The long days without baseball are finally coming to an end as the MLB is set to begin in just a week. With so much drama surrounding the negotiations between the MLB and MLBPA throughout the whole process, there has not been enough buzz about the Phillies fo this upcoming year. The youthful team has a legitimate chance to make a splash this year and will be fun to watch in the upcoming season. One guy that will help set the tone of the team will be Andrew McCutchen.
McCutchen came to the Phillies on a 3-year deal prior to last season, but his season was cut short due to a torn ACL in his first season here. The extra time off due to the league shut-down has allowed for McCutchen to get fully healthy and he will now be available for the entire 60 game season this year. He was only seen in 59 games before getting hurt, but it should be remembered the pedigree that he brings to the team.
The 5-time all-star and former NL MVP is competitive at the plate and has a career .286 batting average. He also has a solid pop in his bat and is good for at least 20 home-runs in a normal season. McCutchen’s has transitioned from center to a corner outfield spot in the recent years of his career and has proved to be reliable in the field. Beyond the on-field attributes, Cutch brings a swagger that will inject life into this team.
I mean just look at his baseball card this year:
McCutchen will join a shortlist of athletes who did not have a chance to spend enough of their careers in Philadelphia. It should be just as much of a lock to pencil him in for some dancing in the dugout as it is for him to knock a few over the fences. McCutchen is known as a great locker room guy and it is no coincidence that the Phillies fell apart after he got injured last season. He will serve as an excellent mentor for some of the younger guys on the team, such as Roman Quinn and Adam Haseley, and has already established himself as a leader on the team.
No one knows what to expect from the 60 game season and the league is more open than ever before. If not anything else, the Phillies will be fun to watch this year. As games are set to be underway soon, it will be exciting to watch the personalities on the team come out, and McCutchen will be at the forefront of this. Having him as a consistent starter for the whole season will make an immediate impact on the team and Cutch will be climbing there ranks as a fan-favorite in no time.
Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
