Open Discussion: Week of June 13, 2021

Weekly Discussion

The Phillies had a good week, winning two series.  They took two of three from Atlanta and swept a 2-game series from the Yankees.  Their record is back over .500.  Now they face a big test this week with a west coast trip that pits them against the Giants and Dodgers, the two best teams in the National League.

It’s getting close to decision time for teams.  They have to determine if they should be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.  As I mentioned in one of the Recaps last week, the Phillies are actively looking for pitching help.  Rotation help and a backend reliever are high on their list.  Unfortunately, the price may be high.  The one name that will be on every potential trade partner’s list is Johan Rojas.

So, is a potential, everyday, center fielder too high a price for a half-season rental?

If you’re tired of watching so-so starting pitching and late-inning blown saves, where do you hope DD draws the line on prospects?

This is the Phuture Phillies Open Discussion for Phillies and other baseball topics.

Key Dates:

  • June 25, 2021 – Close of the 2020 international signing period
  • June 28, 2021 – GCL season begins (through September 12th)
  • July 11-13, 2021 – 2021 Amateur Draft
  • July 12, 2021 – DSL starts (through October 2nd)
  • July 30, 2021: Trade Deadline (4 p.m. ET)
  • Oct. 3, 2021: Regular season concludes

The rosters and lists are up to date as of June 13th … 304 players in the org

Transactions (last week’s transactions)

6/12/2021 – Phillies optioned C Rafael Marchan to Lehigh Valley
6/12/2021 – Phillies recalled RHP Enyel De Los Santos from Lehigh Valley
6/12/2021 – Phillies optioned CF Adam Haseley to Lehigh Valley
6/12/2021 – DH Vito Friscia assigned to Reading from Lehigh Valley
6/12/2021 – RHP Jack Perkins assigned to Reading from Jersey Shore
6/12/2021 – Reading placed RHP Kyle Glogoski on the 7-day IL, right elbow sprain
6/12/2021 – Jersey Shore placed RHP Tyler McKay on the 7-day IL, right shoulder impingement syndrome
6/10/2021 – Phillies sent RHP Brady Lail outright to Lehigh Valley
6/10/2021 – Phillies placed RHP Chase Anderson on the 10-day IL
6/10/2021 – Phillies recalled C Rafael Marchan from Lehigh Valley
6/10/2021 – DH Vito Friscia assigned to Lehigh Valley from Jersey Shore
6/10/2021 – LHP Maikel Garrido assigned to Clearwater from GCL East
6/09/2021 – Phillies sent SS Didi Gregorius on a rehab assignment to Lehigh Valley
6/09/2021 – LHP Kyle Dohy assigned to Reading from Lehigh Valley
6/09/2021 – 1B D.J. Stewart assigned to Jersey Shore from Clearwater
6/09/2021 – 1B Rudy Rott retired
6/09/2021 – Clearwater placed RHP Starlyn Castillo on the 7-day IL
6/09/2021 – Clearwater placed LF Ben Pelletier on the 7-day IL
6/09/2021 – CF Yhoswar Garcia assigned to Clearwater from DSL White
6/08/2021 – Phillies placed RHP Brandon Kintzler on the 10-day IL, neck strain
6/08/2021 – Phillies activated RHP Chase Anderson from the 10-day IL
6/08/2021 – Phillies optioned LHP Cristopher Sanchez to Lehigh Valley
6/08/2021 – Phillies selected the contract of 3B Luke Williams from Lehigh Valley
6/08/2021 – Phillies activated RHP David Hale from the 10-day IL
6/08/2021 – Reading placed LHP Taylor Lehman on the 7-day IL, left elbow strain
6/08/2021 – Reading placed C Colby Fitch on the 7-day IL, right oblique strain
6/08/2021 – LHP Josh Hendrickson assigned to Reading from Jersey Shore
6/08/2021 – C Jack Conley assigned to Reading from Lehigh Valley
6/08/2021 – C Herbert Iser assigned to Jersey Shore from Reading
6/08/2021 – LHP Ethan Lindow assigned to Jersey Shore from Reading
6/08/2021 – C Rickardo Perez assigned to DSL Red
6/07/2021 – Phillies sent SS Scott Kingery outright to Lehigh Valley
6/07/2021 – Phillies activated SS Scott Kingery
6/07/2021 – Jersey Shore transferred LHP Spencer Van Scoyoc from the 7- to the 60-day IL
6/07/2021 – Clearwater transferred RHP Jose Ulloa from the 7-day IL to the 60-day IL
6/01/2021 – GCL East activated RHP Josh Gessner
6/01/2021 – OF Jadiel Sanchez assigned to GCL East
6/01/2021 – LHP Jake McKenna assigned to GCL East
6/01/2021 – RHP Camilo Brazoban assigned to GCL East
6/01/2021 – RHP Dalvin Rosario assigned to GCL East
6/01/2021 – RF Jefferson Encarnacion assigned to GCL East
6/01/2021 – C Edward Barboza assigned to GCL East
6/01/2021 – LHP Jaylen Smith assigned to GCL East
6/01/2021 – LHP Juan Miranda assigned to GCL East
6/01/2021 – 2B Alexeis Azuaje assigned to GCL East

537 thoughts on “Open Discussion: Week of June 13, 2021”

  1. If I may throw my reply to the question above, in a season that hasn’t overwhelmed with positives, it is nice that the Phillies have a prospect that other teams want, but another couple might be how well O Herrara is doing in Center Field, and that M. Moniak has at least held his own at the big league level….. so if there is long-term value, I would definitely include J Rojas.

    1. Am I missing someting here? If Moniak held his own at the big league level, he would be the starting CF and not Odubel. Moniak has a career OPS of .513, and his minor league OPS is .691. At this point, he’s looking like a 4th OF.

  2. Who does the scheduling? Off day on Friday between a two-team homestand and no off day to begin a west coast swing.

    2. Denny…but why 120 pitches with a 7 run lead?
      Also I think Joe wants him fresh for the Giants on Friday night.
      Historically, June and Septs are Nola’s poorest months….he may get over the hump this year for past Junes.

      1. True. Just my heart to Nola because he wanted to stay in and maybe he looked towards bullpen and wondered if a 7-run lead was safe.

  4. Rojas is certainly in demand but they do have a few other prospects that are also in demand. We have a few A level pitchers that are interesting, several catchers but few position players. Yes I expect DD to make a few trades and we all know his typical MO is to trade prospects. I know I’ve heard former GMs often say that not trading prospects gets GMs fired. There is never a 100% chance that a prospect make it. Bad teams always have players who they’ll trade who might help their trade partner.

    1. Twins’ 27-year old RHP Jose Berrios right now looks to be a guy in play come July.
      A free agent in 2023, so there is one more year of control….and he is the only bright spot on that Twins’ staff.

      He will be costly however….do not even want to think what pitcher (s) and position prospects would go to Minnesota

      1. I would not even consider trading any top prospect for a three month rental because there is nobody available that would make this team as good as the Dodgers or Padres or White Sox or Rays or maybe the Astros in 2021.

        If a guy under team control through (at least) 2022 is available, I would consider trading almost anyone.

        1. Hinkie…well Berrios would be a guy I would consider.
          Phillies top four pitchers would be tough in any series..
          I just would be hesitant in giving up three top players/prospects.

    2. I was intentionally vague above. But, I posted this reply to a comment by Catch22hman on the June 11th Recap, probably too late for most to see it.

      Catch22hman: “I am pumped about Johan Rojas – a possible impact player. June hitting stats are .304/.389/.609 – jump off the page kinda stuff and I saw some of his spring training games – he’s an electric player. If you’re looking for our next really big star – it could easily be him.”

      Me: “Maybe. But, DD’s shopping for a starter and a backend reliever. The one player every team is asking about is Johan Rojas. There was an Angels’ scout in the crowd Friday night.”

      There are certainly other players in whom other teams have expressed an interest. But, Rojas is the guy that every potential trade partner inquires about.

      1. I would be interested in Raisel Iglesias, but certainly would not surrender Rojas for him.

  5. I know no prospects are sure things, but I would keep a few off limits that seem like they’ll be most important to the org in the next few seasons. To me, that’s Bryson Stott and Mick Abel. Stott could be an above average SS or 3B and Abel could be a frontline starter; both have high draft pedigree. Whatever deal DD makes should not include these guys.

    Also, the team has played better in June, but we’ve still seen them at their worst. I would try to add some pitching as Jim mentioned they’re looking at, but I wouldn’t absolutely go for broke unless it’s for a player that can help them this year and in the future.

    Sounds like Didi is going to be out at least the rest of the month. Shame we can’t get him back now for left handed pop at the bottom of the lineup between Cutch and Bohm. That would make the lineup so deep based on how they’re hitting right now. Then again, aside from his 0-fer yesterday, Torreyes has been decent for this team.

    1. Stott doesn’t look like the same guy I saw in Williamsport two years ago…Much, much improved..He’s lowered his hands during the batting stance and at least to me it’s leveled out his swing path…Secondly; his pitch recognition is much better..I was disappointed the first time I saw Stott and how he was getting consistently fooled by HS and lower level college pitchers… So hat tip to Bryson Stott for making great improvements with his stance which has translated to being a stud at the plate..

  6. I am not a fan of moving any meaningful minor league players to marginally improve the existing big league club. They have too many holes to think that getting an 8th inning reliever or some back of the rotation starter is going to put them over the top.

    Now if they can make a larger deal that returns something more than a rental player then that is a different story.

    My hesitation with the hiring of DD as GM was his win-now reputation so I do expect they will move some of those minor league assets to get marginally better.

  7. The Phillies may have to make that constant internal decision….who to keep long term…Rojas or Yhoswar Garcia….and of the two, who can be used as a package enhancement.
    Apparently both will be CFers and one year separates them in age.

  8. If I’m DD I don’t take any big swings to try and improve this club. In fact I would even consider selling certain parts of this club to prepare for major improvements in 2022.

    1. I think a lot of fans feel this way who watch the team every day. Let’s see how we feel after the West Coast road trip. If they come away with a winning record against two of the best in the NL, maybe they’ve turned a corner. There’s still plenty of talent, but I agree the composition of the team isn’t built for long-term success right now and a sale may be in the cards. At the very least, some very creative roster management will be needed in the offseason

  9. I have advocated spending whatever Dollars is takes to put a Playoff team on the field, but not whatever prospects it takes. Abel, Stott, Rojas, Yhoswar Garcia are on my list of off-limits. Do I think a Closer helps us get a Playoff spot? Maybe, and I make no decisions until this Road Trip is over. We could get crushed in the upcoming games, or we can hold our own. It’s a huge test. But, even a guaranteed Playoff Spot wouldn’t change my mind on the 4 prospects I cited above, and there may be more, but they come instantly to mind.

  10. I struggle to see DD trading Johan Rojas, Yhoswar Garcia, or Mick Abel now simply because they’re not at peak value.

    He mentioned during one of his pressers one of the keys to making the “all in” trades is knowing who is expendable. For instance if you look at Boston no ifs and or buts about it he wouldn’t trade Devers.

  11. The real talent of a good organization is in the evaluations of prospects such that they trade the guy with the lower likelihood to reach major league regular or even all star. I’ve never felt past Phillies regimes had that skill set. I’m hoping that the new group does. I would absolutely trade prospects for a good chance to be in the playoffs. If we could pick up another reliable starter and bullpen arm, I do think it could be the difference. This team has had its share f injuries but we’re starting to see the lineup results, still without Didi, that we hoped for. Odubel has solidified CF and the top of the order. Segura is great as a 2 hitter and Cutch and Bohm are starting to find their swings. However, we know our fielding is subpar so we’ll go as far as our pitching takes us. Wheeler has been great but Nola before yesterday was struggling and Eflin has been a normal 3. Vinny is Vinny but has had his moments and I’m thrilled that Suarez has bounced back and is a reliable arm again. Plus Bradley finally looked like himself the other day in maybe his best outing of the season.
    Come on DD, make a move and add to this team.

    1. Who has the Phillies traded away in the last 20 years that turned out to be least starter level? Carlos Carrasco? JA Happ? Michael Bourn? And those trades got us Oswalt, Lee, and Lidge.

      Here are some of the players that the Phillies have traded away:

      Hunter Pence deal: Jarred Cosart/Jon Singleton/Domingo Santana
      Cliff Lee deal: Jason Knapp/Carlos Carrasco/Jason Donald/Lou Marson
      Joe Blanton deal: Adrian Cardenas/Josh Outman
      Roy Halladay deal: Kyle Drake/Michael Taylor
      Ben Revere deal: Vance Worley/Trevor May

      And before we anoint Irvin and Pivetta to be all-stars, let’s wait and see how they finish out the season.

      2. Keep in mind, it’s not always about the prospects developing to burn us. Opportunity cost must also be considered.

        Lee and Halladay are cream of the crop players, so there’s likely nothing better you could have gotten from trading those prospects. But it’s worth wondering if we could have gotten a better return for other prospects we’ve traded away.

      3. Another, prospect who turned out to be a serviceable MLB catcher, was then prospect Travis d’Arnaud

          1. And what prospect did we trade for who has turned out well? Maybe Eflin but that’s it

            1. It’s Eflin by a mile and it was a damn good trade. Getting a #3 pitcher is no joke. Eflin is going to get paid very soon.

  12. Matt Vierling has ripped AA to the tune of .345/.422/1.065. He’s turning 25 in September. He defiinitely needs to be moved up to Lehigh. The problem now is that Lehigh is “rehabilitating” Moniak and Haseley. Not only that, Cornelius Randolph is on the IL and he’ll need a spot when he comes back. So what’s going to happen?

    I think right now, Ryan Cordell can get cut and they can promote Vierling. After that, hopefully Haseley hits enough so that he can come back to the Phillies as a 4th OF (with Joyce getting cut) when Randolph is healthy.

    1. Moniak ,Haseley., and Cornelius Randolph all LHBs.
      Two with MLB experience.
      I am sure Dave D is hoping all three produce at LHV.
      One or two just may be moved in a package.

    2. Jankowski is actually a decent bench player. He’s fast and good defensively and has no future. Haseley is not ready to only be a 4th OF. They want him to stay at LHV with the other hopefuls and hit his way back. Randolph will play when he comes back and Cordell will DH. He’s there to be a veteran

    1. I’m relieved that there are no Phillies mentioned. Max Sherzer? Justin Verlander? Gerrit Cole? Not surprised.

  14. I am tired of being a mediocre team too. But anyone who thinks a few rentals is will make this team anything more than a marginal wild card team, is just fooling themselves. if DD gives up high end prospects from a very weak farm system for a rental, that would be malpractice imo.

    Again, this team is a very bad defensive team. Has no positional depth. According to fangraphs, we have the worst WAR for a bullpen. We have a weak farm system. And a very high payroll. That’s reality, like it or not. I am not “hating”. That’s where we are. We need a transformational trade, not a rental backend bullpen arm. A trade that will add a player who is good at both offense and defense. shocking concept, I know. I don’t think nibbling around the edges changes much with this team.

    But more than anything we really need Bohm to be a stud. The future where Bohm is not a stud is not good. We need him to be great. Even if we move him off 3rd base. His hitting needs to be impactful.

    1. Bohm has started to hit better in June, but he’s slugging like Ben Revere which is not good. Where’s the power?

        1. Bohm may be a little bit more than Ben Revere.
          Batted Balls-163
          EV-92.4….15th in the majors
          Barrels-13
          Barrel %-8%…..74th
          Brls/PA%………..75th ..tied with Story of the Rox
          Hard-Hit%….49.1%….24th in the majors.

          The issue…Launch Angle….5%….120th in the majors

    2. Agree with v1. I think DD will make some earth shattering move(s) this offseason. Rhys Hoskins is a good candidate to be dealt. Maybe Hoskins (and pieces) for Hader (and pieces).

      1. I think that you are correct. We missed a massive opportunity to get Arenado this off-season for basically nothing. He would have fixed so many things.

  15. Two teams that are screwing up their rebuilds by playing well: Giants and Cubs. They have some high profile pieces and they can’t move them for prospects because they are in the hunt for a playoff spot.

