281 thoughts on “Open Discussion: Week of June 3, 2019”

1. Hope we get some bullpen help

   1. Today starts the Kimbrel sweepstakes.

   2. 3B has got to be a top priority at this point. Franco has gone from feasible to simply unplayable. He’s not average, he’s not even replacement level – he’s simply abysmal.

      Not sure this is something that can be fixed midseason but this is clearly a need moving forward. Even a mediocre bat who wasn’t a terrible fielder would be a vast improvement to running Franco out there everyday.

      1. Franco should lose a lot more PAs to Kingery. Franco better get used to hitting LH pitching.

         1. Yeah – in Triple A

            1. As much as I’m not crazy about Franco playing 3B, I would rather him doing it than say Sean Rodriguez.

               1. So what you’re saying is that Franco is a better option at 3B than a 34-year old journeyman with a career bWAR of 8.7?

                  Hello “Tallest Midget in the Circus”.

2. At the game yesterday. To beat the Dodgers..you need (a) Lefty starter, (b) bullpen that has 2-3 lefties. You cannot let LA stack 6 Launch Angle Lefties back to back at top of lineup.

3. For as downright awful as this manager has been, let’s give kudos to Mr Klentak for another great move to bolster this roster. While Jay Bruce isn’t the only need this team has, he certainly fills one of the glaring needs in a pretty big way. To get him for what he did seems like pure robbery.

4. Also, the cost for this year vs. the Competive Tax is only a little over 1 Million. The good sign was how well Pivetta pitched vs the best team in the NL. He seemed aggressive and on a mission, with great results. A contrast to his last outing where he still seemed tentative. Exactly how VV looked in his performance. A guy like VV, with great stuff can’t be nibbling around the plate. And, he took forever between pitches, while Pivetta was quick, get the ball and throw it. The whole BP yesterday was a disaster. Morgan is hurt, Alvarwz was the “opener” the day before, so no lefthanded Pitcher is sight. A void that needs to be filled sooner rather than later.

5. The Dodgers are clearly the class of the NL so I’m not alarmed that they swept us. I said a week ago their B squad players could beat us and that is pretty much what happened ergo David Freese.

   That’s not a negative IMO as it should give direction to Middleton on how you sustain success in the league and how far behind his FO actually is.

   Acquiring Bruce is a solid move. I’d be surprised if that doesn’t get followed with a Williams move. Gone are the days where you win by just having a solid 8. If you can’t give Harper, Hoskins, Realmuto, McCutchen nights off and still win games you are in big trouble.

   We’ve played 59 Games. I believe Harper has started all 59, Cutch 58, Realmuto 55 and Hoskins 58.

   1. DMAR…..very true.
      Phillies would do well to emulate the Dodgers’ blue print.
      Their core is virtually home grown…Seager, Kershaw, Bellinger, Verdugo, Pederson, Buehler et al…then go out and add pitchers like a Hill, Maedta, and Ryu.

   2. We have a good team but the Dodgers are, right now, quite a bit better. And we are behind in player development. As the FO promised, they need to start developing waves of strong prospects – not just guys here and there. So what is our current farm system? It’s not a wave machine, it’s guys here and there. And some are good, but there is no wave in that system right now – not even close.

      Anyway, my hope is they don’t squander the farm resources we have and go all in al-la Elton Brand and leave the cupboard bare just to try to compete with the Dodgers this year. That would be a big mistake in my opinion.

      1. And let me add another thing that annoys me that we don’t do and teams like the Dodgers and Yankees do all the time. They identify young major leaguers on other teams who they believe are undervalued and are primed for a breakout. The Dodgers are AMAZING at this. Look who they picked up for almost nothing: Chris Taylor, Max Muncy, Rich Hill, Justin Turner. None of these guys were big acquisitions at the time. They were deals where the Dodgers understood their value better than their trading partner. Getting guys like this is a HUGE part of the Dodgers strategy. When was the last time the Phillies got a core guy like this for little cost? Jayson Werth (I guess you could say Odubel, although that was a draft of sorts)? It’s been a long time and it’s a disappointing thing that they haven’t shown this eye for talent.

         1. totally agree, though in the Hill trade (along with Josh Reddick) they did give up Frankie Montas, who has put it all together in Oakland this year.

   3. The nervous Nellie fan in me is concerned. Now that the rebuild is over, the rubber needs to hit the road. Today Is a very important day. They scouting team better hit on their pick. As of now, the big club’s payroll has a lot less flexibility to fill holes than last year, and the prospects from high draft picks are looking underwhelming compared to LA and Atl. LA is what phillyvwas from 08-11. They are stacked and should expect to be in the WS. Atl was built correctly and has the trade ammo to pass the Phils. If they ever decide to spend, it won’t be pretty

      As of now, our big hopes are on Howard, Bohm, Haseley, and moniak, and hopefully Medina. They’ll obviously need to resign Realmuto even with the catching depth.

      Klentak has his work cutout for him. Unfortunately Franco and Herrera look like expendable pieces, not cornerstones of a core. Amazing from a few years ago

      That concludes my uplifting report.

   4. The Jay Bruce trade success will depend upon Jake Scheiner’s progression for Seattle. May be a short term win if he develops into a regular position player. The Phillies seem to be ready to deal their built up assets.

      1. We don’t make trades to fleece the other team. If Bruce sucks and Scheiner stalls at AAA, who’s the winner?

         The only question you should be asking is was it a fair trade? We got Bruce at a decent price. The Mariners save some money and get a lotto ticket. It looks pretty fair to me. All we should care about is Bruce helping us. If Scheiner improves for the Mariners, good for the Mariners. Scheiner’s progression does not concern the Phillies. And if Scheiner becomes an all-star, is that going to give the Phillies pause for our next trade? It shouldn’t. You win some, you lose some, that’s the nature of the beast.

         1. Did not say it was a fleece or a bad trade. You read way too much into the post. Scheiner may not develop into a MLB regular and Bruce may not do well here- just saying.

            1. So what point are you trying to make?

6. The most incredible aspect about the Trolley Dodgers is how many of their players are home grown. Would be nice if the majority of the Phillies roster was drafted/LA signed players.

   1. The Dodgers have low acquisition costs for almost all their players. It’s a big deal. Virtually no big free agents. No blockbuster trades. Why is this significant? Because big deals and big trades deprive the team of needed player and financial assets.

7. We’re raving about the Dodgers and rightly so, but this is pretty much the first time in a long time where their home grown talent and FA acquisitions (although signing Pollock is a disaster so far) have come together. So eventually they will get to this point and they did, and all it took for them was 20+ years (their last title was 1988). So let’s not say they have been doing this for years. They have a window right now, but not sure how long their pitching will last.

   The Phillies obviously had their window from 2007-2011, and hopefully we’re starting a new one right now.

   Baseball operates in cycles, and it’s just the Dodgers turn to be the top team. But their rotation is quite old (everybody over 30 except for Buehler) and all they need is an injury or 2 to crush their plans.

   1. Let’s also understand that the Dodgers have a geographic advantage with players from Asia – see Rhyu and Maeda – and a history of signing players from those leagues. Couple that with as much cash as the Yankees, strong player endorsement opportunities, and ideal weather and it is no wonder they are successful. Is it still their talent, scouting – of course, but they have advantages most teams would only dream of having.

      1. RU…spot on….the West Coast teams do have that advantage for the Asian players……with the Yankees and Boston as the occasional exception.
         I always wondered how Darvish ever landed in Irvington, Texas!

      2. I don’t disagree there. And for all of their advantages, they haven’t won a title since 1988. And the Phillies kicked their butts in 2008.

8. The Dodgers are in a class by themselves in the NL right now. They’re healthy and they’re hitting and pitching better than anyone else. The Phils are in the next tier of teams. The Bruce deal was huge in that it cost little and got us a nice power bat. Unfortunately Franco looks terrible right now and Williams looks lost and will likely get sent back down in a few days. Irvin will probably go down today and Williams on Friday when Eflin gets activated. The Phils offense continues to struggle against pitchers who throw strikes. They kill pitchers with control issues but the guys with good location and good control dominate our offense. Especially now with Segura and Cesar in slumps. They’re our only possible 300 hitters. We could really use a CF who could hit 300. If only one of our two 1st rd picks was ready… The poor drafts are killing us. Every other team is calling up players to help, we have nothing. I expect several trades in the coming months.

   1. Haseley’s a former top 10 pick and he’s almost ready and he’s needed. You may get one of your wishes granted.

      1. Catch did a wonderful job applying detail to my point which is the Dodgers are performing exceptionally well in all areas of talent acquisition.

         They truly are winning at the margins. Of course to be fair they have not brought home the trophy while amassing all these talent riches. At some point the equity gained from dominate regular season play will get lost on the fans if they don’t.

         Catch brings up another solid example in the Yankees. In the days of George Steinbrenner we would not be witnessing this Yankee’s team. Hank and Brian Cashman boldly brought a new approach to running that franchise.

         Again we talk about winning at the Margins while we watch other teams actually do it. The Yankee’s signed Chapman at a time when he was toxic then flipped him for Gleybar Torres, did the same with Andrew Miller for Clint Frazier.

