232 thoughts on “Open Discussion: Week of July 20th”

1. Parker is shown on both the 30 and alternate site lists. Was it announced that he made the 30? I expected Kelley to make it before him but both are possible. I think I read Lartigue was removed from the 60 so he can go home. I believe Bethancourt and Marchan are both going to be at the alternate site when healthy.
   Jim – I would just discuss games in the general section, at least to start. With 60 in 66, the games will be coming almost daily.
   Baseball!!

   1. When going through the transactions line by line, I missed the Parker transaction. That would have saved me a lot of work, since 29 wouldn’t have triggered an idea like 30 did.

      Lartigue is at the Alt Site. If he was removed from the 60 (I also heard that, but haven’t seen an official transaction), he is STILL eligible for the 60 since he was a medical addition (COVID). The other players who left the 60, can NOT be added by the Phillies, guys like Forsythe and Liriano.

      Swarzak was granted his release today. A couple of young Phillies prospects from ST have been invited to Allentown.

      I hear you on the daily discussions. It’s extra work for me. But they really wouldn’t be any different from the daily minor league discussions, just a lot fewer teams.

2. I’m confused! On Sunday, did the Phillies beat the O’s 3-2 or did they lose 5-1?

   1. ciada…they lost 5-1…former Phil Tom Eshelman pitched pretty decent for the Os

3. You can’t blame Canada for being super cautious, and I fully expect that border to be closed well into 2021 at this rate.

   The Blue Jays had 2 alternate sites in mind: Buffalo and Dunedin. However, the players want to play their games in a big league park. So there’s talk about the Jays playing some of their “home” games in PNC park and likely other parks. It’s going to get interesting for them.

   1. I heard last night, They are thinking of using Hooter girls Picture for ball girls?

      1. LOL…very good rocco…..your unrestrained levity keep the spirits alive.

   2. Canada’s population is so sparsely situated, also no beaches, no rioting and reporting mechanisms not as advanced along with no political agendas, unless you count Treudeu as anti-Trump & America; I can see why they have lower rates.

      1. The biggest issue is no political agenda, although there will be those who refuse to wear masks. Canada is not immune to that. There’s a video of a man getting taken down at a Tim Horton’s for refusing to wear a mask and not wanting to leave the premises.

         1. I suppose wearing a goalie mask will not count.

4. Doe anyone know what they are going to do with the rest of the minor leaguers? Are they going to have camp down at Clearwater for them? Its a shame to waste a whole year of development

   1. Unfortunately, Florida is a hot zone. There were discussions to have an expanded Instructional League but those are on the shelf for now.

5. Jim, I would say keep with the weekly posts.

   1. Most Definitely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6. Jim, I’d say stick with weekly. Daily is great when we have full minors, but this year it’d be overkill for majors.

   1. Agee. Weekly is fine. It also allows for a flow in the evolution of discussions. If something big happens, a separate thread can be created. Also, less work for you Jim, I suppose.

7. agree Jim that a weekly post is good.

8. I was excited to see the game yesterday after missing Baseball for these months. But, that excitement was short lived. I don’t know about the rest of you, but that was boring. We made Tom Eshelman look like a terrific Pitcher, and he won’t even make the Orioles team. We have the same problem as the past few seasons, where we get ourselves out on junk in the dirt. I heard part of Saturday’s game on the radio, and no fans was not really that noticeable. It sure was yesterday. Hard to believe the games start counting this week.

9. Is tonight’s game going to be televised or do we miss out?

   1. Yes, it’s on at 6. No Harper, Cutch, or Bruce.

      1. thanks Murray

10. Keeping the discussion weekly should be enough at least until Labor Day should the Phillies be in a primo position in the standings. This will be a sprint vs the usual marathon.

11. The Phillies announced that RHP reliever Anthony Swarzak has requested and received his unconditional release. Swarzak had been on a minor league contract since June. It was the second minors pact Swarzak signed with the Phillies dating back to February. The two sides reworked the initial deal. I suppose he will look to catch on with another team…he needs to recapture his 2017 season again

12. Jim; weekly would be great.. Unless there’s a breaking baseball news.. Not withstanding last night’s offensive dud we’re going to hit..Boy’s and girls it’s getting closer… The wildest season in MLB history is nearly upon us..Hang on…

13. I’m going to ignore that last post and go back to baseball. Watching this game tonight, I came away very impressed with Rosso and Marchan. Not sure if Rosso will make the team to start but I’m sure he’ll be up at some point. Marchan has a cannon for an arm. Wow.

14. i Wish there was some way to be safe, yet get like maybe 200 fans per section in there,,Its like watching playground ball no people, i miss the crowds going nuts, Like when i forgot the pitcher, but our fans keep going crazy and the pitcher keep walking guys, Or the game winning home run how crazy people get, To see Romus eating a Hot Dog behind home plate and his glasses fogging up cause they are so thick. i miss that, I will miss all the info Jim gives us on mInor league ball, Watching the catcher last night, he was so good defensively, Hope he learns to hit a little,

    1. rocco….again you made me laugh…..love them Phillies Franks and Wystershire Black Cherry soda.

       1. rocco……or was that Wishniak Black Cherry?

15. Romus, the Champagne Cherry at Levis’ Hot Dogs was the best. They had the old fountain and it could be mixed with Chocolate. I also don’t know how the Hot Dog and Fish Cake Combo got started, but what a treat that was when I was a kid. Sorry to get away from Baseball. I know that these are practice games, and the players don’t have much time to get ready, but I sure hated the who;e extra batter thing yesterday. VV had pitched great, and as soon as they kept him in to face Judge, I knew it was a mistake. Let him have his great outing, we all know the third time through the lineup is a problem for him. Last night didn’t help, at all. While we are at it, I also hate the runner on 2d in extra innings thing.

    1. matt13…he does look better than in the past, looks like Vinny goes Sat or Sunday vs the Marlins….if Wheeler’s wife delivers before Saturday….Vinny goes on Saturday, if not, he starts Sunday .
       as rocco would say…this season is the fast two -minute Derby…it ain’t the Belmont.
       Phillies have to jump out of the gate

       1. They should induce labor for Wheeler’s wife today.

          1. I would think I would wait until Sunday morning….the rule states for MLB paternity leave……a player placed on the paternity leave list must miss the next team game, but no more than three games.

16. Not a bad OF catch for a catcher…..one-handed catch, at the time,
    by future Phillies prospect Logan O’Hoppe on a Manny HR at Yankee Stadium in April 2018,
    ….two months later the Phillies drafted him in the 23rd round.

    ……at the 7 and 8 second clip of the video.