  16. Agree 100% with v1. We need some of the younger (<25) players to turn into impact players. Bohm for sure. And Stott too (so far, so good). And SOMEONE else — maybe Vierling, who, as Guru mentioned, is killing it this year. The problem is, most good prospects don't pan out, and we don't have a lot of good prospects . . .

    1. Pitching wise, we have Falter who’s close and will get an opportunity. There is some pitching talent at Clearwater and I’m hopeful that Abel and 1 other pitcher from there will make it out of there. The problem is that they are at least 2 years away. Eflin has 1 more year left and Nola has 2 more years left. It’s probable that the QO will come into play.

      The Phillies have a lot more prospect hitters. Stott looks legit, and we’re hoping for at least 1 of Luke Williams/Cornelius Randolph/Matt Vierling to be starter level. After that, you’re hoping for at least 1 of Yhoswar Garcia/Luis Garcia/Johan Rojas to make it.

      1. LHP Miller should not be lost in the shuffle. He won the Instucts PItcher award last fall. He’s slated on the AA Reading roster and I believe being activated in early July. MLB.com has him as the Phillies #8 prospect and #1 LHP for a reason. Long term he has potential
        stud written all over him.

        1. Last time he pitched was in instructs and this was one observation report…”during 2020 instructs, sitting 92-95. Miller’s secondary stuff is also very promising… changeup was his best weapon in college but his two breaking balls each have big spin. They’re already quite good even though they’re maybe not totally spin efficient, according to a front office source citing a gap between Miller’s breaking balls’ raw traits and observed movement….No. 4 starter stuff if he can hold this type of velo over the course of a season without sacrificing control”

          1. #4 starter? I thought his ceiling would be better than that. #4 starters are borderline replaceable.

  17. For the Love of George Bell!! If your scouts think that Rojas is the one, then you don’t give him up. looking at the ’79 year Bell had at Spartansburg i still can’t believe that he was exposed. 60 XBH! amazing. kudos to the Blue Jays. not comparing the 2 but if they think Rojas can be really good, is it worth to give him up for a playoff spot. Phils aren’t going all the way.

  18. Guru, You are comparing trades that were made with a WS in mind, Doc, Cliff Lee, Hunter Pence, Roy Oswalt. The Revere trade I don’t count because Trevor May turned out to be a better player than Ben Revere. Now, we are talking about a BP arm that may, or may not, get us a WC Playoff spot. And, a player that will deliver much less impact than Joe Blanton did. Again, when we were a threat to win a WS. I am not trading anyone that I consider a future every day player for that. We are many players away from being that 2007-2011 team again.

    1. The original question was if the Phillies did a poor job recognizing the potential of their prospects they traded away. And the answer is no. If you look at the above, most of the prospects did not pan out for the other team. Could you imagine the heat on the Blue Jays GM trading Halladay and getting Drabek and Taylor as the center pieces? Anyways, it takes 2 to tango, and the other teams felt those prospects were fair compensation for the established players.

      We’re getting all worked up because the Phillies traded away Irvin and Pivetta. Seriously? Pivetta’s time here was done. Irvin did not show anything in his brief time. In the end, the Phillies will definitely have some poor trades. You wiil not win all of them. But the Phillies have won way more then they have lost. That is not in dispute.

  20. I decided to dive into Bohm’s numbers. Bottom line, they are not pretty.

    – His strike out rate is up 6.6%
    – His walk rate is down to only 5.8%
    – His BABIP normalized to near league average at .289 (was an unsustainable .410 last year)

    However, the biggest red flag is that he is facing more 4-seam fastballs this year and that is where he is struggling. He is seeing 4-seamers 37.5% of pitches, up from 32.5% last year. His runs above average against the fastball is -14.1. He is seeing sliders more too, but 23% vs. 19% last year. and his runs above average against the fastball is -1.8.

    So really, his issues this year are mostly hitting the fastball. In a league that is all velo right now, his struggles against 4-seamers is very concerning. Also his barrel % is down so it isn’t like he has gotten unlucky.

    He needs to figure this out. You have to pound the 4-seamer to be a productive mlb hitter.

    1. That is correct…..his K% and BB5 are worst off then 2020…and he has not adjusted to the pitchers, who probably have adjusted to him from 2020.
      it is a learning process for him.
      I am confident he will get it.
      But like I posted above…compared to the league 2021 average and not his 2020 season he is doing above league average in specific metrics.

      EV-92.4….15th in the majors
      Hard-Hit%….49.1%….24th in the majors.

      Expecting him to maintain 2020 BABIP was unrealistic.
      But the question most have is his lower ISO metric…..and a lot of that is the lack of lift…LA of only 5%

        1. I don’t make that Hader trade, v1, because as much as I want to have a Playoff team, Hader doesn’t get us much further and I’m not stripping the farm. It is not good enough already. What I wanted was Liam Hendricks signed in FA. He is pitching almost as well as Hader. Didn’t cost prospects. I, frankly, don’t care about the $, or the LT. This organization has screwed up the rebuild so badly, that all is left are the financial resources if we want to get better, while simultaneously evaluate and develop talent in a much better way. Hendricks would have us in first place without costing prospects. Middleton not doing everything possible to field a playoff team just means his big talk was all hot air.

          1. Agreed. It really comes down to the goal. Is the goal to “make” the playoffs? If so, this deal makes sense. If the goal is to be a perennial contender this deal is a disaster imo.

  21. Hinkie – I appreciate that you are so gung ho on getting Hader but the Brewers are eleven games over .500 and tied for first place in a really much better than expected NL Central. I can’t fathom that Milwaukee is going to part with one of the top five closers in baseball with the possibility (overwhelming possibility) of making the post season.

  22. Once the Phillies return from this west coast trip, the Mets will have played eight games – four against the Cubs and four against the Nationals. If the Phillies are no worse than 4 games back at the end of play on Sunday, I would consider that a major victory.

  24. rocco…..according to betting trends…Philies should have a very good chance for a win tonight…teams returning home from road trips of a week or more, with no days off…in baseball, basketball and hockey…..tend to come out flat, and will lose their first game home.
    Let your money ride on the Phillies tonight

  25. Bailey Falter has been called back up to the Phillies. Hoping he gets a chance in the starting rotation and not just a reliever.

    1. My guess is he’s here to pitch after Howard tonight and will be sent back down tomorrow. Anderson will be back any day and Suarez has earned a late game role.
      On any list of our possible future CFs we should not omit Muzzioti. He’s s very good CF with speed and a good batting average. We just need him to get here. I’m worried there’s something else going on with him not here yet.

  28. Dear Joe Girardi,

    Please give Rhys Hoskins a night off (or two). If ever there was a guy in need of a break it is him. He’s 0 for his last 27(?). That AB in the 1st inning w/runners on first and third could have been the difference in the game. He needs to at least drive the ball to the OF deep enough for the sac fly. Instead, he pops up to short CF. His second AB he grounds into a DP. His third AB he Ks and doesn’t bust it out of the box when the ball gets through the catcher.

    Tomorrow/later tonight, either start Luke Williams at 3B and Alec Bohm at 1B, or start Andrew Knapp at C and JT Realmuto at 1B.

    1. A clutch metric?
      Rhys is horrible in RISP.
      For his career….280,
      ….JTR and Didi in the .260s range
      …Cutch…>290

      Drop Rhys in the lineup to 6th or 7th.

      3. Hoskins ability to provide even a meaningful out is terrible. I agree, set him a few games and drop him in the order. I was going to post his current O-fer streak, but it depressed me too much to do so. Hinkie bailed me out on the subject, thanks. Very winnable game, our pitching kept us in it, Falter good effort, we out hit them, just left too many men on base and in scoring position. Nice to see Luke come through in front of his entourage. I like watching him, definition of a guy having fun.

      1. Miller would have been at first but understand Joe thought the Dodgers were going to have Goselin only pitch a few innings and then go to a LHP after him.
        Right now Rhys is not producing and is a liability with RISP.
        last night…first pitch pop up with Jean on third base and less than two outs.
        Wasted opportunities come back to bite you, later in games.

        1. Lefties starting the next two nights so I guess Williams will get at least 1 start at 3b with Bohm moving over.

  29. Another thing … The Phillies may be trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Spencer Howard may be a helluva a closer instead of a four inning starter. In his last/only four starts this season, opposing hitters are slashing .040/.172/.080 in the first and second innings. And Howard’s velo is mostly 94-96 T97. If he knows he’s only being used for one (or two) innings, that velo likely ticks up another couple of MPH. The point is … Spencer Howard as a dominant back end reliever is probably more valuable than a four inning starter this season.
    Having said that … he almost certainly wouldn’t be able to go on back to back nights, but that’s ok.

    They can always use spring training 2022 to stretch Howard out again, and attempt to return him to the rotation again. He has a history in MiLB of holding his velo deep into starts.

    It might be easier/cheaper for DD to acquire another SP instead of a closer this summer.

    … and nice to finally get to see Mr. H get to see his son pitch a MLB game in person. A lot to be excited about for him (and the rest of his family), including Spencer’s first MLB hit (double)!

    1. Agreed, it seems so obvious. Use him as a 2 inning late game reliever and give Suarez the chance to start.

    2. Yes, I believe he has a history of holding velocity deep into starts, but how relevant is that history if it precedes his shoulder injuries?

      I know, when he’s got his full arsenal, he has very good starter’s stuff. But he hasn’t been able to hold his velocity past 2 or 3 innings for the last two years – that’s not a temporary issue. It is unclear to me whether he will ever be able to retain his velocity again and I wouldn’t mess with pushing him too far this year. Put him in the bullpen and let him work from there and perhaps rest more and do shoulder strengthening exercises. Next year they can assess what’s best for him but, physically, it appears he has an issue that prevents him from doing the starters job effectively at this point in time. They should stop pretending it’s not happening and adjust his role.

  30. One positive from last night’s game……even though the Dodgers were without many big guns, Bailey Falter held his own late into the night….66% strikes in his 38 pitches.

    1. It was interesting to note that his fastball plays up because he releases the ball closer to the plate than any other pitcher. He pitched well. He has #3 pitcher potential, but I need to see more.

  31. Rhys shouldn’t be this streaky but here we are. The Phillies caught a break when Hoskins didn’t take the Phillies’ team friendly offer (unfortunately Kingery did). Rhys has 2 more years of arbitration and then he’s going to walk.

  32. I have always backed Rhys, and still keep hoping he gets more consistent, but this 0 for 30 is filled with some really bad ABs. He is back to the “ground out to SS or hit weak pop ups” part of his game. Hinkie has him being part of a big DD trade, and it may not be that far fetched. Bailey Falter acquitted himself very well. Kudos to him. 5 games left on this Road trip, can we win 2?

      1. Not the body type of a middle IF based on his running around the bases. He’s only 18. I’m thinking corner IF. It’s certainly great to see the Phils in the market.

            3. Thanks Jim.
              Looks like, judging by his weight, he his not your typical 18-year old

  34. Romus, Harper is 7th, and I can’t argue with that. His numbers are way off in HRs and RBIs, even accounting for the getting hit in the face. I would put JTR higher, but a team playing as inconsistently as ours has does get get any of its players the benefit of the doubt. Looks like Wheeler will be the only Phil on the All Star team.

  35. Phils bring Brock Stassi back,

  36. There must be something about Sunday’s date. There were 8 players with lots of minor and some MLB experience. Phillies signed Jake Elmore and Grenny Cumana, they must be trying to improve the minor league records.

  37. Howard pitched well last night, Dodgers came out in attack mode and he took advantage. Long innings and umpiring might of not helped him going longer but did his job, put them into position to win. Surprise Brogden one inning and early appearance.
    Falter looked ready, pitched effectively, showed poise and rose to the occasion. Command as usual, low pitch count and sent a message he’ll help the club and they can count on him.

    Broadcasters on the MLB express Falter’s extension to be a plus

    23 LOB!!!! Good teams take advantage.
    Success/wins = hit with men on base

    1. Do not agree that he put them in a position to win. He pitched four innings and then to one batter in the 5th and gave up three runs. Pitching four innings as a starter and giving up three runs is a bad outing. Granted he was dominant for 3.2 innings but you have to look at the totals and not cherry pick where it is convenient. You can’t be a major league starter and pitch only four innings and give up three runs on top of that.

  38. The amount of players an organization can have must have went up on Sunday. The Phillies start playing on June 28 in the Gulf Coast League. Those 8 players signed on Sunday were all assigned to GCL teams.

    1. Wayne…MLB set the new limitation per system at up to a maximum of 180 before the season…that is not counting those on the injury list…60 day IL.
      Not sure if they have changed it again…never know.

  39. NL
    Yes I agree. You should not be a MLB Starter and not go at least 5 innings, preferably 6 but the Phillies continue to show THAT they have an agenda

  40. They put Stassi at Reading but I look for them to more him up to LHV to replace Hall.

    2. No, the kid Rott retired, he was Reading’s 1B. Stassi is just there to be a veteran helping the kids with little opportunity for advancement.

      1. I suspect this may also be an audition of sorts for Stassi.
        If he can tutor and guide the kids a bit, and impresses the Phillies, he may be looking at a coaching position somewhere at the A-level of the organization next year.
        Do not know, just guessing, but it is a good way to get his foot in the door.

  42. Hinkie Carpenter cup game canceled tomorrow morning so your guy most likely pitch 1230 Friday afternoon FDR park

    1. Patso…FDR park….the field sort of below the on- ramp to I-95 South?
      We can send rocco on that scouting trip…he is five minutes away..

  44. Vierling AAA
    Missed HR on 1st AB
    Double 2nd AB
    Single 3rd AB
    On Fire
    Norte Dame welcome to AAA

  45. It’s early, give him time, etc., etc.:

    1. Someone on here called him a “butcher” at 1b, and he is. Last night, I had to chuckle on that one double play ball that Luke threw high to him. He had to look in his glove to see if he caught it and seemed surprised that he had.

      1. I’ve been saying that for years now. His defense is so bad that it’s hurting his value i.e his WAR. He needs to be a DH somewhere just to be starter level.

  47. Harper and Segura now hurt, Hoskins 0 for 33, now, Cutch is 1 behind him for the team HR lead, and we are pretty much a mess. If we don’t win today, we may go 0-6 on this West Coast trip, and I, at this point, can’t advocate for DD trading anyone from the prospect list. Maybe we have a healthy team 3 weeks from now, and we see how far back we are, but I don’t know what the team can do to get better unless the players that are here get healthy and play much, much better. And, I am not using health as any excuse. We just don’t play good baseball on any consistent level, which is generally a sign that the team is not good.

  48. Chemistry and Make-Up are terms we hear a lot. They are real things but extremely difficult to quantify. We seem to have it in spurts but not enough to sustain long term success.

    We’re not the only ones. The Yankees appear to be in that boat as well which begs the question are we a match with them to change scenery for a few players.

      1. Joe D. throwing in Nola….only way I would even think about it, better add in Jasson Dom. to Torres, Frazier and Garcia to the package.
        Cashman does not want to let him go however..

    2. BTW, don’t misconstrue the fact that I posted this article as me being in favor of the proposed hypothetical trade presented in it. It potentially turns the Yankees’ season around while the Phillies get a hope and a prayer.

  49. I agree with you, spin. An interesting read, and I am not trading Nola, and I am more of a Hoskins fan than some, but interesting. I don’t want Clint Frazier for LF. But this brings up the question of where does this team go next? Let’s imagine, for a moment, that the season progresses without any turn around. We fail to make the Playoffs again, and nothing much is done at the deadline, so all of our ammunition for a trade is still available. And, we are looking short term. Is moving Didi to 3B, Bohm to LF, Freddy Galvis back at SS, and money spent on a Closer, enough? Even close? Or, is a major shake up necessary?

    1. The Phillies are headed for a major shake up anyways just for contracts:

      FA: VV, Cutch, Neris
      1 more year: Eflin, Didi, Segura
      2 more years: Nola, Hoskins, Odubel

      So the roster turnover is going to happen.

          1. Prospect status I always thought was purely for list and rankings, ie MLB.com, BA, BP, Fangraphs.

            Rookie status ….I’d thin is an administrative standing within MLB that goes toward service time/seniority in accumulation of time toward arbitration years, , salaries, pension, et al….plus the fact still considered a candidate for the ROY award.
            If Brogdon is still considered a rookie…though he was up for 5/6 weeks last year…the timeline until his arb year begins this season and not last season.
            At least that is how I would see it.

