[The_Myth]

Feb. 25, 1985

Last week of workouts before the games begin. Dick Howser let the veterans take some additional time off, which I’m fine with. Apparently over this long weekend, Schmidty took a couple guys out for a few rounds of golf in the Gulf area.

Feb. 26, 1985

Dave Concepcion has signed and arrived at camp. He found few veterans around, but was told they’d return tomorrow. No mind - he joined the kids for infield drills.

Feb. 27, 1985

The vets return. Schmidty embraced Davey, then the two joined the rest of the guys for infield drills. Molitor and Schmidty apparently played better ball throughout the weekend … it’s going to be that kind of season.

Feb. 28, 1985

Mark Funderburk was hitting balls 480 feet away in batting practice. Would love to see another power breakout there.

March 1, 1985

The boys are playing a lot of that Don Henley song “The Boys of Summer,” and Glenn Frey’s “The Heat is On.” Makes sense, I suppose. I’d rather jam out to this new Phil Collins album.

March 2, 1985

I drive out to a remote beach for a day and a night. Just one getaway before the fun really begins. “I Don’t Wanna Know” on repeat.

March 3, 1985

Morning on the beach, then a nice drive back to Clearwater with that smash groove “One More Night” in my head. If only. Time to go, boys.

Here’s the 60-man roster we’re going with for spring:

Catcher

C/1B - Darren Daulton - 23 - 48/65
C/1B/2B/3B - Tommy Thompson - 27 - 33/37
C/3B - Mike LaValliere - 24 - 31/48
C/1B - Mike Martin - 26 - 24/30
C - Milt May - 34 - 21/21

Daulton and Thompson are likely to be the tandem in Philadelphia, though Martin will get a chance to push for a job. May is here more as a veteran presence, while LaValliere should stick around for a couple weeks to get his feet wet.

Corner Infield

1B/3B - Mike Schmidt - 35 - 60/60
3B - Paul Molitor - 28 - 51/55
1B/C/LF/RF/3B - Mike Diaz - 24 - 45/47
3B/1B/2B/CF/SS - Bill Lyons - 26 - 32/33
3B/1B/2B/SS - Rich Schu - 23 - 29/38
1B/RF - Mark Funderburk - 27 - 27/27
1B - Francisco Melendez - 21 - 25/34

Schmidt and Molitor are in, while Diaz should secure a spot being our best utility option. Beyond that, Lyons has a decent shot. Schu should get to play third base at AAA Portland, while Melendez will start there at first.

Middle Infield

2B - Juan Samuel - 24 - 47/47
SS/3B/2B - UL Washington - 31 - 38/38
SS/3B - Dave Concepcion - 36 - 34/34
2B/3B/SS - Luis Aguayo - 25 - 32/37
2B/1B/3B/SS - Steve Kiefer - 24 - 27/40
SS/2B/3B - Steve Jeltz - 25 - 27/37

Samuel and Washington are penciled in. Concepcion will have to prove there’s no rust. The middle infield bench role should be an interesting battle between Aguayo, Kiefer, and Jeltz. The losers start in Portland, naturally.

Corner Outfield

LF/1B/CF/RF - Von Hayes - 26 - 52/58
RF/LF - Glenn Wilson - 26 - 42/42
LF/RF/CF - Billy Sample - 29 - 39/39
LF/RF/CF - Jeff Stone - 24 - 35/35
LF/CF - Bruce Fields - 24 - 30/35
LF/RF/1B/CF/2B/SS - Alan Bannister - 33 - 30/30
LF/CF - Larry Ray - 26 - 29/32
LF/3B - Chris James - 22 - 26/43
RF/LF/3B - Joe Lefebvre - 29 - 22/22
RF/CF - Jay Erdahl - 26 - 21/25
LF/CF/RF/1B/3B - Bobby Brown - 30 - 20/20

A lot of guys here. Sample, Bannister, and Brown are on minor league deals with options, so they might not make it to Portland anyway (though Sample is pretty good, still). Lefebvre is the interesting one here, a bit of an afterthought just a year removed from being, basically, our starting right fielder. Also, I could start Hayes at center field if I thought Stone (or maybe Sample) deserved to start 1985 in the everyday lineup.

Center Field

CF/RF/LF - Dave Stegman - 31 - 39/39
CF/RF - Luis Polonia - 21 - 29/47
CF/LF - Larry Harlow - 33 - 20/20

For now, Stegman is the man in the majors. Harlow’s on an option deal and might not make it, while Polonia will get a two-week taste of spring.

Starting Pitcher

SP - John Denny - 32 - 56/56
SP - Steve Carlton - 40 - 53/53
SP - Charles Hudson - 25 - 52/52
SP - Kevin Gross - 23 - 49/49
SP - Scott Sanderson - 28 - 48/48
SP - Kelly Downs - 23 - 34/42
SP - Tim Belcher - 23 - 29/40
SP - Joe Johnson - 28 - 28/28
SP - Curt Young - 24 - 27/27
SP - Steve Witt - 22 - 26/26
SP - Mike Maddux - 22 - 25/40

There’s a clear delineation between my MLB starters and my AAA starters. Downs, Johnson, Young, and Maddux are likely to head to Portland, while Belcher and Witt begin the season in Reading. There isn’t really competition here, unless things go haywire. I hope that doesn’t happen.

Relief Pitcher

RP - Bill Campbell - 36 - 56/56
RP - Larry Andersen - 31 - 55/55
RP - Donnie Moore - 32 - 52/52
RP - Don Carman - 25 - 50/50
RP - Tug McGraw - 40 - 43/43
RP - Paul Assenmacher - 24 - 38/51
RP - Todd Worrell - 25 - 38/45
RP - Pete Falcone - 31 - 35/35
RP - John McLarnan - 23 - 34/34
RP - Arturo Gonzalez - 29 - 33/33
RP - Kenneth Walker - 24 - 32/34
RP - Karl Best - 25 - 31/31
RP - Chuck Cary - 25 - 29/33
RP - Rich Gaynor - 22 - 28/28
RP - Ben Hayes - 27 - 23/23
RP - Bob Long - 30 - 22/22
RP - Rip Rollins - 25 - 20/20

I’m pretty sure Campbell, Andersen, Moore, Carman, and McGraw are in ink for the bullpen. That leaves space for one, maybe two pitchers, and it’s really up for grabs. Up to three of these pitchers could be let go completely after spring (those final three are the frontrunners).

So I have a few true competitions (middle infield, bench outfielder, utility bat, reliever) and possibilities for a few others. I think my depth has improved from 1984, when there were very few actual battles in the spring. That’s good news as we begin the 30-game exhibition schedule.