Now that it’s official that Painter and Crawford will be making their Major League debuts with the Phillies and will be on the Phillies’ roster for MLB Opening Day, let’s take a look at what Phillies fans should expect from the two 2025 IronPigs.
Photo: Cheryl Pursell
Andrew Painter
What’s Different? There are a couple things are not exactly like the Andrew Painter we saw all last season at Coca Cola Park. First, they corrected his delivery a little bit. They (Phillies coaches and evaluators) knew that his delivery was a bit off from what it was prior to UCL surgery, but because he was healthy and comfortable, they didn’t shut him down and correct it during the season last year. Secondly, Painter was suffering from some bad blisters last season on his throwing hand. This made it near impossible to throw his changeup. Again, instead of shutting him down, they let him keep pitching with his other pitches because everything else was healthy. Was it a bad decision to let him suffer poor results like that? Probably not. He was forced to pitch and learn and grind. He was able to get his innings in so that this season he should be available for a full workload this season.
Remember: “First Season After Tommy John” is a thing. Many other, more experienced pitchers have come back from UCL surgery and had command struggles their first season back. Last offseason, despite getting some work in Arizona Fall League, he spent the offseason still rehabbing from his injury. This offseason, he was able to spend the time working on his pitching. Add in the improved delivery and no blisters and he’ll be more prepared for MLB this season than he was for AAA last season.
Kram Predicts:
- He’ll have a couple bad innings and give up some long home runs here and there, but mostly he’ll be what any team wants out of their fifth starter and maybe more.
- He’ll get sent down. Wheeler is on the way, we know. Rather than banish Taijuan Walker to the bullpen where they’ll have other decisions to make when Kerkering and Lazar get healthy, before McFarlane kicks in the door, they’ll get Painter innings, with things to work on, with the IronPigs. So long as everyone is healthy. But it won’t be punitive, he’ll approach it well, and before you know it he’ll shove his way back up there.
- Phillies fans expecting him to ride in on a white horse and plow through rosters like an erstwhile Paul Skenes, might be disappointed. Pay no attention to those folks. Painter will be fine. And sure, the switch might flip and things might look different in August compared with April.
Photo: Cheryl Pursell
Justin Crawford
What’s Different? Well it turns out they did lower his hands a bit at the plate. They’ve also allowed/encouraged him to embrace bunting even more.
Remember: Justin has been around Major League locker rooms his entire life. Not only will there be no situation that’s too big for him, he’ll be able to ride out any frustrations or slumps that might arise–not that any have during his years in the minors. He’s got his routine and his approach refined and he’s got the mentality to depend on that.
Kram Predicts:
- Sometimes it won’t look pretty. He’ll go down 0-2 quickly and you’ll think it’s a horrible at-bat. But then, he’ll foul off a pitch or two and not chase a ball out of the zone, and then smack a triple down the line. You’ll think he had a bad game and then the box score will say he went 2-for-5 and scored two runs.
- He won’t strike out as much as you expect. He has elite hand-eye and bat-to-ball and that can get him out of a lot of trouble when necessary.
- He’s gonna score a lot. He’ll be on base a ton with hits, walks and bunts. Those guys at the top of the order will get pitches to hit while the pitchers and fielders worry about Crawford stealing bases.
- He’ll have some struggles in the field early on. I just think he’ll need an adjustment period and that “third deck syndrome” is a thing, especially for outfielders. But he’ll get it and be an asset in center field by season’s end.
- He won’t get sent down. And he won’t get benched. Expect him in there almost every day.
- His helmet will fall off. A lot.
So good luck and good health to these guys! Down here at AAA and AA we serve at the pleasure of the Phillies and when players we’ve watched every day then graduate to the big team we want the best for them.
Go Pigs and Go Phillies,
See you at the park(s),
@Kram207
Featured Image by Jack Mitroka