      1. NL – The Phillies need an IF’er to replace Segura, so Maton was the natural choice. If Harper follows him, then who knows?

  52. Watching deGrom pitch is such a pleasure. FB is 101 mph and his CU is at 92. Nine up and nine down with EIGHT Ks.

  54. Great job by Zack Wheeler and Jose Alvarado. Gotta’ admit … I had that sinking feeling Hector Neris was going to break my heart for the second time tonight (Ben Simmons and the 76ers … UGH).

  55. A HBP then a 6-4-3 DP then another HBP to bring up Mookie Betts with the tying run on. Hector you are killing me. Not wanting to witness blown save number five, I nearly turned off my computer. Okay, I can breathe a sign of relief, and finally Wheeler gets a W.

  56. Not for nothing – but this kid Luke Williams ? plays with energy, uses his head, and has shown much better than a player who was never really considered a prospect ?? He is possibly emblematic that one doesn’t have to be recognized as a big time prospect to make a solid contribution. I don’t know how we won’t see a whole lot more of him – at least until the pitchers catch up to him – but his speed can compensate.

    1. Agree with RU. I just re-did my Phillies prospect list. Luke Williams now a top 10 for me. Just an unreal epiphany for the kid.

      1 Mick Abel
      2 Johan Rojas
      3 Rafael Marchan
      4 Bryson Stott
      5 Francisco Morales
      6 Luis Garcia
      7 Yhoswar Garcia
      8 Mickey Moniak
      9 Erik Miller
      10 Luke Williams
      11 Casey Martin
      12 Simon Muzziotti
      13 Christopher Sanchez
      14 Adonis Medina
      15 Damon Jones
      16 Kendall Simmons
      17 Logan O’Hoppe
      18 Bailey Falter
      19 Gunner Mayer
      20 Jordi Martinez
      21 Jhailyn Ortiz
      22 Alexeis Azuaje
      23 Abrahan Gutierrez
      24 David Parkinson
      25 Christian Hernandez
      26 Andrick Nava
      27 Brett Schulze
      28 Billy Sullivan
      29 Dominic Pipkin
      30 Ben Brown
      31 Starlyn Castillo
      32 Juan Aparicio
      33 Jamari Baylor
      34 Matt Vierling
      35 Ethan Lindow
      36 Jake McKenna
      37 Yemal Flores
      38 Carlos De la Cruz
      39 Lee Hao-Yu
      40 Andrew Schultz

      Next in line …
      Ricardo Perez
      Chi-Ling Hsu
      Fernando Ortega

      This time next month, Luke Williams will have graduated, and the Phillies’ first and second round picks should land safely in the top ten on this list. Maybe another two or three other draft picks will find spots in the top 40.

  57. I agree Hinkie. After watching that debacle of a Sixers game, I fully expected Neris to implode in the 9th Inning. He has been pretty bad in Dodger stadium. Glad he got the Save, and Wheeler the W.

    1. matt…Hawks have mo now…..if they finish it tomorrow nite….Simmons probably played his last game in Philly…Morey will move him.

      1. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a so called “star” come up sooo small in a playoff game. I’d put the odds of Simmons a Sixer next season at about 5%.

        1. Agreed. If they don’t win the next two games and then do reasonably well in the remainder of the playoffs, it’s inconceivable Simmons is here next year. I am not sure I’ve ever seen any fatal flaw of otherwise very good player in any sport as devastating as Ben’s inability to hit a reasonable percentage of foul shots. It’s incomprehensibly bad and he deserves the blame for never fixing it. He doesn’t have to be great – even about 55-60% would be fine. But he was too arrogant to fix it.

  58. Completely agree, Romus. I don’t see how they come back from 2 blown leads like the last 2 games. An 18 point lead, ok, away from home, still awful, but coming back home. Then to do that? 2 players scored a field goal in the whole 2d half? The second and third “Star”, Max players, afraid to take a shot down the stretch? A total fiasco, and Morey did not come here for this. So, he may not make the right move, but a loss tomorrow or Sunday is the end of Simmons here. I truly believe that.

    1. matt…I am willing to bet, if exit interviews need to be done this weekend…..Joel I. will tell Morey and Rivers…. they cannot win with Simmons.

      And let’s not excuse Rivers…he has come up short in the past with teasm expected to go further…….having a Kwahi and a Jeff George were his latert teams that failed in the playoffs.

  59. Bingo, only saving grace. Just wait until people see what the Sixers get back for him. I would be happy with 2 quality starters because you ain’t sniffing an all star, unless it’s someone like John Wall.

  60. Keep it going Luke. Yes kinda makes you think about MLB, BA and Prospect rankings. Luke never on any, until Prospect List RECENTLY. Here’s an example of a player who developed and had the perseverance to Trust himself because no one else did.
    Nothing can make you feel good more than to watch him have fun, compete and Hopefully open the Door for more overlooked players .

    1. He is a real feel good story, Harvey. I watched this kid a lot in person at Lakewood and on minor league TV and never thought he would get to Reading let alone Philadelphia. There was no reason to ever list him as a prospect as his minor league numbers are pretty dreadful. He always had position versatility and speed and nothing else. Something happened.

    2. If you’re a late bloomer, you’re not going to be on any prospect lists. And that’s the right call, because most guys won’t make it if they haven’t put up the numbers in the first 4 years in the minor league system. If you’re in charge of the lists, you would rather put a 21 year old with a higher ceiling than a 24 year old Luke Williams. It’ll get more eyeballs on the site. And that’s ok. In the end, it’s all about sticking at the ML level. If Luke Williams becomes starter level, nobody cares that he wasn’t on any lists. The DBacks are certainly not caring that Ketel Marte wasn’t on any prospect lists either.

    3. “Cool hand Luke” what a refreshing personality, yep, keep it going.👍 Prospect lists are basically a bunch of 🐂🌋 anyway. They change all the time and they are derived from everybody to anybodies opinion for instance Gamboa.

  61. Hinkie, why is Vierling so low? I would have him ranked much higher. He has had a terrific season so far, and I wonder what you see that has him 34?

    1. Age wise, Vierling is in the same boat with Luke Williams. They are both 24 and are both turning 25 before October. There’s almost no such thing as a 25 year old prospect.

      1. … and you also have to factor in the FirstEnergy Stadium effect into Vierling’s AA performance.

      2. They both get a little pass on the age thing.

        They never had an opportunity to have an age 23 season, so it’s unreasonable to say they are behind, at least for the first two or three months of the season. The good news is that some guys continued to develop during the off year – Matt Vierling struggled at high A ball in 2019 and now he’s raking in AA and AAA, so that’s good.

  62. Regarding Luke Williams, it is amazing to see someone use the bunt as a weapon. I thought it was a lost art.

    1. … and nobody tells a MLB story like JOMBOY. Here’s his take on Luke Williams. Love it!

  63. The sole reason for the sudden crackdown on foreign substances used by pitchers after decades of it going on knowingly is because they NEED to get more offense in the game and reduce the strikeouts. Cracking down on foreign substances is a far easier tactic than moving the mound back or other more radical tactics. This is a very smart move and it will improve the game.

    1. Rosin bag …the sticky powder from the tree for griping purposes:
      History:
      Although it became accepted practice for pitchers to carry a small bag of rosin or a pumice stone in their back pocket, in 1919 baseball decided to crack down on the use of foreign substances by pitchers—and rosin was included in the prohibited list. But it proved difficult to enforce: Pitchers filled handkerchiefs with rosin and stuck them in their pocket, and since there was no prohibition on using rosin to improve grip on the bat, it was common to see pitchers spending a great deal of time around the bat rack while their team was hitting.
      Circa 1931…. new president of the AL, Will Harridge, lifted the ban. The rosin bag was first used in an AL game between the Yankees and the Washington Senators; the Washington Post reported that neither Yankees starter Ed Wells nor the Senators’ Lloyd Brown used it until the fourth inning.

      Eventually , I can see baseball hanging canisters in the dug-outs filled with Spider Tack and pitchers getting a squirt as they go out to pitch.

    2. v1 … I’m usually right with you, but I gotta’ disagree on this foreign substance crack down. Just ridiculous to start this in the middle of the season. Pitchers are going to get hurt. Batters are going to get hurt (because pitchers have less grip on the ball). MLB isn’t using the same ball it was using decades ago. It’s slicker, and the stitching is tighter/lower.

      IMO, the league could have outlawed the shift immediately to produce more base runners/offense. Manfred and the union could have worked on an agreement that allowed pitchers to use a minimal amount of pine tar (or some other acceptable substance) beginning in 2022. Just my opinion.

      1. Pitchers getting hurt…..Glasnow blames his UCL tear on this new ruling.

        ” Rays RHP Tyler Glasnow is blaming his partially torn UCL and flexor strain on MLB’s looming crackdown on foreign-substance use. “I just threw 80-something innings and you just told me I can’t use anything,” Glasnow said, according to Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Florida. “I have to change everything. … I truly believe, 100%, that’s why I got hurt. I’m frustrated MLB doesn’t understand. You can’t just tell us to use nothing. It’s crazy.”
        Glasnow added that he stopped using sunscreen, which is often combined with rosin to enhance a pitcher’s grip on the ball, a couple of starts ago. He said he’s since felt soreness due to issues with gripping the ball.
        “I’m choking the shit out of all my pitches,” Glasnow said, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN.
        He also said it’s the timing of the ban that is causing the most consternation.
        “Do it in the offseason,” Glasnow said, according to Rogers. “Give us a chance to adjust to it.” Glasnow also said pitchers and players alike have no issues with the use of sunscreen and rosin.

      2. Hinkie…pitchers getting hurt…..Rays RHP Glasnow blames his UCL tear on this new ruling….cannot use sunscreen with the rosin anymore.

        1. Romus … I think other pitchers will suffer arm woes too. MLB is asking guys to throw a baseball in a different manner than they’ve been used to … and do it at the drop of a hat. Pitchers are probably already the most fragile commodities in sports to begin with.

          I think eventually, MLB will invent a mildly tacky/tackier ball that will solve the situation.

          1. ……….gotta have the Commish’s sig or its not legal, seriously you don’t implement something like this in the middle of a season! They’ve been letting this go for years, where has the scrutiny and the enforcement been, and why the need to exercise enforcement mid season?

    1. Mickey Mo last 22 games/91PAs slashing …..253/.308/.518….with 6 HRs/2 doubles and a triple.
      Though his swing and miss has climbed to a 30% K rate in that time span…..he is definitely trying to hit the ball with authority and more lift.

  66. Why not allow pitcher carry out whatever is legal and leave behind mound like a rosin bag with an approved material that gives pitcher proper grip. If something illegal found on body then suspended.

  67. Romus, I don’t understand what the team’s philosophy is. Looking at Kingery and Moniak. Are not both players better off as line drive, gap hitters, with speed and good defense? At least, that is what I thought they were. The high K’s and lift in the swing, I consider to be harmful to their development as ML hitters. I could sure be wrong, but Mickey the slugger? While K ing at 30%? Is that really what he should be trying to be?

    1. matt……..to tell yuo the truth, I am not sure what the team’s philosophy is with Kingery or Moniak. hitting approach.
      With Kingery he came up as a gap-to-gap hitter….and that is what the experts think is his best alternative.
      Moniak…remember when Joe inferred him as a LFer last month…..but with that, the conventional thought is that corner OFers have to have some pop…so maybe he is taking it on himself to project that type of player. His ISO has risen along with his SLG% over the last month.

  68. I agree, Romus, that would seem, to me, what I would do if I were Mickey, and Joe G mentioned LF. But, I don’t think that is what is best for him or the team. Give me a .275 BA Mickey, with a lot of Doubles, and a much smaller K rate, and we have a productive Major Leaguer. But, I always thought that batting Rhys Hoskins 2d was harmful. I don’t know if KIngery ever gets back to what he was.

  69. Red Sox were off last night so NESN showed the WooSox-Pigs game. Nice to see Moniak drive one out but it was sad seeing Kingery flailing away at pitches. Pigs Kd 15 times (and the BlueClaws struck out 13 times). Wanted to ask Mr M, if he still keeps up with PP, is why is Mickey Mo wearing number 0?

    When the Phillies were contemplating the Giles trade, I went to the Astros minor league sites to see who the Phils might get. I was really hoping that they could get Joe Musgrove but Houston wouldn’t part with him then, but they sent over Velasquez and to sweeten the pot, they “threw in” Mark Appel.

  73. Other than 1 bad fastball to Brandon Belt, Bailey Falter has looked spectacular. He mixed up his pitches, he hit his spots here and there, he was rolling. He has to be the front runner for VV’s spot in the rotation next year.

      1. He dominated in AAA and showing he can get out major league hitters. They are wasting time just like they did with Odubel – he should be in the rotation NOW.

  74. Had em on the ropes in the first if Harpers hard shot finds a hole. Doesn’t help that VV walks the pitcher with two outs. Really hate losing to Mr. Kotter.

  76. Some really bad fundamental Baseball. Vinny walks the Pitcher, Hoskins can’t catch a line drive that bounced off his glove, Herrera can’t track a medium Fly Ball, and Bryce Harper with some poor baserunning. Here is an idea, hit the ball, and run hard, until someone calls you back. When you round First Base, look at the 3rd Base Coach, and see if you should keep running or stop. You don’t have to see where the ball is, your eyes are automatically going to see the Coach at 3rd, let him track the ball and decide when you should take another base. That’s his job. Fundamentals, taught in Little League, and still important, no matter how great you think you are or what your paycheck reads.

    1. matt…sorry, but as the expression goes….you cannot teach old dogs new tricks.
      Rhys drops balls every now and then….same with Doobie, and base running, sh___t happens. They have it when they’ve been in the majors awhile or they don’t.

    2. It’s really hard to believe that you would have to sell an idea like that to a major league ball player, but then their minds are cluttered with things like degree of launch angle, spin rate, keeping the pine tar below the trademark/barrel area, and catching up with the 1B man should you get that far.

      If you are lucky enough to get a double, your mind will be with grab assing with the 2B men and thinking of clever things to do like knocking the ball out of his glove, so you see, it is not as easy as you think with all these other things going on!🤔

  77. Matt – You really can’t blame the Phillies for last night. They’re not used to playing on Fridays. Rocco’s Uncle Caesar hit his ELEVENTH home run last night. Eshelman is back in the majors. Cole Irvin has one bad one and then a good one. J.P. Crawford finding his way in Seattle now batting leadoff. I wonder if guys on this year’s roster are clamoring to be traded. Finally, Nationals are beginning to heat up a bit and inching to .500.

    1. Rocco must be out with “Large Marge” or watching the belly dancers that he isn’t beating the drum to get Uncle Caesar back since he is doing so well.

    1. That is a long flight…East coast to West coast….but they are young and will do fine.

  81. The Phillies now have three 24 year olds trying to take advantage of opportunities: Vierling, Falter, Williams. That’s great to see. Let’s see if they can do it.

    1. Nola also finding it rough right now.
      He had an extra day rest also…normally he comes out smokin’ with that added day.

  84. He blew 3 leads, his FB was so off it wasn’t close, and he failed to last 3 innings. I don’t know what is wrong with him, but he needs to fix it. No command at all, so his other pitches are not effective.

  85. Watching WooSox-LHV on NESN. Moniak hit a hot shot to SS. Jeter Downs laid out and made a great throw to first. Appeared Moniak beat it out but the ump called him out. Terrible call! Mickey went nuts. I guess the umps can’t review in AAA. Guthrie just made a fabulous running catch playing……center field.

  87. I’m losing it in my old age. Was correct the first time. The ump called him OUT.

  88. If you look on Milb.com on Gameday you will see LHV has Herbert Iser C up from Jersey Shore and Corbin Williams OF up from Clearwater.

  90. Matt Vierling’s first Major League hit! Congratulations!! I hope the first of many!

  91. With an infielder at LHV hitting .089 we need to bring up Jake Elmore or Greeny Cumana from GCL soon.

        1. Wayne:
          Oh…my bad….I thought you meant bring someone up to LHV from AA or lower.

      2. I agree, and I understand they are just spot starts, but guys like Williams, Suarez, Vierling, Marchan are holding their own when they get the chance in the bigs. Also, I wasn’t a Tor👀s fan, but I gotta admit the little guy is growing on me! Hope DIdi is really good when he comes back.🤞 Who has the scoop on Haseley? Injured or recurrence of whatever put him on the restricted list?