         The team to keep an eye on is Hazen’s group in AZ. The Diamondbacks will draft 7 new prospects by the end of tonight.

         Elias and the Orioles will have to decide on Rutschman or an underslot kid. Which philosophy will they follow BPA or something else. I can’t wait.

         1. DMAR…..rays were in the same position as the DBacks in 2011……a total of ten in the top 60 picks….Snell was their only player that made it and he was their 7th pick at 52..
            It is not always a foregone conclusion that a team will prosper and be stacked with multiple high first day picks.
            Good fortune does come into play when shooting craps.

   2. It’s hard to find a decent CF. That’s why the Dodgers gave AJ Pollock the money.

      Anyways, with the acquisition of Bruce, we don’t need a CF anymore now. Cutch can shift over to CF when facing a RH starter.

      Now if Bruce completely stinks, we can cut him when/if Hasely is ready since Bruce is not being paid that much by the Phillies.

9. Catch was right on point. We got Werth, back in the day, because Gillick drafted him, and he had fallen off the radar because he had a misdiagnosed wrist injury. That was a great pick up. so were the JC Romero and Scott Eyre pickups. Victorino was a steal in Rule V, and unfortunately, Doobie wasn’t. The Dodgers have done a great job with players from other teams, as well as their draft success. Since 2001, we have 4 HRs in the Major Leagues from guys we drafted in the 1st rd. I know that some years we didn’t have a pick, but there were enough picks to make this a valid shortcoming. 1 HR was hit by Cole Hamels, and the other 3 by JP Crawford. I would say we need to do much better.

   1. No, Odubel was still a steal in the Rule 5 draft. Very few of those players stick in the majors, let alone make 2 AS teams. It was a superb pick.

      1. agree Catch, the pick was excellent, unfortunately, Doobie did not work out to be the second Victorino. I was not, however, knocking the actual selection of him.

   2. I’m sorry but the Dodgers were VERY lucky. The fact that Turner, Taylor and Muncy became what they are is pure luck. Turner changed the team and then Taylor and Muncy out of nowhere became stars. None of them had had success previously. It’s the equivalent of Gosselin suddenly becoming a 300 hitter with power for us.

      1. Some luck, yes. Pure luck? I seriously doubt it. They have an eye for talent and know what to do with that talent once they find it.

   3. Let’s also not lose sight that the Phillies traded 3 very highly rated minor leaguers for Doc Halliday – Travis d’Arnaud a # 2; Kyle Drabek a # 1; and Michael Taylor a # 5 I believe. None of these uber prospects turned out to be anything…..at all. Meanwhile. So in one sense Phils turned picks into a HOFer thus getting 17 WAR in 4 years vs. 4 for the 3 of them over their careers – a 7 year period.

      1. To be fair, Halladay screwed the Blue Jays by wanting to get traded to the Phillies. This package is not indicative of the return Halladay would have gotten if he was on the open market.

         Anyways, prospects fail all the time. If I have a chance to get an all-star/elite player for prospects, I will do that trade over 90% of the time.

   4. From 2001 to 2015 they’ve taken a total of 8 position players in the 1st round (1st and supplemental) 4 in the 1st round and 4 in the supplemental round. Apparently you’re not counting the supplemental round players since Travis D’arnaud has hit 47 major league hrs in his career.

      So of the 4 position players taken in the 1st round Crawford was good enough to get Segura, Hewitt(#24) was a fail, Golson(#21) was a fail, and Randolph(#10) is still in AA although it doesn’t look too good. The 2016, 2017, and 2018 picks are still too early to tell.

      I don’t think those 4 players constitute enough picks to make this a valid shortcoming. Also interesting that you started in 2001 since Utley was #1 pick in 2000 and Burrell was #1 in 1998.

10. I know that I’m in the minority here, but most fans have been screaming for a LH starter for 6 months. They had a perfect opportunity on Saturday to have another look at Irvin. Instead they went with that ridiculous bullpen game.

    1. Um, Cole Irvin was part of the reason they lost that game.

       1. King – Did Irvin start the game? NO.

          1. Irvin is not the answer in the starting rotation. That is fairly obvious. Not to mention they org has seen him plenty to know what he is.

11. I trust player development more than luck

    1. Luck matters. The only reason why the Phillies won was that Howard, Rollins, Utley, Hamels got good at the same time. The same thing with Bumgarner, Lincecum, Posey, Cain.

12. Wawa, I am not against Irvin. What I want is a lefthanded SP who is good enough to supplant Jake Arrieta as #2. We have a lot of #5 Pitchers. I don’t know that we have the ammunition to trade for one, and I know it is very hard to find.But, that is my hope.

    1. matt13……do you prefer a veteran, ie Minor, Ray Duffy et al, or a prospect on the MLB cusp…..Sheffield, or one of the Padres bevy of Gore, Weathers, Allen or Morejon or once TJed Puk or Luzardo?.
       A couple from recent drafts that also look like they would be desirable are Ryan Rolison…he was a former SEC starter and Dan Lynch, pitching in Wiilmingotn DE for the Blue Rocks…but they are 2 years out
       Nevertheless……all LHPs will be costly in term of prospects.

13. the Phillies, caught the LAD in the wrong time and the turn in the rotation did not go well in their favor. I know Eflin has some clunkers, but he is still the better option than the Alvarez-Irvin-Vinny that pitched last Saturday. HRs burned the Phillies last Friday and it was still a winnable game on Sunday until the bullpen implode (which I don’t understand the rationale for the usage…)

14. Reading through the comments, I’m getting a sense of the can’t have it both ways, in terms of homegrown prospects maturing. To me, this is most enjoyable way for a team to “win it all” as a fan, but we also wanted to kick this into hyper drive. The Phils FO did with a historic offseason. We can’t cry that it’s not as prideful as the dodgers . Sure I prefer the 2008-2011 run, but I’d also rather not moan about the team being unwatchable for another few years. The dodgers got lucky imo by hanging onto their prospects, and having the value of prospects skyrocket during the time Pederson,seagar, and Urias were coming through

    I like our teams chances l, they just did it backwards. Their window is coming, it could be this year but likely in the next few years when the team will need Howard,bohm,haseley, moniak to come in and pickup for the leaving or against veterans. They’ll get there, Probably not as linear as the “golden era” though

15. Romus, I think Duffy costs the least from the group that will be available, and Robbie Ray may cost the most. I would definitely be interested in AJ Puk, but I think Duffy may be available now, while the others, if available at all, won’t be for 6 weeks. So, I try for him first.

    1. matt13….I think you are correct….Duffy could be got now, and probably at a cheaper price than Ray or Minor.
       Not sure he will be the answer, but he does have plenty experience.

16. Matt – Phillies could’ve had Puk (or Senzel) three years ago.

17. Well, that sucks, doesn’t appear we gained any ground with Bruce, but I’m glad we got him!

18. Cutch looks like he’s going to be out for a while. Let’s hope that he just had his knee lock up and not his achilles or acl.

    1. We’ll be lucky if he’s not done for the season. And being on the wrong side of 30, it’s going to affect his next 2 years as well.

19. Adam Haseley is coming up wow . Wish him the best of luck.

20. I am hoping it is only a sprain and he didn’t get hurt worse. Good luck to Haseley. Cutch is definitely going on the IL. What a terrible game last night. Segura does not run out the ball, Cutch hurt, no hitting, and our Ace was not very good. 5 losses in a row, and our lead is down to a half game. Not a good night.

21. The fact that Haseley is being called up does not bode well for Cutch’s knee. And again, IMHO this isn’t just a big blow for this year but for the remaining 2 years of his contract as well (thru 2021). Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy, praying for him.
    Can someone explain to me how Haseley isn’t a top 100 guy? He’s a 1st round, front half and put up solid to good numbers . . .

    1. Haseley being brought up isn’t an indication of anything except the team is thin at the OF position right now. If McCutchen goes on the 10-day IL they need a replacement that can play CF and they don’t have many of those players right now.

       If its something more significant then I expect to see another deal for an OF in the near future..

22. a general baseball question: with runners on first and third or first and second, the catcher steps in front of home plate and goes through a series of signs. what is he doing?

    1. Telling the rest of the team…..”We are all going to Johnny’s Steak House” after the game!

    2. With first and 3rd, he’s communicating on what he will do if the player tries to steal second. So he’s telling the infielders if he will throw to second or hold onto the ball and let the guy steal second.

       First and second, I’m not sure what that is. It’s possible that the catcher is changing signs to tell everybody (including the pitcher) what the signs are i.e. 3rd sign is the pitch to throw.

    3. Telling the fielders what they are doing if the runner breaks for second. Throwing down, faking a throw, etc…

    4. If it’s 1st and 3rd he’s usually calling a play in case of a stolen base, not as predominate in the upper levels (usually they throw thru). If it’s 1st and 2nd it would be what they are doing in a bunt situation.

