First comes spring. Then March Madness. And after that, baseball.
Opening Day is right around the corner—less than two weeks away—and teams like the Philadelphia Phillies are trying to figure out who is going to make the 2013 roster.
Each team carries 25 players. For manager Charlie Manuel, some of those selections for roster spots are simple.
Count on shortstop Jimmy Rollins, first baseman Ryan Howard, second baseman Chase Utley and third baseman Michael Young as your starting infield. (So those are four spots.)
Carlos Ruiz will have a place as catcher but he is banned for the first 25 games of the year. For now, backup Erik Kratz will get the nod, so Humberto Quintero will get a job for at least a little while on the Major League roster as his backup.
Jonathan Papelbon is your closer. And setup men Michael Adams, Chad Durbin and Antonio Bastardo are also locks in the bullpen. (So that's another four spots. We're up to 10 now.)
Starting pitchers Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee and Kyle Kendrick are also locks. Newcomer John Lannan looks pretty good as the fifth starter. (That makes 14.)
What has been a wonderful surprise is the development of Domonic Brown. He's clearly been the best player in camp and is finally showing signs of the star stud the team hoped he's become. Whether Brown will play in left or right field is the question, but he's certainly earned his roster spot this spring.
Another newcomer, Ben Revere, has earned the chance to patrol center field. (So now we're up to 16 players with nine spots to go.)
Let's figure that pitcher Roy Halladay can shake off illness, injury and inconsistency and start the year on the roster. (So that takes up the starting rotation.)
With eight spots left, the bench figures to find solid utility men Kevin Frandsen and Freddy Galvis as great replacements and spot starters. For the outfield, John Mayberry Jr. and Laynce Nix are getting seats on the pine.
The Phils have given Darin Ruf—who put up monster power numbers in the minor leagues last year—every opportunity to win a job. Ruf has played shaky in left but has now finally found his stroke.
With Delmon Young on the shelf to start the season, looks like Ruf will get the nod—only because the Phils don't have many options.
That leaves the final three roster spots—all for the bullpen.
Jeremy Horst has proved himself as the second leftie.
Raul Valdez could wind up as the long man. He's had a nice camp.
But Michael Stutes—who has recovered from injury—and top gun Phillipe Aumont are gunning for that final spot.
So this last week will tell us a lot about who your Philadelphia Phillies will be on Opening Day 2013.