• March 28, 2024

Phillies Notes: Maikel Franco Impressing; Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez Looks Rusty

fnracoMaikel Franco Off To A Good Start

Third base is one of the Phillies’ major question marks going into the 2014 season.

Cody Asche is the early favorite to start, but he could get some competition from Maikel Franco. He’s been making plays not only at the plate, but in the field as well, which could greatly help his case. The Phillies could use some additional power in their lineup, and Franco would be a better power threat than Asche.

“He’s one of the better guys,” manager Ryne Sandberg said. “He’s getting some good rips at live pitching. I just like the way he uses the whole field. He’s not a one-way type of a hitter. He does the situational things very well. He has good basic mechanics and fundamentals that allow him to cover the whole plate and use the whole field.”

Gonzalez Struggling 

The Phillies are counting on Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez to win a spot in their starting rotation. Gonzalez hasn’t pitched competitively in two years however, and he’s looked really rusty in the early stages of Spring Training.

Gonzaelez has reportedly been struggling with his velocity and command in the early going.

“Um, well, he’s a guy that’s coming back from injury and hasn’t pitched competitively really for a couple of years,” Sandberg said. “I know that we’re using a lot of patience with him. That’s really the biggest part of the strategy with him so we’ll see how things go and how he progresses and really see what that looks like.”

It’d be a disaster if Gonzalez were to start the season in the minor leagues. The Phillies are already without Cole Hamels and Jonathan Pettibone; their starting pitching depth is fading fast. They need Gonzalez to secure a spot in the rotation and give them some stability.

Denny Basens

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eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
February 22, 2014 7:28 am

Espn projected the Phils to finish 66-96. Espn makes GCobb repliers look like optimistic homers with their 78 wins projections.

paulman
paulman
February 22, 2014 8:43 am

I am staying with my 72-76 range Wins Prediction which will
Put them 18- 20 games behind the Leaders of the NL East
(Nats/Braves)

DonP
DonP
February 22, 2014 6:06 pm

Like I said pman they dont win 80

paulman
paulman
February 22, 2014 8:44 pm
Reply to  DonP

I agree with you, the time to blow this Team up
Was last Summer, instead they got older and are wasting a Season in my opinion which which now take another year longer to rebuild..
What are they waiting on, while the rest of the NL East improves, the Phils continue to fall further behind..
If I was a Season-a Ticket Holder and still lived in Philly,
I would be pissed big time..

frankdialogue
February 22, 2014 8:13 pm

The 2014 Philadelphia Ifs Ands & Buts…

DixieFan
DixieFan
February 23, 2014 4:10 pm

Hamels may only miss 2 starts and with the addition of AJ and the open dates, the SP should be fine – if nobody else gets hurt. My guess is with all the pessimism the Phillies may surprise (like all the experts who thought Denver was going to have its way with the Seahawks).

paulman
paulman
February 23, 2014 9:50 pm

The Steal of Free-Agency belongs to the Baltimore Oriokes for Signing RF
Nelson Cruz on a 1 Year Deal at $8 Million,
Of course sone a Risk with Cruz who served a 50 Game Suspension and missed a big day in Free-Agency this Year
But if he puts up big numbers or even his Average a Stats from the last few a Seasons, there is no reason that a highly motivated Cruz will
Get his 25-30 HR’s and 85-100RBI’s with a solid Line-zip surrounding him in Baltimore (Machado, JJ Hardy, Jones, Davis, Weiters & Markakis)
The O’s may end up with 5-6 Players hitting 20 + HR’s in their everyday Line-up
Oriokes also Signed SP Jiminez and a Top Pitcher from the Korean League
They may not out pitch many Teams, but they will score some runs
and if they can get their Bullpen straightened out,
May surprise and compete in the tough AL East

Oldphillyfan
Oldphillyfan
February 23, 2014 11:18 pm

Ok we all know this Philly team is OLD! Worse case scenario is Howard, Utley, Rollins and Ruiz show their age and ride off and play for teams that love old guys – like the Yankees. We are stuck with the baby Phillies: So what does that look like?
1st base: Franco
2nd base: Hernandez
SS: Galvis
3rd base: Asche
LF: Brown
CF: Revere
RF: Ruf
C: ?
P: Hamels, Biddle, Pettibone, Kendrick,
So .what do you think? Is the future that bleak?

paulman
paulman
February 24, 2014 12:54 am
Reply to  Oldphillyfan

I am afraid, that Yes it is…