5 Phillies who don’t deserve to be on the 40-man roster
By Tim Boyle
2) Why Kody Clemens doesn’t deserve a spot on the Phillies 40-man roster
The Phillies aren’t going to get rid of Kody Clemens yet. Having just acquired him alongside Gregory Soto, it looks like they will provide him with an opportunity to find a spot on the bench. Hopefully, they find an upgrade.
Clemens had a rough year with the Detroit Tigers last season as a rookie. Through 127 trips to the plate, Clemens slashed .145/.197/.308. He did hit much better in his 264 chances down in Triple-A, slashing .274/.327/.535.
Capable of playing all over the field, Clemens is someone the Phillies will look to use possibly for late-inning defense. Everyone knows they could use it. If he’s able to at least add some pop in his plate appearances, maybe he can keep a big league job and more.
It’s the Tigers who moved Clemens onto their 40-man roster and put the Phillies in a position where they will have to either keep him there or DFA the son of a pitching legend. It wasn’t such a bad move to add him in the trade with Soto. It’s just a shame he’s going to occupy a roster spot better used on someone else.
Clemens turns 27 in May and does have minor league options left. This is the kind of year where he could get a short leash and some significant playing time if he earns it.