Catching Up With The Phillies

Halladay vs. the Yankees (via @ToddZolecki)

The Phillies are eight games into the Grapefruit League season with a record of 4-3-1. It is still too early to judge the players' performances so far this Spring but everybody on the roster has had at least one at-bat or one pitching appearance. Here are the players who have had a good offensive Spring thus far:

• Dominic Brown (.412, 4 RBI) - this is fantastic news for the Phillies. Brown is the organization's top prospect following the Roy Halladay trade and is slowly heading towards Philadelphia. Brown will start and probably finish the year in the minors (most likely Lehigh Valley) but he may get his shot at the majors next year if the team does not resign Jayson Werth.
• Placido Polanco (.400, 6 hits in 15 AB) - it shouldn't be a surprise that Paulie is doing well offensively. Polanco is a career .303 hitter and should have another great year at the plate in 2010. He is the toughest hitter in baseball to strike out. His fielding at third base has been a little shaky as he makes the transition from second base.
• John Mayberry (.368, 1 HR, 5 RBI) - Mayberry is doing his best to earn a bench spot on the Opening Day roster. Stats do not count in "B Games" so don't let the one home run fool you. According to the Phillies Twitter page, Mayberry has been launching home runs in "B Games." The Golson for Mayberry trade is working out very well for the Phillies.
• Chase Utley (.500, .667 OBP) - I debated even putting Chase on this list because he only has eight ABs. He is getting a lot of rest so far this Spring but is hitting when he has the chance.

Pitchers

• Kyle Kendrick (5 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2 hits) - in my opinion, this is the best news so far coming out of Clearwater. Kendrick is fighting for the fifth spot in the rotation with Jamie Moyer who apparently still has the upper hand if you look into some quotes from pitching coach Rich Dubee. Kendrick has struggled since his great 2007 rookie year so it is good to see him pitching well again. Working out with Halladay doesn't hurt either.
• Roy Halladay (5 IP, 0.00 ERA, 8 K) - so far Doc has shown Phillie fans why he has been the best pitcher in baseball for so many years. I never had any doubts, but I am now fully convinced that he will win the Cy Young this season. Some people say 20 wins as well and I can see why. I got a chance to watch his first start and his pitches moved better than any others I've seen before.
• Drew Carpenter (5 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 SV) - the bad news for Drew is that there isn't really anywhere for him to go on the 2010 Phillies roster. He can expect to start the season as an IronPig but will be one of the first pitchers called up if someone goes down like he was last season.
• Danys Baez (3 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2 K) - one of the new Phillies for 2010, Baez looks like he will be a great addition to the 2010 bullpen.

The Phillies take on the Tigers today at 1:05. Joe Blanton will make his second start of the Spring, the first of which did not go well. There is no TV coverage of this game but you can listen live via MLB.com (radio is only on MLB.com, not on 1210 or any other local station).

What to watch on TV tonight: Bruins @ Flyers, 7:00 PM, Comcast SportsNet