      3. Danny was 2 for 5 today, Stott 3 for 5. Probably waiting to see whether or not Williams and Maton stick before these 2 can move, although I think Luke is a different situation. Do you have the Haseley situation in hand.

  92. Man, Rhys is as streaky as they come. He couldn’t buy a hit the last 2 weeks, now he’s on every mistake pitch.

    1. That is just how he is….from the beginning in 2017….14 game stretch -11HR…..then 6 game stetch-6 HRs
      Ride the wave when you can.

    2. That’s what a long man does. That’s why you don’t want to give a young pitcher that role.

  94. Bullpen was terrific tonight starting with Ranger. The same team that crushed Nola for 6 in 2 2/3 scored zero the rest of the game. Crazy!

  95. That’s a fair point, but if the long man is decent, he gets into a game much more often than that. I would rather have a guy like DLS, with a future in that role, than David Hale, who has been atrocious on the whole, but I hear you.

    1. Another point – we have to start taking Matt Vierling pretty seriously. He has done nothing but hit this year, although the year hasn’t been very long for him. We also have to cut him some slack on his age. First of all, 24 isn’t that old for a hitting prospect these days or ever, really. Second, we have to keep in mind at all time, that our prospects aged a year without getting on the field. Vierling has had only one full time minor league year. That’s it. So what you’re seeing now might be real to some degree.

      And Ranger Suarez – wow. He’s not only been effective, he is now touching 95 and 96. If he and Falter are as good it appears they might be, we might be in much better shape than we thought we were in. I can understand giving Falter a few more relief appearances, but I wouldn’t mess around for too long. If he shows he can continue to get guys out, it would be great to have him as our lefty in the rotation. We can figure out Howard’s role from there.

      1. For those that didn’t see the game yesterday, when Ranger was pitching Kruk said that he thinks they will move him into the rotation soon, he said maybe in 7 or 8 days. I wonder if that was just him guessing or if he heard something.

        1. That has to be a guess. There’s been no word about Ranger going back to the rotation, and I’m assuming he would be taking VV’s spot? VV would then go back into the bullpen? No doubt that Ranger deserves another shot in the rotation, but not sure you want to do it now.

    2. I know you’re not a fan of David Hale, but he’s been perfectly acceptable in that role. If he had a better ERA, he wouldn’t be in that role. Hale seems to be ok with that role, and he’s making chump change. And in the end, the value of the long man is to eat innings that other better relievers won’t have to pitch. It’s a thankless job that not many pitchers want since they can be replaced just like that. If you feel that DLS can be more than a long man, I wouldn’t put him in that role just yet.

  96. Sonora Smart Dodd, of Spokane, Washington, started the tradition of Father’s Day in the honor of her dad, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran.
    In 1909, Dodd heard a church sermon about Mother’s Day, which had recently become a recognized holiday, and she wondered why there was no Father’s Day.
    Dodd began a rigorous campaign to celebrate Father’s Day in the United States.
    The first local Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington.
    Sonora Smart Dodd became known as the Mother of Father’s Day.

    Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there….and a Phillies win today would go a long way in making it more enjoyable

        1. I remember listening to the game at the community pool in Bethlehem PA, an 11 year old boy laying next to the pool with my parents. Probably the last time with them at the pool, but will always be a memory. Parents hated baseball and swimming, nice combo.

  97. Nola’s road numbers are a real problem. I think he’s ended the Ace vs Not an ace debate with his performance the last two years but a 6.00 ERA on the road is unacceptable for a mid rotation guy even.

  99. 10 years old and remember watching that Perfect game. What a season and had no idea what was coming at the end when they collapsed! Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads!

  100. Phils sign OF, assigned to Reading. Charles Tilson, drafted by Cards and traded to White Sox where he had 96 MLB games then went to Pirates, Indians, Mexico and just played 8 games for Long Island Ducks and hit .296. He is a left handed hitter and is 28 years old.

  103. Eickhoff just selected from AAA by Mets and will make $1.5 M for making MLB roster. Will start tomorrow in one game of double header, might start on Friday against Phils.

  106. What was Howard’s stuff like today? Didn’t see the game and the box doesn’t reflect that it was too effective.

  107. Win $5 from niece. Bet her Phils would score 2 or less after Phils 13 runs Saturday. That’s a lock bet when comes to Phillies

  108. Is everything ok with jim? We once again lost to a young Pitcher making his first start. We do this time and time again. Our Pitching wasn’t good either.

    1. Yet again, the SF pitcher featured his curveball and the Phillies hitters were lost. I forgot who he did this too, but the pitcher threw 3 straight curveballs and the hitter struck out.

  109. It wasn’t pretty yesterday … but … all in all, the Phillies aren’t really in too bad a shape. They endured six games on the left coast vs the two best teams in baseball (at least by the records), and lost no ground in the standings. They are just four GB the Mets. They are one game in front of the Braves (who I still believe are the best team in the NL East). And the Phillies have the easiest remaining schedule in all of MLB http://www.tankathon.com/mlb/remaining_schedule_strength .

    On top of all this … the club now has a winner running the FO. DD has won seven straight divisions in seasons that he has started and ended as POBO. I have no doubt he’ll make smart moves to improve the team over the next five weeks.

    1. BTW … all eyes are now on the Phillies thanks to Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Doc Rivers, and everyone else not named Joel Embiid and Seth Curry.

      I laughed … and then cried @ this.

    2. What I’m wondering is what changed in June with their approach at the plate, Kruk was talking about it a little, so I don’t know if it was something they were working on as a team or just coincidence that their 3 biggest offensive totals all came in June (17 runs vs Reds, 13 and 12 in the last week or so)

      Also Kruk said the other day when Ranger was pitching that he thought they would move him into the rotation soon, in like 7-10 days.

      What are they doing with Howard, since they pushed his start back and then had him in relief.

      Also looks like they will need to make a few moves in the minors as they are running out of bodies, as I heard Kingery, Moniak and someone else had to leave the game after being hit by pitches. With Haseley on the IL, they are really thin unless those guys are ok.

  110. I imagine when tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake you do just about anything

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/chipper-jones-awaits-pitcher-regression-as-mlb-s-banned-substances-ban-begins-you-had-fair-warning/ar-AALh3pp?li=BB15ms5q

    Every action has an equal and opposite reaction I suppose. MLB livening up the balls a few seasons back likely led (more) pitchers to the sticky stuff to try and counter act their climbing ERAs. It remains to be seen how much offense starts to climb as a result from this point forward but obviously a guy like Chipper knows what he’s talking about.

    As we approach the draft it might be wise to be suspect of those college arms with high spin rates associated to them. Not sure how pervasive this Spider Tack stuff is but things like that don’t stay secret for long.

    But because most orgs or programs are likely doing it no one really says anything.

    1. As I’ve mentioned numerous times, this mid season, cold turkey crackdown on pitchers using anything on the baseball is ridiculous, and potentially dangerous. If the commissioner wanted more offense, he should have banned defensive shifting. MLB should just allow pitchers to use a small amount of pine tar on the ball. It’s the same thing batters use to grip the bat.

      Here’s Peter Moylan. This guy knows what he’s talking about.

      1. I mean let’s be pretty clear about why the in season crack down is happening without knowing clearly LOL

        The Spider Tack must be so pervasive that its motivated them to do this now. And they likely know more than we do and more than they want us to know.

        Pitchers can whine about this all they want and naturally so. Big money just went out the window for a bunch of them.

    2. DMAR….one thing that baseball should do…..keep balls in play…hitting the ground or not….only foul balls, HRs and change of inning…get a new ball.
      Pitchers then do not need to rub up the balls every time a new one is thrown out to them.

  111. We pay Jim all this money and he goes AWOL on us in our hour of need. Oh, wait. Jim does all this for nothing and from the bottom of his heart and it is his top notch work that makes this probably the best Phillies site. I recall that Jim said he had company coming and needed to pay a lot of attention to them. Hope he is enjoying it.

  113. Why not make certain substances for gripping legal like the rosin and officials put that behind the mound each inning like a rosin bag or small amount of pine tar like substance. If pitcher caught with anything else tossed suspended.

    I’m against anything like automated balls strikes or outlawing shift. Hitting ball away from shift is a skill. A good catcher that can get his pitcher a couple strikes is a skill. Keep skills in the game. That’s part of the enjoyment I get from watching sports. Guys using and honing their skills. Last thing u want is nine Ben Simmons on the field.

  114. Patso…..” A good catcher that can get his pitcher a couple strikes is a skill.”..technically that is cheating. The rules are set up for a purpose.
    Over 70 umpires…..each with their own distinctive method and ball-calling quirkiness. .
    IMO, the ABS is long over due….tired of seeing balls cut the plate in half and called a ball because catcher is set up outside…or balls two inches off the plated called strikes…so annoying. One blown pitch call can change the whole aspect of a game….and I have seen it.

  115. Well I disagree there. I know scouts look for catchers who they call very quiet. Not a lot of movement and present the plate umpire with the best opportunity to see the pitch. If that gets you the close ones as opposed to a catcher jabbing at pitches or over framing I think that is a good thing. I thought an Arizona kid had a Vanderbilt kid struck out other night but kid walked 2 outs and next batter hit home run. It’s the human element.

    Someday there will be robot umpires. Then someday robot players and the stars will be the guys who make best robots. Thank god I won’t be here.

    1. I believe the umpires want ABS…why?
      Because less hassle from players, fans and managers.
      Washington Post:
      “Umpiring a professional baseball game is staggeringly difficult, and major league and minor league umpires are the best in the world at their jobs. But they still get a great number of ball and strike calls wrong. A 2019 study from Boston University that examined 11 years’ worth of major league ball and strike calls found umpires get approximately one in every five calls wrong. That sounds like a lot, and it is, but remember that umpires don’t make a call on every pitch. There are foul balls, balls put in play, check swings, and so on, leaving far fewer ball and strike calls than total pitches. Simply put, ABS — and get used to saying that — won’t miss those calls. But it will reconfigure the modern conception of the strike zone. For one, its zone is larger than the one imagined by most players and fans. The strike zone projected on television is one-dimensional. It looks like a narrow window through which a pitcher must fit the ball. But the real strike zone is three-dimensional. All a pitch must do is skim a piece of that zone to be called a strike. ABS doesn’t have blind spots.”

      1. Well we just picked up a new GMC Acadia. Not my choice but wife wanted it. That stupid thing vibrates the hell out of your seat if you even come close to another car or start to back up with something behind you.

        Now it does supposedly have sensitivity settings but again the point is the tech is there use it.

        That or stop putting up the electronic box so everyone watching can see how horrible the call was. That and you have the announcers and broadcast repeatedly show the pitch over and over again.

  116. .

    Guess who ESPN thinks the Phillies should trade for?

    A) Craig Kimbrel
    They get no argument from me. I’ve believed DD would be hunting for a closer for quite some time now. Here’s part of what they write …
    “Will the Cubs trade Kimbrel, who has been one of the best closers in the league? It’s becoming less likely that happens, but that shouldn’t prevent Dave Dombrowski from inquiring — and his history suggests he’s not against trading prospects.”

    Unless the Cubs fall a cliff over the next month, it’s doubtful they’d deal Kimbrel. Raisel Iglesias would be a good “get”.

    Here’s a proposal. Would anyone do this?
    Phillies get: Matthew Boyd and Michael Fulmer
    Tigers get: Francisco Morales, Nick Maton, and Logan O’Hoppe

    Both Boyd and Fulmer are under contract thru 2022. DD traded for both of them while in Detroit. Boyd is out until after the all-star break with some arm discomfort, but MRI showed no structural damage. Fulmer has been used as both a starter and reliever (he’s currently the Tigers’ closer), and has done a nice job in that role.
    Maybe Dombrowski can expand the deal to include switch-hitting Robbie Grossman (who is also under contract thru 2022) for the Phillies bench. The Phils could definitely use a RH bat.

    1. A more reliable backend guy would surely be useful but again this team lacks OPS. Ranked 17

      5 players in the league are over 1.000 another 12 over 900 none of them are Phillies. Phillies don’t even have a player in the top 25. JT maybe but he must lack a qualifier.

      Sure there are other deficiencies in pitching and defense but we have two middle of the order bats that disappear for long stretches.

      1. I’m not saying DD would do that deal. IDK. He may opt to give up less for rentals this summer, and then swing for the fences this offseason. There’s a good chance the Brewers will trade Josh Hader this winter. The Phillies don’t have the prospects to outbid other clubs, but they could swap Rhys Hoskins for Hader in a multi player deal.

    2. I’d do that. Maton has been a nice story but not sure he’s more than a UTIL and Phillies have a few of them. Morales has really struggeld and I like O’Hoppe but he’s blocked.

    3. I’m sorry, but if I was the Tigers GM, I would say “Thanks, but no thanks”, hang up the phone and then laugh my azz off. Morales looks broken, Maton looks like a utility bat, and O’Hoppe is still too far away (and he’s not even top 100). This for 2 players who are still under control for 2022 at arbitration prices? Not only that, they’re pitching well. This would be highway robbery at its finest and the Tigers GM should get canned the next day for making this deal. This is nowhere near a balanced trade by any stretch of the imagination.

      1. No substance on the ball … Wheeler’s command not nearly as sharp. This is going to be a recurring theme.

        1. Guru … not sure what you think Boyd and Fulmer are worth, but 21 YO Francisco Morales, 24 YO Nick Maton, and 21 YO Logan O’Hoppe are not going to be laughed at. They actually match up value wise. What do you think the Phillies would have to give up for Boyd and Fulmer?

          The Brewers just surrendered two relievers for FOUR years of Willy Adames (an every day SS who accumulated 4.0 WAR in 2019 and 2.0 WAR in the shortened 2020 season).

          1. The Rays primarily did that deal to open up a spot for Wander Franco. But on its own, it’s an odd deal. But the Rays do trades at their own value system. When they traded Price for Adames and Franklin, I thought that deal wasn’t worth it either. Adames was at low A at the time and so much could happen that could derail him. The risk wasn’t worth it and the Rays lucked out. Most trades like that don’t work out.

            For Boyd and Fulmer, I’m asking for Yhoswar Garcia and Matt Vierling minimum.

  117. Sorry Denny, the dream is over

      1. If he would have have listened to his instructors over time. Steve Potter told us one time outside of Dunedin that Dylan is “stubbord” and not opeinstruction. tion.

    2. From my daughter-in-law when I forwarded your comment to the family

      Did you kindly tell him that our boy is so talented that now he’ll dominate the NFL?! 😂

  118. For the record if I’m DD I am selling I’m not buying.

    How bout Nola to the Jays for Austin Martin, Fraso and Patrick Murphy

    Wheeler to the Cards for Jhon Torres and Edwin Nunez and maybe take back Mikolas. He signed a 4/$68 deal and has made just one start since then. He has a bad flexor tendon and may or may not make it back this season.

    Now I’ve just gone full on tank mode and some guys aren’t going to like that Bryce and JT. There’s an obvious market for JT but Harp probably not oh well.

    JT gets me another top prospect and some type of arm to eat starter innings this season. CJ Abrams and the Padres might be a match and take back or put in whatever salary you need to.

    Point is there isn’t a single player on the 26 man I’d be afraid to trade right now

    1. DMAR … in a vacuum, selling is a smart strategy. But … if you’re John Middleton and you care about/want to hold onto your fan base, you can’t go through another rebuild right now.

      1. It’s kind of like Cousin Eddy telling Clark he shouldn’t be sledding down no hill with nothing but a piece of government plastic between his brain and the ground to which Clark replies “do you really think it matters Eddy?”

        and you listen to the fans you’ll soon be sitting with them I know that doesn’t apply to JM he owns the flippin team LOL

        Lastly your code name is Hinkie the guy that started the whole tanking phenomenon I thought for sure you’d be in board with a sell off

        1. DMAR….GMs find it difficult letting go of top of the rotation starters.
          Seems most are looking for them, rather give them up.
          Though it has been done lately…Sale, Verlander and Price for few…..but it is rare.

