Ruf Will Get Chance to Prove Himself in 2013

                Facing the likelihood that Delmon Young will start the season on the DL after having surgery on his ankle in the off-season, the Phillies will look to Darin Ruf to step in and prove that last year was just the beginning of a productive career.
In the past year or so Ruf has forced his way onto the Phillies radar.  After not being a highly touted prospect and being drafted in the 20th round of the 2009 draft, Ruf was not expected to make the impact he has in the minors the past two seasons.  In his time in the minors, Ruf has always hit for average but did not start displaying the type of power that forced the Phillies to take notice until 2011.  In 2011 Ruf hit .308 with 17 home runs but had only progressed as far as Class-A Clearwater.  While 2011 was a solid year, 2012 with the Reading Phillies, now the Fightin Phils, was somewhat of an epiphany for Ruf and saw him go from average minor-leaguer to highly touted prospect.  Ruf hit .317 with 32 doubles and 38 home runs in Double-A ball in 2012, forcing the Phillies to give him a September call-up and see if he was ready for life in the major-leagues.
                  In September 2012, Ruf skipped over the Triple-A level to make his first appearance for the big-league club.  Ruf showed some real promise in his brief call-up, hitting .333 with 3 home runs in only 33 at-bats.  Ruf will look to build on this strong albeit brief major league debut this season.   After going to Venezuela to play winter-ball, Ruf continued to show immense power, slugging home runs all over.  After an extremely impressive 2012 season that saw Ruf turn quite a few heads, he enters camp with an opportunity to make the big-league club.  This opportunity has only been strengthened by the likelihood that Delmon Young will begin the season on the DL.  With Young out, the Phillies will look for Ruf fill the role of power-hitting right-hander in the outfield.  Ruf is not going to be handed the spot but if he shows the same power and promise he displayed last season he should be able to beat out John Mayberry Jr. and Laynce Nix for a starting position in the outfield.  Since Young's contract is largely incentive-laden, it's not unlikely to think that if Ruf produces while Young is on the disabled list he will keep the starting spot upon Young's return.  So in 2013, Darin Ruf at age 26 will be given a shot to prove that he is simply a late-bloomer and show that 2012 was just the start of things to come.  Look for a heated competition this Spring Training among the possible outfielders and for Darin Ruf to continue to display the type of power the Phillies so sorely missed last year.  This Springs competition should prove to be quite interesting for the Phillies, its fans, and of course Darin Ruf.  Go Phils!