The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
Harper offers Howard a big-league endorsement
PHILADELPHIA » Bryce Harper caused a stir late Thursday night, though not as much of one as Spencer Howard produced.
The Phillies’ top pitching prospect had thrown three seriously impressive innings in an intrasquad scrimmage Thursday. That sparked social media fan takes, one of which came from Bryce Harper, who was busy streaming to his gaming heart’s content when he shot out the opinion on Twitch that if “Howard isn’t starting in our rotation by Game 6 in New York against the Yankees, there’s a problem. That’s all I’m saying.”
And what does manager Joe Girardi say to that?
“What’s Twitch?” Girardi honestly queried. Excellent question. Regardless of the platform, however, the Phillies’ biggest money player laying it all on the gaming line for a 23-year-old who went up a few ranks in 2019 but still finished at Double-A was rather striking.
That’s how sharp Howard looked Thursday, especially in utilizing his breaking stuff to full strikeout effect against some veteran hitters.
Howard, a starter designated for work at Lehigh Valley this season until minor league baseball was canned due to the coronavirus, had three strikeouts in three innings in the intrasquad game. As for hearing about Harper’s comments, he was appreciative.
“It’s cool, man, he’s one of the faces of baseball for forever now, it seems,” Howard said on a Zoom media chat Friday. “For him to be a Philadelphia Phillie for the next 13 years or however many, I think he’s definitely looking out for the young guys coming up in the system, and he’s really looking to integrate himself in the whole organization. I think it’s really cool.”
Actually, it’s really smart of Harper, a leader in many other ways than the salary rankings, to embrace top prospects like Howard and Alec Bohm, even if neither figures to be on the opening day roster.
That’s because if either Howard or Bohm were on the 30-man roster for the Phillies’ season opener July 24, the Phillies would likely wind up spending one year of contractual control on them, according to prorated MLB rules. There’s a period of time that the players would have to be kept off the roster for them not to qualify as being a year closer to major league free agency, and with the season shortened so drastically, that percentage comes down to them only missing five days of time for this 60game season.
So for Howard to be the Phillies’ sixth starter, so to speak ... that could very well happen when the season moves into August. That works just fine for Girardi.
“Spencer’s been impressive,” Girardi said after Friday night’s intrasquad game. “And I would think at some point you’re going to see this kid help us this year.”
As for Bohm ... well, not so much. But considering Howard’s former Reading teammate can supply his normally powerful bat as a spot DH or pinch-hitter in this new MLB game, he’s holding out hope to ascend from the 60-player pool and make his mark on the major league roster at some point soon, too.
That a major league debut would come in front of no fans? Well, that’s something else altogether.
“Just in general for everybody it’s going to be a little bit different,” Bohm said. “Even watching from home it’s going to be different. But it’s what we’ve got to do to be able to play this year.”
As for skirting the service time rule that will likely mean he has to wait a while for his turn with this team, Bohm said, “There’s no hard feelings about it, it is what it is. That’s what they can do and that’s a smart move.”
But just like Harper, Bohm thinks it would be smart of the Phillies to bring Howard up as soon as fiscally feasible.
“I’m glad he’s on my team, that’s for sure,”
Bohm said of Howard. “Spencer, he’s one of the best guys to have in the clubhouse. He’s unfazed by a lot of things. Whether he goes out and gives up five runs or whatever, which is pretty rare, he’s the same guy in the cluhbhouse every day. And on the field he’s electric. He’s got four pitches, he’s great to play defense behind ... he’s got it going on.”
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NOTES » Despite what Harper said, Girardi said he’d think that Aaron Nola would be the sixth game starter. So that means Nola will start the Phillies’ first game against Florida then? “I’m kind of making that assumption,” Girardi said. “... I would think that’s a real good possibility.” ... For their “exhibition season” opener Saturday, the Phils travel to play the champs at Nationals Stadium. Girardi said most starters will indeed play, including Rhys Hoskins, Harper and Didi Gregorius. Nola will start.