Are the designated-hitter candidates plug-and-play ready?
Absolutely. And that’s a fluke, really, since the Phils were not built for DH rules. But Jay Bruce has recovered from elbow trouble and is ideal for the spot. Realmuto and McCutchen could DH on days they need a little rest.
• Are there any batting-order hints? Girardi will lead off McCutchen. After that, he has said he does not like to “stack” left-handers. So figure on something very close to McCutchen (R), Segura (R), Harper (L), Rhys Hoskins (R), Gregorius (L), Realmuto (R), Bruce (L), Kingery (R) and Quinn (S) or Haseley (L).
• Has Girardi made a difference? Probably. But to declare that so early would be an unnecessary swipe at Gabe Kapler. There will be time for that later. In Girardi’s job, one thing matters: Winning. But to the extent that the camp ran smoothly, that there was no visible wasted motion, that the players were committed to the health protocols, that there were no opt-outs, that the testing procedures worked as designed, that he appeared active and in command as he worked the field and that his answers were clear and welcome, Girardi left no early room for complaint.
The Phillies will host Baltimore Sunday at 6:05, then visit Yankee Stadium Monday night. That will leave them a few days of intrasquad work before the July 24 opener against visiting Miami. In an odd season when so much is fluid, it’s tough to look too far ahead. As for looking at what already has happened, make them a quick 1-and-0.