Late last night, the World Baseball Classic started with Chinese Taipei beating Australia 4-1.  Today the action continues with Japan vs Brazil and Korea vs Netherlands.  With the start of the WBC, Phillies camp is down some players, as they have 10 playing the international tournament.

Jimmy Rollins departs as the lone Phillie representative for Team USA.  He had success in the last WBC and a decent season.  Personally, I cannot figure out if this is good or bad.  Hopefully it just is and he can get out all his usual slow start stuff over before the season actually starts.

Phillipe Aumont, Tyson Gillies, John Jay and my dad’s favorite utility man, Pete Orr, all head off for Team Canada.   Aumont is the interesting one in this mix.  He is pushing for a bullpen spot and very well might get it.  I really want him to get it because I dream of the day that he closes a game that Cliff Lee started.

Catcher Tim Kennally has already reported and played in a WBC game for Team Australia.

Infielder Lucas Rojo is also already playing for Team Brazil.

Catcher Sebastian Valle and Rodrigo Lopez (yeah, I was also surprised to find that he was back with the Phillies as a Minor Leaguer) will be playing for Team Mexico.  Valle will be fighting for time in AAA with Tommy Joseph.  One of the two will be listed as the organizations 3rd string catcher.

Team Venezuela will claim pitcher Cesar Jimenez for the next few weeks.

On top of players reporting, Juan Samuel will be coaching for the Dominican Republic and Minor League Catching coordinator Ernie Whitt will be coaching Team Canada.

The roster for Team USA came out today and the representation for the Phillies are:

1) Jimmy Rollins

2)

Jimmy is the lone Phillie that will be competing this year.

This is the third time that the WBC has been played and it is the second time that Rollins has participated.

In 2006, Chase Utley was manning second and the lone Phillies representative.

And in 2009, Shane Victorino was there with J-Roll.

I knew something was up because he tweeted about being in Florida not too long ago, and well, Jimmy rarely shows up to Spring Training really early.  In fact, he only checked in at BrightHouse Field this early once  before:  2009, the second year that the WBC was played.

Former Phillie, and Rollins’ partner-in-crime, Shane Victorino will also be playing for Team USA.

I find the Gold Glove to be completely ridiculous, because they tend to be a popularity vote.  But hey, whatever.  Congratulations Jimmy!  You really did have a great defensive season!

Photo Credit: Bj Wilson

The Vet during a rain delay.

Do you remember those awful 90′s teams?

Teams that you never expected to win.

Teams that had a very few bright spots.

Years of being on the bottom and the laughingstock of the National League.

Do you remember when you learned about “addition by subtraction?”

When Scott Rolen was traded,

And the entire city seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

The Phillies started to play under a lot less stress.

» Continue reading “Do You Remember?”

Every year the Philadelphia chapter of the Baseball Writers of America handed out the 4 Phillies awards, and for once, I actually agree with them all (at least those that I understand what they mean.)

Cole Hamels was unanimously named the 2012 Steve Carlton Most Valuable Pitcher.

Juan Pierre was awarded the Tug McGraw True Pro Award.

Jimmy Rollins earned the Dallas Green Special Achievement Award.

The most important award is the Mike Schmidt MVP Award and I love that Carlos Ruiz rightly won it. No one on the Phillies deserved it more and if he didn’t miss a month of the season on the DL, I would be pushing for him to be the National League MVP.

Photo Credit: BJ Wilson

Karilee Jeantet is Lead Contributor for A View From Section 116.  Follow her on Twitter @kjeantet and @viewfromsec116 and e-mail her AViewFromSection116@gmail.com.