17. Does anyone know if the the intersquad scrimmage tonight is going to be streamed?

    1. If it is the Phillies Twitter feed will carry it…

18. I am very concerned about Haseley’s hitting. I just don’t see an impact hitter. The bat path seems off to me. Struggles to make consistent hard contact.

    1. Haseley reminds me of Kevin Pillar, if his defense holds up. Good 4th OF/second division regular.

    2. He needs more lift in his swing. I am disappointing as well so far this year. He seems to be chopping everything into the ground

    3. The Haseley I saw hit in the Minors is not the Haseley I’m seeing in the big leagues so I am slowly starting to lose faith in his upside.

       He looks so tentative compared to what I saw last year and the year before at AA.

       I don’t know if it will ever make sense to me that when everything that you want to see from a hitter is there in the MiLB and then they can’t get it to translate.

       1st Year 284/357/761
       2nd Year 305/361/795
       3rd year 275/360/840

       8% BB Rate 16% K rate

       I’m sure the Phillies are perplexed as well as they saw what I saw or they would not have promoted him.

       1. The difference in pitching between the majors and AAA is dramatic. any weakness gets exposed

19. Man, is Quinn this generation’s Lonnie Smith or what? So far he’s endured every type of mishap except getting run over by the Phanatic’s scooter. But what a weapon off the bench and an occasional start. (Let’s not press our luck.)

    1. He does seem to run into bad luck.
       And to think the Phillies had two similar HS players to look at, coming out in that 2011 draft…Mookie and Roman….Roman was rated higher in their books….and if it were not for all the injuries he could have been a solid MLB CFer by now.

       1. I found it interesting that RAJ was not asked much at all by Tom about a bunch of his guys or guys drafted/traded for under his watch.

          I mean think of all the guys you had in that game: Quinn, Hoskins, Kingery and Williams and Llovera. And there are many others that didn’t get in the game: Nola Knapp, Arano, Grullon, Morgan and whoever else I am missing.

          Asked wife: “Hey do you recognize that voice”

          Wife: “No but his voice is horrible where is Kruk and Ben?”

20. I root for him every season. The idea of what Quinn could do has stuck with me since he was drafted. I know every injury has a way of finding him, but I always believe it will change. I am just hopeless, I guess. And, v1, I have no real argument for you. He just hasn’t shown me enough. I always hope I am wrong, but Starting ML CF on a playoff team just does not scream Adam Haseley. I hope he makes that jump to another level.

    1. I root for my roses every year too and they never materialize…

       Oh sure they excite me with a few early spring blooms and the occasional late summer blooms but then there is all that time in between when they just aren’t there.

       I don’t dig them out though. I try and try to care for them and wait til next season to see what might happen.

21. Top 100…Bleacher
    https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2900791-brs-top-100-mlb-prospects-at-the-start-of-the-2020-season
    Alec Bohm @12
    Spencer Howard @ 42

    1. To me, Howard is clearly the best prospect in the system.

22. Josh Harrison requested and was granted his release by the Phillies. Mildly surprised.

    1. I’m very surprised as well. It looks like Gosselin is in the mix for a spot as is Torreys who is the best glove of the bunch plus gas prior history with Girardi

       1. Disappointed to say the least,
          ….Harrison is finally healthy after a few years of battling different sorts of ailments, and looking to be coming around….and now he is gone
          I was hoping for a Howie Kendrick type of a player from him.
          Evidently he feels he should be at least on a team’s 30 to start the season.

          1. It was either Walker or Harrison perhaps. Walker it sounds like was content to come off the bench and PH as needed and being a SH provided a perceived better match up piece.

             That said I love JH and the way he plays. He’s got one of those infectious personalities Walker OTOH seems as exciting as a wet rug.

23. I’ve decided to delete the political thread that keeps growing.

    Don’t mistake my deleting of this topic as an indication of my feelings one way or the other. I don’t feel a need to share my non-baseball opinions, especially on “hot-button” political topics.

    Be careful of the use of “me too”. It is a movement about sexual harassment and abuse by powerful and/or prominent men. Putting it in quotes made it stand out and I wondered if the target was being questioned for his advocacy for those victims.

    I’ve been called the thought police and worse when I delete comments. I don’t like that. This is a Phillies’ minor league baseball site that accommodates Phillies’ discussion.

    A good rule of thumb would be, if you start off saying, “With all due respect … I feel compelled to comment on something that is political”, then don’t.

    1. Thank you Jim. Sorry of my prior post but it was so tempting and I gave in due to Kapler. Afterward I kept writing and deleting, not giving into any more temptation. So we do need your strict guidance.

       1. No apologies necessary. I don’t go through and delete each comment individually. Comments have a mother-daughter relationship. Once I delete the initial comment, the others even if not referring to the “mother’s”, topic are all deleted.

24. Don’t know what to make of this, but at 4:00AM, most of the transactions that were listed on the Phillies’ affiliates’ transactions lists for July had been deleted, about 20 transactions. The only ones remaining are –

    7/15/2020 – LHP Austin Davis assigned to Alternate Site from Lehigh Valley
    7/15/2020 – C Rafael Marchan assigned to Alternate Site from Clearwater
    7/08/2020 – Reading released RF Jose Pujols
    7/08/2020 – Clearwater released RHP Oscar Marcelino
    7/08/2020 – Lakewood released LHP Jose Jimenez

    1. Wow Pujols released. Had some hope for him after last year. Guess it wasn’t real.

       1. You’re probably thinking about two years ago for Pujols. Last year he spent mostly rehabbing an Achilles injury. He was dealt a bad hand between that and Covid.

       2. Maybe he can resurrect his career with another team, Aquino, at an older age, was able to do it with the Reds, his original team he signed with.
          Their career minor leagues slashes are not great , but….:
          Aquino…..248/.308/.455…approx 3200 PAs
          Pujols…….238/.304/.406.. approx 2100 PAs

       3. I think Pujols release may have been influenced by his contract status. He was signed as a free agent prior to the 2020 season, and was going to be a free agent again this off season.

25. Sorry jim about the Comments about Romus, they are political and i will stop

26. I was surprised about Harrison and Liriano. I think both may have a lot to do with financial concerns.

    1. Yeah, they’re at a point in their careers where $400/month might not be enough of an incentive to sit at the alternate site.

27. Reports are Dodgers and Moolie are close to a 10 year deal. Before the season starts, I just want to state my position that if we don’t sign JTR, I know Klentak will take the heat. And while I am. It a big fan of his, losing JTR would be the direct responsibility of John Middleton. The signing should have happened before the pandemic shut everything down, and that lies at Middleton’s feet as well I know teams move on, but losing JTR would signify to me that the hopes I had of us being one of the elite teams again will be gone. As always, I hope it doesn’t happen, and I always root for the Phils, but this is, more than signing Bryce, Middleton’s test of his words.

