Hello there! I’ve emerged after a long winter’s recess, spent buried deep in a cave supplied only with ATS betting trends and sportsbook promotions to sustain my existence.

Alas, spring training is upon us. Soon, the grass will grow, birds will chirp and hope will spring eternal once more in the Delaware Valley that this year will finally be the year the Phillies remain relevant long enough for the autumn air to turn crisp.

Jilted, you felt a year ago by unfulfilled promises, unforeseen slumps and copious amounts of injuries. Enraged, you felt by the former manager’s always sunny outlook. Disinterested, you became by mid-August with an obvious playoff pretender that was hampered by suspect pitching. Skeptical, you still remain.

But there are reasons for hope amid the many questions facing the Phillies this season, and in an attempt to keep things positive as the team begins full-team workouts this morning, let’s talk a little bit about Jean Segura.

Segura, who was somewhat underwhelming in his first season with the Phillies, got off to a fast start but finished with a thud. After hitting .329 with an .872 OPS through the month of April, Segura struggled with consistency and was particularly bad (.586 OPS) in September when the Phillies fizzled to a 12-16 finish.

Certainly, the fan perception of Segura wasn’t aided by his lack of hustle on a play that cost Andrew McCutchen his season:

And that, in part, is why a guy who has posted a stellar .294 average and .758 OPS since the start of the 2017 season has come to Clearwater with something to prove.

Segura, who will play second or third base this season with newcomer Didi Gregorius at shortstop, told reporters earlier this morning that he stopped drinking whiskey and is down 14 pounds:

 

Hard to know if Segura is in the best shape of his life, but he often looked sluggish last season, so dropping a couple of sizes probably won’t hurt.

***Blocks out the memory of puff pieces about guys like Sean Considine and Mark Simoneau reporting to training camp with 10 pounds of added muscle.***

Segura, also spoke about his role in the McCutchen injury and its impact on his play:

So there you go. Jean Segura is rejuvenated, slimmed-down, and ready to play anywhere he’s needed. Just one of the reasons for optimism regarding the Phillies this spring.