CLEARWATER, Fla. – Mike McGuire's major league dream got sidelined during the first week of Phillies spring training. The Ridley High School alum and Phils minor league right-hander underwent surgery Monday to remove a blood clot from his left arm.
The 24-year-old McGuire, who signed with the Phillies as a free agent in July, won't be ready to report when minor league camp opens early next month. But he should be able to continue on with the 2011 season, said Phillies assistant general manager Chuck LaMar.
"It was in his non-dominant arm, he's going to be fine," LaMar said Friday. "But it just happened recently so he's going to be set back in spring training."
After four seasons playing at the University of Delaware, McGuire was drafted in the 43rd round by the Cleveland Indians in the 2008 draft. McGuire, a 2004 graduate of Ridley High, was released by Cleveland last spring and landed with the Sussex Skyhawks of the independent Can-Am League.
At the major league All-Star break, the Phillies brought McGuire back into affiliated baseball and sent him to Low A Lakewood, where he went 1-1 with a 2.67 ERA in 18 games. McGuire struck out 41 and walked 22 in 47 2/3 innings with the BlueClaws.
"He's got good arm strength," LaMar said. "He did a fine job for us at Lakewood. Hopefully when healthy he can make the jump to a higher level. He came in and did everything we could have asked coming out of independent ball and coming in in the middle of the year."
McGuire, who is 9-12 with a 3.76 ERA in 68 career minor league games, could see action at Class A Clearwater or Double-A Reading this season. But he likely won't be rushed back to the mound until he recovers from his current health scare.
"It's a blessing that you catch it," LaMar said of the blood clot. "Because those rascals can move around and you never know what's going to happen."
Every Phillies position player was accounted for Friday, on the first day they were required to report to camp. The team's first full-squad workout will be held today.Continued... 1 2 3 See Full Story
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It's also the unofficial beginning of the race for the starting right field job, a competition that manager Charlie Manuel accidentally handicapped during a media session Friday afternoon.
"We're seeing how we can fill right field," Manuel began, talking about the open jobs in camp. "Domonic Brown is definitely kind of the first choice there. But (Ben) Francisco and (John) Mayberry, we definitely want to play them a lot down here and see where they fit on our team."
Manuel later backtracked and told a reporter the race remained wide open. But Manuel's first comment would still lead one to believe a big spring by Brown would play in his favor.
Brown, 23, hit a combined .327 with 20 home runs, 68 RBIs and a .980 OPS in 93 games between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley before being called up in late July.
Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols have each dealt with it this offseason, the subject of possibly leaving the only major league team they've known. Jeter re-signed with the Yankees over the winter; Pujols tabled contract negotiations with the Cardinals on Wednesday.
Jimmy Rollins, drafted by the Phillies in 1996, has yet to address the media this spring as he enters the final season of six-year, $46.5 million contract. Rollins, the longest-tenured Phillies player, arrived in camp well ahead of most of the other position players and appears to be in tip-top shape.
Rollins played in a career-low 88 games while suffering through calf and hamstring injuries.
"I don't think Jimmy approaches anything differently, Jimmy is Jimmy," Shane Victorino said. "He's a great player obviously, an MVP, he won that for a reason. Unfortunately last year he had the injuries, that’s something you can't control. You get hurt, you get hurt. We can keep looking back on what he hasn't done, or what he should have done.
"But it's about 2011 and Jimmy is ready. He came in early, he came in prepared. Jimmy is the kind of guy that he doesn't have to prove anything to any body, he wants to prove it to himself."Continued...
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The Phillies starting rotation – Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton – will take part in a photo shoot with Sports Illustrated before the Grapefruit League schedule begins. The starting five spent Friday afternoon golfing with former Braves ace John Smoltz for an MLB Network feature. ... Antonio Bastardo and Brad Lidge, who have been ill throughout first week of camp, are improving. Lidge threw a side session Friday while Bastardo, who came into camp with elbow discomfort, is scheduled to throw for the first time today… The Phils will hold their first live batting practice session Monday.
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