John Clark Joins Us From Phillies Spring Training
Phillies Spring Training is starting to kick off. And live from the Sunshine State, is John Clark from NBC. What has he seen in the early days after pitchers and catchers reported? How is Andrew Painter looking? Is Alec Bohm looking as big as people say he is? John Clark discusses that and more. See what he had to say right here.
On Andrew Painter Looking Good Early
“Man, that ball just flies out of his hand, he is powerful. 6ft7. He is intimidating to look at. And we spoke to him, and he has a good attitude. He’s not putting himself out there like I deserve to be in the rotation. He says you know what, I’m being given a great opportunity this year, he has flown through the minor leagues, and has a good vibe about him. He was at the NLCS as a fan with his dad, watching Bryce Harper hit that come-from-behind HR to clinch the NLCS. And he talked about seeing Citizens Bank, how it exploded, and how there was such a great atmosphere there. He was kind of thinking wow, I am going to hopefully pitch in that ballpark soon.
For him to be able to possibly make this team, that would be amazing. 19 years old. He has saddled up to Zack Wheeler. So he is following Wheelr and Nola, which is a very good sign.”
On Alec Bohm Adding Muscle
“That is one thing you notice right away. He is a lot thicker in the legs. I asked him, he said he gained 5-10 pounds of muscle. He just kept eating and eating in the off-season. Steak, meat, chicken, and protein. So he does look bigger. And Brandon Marsh looks bigger… You have to be impressed with Bohm. The way he handled himself last year. How he improved defensively and offensively. There are a lot of good vibes with this team.”
Listen to the full interview with John Clark below…
The Biggest Storylines When Phillies Pitchers And Catchers Report
Will Andrew Painter make the opening day roster?
This is question number one. The most exciting position battle on the entire roster, and one of the most interesting in all of baseball. Can 19-year-old, best pitching prospect in baseball Andrew Painter actually make the opening day roster as the Phillies 5th starter?? Well, it’s certainly a possibility. Phillies President of Baseball Ops Dave Dombrowski has said as much. Now, to do so, he’ll have to beat out Bailey Falter, who made 16 starts for the Phillies last season, as well as Cristopher Sanchez, who made 3 spot starts with the Major League team. Andrew Painter has never made an appearance higher than AA ball, but by most accounts he’s ready for MLB level competition. It will be very interesting to see how the Phils handle their young stud.
How does Zack Wheeler look, health-wise?
At the end of last year’s regular season, Zack Wheeler was absolutely worn down. In fairness, it was the most innings any of the Phillies’ starters had thrown in a season (that were on the opening day roster). That, though, means this has been the shortest offseason for all of these guys as well, and Zack Wheeler was clearly dealing with some type of dead-arm ailment throughout the final month of the season and the playoffs. Have the 3 months off been enough recovery time for the Phillies’ ace? Is the shoulder that ailed him during last year’s spring training still a concern? The Phillies have a great roster, but Wheeler is one of the most important pieces for this team to reach their true potential.
What does Aaron Nola look like in a contract year?
All of the talk this offseason has been about Rhys Hoskins’ future with the Phillies, considering the 1st baseman is set for a monster pay day when he hits free agency for the first time next winter. Lost in that shuffle, though, is the fact that Aaron Nola is also looking at free agency after this season. He’s hugely important to this rotation, and still one of the most underrated pitchers in all of baseball. He’s homegrown, he’s now had deep playoff experience, and he’s deserving of a contract extension with Philly. If they’re unwilling to give it in season, though, how much does an impending pay day motivate him to have another Cy Young caliber year like he turned in back in 2018?
