Roy Halladay allowed just one hit over two innings -- a solo homer to Victor Martinez in the Phillies' 5-5 tie Sunday with the Tigers in Lakeland. A rival scout told CSN's Jim Salisbury that Halladay looked "very good," and new Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter went a step further in his praise.
In Doc's first start of the calendar year, he threw five pitches in a 1-2-3 top of the first. Austin Jackson flew out on the first pitch, Hunter struck out swinging at three straight, then Miguel Cabrera grounded out in an untelevised game.
Ryan Howard greeted Justin Verlander with a double in the second and Freddy Galvis doubled to drive in a run later in the inning.
Halladay struck Prince Fielder out on three pitches to start his second and final inning of work, making it eight pitches, eight strikes, four outs. He then threw his first two balls to fall behind the returning Martinez and gave up the homer to center.
Howard later doubled again. Domonic Brown homered off reliever Al Alburquerque. If you count the intrasquad game Friday, Brown had a 4-for-6 weekend with a homer and two doubles.
Some interesting tidbits from Salisbury and the box score of a game only those in Florida saw...
● Torii Hunter told Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly that the Phillies were the first team to contact him this winter, and that he considered signing here.
Hunter would have been a good fit in right field. He might have actually changed the Phils' plans in center if they believed he could for two years play the position where he won nine straight (deserved) Gold Gloves from 2001-09.
● Prospects Tommy Joseph and Tyson Gillies played. Gillies started in center field, batted second and went 1-for-3 with a strikeout and a double off Octavio Dotel. Joseph was 0-for-2 replacing Carlos Ruiz, who hit third.
● Out of the 'pen, Antonio Bastardo pitched a scoreless inning, J.C. Ramirez was hit around, and Rodrigo Lopez tossed three scoreless frames late in the game.
It sounded like Gillies and Inciarte impressed defensively, too.
Inciarte's AVG and OBP sit at 1.000. I wonder what he needs to do to make a case for himself successfully.
Posted by: epicurean | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 06:49 PM
I would think Inciarte's avg and obp would have to stay at 1.000 for him to make the team.
Posted by: CRD | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 06:58 PM
I heard DOM's HR was deep. Alburquerque is a known fireballer, might have caught up to one.
Posted by: lorecore | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 07:00 PM
JC Ramirez que pasa where are thou!
Posted by: "Pedro's lucky midget" | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 07:29 PM
Wait, there's a guy named "Al Alburquerque"? That's a nickname, or a fictional/video game player's name, at best.
Posted by: Unikruk | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 07:33 PM
@ unikruk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bfdc8n93Mfs
Posted by: e | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 07:41 PM
Dear Beerleaguer staff,
You can change the header on the website to read "Phillies 2013" now. Let us all put 2012 in our rear view mirrors.
Posted by: Scott | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 08:00 PM
e: I am chastened.
Posted by: Unikruk | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 08:12 PM
Really wanted Hunter. It's a shame they couldn't lure him here.
Posted by: Iceman | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 08:46 PM
***Torii Hunter told Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly that the Phillies were the first team to contact him this winter, and that he considered signing here***
He cant...at least not with good defense. He would have been a great fit for one of the corners though.
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 08:59 PM
FWIW, the posts are down a bit in the pre-season. Beyond that, the anxiety that the Phils won't do well this season is palpable... sniping abounds. Yikes...
Posted by: cut_fastball | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 09:39 PM
After waiting 143 days, I missed the first 2 games. Anyone report on how Howard looked running on those 2 doubles?
Posted by: Conway Twitty | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 10:22 PM
Conway, here you go: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillies_zone/Ryan-Howard-shows-improved-running.html
Posted by: GBrettfan | Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 10:36 PM
Two games into Spring Training and the BL team looks very shaky. There has been a distinct lack of negative leadership, not near enough over-analysis and unnecessary criticism, a dearth of "the sky is falling" commentary and very few hyperbolic declarations based on an extremely small sample size. Looks like yet another last place finish for the BL team, Mel.
Posted by: Dragon | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 01:36 AM
Al Albuquerque? No you're thinking of Kid New York. He fought out of Philly. He was killed in the ring in Houston. By Tex Colorado. You know, the Arizona Assassin.
Posted by: sdphillie | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 02:04 AM
OK, so Halladay looked good, Howard can still hit RHP and Chase Utley is actually running, working out and playing in games.
So far, so good.
