Will Venable Should Give Philadelphia Phillies Some Needed Power

Whatever the popular opinion is of Will Venable, a certain segment of the Philadelphia sports community is already familiar with him. Venable made a trip to Philadelphia for all four years in college at Princeton University, playing basketball for the Tigers in the winter against the University of Pennsylvania in the Palestra and just outside in the spring where the baseball field exists. Now Venable, who signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, will get paid for his trips to the city as the newest member of the team and will be a welcome addition for more than his obvious athletic ability.

He was first-team All-Ivy League in both baseball and basketball at Princeton. The Phillies have a power shortage in their outfield, and Venable has been known to hit for power in the past. His best season came in 2013 with the San Diego Padres when he hit 22 home runs with 53 RBIs and a .268 batting average. After eight seasons with San Diego, he was traded last August to the Texas Rangers before finding himself in the camp of the Cleveland Indians this spring. With the Indians, he tried to fit into a crowded outfield situation and hit only .133 this spring.

Venable, 33, was released by Indians but the Phillies pounced on him. The left-handed hitter can play all three outfield positions. The Phillies need the power Venable can supply, because they did not have an outfielder on their roster who has hit even 20 home runs during any MLB season. Now they do.

The Phillies will likely platoon him with Rule 5 player Tyler Goeddel or have Cedric Hunter platoon with Goeddel and use Venable as an extra body. Either way, he should be welcome in a city that he knows very well.