23. I am still hopeful Cutch only misses the 10 days. I am pretty sure he is going on the IL, I just hope it is only a sprained knee. Again, we could sure use that mythical figure, Roman Quinn! One thing I do not want is Cesar batting leadoff. He has had a good year, so far, batting lower in the lineup. I am very concerned with Segura’s slump. No excuse for not running out the pop up, but he has not been that kind of player, so I give him this one. I expect bust it and hustle from here on out. Just as Bryce has started to hit more the opposite way, everyone else seems to have stopped!

    1. I give Segura a pass because he fell down to a knee on the swing and I expect lost track of were the ball was. Compare that with Machado who started walking back to the dugout when he popped-up with 1st and 3rd with one out.

24. Any word on Cutch?

    1. Thinking the same. From his mouth, he believes he is OK, but I haven’t seen/heard the medical team back him up yet

25. Tac – Haseley hasn’t been activated yet.

26. Well looks like it is official…..Phillies Annual June Swoon is well underway.

27. Your so negative romus,, Atlanta needs a outfielder they get Austin we get Haseley lmao

28. Well, Cutch is done. Torn ACL. Bad luck, hoping him the best for the remainder of the contract.

    1. I freaking knew it. The last time I saw somebody spin and go down in a heap, it was a torn acl.

       Best case, he’s back for the second half of 2020. Worst case, we don’t see him until 2021.

       The opportunity is there for Haseley. We’ll see what he makes of it.

29. I love Cutch, and this is a major blow to us. I am not anxious to see Cesar leading off, and I am not trying to start a Cesar debate; he is having a very good year not batting leadoff. I don’t think Haesley is anywhere close to ready, and Roman Quinn cannot be counted on at all. It just is a huge loss, and I hope his rehab goes well, and he is back 100% next season. In the meantime, we will need a CF to add to our Sp and BP needs. If I sound depressed, you would be correct.

30. Zona has like 3 CF er’s Dyson maybe the most likely one to be on the block.

31. Who would have thought, Cutch, Doobie, Quinn, Altherr….kaput.

    1. You knew Quinn was going to the IL at least once.

       1. Yeah….that was pretty much expected.

       2. And also Cozens out for the year….he would have been a 5th reserve at least.
          Phillies are starting to look like the Yankees with guys going down.

          1. I guess we’re kinda blessed that none of our infielders have been seriously injured yet… I’m knocking on wood as typing this.

             But we seem pretty snake-bitten in the bullpen and outfield.

             1. It’s almost hard to comprehend that Cutch tore his ACL basically tripping over his own feet running back to first base.

32. Haseley could be the savior of the season .

33. The Bruce trade is paying early dividends. Thank goodness for that.

    1. Bruce hit enough homeruns against us especially at CB park. nice to have him hit a few for us

34. Unbelievable, 9-3 lead after 6 innings and we have to trot 5 more relievers out there to put a wrap on this game.

    1. Don’t worry about it, the high leverage bullpen guys were well rested during that 5 game losing streak. And they have a day off Thursday.

       1. Edgar Garcia is still learning and progressing…he was suppose to get them to the 9th.

35. the walks are still really low and hopefully will get better with time but Kingery is a completely different hitter this yr. this is the player that we saw in AA, AAA
    aggressive with excellent extra base power .
    his versatility is a godsend for this team right now

    1. sr….just took a little time and adjustment for Kingery……will be the same with Haseley, who actually had a better hit tool than Kingery did in the minors..
       Haseley….PAs-963…..293/359/433….16%-K…8%-BB
       Kingery…..PAs-1486….283/339/434….16%-K…7%-BB

       1. Here’s to hoping that Kingery keeps Franco on the bench – permanently.

          1. Klentak has done some good things and some things by omission that would be deemed an oversight….two come to mind…not sending Franco and Doobie down to LHV last year when they still had options available.
             They did not hesitate with Pivetta this season…and it seem to pay off so far.
             other team have done it to their stars…Cardinals’ Wong and Piscotty, Marlins’ Ozuna and now the Rockies with Freeland……it seems to work for the most part..will see about Freeland.

             1. Does it honestly matter if Franco doesn’t have options left? Would anyone claim him? Would anyone care if he was claimed?

                1. I am sure he has value with one of the 29 other GMs in the league.
                   There is always one who take that chance with a 27 year old.

                2. I think he would get claimed. He’s still under arbitration for 2 more years. If he performs well for the other team they keep him. If he doesn’t, they DFA him again at the end of the year.

                   As you saw yesterday, he still has some RH pop off the bench. Any decision about Franco will likely be after the season.

                3. Performs well? He’s a 1.8 WAR player thru 591 games. He’s shown exactly what he is – a barely replacement level / below average MLB player. Simply being under team control for 2 years provides absolutely no value to the Phillies.

                   At this point you have to play Kingery every day.

                4. @Rick, Franco is a lost case for the Phillies. if he gets DFAd, the new team has to determine if they want to take a chance on him and hope that he benefits from a change of scenery. Spending $2M to keep him for the rest of the year and hoping that he improves is a decent risk, considering that he’s still under arbitration.

             2. Doobie still has options left this year. Of course it’s a moot point with his legal troubles. Even if this turns out to be a false alarm (which is looking less likely by the day), he’ll need a minors assignment to get back up to speed.

                As for Franco, I honestly don’t know what good optioning him would have done. He’s hit at every stop of the minors. His swing is still what it’s always been. His plate discipline is what it’s always been. I guess this is just the hitter he will always be. Unfortunate, but I don’t think a demotion would change it.

36. I told y’all that Kingery would end up playing third. To be fair, this is not a difficult decision right now.

37. This is the perfect environment for Haseley to excel. He’s in a very deep line-up where he doesn’t have to press. That said the worst place to hit a young player like Haseley is 8th. I do like Harper in the 2 hole and last night Ben Davis floated the idea of having Realmuto lead off.

    I’d be tempted to tinker with it some

    Realmuto
    Harper
    Segura
    Hoskins
    Bruce
    Kingery
    Haseley
    Hernandez

    1. This is still a deep line-up – it says a lot about the work they’ve done over the last year to acquire hitters. I’m bullish on Haseley. Give him 150 ABs and let’s see where he’s at.

    2. This is actually the situation where I would bat Haseley in the 9 spot behind the pitcher. He would then be protected by the top of the order.

       I do not like Realmuto batting leadoff because he’s too much of a run producer to sit at the top. I would try Kingery in that role..

       Kingery
       Segura
       Harper
       Hoskins
       Realmuto
       Hernandez
       Bruce
       Pitcher
       Haseley

       1. I concur with your lineup, I don’t think you can put any more pressure on Kingery that he hasn’t had. I admire the kid for all the crap he’s put up with.

38. My only problem with that, 3up is Kingery was pressing last year, thinking too much and not aggressively going after hittable pitches. At lead off he is expected to see a lot of pitches and I am afraid he will start thinking too much again. I am happy to let him keep going where he is.

    1. Yea, it’s a bit of a gamble but I think he’s shown a much better approach this season vs. last. Also think his base-running skills are better served at the top of the line-up…

39. Here are a few “Would You?” trades:

    Would you trade Bohm and Medina for Edwin Diaz?

    Would you trade Luis Garcia and Francisco Morales for Mike Minor?

    Would you trade Francisco Morales and Enyel De Los Santos for Zack Greinke and all the money owed to him (his contract would probably push the Phillies above the luxury tax threshold if they did nothing else)?

    1. No to the first two, maybe to the third. Although I don’t think it costs that much if we eat the entire contract. Plus, I still don’t think he would come here.

       Greinke’s still a good pitcher, but there’s no denying he’s got a mentality that won’t work everywhere. Plus the contract is fine now, but it’s likely to get ugly sooner than later.

       As for the other two; I’m not interesting in paying a king’s ransom for any reliever, let alone one that we need to pay a “division rival tax” for. You just never know what you’re getting from relievers. And with Minor, I just smell regression there. We can’t afford to send two of our best prospects to a team and get less than a couple years of excellent production in return.

       If we trade for a SP, I’d want it to be a younger guy that we have for 4+ years. And I know what that would cost and that we probably can’t afford it with our current farm system. But I don’t see how one or two guys puts us ahead of the Dodgers this year, so we need to be playing the long game. We have a good core that’s all below 30. Supplement them with people who will be around with them, not rentals and people that are likely to decline while they’re in their prime.

    2. No to the first.

       Yes to the second.

       No to the third. He’s 35, a headcase, and owed $87M for 2.5 years. And his fastball is declining into Tyler Cloyd territory. I have to give him credit, he can still pitch.

    3. No Yes No

    4. One word NO.

    5. Hell to the no.

40. Mike Minor, sign me up Hinkie! Where are we going to find a capable CF?

    1. Could be Haseley. He looked good in the field, and he was actually deserving of at least one hit, maybe 2, last night.

       If he’s overmatched, there’s not much on the trade market. Our best bet is the D’backs who have 3 people on the roster that can play CF.

       1. I’m riding Haseley the rest of the way. They had no qualms about doing it to Kingery last year and by all accounts it appears Scotty benefited from the experience.

          As ugly as it may have been.

          The production you were getting out of CF was pretty bad so Haseley isn’t likely to hurt the playoff run.

          If anything now you might need a RH LF to platoon with Bruce.