    1. Spitballing here but LAD extending Mookie will be a HUGE impact on the upcoming free agent market, INCLUDING JTR….perhaps to our favor. Not saying a hometown discount is a shoe in, but the familiarity of your present player friendly club vs the uncertainty of the future lends to settling for what you know you can get, maybe a little more. No?

       1. … or, the removal of one of the few premier free agents from the market could drive the cost of others up. Maybe, maybe not.

       2. It might have some indirect impact, but Mookie is in a completely different position than JTR, especially considering that JTR is older, has never achieved quite the heights that Mookie has and JTR plays the position in baseball that has, by far, the shortest shelf life, so it’s kind of an apples to oranges type of deal. On JTR contract, I’m much more concerned about the years than I am the AAV. I hope it’s not longer than 5 years because, as I’ve explained, history shows that catchers drop off a cliff between ages 32-34. There are rare exceptions but very few – you have to plan for what history teaches us will likely happen. And, no, he will not be a good option as a DH or at 1B – he would be below average and dramatically overpaid at either position.

          1. I understand the difference in positions. I was referring to there being one less big ticket free agent on the market. Remember when we signed Harper? Remember how people panicked as the big names came off the board and none were signing with the Phillies? The fan base was terrified that the Phillies wouldn’t sign either of the two remaining big tickets – Harper or Machado. The bidding (according to Nightengale and Heyman) grew frantic.

             This is the type of market I am alluding to with the Betts signing. One less big name could increase the interest in the other big names across the board as the teams with money look for someone to spend it on.

    2. Matt, you understand that the reason that JT isn’t signed is because he felt a responsibility to the union, catchers, and future players to go to free agency. Not signing JT before free agency isn’t necessarily in the hands of the Phillies. The Phillies don’t seem overly concerned, yet.

       How about this scenario. What if they already reached an agreement that will be consummated at some point during free agency. One that promises to beat his best offer if it exceeds their offer, but also promises to not lower their offer in the event that offers received are considerably lower than theirs. So, it looks like he tried FA and the Phillies were (and probably really are) his best offer.

       Probably not ethical, maybe even illegal but “what if”.

       1. I do not think it is illegal,
          however, the MLBPA may think it is unethical…..but then again two opposing parties cannot really collude, if they come to the proverbial gentleman’s agreement at an earlier timeframe prior to that post season FA start time.
          If it is the case….both parties must have a great deal of mutual trust in each other…which does seem to be apparent from past interviews.

          1. You right, it’s not illegal. People on opposite sides of the bargaining table can’t collude in agreement they reach between themselves.

       2. If that crossed both our minds – which it has – then I’m sure it crossed the Phillies and JTR’s agent as well.

28. It's only fitting that local healthcare heroes have the best seats in the house for Nemours Opening Day.

    Stay tuned to learn how you can join them this season: https://t.co/pJtPlt6CfG pic.twitter.com/xtXmOHx5Gp

    — Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 22, 2020

    1. Thanks for the information. I love this idea. I wish they would have been more uniform in the sizing of the cutouts, it would be more realistic.

       1. You want realism? Socially distance them. haha.

          1. Lol. And masks?

    2. Rumor has it that Rocco and Romus’ cutouts were going to be side by side, but all that white hair would obscure the background of the ball…plus their heads are too big to fit next to each other 🤣

       1. 8mark……very good…rocco’s cut-out is a full body with him wearing his ‘I Heart Italians’ speedo.

          1. Romus, is it true Roc’s cutout was designed at the Reading Market with full scale aromas eminating from it? Man, that might clear out a whole section!

             1. He may have got a good deal down there.
                Some of the Fishtown merchants may have booths set up there 😉

             2. 8MARK if you ever saw the Our Gang pictures, Foggy is Romus iam spanky

             3. https://blog.zennioptical.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/nerd-glasses.jpg I love ROMUS card board but out

                1. rocco….I will give that to you…you are up one….LOL

                2. Wow, I didn’t know that Josh Innes is back in Philly.

       2. Lol

29. iPitch Smart Pitching Machine ………..now in the batting cages at CBP.
    https://www.mlb.com/phillies/news/bryce-harper-praises-phillies-hitting-coach-joe-dillon

30. Jim, you just described a plan I have been hoping for! I have had faith in JM, and believe him when he says he “will die trying to win another WS!” I really do, that is why not signing JTR would be so disappointing and disillusioning to me. I believe in him. And he said the big signings are on him, the 2M Relief Pitchers he does not need to even be consulted. So what I hope is the scenario you laid out.

31. Guru……..looks like PA denied the Blue Jays….Allegheny County has seen a rise in positives.

    https://www.tsn.ca/toronto-blue-jays-denied-permission-to-play-at-pnc-park-1.1498475

32. Official: Mookie gets 12/$365M. Record numbers for new money. Trout got 10/$360M.

    JTR? No worries…I agree with Jim’s “suggestion” that perhaps a handshake deal is in place to match the highest competitive offer. Only time will know…

    1. Uh . . . not sure where you’re getting your numbers from, but Trout got $426 million for 12 years. The rate you cite is fairly accurate, but it’s for an additional 2 years.

       What’s interesting is Trout’s contract actually depressed the market as he took significantly less than what he could have obtained. He easily could have asked for $400-420 million for 10 years and I guarantee someone would have paid that. But Mike Trout just wanted to get a decent long-term deal done and it so it happened.

       1. Uh…I said “new money”. $66M of Trout’s deal is included in his total 12 yrs, his 2 remaining on the original deal plus 10 yrs at $360M.

33. Mets now having pitching woes now:
    Marcus Stroman and Robert Gsellman both placed on the IL.
    Without Thor already they could ace some difficult decisions in their rotation.
    Stroman with a strained calf can be awhile…and he needs to pitch in this free agent year
    Amazing how things can come quickly unraveled on pitching staffs.

34. MLB and MLBPA are in eleventh hour talks to expand the playoffs, which must be in place prior to the 1st pitch of the Nats-Yanks opener tomorrow.

    1. That could possibly be the only way the Phillies get in coming out of their division.

35. No day better than today for the Phillies to announce a deal with JTR!👍

36. Phillies may be playing away at the Blue Jays at Citizens Bank Park.
    MLB is going to try it with the Nats first it appears.

37. I think we defy all the National prognosticators, and make the Playoffs this year. Our SP surprises, and someone emerges as a mainstay in the BP, while our hitters get it done. I keep reading all the analysts, and we are, pretty universally, regarded as mediocre and worse. I can’t look at the talent we have and believe we are that bad. I know guys need to step up, but I think they will. I don’t look at them with rose colored glasses every year, in fact I have not predicted the Playoffs since 2011, but I have a feeling about this year. Now, if we play lousy this weekend vs. the Marlins, I will jump off the bandwagon very quickly.

