The Spring Training 62: Where They Went

2013 Phillies
Team Issue #25

Over the past six weeks, the Phillies have whittled down their roster to 25 players and those 25 players will suit up for tonight's season opener in Atlanta.  Officially, the team had 62 different players scheduled to suit up at the start of camp, and I opted not to count the other minor leaguers that were shuffled in and out of camp throughout the spring.  Pulling out my trusty calculator, that means with just 25 players remaining, 37 players have moved on.  Here's where they went:

Disabled List (1):  Outfielder Delmon Young

The best part about this list is that only one player landed on the DL, and it was expected all along that Young would not be ready to start the regular season.  Last year, the Phillies started the season with five players on the disabled list.  (See the link below for last year's Where They Went post.)

Restricted List (1):  Catcher Carlos Ruiz

Traded (1):  Pitcher Michael Schwimer

Released (6):  Pitchers Aaron Cook, Juan Cruz and Rodrigo Lopez, Infielders Yuniesky Betancourt and Andres Blanco, Outfielder Joe Mather

2003 Topps Heritage #243

Blanco and Cruz never even made it to camp in Clearwater.  Blanco has since re-signed with Lehigh Valley while Cruz and Mather haven't latched on elsewhere yet.  Betancourt has won a job with the Brewers and Cook will start the season in the Rockies' minor league system.  Betancourt earned a zero-year card (h/t toDime Boxes) in the Phillies team-issued set, seen at the top of this post.
  

AAA- Lehigh Valley IronPigs (22):  Pitchers Tyler Cloyd, Justin De Fratus, Jake Diekman, Justin Friend, Cesar Jimenez, Ethan Martin, Zach Miner, Adam Morgan, Jonathan Pettibone, B.J. Rosenberg, Joe Savery, Michael Stutes, Catchers Tommy Joseph and Steven Lerud, Infielders Cody Asche, Josh Fields, Cesar Hernandez, Michael Martinez and Pete Orr, Outfielders Tyson Gillies, Jermaine Mitchell and Darin Ruf

AA - Reading Fightin Phils (6):  Pitchers J.C. Ramirez, Mauricio Robles and Kyle Simon, Catchers Cameron Rupp and Sebastian Valle, Outfielder Zach Collier

Memory Lane

2012:  The Spring Training 57 (+1): Where They Went

2013 Chachi Almost #2 Yuniesky Betancourt

Red Sox 7, Phillies 6
Spring Training Game 28 - Sunday Afternoon, March 24th in Clearwater
Record - 13-14-1

One Sentence Summary:  The Red Sox held off a late Phillies rally for the 7-6 victory.

What It Means:  It means I'll have to wait until the four regular season victories against the Sox in May to taunt the good folks in Section 36.

What Went Wrong:  The big blow dealt to starter Cliff Lee was a wind-aided three-run home run by Jackie Bradley in the second inning.  Overall, Lee allowed four earned runs while striking out seven in his 5 1/3 innings of work.  The Phillies closed the gap with back-to-back eighth inning home runs from Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.

Featured Card:  Infielder Yuniesky Betancourt was almost a Phillie, but "close" has the same application when it comes to Chachi cards as it does with horseshoes and hand grenades.  I made the card featured here in anticipation of Betancourt making the team out of Spring Training.  He played steady (and at times dazzling) defense and hit .447, but ultimately his career futility at the plate overruled his 17-game spring stats.  Betancourt's minor league contract contained an out clause which required the Phillies to release him if he wasn't on their 25-man roster by yesterday.  He wasn't, and his release was granted.

Camp Head Count:  33 minus 1 = 32.  Betancourt's release all but guarantees that Freddy Galvis has made the team as its back-up middle infielder.