        2. DMAR … after the 2020 season ended, I posted the same thing you’ve posted today: the most logical thing the Phillies could do was to rebuild again because there was little hope that this club could match Atlanta’s talent (w/o obliterating the LTT). Middleton then hired DD. That ended any thought of another rebuild.
          Also … Phillies fans have been more than patient. Can you really expect them to buy a second rebuild?

          1. Hinkie……LOL……”Can you really expect them to buy a second rebuild?”….we are still in the first.

          2. Yeah I’m kind of with Romus we never rebuilt that’s the myth in this equation. They slapped some paint on the mold and said here look its your shiny new home…

            I’m calling for the remediation

    2. DMAR……whoa Nellie!
      Since you are going all out….might as well do a Harper to the Giants trade, that may work.
      They were in on him a few years back.

      1. I would Romus but Farhan is going to want a ton of money back in any deal to make that happen so may as well just eat that one….

        No offense to Bryce he’s seems like a great young man and he gives us everything he has he’s UM just not a true superstar.

  119. I understand the sentiment to sell, and start all over. But, besides Middleton not going for that, we have the wrong GM. DD’s forte is not trading established players for prospects, and I would not trust anyone associated with the team to be able to pull that off. I see, OTOH, some nibbling at the deadline both ways. If we are out of it, selling off some pieces, Neris, Bradley, VV, or some BP/back end of the Rotation help if we are in it. Then, some major trade in the off season. A couple more years of failure, if that doesn’t work, and we can see a sell off/rebuild, but I don’t think the Organization is their yet.

    1. If that’s true Matt then we have an even bigger problem because we have a bottom of the league farm system and these guys are about to have a draft.

      And you’re telling me they don’t know what they are looking at with prospects

  120. DMAR, I could certainly be wrong, but I have not seen Dombrowski as a build from scratch guy. He was brought here, IMO, to get to the Playoffs, at least. Brian Barber may be able to conduct a draft where everyone acknowledges it’s a crap shoot, and it takes 4-5 years to see what you have. Trading Nola or Wheeler or Hoskins requires someone to get major league ready talent in return, and hopefully, another gear to get to after they get to the Majors. That’s how a successful rebuild works. When did we ever get that right?

    1. At the end of the day this is a bad baseball team that doesn’t do anything well at a cost of $206 million which is $4 million below the tax threshold with a bare cupboard in the farm

      how could it get any worse lol

  122. The Phillies signed Harper, Wheeler, JT and then you want them to trade it all away and start over? Not only will the fans revolt but good luck getting any premium FAs in the future. The Phillies will have to overpay and/or give no trade clauses to any decent FAs.

    Like it or not, the Phillies are stuck with these players. GM and coaches need to make it work. Else, they will be shown the door sooner rather than later.

  123. Wow, the Phillies are facing premium pitching the next 6 games: Sherzer, Walker, deGrom, Stroman. We need to go at least 3-3. Anything less and DD might as well start calling up teams about VV/Neris/Bradley/Cutch etc.

    1. yeah…he will be batting second in the lineup tonight…in fact in a few minutes if the weather holds up.

  125. Re-post.
    No substance on the ball … Wheeler’s command not nearly as sharp. This is going to be a recurring theme.

    1. No substance on the ball … Scherzer’s command not nearly as sharp. This is going to be a recurring theme.

      1. No substance on the ball … JT Realmuto bouncing every throw to second base. This is going to be a recurring theme.

    2. As I said above, the intent on this rule change is to get more offense in the game. It is good for the game to have more scoring.

  126. Somebody must have read my post. Jake Elmore is with LHV as is Charlie Tilson and they also signed former Philly, Logan Moore from High Point of the Atlantic League.

  127. Gozo moved to AA and Williams to A+, Stassi to 7 day IL. Logan Landon signed to Reading. OF who was a Dodger, mostly AA, right handed hitting CF who is 28 years old. Signed from Sioux Falls of American Association where he was hitting .390 .

  128. Congrats on the new ridiculous mid season/cold turkey crackdown, MLB. That was a clown show tonight. Pitchers mad. Managers mad. Hitters dodging errant throws up near their head because pitchers are having a tough time gripping the ball.

    1. Do you want to see Zack Wheeler throw like he did tonight (post crackdown)? Or do you want to see him throw like he has been the rest of the season (pre-crackdown)?
      Same for Max Scherzer. Do you want to see him throw 100+ pitches in 5 innings because he can’t throw strikes?

      Do away with the shift (to promote more offense), and allow pitchers to use a small amount of pine tar, and get on with the season.

      1. Please, let them do what they’ve been doing & get rid of the shift! At least keep the player defined to his actual position set limits … like no setting up camp behind 2nd base. I can’t stand it. I think I saw a player hit a ball back up the middle thought it was going to be an out, and it was an “old school” single .. I was so freaking excited about a single back up the middle!

      2. I’m for banning shifts yes. I’m for allowing some rosin and sweat. I don’t think these special substances though are ok.

        There is always a line in sports. All sports and there will always be those that cross that line to gain an edge and score a massive payday or just try to survive in their game.

        Brian Harkins aka “Bubba” has the texts to prove Scherzer was an avid customer of his special mix as he does for many others including Garrett Cole who probably scored a $300 million dollar contract because of it.

  129. Well until the 9th, that was mostly an unwatchable game for me except for the part where Joe G. steps out of the dugout looking to punch out Max “What, me cheat?” Scherzer. I might have to watch a replay of tonight’s A’s game. Or at least watch the inning where Sergio Romo came into the game. He wins the, “This sticky stuff screenings is BS” award. See the link below.

    https://nypost.com/2021/06/23/sergio-romo-max-scherzer-blow-up-over-mlb-sticky-checks/

    While I am in the, “ban the sticky stuff” camp, the way it has been implemented has turned the game into farce. I agree with Hinkie. Banning the infield shift would help hitting and would have been far less disruptive. That would require a rule change. Does anyone know what the procedure is for implementing a rule change? Who has to approve the new rule? How quickly can it come into effect? Etc.

    1. I was a believer in his stuff, he had nice collection pitches, good movement, a really nice 12-6 curve IMO but his fastball started to sit closer to 91 vs 94. That’s what Is keeping him at AAAA. He could still touch 94, but not consistently enough, if that has changed, he should carve out a nice career. I had high hopes for him after his initial call up with the Phil’s . The velo never returned though, likely due to injuries . After watching his Mets highlights, he is still sitting at 91. He knows how to pitch, he struck out freeman looking, but still the missing ingredient is the velo.

  131. Dmar, I’m 100% with you on the rebuild. There’s nothing in the pipeline, players are getting older (Harper, JT, Wheeler, DiDi, etc etc) outside of their developmental years, and we are locked in at many positions. What’s going to be different next year? Seriously, What will be different?
    And to the “the fans won’t accept another rebuild”, OH WELL! I’d rather see a young bad team that improves/develops vs a middling team with some so called superstar lite players and no young talent.

    And btw, Joe Girardi is a joke, I want Kapler back.

    1. I really liked Joe on the MLB Network I thought he was very insightful in his commentary on others. But starting to agree (not that I want Kapler back) maybe he’s not all that great a manager.

  132. I Don’t agree with get rid of the shift, How about adjusting and beating it, bunt, hit the other way, Imo this reminds me of parents who kids say its too hard, so the parents do it for them instead of letting them do it with help, easy way out is the new norm in this world, Its a shame to always take the easy way instead of being smart enough to adjust, Just will never understand how people just want to do the easy way over the satisfaction of being good enough to beat the odds,

    1. rocco…..welcome back…and agree keep the shift, increase the dirt line from the mound to the dirt/grass line from 90 to 95 feet….all infielders must position themselves on the dirt prior to the pitch.

      And these three Philly players will all have something in common before 2022 arrives….Carson, Ben and Rhys………all came in with a bang, and all will go out …Philly unfulfilled.

    2. I feel you Rocco I just think hitting a baseball is one of the hardest things to do in sports. It requires such elite hand eye coordination that while what you say sounds like it should be very routine its just not.

      Are you for moving the pitching mound back because that is where they are headed if the offense doesn’t start to even out.

  134. Connie Mack employed shift sometimes. They used to shift on Ted Williams until he started hitting ball other way.

    Lower mound and deaden ball. More balls in play. Get back to real home run hitters hit home runs. Other guys try to hit to get on base again.

    Deadening ball may be just returning it to what it once was. Not a super ball.

  135. That is what makes it a great game, The hardest thing to do is hit a baseball, only the best get to play, and major league players, should be able to hit the other way, with practice, they should be able to bunt, But it seems only homerun hitters get paid, so everyone wants to hit homeruns and loses site of how great this game can be if its played the right way, moving runners choking up with two strikes with men on , trying to get the runner in from third with less than two outs, The little things that make this game great are fading away, stealing a base, bunting, hit and run, all imo because of fantasy geeks, Guys who most likely never learn to play, just stay in there room on the computer and look up stats,

    1. rocco…..”Guys who most likely never learn to play, just stay in there room on the computer and look up stats,”………….I resemble that remark! 🙂

    2. fans come in all shapes and sizes. all are welcome at the church of baseball. amen

  137. Ya the next few games will tell the story but so far Phil’s just don’t stack up as a playoff caliber team in all areas.

    If they were going to out hit other teams it’s not happening especially when we go up against other teams top pitchers. Even against other teams 2 and 3’s our hitting is usually no better than others. Need another good hitter or two to compete or two more SP’s in the real 1-3 range. Also would need a closer and at least one more late inning lock down relievers to compete with our hitters.

    Maybe a miracle will happen and the majority find another gear but…

  138. I honestly do not understand the argument to allow pitchers to continue to break longstanding rules. How is using a foreign substance any different than corking a bat?

    There is no question that allowing pitchers to use sticky stuff impacts spin rates. THAT is why pitchers are upset. I call complete BS that pitchers care about hitters getting hurt. This ins’t little league. These guys care about one thing and one thing only, getting paid. And they know that high K rates and low ERAs help them get paid. And they know that the foreign substance helps them get extra spin rate on the ball that they can’t get without it. It is the same form of cheating as a hitter corking a bat or taking a performance enhancing drug or using binoculars in the outfield to steal pitches. All the same imo. All cheating to create an unfair advantage.

    IMO, the homer that Jankowski just hit is the quintessential example of the impact of the game in a positive way. That was a hanger that he crushed. That is what you will see more of and I believe that is good for the game.

    The popularity of MLB has gone down year after year. There is no doubt about that. MLB needs more offense to attract fans. Only diehards want to see a pitchers duel. The casual fan hates those games.

    Also, it is complete BS that a pitcher got hurt because he stopped using sticky stuff. That is not how arm injuries happen.

    1. Agree and Tom Verducci did an excellent data supported piece last night to dispel any notion about batters getting HBP more as a result of no sticky sticky

    2. In terms of the popularity of baseball declining year after year … the league will need to address “the shift”, it is the equivalent to the “trap”’in hockey. Nothing is more boring than having a face of league player come up to bat, and record an out into the shift.. that otherwise would be a hit. It’s boring, and I think many casual & newer fans agree. As for the substance/grip cheating – you have a point. MLB should consider making the baseballs universal throughout the levels, per a few pitchers I’ve read, they’ve complained about the mlb version being much harder to grip vs the minors version

    3. I’ll post this again. Peter Moylan no longer plays the game. He has no more money to make by increasing his spin rates or lowering his ERA. He knows about arm injuries. He suffered a couple. You can ignore it if you like, but it is what it is.

      .

      I think in the end, MLB will develop a more pitcher friendly ball (just a tiny bit tacky & with the stitches less tight and returned to the height they used to be).

      1. … and just another point in defense of pitchers: MLB has been altering the ball to favor hitters for a number of years now. They’ve had it wound tighter, and had the stitches lowered. Batters also get to use pine tar to better grip the bat. Pine tar >>> rosin.

        One last time … if MLB wanted to increase offense/base runners/excitement, all they had to do was ban the shift. They could have done that in the middle of the season with little to no hiccups.

        1. One easy solution …keep balls in play.
          ILO of throwing out every ball that hits a blade of grass…let them keep using the same ball…..balls will then become more pliable and easier to grip.

        2. MLB wants to cut down on strikeouts. They are boring.

          I am all for banning the shift, but that won’t change strikeouts.

      2. Moylan proves my point during this video about pitchers abusing the sticky stuff to materially increase spin rates and become different pitchers. Even he said that he is all for getting that out of the game. And to be clear, I never argued that they shouldn’t change the ball to help pitchers or that they shouldn’t ban the shift or any of those other things. I am all for banning the shift. But that won’t change K rates, which is the biggest cause of lack of offense right now. My point is, if they make a rule change, then that is fair. In the case of sticky stuff, that is not a rule change, that is enforcement of a longstanding rule.

        His point about extra finger tip pressure causing an arm injury is a fair one, but I don’t believe that arm injuries happen based on one game. If so, we will see a lot of arm injuries happen this week and next week. But the new enforcement has been going on for a few days already and we don’t see a rash of injuries. One antidote is not data.

        1. Maybe I’m a unicorn, but I love watching great pitchers do their thing. I felt like throwing up witnessing two of the games best arms struggle to command (even control) the ball Tuesday night. Scherzer and Wheeler should be major attractions for fans. Instead, Wheeler lasted just three innings, and Scherzer only five. Is that what the game needs?

          1. You are a diehard baseball fan. You are very knowledgeable and understand the deep nuances of the game. Most casual fans don’t know 20% of what you know about the game. They just want to be entertained. And strikeouts are not entertaining to the casual fan. If the MLB is going to grow, it needs a more exciting game. More offense. More homers. More bat flips. More energy. 1-0 games with 12+ strikeouts per side are not entertaining to anyone who isn’t a diehard.

      3. Jersey mud………….from a a tributary to the Delaware River on the Jersey side,”
        The mud — which is officially called Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud — is used by every team in both the major and minor leagues.

  139. Man, how many times have we seen the inconsistency of VV? All I know is, he won’t be in a Phillies uniform next season.

    1. Do you think they will QO him ……$19M or so?
      He does not qualify in total innings pitched so far as a starter….but if he did he is a top 60 starter in the majors according to Fangraphs @ 60…right now.
      BTW………….Irvin is at 40th and Pivetta is at 49th

      If he takes the QO…..the Phllies could always trade next July…..if rejects it, some team will get him on the cheap I am sure…..but the Phillies do get some compensation.

      1. If the Phillies give VV a QO, VV is going to take it. And nobody is going to sign VV with a QO over him. And let’s face it, VV is barely starter level. He is not worth $19M. There’s no reason to think he’ll be any better next season. And not only that, the Phillies have Bailey Falter waiting. So you might as well let VV walk and move on.

  140. Don’t bet on it with VV. He must have pictures.

    Ball slippery cause these owners want it to fly for homers. Homers = $$ in their eyes.

    A lot of owners used to be sportsmen. The team wasn’t about becoming rich or richer it was another Avenue to prove u were best by winning championships. Nowadays these guys are looking at bottom line. A lot may not even no history of game or rules.

    It’s why most pro sports are unwatchable for me. I am excited to watch CWS game tonight more than Phils.

  141. Good god, why did Girardi bring in Hale? Was nobody else available? If the Phillies lose this game, this will go down as an all-timer loss. Absolutely brutal.

  142. Don’t give me this 13th guy nonsense. David Hale is a bum. There is no freaking reason he should be in the majors when DLS is in AAA. Release Hale today. He’s awful and there’s no upside.

    1. This one is on Girardi. Hale should be the last guy you bring up in a tight situation. Didn’t the Phillies recall Matt Moore? What is he up for?

      Girardi is not looking good as a manager.

    2. Yes…..why not EDLS….give him as much opportunity as Hale….not one friggin inning in one fookin game

  143. They need to get rid of the deadwood bullpen guys. Hale, Moore, Kintzler (when off the Dl). Moore couldn’t get guys out at LHV and the Phillies call him up. I’d rather lose with DLS, Llovera, Sanchez and those guys than these bums.

    1. Heck I like to see how Medina would do for an inning or two airing it out.
      This is really ridiculous.
      Guys are on the 40 that could be used and they keep them down.

