Sunday, February 26, 2023

Spring Training Games 1 & 2 - Phils Split First Games of '23

2022 Choice
Nashville Sounds #32
Phillies 7
, Yankees 4
Spring Training Game 1 - Saturday Afternoon, February 25th in Clearwater

Tigers 4Phillies 2
Spring Training Game 2 - Tuesday Afternoon, February 25th in Lakeland
Record - 1-1

One Sentence Summary:  The reigning National League Champion Phillies split their squad for the spring lid lifter, winning at home against the Yankees and losing on the road to the Tigers.

What It Means:  With no owner's lock-out this year, and an earlier spring schedule due to the World Baseball Classic, baseball is back a little early in 2023.  The first spring game last year wasn't until March 19th.  It's such a great feeling to have baseball back, even though the offseason wasn't as long as usual thanks to an unexpected trip to the World Series.  We watched most of the Yankees game with snow flurries coming down outside, and I found myself wishing several times throughout the game we were in Florida.

What Happened:
  In Clearwater, non-roster invitee Weston Wilson hit the first home run of the spring for the Phillies.  He'd  add a two-run double in the fifth to tie the game at 4-4, and he'd make a nice catch in right field.  Jake Cave and Brandon Marsh also had a pair of hits for the Phillies.  First baseman and minor league call-up Carlos De La Cruz hit a moonshot home run in the eighth, and pitching prospect Andrew Baker earned the win following a scoreless seventh inning in which he struck out a pair.

In Lakeland, all the offense came from minor league addition Nick Podkul, who had a two-run double to center in the seventh.  Michael Plassmeyer got the start and threw two scoreless innings.

Featured Card:  Wilson's baseball card appearances have been slim to date, and the TCDB shows him with six minor league cards to his name.  This is his most recent card, and the watermark across it gives away I snagged the image from the Go Sports Cards minor league baseball card online store.

Camp Head Count:  65

The Phils break camp with 65 players on their roster - 40 on the 40-man roster, 24 non-roster invitees and one player on the restricted list - Noah Song (rhp).  Song was recently discharged from active military duty, and there are a bunch of complex roster rules around him given his military service and the fact he was a rule 5 pick from the Red Sox.  He's the one addition to the list of 64 players I posted here last week.  The Phillies could add him to the 40-man roster as a corresponding move whenever Bryce Harper (dh), recovering from Tommy John surgery, is placed on the 60-day Injured List.  From pictures I've seen, it looks as if Song is wearing #52, which was one of four numbers under 60 still available.

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