Phillies 25-Man Roster Set for Opening Day

The Phillies have finalized their Opening Day roster for the 2012 regular season, Manager Charlie Manuel announced today.

The Phillies made the following transactions: infielder Pete Orr had his contract selected; infielder Hector Luna, outfielder Scott Podsednik and left-hander Raul Valdes were reassigned to the minor leagues; infielders Ryan Howard (left Achilles surgery), Michael Martinez (fractured fourth metatarsal in right foot) and Chase Utley (chondromalacia), as well as right-handers Jose Contreras (right elbow surgery) and Justin De Fratus (right elbow sprain), were placed on the major league disabled list, retroactive to March 26.

The Opening Day roster includes 12 pitchers, two catchers, six infielders and five outfielders.

Pitchers: Right-handers Joe Blanton, Roy Halladay, David Herndon, Kyle Kendrick, Jonathan Papelbon, Chad Qualls, Michael Stutes and Vance Worley, and left-handers Antonio Bastardo, Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee and Joe Savery.

Catchers: Carlos Ruiz and Brian Schneider.

Infielders: Freddy Galvis, Pete Orr, Placido Polanco, Jimmy Rollins, Jim Thome and Ty Wigginton.

Outfielders: John Mayberry Jr., Laynce Nix, Hunter Pence, Juan Pierre and Shane Victorino.

The Phillies now have 39 players on their 40-man roster.

Our Take: Joe Savery has landed a spot in the Phillies' Opening Day bullpen as a left-handed reliever, he was just one of the surprises that made the final 25-man roster.

Savery won the job by posting a decent 3.48 ERA and 9/5 K/BB ratio across 10 1/3 innings this spring.  He probably made the team in place of Contreras, but also due to Bastardo having some arm issues this spring.

Pete Orr wins a job over Hector Luna due in large part because he was on the team last season and can play some shortstop in a pinch.

It will be interesting to see what happens once Utley, Howard and Martinez are ready to come back.  Which three players will be sent back to the minors once those guys are ready to return?

The guess here is that once of the pitchers will be gone along, either Herndon or Savery and Galvis and Orr will be the other two players that are gone once the Phillies regulars return.