3 Phillies Spring Training battles and who will win
By Tim Boyle
Three key Philadelphia Phillies Spring Training battles and who will come away as the victor.
Before the battle against the other 29 teams begins, certain Philadelphia Phillies players will skirmish with each other. A couple of notable Spring Training battles are set to take place this spring. Who will come away as the winner?
A couple of new candidates may still emerge in these battles. Injuries may always pop up and create some new havoc.
For now, these are the three most notable Phillies Spring Training battles and a predicted winner for each.
Related Story. 3 Phillies who could sneak onto the Opening Day roster. light
1) Phillies Spring Training Battle for Bryce Harper’s roster spot: Darick Hall vs. Jake Cave
The DH spot opens up for the Phillies at the start of the year in part because Bryce Harper will be on the IL. It will give a couple of other players who wouldn’t normally make the MLB roster a chance to play early on.
Two of the top guys for the Phillies to consider are Darick Hall and Jake Cave. We saw Hall fill in for Harper regularly last season. Cave is a newcomer coming over to the organization through a waiver claim.
Each brings something different to the table. Hall has shown nice power at the minor leagues for a couple of seasons. Cave is more of a fifth outfielder who hits for a low average but can occasionally rip a home run. His ability to play defense is the biggest advantage he may have over Hall.
For the Opening Day roster, Cave seems to make the most sense. He can play left field or right field often. This can allow Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos to DH regularly. It’s the best way to get some offense onto the team while also giving the club the best defensive alignment possible.