Phillies finding ways to add ‘intensity' to intrasquad game during 5-day layoff

It’s not on any official schedule, but there will be a game at Citizens Bank Park Wednesday afternoon. The Phillies will face the Phillies.

Or, as iconic public address announcer Dan Baker might say, if he were to go through his normal pregame routine, “Welcome to today’s intrasquad game. . .”

The purpose, of course, will be to try to stay as sharp as possible during the five-day layoff that’s both the blessing and the curse of winning the division and earning an excused absence from the wild card round. In the last two years, since this format was introduced, five of the eight best teams in baseball were bumped off in the Division Series round. Only one, the 2022 Astros, made it to and/or won the World Series.

Last year, the Braves tried to keep their mojo by not only staging three simulated games, but trying to replicate game conditions by opening the gates to fans and opening the concession stands. They also had umpires, the time clock, the announcement of each batter, walk-up music, the whole shebang.

The Phillies are having only one intrasquad game but are basically following the same formula, minus the live attendance. Piped in crowd noise will suffice. The session also will not be open to the media. So if, say, recently-struggling lefthander Ranger Suarez has a rough go of it, that information will be filtered through Phillies-colored glasses.

But they’re also adding a competitive twist. There was a draft, of sorts, in which captains picked their rosters. “And somewhere there’s going to be a wager on this game,” president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski revealed with a grin. “I stayed away from knowing what the wager’s going to be, but somehow there’s a lot of internal-type (batting) on what’s going to happen.”

It’s not just the five days off that can create a loss on momentum. The Phillies, realistically, all but sewed up the division by the All-Star break. Their record from July 1 to the end of the season reflected that. They were 40-38 from that point to the end of the schedule. It’s a valid concern. Each of the teams that were eliminated in the DS after getting a bye had won at least 100 games during the regular season.

That’s why Dombrowski repeatedly used the word “intensity” during his media scrum Tuesday.

“I really think the intensity level aspect, the emphasis of it, is extremely important,” he noted at one point. “The constant message is, you really need to work with intensity. You can’t just show up. And everybody needs to know that. And I think the players, knowing them, realize they need to do that.”

The message seems to have gotten through since the mantra was repeated in the clubhouse after the Tuesday’s workout concluded.

“It’s not vacation,” second baseman Bryson Stott said. “We have a bigger job to do and we know this is preparation, not off days.”

Outfielder Austin Hays was with the Orioles last October when they went through their bye. He’s noticed a difference in the clubhouse vibe.

“I think what we’re doing (Wednesday) is really important,” he said. “Pitchers have to throw to hitters. And we’ve got to get at bats, even if it’s off our own guys. Just try to keep us as much game speed as possible without overtaxing yourself. But you also can’t just sit around for five days, either. I think what we’re doing now is the perfect way to go about it.

“Last year with Baltimore we did live at bats. I think we’re going to do more of a realistic game here. We’ve got some competitive stuff going on in the clubhouse. I think that’s going to be really good for the fire side of it. Not just going through the motions out there. We’ll actually be playing for something.”

There will be an optional workout Thursday and both teams will be on the field Friday for their final tune-up.

PITCHING PLANS: It’s a given that Zack Wheeler will start Game 1 for the Phillies but no announcement has been made on the Game 2 starter.

Based on seniority and postseason experience that would normally be Aaron Nola. The complication is that Cristopher Sanchez, who would be in line to pitch either the second or third game, has been outstanding at home (7-3, 2.21) this season and not so much (5-6, 5.02) on the road. So a case could be made that it makes sense to hold Nola back for Game 3 in either Milwaukee or New York.

Nola was asked Tuesday if it mattered to him.

“No,” he said.

Have you been told when you’ll pitch?

“No,” he said.

Would you divulge that information if you knew?

“No,” he said, this time with a grin.

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