If the race for the Philadelphia Phillies' fifth starter is on, Kyle Kendrick has some major ground to pick up, so he will look for a good outing today against the Atlanta Braves.
Today will mark Kendrick's third outing of the spring, including his appearance in the exhibition against Team USA. Kendrick has been under a microscope from the start of the spring, and the close examination continues today.
After falling apart against Team USA, the criticism was heavy from pitching coach Rich Dubee. How will the young pitcher, who has already won over twenty games in the major leagues, respond to that criticism?
If Kendrick wants to redeem himself, he will likely need to pitch three solid innings, allowing minimal runs to cross the plate.
If a runner gets on base, how will he handle the situation? His mentality has been scrutinized ever since he faltered last season and was removed from the starting rotation.
After the outing against Team USA, Kendrick is likely in third place among the four candidates for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, so Kendrick will need a terrific outing today to get back into contention for the job.
Offensively, fans are hoping that John Mayberry, Jr., can get back on track, too. Mayberry got off to a hot start, but had a pair of dismal games and finds himself leading the team in strikeouts (9).
The bullpen situation is also one to watch for the Phillies. Gary Majewski appears to be the best option to fill a spot in the bullpen coming out of spring training. The rest of guys auditioning for a spot in the bullpen? Meh.
Some injured players may participate in a scrimmage this afternoon, so keep an eye out for news on how Pedro Feliz, Brad Lidge, and Chad Durbin performed.
Chris Coste may also get into the scrimmage, but Chase Utley is not expected to participate.
Game time today is 1:05 p.m.
No live blog today, but there may be one for tomorrow's game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Stay tuned.
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