  144. I think the best Velasquez can do on the open market is 3 years at 20 million. Girardi was never a great manager; he was just consistent, something the Yankees like. His teams always contended and did well because….they were the Yankees. There is always a lot of
    talent and money to pay for it over there. They let him go because with all that talent/money the Yankees won only won WS in one season. Naturally, it was the Phillies who they beat.

  145. Moore should be cut for Cristopher Sanchez. If you want to cut Hale for DLS, I don’t have a problem with that.

    A part of me almost wants the Phillies to lose so they can start the process of trading/cutting the old guys/

  146. Have to tell everyone how glad I am that we improved our bullpen over last year.

  148. How many leads did this team surrender today? I’m not even sure, but there is nothing more demoralizing than blowing a lead in the ninth inning. Hector Neris is shot. He’s been shot for a few weeks now. Girardi needs to make the switch to Jose Alvardo (I’ll take my chances he throws strikes) while DD finds a closer. And Dombrowski cannot wait another month to get one. He needs to move quickly to make something happen before this season slips gets too far away.

    And shame on Joe Girardi. Under no circumstances do you ever allow David Hale to enter a game in a high leverage situation. This club was off Monday. All hands should be on deck today.

    1. This club was off Monday. They’re off again tomorrow. All hands need to be on deck today,

  149. The Phillies are now 3 under and the Phillies are done. Unless they sweep the Mets, DD might as well start figuring out who he can cut/trade away.

    Girardi has no choice but to move Hector off the closer role. Tell Alvarado the job is his.

    2 winnable games and Phillies found a way to lose both. It’s embarrassing and the players need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask if they want it or not.

  150. Brad Miller hasn’t done anything for weeks and he is a butcher in the field wherever he plays. He has a role to play on the team but once again when you play utility guys too much they show why they are utility guys.

    1. That AB where Miller took called third strike was inexcusable. That is why he is a journeyman. And that is why it’s ridiculous how much he is playing. I see 3 loss’s this weekend, then start selling!

    1. rocco…right now Phillies draft 10th…first pick is a long shot..Os. Pirates, D-Backs and Rangers have that about locked up.
      The 5th slot would be very viable as it stands now

  152. All of you make good points. The reality is that we are a bad baseball team, somehow $206M gets us below mediocre. Hale should not pitch here again. I am done with the Vinny experiment. Goodbye, for whatever we get, and if he is an All Star elsewhere, kudos! Neris is not a Closer. 4 hits from Bohm, a GS from Cutch, 12 runs, and the Nats are not very good. Last night, can’t tie and win the game in the 9th because the ABs with RISP are awful. A bad baseball team. I have no clue how to fix it but if we sold the franchise to Las Vegas and started a new, expansion Franchise, the new team wins a WS before the Las Vegas Phillies. Yes, I am depressed!

  154. Also, I am disappointed in Joe Girardi, snd he may not be the Manager we need, but Kapler was terrible here. I don’t care what SF is doing , and I didn’t care what Francona did in Boston or Cleveland, he was awful here. Some guys can’t manage here. Or get here when we are awful as their first job, and improve, maybe, but that doesn’t mean they were good here.

  155. Most guys can’t manage or coach here. It’s a no win situation and based on number of championships will never win here. Philly is a small level above Cleveland

  156. Dombrowski is going to blow this mess up next month. There is no way this guy is going to be a buyer with this group. I foresee a mix of selling and deals involving major leaguers going both ways. I see a few things happening:

    1 Trade Segura – he’s been amazing and his value will never be higher. I would bet by next year this time his value will plummet and we’d wish we would’ve traded him.

    2. I think Hoskins will be made available and possibly moved. I think everyone believes it’s in the franchise’s best interest to move Bohm to 1B sooner than later. It can only help Bohm – and Bohm is the building block not Rhys.

    3. I see the charade of Howard and VV as starters the rest of this season ending soon. Ranger and Falter should be given the rest of this season as starting pitchers.

    4. I suspect DD would move Gregorius if not Segura and Hoskins. Ideally we’d see an IF the rest of the way of Bohm, Torreyes, Gregorius, and Williams at 3B.

    1. Segura is not an easy guy to trade Buddy he has full no trade protection. He can insist on his 2023 option of $17 million being picked up

      Hoskins for sure needs a change of scenery but the big value chips IMO are Nola, Wheeler and JT

      Nola hasn’t been great but the contract is team friendly and that’s worth something good. Wheeler and JT’s deals will require some money exchanging hands in order to up the ante on return but that said both players should command premier prospects or don’t make the deal.

      Unfortunately for Harper he is stuck here. He’ll have to wait for his buddy Stott to come along and maybe Bryant next off season to have some new pals on the club.

  157. I personally witnessed this train wreck today. The bullpen ? 6 walks ; 9 earned runs ; 9 hits all accumulated in 4 2/3 innings ? And why bring in Hale ? of all pitchers ? and other than the silly continuity with Neris why not leave Alvarez to start the 9th – he was the only pitcher to not allow any runs ? The real shame of it – or the only saving grace, if there is one, the young players namely Jankowski and Bohm kept them in the game with their hitting. Even Cutch comes off the bench to get a slam and for the sake of the team — the pitching caves in again and again. It has to be demoralizing among other things. I don’t get Girardi’s thinking …..at all.

  158. A day off Monday and a day off today and Suarez couldn’t pitch to Schwarber, he has to bring in Bradley? Brogdon can’t pitch either? This loss was on Girardi, and I am out of words for the BP’s performance. Awful, terrible, pathetic?, and just plain unacceptable.

    1. You are entirely right.

      I have not been one to jump on Girardi – on the whole, he’s been fine – you can always second-guess a managerial decision.

      But yesterday was different. First, there’s no way you just let that game slip away without bringing in decent relievers, which you actually have on your roster. You don’t let Coonrod walk the bases full and you don’t bring in Hale to throw gas on the fire. This is especially true because the Phillies had a bunch of options in the bullpen since the team is not playing on Thursday and guys had some medium/short outings. Hale is a horrendous pitcher who has no business being on a major league roster, let alone being brought in with the bases loaded to preserve a lead. When he was brought in was there any doubt in anyone’s mind he would blow the lead? There wasn’t in my mind.

      1. And as I said yesterday. It’s bad enough that Hale is on the roster, but the fact that he is here, and was inserted into a game in a critical situation while DLS is in AAA, and just came off an out where he struck out all 4 batters he faced in 1 1/3 innings makes it all the worse.

        1. Apparently, someone in the front office finally agreed with this line of thinking.

  159. And Hector Scare-Us (sorry, that’s my name for him now), isn’t a closer. We all know that. He’s a major league 7th inning guy who has been thrust into the closer role due to the lack of a true dominant closer. I think they should experiment by committee for a few weeks to see who can take on the role without imploding (and it won’t be Bradley from what I can see – there are several relievers on the team that are better than him right now). Alvarez might be worth a try, but unless he dramatically improves his control it’s just a stop gap.

    1. I like that …Hector Scare-Us….has a nice ring to it.
      Aside, why in the world does Joe keep going back to him as a closer is beyond comprehension.
      Guys down at LHV like Llovera, EDLS, Rosso or even Medina shoudl at least be given more opportunities .
      .

      1. Not that he’s a world beater, but Hammer is pitching very well at AAA too. I think he has around a 1.6 ERA and yesterday he pitched two innings with no hits, no walks and and 4 Ks.

        I am telling you, our relievers on the farm, including Billy Sullivan in AA, have a good deal of ability. When they get close, let them finish developing in the majors. It’s far better than more David Hale and Matt Moore hell. Kintzler has been good for many years, so I’m giving him a small pass – but let’s turn this thing over to the new guns.

        1. Agree……time for some new blood…at least one or two yuong guys in that bullpen.
          i remember how it was with Seranthony when they finally unleashed him ….then last year with Brogdon and JoJo.
          This 4-game weekend with the Mets may be fork in the road for the Phillies,

    1. Why the hell would you start Matt Moore ahead of Bailey Falter before giving Falter a chance to have a start. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again – Falter should be in the rotation NOW. At the very least he should be given a start. Between Falter not being allowed to start in favor of Matt Moore (who has been awful, even with AAA hitters), Dave Hale being brought in to help “salvage” a win, DLS rotting in AAA, and Odubel only being given a chance by pure luck, I am having serious questions about their talent evaluation skills. It’s been really bad.

      1. The Phillies were so concerned that other teams were going to take Falter in the Rule 5 draft last December, they deiced to add him to the 40 because they did not want to lose him..
        Ok…..after a shaky start, he has settled in, put him in the rotation now

  161. Making double switch’s without a plan on lineup exposure seems to be Joe’s downfall but BP usage lineup keeps showing his $$$ is not the answer. Moore cannot get AAA players out and his strike rate is miserable. Hale, Kintzler, Bradley (Mr Offspeed) should be Gone.
    DLS, Falter, Sanchez and Llovera are 40 Man so it’s time to Man Up! Howard to the Pen .
    Joe can’t catch fly balls and make pitch’s.
    Friday’s DH would’ve allowed Suárez and Falter to give you 4 or 5 then BP it, nope we blow that up by overusing them in the wrong roles, wrong time/sequence

  162. How would you have felt about Alec Bohm coming into this season if his stat line in 2020 was:
    .238/.300/.481 for a 0.781 OPS

    That is what it would have been if his BABIP last year was the same as it is this year (.307, which is league average). Interestingly, that line is near what his 2021 line is right now.

    His stats last year were inflated in a small sample size BABIP. He hits a lot of ground balls (over 50%), which carry a lower BABIP than any other ball. His K rate is up and his walk rate is down. His power is down too. All red flags.

    I am getting concerned that this is who he is. I hope not. We REALLY need Bohm to be a stud. So I hope that he turns it around. We need him to turn it around.

    1. Still not worried about Bohm offensively. I’ll stay on the JW comp and compare those early seasons of his to Bohm. I think when he’s 26/27 we’ll start to see a nice run of high production from him.

      Honestly he’s the least of this teams worries

      So less than 24 hours and everyone is now on my sell wagon LOL…

      1. I get the Jason Werth comp as they look very similar physically. But their hitting is very different:
        1. Werth didn’t hit it on the ground a much as Bohm. JW’s GB/FB ratio was under 1.0. Bohm’s is 2.55 this year. That is a massive difference.
        2. JW’s walk rate was always over 10%. And was 12% for his career. Bohm’s is 6.6% for career and only 5.1% this year
        3. JW’s career ISO is almost double Bohm’s.

        All of those the areas need to improve dramatically to get to JW’s stat line. There is also the matter of defense. JW was a good outfielder. Not sure where Bohm would be a good defensive player.

        1. I hear what you’re saying. I look at who he was in college and his first two seasons in the minors and a handful of MLB games last year and think is he more likely to be that body of work than this weird anomaly we saw to start 2021

          the June slash is 371/391/810 OPS

            1. I mean the June slash is what it is and a super SSS. We can both spin to find reasons to be up or down on him.

              His 1,420 NCAA and MiLB PA’s suggest he’s gotten away from who he is as a hitter (12.6% K Rate 10.3% BB Rate) when comparing to his 453 MLB PAs.

              At the end of the day we’re talking about a 24 y/o in his first full MLB season. I understand the concern I just don’t share it when there are so many other gaping problems in this team, this org and how it operates.

              Bohm is the last of my worries

      2. Sell? Yeah, the reality is we have an owner with money that wants to win. He’d rather take the hail Mary shot at winning the World Series than extending a rebuild/retool period that has lasted almost 10 years, so can you blame him for not wanting to rebuild? This team got so damn lucky with Rollins, utley, Howard, & hamels all coming up close together, I would sell everyone but Harper & Wheeler. Everyone. Focus on fixing the drafting & coaching. Throw a tone of moment at it … and let the cards fall until your ready to rebuild. That’s the choices. Retool vs rebuild, or go over the luxury tax. I say retool, try again, and then spend like hell.

        1. We can debate whether or not this would be a good idea, BUT IT’S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN because Middleton will not permit that, so I’m focused on the hope that they will continue to develop good players, keep the best of the lot and not sell too much, or we will never escape this unending cycle of mediocrity. I am sick of us being the Angels of the National League and, don’t kid yourself, that’s exactly what we are at this moment.

    2. Actually, a .781 OPS is pretty darned good for a rookie in this enviroment.

      Look, I get your concerns about Bohm, but he really did have a fine BB% in the minors, skipped AAA altogether and just has the look of a fine hitter. There’s no question he’s going to need to do something to fully develop, including hit the ball for more power, but when I watch him, I feel pretty enthusiastic about his future as a hitter, although some doubts do remain.

      Now, his future as a fielder is less clear, but people who think he would be good at first right now, are really not thinking clearly. For all of his flaws, Hoskins is a bona fide big league slugger with a lifetime 124 OPS+ – he’s a solid major league power hitter. Bohm, right now, would be a terrible replacement – one of the worst hitting first basemen in baseball. Maybe that would work 3-5 years from now, but not now.

      1. For the longest time, there has been that debate….how do you define ‘clutch’.
        My version….BA in RISP.
        Rhys is a tick below .250 career hitter in that department and below .244 this year.
        Other guys like Harper, Segura are above .280…Cutch above .290…..and JTR is around the .265 area with Didi…….Odubel mid.250s

        For all the good offensive metrics that Rhys can put up……when it come time with men on third or second….he comes up short.

      2. Ok. Imo regulars who are average hitters and poor fielders are exactly our core issue. Imo if Bohm doesn’t become a 120+ OPS+ type player, then he needs to be replaced. His defense is that bad.

        1. That is absolutely true – and sooner or later (probably sooner) he’s probably going to have to go to left field. But yeah, he doesn’t have much of a future if he can’t become a 120+ OPS player, but I think he can.

  163. The team is really in such an ideal position to sell. I don’t think they will be aggressive, but if they had the appetite they could move a combination of guys that would bring back a bounty of young talent to rebuild this franchise. They should field offers for Nola/Wheeler/Eflin/Realmuto/Mccutchen/Rhys. It would be a tough conversation to have with Bryce and if he wanted to facilitate a deal they should consider that as well.

  164. Alex D., I ask you what I have asked before. Even if Middleton agrees to this, and the chances are slim to none, IMO, who are you trusting to bring back the franchise rebuilding talent? If Dombrowski, when has he ever done that? If we are out of it by the end of July, then I can see trading Cutch, Neris, Vinny, Bradley. But, I am not expecting much back. If there is another rebuild in the works, then DD is gone with a thanks for trying, and they better find someone who has rebuilt a team before.

    1. That’s a fair question. I’d have to trust that Dombrowski and Fuld are able to properly evaluate the opportunity they have and act accordingly. It’s right there, can’t be set up more perfectly to change the entire landscape of the organization.

      As far as Middleton goes he may realize he needs to zag, the approach he’s gone with hasn’t worked so pivot to a different track.

    1. Have you ever seen a doctored knuckleball? It is a super-knuckleball, nobody would ever be able to hit it.

    2. It’s about grip, not just spin. I’d think the foreign substances would help a knuckleball pitcher.

      1. Ever try the grip they use? It’s nearly impossible to hold the ball, let alone throw it. It slips right out of your fingers.

  166. I like Bryce….but come on man.
    It may be true…..but I am sure the guys down there in LHV and Reading probably do not need to hear that from the Phillies star.

    “We’re kind of depleted in the minor leagues and can’t really trade anybody and we don’t really have anybody to trade down there to get guys who are really, really good,” Harper said. “Dave Dombrowski needs to have faith in his team that we can go out there and win games, [that] if he goes out and adds somebody and if it’s worth it when that time comes.I, of course, want to put pressure on him to do that and as a team, we need to. But that’s only if we’re winning games. If we’re not winning games, then there’s no point in doing that, right?

      1. Agreed. What he said was entirely accurate. Their prospects aren’t that great and what’s good is too important to sacrifice. So it’s on the big leaguers to play better. And it’s on the organization to give guys like Falter and DLS a chance.

        On the last topic, I am really miffed that Moore is starting the doubleheader game today. Why? Doesn’t Falter give them a better chance to win in the short and long term? And if the answer is that they want Falter to finish games Howard starts, again the question is why? I like Howard, but he has some serious physical limitations right now. Howard should be cleaning up for Falter, not the other way around.

        If you can’t scout your own players – the guys right in front of you – what chance do you have to succeed in the long run? Obviously, the question answers itself.

