PHILADELPHIA — In the next couple of days, the Phillies will unwrap one of their most critical, yet subtle offseason acquisitions. That would be Whit Merrifield, listed on the final roster as their sole utility player.
Merrifield is an under the radar pickup who quite frankly has made plays at every stop in an MLB career that started a few years late. The infielder-outfielder was a ninth-round pick of Kansas City in 2010 who made his MLB debut with them, in the 2017 season at age 27. The following year he made the first of three All-Star teams.
Merrifield batted .300 in 2018-19, the latter the first of two years in which he played in all 162 games. The career .284 batter was an All-Star with the Toronto Blue Jays last year.
Merrifield, now 35, is eager to get started after earning this opportunity of a lifetime.
“It’s just a thrill to be on a team that’s competing for a World Series – legitimately,” Merrifield said before the game. “This is special to me because it’s close to home. I’m an East Coast guy from North Carolina. This clubhouse is special. It’s an organization that’s highly respected by players around the league so to be able to be a part of it, it’s special. Especially seeing how the fans back this team. I don’t know if there’s many better opportunities than this.”
Phillies manager Rob Thomson will have no problem finding a role for Merrifield in the first full month of a season with just two off days.
“Before we even signed Whit I talked to him on the phone and he said (he’s) typically a guy who works his way into the lineup,” Thomson said. “I like that attitude. We’ll see how it goes. He’s certainly had a great spring training. He’s had great at bats and played really well in left, second and third.”
Thomson conceded there’s a pretty good chance Thomson will play the next two games against the Braves because the Phillies are scheduled to face left-handed pitchers. Thomson said he was elated to have enough depth to use a guy like Merrifield, who bats right-handed, to pinch-hit against lefties and even right-handed pitchers. On a roster with light-hitting outfielder Johan Rojas and another in Brandon Marsh coming off a knee injury, that’s a hot commodity. Merrifield has a different take on pinch-hitting.
“I think the whole left-right thing is the most overblown thing about hitting that there is,” Merrifield said. “I think it’s complete nonsense. I think if you’re a hitter when the ball comes in, you hit it. I think people get labelled as right-left, and when you tell a player he’s a lefthanded hitter and that he can’t hit lefties, he starts believing it because he’s getting pinch hit against lefties. To me it’s kind of nonsense and I think my splits kind of back it up. I mean, there’s lefties that I don’t want to face and there’s righties that I’d love to face. So, the left-right thing to me is not a factor.”
With a ton of games ahead that Thomson so aptly said creates a spring training type of atmosphere, Merrifield is about to make his impression on Phillies fans.
“It’s nice to have guys that can bounce around and spell guys early on when we’re playing a lot of games in a row,” Merrifield said. “But it’s a long season. A lot of things happen. A lot goes on. I think my role will be a little bigger than people think it’s going to be.”
The Phillies technically signed Merrifield to a one-year deal with an option worth $8 million guaranteed. If Merrifield is back for a second year there are bonuses bringing the full value to $16.6 million.
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Thomson knows how difficult it can be playing at Citizens Bank Park.
So, too does Braves managerial counterpart Brian Snitker, who arranged for his family to stay out of Philly on opening day.
Snitker complained in spring training about the nasty behavior directed at his wife and Atlanta friends when the Braves opposed the Phils in the playoffs. He said Citizens Bank Park had “by far the most hostile crowd.”
Thomson smiled when asked if he appreciated that.
“Absolutely,” Thomson said. “I don’t want to see anybody get hurt but I love the atmosphere.”
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NOTES >> Marsh’s two-run shot in the fifth inning breaking up a scoreless game was the first opening-day home run of his four-year career. … Just when the critics are saying the Phillies have only marginally improved defensively, third baseman Alec Bohm laid out to rob Austin Riley of a base hit and first baseman Byrce Harper made a diving catch to take an extra base hit away from Matt Olson, both plays in the first inning. … Attendance on opening day was 44,452, a sellout.
Source: Berkshire mont
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