Open Discussion: Week of May 1, 2022

Weekly Discussion

This is the courtesy thread for comments and discussion about the Phillies and other BASEBALL topics.

Okay, listen up.

Here come some rule changes.

Due to the lockout, the late start to spring training, and the delayed start of the regular season, MLB and the MLBPA agreed to several rule changes and modifications at the start of the season.

The 13-pitcher limit was suspended again and teams were allowed to carry as many pitchers as they wanted on a temporary 28-man roster.  In addition, the ghost runner in extra-innings was agreed upon for 2022 only, 7-inning doubleheaders were discarded, option restrictions (which had been limited to 5 times in one season) were relaxed, and the 15-day IL was shortened to a 10-day IL.

Starting May 2nd, teams will have to cut their rosters to 26 players but have the option of carrying 13 or 14 pitchers.  This will remain in effect until May 29th when the 13 pitcher limit will be in force.  There was no mention of any additional delay regarding options or the IL, so the initial assumption is that they were not extended and will go into effect on May 2nd as originally agreed.  We’ll see.

So, what does that mean for the Phillies?  If they carry 14 pitchers, they have a 3-man bench.  If 13 pitchers, a 4-man bench.  I would assume that Stubbs and Camargo are locks.  With Harper tying up the DH for the foreseeable future, who are your one or two remaining options for the bench.  In either case, I think Quinn is retained.  Vierling can be optioned, Quinn would have to be DFA-ed.  And, Vierling’s not hitting right now anyway.  Of course, if the Phils opt to go with a 13-man pitching staff, both are safe and 2 pitchers would go down.

(Okay, after I wrote all this on Saturday, Matt Gelb tweeted that the Phillies have optioned Cristopher Sanchez and Damon Johnson.  So, if he’s right, that’ll be an 8-man bullpen and a 4-man bench.  Note, the transactions haven’t been posted but I included them below.)

The Draft Discussion will launch this Monday night.

Key Dates:

  • July 15-19, 2022: All-Star Week in Los Angeles
  • July 17-19, 2022: MLB Draft
  • August 2, 2022: Trade Deadline (6 p.m. ET)
  • October 5, 2022: Final scheduled day of the regular season

Rosters and Stuff

Transactions: (those without dates just haven’t been posted yet)

LHP Jose Acuna placed on the 60-day IL
Lehigh Valley placed RHP Tyler Phillips on the 60-day IL
Jersey Shore placed LHP Spencer Van Scoyoc on the 60-day IL
Clearwater placed CF Jefferson Encarnacion on the 60-day IL
Clearwater placed OF Jordan Viars on the 7-day IL
5/01/2022 – Phillies optioned Cristopher Sanchez to Lehigh Valley
5/01/2022 – Phillies optioned Damon Jones to Lehigh Valley
4/30/2022 – LHP Jordan Fowler assigned to Clearwater
4/27/2022 – RHP Aidan Anderson assigned to Jersey Shore from Clearwater
4/27/2022 – Clearwater activated RHP Konnor Ash from the 7-day IL
4/26/2022 – Phillies optioned LHP Bailey Falter to Lehigh Valley
4/26/2022 – Phillies recalled LHP Damon Jones from Lehigh Valley
4/26/2026 – Lehigh Valley released SS Ronald Torreyes
4/26/2022 – Reading activated 1B Aldrem Corredor
4/26/2022 – Reading placed CF Simon Muzziotti on the 7-day IL retroactive to 4/24
4/26/2022 – Reading activated LHP Nick Lackney
4/26/2022 – Jersey Shore transferred RHP Cristian Hernandez to the Development List
4/26/2022 – Clearwater activated LHP Jordi Martinez from the 7-day IL
4/25/2022 – Phillies transferred LHP Ryan Sherriff from the 10- to the 60-day IL, shoulder strain
4/25/2022 – Phillies optioned SS Bryson Stott to Lehigh Valley
4/25/2022 – Phillies selected the contract of CF Roman Quinn from Lehigh Valley
4/25/2022 – CF Jefferson Encarnacion assigned to Clearwater from FCL Phillies
4/25/2022 – Clearwater placed LHP Corey Phelan on the 60-day IL
4/25/2022 – Clearwater placed C Rickardo Perez on the 60-day IL
4/24/2022 – 1B Rixon Wingrove assigned to FCL Phillies from Clearwater
4/20/2022 – LHP Corey Phelan assigned to Clearwater from FCL Phillies
4/17/2022 – Lehigh Valley placed SS Dalton Guthrie on the 7-day IL
4/08/2022 – Reading placed RHP Trevor Bettencourt on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – Reading placed LHP Taylor Lehman on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – Reading placed RHP Joel Cesar on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – Reading placed LF Josh Stephen on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – Reading placed RHP Blake Brown on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – Jersey Shore placed RHP Albertus Barber on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – Jersey Shore placed RHP Chase Antle on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – Jersey Shore placed LHP Keylan Killgore on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – Jersey Shore placed RHP Brett Schulze on the 7-day IL
4/08/2022 – Jersey Shore placed RHP Tom Sutera on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – LHP Spencer Van Scoyoc assigned to Jersey Shore from Clearwater
4/08/2022 – Clearwater placed LHP Jordi Martinez on the 7-day IL
4/08/2022 – Clearwater placed LHP Samuel Aldegheri on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – Clearwater placed RHP Eduar Segovia on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – Clearwater placed RHP Sam Jacobsak on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – Clearwater placed RHP Nicoly Pina on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – Clearwater placed RHP Starlyn Castillo on the 60-day IL
4/08/2022 – OF Jordan Viars assigned to Clearwater from FCL Phillies
4/07/2022 – Phillies signed RHP Austin Ross
4/06/2022 – RHP Tyler Carr assigned to FCL Phillies from Reading
4/05/2022 – Lehigh Valley placed RHP Cam Bedrosian on the 7-day IL
4/05/2022 – RHP Konnor Ash assigned to Clearwater
4/01/2022 – RHP Mark Potter assigned to FCL Phillies from Jersey Shore

