CLEARWATER, Fla. — It wasn’t difficult to tell what the Phillies were doing Saturday.
They were holding tryouts for jobs in the bullpen.
The auditions have been going on all month, but with a week to go before rosters must be set, they intensified Saturday. Aaron Nola went next door to pitch in a minor-league game while the big club used nine relievers for one inning apiece in a 6-5 loss to the Detroit Tigers at steamy Bright House Field (see story).
After the game, manager Pete Mackanin offered some insights into how his bullpen — likely to be a seven-man unit — will be constructed.
He said there were “two or three openings,” but added that the team could add an arm in a trade or waiver claim during the final days of camp.
Mackanin also said it was "a good possibility" that the team could have three lefties in its bullpen.
“We’re going to take it right down to the end to make our decisions,” he said. “We’re close. The guys that are pitching well are going to have a chance and the guys that don’t pitch well are cutting themselves.”
The Phillies still have 19 relief pitchers in camp, but four of them are hurt.
Basically, there are about a dozen guys with a realistic chance to fill the seven jobs.
Some of those guys appear to be locks to make the club, others are close to locks and others are on the bubble.
Barring something unforeseen, Dalier Hinojosa, Jeanmar Gomez, David Hernandez and Brett Oberholtzer are locks to make the club. Hinojosa is one of the few power arms the Phillies have and he has pitched well. Gomez had a good season last year and is making $1.4 million. Hernandez was the only free agent signed to a big-league deal by the club this winter. Oberholzer is a lefty, he’s pitched well, can give the team multiple innings and he’s out of minor-league options.
Veteran Edward Mujica is close to a lock. He has thrown strikes in a camp where that has been emphasized. He also has an out in his contract this weekend and upper management has made it clear that it wants to hang on to as much pitching depth as it can. That’s a big reason Rule 5 lefty Daniel Stumpf could end up on the club. Many of the team’s bullpen candidates can be freely sent to the minors. It would not be surprising if the Phils carried Stumpf at the start of the season and continued their evaluation of him.
Overall, it’s probably best to characterize Stumpf as a bubble guy, but his Rule 5 status and the team’s desire to hang onto pitching puts him on the positive side of the bubble.
A number of relievers are firmly on the bubble. The group includes lefties James Russell, Bobby LaFromboise and Elvis Araujo. It’s likely the Phils will utilize Araujo’s option and send him to the minors. Russell or LaFromboise, both on minor-league deals, could end up being the second or third lefty, depending on what happens with Stumpf.
That leaves a group of right-handers battling for maybe one job. Luis Garcia is still in the mix, but his control could land him back in Triple A. Hector Neris has minor-league options, as well.
Andrew Bailey and Ernesto Frieri, two veterans on minor-league deals, remain in the mix. Bailey pitched well early in camp but has been hit around his last two outings, and Mackanin has mentioned that he’d like to see more velocity and better command from the former American League rookie of the year and two-time all-star who has battled back from shoulder trouble. Reading between the lines, it almost sounds as if the Phillies might send Bailey to Triple A where they can continue to evaluate him while he builds arm strength and refines his command leading up to the May 1 out in his contract.
Bailey gave up two hits and a run and struck out two on Saturday. He is scheduled to pitch again Sunday in Fort Myers. That could be an important outing as the team gauges his candidacy.
As for Frieri, he did not look good early in camp but has suddenly put together two good outings, including Saturday when his fastball touched 94 mph in a clean inning. Mackanin credited that to the pitcher making a mechanical adjustment that has allowed him to throw across his body like he did a couple of years ago. That has helped his deception.
Decisions, decisions, decisions.
There aren't a lot of them left in this bullpen.
But there are certainly some interesting ones.
“I’m not sure what’s going to happen,” Mackanin said.