    1. matt13…agree. Spring training records are really not indicatons , but normally teams that do have well better than .500 spring training records do very well in the regular season….not always making playoffs however.
       And this truncated, abby-normal season though may dictate something else

       Look at the Mets staff already….besides Thor, now Sroman looks to be out until first part of August sometime, Gsellman for awhile also..
       Hamels is a question mark for his 12 starts and Freddie has been slowed by the virus
       I like to think the aging arms of the Nats will see the same fate as the aging arms of the 2013 Phillies.

       1. Loved the young doctor Frankenstein quote.

          1. Site rules limit commenters to the use of just one name. You are either Glan52 or papirico52. Pick one and stick with it.

    2. My 2020 outlook by position…

       c JT Realmuto will garner MVP consideration even if he only slashes .280/.330/.825, he’ll continue to be a doubles machine with 25 dingers, and elite work behind the plate.

       1b Rhys Hoskins struggles, with a couple of mini streaks. I believe Alec Bohm waits in the wings. I hope Hoskins proves me wrong with his new stance but the league seems to figure him out.

       2b Scott Kingery plays gold glove level while he continues to work on consistency at the plate.

       ss Didi Gregorius will provide some power and steady defense but I don’t see his slash line above .250/.320/.750

       3b Jean Segura may be the most pleasant surprise among the starting 8. Solid D with a BA well over .300

       lf Andrew McCutchen will provide leadership and clutch moments despite slashing pedestrian numbers.

       cf Adam Haseley will be outshone by Roman Quinn at the plate but still stands out for his defense. Quinn will actually stay relatively intact and provide lots of energy down the playoff stretch. Yes, I said playoffs!

       rf Bryce Harper will have monster numbers, finishing slightly below .300 with the most important OPS tickling 1.100 over a 60 game schedule.

       Tomorrow I’ll do the pitching staff…if I remember.

       1. Oh…Jay Bruce as DH…I have a feeling there will be another bat in his place by season’s end with the inevitable emergence of Bohm.

          1. Having seen Bohm in the first spring training – I would second your slotting of him as an occasional backup at dh along with playing the field occasion. I see the kid hitting .265 ish ++ but with good plate discipline, timely hits, and an ability to work the pitcher. I think he will give us reason to be optimistic about the future also.

38. I agree Romus, and losing Rendon hurts the Nats. I actually think Arrieta has a good season, and however the rest of the Rotation starts the season, Spencer will be up to help out. I believe in Rhys, and think Segura has a bounce back season. Sure, I see issues in the BP, but with a bit of luck, Bryan Price and Joe Girardi make the right moves. I see an addition at the trade deadline. I read an article this morning calling our farm system “nearly barren”, and while I have not been thrilled with everything they have done, that is not an accurate description.

    1. I was posting a year ago the most important signing the Phillies would announce during the offseason (and it was a long one) was going to be the new pitching coach. They did good with Bryan Price. I expect to see mega improvements from Nick Pivetta, Vince Velasquez, and Zach Eflin. I also believe Aaron Nola will look a lot more like Nola 2018 than Nola 2019 (under Chris Young). All of the teams’ young arms will benefit.

       Also … I know some of you don’t like when I post anything Mike Trout … but … this could be helpful to anyone who lives with/is close to someone who suffers from depression.

       Today, @MikeTrout and his wife @JessTara launched a new campaign for #SuicideAwareness.

       For the Trouts, it's personal. 💔 pic.twitter.com/OjZ310NmLP

       — Infield Chatter (@InfieldChatter) July 8, 2020

       1. Right on, Hinkie! As someone who has struggled with chronic bouts of depression throughout my life, it’s still a very misunderstood and highly undetectable in many people. Post traumatic stress disorder is another mental illness which has recently gained more attention and fortunately so. Our worst afflictions aren’t always physical. Thanks for posting this, H.

          1. 8mark … stay well. I lost a brother-in-law a few Christmases ago. It’s a sad thing. Happy to see Mike Trout and his wife take up the cause.

             1. Hinkie, I have no problem with you or anyone posting anything on Mike Trout. He’s shown to be a class act. He made the best decision in the best interest of his family and himself. Some people (like the buffoon who barks on the morning clown show on 94) hold him in contempt for choosing to sign with LAA as if he was snubbing his home town. He had nowhere to go but down if he signed here, regardless of how much I and millions of others would love to have him wearing red pinstripes. All the best to him and his family.

39. fyi

    Just a little nugget: Jonathan Arauz, former Phillies prospect who was dealt to Houston with Ken Giles for Vince Velasquez and others in the first big deal made by Klentak, has made the Red Sox roster after being a Rule 5 pick.

    — Jeff Israel (@JeffIsrael90) July 23, 2020

40. v1, you are a fairly critical evaluator of the farm system. Would you deem ours to be “nearly barren”?

41. Good news that Zach Wheeler’s wife had their baby on Monday so he won’t miss his first start on Saturday. In order to make room for Gosselin on the 40 man roster, the Phillies will have to make a move. Nick Williams didn’t make the opening day roster. He’s now on his final option. Garlick is the final OF. Robert Stock was sent to Lehigh. Trevor Kelley and Ramon Rosso were added to the bullpen. No other surprises. Let’s go Phillies!

    1. oh no 8mark!
       …..rocco’s Elliot Ness (Robert StOck) is headed upstate.

    2. Gamboa or Williams will go for Gosselin. Stick might still stick around, we’ll see. Rosso the only rookie to make it. Congrats to him. He’s been throwing very well, reaching 97. Other guys on their first opening day roster though.

       1. Rosso’s development is interesting; I thought he was more of a low 90’s guy before. Have to wonder if he might still have potential as a starter down the road and if the velocity spike is permanent.

    3. You cant do that to Robert Stack, he is a untouchable

       1. Now that was funny!

          1. What’s really funny is that Angel Hernandez gets to be home plate umpire for the MLB season opener in DC. How appropriate for a whacked out 2020.

             1. First game, rain delay. How appropriate!

             2. Some of those pitches he called for strikes were so far out over the plate they were closer to Arlington than D.C..

             3. He has no business umping a little league game let alone the season opener of an MLB game.

                1. Been in the league now over 25 years…go figure.

                2. In the rest of corporate America, he’d be promoted to some supervisory position. But no, the umpires union has pictures of somebody.

                3. I’m pro worker of course I mean who doesn’t want to look out for the little guy but this is probably my one and only issue with unions.