201 thoughts on “Open Discussion: Week of May 1, 2022”

  1. With the caveat that the season is young/just ~15% complete, sometimes the best trades are the ones never made. We (here) discussed possible Alec Bohm➡Matt Chapman scenarios this winter. So far this season:

    Bohm .309/.364/.455 -0.1 dWAR
    Chapman .220/.289/.415 -0.1 dWAR

    In addition, Bohm is under team control thru 2026. Chapman hits the open market after next season. I don’t know if Dave Dombrowski actually ever spoke to Billy Beane about a Bohm for Chapman swap, but right now it looks like that’s a transaction he did the right thing by avoiding.

    1. In retrospect you may be right but, I do feel that there are trades to be made in the next 60 days and I have the feeling DD will pull the trigger and not disappoint me.

      1. I’m not sure what trades you’re expecting if the Phillies are in the hunt for a playoff spot.

        The rotation is set.

        If Didi or Bohm falters, we have Stott and Carmargo. If Herrera falters, we have Moniak. The other position players are going to get a long leash.

        The 5 high leverage relievers (Knebel, Dominguez, Familia, Hand, Alvarado) are doing fine.

        So I don’t see any trades unless somebody gets seriously hurt i.e TJ surgery.

        1. Guru…….I’m not looking for a blockbuster, that is not going to happen. I am looking for some tweaking to be done, maybe a change of chemistry. Our center field situation is not ideal but, Odubel is adequate for the year. Certainly better than Vierling IMO. I would like MM to get an opportunity, but he has to contribute.

          Your P.3 I am with you on 4 out of 5. Like DMAR, I’m a little stressed on Alvarado (wild thing 2) and being a ❤️ patient, that’s not good.

          There are some people they could move and if the opportunity arises on a another team because of an injury, I think DD will do it.

          I don’t think as constructed this team can do it without additions and subtractions.

      2. I don’t see any meaningful trades for 2 reasons 1. Payroll is not likely to go much higher

        2. A trade for a really good player with limited salary is going to cost a ton in prospect capital which we again don’t have.

    2. Two things.

      First, it’s still early in the season and I think Chapman is a hell of player, but if Bohm plays well, then you don’t need to waste those resources.

      Second, on Bohm, putting aside his fielding (he’s done better than expected recently on that), people really pulled the plug here far too early on him as a hitter. Sometimes it takes multiple years for a hitter to develop. If a guy has the type of hitting talent Bohm has, you often need to give the player at least 2-3 years to develop. Look how long it took J.P. Crawford to be an excellent hitter. Players develop in their own time, not in the time frame fans impatiently demand. Bohm has tons of upside as a hitter and the Phillies were smart not to panic about that and let him get out there and play.

  2. That game was really frustrating last night. As I watch the outfield Defense there’s two things that really stand out for me. The first is how much a decent centerfielder would help the overall outfield defense. Odubel should’ve caught both of those balls but certainly the second one that landed basically on the warning track at centerfield. I sure hope they give Mickey a solid shot when he gets back in centerfield whether he hits or not. He has. to be a better option than what we’re throwing out there now. The second thing is how horrible our arms are in the outfield,
    Excluding Bryce who is currently DH; my view that Game was lost last night because of the horrible outfield defense.

