As the Philadelphia Phillies trudged back from Denver with a 5-8 record after 13 games, the mainstream media struggled to find a theme to fill up their digital space. J.T.Realmuto was supposed to get a day off. The Phillies pitchers – shocker – were really pretty bad, but they couldn’t quite say that.
Nobody said much about golden boy Bryson Stott not quite matching his Spring Training numbers.
Could the Philadelphia Phillies have an unexpected starter on their infield soon?
But at least the team was returning to a homestand after winning a game they way they were meant to win it, by bombing the Rockies into submission. They hit four long balls. “Woo-hoo,” to quote Homer Simpson.
Thus far, by my count, the Phillies have won two games the way they were supposed to, according to the regular media, barroom discussions, and social media before the season started. Those were the first win over the Mets, and their last win over the Rockies, who won their home series, 2-1.
Was there even a Philadelphia rooting interest for a team seemingly determined to screw up their owners’ first commitment to busting through the luxury tax threshold?
Of course.
The Phillies eternally cynical fans have a special utility man to cheer for.
One of the few things Philadelphia has managed to do well over the pathetic course of their existence is choose decent, so-called role players, players who clearly belong at the major league level, but – you know – not quite every day.
Many middle-aged fans will recall Luis Aguayo, who had a lengthy tenure with the Phils in the 1980s. The utility infielder played for both teams in that era that made it to the World Series, but only played in 22 games in those championship seasons, 1980 and ’83.
Some Philadelphia Phillies fans recall fondly, though, an Aguayo homer in ’87 that sealed the Mets falling short in that season’s NL East race.
Later in Phils history was Tomas Perez, designated by legendary announcer Harry Kalas, “The Secret Weapon.” He played with the team from 2000 through ’05. Some may even now remember his five-RBI game in September of ‘03 when he had two doubles and a homer against the then-hated Braves.
Then there was Wilson Valdez, who once very memorably pitched. His picture still rotates as a screen saver on my PC.
Not only was Valdez a winning pitcher, in relief, against the Reds in 2011, he managed to hit the hated Scott Rolen with a pitch in the long, extra-innings game.
Older folks may even recall Cookie Rojas, the bespectacled Phillies infielder of the 1960s. Rojas was a regular on fairly bad teams early in the decade, including the 1964 squad that collapsed, but before that year and well after it, he was an effective utility man. He was an All-Star in 1965, and later in four straight years with the Royals.
The Philadelphia Phillies can pick utility men.
So, who is the potential utility fan favorite this year? Maybe a September fan favorite – or gasp! – a surprise starter?
Come on down, Johan Camargo. While everyone else in the Delaware Valley was pulling for rookie Stott this April, Camargo blasted his way back into significance as an infielder in the competitive NL East.
Yes, he doesn’t really have a position yet on the indecisive Phils, but he might well, and soon. In only eight games, Camargo has demonstrated that he is still a strong-armed, sure fielder who is likely better than any other third baseman in Philadelphia. Beyond that, the 6-foot, 195-pounder is currently hitting .382.
This batting figure followed a 4-for-5 night in Colorado, which was nearly ignored by Philly scribes. Instead, they were gushing about Alec Bohm, the incompetent infielder, who is also hitting well early on.
So, we’ll see who comes out on top after these early games become history for the Philadelphia Phillies. Camargo seems poised, at the age of 28, to take a job away from either Bohm or Stott, or both.