                   They make it so difficult to weed out the poor performers

                4. Hernandez has some ongoing lawsuit against MLB in claiming discrimination so I suspect the league is unwilling to do anything at this time to help feed his claim. My guess is he got the assignment based on seniority..

                5. …so it’s true, the best defense is a good offense.

42. Nats lose Soto for awhile to COVID positive test.
    https://www.prosportsdaily.com/articles/nationals-star-of-juan-soto-tests-positive-for-covid19-wont-play-tonight-640880.html

    1. Romus, I hope he’s ok but we’ll take every break we can get.

43. Expanded play-offs approved……16 teams as well as a best-of-three first round series (rather than a sudden-death WC)…good for 2020 only.
    So 8 teams from the NL…bodes well for the Phillies now

    1. It showed both sides could negotiate with each other especially when financially it was a no-brainer.

44. Braves lose Cole Hamels now for maybe half the season it looks….45 day IL…and triceps are tricky for any pitcher, especially an older one like Cole

    1. 45 day DL means he’s more or less done for the regular season. He’ll need to shut down, heal up, and then get his arm back into game shape.

       1. Yeah…..not sure what I was thinking….60 game season means it ends at the end of Sept.

    2. That’s good. He won’t be helping us lose this year, his market value will be down this off season and then they can bring him back on a nice two-year deal with an option for a third year. I think he would pitch great here.

45. Happy Opening Day everyone!

46. I’m looking for a guy that we drafted and brought through the system to come in at some point this year and demonstrate that he has that “IT FACTOR” that he belongs, that he is not going to let the opportunity slip through his hands.

    Who’s it going to be….

    1. Dark horse….Ramon Rosso.

       1. Speaking of which, my pitching outlook…

          From the bullpen, along with Rosso, I think Jose Alvarez will be a key arm from the left side. Aside from those 2, I have concerns that the pen will be the weakest part of the roster until any acquisitions are made as the season goes on. I remain a Hector Neris doubter, especially in the closer role.

          As for the rotation, Aaron Nola should perform above last year’s results if only because of the legitimate coaching/managing now present. While Zack Wheeler may have mixed success and and an ERA which won’t fall below 4.00, I actually believe Jake Arrieta will be effective over the short sprint of 12 starts and looking for his next payday. Vince Velasquez may have found his mound whisperer in Bryan Price and trust in Realmuto’s judgment. The X-factor in my opinion will be Zach Eflin. Spencer Howard will arrive and pitch well, but I’m not certain Joe Girardi will throw him to the dogs in such an urgent stretch of playoff intensity. I look for Howard to be a long 3 inning guy out of the pen to build up his strength with an eye on 2021.

          1. I almost feel like they have to start Howard when he comes up to build up his innings for next year. If they get through 2 full turns of solid pitching I wonder if they would just go 6 man rotation. I personally would be for it. It would rob Nola and Wheeler of a start or two but Nola at least has been incredibly effective with the extra day.

             1. I might be more inclined to go with a 6 man rotation over the course of a 162 game marathon/endurance test. But for a 60 game sprint, I tend to think that Girardi will want Nola and Wheeler pitching every 5th game to maximize their contribution.

47. Phillies first 60 games last year….33-27
    Phillies last 60 games last year…..27-33
    Phillies middle 42 gms last year….21-21
    Weird.

    1. I think they go 29-30

    2. It’s not that weird. They were the very definition of a .500 team and they essentially played like that – all year.

48. Romus, I think 33-27 wins the Division this year. A big key is Rhys. He was very good before the All Star break, and dreadful after. The splits are huge. A healthy Arrieta and Zach Wheeler make the SP better. Yes, I have nightmares about the BP, and we need some luck. WE are significantly better in our overall D. I think Kingery plays close to GG 2B, and hopefully he hits. If Pivetta’s head is screwed on correctly, he could be a weapon out of the BP. I am thinking like Ryan Madsen was. Sure, I am optimistic, but It is Opening Day!

    1. Does 2B defense really impact the MLB game all that much anymore? I mean the number of shifts they employ have really cheapened the need for a GG caliber 2B.

       That position has evolved to the point where its all about the bat in my opinion.

    2. matt13…agree …comes down to Rhys if he stays in the 4-hole behind Harper/JTR or Cutch.
       His RISP was abysmal ….IIF at 28% was the worst in the league….and too many BBs….BBs are a poor AB in RISP situations…kills rallies…sets up DPs….slows
       ‘momentum’….basically close to an unproductive AB in a nut shell.

49. Sorry and one tie

50. Phil Gosselin officially added to the big league roster. Arquemedes Gamboa was DFA’d off the 40 man to make room.

    1. Gamboa…..was always a mystery to me why he was added to the 40 back a few years ago…..being selected in the Rule 5 would have been a long shot coming off the year he had prior….and for the most part, career metrics were below par.
       Every 40 spot is something to be valued.
       He probably will stick around the org, since I really do not see many teams going to break down the door to get him inked.

51. Sorry, @Phillies fans, for the unfortunate timing, but due to a necessary surgery today, after announcing 48 straight home openers, I will miss tonight’s game. Hopefully this procedure will allow me to return to Citizens Bank Park quickly. GO PHILLIES!

    — Dan Baker (@DanBakerPhils) July 24, 2020

52. Romus i just brought down you cut out, They are putting it in section 110 , row 12, seat 3

    1. rocco…..thanks, but you think you got me with this picture….

       

       …well I fooled you, that is not me from years ago, but my twin brother….buzzinga!

53. Romus, Rhys is batting 2 today. Cutch leads off, then Hoskins, Harper, JTR, Didi, Segura, Jay Bruce, Kingery and Quinn. Good balance, but players need to perform. Looking forward to the game. Marlins have some good, young Pitching. We need to get off to a big start.

    1. Agree matt…..Marlins have pitching….and soon Sixto could be intheir rotation.
       Cannot believe he is now 230 lbs…..he was not that tall to begin with …maybe 5’10” max.

       1. Heard a podcast the other day with interviewer talking with Keith Law about the Phillies trade of Sixto + for JTR. In his usual – puncturing somebody’s fancy balloon with his happy spirit – Law does not think Sixto will be a starter but rather reliever only. He is impressed with his fb but thinks his other pitches are too hittable. Law also sited problems maintaining health and diet/conditioning as factors to think the Phillies may have “sold high.” He rates the trade an even swap to slightly ahead for the Phillies. Only time will tell ?

          1. RU…..yeah KLaw at times can be brutally honest….he doesn’t sugar-coat anything.
             And he does usually gets things right….but when he does miss he will admit it…like with Paul Goldschmidt

          2. I’m sure I told you guys this when the trade was made.

             The Phillies were considering moving Sixto to the BP before they traded him. Since, the move would look like a demotion, Sanchez was unlikely to retain his #1 status as a prospect. So, they sold high.