    1. I’m consistently stunned at how much heat Odubel gets on this site. He can do no right. Odubel is not Byron Buxton. We know this. But he’s still a very competent CF. His numbers bear that out.

      We also knew that both Schwarber and Castellanos were butchers in the field. Schwarber’s range is not great and he has an IF’s arm. Teams are running at will on Schwarber. And Harper’s injury showed why Castellanos should be a full time DH. His instincts are brutal, his range is not great, and his arm is not accurate. And yet we’re continue to focus on Odubel? And as much as we hope that Moniak is the answer in CF, only a few months ago Joe G mentioned that Moniak was NOT a CF. That likely means that Moniak’s range in CF is not great.

      Odubel has played in 8 games and already has 0.4 WAR. It’s way too early to kick him off CF. Unless you want to see Matt Vierling and his -0.4 WAR.

      1. Okay, here’s my view of Matt Vierling.

        I think he has a lot of natural ability as a hitter, fielder and base runner.

        But Vierling needs some serious hitting instruction. He uses like 1/4 of the field when hits major league pitching. Almost everything he hits is to right field to right/centerfield. This makes it both very easy for other teams to position fielders when he hits and it robs him of what I think could be pretty decent power. He needs a hitting guru who will help him focus on the pulling certain pitches and elevating the ball a little bit. The ability is there but he’s playing so far beneath what I think his potential might be.

      2. ” only a few months ago Joe G mentioned that Moniak was NOT a CF. That likely means that Moniak’s range in CF is not great.”

        Or it means that Joe doesnt know how to evaluate players especially young ones

  3. If we send Verling down and then Mickey comes back, how do they get significant playing time in CF at LHV?

    1. Denny.
      IMO, ..at this point of their respective careers…makes no difference for either Vierling or Moniak if it is CF, LF or RF where they play in LHV….and for that matter also Muzziotti
      They are all well experienced in all three OF positions to handle each more than adequately.

      1. I would think Mickey goes on a rehab assignment once he’s healed up to see if he picks up where he left off…

        I’m getting to the point where I might be over the Alvarado experiment.

    2. Assuming Odubel is still hitting, Vierling or Moniak will be a backup OF. So the Phillies will have a choice to make. If the Phillies feel that Moniak has a future at CF, then he should play CF at Lehigh. I don’t think giving Moniak 1-2 starts per week at CF is good for him. Odubel is a FA after this season. Moniak should go down to Lehigh and tear it up, same with Stott. Then when ST comes, you give them both the jobs.

  4. A good defensive CF is, IMO, a must for a good team, and we certainly didn’t get it last night. I have been told I pick on Odubel too much, and he has played fairly well. But, he is mot very good defensively, and still makes those base running mistakes that are just mind boggling. If we get 3 HRs off Max Scherzer, we have to win the game. It’s only the 1st month, not the 50 games v1 said I should wait, but we are not as good as the Mets. And, they have been playing without DeGrom.

    1. Here are the players that I think are more of an issue right now than Odubel:

      Hoskins -0.2 WAR
      Wheeler -0.2 WAR
      Vierling -0.4 WAR (but he has now been replaced by Odubel)

      I didn’t want to put Suarez on this list because I think he pitched out of his mind last season and it wasn’t sustainable. He pitched like a 1/2 last season and I think he’s more of a 3/4.

  5. Quinn is actually perfect as an extra OF. I expect Vierling to be sent down to LHV but Maton hasn’t hit enough to earn a promotion while Camargo is the only extra IF right now. They won’t add another 40 spot though so the current 40 guys (Stott, Maton, Moniak, Muzzioti) are it. If Maton hits it could be him or as Jim says, they could go with one more relief pitcher.

  6. And I am completely ok with the “its early, dont overreact” crowd, but the mets seem to have “it” going this year….you can pretend that nothing matters now, but you also would prefer it not to be June 1 and the team’s only real hope for a playoff spot (barring a major collapse) is a wild card.

    1. I don’t know about anyone else, but I never expected the Phillies to win the division. Their projection is as a potential wild card team. Winning the division would be an unexpected bonus.

  7. The Mets cut Robinson Cano and ate close to $40M. Cano is the poster child for not giving 10 year contracts to a 30 year old. He delivered 5 good years before falling off a cliff. The Mariners did well attaching his contract to Edwin Diaz, although you can argue that Cano shouldn’t have gotten that type of deal to begin with.

    Mets got lucky that Cano got suspended for PEDs. It essentially became a 4 year, $96M remaining contract and Cano delivered 1.2 WAR. That is not a typo.

