It can be difficult to get news out of the Winter Leagues where many of the Phillies prospects are playing ball. Francisco Renteria is playing for Aguilas del Zulia in the Venezuelan Winter League (LVBP) but has not been in the lineup since last Saturday.
Renteria is not injured
The good news is that there has been no report of an injury, which would be the kind of news to leak out. Also, he is still listed on the official team roster and teams generally remove injured players from the roster if they are not going to return in the next day or two. The last time he played, the 17-year-old went 0-for-2 and was lifted for pinch-hitter Victor Arias in the top of the sixth with Zulia trailing 6-1. Also, right-hander Henson Leal came on to pitch for Margarita, replacing starter Felix Doubront, a left-hander. Arias hits left and Renteria bats right.
In that same game, Jorge Salas left the game with an adductor injury – known to non-doctor types as a pulled groin. The game notes from that night note the injury to Salas but do not note any other team injuries.
Here’s what happened
There are actually a couple of things that happened somewhat simultaneously. First, Renteria has struggled during the LVBP season and is hitting just .063 (1-for-16) with 6 strikeouts and no walks on the season. The last time he had a hit was back on October 14 when he went 1-for-4. He is 0-for-11 since then and has had no more than two at-bats in a game since then either. In fact of the seven games he has played, that one game was the only time he had more than two at-bats.
Second, on October 24 – the last time Renteria played – Zulia signed recent major leaguers Justyn-Henry Malloy and Phil Ervin, both outfielders. They have both played a pair of games in the outfield since then, with Ervin playing two games in right field and Malloy playing in left, but shifting the outfield around. Their signings were what precipitated the reset of the Zulia roster and Salas (groin pull) was also removed from the reset roster.
It’s worth noting that the LVBP is not like the Arizona Fall League (AFL), which is more of a developmental league. Leagues like the Venezuelan Winter League are more competitive and less developmental. In other words, having two recent major leaguers to play in the outfield will likely limit the opportunities for a 17-year-old kid, especially one who is struggling.
The outlook
Unfortunately, with six outfielders on their roster, including some with MLB experience, Renteria’s opportunities are going to be limited. The fact that he is still on the roster though says something since Zulia could simply remove him. He will still gain experience from being around older players and hopefully, making the most of his chances when they come.
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