Jimmy Rollins at shortstop and Jim Thome at first are carved in
granite. The rest of the infield
hinges on the health of third baseman David Bell’s back. If Bell is healthy – and he says he is –
then he’ll be the same anchor at third he was in San Francisco, with his clutch
hitting, strong leadership skills and unparalleled professional acumen. Baseball men around the league insist
Phillies fans have not yet seen the real David Bell. His contributions extend beyond his
stats.
Should Bell not be 100%, the Phillies will likely deal in the same way
they did last year: move second
baseman Placido Polanco to third and start Chase Utley at second. Or they could go to a platoon system
with Utley at second and Shawn Wooten at third, moving Polanco back and
forth. However, those are not ideal
long-term scenarios – they weaken the team defensively – and Utley could be used
as part of a trade package for an experienced third
baseman.
Our Phillies Preview series continues with a look at the infield which,
if all the pieces fall into place, could be the most exciting since
Rose-Trillo-Bowa-Schmidt.
Jim Thome – L/R
Last
year: Thome came to Philadelphia as the most
ballyhooed free agent since Pete Rose, and did not disappoint. He led the league in homers with 47,
scored 111 runs and drove in 131.
He hit .266, about 20 points below his career average, but was adjusting
to a new league at the age of 32.
Considering he carried the team on his back in September, most fans
didn’t even notice. Like most
sluggers, he went through his share of slumps, but won the hearts of the fans
with his even-keeled disposition, work ethic, and hustle. And speaking of his back, the health of
which was the biggest question mark surrounding his signing, it was never an
issue outside of the Astro-concrete in Montreal. Thome was a living legend in Cleveland,
and quickly showed Philadelphia why.
What
could go right: Thome has another year like the ones
he’s had the past eight.
What
could go wrong: His back flares up and costs Thome
games, which would leave the Phillies with a gaping hole in the middle of their
lineup.
Outlook: Thome
has been the model of consistency for about a decade, and there’s no reason to
think he won’t be again. With a
year in the Senior Circuit under his belt, he may even
improve.
Placido Polanco – R/R
Last
year: Polanco was probably the Phillies’ most
pleasant surprise in 2003. Since
coming over from the Cardinals in July of 2002 in the Scott Rolen deal, he has
impressed the fans and the team with his baseball sense and
professionalism. Although limited
to 122 games due to injuries last year, he set career highs with 14 home runs
and 63 RBI. When David Bell went
down in July, Polanco, ever the good soldier and despite playing Gold
Glove-caliber second base, moved to third without complaint. He does not have blazing speed, a cannon
arm, or Herculean power, but does the things it takes to win ballgames. Little wonder his teammates considered
him the club’s MVP.
What
could go right: Polanco plays a full year at second
base, hitting .300, winning a Gold Glove, and making the All-Star team.
What
could go wrong: Really, the only problem that can be
foreseen is that Bell becomes a non-factor and Polanco gets shuffled between
second and third so often it begins to affect him at the
plate.
Outlook: Polanco
was initially only supposed to keep second base warm for Chase Utley, but
surprised everyone (except for those in the St. Louis organization, who knew
what they were giving up) and played himself into the Phillies’ plans for at
least 2004 and possibly beyond. A
.294 lifetime hitter, his popularity should only increase, as underappreciated
pros like Polanco only become more and more ingratiated into the collective
consciousness of the fan base. He
is an asset, one the Phillies should consider signing
long-term.
Jimmy Rollins – S/R
Last
year: Rollins
was spectacular in the field, infuriating at the plate. He plays an elite shortstop, with great
range and a strong arm. But he was
undisciplined at the plate, swinging for the fences, chasing high fastballs, and
popping up and striking out far too much.
With the speed of a leadoff hitter, Rollins hit himself out of that role
by displaying a nose guard’s mentality in a slot receiver’s body. He did set career highs in doubles with
42 and RBI with 62, but the latter is more attributable to hitting lower in the
order than to his hitting prowess.
What
could go right: Rollins
becomes the top-of-the-order sparkplug he could be, setting the table for the
mashers in the middle. He shows
patience at the plate, bunts for base hits, raises his OBP to .360 and scores
100 runs.
What
could go wrong: He reverts to his old ways, and the
Phillies begin considering other long-term options at
short.
Outlook: Rollins comes in to spring training with
a new attitude, inspired by watching Juan Pierre and Luis Castillo ignite the
Florida Marlins’ offense in the postseason and by working with Tony Gwynn in the
off-season. If Rollins’ new mindset
translates to the field, the Phillies could have the most dangerous lineup in
baseball.
David Bell – R/R
Last
year: Bell’s back cost him half the season,
and limited his production the other half.
He hit only .196 for the year, far below his career average. The domino effect of his injury has been
well-documented, and was felt throughout the
organization.
What
could go right: Bell
fully recovers from his injury and becomes the player the Phillies inked to a
four-year, $17 million deal.
What
could go wrong: His
back continues to affect his play, causing the Phillies to again shuffle their
lineup to a less-than-ideal situation.
Outlook: All reports say Bell will be ready to go
for 2004. If he is, he will
solidify the infield, the lineup, and the
clubhouse.
Tomas Perez –
S/R
Last
year: Perez
again was the übersub,
playing all four infield positions and appearing in a career-high 125
games. He struggled as a
pinch-hitter, though, hitting only .162 in 37 at-bats. But he helped assuage the loss of Bell,
starting 36 games at third and hitting .273 at the hot
corner.
What could go
right: Perez continues his
solid role-playing and improves his pinch-hitting. And maybe, if and after the Phillies
clinch the division and home-field advantage, he fulfills his dream of playing
all nine positions in a game.
What could go
wrong: Perez made 327 plate appearances last
year. If he makes as many in 2004,
it would not likely bode well for the teams’
fortunes.
Outlook: Is there any player
out there who shows as much pure joy to be playing baseball for a living as
Perez? He is valued for his
enthusiasm, his versatility, and yes, his pies-in-the-face for unsuspecting
interviewees. His love for playing
the game is infectious, and he is simply great for the
game.
Chase Utley –
L/R
Last
year: Utley dominated at
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, hitting .323 with 18 homes in 431 at-bats. He had an auspicious major league debut,
belting a grand slam in his first career start, but struggled in a starting
role, hitting .239 with two homers in 134 at-bats.
Outlook: That depends on his
role. Ideally, he would spend 2004
as a bench player and twice-a-week starter, giving the Phils a power bat from
the left side off the bench and David Bell and Placido Polanco the occasional
rest, and getting 250-300 at-bats while gaining major league seasoning. Or, circumstances dictate Utley become a
full-time starter and he blossoms into the .300-25-100 hitter he has the
potential to be. The Phillies may
decide he may benefit more from another year at AAA, but considering his
domination of that level, that may undermine his confidence and do more harm
than good.
The
Rest
Should
the Phillies lose one their starters for an extended period of time, they would
likely look outside the organization for a replacement, as they really have no
major-league-ready infielders in their minor-league system. Shortstop Anderson Machado, first
baseman Ryan Howard and third baseman Juan Richardson are the remaining
infielders on the 40-man roster, but none appear to be ready, and the Phils are
historically loathe to rush prospects.
Howard may be the best bet, but only if the team feels he can make a
Pujols-like adjustment to the majors.
Otherwise, the Phillies would go shopping.