    1. Money is no issue to Mets ownership now….under the Wilpons they would have kept Cano because of the owed money.
      I just hope Walker, Megill and Bassitt falter and Scherzer gets tired….if not they look to be a 90 plus win team this season.

      1. It was an insane trade the moment it was made – many of us here commented on that at that time knowing that the Cano obligation could become serious dead weight at any moment.

  8. Dan – You said “no judgement here” and then you did exactly that for the rest of the paragraph. Judge all you want. There’s nothing wrong with that but don’t say/write that you are not judging.

    Eflin pitched a bad game last night but if Segura doesn’t make that error, Eflin may have stuck around a little longer. An error to start the inning really puts a ton of pressure on the pitcher and Eflin didn’t respond.

    Ever since the Phillies got Eflin from SD via LA, I’ve been one of his biggest supporters hoping he’d turn into a 3 or even a 2 in the rotation. He has his occasional good game but overall he’s been just okay.

    If I’m in the FO, I don’t think I lobby for the team to sign Eflin long term unless it is at 3-30 or so. I just don’t think he deserves a big contract (which he’ll probably get somewhere). There are a lot of pitchers like him around.

    1. I do consider Eflin a 3, although it seems that we’ve been waiting forever for him to break out. It’s a walk year for Eflin so a lot is on the line for him. If he performs well, somebody out there is likely to overpay. If he performs poorly (< 2 WAR) that he's willing to accept 3 years, $30M from us, I might consider rolling the dice with Bailey Falter making minimum salary (or Sanchez/Crouse/Eastman) instead.

    2. ciada…judging by his career after 107 starts…..he probably is in a range of a $14/16M AAV guy on a LTC of 3 or 4 year deal. IMO, that would be reasonable.
      Suggesting $10M AAV is just a little low, especially coming from a big market team.
      He would feel insulted.

  9. Tennessee’s RHP Ben Joyce…..100 MPHs record.
    Vols’ Ben Joyce may be the most dominant pitcher in all of college baseball. ….. on Sunday the hurler threw a 104 mph fastball in a game against Eastern Kentucky. Joyce had a sequence in which he hit 102, 103 and 104 mph against Eastern Kentucky and just overmatched hitters. Oh, and that sequence also included a 91 mph changeup.

    1. He has ideal size (6’5″, 225lbs) but anybody else thinks that he’ll get TJ sooner rather than later? He has a decent walk rate though.

      1. Guru……his next TJ will be his second and then kapuzkie.
        He had his first just a few years ago.

        1. If you take a kid like that and he’s a flamethrower, one TJ to his credit, what do you do with him? Do you make him a starter or a reliever?

          1. Skeet:
            I am sure most teams will try to make him a starter to begin with..
            But his early scouting grades indicate a relief role down the road.
            Apparently his secondary stuff is too vanilla.
            Scouting grades: FB: 80 | Slider: 50 | CU: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

            2. rocco…one difference, Riley Pint was an 18-year old HS arm, that was still developing physically….this guy will be 22 years old at the end of the season.
              He did throw 100 mph in HS and eventually had to redshirt in 2021 because of the off-season TJ surgery he had 18 months ago.
              But he seems to be airing it out regularly now.

  10. We need to take these 2 games from the Rangers, because then we have 24 of 27 games against The Dodgers, Giants, Padres, Mets and Braves. We will be past v1’s 50 game mark, and it might then be getting late awful early, unless we start to play much better Baseball than we have so far.

    1. Matt, my feeling is that by June 1, after this rough stretch against better teams, the Phillies will be virtually out of the race. This is a .500 team. The offense should become more consistent over time but I seriously doubt the starting rotation can remain intact. Wheeler is an IL stint waiting to happen, Suarez is okay, Nola is probably the most durable arm but hiccups a lot, Eflin has flashes and flames out, Gibson eats innings but isn’t more than a 4 if that. The bullpen seems okay but may get overused if the starters don’t step up there efficiency with both deepers starts and fewer pitches. Even if the Mets don’t keep their pace, which I doubt they will, a .500 club won’t catch them. And the cream of the division in Atlanta won’t stay around .500…so the Phillies might finish in 3rd place but another win total of 81 won’t be enough. Girardi will be gone long before the Phillies are mathematically eliminated. And DD will be selling pieces like Segura and Gregorius, and perhaps a few more veterans on short contracts.

      Yeah, it’s early. Very early, in fact. But this movie seems quite familiar, and the end is dissatisfying. Sorry.