          1. Bruce’s 12 year career splits vs LHPs…..226/.292/.425….a RHB would absolutely be desirable….is Aaron Altherr out thee somewhere?

             1. Yikes I was thinking Mitch Haniger…

             2. Or Castellanos…

                1. But I would think you would not get them to platoon….they are FTE.
                   And they will cost to acquire in trade.

                2. You were getting Bruce to give you a professional AB off the Bench. Yes these guys are everyday players but you can get Bruce enough AB’s and maybe get Hoskins the occassional day off by playing him at 1B.

                   Yes it will cost us something and as long as it’s not Bohm or Howard I’m open to discussing it.

                3. Trey Mancini is another name I’d kick the tires on…

                4. Mancini is a good one…perhaps can comp Vierling to him ….and both Fighting Irish OFers drafted mid-to-late top ten round picks.

41. aaron altherr is available again.

42. The Phillies has a weakend farm with top prospects still having red flags. The best way to immediately improve the team is thru FA. I understand that NYY and ATl are front runners for Keuchel but what if Middleton offer 1 year (which is Keuch is open to accept) $25M? I’m sure ATL will back away and NYY might blink.

    Once Keuchel is acquired, then move Pivetta to the pen. But if Kimbrel lowers his price and ok to accept 1 year or ST contract, then the Phillies should sign him.

    The Phillies should try not trading their top prospects unless they acquire a young and controllable rotation stud.

    1. ‘The Phillies should try not trading their top prospects unless they acquire a young and controllable rotation stud”….27-year old Robbie Ray fits that bill, not too many others do.

       1. Yes, Robbie Ray might cost the Phillies 2-3 Top 10 prospects. But ARI is still in contention so the Klentak may be forced to over pay to acquire Ray.

          1. DBack will be out of it in 3 weeks…..3-7 in last 10 games…..losing 2 in a row and now their schedule…Dodgers today and then East coast trip for 10 straight days…heck, they may be out of it in two weeks….but then home for 9….but Roxkies and Dodgers are the bookends for a three game respite with the Giants.
             Philies need to do their part when the DBacks come here on Monday.

43. Any more questions about needing a #2 to bump Arrieta down in the rotation? 2 bombs today, 3 run shot on 0-2 pitch that was simply awful. SP is still biggest need.

44. And Rhys needs to look at Jay Bruce’s aggressive approach. Rhys is looking at too many pitches. Took a hanging pitch with runners on he should have crushed. I don’t know if he is guessing or not picking up the ball, but looking at too many good pitches and making outs on not very good ones. It seems quite a while since he hit one out.

    1. Rhys’ approach is just fine. His last HR was on the 25th (he also hit one the day before that), and while that’s a 9 game drought, he’s hit .290/.389/.419 in the interim. That’s a pretty good line. Especially so if that’s supposed to be a slump.

       Bruce had a 7 game drought from the 12th to the 25th and during that stretch he hit .200/.222/.320.

       It’s one thing to sell out for power if you’re incapable of hitting for average. But Rhys is a good hitter with great power, not just a power hitter. Rather have him contribute than hit 200 just to hit a couple more HRs a month.

    2. Really? I think Jay Bruce could learn more from Rhys Hoskins than the other way around. Anyway – Bruce picked a great time to have a hot streak.

45. He’s absolutely correct, he is not Johnny Hustle! ……..and there isn’t enough mustard in the state of Penna. to cover that hot dog. I’m glad we didn’t get him.

46. Congrats to Haseley who 1st career hit is a clutch double

47. Report just came out Phillies are in on everyone. Closer , CF , Bp, LHP .

    1. And nice come from behind win to finish a tough road trip. Hopefully the Dominguez injury is minor.
       Good work by Neris

    2. I wonder if the Stott pick makes Luis Garcia a trade piece in a package for a LHP. Klentak will be needing all available assets to trade for one, let alone any other worthwhile target.

48. What do we use GREEN STAMPS

49. Big win today, great comeback. BP really picked up team after poor Arrieta outing. Kingery playing well and huge hit for Haseley! Fun game! SerAnthony leaving with injury is a bit of a downer

    1. Phillies may have to count more on Rios, Davis, Edgar Garcia and the Hammer if Seranthony is out for awhile.
       Nicasio and Alvarez will also need to stay consistent.
       Some of the others should be back soon.

50. Watching this series reminds me of what almost happened three years ago. At the deadline, Matt Klentak had a deal in place with the Marlins to swap Jeremy Hellickson for Josh Naylor. At the last second, Miami asked for a second pitcher (probably Eickhoff). The Phillies balked, and the Marlins used Naylor as part of a package to land Andrew Cashner, Colin Rea, and Tayron Guerrero from the Padres. AJ Preller kept secret the fact that Rea was an injury waiting to happen (but that’s another story).
    Anyway … Naylor looks like he’s going to be a key piece for SD going forward; lots of power.

    1. I remember that non-trade distinctly because a lot of people really started to lay into the FO for not trading Hellickson. I had to remind a lot of people at multiple bars that he did work out a trade for him; you just can’t control when the other party operates in bad faith.

       But yeah, it’d be cool to have Naylor on this squad. Not sure I’d trust him to be our everyday LF, but at the very least he (or Hoskins) could have been a major chip for a trade.

51. Sounds like Kimbrel to the Cubs is official pending a physical.

52. Not sure I would have wanted Kimbrel on a 3-year deal. Actually, pretty sure I wouldn’t.

53. Minnesota is running away from their division. The Phils are in need of bullpen help now. So are the Twins.

    Divisional rivals of the Twins have no incentive to strengthen Minnesota, particularly by trading players under team control beyond this season. The Phils need to address BP needs now.

    For a package of LHP Danny Duffy, closer Ian Kennedy and C Martin Maldonado, what do you offer? Taking on this much salary requires some shuffling or the Phils blow through their luxury tax threshold. Knapp would be optioned.

    I’d go Moniak, Medina, Grullon and then Nicasio (sending a little salary back). There’s no premium prospect in that group but 3 players who figure to be around for K.C.’s rebuild. None of the players they surrender to the Phils figure to be.

54. The minor league players I currently view as trade commodity are Moniak, Vierling, Medina, Grullon (or any among their catching stock) and (now that Stott is in the fold) Luis Garcia as well. Franco may be the most obvious candidate on the big league roster in need of a change of scenery.

55. For Kimbrel, far from the total years he wanted. but close to the AAV @ $17M…$10 million for the mainder of ’19….$16M for ‘2 and ’21 plus $1M when the Cubs probably decide not to bring him back in ’22

56. With the injury to Seranthony last night, Could Jeff Singer, AA, be the next man up for the Phillies?

    1. They will exhaust their 40 relif pitchers before adding anymore to the 40…unless Seranthony has to have TJ surgery or willbe out for two months or more….then he goes on the 60 day and someone can be added.

57. Do not look now…the Marlins are one of the hotter teams in MLB…winners of 13 of their last 18 games…and scoring in bunches.
    Which is good…Braves are up next for them….then the Phillies get them on June 21st…maybe they will have cooled by then.

58. Wondering if the Rangers would flip us Hunter Pence to pair with Bruce in LF. Catch a little magic.

    And my gosh why didn’t we go hard after Charlie Morton

    1. DMAR…Morton’s WAR last three years of 7.8, is more than his total for for his previous 9 seasons in the majors.
       Who would have guessed.
       And why Klentak did not go after Morton!
       ….Astros immediately signed him Niov 15th, within one week of the dead period after the 2016 Worls Series….after his contract with the Phils which contained a mutual option, but was bought out by the Phillies allowing Morton to hit the open market in search of a new deal.
       An oversight on Klentak and the Phillies part in hindsight

       1. It wouldn’t have happened had they paid attention to the lights out stuff he was throwing as a Phillie. Horrible lack of attention to detail – what were they thinking? They paid more attention to the historical stats than they did to the player right in front of their eyes who was throwing like a 2/3. FYI – this is not revisionist thinking, I said on this site at the time they declined the option that it was a huge mistake. Unlike them, I watched him pitch pretty attentively.

          1. Unfortunately as they say…spilled milk …..the hope is now, that maybe Klentak and Co. will have learned.a thing or two about that situation if it ever arises again.
             .

             1. I think the point Romus is that in aggregate Klentak and McPhail are starting to have more fails than good moves. In the GM biz it’s probably hard to be much better than 50%.

                Imagine for a second if Middleton (by appearances) doesn’t jump in and say I want no parts of Machado Harper is our guy.

                1. Yes.
                   If Middleton did not step in… it may not have turned as it did.
                   Will just have to see what happens on the field over the next 3 months or so.
                   Klentak’s 5-year contract is up Oct 2020….my guess he would like to avoid being a lame duck GM next season, as Ruben was in 2015.