Murph wrote this in today's paper:
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20130225_David_Murphy__Phils__vets_have_a_healthy_hunger.html
Also, it seems the vets on teh team disagree with the DPat's of the world about whether the team can contend:
"A lack of leadership is not what kept the Blue Jays from the playoffs during Halladay's decade-plus in Toronto. The culprit was a lack of talent. Last season, the Phillies had a mortal flaw in the bullpen and, for half of the year, two gaping holes in the clubhouse that Howard and Chase Utley used to fill. This year, Utley has already played in more Grapefruit League games than in 2011 and '12 combined, while Howard looks nothing like the shell of a slugging first baseman who showed up to camp last spring after an offseason spent waiting for a surgically repaired Achilles' to heal.
The vibe you get from the vets would not exist if they did not feel they had the talent to contend. That vibe is one part unfinished business and one part belief that said business can be finished."
Posted by: rolo | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 07:52 AM
What scares Torii Hunter more, a Halladay cutter or the idea of a gay teammate?
Posted by: Scotch Man | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 08:36 AM
Scotch Man, did Hunter make some comment about that? I must have missed it.
Posted by: rolo | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 09:07 AM
Nice to hear the Phils were aggressive with Hunter, him and Revere would have allowed DOM to cover a pretty small LF.
Posted by: lorecore | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 09:17 AM
lore, Hunter's comments also shoot down DPat's (and others) whine about how RAJ didn't do anything to try to acquire a RH OF bat.
Mind you, I'm still displeased that they dumped Schwimer for less utility than an fungoes bat (not a sign of rational, good judgement), but how is RAJ supposed to force Hunter (or anyone else, for that matter) to sign in Philly?
I suspect they had Hunter and a few of teh other top OF bats targeted, but once they got past them and down to the more marginal (platoon type) players, they probably figured that what they had was nearly as good as was avaialble so it made no sense to overspend on a piece they already had.
Posted by: rolo | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 09:25 AM
"Mind you, I'm still displeased that they dumped Schwimer for less utility than an fungoes bat "
I hadn't noticed you felt that way.
Posted by: lorecore | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 09:33 AM
rolo --
Small correction: once they got past the top OF bats, they signed Delmon Young.
Posted by: ramsey | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 09:35 AM
I just watched the phillies ~3min highlight on mlb.com with Scott Palmer. They showed every scoring play possible except DOM's HR. Violation.
Posted by: lorecore | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 09:38 AM
I noticed that too lore. Seems kind of odd.
Posted by: RedBurb | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 09:41 AM
I am in awe that Schwimmer is still being brought up in posts. Who cares.
Posted by: AlexRosie | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 09:45 AM
Are they facing a LH today? Dom and Ben r on bench.
Posted by: The hook | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:00 AM
Seems a bit more upside-friendly than most, which is welcome:
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/philadelphia-phillies-top-15-prospects-2012-13/
Posted by: The Perils of Thinking | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:14 AM
Hopefully the Toronto fans will learn to spell his name correctly at least. However, I think its time to get on with the Schwimer trade and talk Phillies baseball.
Posted by: NEPP | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:14 AM
How many 'Looking Good' have the various players had so far?
I think Halladay and Howard are in the lead with 1 each.
Posted by: MG | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:35 AM
So people were up in arms about Schwimer being dealt huh? At least about the return they got for him?
I really don't care. I get that the value they got wasn't good but the guy was a jerkoff and I don't have time for those. At least not jerkoffs who haven't proven themselves.
Posted by: Joe D | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:38 AM
Anytime I hear of Dom hitting a bomb I get giddy. I want him to make it so badly.
Posted by: Joe D | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:39 AM
MLB odds came out today:
Every sports book has the Phils right around 83-84 wins with the 'Over' at pretty negative odds and the 'Under' at Even.
I really like the 83.5 as an over but the payout outs suck at -130. If that was -115 or -110, I would be all over it. Need to look around a bit more.
I have seen the Phils as low as 15:1 to win the WS and as high as 20:1. Basically between 8-12.
Posted by: MG | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:45 AM
Since Schwimer was more likely than not to only provide negative value to the Phillies big league club, getting a guy in return for him who'll never make the big league club is actually an improvement of sorts.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:48 AM
Good to see some optimistic views on Austin Wright. 6'4 230lb lefties with mid 90s fastballs don't grow on trees. Excited to see if he can make the jump to AA with success as a starter.
Posted by: lorecore | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:49 AM
Up in arms? Nah. Just hate the Phils trading away something that might have some value for essentially nothing especially when the Phils don't actually have a bunch of RHP relievers at AA and above who are MLB-caliber pitchers right now.
Posted by: MG | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:49 AM
MG, I hear you. They do seem to be lefty heavy in the arms department and Schwimer wasn't in that group.
Posted by: Joe D | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:51 AM
New thread.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:54 AM
Personally if I was setting an over/under for this team it would be 84.5/85. If they can come out of the gate with a healthy team, I think they are somewhere between a 86-90 win team.
Posted by: MG | Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:54 AM