  11. I read somewhere, maybe the Athletic, that suggests Efflin has a testy relationship with Phillies management and doesn’t think he is properly valued. He said several times in the course of the article that he”ll be interested in what the Phillies say in arbitration. Given that they will be saying Efflin isn’t worth the $6 million he wants, it seems a safe bet he’ll leave arbitration with even harder feelings about the org. I’ve always like Efflin, but maybe it’s time to say good-bye and plan on life without him.

    1. It’s curious that the Phillies are willing to go to arbitration over $1.4M difference. Usually you just split the difference, sign and move on. This reminds of the drama between Marcus Stroman and the Toronto Blue Jays. You knew that Stroman wasn’t re-signing with the Blue Jays. Looks like the odds of Eflin re-signing with the Phillies has dramatically decreased. Looks like it’s either the QO or he walks.

      1. Yes, Guru! Especially when you look at the amount of cash the front office shelled out for players this off season….

      2. Unless he seriously improves, they won’t make him a QO. I really like Zach Eflin, but he’s pitched to a lifetime 4.55 ERA. Right now he’s a very good 4 and his upside is a decent (but not dominant) 3, but he’s not reached that level yet – these guys don’t make the generous QO amount. Either they will reach a 2-3 year, reasonable deal with him or he’ll be on the market. Stop panicking – they will have tons of options and one of them will likely be Eflin, but they have no reason to do anything now.

        1. I’m just trying to predict what the Phillies will do with Eflin. The Phillies do have options, but I don’t think any of them are at least as good as Eflin and that’s an issue. But I’m ok with giving the pitchers at Lehigh a shot.

        2. Why wouldn’t the Philies offer a QO to Eflin.?
          In his last 33 starts going back over the last three years ,including the 5 starts this season….he has 3.6bWAR
          Sure he had the injury and the subsequent surgery on the knees, and then there was the 2020 truncated season, but 3.6WAR is not shabby……and 33 starts is a full years worth of starts.
          I can see a QO being offered ilo of a LTC from the Phillies, which his agent and him may not be what they expect from the Phillies and refused to agree upon.

          1. Rodon was up and down; injured a lot settled for just $3 million last year

            Fast forward to this season and Farhan sees him valued at 2/$44 million. My take is whatever DD decides to do with Eflin I am ok with.

            1. I agree with that. The QO offer is a lot of money and it’s not clear another team would match. If he pitches to a 3.6 WAR this year, you’re right, he probably will get a QO, but if it’s like 2.2 WAR – probably not. I could see, and could easily live with, a 2-3 year contract at $15 million per year, but if it’s a lot more than that, they are going to have to consider this carefully.

            3. Yes. Of course the Dombrowski will slap Zach Eflin with a QO (as long as he stays healthy this season). One year deals (even @ 19M) are never really too risky/bad pacts for clubs to enter into.
              I posted last week, Eflin on the open market, with his knees is probably going to get a deal in the neighborhood of the contracts Steven Matz (4/44M) and Jon Gray (4/56M) received this winter. His ceiling is probably 4/60M.

            4. Eflin is like that saying, “everytime I’m out they (he) pulls me back in”.

            5. … and it nets the Phillies a draft pick if Eflin leaves. It would be a pick after round 4 because the team is over the LTT, but the club has a pretty strong history with it’s fifth round selections.

            6. I think we may all be wrong on how the new system is going to work. I think QO’s are a thing of the past and a team losing a player will get compensation that varies depending on the magnitude of the contract the player receives and without the need to make a qualifying offer. If you’ve read that QOs have survived, please point me to that link because what I’ve read suggests they will not continue.

              Eflin will be available to the highest bidder without penalty to any team who signs him. His contract will determine the compensation owed the Phillies, but in his expected bracket (lesser of $18 m AAV or $35 m total contract – amounts Eflin would likely receive), it’s most likely going to be a third-round pick which is an okay, but not great, prize.

              So where does this take me? Just where I was before. They don’t need to make a decision now. If he pitches well, you’re probably looking at a $12-16 m contract over 3-4 years that somebody will give him. Should the Phillies pay him that? I couldn’t tell you now, but he’s not a must sign at that level and the Phillies should explore all available options before giving him big dollars.

  12. The attendance in Oakland for the game between the A’s and the Rays was 2,488. Maybe they should have more dollar give-aways to up the attendance. I’d bet they would at least get another few hundred people in the (concession) stands.