59. I think all our trade chips should go into pitching
    one starter and a couple of relievers
    I think we can mix and match with bruce, hasley ,kingery, Quinn ( for a week or so until he gets hurt again)
    franco will get hot again for a short time and he can play some 3rd when that happens
    if we can get an OF rental cheap than that’s fine
    fortunately or unfortunately, Herrera was so bad that filling his shoes is not that hard

60. A really good outing for VV yesterday. I think the more he gets into rhythm, the more he will succeed from the BP. He looked completely different than his last outing. More aggressive, less time between pitches, and the results followed. I still want Keuchel on a 1 yr deal. Going over the list of potential trade targets shoes guys who will cost a lot to acquire. I don’t think we have what it takes for Robbie Ray or Marcus Stroman. Will Mike Minor even be available, especially if the Rangers are in the WC hunt? What do we get with MadBum, and what will he cost? Do we want Greinke or Trevor Bauer? We have talked about Danny Duffy, and he may not cost a lot, but is he any better than Keuchel? I don’t think there is any question that we will need a SP.

    1. not going to get Keuchel on a one year deal. He reportedly already has offers for at least 2 years.

       As for other trade options, the Phillies need to be careful not to fall into the old habit of trading away their minor league talent chasing fringe playoff contention. Exactly who are they going to acquire that will make them better than the Dodgers in the NL or several of the top AL teams?

       They made great progress improving the roster in 2019 and should continue to try to improve where possible but any deals need to be for long-term additions, not 1-year rentals.

       1. 3up – I agree. I wouldn’t have a problem giving up prospects for a pitcher we can control, but not for a rental.

       2. Agree. Minor (if he is available, but I think Texas won’t be withholding valuable trade chips just to make a 1-game playoff) is a potential re-signable worthy target. I’ve a better feeling about a LHP like him who has come into his game later in his career though still early 30s.

          1. Don’t forget why he’s breaking out at an older age, though; his career was basically postponed by multiple shoulder injuries. I like Minor well enough as a pitcher, but I’m wary. He doesn’t seem to be quite as good as his numbers currently indicate, he’s in his 30s whereas our core is made up of players below the age of 30, and he has a history of shoulder injury (which for pitchers is about as bad as a history of elbow injuries).

             Now his age isn’t such a big deal since he is still in the early 30s, and his peripherals suggest a #2 or so type pitcher if not quite an ace. But his past injuries do worry me quite a bit. So if the return for him will be as big as I expect, I personally say pass on him.

             All that said, the FO has earned a lot of good will from me with their trades. If they pull the trigger, I’ll trust they see something that warrants it and they won’t spend more in prospect value than absolutely required. And that goes for everyone they get, whether or not that includes Minor.

       3. 3up….I think robbuie Ray as one of the three in a play-off rotation would stymie the LHBs of the Dodgers,…he knows them pretty well right now…and at 27 he is young and controlled for a number of years.

          1. But I thought one of the problems with Pivetta, VV, etc. was that they couldn’t get past the 5th inning. Robbie Ray is the poster child for a high pitch count, 5 inning pitcher.

             He’s also only controlled for 2020 and then becomes a FA in 2021..

             I’m not opposed to Robbie Ray but not at the expense of several top prospects which I expect will be the cost..

             1. Phillies will probably never win anything without a LHP in their top three……the last 15/20 WS winners had one, except one team, the 2015 KC Royals…and Duffy came out of the pen in the play-offs for them..
                You take the risk on lefties with explosive stuff….his BB/9 is poor, but at his age if and when he turns it around, look out.

                1. Romus I never would have given Kimbrel 3 yrs 44 million. too much , hope we develop a bullpen arm or two

61. Matt – How has V V adapted to his new role? Is he totally on-board? It’s hard for me to get information out here.
    If the Phillies were to add a starting pitcher, who would he replace in your opinion? Barring another injury, I think the Phillies will wait until the end of this month before adding a starter. With Seranthony down, Anderson or De Los Santos will probably get the call up tomorrow.

62. From what I can tell, he seems to have bought into his new role. I try to read everything that I can, and I have seen positive quotes from him. As far as a SP, I am still of the mindset that I want to make the playoffs, and the next 5 weeks are an audition for Pivetta and Eickhoff and Eflin. I think a new acquisition replaces one of them. Of course, all 3 may excell, in which case I will happily eat my words. Also, Mike, what is your take on our 1st rd pick?

63. He’s a local kid, and the TV and news journalists are all over him. I haven’t heard a single bad word about him. Should add some muscle, and develop into a 15 homer guy. He’s already a friend of Bryce, and it appears that Bryce want to mentor him. How cool is that?

64. MLBTR has a thorough piece just posted today, on addressing the implications of Cutch’s absence. Merrifield is one guy I would pursue. KC is all ears.

65. Any news on Seranthony?

    1. The Phillies are normally slow in release medical updates. For what I saw, at least Seranthony is now grabbing his arm or elbow so it can be an oblique or a pulled muscle.

       1. he didn’t really show any indication of what the problem was. He was walking a bit gingerly leaving the field and the training staff didn’t pay attention to any particular spot. Makes me wonder if he hasn’t had something nagging going on that they were already aware of..

       2. i should say **NOT grabbing his arm or elbow***

66. As we are understandably tied up in knots over losing Cutch, and now lilely Seranthony along with all the injured arms, I am very encouraged by Kingery’s energy, headiness and production. Haseley’s big hit yesterday may boost his confidence as well. And while there are holes which need to be filled, I am confident that Klentak will address them. A strong six game home stand vs CIN and ARI should keep them in first place heading to Atlanta next weekend.

    I am glad we weren’t in the Kimbrel sweepstakes. Time will tell but Theo may regret yet another bad signing ala Heyward. I am pro acquiring a LHP starter and relief help via trade. If Keuchel is in fact entertaining 2 year offers, I’ll pass. I’m not a Duffy fan at this point unless Merrifield is part of the deal. Doubt that woukd happen anyway. Ray is intriguing but IMO he lacks the consistency over time to draw the return he would probably command. MadBum is a rental and while I think he’s gettable, too risky to give up the little value we have if we can’t re-sign him. That leaves Minor. Yes there will be rival suitors for him but again, Klentak might appeal to the Rangers by also taking on Choo’s contract and curbing the large return.

    What this FO has to determine:
    1 – Is 2019 the season for the Phillies to go all in? (In other words, should they do what is necessary to ultimately compete with LAD in a playoff series? As things stand, NO they would not) and…
    2 – If so, by how much would John Middleton be willing to blow past the luxury tax threshold, be it FA additions or trade acquisitions?

67. I’m guessing Franco gets non-tendered after this season if things continue on this path. Is there any chance the Phils could trade him now to a team in exchange for a decent relief pitcher? I’m not sure he has much of any value at this point unless there is a team out there that thinks they can fix him and why not take a lottery ticket for an ok relief pitcher.

    Also, I would love to see Freddy Galvis back as a super utility guy for the rest of this season as opposed to Gosselin or Rodriguez. I can’t imagine it would take much in terms of a minor leaguer to acquire him. It wouldn’t solve the bench issues but it couldn’t hurt.

    1. Trade him for what? He’s a bad offensive player and an outright liability defensively. If you were the GM of another MLB team, what would give the Phillies for a 3B slashing .212/ .286/ .399 who plays atrocious defense?

    2. galvis could make sense- imagine toronto moves him closer to the deadline- with Bichette breaking his hand they would want to get him back and playing awhile in AAA before bringing him up.
       Was trying to find a home for Franco, and not many options- Marlins, maybe White Sox but they probably want to leave Moncada at third, Texas has Asdrubal on a 1 year deal, Indians if they wanted to sit Kipnis who has been worse than Franco, and move Ramirez to second. but hard to see any of them giving up anything of any value for him.

       1. Possibly add Seattle to your list…Dipoto and Klentak seem to have a faritly reasonable trade connection going on, based on their prior working relationship…and Healy may not be what they envision for them at third, and their farm has no one of note coming up soon.
          IMO, Dipoto may give up something for Franco.

          1. Romus, that’s true but who would Klentak target from Seattle with a package including Franco?

             1. 8mark….unfortunately it will not be as much as one would hope that could help make a great impact on the club now, other than a reliever they may have,.or maybe even Wade LeBlanc.

          2. seattle was going to be my next sentence, but i thought i had rambled enough- they are stuck with Kyle Seager 2 more years for 38 million though and not sure who is taking any of that off their hands.

68. Some notes of interest – looking at the 6 divisions, 3 of them are virtually over / AL West and Central ; NL West. AL East will be highly competitive but both the winner, wild card will come from it. In the NL – only the East and Central are competitive with close races —– these results may mean it will be a BUYER’S market in players to be obtained before July 31.

    Phillies, Braves, in East ; Cubs, St Lou, Brewers in Central. Of those – Cubs, Braves are spent or have no cash/interest in taking on contracts. Brewers are reluctant to trade from a now, leaner farm. Braves have best minor system and will have the currency. Phillies have the cash. That leaves 2 or 3 teams as buyers.

    AL has several teams in AL East – but they are so good they don’t need to add a whole lot as they would be trading to get the one player to take them to the Series. Besides, Bosox has no cash nor any minor leaguers to trade. That leaves 2 viable buyers.

    There may be a few other “sleepers” as buyers – Chisox ? Rangers ? Pitt ? Padres ? Colorado ? Angels ? but they are long shots. Only Oakland (who always finds a way) and Colorado could fall into the real buyer side. So let’s say 2 buyers with out Dodgers who might only add to try and win 125 games + Series.

