Phillies finalize roster: Orr, Herndon make the cut

The Phillies have rounded out the bench with a pair of darkhorses who spent last season in the Nationals farm system: Rule 5 pick Michael Martinez and Canadian everyman Pete Orr.

Orr, 31, followed a workman-like season with Triple-A Syracuse (.264/.326/.436) with a well-rounded spring, seeing time all over the field, most noteably at third while Placido Polanco nursed his elbow injury. His ability to man third could have been the deciding factor in keeping him over Delwyn Young, who can hit from both sides of the plate with power, but is a liability at every position. In addition to playing all over the field, Orr is deceptively fast. The Phils outrighted Matt Rizzotti off the 40-man roster yesterday and will now slot Orr into the opening. Martinez, meanwhile, was congratulated by teammates earlier today, according to CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury. Despite an impressive and unexpected push, reliever Mike Stutes has been returned to the minors, meaning David Herndon has clinched the final bullpen spot.

Pirates 4, Phillies 1: The Phillies’ offense isn’t exactly in midseason form, as the team wrapped up spring training with a 4-1 loss to the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. The Phils managed only two hits, while the starters – the same position players that will open the season Friday – combined to go 1-for-20. The most important hit of the day may have come off the bat of Orr, who laced a stand-up triple in the eighth. After the game, the Phillies announced that Orr made the team over Young, who went 0-for-2 on Wednesday. Orr finished the spring with a .286 average (16-for-56), contributing a pair of RBIs. Young finished the spring at .258 (16-for-62) with a homer and eight RBIs. Among the pitchers who saw work in the exhibition finale were Cole Hamels (2 runs in 3 innings), Joe Blanton (1 run in 3 innings) and newly minted closer Jose Contreras (1 scoreless inning).

The Phils are off Thursday before the season kicks off Friday vs. Houston. - Written for Beerleaguer by Drew Silverman

Comments

[Javy]

Delwyn Young has power from both sides of the plate???? Really? What stats back that up? None.

[lorecore]

Congrats to Orr. Major SI improvement to the roster

[Heather]

Why is Herndon still on this team? I thought I was told last year that the plan was to put him in AAA this year so he could work on his stuff. Instead, he's on the team again.

[J. Weitzel]

All things equal, Orr and Young are basically in the same boat as Quad-A types. But they're different players. One has power, one has a glove.

.368 SLG Orr (Career minors)
.514 SLG Young (Career minors)

Career homers
3 for Orr
17 for Young

Young isn't Mark Texeira or anything, but for the sake of this argument, has a power bat among serveral guys (Orr, Barfield, Martinez, Castillo) that don't.

[Scott]

Based on last year, I'd say the offense IS in mid-season form. That's the problem.

[bay_area_phan]

I thought the Phillies' 2009 bench of Stairs, Dobbs, Francisco, Bruntlett & Bako was one of the worst benches ever assembled by a contending team. But the 2009 bench looks like the 1927 Yankees compared to Gload, Schneider, Orr, Martinez, and Mayberry.

[J. Weitzel]

So ...

Vic 8
Polly 5
Rollins 6
Howard 3
Francisco 9
Ibanez 7
Ruiz 2
Valdez 4

Then bench of Schneider, Gload, Mayberry, Orr, Martinez

Hmmm.

[JST1331]

Not very confident with the bench this year.

[bay_area_phan]

I'm not super thrilled with the bullpen either. Madson & Conteras, good. Bastardo, I have high hopes for. The rest of the pen makes me want to hold my nose.

[Mike]

season=over

[Malcolm]

Don't worry, brahs, when it matters and the Phils need the bench, it'll look more like this:

Schneider, Gload, Brown, Valdez, Martinez

Well, we can only hope.

[Heather]

Speaking of benches, for the last 2-3 years I've been jealous of the Rockies having Giambi as a PH off the bench. He seems to kill the Phils.

How much does he even cost? Why can't the Phils look into a guy like that?

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Uggghhh.

[Heather]

"Schneider, Gload, Brown, Valdez, Martinez"

Isn't it a shame when your backup catcher is the second best bat off the bench? Yikes.

[MG]

Bench really comes down to Mayberry early. If he takes a step forward and not overexposed, the bench isn't terrible. If he can't hit offspeed pitching, this is one of worst benches the Phils' have had the last 25 years.

[MG]

PH late in a key spot: Martinez, Orr, or Gross?

[EastFallowfield]

Yo, new thread

[bigmyc]

Pete Orr is a great addition to the team..especially in the capacity that he'll be utilized. He is a burner and a hard worker. He's the kind of Joe that needs to fill in on this team and not the Luis Castillo's of the world.