        1. The point of the matter…accurate or not…Harper had no business saying anything about the farm system, but specifically, the quality of the players in the farm system….Dave D.has that responsibility.
          Harper needs to worry about his own game and use some discretion in discussing other baseball matters that he is not responsible for.

          1. I disagree completely. He was brought here under the promise that he would be surrounded with the types of players that would allow the Phillies to compete for championships. So when they didn’t do that, how can you blame him for being upset about that. And he wasn’t slamming anyone or exaggerating – he was speaking the absolute truth. If anything, Harper speaking the truth will help keep others in the organization accountable for the results. The Phillies being in denial about what’s best for the club and evading accountability for their crappy farm system is part of why they are just a floundering, mediocrity.

            GIVE ‘EM HELL BRYCE!!!!

            1. LOL all players say this nonsense and if it were true they would take less money. He was a FA could have gone anywhere and if he was serious about winning he would have chose the Dodgers, Astros or one of a handful of other clubs much further along than the Phillies were

              He was all about the money and that’s fine I would do the same thing but let’s not pretend like he is speaking some kind of new truth. The farm was depleted when he came here and only 2 drafts since and he basically drafted Stott himself.

              Again I like Bryce but he is a bit superficial at times, a bit contrived.

            2. Haha – agreed he is hardly a volunteer.

              That said, I think he really is passionate about giving it his all and winning. And, actually, the Dodgers offered to pay him more. It was a shorter contract, but it was a boat load of money (5 years and $200m is what we heard) and would have allowed him to be paid more – and maybe a lot more – over the life of what ended up being the Phillies’ contract. He also didn’t negotiate for an opt-out, even though the market dictated he easily could have, because he wanted to be in one place.

              I get your point, but I’m okay with him being verbal so long as he’s not being dishonest or mean-spirited and I don’t see that at all.

              And by the way, if he’s the one who caused them to draft Stott, thanks are in order. Maybe he’s quite a good clubhouse GM.

            3. Your entitled to disagree.
              But just wonder how the Moniaks, Haseleys, Randolphs, Matons and all the Latin pitchers feel when the Phillies highest paid player says:
              “can’t really trade anybody and we don’t really have anybody to trade down there to get guys who are really, really good,”….

              That is not the way to build any type of organizational chemistry.
              Does not matter if it is the truth……everyone knows it…..he needs to show some discretion.

          2. Agree with Romus on this one….

            This is likely what Jim was referring to months ago in that there is a clubhouse GM and those are never good.

        2. I am also super annoyed watching Nick Pivetta deal for the Red Sox. If you watched him carefully over the years, you saw that the stuff was there. But the team messed him up so badly, both physically and mentally, that he regressed.

          You know you’re a bad team when other teams target your talented young players so they can get them on the cheap, clear their heads (which is what they did by sending Pivetta to the minors last year to re-start his career), and coach them up so they become the players we always suspected they could become.

          I am not blaming the current organization for all of that – it was a big Chris Young failure and last year’s pitching coach was no prize either. Still, it is quite painful and I do blame them for not being able to stop the bleeding and giving up on a pitcher who has way more upside than Velasquez.

        3. A disgrace starting Matt Moore. I don’t care if he throws a freaking no-hitter. He has a guaranteed contract. With the Phillies if you pay them you play them. This is why it is hard to take the Phillies seriously and get worked up about them.

  167. Harper just threw the entire minor league system under the bus. If somehow miraculously the Phillies are in the race come late September, they finish with 3 games versus the Braves. The 7 games before that are against the Pirates (4) and the Orioles (3).

  168. IMO the best option that we have to re-build the team/farm is to attach a $50 million check to Bryce Harper and sell to the highest bidder. Get near mlb ready prospects.

    1. Not sure Harper is their best asset. Rockies basically got squat for Arenado but then they were kind of over a barrell.

      Same with Stanton. I say just eat that one and go to your better assets for a return which IMO are Nola, Wheeler and Realmuto

      Don’t go for quantity do a simple 2 for 1 like the Rays did for Archer when they returned Meadows and Glasnow. Hold firm get primo talent even if its just 1 guy.

      1. Rhys Hoskins is their most logical trade chip. Dombrowski may not trade him in July, but he’ll likely deal him this winter. I’ve already proposed a Hoskins for Hader and Vogelbach swap. Does anyone else have an appetite for that?

        1. Hinkie…heck, I would just take Hader for Rhys straight up, and they can move Vog. to someone else for another asset.

    1. Pitchers have nobody to blame but themselves. They took the foreign substances way too far and MLB said enough is enough.

      And you know what, I think the game is better. Seeing double strikeout games almost every day just doesn’t work for the casual fan. And MLB will need the casual fan’s wallet to survive.

      1. I agree Guru. And I agree the same as when guys who barely hit 10 HRs a season started hitting 50.

        I keep laughing at the pitchers that want to say these new mound checks are an embarrassment to the game

        No the embarrassment to the game was that a bunch in your fraternity got caught crossing the line. I didn’t feel bad for the PED guys who were embarrassed. I didn’t feel bad for the Astros and I don’t feel bad for them

  170. starting matt moore in a key game against the mets seems like waving the white flag. i would like to hear an explanation as to how it’s justified. he hasn’t shown he can get aaa batters out, let alone big leaguers.

    1. This better not be because of the money. Right now, I would start Falter and Cristopher Sanchez before Moore. At this point, Moore looks cooked. If the Phillies are looking to win games, not sure how they feel Moore can help them do that.

      1. It would be one thing if Moore had signed a $35 million two-year contract, but he was signed to a relatively small dollar contract. It should have no effect on who they start – they should start the best player which would seem to be Falter. But I agree this might be relevant to their thought process – which is, quite frankly, insane.

  171. Feliz up, Hale out, ELS as extra man for DH, Nick Maton up and Coonrod on IL. Moves before today’s game. Guru, I don’t think it is because of the $ exactly. I think it’s the fact that he was signed and they want to exhaust all possibilities that he can contribute towards a Playoff push, or show something that would make him a trade candidate to another team.

  172. I left Harper out because the obvious contract, and value returns. That said, he has multiple goals, 1 being a HOF career & 2 providing stability for his family to grow. I’m not saying he wouldn’t, but I think he actually wants to stay for the reasons he chose philly. It’s more than just winning, but looking at losing for a foreseeable future could change anyone’s mind.

    The issue for the Phillies is the farm, but also the assets to sell. They are all devalued or a wait and see. Even wheeler, teams may devalue the return because of spin rate changes. IMO, the team has to get “lucky” to turn this around

  173. Looked at Jersey Shore box score from yesterday, 6 Phils were batting under .200 . This is just terrible.

  174. Brainstorming for “hope”, I’m very down on the Phillies as I believe they have few options to get out of no man’s land of mediocrity.

    For the lineup… boy does kingery & the 3 Drafted OF not showing MLB production hurt. That said , i hope they can get going toward above avg everyday players

    Will need Harper, Realmuto, Bohm, Stott … and possibly Hoskins. If he could do a Burrell like job in LF, I’d explore it. It fills a need and the defense is already subpar. Would be awesome if Moniak, Haskey or Cornelius could step up. Moniak s

    If Abel can be the the frost player since Nola to be a home grown player, they should be okay at SP with wheeler, nola, efflin, possibly Howard or FA.

    Bullpen needs work, but they have some live arms – Alvarado, brogden, Sir A coming back – Bradley if he can get going.

    That’s the best spin I can put on it, and that is a few years out. 2024 contending?

  175. I’m mystified again! Why is it the Dodgers can see something in a player on an opposing team and that team can’t? I’m talking about Garrett Clevinger. The Phillies got him from Baltimore and he came through the system. He appeared to finally have something going late last year. The Dodgers get him and he’s in their main relief rotation. I just don’t get it!

  176. Phillies add Feliz, De Los Santos and Maton to the roster for the doubleheader today. Designate Hale for assignment – it’s about freaking time. I wish him well, but he’s not a major league pitcher right now and there’s no way he should have ever been put in a position to blow that lead the other day. It was a complete screw up by Girardi.

  177. Guru. Your right on. Falter and Sanchez. Recent analysis on FanGraphs .com
    blogs.fangraphs.com/when-92-is-actually-95-bailey-falter-extension-adds-meaningful-velocity/
    Why has no one picked up on velo-distance equals MORE Velo!!!!!
    Throw in that both have shown more innings/distance.
    May be why other teams were looking at Falter

    1. I guess we can dispel the lack of spider tack speculation as far as Nola goes, huh? Here we are in the bottom of the 5th, Mets have a guy on 1rst because our 3rd baseman can’t catch a 20’ pop up and the only reason we are ahead is because the pitcher, Nola drove a guy in with a double. 12k’s that is one way to take the defense off the hook. Gee, I wonder what’s wrong with Nola?🤔

  183. Just for the record……..listened to the banter all week and I am a seller, this is not a good baseball team as constructed. I don’t advocate a total rebuild, but DD needs to put his mark on this team and some of these guy’s have to go.

  184. Surfer dude on Phils must be Irish. Stopped to do the Irish jig while involved in bunt and run

      1. Romus…… I owe you a few statistics for your contributions over the years. Cameron Wake set a vertical leap record at the NFL combines with a vertical leap of 45.5 inches. In comparison, as you might have just witnessed Rhys Hoskins vertical leap is 0.0 inches.

    1. Well at least they are not waiting until Sept to collapse and call it a year.
      Get it over early.

  186. Hoskins never saw that ball in the sun. This team sucks. No clutch hitting and poor defense. The Mets will probably sweep after this first game debacle. At least they can’t take away that the Phillies are in the top five when it comes to payroll.

  187. Sorry guys, this is pathetic! Forget for a minute the botched play by Alvarado and Hoskins’ sunglasses on the top of his hat!, brilliant performance by. Ola didn’t spur his teammates to step up. 3 miserable hits, 2 by Nola!! The 8th inning ABs by Hoskins, Realmuto and McCutchen were 3 of the worst you will ever see! I swear they guess at pitches! I can’t even watch game 2!

  188. Phillies record now 34-38. They are 6 GB.
    They have lost seven games in final ABs. Yes, their defense sucks. Their offense is usually bad. But, despite all that, a competent closer probably is the difference in six of those seven last AB losses.
    A 40-32 record would have the Phillies in first place. Job #1 for DD has to be acquiring a proven closer.

    1. BTW … of those seven last AB losses, three have been to the Mets, one was to the Braves, and another was to the Nationals. They all hurt.

  189. Yes I know surfer dude may not be Irish but u need two for the polka. Unfortunately it falls on Middleton. Hire a real GM to rebuild and get the hell outa the way. Unless DD wants to try a rebuild. A complete and I mean complete housecleaning needs to commence. I’m no spring chicken but being lost in the desert is much worse than following some young players in low minors

  191. I have to give some props to Matt Moore. When he needed him the most in this must win game, he came through. Granted, Cutch robbing that HR was huge. But he pitched way better than I thought he would.

  192. Good god, we need to consider putting a late inning replacement for Bohm. I swear, I can’t recall a Phillies infielder who is an absolute butcher like Bohm. His glove is so bad, it overshadows Rhys at times, which is absolutely stunning. He really needs to move to LF. My patience is wearing thin with Bohm’s lack of glove. It’s either that or demote him. He’s on pace to be a -2+ WAR player which is nuts. -2! The Phillies can’t have him at 3B, they really can’t.

    1. Dick (don’t call me Richie) Allen made 41 errors in 1964. I saw a lot of those errors in person. His fielding improved over time but as a rookie he was the dictionary definition of a 3rd base butcher.

    2. Wiggy…Ty Wigginton was brutal….2012….22 games 8 games…one 7 game stretch, 7 errors.

  193. Baseball is a funny game. Nola looked absolutely awful his previous game against the Giants, and then Ks 10 straight Mets at Citi Field. Girardi has no choice but to turn to Neris for the save and he delivers a clean inning, even striking out Phillies killer Dom Smith.

  194. Nola pitched Great but once again our defense and lack of basic baseball fundamentals, hit and run, Sac etc. but Loft Angle Late swings seem to be 👍.
    BP rotation a little confusing. Suarez RH to MLB hitters that just put ball in play. Prof Hitters
    Why not use a Lefty? With more velo/options ?

    Moore did exactly what he did in AAA rehab. Magician 1st time thru batting order, against “B” Team, for 5 innings. Apparently MGT trying to show their $$$ Value. NOT Win Priority. If this is our best Lefty we are in Trouble. Guarantee 1M is this what we get.

    Mets are a mediocre team that without De Grom they are😳.

    Mets late inning abs showed the New Generation Baseball. Both late inning abs showed Loft Angle Priority . Did not work. 1st game they made contact=Win

    1. Harvey – I disagree with your assessment that the Mets are a mediocre team. They have great pitching, among the best in baseball. They are about average with the glove. Where they have struggled is hitting. But as a team, they held their own in spite of multiple injuries to key players. I would not discount them so easily.

  196. This team sucks. Even DD won’t be able to turn this dumpster fire around. Overpaid and underachieving offense, and once again, a bargain bullpen that is horrible.

    I see no way they turn it around.

  197. Putting his glove aside, Alec Bohm has lost all the juice from his bat.
    The last time he hit a HR was May 6. Since then, he’s only contributed seven extra base hits (all doubles). So … Bohm has been good for < one double (and no triples or homers) per week over the last 40 games.
    If ever there was a guy in need of a mental health break, it is Alec Bohm. I'd sit him vs deGrom today (for Brad Miller). I'd probably sit him again tomorrow vs Eickhoff. Start him again on Monday vs (LHP) Wade Miley at (hitter friendly) Great American Ballpark.

    1. I was at Friday’s loss to the Mets (first game of the double header). It was painful to watch Bohm. That pop up drop was a little league play. But his body language in between pitches is terrible. He looks like his head is swimming. No confidence right now. And it is showing up in the box too.

      1. Yes. I’ve been convinced this is mostly a mental thing with Bohm. He’s got the physical talent. He was excellent last year. Believe it or not, I still even think he’s got the ability to play an adequate defensive 3B. He needs to learn to clear his mind after a bad play/AB, and move on. Like you say, he’s playing with a total lack of confidence. Give him another day off, allow him to re-set. Start him again in Cincinnati.
        Hopefully, Didi is back soon. Gregorius seems to be a calming influence on Bohm. I’d also look into a sports psychologist … if he’s not using one already. Hopefully, he can clear his head, have a couple of things go right for him, and just take off on a positive not from there. Just play some instinctual baseball w/o too much thinking.

  200. Our Bullpen, 16 saves, 18 blown saves. If the numbers were just mediocre, not awful, what is that? 5 more Ws? Hard to believe unless you actually watch us play, then perfectly understandable. I don’t understand why there is not more grief towards Hoskins for the missed ball in the sun, while his sunglasses are “very coolly” perched on top of his hat?

    1. I think it’s just another defensive performance by a sub par 1rst basemen who turns these type of plays in every day. People are used to seeing this, it is what they expect to see from him and he rarely disappoints us.

  203. Hinkie, you called it right, Bohm sits today vs. DeGrom, and Luke Williams plays 3B.

  204. I have been searching for info on Seaver’s game that he had 10 straight strike outs in 1971. Found box score but it didn’t include pitches; anyone have this stat? BTW, he had 19k’s in the game.

      1. I couldn’t find anything in here but just doing some potato math I figured Seaver pitched 250+ more innings that year and over 5,000 more innings in his career. Pitch count?

        1. Denny…whew…took me awhile digging thru, but….

          “PADRES 9TH: SWOBODA STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING RF); Kelly struck
          out; Gaston was called out on strikes; Ferrara struck out;
          Tom Seaver: 136 pitches; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Padres 1,
          Mets 2.”

          136 pitches

          1. Thanks. Appreciate the time and effort. 136, about 6 innings for most pitchers today.

  205. 2 observations:

    1. de Grom gets a lot of outs with pitches out of the strike zone. We have helped him considerably.

    2. If you get plunked like Harper and you know you aren’t going to continue (cut the dramatics and get your ass out of there)! That could have cost us a run and everyone viewing knew he was coming out!

  206. Interested to hear Girardi’s reason for pulling Eflin. Very nice stretch and pick by Hoskins. High cost lineup still don’t hit. Williams totally over matched by deGrom. Hope they do not lose this one.