    BUYERS – 3 + 2 + 2/3 = 7/8

    OTOH – you have several other teams that are on the cusp of throwing in the towel this season : Nationals; Mets ; Cleveland; Toronto (only played Yanks twice /17 more to play); Cincy ; Pitt (though so burned by Archer trade maybe not) .

    Is it conceivable that there will be only 7/8 buyers ? And at that, some of them are limited. There could be far more sellers than usual which would make waiting till the deadline even more appealing to the buyers. As regarding the Phillies – the only thing I have seen on all the various fronts is that they will be in on virtually everything – whether they are pitcher or position player.

    1. That’s a really good synopsis RU which is why the Phillies should not make any panic trades at the moment.

       Today I’d be fishing for a Right Handed compliment to Bruce. I hope everyone is not fooled into thinking the player we saw in San Diego is the player we will see for the rest of the season.

       And let’s not forget we acquired him before Cutch went down with the intent he would be more/less a platoon.

       As Matt13 says above let’s not try to catch the Dodgers let’s just do what is necessary to win the division without totally depleting the farm.

       Sustained success is the goal.

69. ATL is reported as the favorite to sign Keuchel….is ATL offering a multi year contract? I can’t believe that ATL can out-muscle NYY and the Phillies for a 1-year contract.

70. 8mark, I agree with you on Kingery, and watching him the past few days has really solidiidied my belief that he can play. He can sure run the bases! Haseley is a lot faster than I thought, also. There is a mid-ground to what you were saying. We don’t have to go “all in” to try to beat the Dodgers this year, because I don’t believe we are there yet. But, winning the Division is definitely within our sites, and Keuchel signing in Atlanta hurts us, and helps them. I think we will need a SP, and I think we can get one without trading away the farm. Keuchel only cost money.

    1. Is it the baggy uniform or does Haseley need to bulk up a little? Looks rather lean, narrow shoulders.

       1. He is the same measurements as Chase Utley.

          1. noticed the Cubs drafted a second baseman named Chase out of UCLA, 22 years after the Phils got Utley.

       2. Thought same exact thing.

    2. The rotation is the biggest hole. I’m optimistic that Pivetta can be the short term solution to the back end of the bullpen.

       Nola-Arrieta-Eickhoff will not carry the Phillies deep in the playoffs. Eflin has history of getting hurt and can be hot and cold. Vinny is toast as a starter, Anderson and Suarez better serve in the pen and delos Santos, Irvin and Medina doesn’t appear ready to be a steady arm in the rotation.

       JoJo Romero regressed this year and Parkinson is note due to be added in the 40-man while Bailey Falter is behind Medina and Parkinson,

       Going deeper in the farm – Eshelman, Taveras, Viza and Rosso are next in line and these soft tossers are just disaster waiting to happen.

       Best case scenario is Medina (being already in the 40-man) got an aggressive promotion and pitch the way he should (like how Seranthony joined the Phillies last year). The next best case scenario is delos Santos (despite of a lack of a reliable breaking ball) pitch his FB-CU as the #4.

       Most realistic scenario will be Klentak acquiring a rental and giving away 2 Top 20 prospects for a rental. I’m not a big fan of Keuchel, but he will be a missed opportunity the same way Klentak missed on signing Charlie Morton.

71. What was the value of the Cubs’ prospects that got Cole Hamels last year? What would that equate to from our system? I know it is less than a Bohm, Haseley or Howard level package. I think we can pick up someone that will help, I just don’t know who.

    1. matt13….Eddie Butler, 27, was out of minor-league options…a relief pitcher .
       Rollie Lacy, a pitcher, at the A level
       The third I do not remember.

    2. hamels was 5-9 with a 4.72 era before the trade plus the Rangers ate all but 5 million of what remained last year on his contract- thought at the time it was a no-brainer to do but you didnt know he was going to pitch that well, and who knows if it would have happened here.

72. This will look like a crazy plan but I’m Klentak, I will inquire about Max Scherzer from the Nats. and offer to absorb the whole contract plus prospects.

    Nick Pivetta still have value because of his pure stuff and years of control and Nats worried about Rendon.

    For Mad Max and his contract I will offer —- Pivetta + DLS + Medina + Bohm + Morales. that’s 4 (of Top 10) prospects plus a controllable MLB with TOR potential.

    Klentak can substitute or throw in the following if needed: JoJo Romero, Ortiz, Pipkin so basically Howard, Luis Garcia and Stott are the only untoucheables.

    1. That is definitely not happening. Even if the Nats are scuffling, they will not give up Sherzer, and definitely not to the Phillies. They still have the talent to make a run this year, and they will be competitive again next year. They would trade Sherzer if they were tanking, but they are looking to win. And if they were tanking, they wouldn’t have given all that money to Corbin.

       If they’re out of it at the trade deadline, you might see them trade some small pieces but their core (including Sherzer) are not going anywhere.

    2. No way Kuko have you gone mad LOL

       1. @DMAR – anything is possible now…who could have thought that a JPC + an overpaid vet in Santana will yield a Segura. Klentak even doubled down when he got JTR for a Alfaro, Sixto and Stewart.

          It’s not a strike 3 you’re out in trade market. GM just need to keep on turning every stone as team situation changes and all GMs are on leash.

       2. and yes, you got me there buddy —- I’m gone mad…. we need a reliable starter!!! ASAP!!!

          1. Haha you do you KuKo. I’d trade for Scherzer but wouldn’t give up Bohm or that many prospects.

             You don’t get something for nothing but the contract and his age needs to be considered. It’s more likely that he goes the way of Halladay than it does that he maintains cy young performance through the end of that deal.

             I’m shopping in the bargain bin

73. Looks like a done deal. The RH leaning Phillies line up should crush this guy…

    Keuchel deal is for one year, $13 million. Physical is Friday in Atlanta. First start is scheduled for Saturday in Gwinnett.

    — Tim Brown (@TBrownYahoo) June 7, 2019

    1. Is that a pro-rated $13M or really $13M for 2/3 of a season. If it’s actually $13M they he’s basically broken even with what the QO was from Houston. Otherwise, it was a bad decision.

       Also, either the reports from MLB network that he had 2 year offers were wrong or those 2-year offers were for a much lower AAV…

    2. As long as Dallas keeps giving up a league leading hits ..I will be happy for him and his new contract! :).

74. Seranthony had an MRI yesterday. Any results? Why do the Phillies keep us in the dark?

    1. Hopefully the small strain and soreness in the elbow does not result in any surgery..

75. We can debate all day about Keuchel. Klentak was never in on him, so we move forward. However, our need for a left handed SP is still a strong one. Our need for some pitching help regardless of which hand they throw with is still strong. The question is now what will it take to get that help? I have no doubt at all that we need help.

    1. Nice article in the Inquirer on Haseley. His swing really is a thing of beauty. I love how he uses his hands to put the ball in play and he still hits with plenty of power. He’ll probably never be a star but he could be a first division regular down the line.

       1. The link

          https://www.inquirer.com/phillies/phillies-adam-haseley-andrew-mccutchen-swing-prospect-gabe-kapler-hitting-coach-20190606.html

       2. If Haseley becomes Brett Gardner, it’s a win for that draft

          1. Very true. If that happens he’ll probably be better on offense and not quite as good on defense, but that would be a very good 1/8 pick.

    2. What I don’t get is why they discarded Irvin after one bad outing against the Cubs of all teams. I don’t think he is great or anything he’s kind of the left handed version of Kyle Kendrick. When he’s on he’s going to be really good and most nights he’s pretty much going to keep you in the game through 5-6.

       1. DMAR – I agree!

       2. I like Irvin as well BUT let’s be real – this team’s overstocked with #5’s which masquerade as 3’s/4’s on occasion. The fact that he’s a lefty should work to his and our advantage but….

          The reality is that the Phillies need a #2 assuming Nola returns to close to his ’18 form. Bottom line. We can debate which among Irvin, Eickhoff, Pivetta et al are worthy to be the #5. Working backwards, Jake is now a #4, Eflin is a #3/#4, leaving a TOR as clearly our greatest and most urgent need. The bullpen will likely continue to be a fluid situation what with arms going on and coming off the IL. Great if we can add a fairly reliable reliever, but I’m not betting the division on it. Another solid bat for depth (now that Cutch is gone) would be very wise as well.

          1. 8mark…touché

76. i don t really know anything but my intuition suggests that odubel s past off field behavior might be culminating in the phils cutting ties with him. he strikes me as a young man who may have had an adventurous off field life, ending with the current mess. last year someone in the phils management said something like his performance was negatively impacted by an undefined situation. reading between the lines that sounds like some kind of personal problem. does anyone else sense this or have any further info. with the removal of the banners it looks to me like he is gone,

    1. I agree that the Phillies are speaking by their actions. If it wasn’t for the relatively sizable investment in Odubel made a couple years ago, he may have been history long before now. Kapler’s (‘last chance?’) challenge to him in the off season is indicative that they weren’t standing for any more of his less than best effort – which obviously hasn’t been nearly good enough, neither on or off the field. The biggest disappointment for the team and fans is that any market value he may have had has at best diminished to next to nothing. He’ll probably become some other team’s headache down the road.

