SPRING TRAINING is a difficult time to judge the overall strength of a baseball team. But here are five burning questions the Phillies face as they hold their first official workout of the spring on Sunday.
1. How healthy are they?
The big question mark is the Big Piece. For the first time since Ryan Howard ruptured his Achilles' tendon while making the final out of the 2011 season, we will get a chance to see the star slugger's rehabilitation in action. Last we heard, general manger Ruben Amaro Jr. was saying that he would be happy if Howard returned sometime in May. The reality is, nobody knows when his body will allow him to endure the rigors of regular-season baseball. Some athletes have returned from Achilles' injuries in just over 6 months. Other recoveries have taken closer to a year. Rehabilitation is a day-by-day process, one that requires careful progression, and careful monitoring of the results of that progression. The last thing the Phillies want is to rush their $25-million-a-year first baseman back onto the field before the injury is fully healed. Truth is, we might leave Clearwater in 6 weeks without a clear idea of when to expect Howard back.