    1. Wow – that’s crazy. It’s what you’d expect for a Blue Rocks game and less than a R-Phils or LhV game for sure.

      1. The A’s want approval for a $1 billion stadium that would be part of a $15 billion real estate project. If they get approval, that will drive their decision of whether to stay in Oakland or leave for Las Vegas. It is a good reason for baseball to not have an anti-trust exemption. It’s now purely a business. If they do get approval, they’ll try to draw fans again. If not, it’s off to Las Vegas where the casino companies are very entrepreneurial and able to accommodate A’s ownership ambitions.

    1. Dombrowski will absolutely NOT offer Zach Eflin a QO (probably worth close to $20M) this winter unless he turns in a sub-4 ERA, pitches 175 innings and remains injury free through the rest of the season, then maybe(?). Even for one year, that would be unwise. C’mon…

      1. Folks, I think the QO system is a thing of the past. If someone has current information to the contrary, please let me know. Getting reliable info about the new CBA is difficult, but what I’ve read suggests that the QO system is no longer in place.

        1. If that is the case, (the QO has gone away) then assume the Phillies will make Eflin, in a good faith gesture, a low ball LTC, he will of course refuse, and then he walks without any compensation coming the Phillies way, unless……
          Eflin will be considered in the category as a ‘first-time free agent’ so there could be compensation……IF, the MLB and MLBPA agree to an international draft, as I read it ,come July….which seems illogical , but it is a negotiating tactic I assume.

          IX. Free Agent Compensation

          IF the parties agree on an international draft, teams will receive supplemental draft compensation for losing first time free agent players. The compensation is based on the status of the former team’s revenue payee/ payor/ CBT status and the amount that the player signs
          Free Agent Compensation.. a pick can be awarded in either “Comp A, Comp B or 3rd round depending on the amount the player signs for.

          Compensation tiers are based on:

          …the total guarantee (TG) OR the average annual value (AAV) of the player’s new contract, whichever is higher, and the Revenue paying and CBT status of the former club
          The player must be a first time free agent, and have been with the former team for at least one full season.
          ****There is no qualifying offer of salary or arbitration required for compensation.***

        2. The qualifying offer is tied to the international draft:

          International draft = No qualifying offer
          No international draft = qualifying offer – See below

          Jeff Passan
          @JeffPassan
          MLB and the MLBPA agreed that they have until July 25 to reach a deal on an international draft that would start in 2024, a source tells ESPN. If a deal is reached, the qualifying offer will vanish. If no deal, the QO will return and the international system will remain the same.

          1. Compensation for losing players who reject their QO

            • If a team gives a qualifying offer to a player who then signs elsewhere, the club that lost the player is eligible for Draft pick compensation. If the team that loses the free agent is a revenue-sharing recipient, based on its revenues and market size, then the selection — if and only if the lost player signs for at least $50 million — will be awarded a pick between the first round and Competitive Balance Round A of the 2022 MLB Draft. If the player signs for less than $50 million, the compensation pick for those teams would come after Competitive Balance Round B, which follows the second round.

            The following 13 teams currently qualify for these picks: Brewers, Cleveland, D-backs, Mariners, Marlins, Orioles, Pirates, Rays, Reds, Rockies, Royals, Tigers and Twins.

            • If the team that loses the player does not receive revenue sharing and did not exceed the luxury-tax salary threshold the previous season, its compensatory pick will come after Competitive Balance Round B. The value of the player’s contract doesn’t matter in this case.

            The 15 teams in this category: Angels, Astros, Athletics, Blue Jays, Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Giants, Mets, Nationals, Phillies, Rangers, Red Sox, White Sox and Yankees.

            • If the team that loses the player went over the luxury-tax threshold, the compensation pick will be placed after the fourth round has been completed (as with the previous scenario, it doesn’t matter how much the player signs for).

            Two clubs exceeded the threshold in 2021: the Dodgers and the Padres.

            Like standard Draft picks, compensatory picks in a given tier are ordered in accordance with the previous season’s standings. If a team with MLB’s worst record and a team with a .500 record both lose a free agent that signs for more than $50 million, the team with the worse record would receive the higher of the two compensatory picks.

        3. Free agent compensation apparently hinges on the approval and implementation of an international draft.

          VIII. International Draft

          The current hard bonus limit system will remain in place for 2022. Players and owners may agree by July 25 to implement an international draft to begin in 2024.
          IF the parties agree on an International Draft, there will be no compensation paid by teams for signing free agent players (The Qualifying Offer System).