    2. I agree that the Phillies are speaking by their actions. If it wasn’t for the relatively sizable investment in Odubel made a couple years ago, he may have been history long before now. Kapler’s (‘last chance?’) challenge to him in the off season is indicative that they weren’t standing for any more of his less than best effort – which obviously hasn’t been nearly good enough, neither on or off the field. The biggest disappointment for the team and fans is that any market value he may have had has at best diminished to next to nothing. He’ll probably become some other team’s headache down the road.

       1. ….sorry I double clicked ‘Post Comment’.

77. matt – Going into the season, I thought our starting pitching was good enough to get by. Nola and Pivetta were my number 1 and 2, and Eflin, Arrieta, and Velasquez (in that order) were #3, 4, and 5. My confidence was boosted even more by the winter acquisitions of Robertson and Alvarez to the pen. Well, to be honest, the entire pitching staff (except for Neris) has let us down. I’m amazed that we’re in first place.
    Mike Schmidt once said that HR’s kill rallies. Never has this been more true than this year. Despite Hoskins and Harpers low HR totals, the Phillies have 9 players with 10 doubles or more. The offense has literally carried the pitching staff so far. Klentak will evaluate the pitching staff on every appearance this month before deciding which direction to go. Eflin and Pivetta will pitch the first two games this weekend. They may win, or lose a spot in the rotation, depending on how they do. Nola will pitch on Sunday, and despite having the worst ERA of all of the starters, he is totally safe. If Nola doesn’t right the ship, the Phillies chances of making the post season disappear.
    With 3 righties starting for the Reds, we will get an extended look at Bruce and Haseley. I can’t tell you how exited I am. Bruce may provide the spark that Bake McBride gave the Phillies in 1980, and Haseley looks like he may develop into a player this year, or next.
    The Phillies really needed that day off yesterday. Hopefully, they’ll show up today before a full house at CBP, and crush the Reds.

78. Beat the teams you should beat right….

    Dietrich is playing out of his mind but after him their LU is pretty pedestrian. There’s always Votto and he’s not having a typical Votto season to date but let’s not be the team that gets him going.

79. Mike, I agree with you. Pivetta was my guy to really step up, and he pitched great vs. the Dodgers. Let’s hope he follows that up against the Reds. The O has been inconsistent, hit fewer HRs that I anticipated, but overall has carried us, despite having Franco and Doobie have such poor starts. That is now Bruce/Haseley and Kingery and so far, has looked very good.. Nola, I expect to find his groove. Or maybe expect should really be hope! His problem has been location, and that has been his calling card. Arrieta has not been a good #2, at all, but if we continue to win the games we should, there will be reinforcements come July.

80. the Phillies are 4-22 when scoring 3 or fewer runs. That is brutal

    1. One indication that pitching is challenged.
       Runs scored they are 14th.
       https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB-standings.shtml

    2. the Dodgers are 6/16 in those situations and the Astros are 7/16 so it’s not surprising since all teams don’t win much when scoring 3 or less.

81. Well, our Ace has an ERA closer to 6 than 3, and we have no one else really capable of lasting past 6 innings other than a fluke, and there was 1 really good performance from Arrieta, so your stat, Dan, makes a lot of sense. It also proves all of our points about needing a #2 SP. We will need to win a couple 2-1 or 3-2 games before the year is up.

82. The game will start in a few hours.. Still no news on Seranthony (he’s still on the active roster). Eflin is the starting pitcher, but he’s not on the roster. What is the point of not telling us? I’m getting pissed off.

    1. How do you know they aren’t waiting on a second opinion on the MRI or more information? We’ll find out soon enough.

83. Cataldi vs Kapler.
    …assume Gabe will not be back on WIP for awhile.
    https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/phillies/picking-side-fridays-heated-gabe-kapler-angelo-cataldi-radio-debate

84. I listen to WIP, but Angelo, as usual, is far carried away from reality. Sure, it is good to stir controversy on a radio talk show, but Segura clearly felt bad, has not had a history of failing to run, and blaming him for Cutch’s injury is nonsense.If he tore his ACL going back to first on a pick off attempt, who should we blame? We can quarrel about Gabe being too supportive of his players, and he didn’t need to go on about Segura’s “professionalism” in that moment, but he didn’t deserve to be benched. And, Angelo’s claim that he speaks for the fan base is false.

85. Phillies nation reports Seranthony on IL and might need tommy john surgery. Bullpen in rough shape. Really need VV to step up until players return, trades possible . Just hard to make trades at this point without massively overpaying.
    A lot of pressure. Ow on Nicosio, Garcia, and JD hammer.

    1. Seranthony is going to seek another opinion. Needless to say, if he goes under the knife, we won’t see him until 2021.

86. The Phillies must really not be happy with Yacksel Rios because he got sent down for Ranger Suarez!

    1. Ranger Suarez must be the designated extra inning / mop up guy.

87. What is going on this year? Did the injury bug’s bus breakdown in the Phillies clubhouse? Another reliever to the DL…
    Possible tommy john surgery. Smh. Seriously, what is going on? Football has less injuries than this

    1. I actually am more pro than con of gabe as a manager but it does raise the question if his use of bullpen in last 2 yrs has played a role in this array of injuries

       1. Sr…not sure how you can measure that causation.
          If the Phillies were the only team to have bullpen injuries, than i can see his managerial decisions with the bullpen, could be called into question.
          Guys like Roberston and Hunter barely got out spring training before their issues arose.
          Really a tough call to lay the blame on Kapler for the bullpen injury issues

          1. Agreed
             Just something to look at
             Not actually blaming him
             I think it’s the industry wide overuse of bullpens as a factor too
             Time to take starters back to 115-120 pitches and you’ll get 6-7 innings
             Some of them are clearly not on him like hunter, robertson

          2. I’d love to be able to see data that compares not just number of appearances for Phillies pitchers vs other teams, but things like # of times pitchers warmup and don’t enter a game, # of pitches thrown in the bullpen while warming up, etc. I watch all Phillies games and I watch a few other MLB games and I feel like the Phillies use more pitchers and warmup more pitchers than other teams by a significant margin. The one thing I’d like to see them do more of with a Cole Irvin / Ranger Suarez type guy, is have one of them as the 8th reliever / long man, and literally some nights just finish the game pitching 4-5 innings if need be. The team might be down 5-1 in the fifth and they lift the starter, just ride one long man through that game and give the other 7 guys the night off – no pitching, no warming up, just rest. Sometimes that could work, other times you might be down 5-1 in the 7th and Suarez is due to hit with two outs and the bases loaded and you need to pinch hit. I just don’t feel like they have to use 5 relief pitchers every game no matter what the score or situation is.

             1. Agree with you Buddy. My biggest issue with Gabe is his use of relievers. I don’t remember which manager it was that said he had to learn how to lose games.

                Gabe needs to learn that every game isn’t game 7

                1. Totally agree. I can understand the argument that we should give him time to learn on the job to some extent and that’s fine. I just don’t like that we’re a year and a half into this and he’s still learning. There were numerous candidates available that had managerial experience at different levels that would not have needed on the job training, so the fact that Gabe did tells me that he should be bringing something else to the table that others couldn’t, and I’m just not seeing that yet.

                   I’m a huge Brett Brown fan, but I understand when his critics say that he gets out maneuvered in games. That may be true, but at least in Brett’s case you can say that he has created an amazing culture and that players want to play for him and for the 76ers and that’s hard to do in the NBA, especially with the star personalities they have on that roster. I just am having trouble seeing what the thing is that Gabe does really well that outweighs some of his struggles. I’m okay with him having a struggle or two, I’m just not seeing the positive.

             2. BuddyB….Gabe sometimes paints himself into a corner, then he starts the bullpen shuttle…….whenever the pitcher is due up at the plate, even when there are no RISPs, he will gamble on a pinch hitter ilo of using the pitcher to hit….thus a new pitcher enters the game in the following inning.

88. Well, the bright side is all the pitchers at AAA are getting the opportunity to show what they have. Ranger better be the Lone Ranger

    1. Aye kemo sabe!

89. I don’t see how we can sustain wins with this bullpen. Our IL list is approaching the active roster list or so it seems…..now, thats hyperbole so no one needs to repeat it.

    1. 11 of the original players on the 40 man roster on opening day are currently on the IL

       1. Or restricted list 🙂

90. I’ve been a big Haseley fan since I saw him play a couple of games last season in Hartford. He is a really good player and in time, with patience from all of us, he is going to be a solid MLB center fielder who will hit .275.

    He usually gets off to a slow start but when he settles in, he produces. He hustles all the time and he’s smart. Let’s cut him some slack as these next few weeks unfold and I believe we will all be happy with his play.

    1. Agreed
       He’s also a good put the ball in play hitter that they need more of
       Not sure why he’s not in lineup tonight

    2. So tonight’s lineup has Franco at 3B and Haseley on the bench. Can someone help me understand why the young kid is not playing? He gets a game winning hit in his last at bat on Wednesday, is flying sky high right now after an off day, and now he’s going to sit on the bench tonight? Why not try to ride his wave of confidence and get him right back out there against a RHP? I just don’t understand this manager.