             It didn’t help that he complained of injuries that kept him at the Complex. Injuries that the medical staff couldn’t verify. Injuries that persisted when he reported to Miami and still couldn’t be medically verified.

             He was going to go the AFL his last fall with us, but his lingering “injury” kept him off the roster. The BP decision that never occurred was considered during the end of Joe Jordan’s reign as head of development.

             1. Yes. I posted the following in the Comments Section of the Weekly Discussion for February 4, 2019 on 2/7/2019.

                “And now the trade.

                It is not uncommon for fans to overvalue their prospects. It becomes increasingly difficult to gauge value when they don’t have all the pertinent facts. Let me help.

                I like the trade. Two years of JT Realmuto is enticing. It only makes sense that Jorge Alfaro would be included in the trade – catcher for catcher plus. Now, the two years is a drawback and JTR was unwilling to sign an extension with the Marlins, who can blame him. But, as we learned afterward, and I’m sure the Phillies new beforehand, JTR is willing to an extension now.

                The Plus is what we all were worried about. Sixto’s name was part of the trade from the get-go it seems. We already know that the Phillies were open to dealing him to Seattle in a deal that would have included Diaz. But why would they be willing to move their top pitching prospect?

                Maybe because he wasn’t going to remain that for long. I believe they were unhappy with the condition in which he arrived last spring. Perhaps that had something to do with the elbow problem that sidelined him. He appeared to get thick around the middle during his rehab. His secondary pitches weren’t progressing along a developmental path that they had expected. With a poorer pitch repertoire they were seriously considering moving him to the bullpen. Seriously. The collarbone that kept him out of the AFL was probably fiction to maintain the myth of his TOR status. I believe that they may have planned on trade high as early as last summer. A #1 prospect who moves to the bullpen loses value quickly.

                I think they may have sold high.

                Stewart is a ground ball machine. He had A 3.07 go/fo in 2017 and a 2.42 in 2018. He has a low 90s FB that he can get up to 93-94 mph. I was looking forward to seeing him with the Threshers this season. He probably has a ceiling of a #4 though.

                The $250K in international money is the lowest amount that you can trade, I believe. And, I think it has to be moved in $250K chunks. (I’m not 100% on this.)

                I think the Phillies may have done well here. if JTR extends, then I’m sure they did. Note that JTR has an Arb year in 2020 and is a FA in 2021, his age 30 season. Difficult for a catcher to get a good contract at that age. I think he will be open to signing an extension.

                Other names under consideration were Kingery, Medina, Haseley, Bohm, Romero, Howard, Young …

                Personally, I like all the players involved, but Stewart and some international $$ instead of one of the guys in the paragraph above? Well done, Matt.”

                1. I guess we’ll see. Sixto didn’t have any problem in AA and his prospect stock doesn’t seem to have dipped at this point, so moving him to relief would have likely been premature, at best. He’s also “back in shape” per The Miami Herald, which is good but also means concerns over his conditioning weren’t coming from nowhere.

54. Well we won’t be seeing Jorge Alfaro behind the plate for the Fish this weekend. He’s been placed on the IL for an undisclosed reason. Replacing him on the roster will be none other than…hold it…hold it….

    SEAN RODRIGUEZ!
    (What the hell, it’s 2020!)

55. RU, KLaw often drives me crazy. If Sixto is only a Reliever, then the trade was a big win for us. Even if we don’t re-sign him. If we do, then it was a huge win for us. If we resign him and Sixto is anything less than a #2, it is a big W for us. His opinion that Sixto is a RP makes his “even, slightly ahead for the Phils” comment ridiculous.

    1. matt13…of the three dealt from the Phillies….IMO, LHP Will Stewart , will be the one that could really surprise….or maybe another way….he will produce for the Marlins. He could be a Jamie Moyer/Dallas Keuchel type and become a part of that rotation, probably back-end guy. He has the pitching intelligence and his stuff, other than a 95 mph FB, can be to his benefit …..gets crazy plenty of GBs.

    2. If Sixto has reached 230 lbs (as someone posted earlier) for a guy 5’11(?) that’s a huge red flag. I’m pretty certain that the JTR trade was Klentak’s best so far, by far. Re-signing him is on Middleton, not the GM.

       1. Johnny Cueto, who has the same body type as Sixto, is listed at 5’11”, 229. Sixto says he’s 225 lbs right now.

    3. That’s true in the sense of expected value, but it’s important when evaluating trades to consider 1) vale at the time of the trade, and 2) opportunity cost.

       Most people only consider the values provided by the traded players, but it’s also about the value provided by ANY player (or combination of players) that could have been achieved by trading the same package.

       So for example, if we could have traded the same package for Mike Trout (purely hypothetical, obviously), that means the value of the prospects at the time of the trade was WAY higher than we sold them for. But if JT was far-and-away the best player we could have traded for, then we actually stole him because the value of the prospects was lower than the Marlins thought.

       So basically, Law thinks that the value of both packages, at the time of the trade, was roughly equal (maybe leaning slightly in Philly’s favor). But the present-day value is different (JT is older and about to be a free agent, and Sixto has seen his expectations diminish). JT today would not have fetched the same deal, and Sixto today would not have been enough for JT then.

56. Here’s a list of some Phillies’ walk up songs
    https://www.philliesnation.com/2020/07/phillies-2020-walk-up-songs/

    I must be getting old because I don’t recognize many of the tunes. However, it was nice to see a couple of old souls in red pinstripes: Vince Velasquez (Gap Band) and Neil Walker (Beastie Boys). I may be most intrigued with Jay Bruce’s selection of My Truck by BRELAND ft. Sam Hunt. First time I’ve heard it, but I was instantly hooked.

    Let’s go Phillies. Excited for Joe Girardi and (especially) Bryan Price influence on the club. Nothing will surprise me in this abridged season. I could see them winning the NL East or even imagine the club with a top 10 pick in next June’s draft.

    1. Maybe I’m just way too old, but to quote Barry Manilow: Whatever happened to melody?

       1. Hinkie i must be old too, cause What lyrics do you have to Dont Tou my Truck? lmao

          1. rocco……now that the Fightins’ are back playing again…..I hope you gave up watching Drone Racing.

             1. After last night, stick with the drone racing.

                1. Denny New Thing Corn hole its great

                2. Yes it is!

                   My youngest son was the Corn Hole champion at NC State. I wasn’t excited at hearing it first until he told me it was advanced bean bags not what Iknew from growing up. Whew!