  207. .

    So … the Phillies strength is their starting pitching. Their weakness is their bullpen. Girardi pulls Eflin after 82 pitches (and just one run). What did he think was going to happen?

  210. Lead off error changes the entire complexion of the inning. Hoskins makes that play and Neris probably gets the save. Tell me. Why am I a Phillies fan?

  211. The definition of insanity … doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

    1. Braves and Nats both lost….very difficult watching the Phillies keep blowing wins.
      .

  213. In little league on a grounder, you’re taught to look the ball into your glove. In American Legion baseball on a grounder, you are taught to look the ball into your glove. In high school baseball on a grounder, you are taught to look the ball into your glove. (Okay, that’s as far as I went.)

    On Hoskins’ 9th inning error, did anyone notice Rhys’ eyes? They were fixed straight ahead. He doesn’t look down for the ball until after the ball bounces off his thigh. So should I send Rhys the number to my little league coach, who is probably pushing 100 y.o.? Or maybe tell him to watch this short video below by someone who knew something about fielding ground balls. What does the man in red say about 2 and a half minutes into the video? That’s right, you look the ball into your glove.

  214. It’s the organization. Basically same ownership since carpenters sold. May all be nice people but clueless how to create winning organization. From 2007 to 2011 to win just one ugh.

    I know Tampa has won 0 but owner is reason such a great organization. Maximizes his wins with limited$$. His personnel leave and win WS where there is more $$.

  215. I am coming around to Hinkie’s position on trading Hoskins. He needs to hit 50?HRs to tolerate his awful D and slumos. That error changed the whole inning. Neris can’t walk the next guy, sure, but Hoskins can’t make that error. We had DeGrom beat!!What a bad result! Why did Eflin bunt then come out? And, I didn’t think there was any chance Pillar hit a HR until it kept traveling.

    1. Players with the worst dWar for the Phillies:

      Bohm -1.3
      Hoskins -1.1
      Cutch -0.8
      Harper -0.8
      Miller -0.5
      Didi -0.5

      I have noted that Cutch and Miller are FAs. I would only keep Hoskins if the DH comes in. Else I would look to trade him. I think there would be some interest from AL teams and Hoskins is under arbitration for 2 more years. Can’t do anything about Harper. I would move Bohm to LF during the offseason. There’s one more year with Didi. Whatever happens with Didi (traded or not), I’m ok with it.

  216. Bohm’s dWar:

    2020: -0.5 would be -1+ over a full season
    2021: -1.3

    Has there been an infielder who started their career with this poor defense and improved to the part where they were in the zero range +/- 0.3 in future years?

    Pedro Feliz comes close: -0.9 dWar at age 26 and then was postive dWar for most of his career.

    I’m just thinking what are the odds that Bohm can actually get better with the glove.

  217. on Bohm’s dWar, is it possible that a shortstop with better range would help. The nature of the errors doesn’t suggest it would, but still…. On a different topic, it is good that his hitting has started to improve.

  218. MLB highest….21 Blown Saves,
    ….Neris 4 in the last 6 games…also leads the league

    DFA Neris…..put Howard in as the closer….bold moves at this point.

    1. Hi Romus.
      I mentioned long ago that I did not understand what the Phillies sai in Neris that apparently most of us do not. He allows way too many runners on base. His best pitch is rarely a strike so hitters sit on the fastball that moves very little and is very hit able. Neris is the same Neris he has been basically for the last 5 years.

      I saw these stats last night on highlights. It blows my mind 21 with under 80 games played. This teams success or failure rests in only one position. Closes.

      I am not sure now because I am really busy with things but a few weeks ago some teams had not blown a save at that time. I think the Padres were one of them then.

      Even if it was 10 blown saves look what the difference in the standings would be.
      I will be surprised if the Phillies make any significant move in this area. Hope I am wrong.

      This is headed for a plus 40 blown save season.

      1. Don…..Joe used Archie today….maybe he will go with him and Alvarado for awhile.
        I like to think outside the box…the reason I mentioned Howard.
        Sometimes the oddest change produces unexpected results.
        When Cash started with ‘openers’ in 2019 people scuffed at him….but it worked, because the pitchers bought into it.
        But the team will go nowhere if they cannot hold leads.

        1. Really nice to hear from you. We do fairs and festivals with our concessions during Summer and Fall. We keep really busy from mid June through end of October.

          I hope you are right but I still see this team as something around a 70 win team.
          I just do not see the pieces that move the needle much more than that. Seems the Phillies have been in that cycle for a long time.

  220. pray that the national league goes to the dh. i like hoskins, he is a legitimate right handed power bat. they don’t grow on trees, but at this point it’s clear there is no defensive position he can play at anywhere close to a ml level. trade him to an american league team only if the dh doesn’t happen. i think it is inevitable that it will.

  221. I want to build on comments above from Hinkie and Romus…

    How would you feel about this team if their record was 43-31? Everyone is the same to get to that record except one player…Josh Hader. Stay with me before you disagree…what would you give up from our team to take this team as is (with the defensive warts and inconsistent hitting and weak bench) but make one real run at it with Hader? Could one guy really make that big of a difference?

    As Hinkie and Romus pointed out, the Phillies lead MLB in blown saves with 21. Hader has not blown a save but Milwaukee has blown 13 saves. It would be too far to assume that adding Hader makes our team’s blown saves zero (even though he has zero BS) so let’s just argue that adding Hader gets us a net 8 BS as a team fewer. Basically we swap BS with Milwaukee.

    Now, what would you be willing to give up to get that? Hinkie suggests Rhys, but I don’t think they would want Rhys for first base. I think Milwaukee would want Bohm to fix their miserable first base situation. You ready to sell low on Bohm. Throw in Spencer Howard, Stott, Falter and one or two of our good young players at Clearwater. IMO the only untouchable is Able. I am not sure that package gets it done. But let’s say it does…are you ready to put all of our promising young mlb ready players into one trade? How far does that get us? Do we win the East? Can we beat the Dodgers of Padres or SF?

    1. v1 … the Phillies and Brewers make excellent trade partners.
      It is not hyperbole to say Josh Hader would have the Phillies in first place in 2021. This team has now endured EIGHT last AB losses. Four have been to the Mets (plus one each to the Braves and Nats).
      Milwaukee is need of a 1Bman/middle of the order bat. I’ve proposed a Hoskins for Hader deal because both players are under team control for two more seasons. Hader will actually be making more money than Hoskins over that time. I hadn’t really considered Bohm (in place of Hoskins), but I’d probably do Hader for Bohm too. You can move some other pieces around, or even include a third team to make this happen. If you’re going to trade Bohm instead of Hoskins, Middleton has got to be open to kicking the luxury tax threshold door down.
      I don’t know if David Stearns would be willing to trade Hader this summer because the Brewers are in the thick of the NL Central race, but I’m almost certain he’s going to seek to trade his closer this winter because Hader is going to get very expensive.
      Like I’ve posted in the past. Dombrowski may not have the farm system to compete for star players on the trade market, so he’ll probably need to offer young(ish) MLB players instead.

      1. about the LTT: it’s probably going to increase by maybe a good amount this winter with a new CBA. Dombrowski absolutely needs to shake things up in a major way before the 2022 season. I know relievers are a risky commodity, and Hader’s arm action leads some to prognosticate future arm injuries … but … I’d take my chances on a major deal for him.

      2. I think that you are way over valuing Rhys. He isn’t anywhere close to enough as a core piece for Hader. He is DH who currently has a .761 OPS and is only under team control another 1.5 years.

        1. Rhys is under team control for 2.5 years. Hader is under team control for the same length of time. Not that they are the bible for player appraisals … but … baseball trade values.com actually ranks Hoskins more valuable than both Bohm and Hader.
          If you go there, and offer Hoskins for Hader, the site actually ranks the deal a moderate overpay for the Phillies.
          In the end, like your house, a player is worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. But I think that site is a good base line for a player’s worth.

          1. And we do that trade and then . . . Hader gets hurt or has mixed results with the Phillies. NL gets DH next year, Hoskins becomes DH lynchpin cleanup hitter for contending Milwaukee team.

            Losing organizations lurch from bad situation to bad situation trading their best players to plug holes in the dyke and create problems as bad as the ones they’ve solved.

            We trade Hoskins and then we have a big vacuum in the middle of the order. We solve one problem, create another and don’t have anyone to replace Hoskins.

            I’ve seen this bad play before. I get why people are desperate. Let’s just trade some guys at the deadline and retool for next year. That’s what the Red Sox or Yanks do during a bad season. But they don’t trade their best hitters for relief pitchers to become a second wild card team. That’s what losing teams like the Phillies do.

            1. I’ll be surprised if Hoskins is a Phillie next season. I’d rather see him traded for an MLB player who can help the club in area they desperately need assistance in rather than a prospect(s).

            2. Dave Dombrowski has been down this road before. Once upon a time ago … he dealt 29 YO Prince Fielder (coming off three straight all-star appearances). Rhys will also turn 29 this offseason. He gone (IMO).
              If DD can shore up this team’s BP or defense by swapping Hoskins, he’s going to do it.

            4. … about Rhys as the Phillies DH: yes, he’ll be their primary DH. However, the team will use the DH to give JTR and Bryce Harper some rest. So, Hoskins is still going to need to play probably ~50 games in the field per season if he’s still with the Phillies.

            5. Hinkie…agree.
              They will probably move Rhys this off-season…Boras’ connection with Rhys though, could make other GMs think twice about trading for him
              Personally……his defense and RISP metric are too bothersome. for my liking.
              Hader would be a nice acquisition, but would Stearns agree to part with Hader for Hoskins plus one prospect!

          2. Wow. That is shocking. I can’t understand how a DH with a .761 OPS (career .845 OPS) is worth more than the best closer in baseball.

            If that is all it takes then that is a no brainer.

        2. I agree. If the Brewers wanted a 1B that’s a streaky power hitter/defensive liability they would have kept Aguilar. Teams are reporting that Stearns is asking for a ton (justifiably) in return for Hader and he likely wouldn’t listen long to any proposal where Hoskins is the centerpiece. The Brewers will get better offers or just keep Hader.

          I’m sure the Phillies have explored their options for Hoskins, as they should for all players, but would prefer to make a deal when his value is ascending instead of descending.

    2. This team has been on a talent merry-go-round with few prospects and no over .500 finish for 10 years. If we just want to stay right in that same place, we will start trading guys like Stott. Bohm, Abel and Falter for quick fixes. And for what? The opportunity to be the second wild card? No thanks.

      Let’s do what we should have done at least 2 of the last 4 years and trade for prospects this year instead of trying to go for it and surrendering assets like Pivetta.

      1. I am with you Catch. I think Hader is a bandaid that gets us a wild card spot and a playoff loss to the Dodgers or Padres. When Hader hits FA, he will command a deal that makes zero sense. But someone will pay him. And he will get hurt mid contract. That’s just not how you win. You have to develop high end prospects. Role players don’t make a difference. We need big tool players. That is why Abel is so valuable to us. Elite stuff.

        1. The Phillies are more likely to win the division this year than get a WC spot (even a second WC). If you trade for Hader, you are getting a shutdown closer under team control through the end of 2023. He fits in the Phillies current timeline. You may not like it, or believe in it … but … this team has been built to compete in that time frame. They have Harper, JTR, Nola, Wheeler, and Eflin in their primes during the next three seasons. You might as well be all in, or sell off some of these pieces.

          BTW … I’m not saying Hader is the club’s only option. He’s the best closer who might be/become available, but Dombrowski could also look to sign a guy like Raisel Iglesias this offseason. He would only cost money. But I think DD will look to shake things up. I mean he has to.

    1. You think that it is a coincidence that the top of that list is filled with Tampa players? Defense matters a lot to winning. Not as flashy. But it gets wins.

      1. Tampa Bay #2 and Phillies #22 in team fielding %. TB batting average. 238 Phillies .230.

      2. Correct….defense and pitching…starters and the bullpen…are essential to play-off baseball..
        Best gloves in organizations usually are their middle infielders….Phillies need to starts to get some of their minor league middle infielders acclimated to third base….at least plug one defensive liability.

  223. Tampa Bay Friedman leaves they just keep churning out milb players. The constant is the owner.

    1. The other constant is … Tampa gets extra draft picks every season for competitive balance purposes and for compensation for being cheap (losing FAs).

      1. You really can’t compare Tampa to any other team because they do everything well – they don’t spend any money – they somehow have gotten the inside track on the LA market where they invariably end up with the best or second best player available (Wander Franco = this year’s version) – brilliant trading of players like Nick Anderson the best reliever before he blew his arm out ; Arozarena ; Austin Meadows etc. among just a few. Their minor league development system is so incredibly good they have something like 6-7 players in most pundit’s top 100 minor league players – and they still won more than 90 games annually while compiling those draft picks. They are THE model and in my opinion even better than the Dodgers who need 250 million to even stay even with them and their 69 million payroll. They are simply the best run franchise for the money invested – probably in all sports !

        2. Trading philosophy to follow; be like George Kastanza, do opposite of what Phillies usually do at the deadline.

  224. Anyone know what happened to Andrew Schultz? He was the flame throwing reliever that we took in the 6th round of 2019. Doesn’t seem to be playing right now? Injured?

  225. Is that ROY Oswalt pitching? Phillies are sure making it look that way. They just can’t add on to a lead. Hoskins and Bohm: Now K masters who came up and were known to BB as much as K.

    1. My wife just asked me if the game is over, I said they went to the bullpen and I turned it off just before your post.

  227. T Mac just reluctantly said ” and now ….. we are going to the bullpen”. This was after the Phillies batting in the top of 8th.

  228. Hector Santiago of the Mariners just got busted for the foreign substance rule. Looks like MLB will inspect the glove. He’s in line for a 10 game suspension with the Mariners in the hunt for a wild card.

  229. Hard to believe but the Phillies should have won their last 5 games, but instead go 2-3.

    The bright spot is that Cutch looks real good at the plate so if the Phillies decide to sell, he’ll definitely get traded for a lotto ticket (with the Phillies eating like half of his remaining contract).

    1. Guru……they have already paid him half his salary this year……he has approx $10M left on this season. Phillies ought to just pay the final $10M.
      A team like the Giants could be in play.
      Kap always likes to get vets for the stretch run.

  230. Wheeler guts out 7 innings. Alvarado comes in and gives up one. Bradley comes in and gives up one. Good thing it wasn’t a 2-1 game. If the relievers are going to give up two runs in two innings, you might as well keep Wheeler in to pitch all nine innings. Who cares if he has to throw 130-150 pitches. Of course, I jest but you get my point. All four starters did great this weekend.

  231. Romus – There are “surprises” on the mid-season SABR Defensive Index list.

    First, is that former gold glover Freddie Freeman is, according to the list, the worst defensive first basemen in the NL. Hoskins is ranked 4 slots higher.

    Second, JT ranks 15th in NL among catchers, 8 slots below Jorge Alfaro.

    Third, Marcell Ozuna is considered the 12th best glove among all fielders at any position.

    Not surprising is that the Phillies have locked up last place at 3B-Bohm and LF-Cutch (with a lot of cushion between him the Joc Pederson, who is next worst, RF gets an honorable mention for Bryce, who is 3 off the bottom, and SS – DiDi, who is fourth off the bottom.

    Until defensive metrics are developed with low variance, I will continue to view them with a lot of skepticism.

    1. Yeah……can understand your skepticism, defensive metrics are varied among all the publications SABR…Baseball Reference…. Fangraphs….., BA and BP
      When it comes to the Gold Glove voting….25% of it is based on SABR’s- SDI evaluations.

  232. I don’t trade for Hader. The farm is already slim and we can’t afford to deplete it further. Would a genuine Closer have us in 1st place, despite awful defense and poor situational hiitng? Yes! But the mistake is in not signing Liam Hendriks as a FA. No prospects, no trading Hoskins, just $, and I believe that is the price Middleton should have paid for completely botching the rebuild. The cost of failure.

    1. Matt – I had hoped that the Phillies would pick up Brad Hand once the Indians place him on outright waivers. One year at $10MM would look a whole lot better than $6MM for Bradley and $4MM for Andersen or VV.

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