       1. Ditto. But I’m sure Gabe has some analytical reasoning. Whatever…Franco had better contribute tonight.

          1. Never mind. Haseley was scratched from the lineup with a left hip flexor. Wonderful. What next…??

             1. Not to worry….precautionary it appears.
                Meghan Montemurro ✔
                @M_Montemurro
                Adam Haseley is experiencing some left hip flexor soreness — he was originally supposed to be in the lineup tonight vs. the Reds but was removed as a precaution.

                So, Kingery was shifted to CF and Franco inserted at 3B tonight. #Phillies

                1. I’m fine with sitting him as a precautionary measure, but a whole lot of our IL stints have started as either precautionary or “it’s not that serious, don’t worry”/ So I’ll stop worrying when he’s back on the field.

                2. Dan K nailed it. Another “precautionary measure” ends up as a stint on the IL, this time for Haseley.

91. I believe Kapler wants to give Franco another opportunity to break out of his slump. You can’t break out if you’re not playing.

    This might be (one of) his last chance(s) to do so. If he can start hitting, it could help the team a lot and add another player in the mix.

92. I would like to have the data on injuries per capita among baseball players from decade to decade from the ’70s through the ’10s. It must be staggering. Players have apparently gone from being made of burlap to paper mache.

    1. That’s what happens as players start to do things we never would have thought possible otherwise. Players are bigger, faster, and throw harder than ever before (in every sport). It’s harder to hurt yourself throwing 88-92 than it is throwing 95-102.

       It’s also a symptom of more advanced medical care. It’s likely that a lot of players whose careers ended earlier than expected were actually injured. And some who were injured and knew it played through it longer and shortened their careers because of it. Think of it in the scope of Werth; he had an injury that went undiagnosed that essentially ended his career. But then it gets diagnosed and treated and suddenly he’s an all star and wins a world championship.

       Baseball history would have been much different if we knew as much about the human body as we do now from the beginning. And today’s baseball would be much different if we had our future knowledge already. It’s pretty interesting to consider.

93. Last night’s game is already ancient history. The only game that matters is the next one. Pivetta, coming off of a strong start in L.A., hopes to build on that performance. Eflin and Eickhoff have done their jobs this week, and the only clunkers belong to Nola and Arrieta. In my opinion, the Phillies need to do nothing for the rest of June, barring another injury.
    The bullpen is another story. Neris has been great, and Alvarez and Velasquez have exceeded my expectations. It looks like Kapler and Chis Young are saving Austin Davis and J.D. Hammer for low-leverage relief situations. It looks as though Hunter and Ramos could return in the next couple of weeks, so that should give us a couple more options. Make no mistake, Kapler and Young have done a masterful job of mixing and matching the bullpen arms. As long as that continues, there’s no need to change anything … yet. Having said that, if a semi-young, reliable, reliever should be made available, Klentak should jump on it. You can never have enough good arms in the bullpen.
    The timing of the Jay Bruce trade could not have been better. What appeared to be a depth piece, turned into a stroke of genius immediately. Hopefully, Haseley isn’t injured. He’ll gain valuable experience, and give us a glimpse of the future. The current Phillies line up is strong enough to overcome below average pitching. I’m a strong believer in, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. As long as the Phillies remain in first place, and continue to win series, don’t do anything.

    1. Gabe may have Vinny closing if Neris is unable, or they do not want him, to go on the second consecutive day.

94. Adam Haseley goes on IL, groin strain. Unbelievable the amount of injuries this year. I don’t know who gets called up, but I guess Kingery plays CF and we get Franco every day at 3B. It would have been nice for Quinn to be ready, he might give us 5-6 games before getting injured again.

    1. matt – I’d guess Nick Williams returns.

    2. I know there are 40 man issues, so maybe that is the answerto my question,, but why is Lane Adams never in the conversation with all of the injuries to our outfield? What would have to happen for him to get a shot?

       1. 40 man was the reasoning up to this point, but we’re getting to where it won’t matter anymore. There’s not much hope he’ll hit all that well at the MLB level (he’s hitting .285 with a .400 BABIP in AAA, so that’s basically double regression on the way in the majors), but we essentially just need warm bodies right now.

          The only non-injured fielders we have on the 40 man in the minors at the moment are Walding and Gamboa. Gamboa is clearly not ready for the majors, and Walding… I guess in theory we could call him up. But… why? He’s not better than Franco, so having Kingery in CF still hurts us at 3B.

          But if we’re adding someone to the 40, it might be Robinson instead (or someone that’s not currently in the organization). I wish Grullon could play 3B…

          1. Gamboa on the 40!
             Whoever’s call that was….ought to be dipped in coconut oil.
             They could have held off until this Nov.
             Every 40 spot is valuable.

             1. Can’t argue with that. I still wonder if there was some kind of deal made with him that promised he’d be on the 40 man. Or if they’re doing his family a favor or something.

                1. Five years ago, Gamboa signed a $900K contract as a 16-year old ( a Rule 4 end of 2nd round value draft slot this year and mid-2nd round in 2014)….and highest paid to a Phillie international player that year. Dan Brito was second at $650K.

                   He was already ahead financially of most North American kids drafted at mostly 18-years old in 2014.
                   Plus…..there have been some questions about the level of dedication to the game.

                   He seems to be getting a lot of breaks for a kid after 5 years in the system and almost 1400 PAs with a slash of 218/.297/.300…21%K and 10% BB.
                   Most kids would be gone by now.

                2. Sorry…just venting.
                   Not on you.

    3. Perhaps I’m wildly optimistic, but once Quinn returns I’m hoping he can go 10 games before going on the IL again.

       1. vegas has set the over/under at 10

95. I think Nick Pivetta dropped the first F bomb on live TV, since 2008 Chase.

    1. He was definitely excited when he did that, so I’ll give him a pass for it.

       He pitched great, looks like he slowed down his motion a tad and he had more control because of it. Keep it up Nick! That rotation spot is yours to lose.

96. Who’d have thought the Phils would have 3 CGs at this point of the season, and 2 would be from Eflin with the third coming from Pivetta.

    Baseball is weird.

    1. I think the Phillies lead the league.

       .1.Giolito • CHW 2
       Eflin • PHI 2
       3. Alcantara • MIA 1
       Hendricks • CHC 1
       Carrasco • CLE 1
       Syndergaard • NYM 1
       Feierabend • TOR 1
       Leake • SEA 1
       Minor • TEX 1
       Ryu • LAD 1
       Taillon • PIT 1
       Sale • BOS 1
       Bieber • CLE 1
       Holland • SFG 1
       Corbin • WSN 1
       Marquez • COL 1
       Fiers • OAK 1
       Vargas • NYM 1
       Pivetta * PHI 1

97. Moniak quietly having a really productive year. Top 10:
    Hits/RBI/triples/doubles/total bases/runs ..there may be more but those are what I saw real quick. AND he’s the 4th youngest in league I think I heard announcer say.

98. I read that Kumar Rocker threw 131 pitches in a 19 SO no hit complete game to prevent Vanderbilt from being eliminated in this year’s college world series. If the NCAA is concerned about the long term success of college students I wonder that they don’t have a mandatory pitch limit.

    1. come on man, it was one of the greatest performances ever- he hadnt been overused this year- one high pitch start for a stud like that isnt going to hurt him.

       1. Except if it does. You don’t know that. I’ve seen pitchers go down and never recover resulting from less taxing situations.

99. College pitchers pitch one day a week. I realize that 131 pitches is pretty up there. Over the past few years I’ve gotten to see Matt Barnes, Anthony Kay, Tim Cate and Mason Feole pitch. They all threw between 100 and 120 pitches whenever they pitched deep into a game.

100. Well, once again Gabe found a way to interject himself. Nola was cruising and could have gotten one more batter with 2 outs in the 7th. But NOOOOOO! Kapler overmanaged the staff. Cincinnati was hitting dinkers all day. Why bring Alvarez in there vs a righty bat? Let your ace finish (or try) the inning. Another game that got away.

     1. And let’s give Rhys a blow. He needs to reset himself.

        Also, I know the injuries have set us back, but this bench continues to be among the weakest in baseball. The roster is paper thin.

     2. My bigger issue is double switching Bruce out of the game. End up with Goselin batting in the ninth instead of the hottest hitter in the league

     3. Nola was cruising earlier, but not in the 7th. He was gassed. He had to take something off his fastball to locate it. I disagree with bringing in Alvarez specifically, but I don’t mind taking Nola out at that point.

        The double switch was just dumb, though. Probably doesn’t make a difference, but Nick Williams offers nothing over Bruce at this point.

101. Ok, Nola has Votto 0-13, Why would he not pitch to him? What good are the analytics if they are ignored? It is not like we have a shutdown left handed RP. Alvarez is ok at best.

102. Pardon my ignorance. How many more games before Suarez, Irvin Garcia, Hammer, and Haseley come off of the prospect list? Does Haseley’s time on the IL still count? I’m totally in the dark here.

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