Odúbel Herrera stepped into the batter’s box during the second inning of yesterday’s Grapefruit League exhibition game against the Orioles. He saw four pitches:

  • Pitch 1 (swinging strike)
  • Pitch 2 (strike looking)
  • Pitch 3 (foul)
  • Pitch 4 (swinging strike)

Here’s what I’m not going to do. I’m not going to tell you how you should feel about that result.

For some, it was a perfect sequence. It was perfect because Herrera is a player who doesn’t warrant a second chance after his 2019 arrest on domestic violence charges.

For some, it was an unfortunate sequence. It was unfortunate because Herrera is a player who deserves a second chance. As he explained after his first game with the Phillies in almost two years, he sought counseling. He apologized. He feels his relationship with his girlfriend is stronger than ever.

Let’s reset.

The simple reality of this situation is that everybody has their own experiences. Those experiences help shape our opinions and help us draw the line when determining for who and what we’re willing to afford a second chance.

After the game, Herrera answered questions about the 2019 incident and his long path back to the batter’s box at Ed Smith Stadium. He opened with this explanation:

Some will wonder if his words are fueled by genuine contrition. Some will wonder if his words are hollow, fueled only by a desire to get on a baseball field again.

Some won’t care because their trust will never be regained. Some won’t care because they are only concerned with whether or not Herrera can help the Phillies win.

For me, I love to give baseball opinions. I love to explain why people shouldn’t hate the manager, why a sixth-inning bunt was the right or wrong play, why a player might be on the verge of a bust-out season. But when it comes to Herrera, I have to be honest – I don’t know.

He said the right things yesterday. He talked about receiving counseling. He spoke about proving he is a better person and regaining trust.

“I learned a lot these past two years,” he said. “I feel more mature. I have changed a lot of my personality and I am a better person now.”

Certainly, for reasons far beyond baseball, everybody should hope what he said is true. But when it comes to baseball, does any of what he said truly matter? Should it?

Here is what I do know:

The Phillies are giving him a real shot this spring. If they’re not, the presentation certainly doesn’t come across as a collective bargaining agreement obligation. Manager Joe Girardi expects Herrera to play again in the coming days. There is a job to be won out there.

I also know that he faces an uphill battle. We last saw Herrera on May 26, 2019 in a 9-1 loss to the Brewers. He was a .222 hitter who struck out in all three of his plate appearances. If he makes the team out of camp and plays in the opening series against the Braves, more than 675 days will have passed since that last strikeout.

Finally, I know that in this hypothetical, roughly 8,800 Phillies fans who were deprived of in-person baseball a year ago will come through the gates of Citizens Bank Park and will witness his return.

Some won’t know what to feel. They will stay silent.

Some will be appalled. They will boo both him and the organization for allowing the moment to happen like they never have before, while some forgiving fans will approach a possible redemption story with optimism – and each and every one of those fans will be entitled to feel exactly how they feel.