Five most important Phillies players to watch this spring

Some have speculated that the most important Phillies players to watch involve those battling for the final places in the starting pitching rotation and in the bullpen. While those are certainly interesting, they are nowhere near the most important situations that I will be watching.

Philography: Tim McCarver

With the Phillies taking part in what would become a down-to-the-wire divisional race, McCarver was signed on September 1, 1980 to return as a player. He would serve as a veteran voice in the clubhouse, a lefty pinch-hit bat, and emergency insurance at first base and catcher.

Prime Time: The dual threat of Deion Sanders

When the Super Bowl kicks off tomorrow, there will be a team from Philadelphia competing for the championship, just as there was with the World Series three months ago. But no player from that 2022 Fall Classic will pull on the pads. That has only been done by one player — by “Prime Time,” Deion Sanders