             2. Romus i am hooked on Drone Racing.,its exciting new, the phillies are old and dull as usual.

57. Marlins have one of the worst lineups in the league, but an hit a hanging curveball and a FB down the middle of the plate. Meanwhile, we cannot hit. 5-1, 6th inning. Alcantara our pitches Nola. We strike out or ground out on pulled pitches. Really disappointing

    1. I so enjoyed the past several
       months without watching the Phillies lose. It was refreshing.

       1. I’m convinced that if the Phillies got to play the Marlins every game this season, they would win … the 1-1 pick in next June’s draft.

    2. Alcantara is legit. He broke out as a 23 year old last year with a 3 WAR season. Getting shut down by Alcantara is bad, but he’s a good pitcher.

       Now if we get shut down by Caleb Smith tomorrow, that would be an issue.

58. Deja Vu, Fish 5, K Kompany 2. Hard to get
    into this game. Eh, tomorrow is another day.

59. How does Bruce not lay down a bunt against the shift down 3 in the ninth? Dang moneyball

    1. Kingery and Quinn not stealing?

60. Phillies are in midseason form frustrating the crap out of me. Baseball is back!!!

61. Funny, how the big headlines are about the Phillies young pen, when the vaunted offense and ace were the ones who lost it to the Marlins.

    When the Phils have 4-5 offense threats and consistent starting pitching they will win. Oh and by the way best teams like the Marlins consistently.

    1. Should have said consistent offensive threats

    2. Hopefully, Rosso had a case of MLB debut jitters. If he can’t throw whatever pitch he was spiking for a strike, the hitters will eat his fastball alive. Game was frustrating but if Kingery’s ball was 1 ft to the right for a HR it could have been different. Nola looked good until he tired with the lead-off walk.

       1. That lead off walk was really a strike, so the whole game was decided at that point.

       2. I thought Nola looked a little shaky after the second inning, so I’m not surprised he got burnt eventually. His velocity wasn’t where it’s been in the past either. We just need him to be better.

62. Ya, again this loss goes on Phillies offense inability to score 3-4 runs. With a close second to Nola, As our best pitcher he is responsible for keeping it close enough that we vN win it with 3-4 runs, he did not.

    We are going to get up against plenty of pitchers better than this guy, and your best starter needs to hold the other team down while he’s in there.

63. I know Alcantara is a pretty good Pitcher, but he is not that good! We did exactly what he wanted. 3 IFs on 1 side, and we pull Ground Balls right to them, consistently. No one has to move at all, the balls are hit right to them. No one can hit the opposite way? Try something different? I know it is 1 game, but doesn’t it remind everyone of years past?

    1. Well let’s do iventory;

       Harper is a streaky hitter and unfortunately …

       McCutchen hasn’t played meaning full basebal for over a year and who know when he is going to go south

       Realmuto has been there most consistent hitter but not sure how clutch he is.

       Hoskins had a great 1/3 of a season how long ago?

       At least Didi seems to be hitting now.

       Kingery, jury still out on him.

       Segura…hmmm

       Quinn, ouch

       Bruce, oh how long

       Who else?

       Again you need 4-5 guys, even if they are streaky (Utley, Rollins, Victorino, Howard, Werth) who 2-3 are hot and clutch.

    2. I disagree, Alcantara is very good. He’s throwing 97, and his secondary pitches are improving. He’s at least a 3, but I would rate him as a 2 pitcher. You will be surprised what his numbers will be at the end of this season.

64. Maybe someone can help me…I count 43 players on the 40-man roster. I know Dominguez and Robertson are on the 45 day IL, but who is the 3rd player? By my calculations, the players remaining (that aren’t on the active 30) include:

    Pitchers: Victor Arano, Garrett Cleavinger, Enyel De Los Santos, Seranthony Dominguez, Edgar Garcia, Mauricio Llovera, Adonis Medina, David Robertson, Jojo Romero, Christopher Sanchez, and Ranger Suarez

    Hitters: Deivy Grullon and Nick Williams

    I haven’t seen anything to indicate one of these players was designated for assignment or put on the 45 day IL (besides Dominguez and Robertson).

    1. Is it Adonis?

    2. Greg,
       RHP David Robertson was placed on the 60-day IL back on February 12, 2020.
       RHP Seranthony Dominguez was placed on the 60-day IL on June 28, 2020.
       LHP Ranger Suarez was placed on the 10-day IL on July 1, 2020 retroactive to June 30, 2020 with RHP Tommy Hunter, RHP Hector Neris, and 2B Scott Kingery.
       No injury was listed.

       It was assumed and since been confirmed that they were COVID cases. The COVID IL does not count against the 40-man roster. All but Suarez from the July 1st transactions have been activated. I have “heard” that Robertson, Dominguez, and Suarez are all in Clearwater.

       Suarez on the COVID-IL and Robertson and Dominguez on the 45-day IL would bring the 40-man from 43 to 40 players.

       The Transactions Tab has all of the current year’s transactions listed. The sub-Tabs show previous years. I keep it pretty accurate, using all “confirmable” sources. A year starts when post-regular season transactions begin, usually with recalls, activations from the ILs, and free agency elections.

       1. And, the 60-day IL became the 45-day IL when MLB and the union reached an agreement.

65. Delay the panic. They got that first win. Wheeler pitched well and they scored runs. Oddly silent in the comments.

    1. Probably a mixed bag between a deep sigh of enthusiasm and a little concern.
       The enthusiasm ….runs were scored and Wheeler looks the part.
       The concern….Goose is not the bat people are expecting to be da man.
       But it is still early.

       1. Didi has looked good, Rhys is showing a really good eye still, and most others are at least making solid contact. I’m not really worried about the bats too much. It’s no shock that pitchers would be ahead of the curve right now.

          What worries me is the bullpen, although Guerra looked terrific today, so that helps. I think Nola was better than his stats showed yesterday, and then the ‘pen really let him down. Especially Rosso (chalk it up to jitters for the time being, but gotta have a short leash this season).

          As long as Wheeler and Nola pitch like they can, and the bullpen does an adequate job, that should buy us plenty of wins until the bats have caught up. And then maybe we can hit our way through the playoffs.

          1. Yeah….still early.
             I expect the bats to get hot soon, especially with the weather getting this hot.
             Also, those extra teams in the play-offs may prove to be beneficial for them.
             Top two in the division with the added two with the best records
             Purely guessing….but I can see right now in the running… from the West…LAD, maybe Padres….Central -.Cards, Cubs and Brewers, and from the East Braves, Nats, Met and Phillies……so they do have a decent chance of the nine.

