2017 Phillies Spotlight Pitcher: Vince Velasquez

The Philadelphia Phillies spent roughly six weeks down in Florida for spring training this year. And for a second straight spring, Vince Velasquez demonstrated power pitching in the Grapefruit League.

Last year, Velasquez was competing to become the team’s 5th starter. He pitched so well that awarding him that role right out of 2016 spring training was an easy decision for manager Pete Mackanin.

This year, Velasquez dazzled once again. Over five spring starts, the right-hander allowed just 12 hits over 19.7 innings with a 25/9 K:BB ratio. He registered a 2.75 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP, with opposing batters hitting just .171 off him.

Those nine walks, however, are still a bit too high. But the other numbers continue to reveal his dominating stuff.

Velasquez has a chance to pitch at the very top of the Phillies rotation in the next few years. Of course, his continuing command and discipline issues, and the development of other options, could force him to a high-leverage bullpen role just as easily.

Philadelphia Phillies 2016 Grade: Coaching Staff

In 2015 the Philadelphia Phillies were the worst team in Major League Baseball, finishing at the bottom of not just the NL East or the National League, but all of MLB with a 63-99 record.

That finish was the worst for the organization in 43 years. It came on the heels of back-to-back 73-89 seasons.

So entering the 2016 campaign the Phillies were mired in their worst stretch of poor play since the late-1990’s teams suffered through seven straight losing finishes.

Hopes were not high for this current team. Most prognosticators had them finishing in last place once again. The most optimistic believing that they could finish in fourth place, ahead of the similarly rebuilding Atlanta Braves.

You could count me among those optimists. In fact, in my own preseason prediction, I had the Phillies finishing in 3rd place with a record of 75-87, ahead of both Atlanta and the Miami Marlins in the division, a full dozen games better than a year ago.

RELATED STORY: Phillies 2016: Editor's Prediction

The Fightin’ Phils headed out on their final road trip of the season a week ago with a record of 69-83, and my prediction was still well within their grasp.

They needed to finish 6-4 over the final 10 games to make it happen.

Phillies Coaches Return for 2015

Pitching coach Bob McClure and all other coaches return

The Philadelphia Phillies announced today that all coaches would return for the 2015 season, as reported first by MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki.

Zolecki: “The team said today each coach is signed through next season. The Phillies announced late last month that they had invited every coach to return following a 73-89 campaign in Ryne Sandberg’s first full season as manager.”

Returning as a group then for 2015 are:

Manager: Ryne Sandberg, Bench Coach: Larry Bowa, Pitching Coach: Bob McClure, Hitting Coach: Steve Henderson, Assistant Hitting Coach: John Mizerock, First Base Coach: Juan Samuel, Third Base Coach: Pete Mackanin, Bullpen Coach: Rod Nichols.

It is believed that all of the coaches have contracts only for the 2015 season. All except Bowa were operating on one-year deals during 2014, with Bowa signed through the 2015 season. Sandberg, 93-111 (.456) in one full and one partial season, has a contract through 2016, with a club option for 2017.