The Phillies figure to carry 7 pitchers in the bullpen to start the season in 2013, and barring injuries, 4 of those spots are likely taken already. Locks for the bullpen look to be Jonathan Papelbon, Mike Adams, Antonio Bastardo, and Chad Durbin.
(Side note: The Phillies definitely lead the league in Durbin's since 2007: J.D. 2007, and Chad 2008-10 and 2013). With Papelbon set as closer, Adams as right-handed setup man, Bastardo as left-handed setup man and Durbin as a middle-reliever, 3 spots should remain for the Opening Day bullpen with at least 6 pitchers vying for those spots. The relievers who figure to be in the running for the remaining spots appear to be Jeremy Horst, Jake Diekman, Michael Stutes, Phillippe Aumont, Raul Valdes, and Justin De Fratus. Of those pitchers, only Valdes is over the age of 27, but at age 35 has only 78 Major League appearances, only 15 more than the 26 year-old Stutes. The competition that is shaping up for this Spring Training appears to be a fierce one, with each pitcher bringing something special to the mound.
Horst, Diekman, and Stutes figure to be the favorites to occupy the final 3 spots, but don't count out the rest of the competition. The left-handed Horst appears to be the heavy favorite entering Spring Training, as he pitched to a 1.15 ERA in 32 appearance in 2012, and the Phillies will need at least one more left-handed reliever in the pen with Bastardo. Another left-hander, the hard throwing Diekman appears to be a heavy contender also after pitching to a 3.95 ERA in 32 appearances in 2012. Stutes, a right-hander, will look to prove he still has the promise he showed in 2011 after amassing a 3.63 ERA in 57 appearances, before being sidelined for the vast majority of 2012 with an injury. While those 3 pitchers appear to be the favorites don't count out the others. Phillippe Aumont, one of the prospects the Phillies received in the Cliff Lee trade, showed promise last year with a 3.68 ERA in 18 games for the Phillies. The big right-hander has struggled with command in the past and will need to show improvement in this category if he wants to make the club. He also may be at somewhat of a disadvantage as he will be leaving camp to compete for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic, but the Phillies will have eyes watching him at WBC. The left-handed Valdes will need to have a good spring to beat out his much younger counterparts, although he did have a strong 2012 with a 2.90 ERA in 27 games. Finally the last name that appears to be a major contender for an Opening Day roster spot figures to be De Fratus. De Fratus was a highly regarded right-handed prospect entering Spring Training in 2012 but was hampered by injuries for much of the season. The 24 year old made 13 appearances at the end of the 2012 season, pitching to a 3.38 ERA. He, along with Stutes, will look to recover from injury marred 2012 and show the promise they have in the past. While these 6 appear to be the front-runners it is to early to rule out the possibility that someone like the left-handed Joe Savery or right-handed Tyler Cloyd, if they move him to the bullpen, could make a good impression and steal one of the bullpen openings. The final bullpen roster on Opening Day will depend greatly on each pitchers performance in Spring Training as well as the Phillies decision of whether to keep 2 or 3 left-handers. Only time will tell, but Spring Training should provide an entertaining bullpen competition for what should prove to be a stronger bullpen in 2013. Go Phils!
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