          If there is an International draft, here are some details:
          There would be 20 rounds, with more than 600 players drafted
          Signing bonuses would be guaranteed according to the slot values
          Bonus picks would be awarded to teams that draft players from emerging countries
          Total increase from prior labor deal to the new agreement for amateur bonuses is expected to be about $20 million, according to MLB
          Draft picks could be traded

          1. An international draft would do away with the penalty teams pay for signing QO FA’s. However, the compensation clubs receive for losing a QO FA will not be affected. So, whether the union agrees to the international draft this summer or not, the Phillies would get a pick if they offer Eflin the 1 year/~19M contract, and he rejects it, and walks. The value of the compensation/pick depends on how much Eflin signs for & whether or not the Phillies are over the LTT. If the union ok’s the international draft, the club that signs Eflin would not pay a penalty/lose their second selection in the rule 4 draft.

            1. The Phillies would have to get under the tax somehow before Nov. to get anything of value in a draft slot, if Eflin does leave.
              I do not see that happening…otoh….Phillies have done well drafting in the middle rounds in the draft pool first 10 round selections.

            2. Yeah, Romus. If the Phillies are over the LTT (looks to be a sure bet), and Eflin gets a deal worth at least 50M, the Phils would get a pick after round four. As you’ve mentioned numerous times, the team has done well with 5th round picks so it’s possible they recoup something of value.

  14. Castles out on paternity leave, lineup re-done. Hoskins 6th with Bohm at #2, Schwarber leads off.

  15. Did you guys see the 3 infielders and 4 outfielders’ alignment for Bryce last at bat? Kruk kind off dissed them for doing it. I am not sure I have seen that exact alignment before. I have seen the 2 OFs and 5 IFs.
    Matt13… Grandson got his 1st pitching win on the Varsity last night. He pitched 4 innings. 4 hits, 2R, 1ER, 6Ks. They have won both games he has started but he only pitched 3 last week because he got hit on the hand 1st AB. Kinda neat for him. The 4 freshmen are all starting now and have really adjusted to the older players well.

  16. Phillies kind of gift wrapped this one tonight. A game at the end of the season you just should have won. The Bohm error and then two runners in scoring position with no outs and get nothing out of it. Tough schedule ahead.

  17. You knew that Bohm was going to have hiccups along the way, but this was a deflating loss. The Phillies just couldn’t get the big hit.

    1. Square pegs in round holes doesn’t bode well for teams hoping to contend.

  18. I haven’t watched many games recently. Have been so busy watching my two boys play baseball. Both on two teams. It’s hectic but so much fun.

    Anyways, I flipped on the game yesterday and I really thought Bohm’s defense was horrible. I am not talking about his error. That happens. I thought there were at least two plays (the bunt and Simien’s infield single) that absolutely should have been outs. Often times bad defensive plays don’t show up in the box score. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t bad plays.

    On the flip side, I really liked his at bats. The oppo single was a thing of beauty as was his hustle double. It seems like he has shortened his swing a lot this season which is helping him hit the fastball better. Another KLong victory.

    1. P.2…………..I noticed that as well, he takes too much time in acquiring the ball and getting his feet right to get rid of the ball. Not to mention, his ability to transition the ball from the glove to his throwing hand. Several games back commentators lauded a play where the ball bounced out of his glove and magically found its way to his hand. Good luck can be a great asset, but you can never count on it.

      1. Yes, I saw that play. Imo he got lucky there and I agree that isn’t sustainable. I am very encouraged by his hitting, but I maintain that he is not even an average 3rd baseman defensively.

  19. Looking at Lhv box scores, Saw the name Palka, we drafted him out of high school he didnt sign, Got drafted in thrid round by Arizona, at 30 still trying to make majors, The kid next door to me just signed with independent team in illinois, i guess they dont want to give up the dream, cause the money isnt great,

    1. Better than a career working at a lot of other jobs. Working for coaching and instructor careers.

  20. Coming into this short two game series most of us were thinking that these are two games the Phillies should win because they are playing Texas. Do you think that Rangers fans were thinking that these are two games we could win because we are playing the Phillies? I don’t think too many teams fear the Phillies just because they have so many highly paid players.

  21. This team needs to be shaken up! Not sure if getting rid of Girardi is the answer. They need something. Hoskins has been my favorite player since he came up, but I think it’s time to trade him. Package him with some prospects for a SP. Move Ranger back to the BP ad Bohn to 1rst. Let Camargo play 3B until Stott is ready. Either that or trade for a dynamic CF but do something!

    1. Trying to think what teams may have a need for a first basemen of Hoskins’ ilk.
      Many teams are already set, and a few have their top prospects close to the show.

      Maybe the As…Seth Brown does not seem to be theri guy…..but do not know what they have that the Phillies need.
      Twins are a possibility…..they are growing impatient waiting on Sano.

