Daily Archives: July 1, 2013

General Discussion – Week of 7-1-2013 – Halfway Home Edition

Weekly Discussion

As we pass the calenderic mid-point of the year, (calenderic?), I would like to offer my thoughts on the Phillies as a jumping off point for this week’s discussion:

1. Ugh

2. Delmon Young has a pretty decent arm, and he’s been on a couple decent streaks, (Miami earlier this year and now the recent West Coast swing). It has cost the team PAs for no one I am worried about getting PAs, (unless you really like Mayberry or want Ruf in LF and Brown back in right), and there was nothing really attractive on the OF market except Swisher who would have cost a draft pick, (which doesn’t thrill me), and the signing was not even the worst signing this off-season, (Durbin), and as such: Delmon Young on an incentive-laden 1-year deal has not turned out to be the worst signing ever. High praise, right?

3. I like Dom Brown and I always have. I briefly liked Michael Taylor better, but that didn’t last and was based on some faulty proximity argument that I no longer think makes much sense.

4. Chase Utley is still good and his health isn’t as big a concern if he can keep his knees working. The oblique was the first non-contact injury I can recall him ever having that wasn’t realted to his chronic knee issue, and if I’m a contending team right now, I might just overpay for Utley. Not by a lot. We’re not landing 2 top 50-type guys or anything, but a mildly substantial (mildly substantial?) overpay I could see.

5. Ugh, again, I guess.

6. JC Ramirez struck out the side in his first big league inning. I’m excited for him, if not all that much about him.

7. Wheels < Sarge < TMac < Murph

Ok, discuss.

July 2 Preview

Other Stuff

There really is no bigger boom or bust day in professional sports than the opening of baseball’s international signing period on July 2.  Starting tomorrow teams will sign 16 year olds to contracts for hundreds of thousands of dollars hoping they have found the kid with superstar potential.  Many won’t get past complex league,  others will change body shape too much, more will fail to go from showcase player to baseball player, but some will emerge as real prospects.  The amount of ways to bring talent into your system are finite and the international signing period remains one of the most exploitable.

The Phillies have been more aggressive in recent years signing three “top” players in 2012 in RF Jose Pujols, C Deivi Grullon, and RHP Lewis Alezones, in addition to 100k+ signees Gregori Rivero and Wilker Isavas.  While they may not sign the top player available they certainly will spend close to their allotted slot money on guys more in the 50k-200k range.  Continue reading July 2 Preview →

Box Score Recap – 6/30/2013

Box Score Recap

Maikel Franco cannot be stopped – 3-5 with a HR and he’s now OPSing 1.309 in his first ~50 AA PAs. Nice outings from Martin and Colvin.  Martin again got by without throwing a lot of strikes, 56/100 or 56% (#math), while Colvin was around 64%. Also an effective spot-start from Lakewood’s Jeb Stefan, going 5, allowing 1R on 3H and 1BB with 5Ks. His peripherals look pretty good out of the pen this year, (albeit as a 23-year-old in low-A), with 17BB (3.5/9) and 42Ks (just shy of 9/9), in 43.1 relief IP, and 4HR allowed, which rates out high (0.83/9), but is in a pretty small sample to look at HR rates. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him get moved up to the CLR bullpen sometime soon.

Continue reading Box Score Recap – 6/30/2013 →