    2. Not really. I have noticed that toward the end of the week, some save their comments for the next Open Discussion.

66. Love the BUNT Bryce Harper!!!!!!

    1. The guy knows how to play the game, even if he’s occasionally over aggressive. And it helps create a winning culture. Keep the opposition off balance, do the unexpected.

       ….and SIGN JTR!!!

67. Could Phil Gosselin be our Max Muncy? That would be a huge boost for the depth of this offense. Some guys just bloom later.

    1. I fully trust that our new manager will make sure we find out. Unlikely but let’s hope and know that we have a competent leader to make sure we find out.

68. Hoskins showed such great promise. But his demeanor at the plate seems tentative, hoping to get a hit, not determined to get one.

    1. Reminds me a little of how Pat Burrell. use to bat…….plus/good eye and very patient, not as aggressive as you may want in particular situations.
       Sometime so patient that he lets a good hittable pitch go by when he is ahead in the count already.
       Bottom line for me will be RISP……he needs to improve his BA, not BBs, on that from 2019…..if he hit like 2018 with RISP, his WAR would have been 1 to 1.5 higher than last year.

       1. Watching Hoskins yesterday, I also thought of Burrell. Specifically how Pat had that breakout year early on and everyone expected him to go on to superstardom and instead he was terrible the following year. I’m glad Hoskins’ patience is still there but it also feels like he’s in his own head too much.

69. Gosselin really was a great story, and loved JTR’s bomb. Wheeler gave us everything we could have hoped for. Our D looks really good. It still is troubling that we couldn’t capitalize on those early BBS. They led to zero runs, and that is a problem. Still early, nice win, and Didi really looks good.

70. Five years ago today, Cole Hamels threw a no-hitter in his final start with the #Phillies
    pic.twitter.com/UA1vwj2Tjv

    — Phillies Nation (@PhilliesNation) July 25, 2020

    1. All the reminder of watching Odubel Herrera in CF making that last out while flailing around out there on the CF warning track.
       It was a great exit for Cole.

       1. Speaking of Herrera – where did he end up ? Was there a roster spot somewhere ? I am sure he had options left ? Thanks ahead for any info.

          1. RU…..he was assigned outright to Triple A in January after all teams passed on him in waivers. Since there is no minor league season….he is in limbo..
             If they need him to fil in up there at LHV, for intra-squad games, assume they will contact him. I would think he is staying in shape somehow..
             Maybe Jim has seen him around the Complex.

             1. Things I’ve heard.

                Nope, he returned to Miami. Heard he was playing in pickup games with other major league players on a sandlot down there before ST2.

                The only guys at the Complex are Robertson, Suarez, and Dominguez.

                The Venezuelan minor leaguers who were sent home never left and have been working out in the stadium. They had been working out on their own across the street on the DiMaggio Fields. They are still working out on their own but are allowed in the safer confines of the stadium.

                All other rehabbers have returned to their homes.

                1. Thanks Jim.

                2. Jim,
                   MLB Debuts.
                   When rookies make their MLB debut, MLB, in conjunction with the team, has a funded program where they will fly in the rookies families for their first game.
                   I noticed the Royals’ Brady Singer made his MLB debut yesterday but did not see any of his immediate family members in any highlights…unless the Royals had them in a stadium suite.
                   Is that program suspended now due to COVID-19?.

             2. Romus – many thanks for the Herrera info….Cheers

71. Terrible job by VV wasting early lead. Ready for Howard to take his spot.

    1. Amen! 3 innings, 60 pitches. Tired of that same old song.

       1. 8 mark……..what made you think that was going to change? Next test, Pivetta?
          I’m thinking that the guy with the toughest job visible is the Phanatic! No fan interaction to respond to except cardboard cutouts. Has to interact with the invisible imaginations of his own mind. Same S#$@ different day for him.

    2. I still think VV gets 1 more shot but who knows in this shortened season. Howard get will get his shot soon enough. The Phillies are not sure Eflin will be able to make his first start.

72. Well, there you go…..now you got the answer on Pivetta, a dinger by the guy we couldn’t afford!

73. I’m still trying understand why LHP Cole Irvin is on the 30-man roster. He stinks.

    1. Based on his career performance, he should be the mop up guy. Not sure why he was pitching in a close game.

       1. Girardi is the latest baseball guy to be taken with VV’s natural talent and wanting to give him a chance. Unfortunately, as Larry Anderson said, VV can’t seem to get out of his own way. Ditto Pivetta. At some point, you’ve got to say enough is enough and move on. I’d be agreeable to giving VV a couple of more starts and not bury him after just one game, but it was so classically VV.

74. AMEN Irvin Couldnt pitch for Neumann, He was Terrible last year, has nothing

75. Yo, Matt….nice job on the bullpen.

76. So ESPN reports that Urena, Alfaro, Cooper, Ramirez of the Marlins tested positive. Urena was supposed to start today so he’s presumably in town. Cooper and Ramirez both played in the series. It will be interesting to see if other members of the Marlins got infected. They could be the first team to get seriously hammered by the virus.

    1. High percentage of Latin players are testing positive ..…those who want to reveal it that is.

    2. so the Reds placed a player on DL yesterday after he played opening day. At least Moustakas and Senzel wake up today not feeling way. If this is an office, every one around them is quarantining at least a week- but an MLB can’t do that so they just keep playing- seems like it could go through an entire team that way quickly.

       was surprised by the high fiving and other close contact in dugouts unmasked over these first couple days. do these guys realize they arent in a bubble like the NBA?

       1. not feeling well…and very quickly..meant to say.

       2. I was surprised that there weren’t more elbow bumps. At least the Phillies were keeping away from Didi.

          One good thing was that the other starting pitchers were in the stands and not in the dugout.

          Another rule I would like to see is once a pitcher gets taken out of the game, he needs to not sit in the dugout and instead go into the clubhouse.

77. That was pathetic! VV was awful, and had a 4 run lead,, and that’s simply unacceptable. I wouldn’t start him again. Cole Irvin was worse. What is worse than awful? Segura’s AB with the bags full and 1 out was terrible. Lost the opening Series at home to the Marlins. Just terrible

78. Yes pitching was bad but 2-13 with RISP is unacceptable from a team that thinks it’s good offensively. Both Segura and JTR had bases loaded, 1 out situations down 4 runs and managed to pop up.

79. Nats sign Josh Harrison
    Red Sox sign Robert Stock
    Just wondering how bad the bite will be when they face the Phillies later this season.

80. No argument 3up. How many times before have we seen a big lead blown, then the offense do nothing the rest of the game while the Pitching blew the lead? Nobody, except maybe Haseley is off the hook. I have bought into the Velasquez/Pivetta talent so many times. How about we realize they don’t have the mental capacity to thrive in the Majors? Bring up Spencer.

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