      1. That’s great, Don, and I believe you said your Grandson is one of the Freshmen? It has to be such a thrill for you to watch him. My Granddaughter is 9, and the youngest player on the travel Softball team, and I get the biggest kick out of watching her learn the game. She needs to build up her strength, but is so in to it, it’s great. Kudos to your Grandson.

        1. Thanks Matt. He is one of the Freshmen. Usually they play C,2B, SS, and CF. All 4 are good. Grandson started as the SS but has played 2B since he started pitching once a week. I like that. Less stress on his arm. Plus, he has caught a couple times. It has been fun to watch the four of them improve hitting wise in the past month. Defensively they are fine. All play high level travel ball. That was an easy adjustment.
          I too have a Granddaughter who is an 11 on a 12U team. She is the only 11. Last weekend she struck out 9 in 4 innings pitched. She throws really hard and is a lefty so her ball has a natural tail to it. She is lots of fun to watch because she is a little bulldog out there.

    2. David………..I’m not quite ready to move Ranger to the BP, but I would sign up for your other suggestions. Agree that some tweaking is necessary.

  22. I have to admit that Joe Girardi has been a huge disappointment to me. We lost a game we should have won, and defense is going to cost us plenty of games. But, his comments about Roman after the game really ticked me off. Roman popped up 2 bunts. That is unacceptable. By this stage of his career, the injuries may have derailed him, but the ability to lay down a bunt should be one of his skills. And, JoeG equating his 1 hit and 2 pop ups to a 1 out of 3 hitter is ludicrous. He didn’t lay down a nice bunt, forced the D to make a play and was nipped at 1B. He didn’t execute those 2 bunts properly, and that should not just be unacceptable to me, it should be unacceptable to the Manager. It was a team loss, and I am not putting it on Roman. I feel that JoeG’s overall lack of concern about his team speaks to his lack of leadership of the team.

    1. It didn’t matter about the bunt because nothing happen after that it’s the in ability as the team to hit so if the bunt was successful we still won’t have score

  23. They say all teams will win 60 games and all teams will lose 60 games. The success or failure is what you do in the other 42 games. I consider last night one of the 42. It was a winnable game for either team. Rangers did what they had to do. Phillies did not.

    Something I observed when they showed a couple replays of the Bohm error was how big it appeared at least on TV his glove is. It looked much more size wise like an outfielder glove. To me, an infielder needs a smaller glove because they so frequently transfer the ball for a throw. Maybe that is a thing of the past at MLB level. I will have to pay more attention to the size of gloves. I think Segura has a small glove. Not sure on other infielders.

    1. Last year he overheard heard comments on PP that he was going to be put in LF so he timed his annual glove purchase to coincide with fandom wishes. Now he is concerned that the new glove should be a 1 rst basemen’s, aghhhhh the conundrum.🙄

  24. The glove he was using last night appears at least on TV to be way to big for an infielder. One has to be able to transfer the ball quickly from glove to throwing hand. That was the issue on the ball that was a perfect double play ball and then get no outs.
    That is really funny about the PP comments going to the outfield. Maybe he just grabbed the wrong glove from the rack that inning. Glove last night looked almost as big as a 1B glove.

  25. Don – Middle infielders use the smaller gloves. I think the 3Bman uses a larger glove to snag the hard hit line drives going to his left or right.

  26. ciada…you may be correct. I know the middle guys have done that. I was just surprised when I saw the replays. I will look at some other guys I just know lots of guys here have pointed out how long it takes him to make the throw. Think this is a contributor along with footwork as well. Just not the ideal 3B ptototype.
    Grandson plays lots of positions. He has 3 or 4 different gloves he uses.

  27. Don – You can’t say all teams will win sixty and lose sixty. The Reds are already 3-20 to start the season. Man, it’s got to be tough to be a Reds fan this year so I shouldn’t complain too much about being a Phillies fan. Cincinnati’s payroll is at $131M while our boys are at $237M.

    1. That is just a general statement that is often made. I remember back in the 70s and many other times when people talk about a really good team, they will lose something in the neighborhood of 60 games each year.

      1. I think the adage is … every team will lose 50 games decisively, win 50 games easily; it’s the other 62 games that will make or break their season.

  28. Instead of picking names out of a hat like he’s doing again tonight, maybe Joey Binders should stir up the team with a little old school leadership, throw a chair or two around in the clubhouse and fire up the troops with a lip lashing. I realize it’s not the managerial style these days, but this team will be 12 games out by Memorial Day and there’s nothing to indicate the players are up to the task of saving his job, if there’s a pulse to do that even if they want to. Are there too many new faces for a players only meeting? Girardi could suggest that to Bryce…whatever the case, fans aren’t hankering for this brand of baseball, especially the losing part.

  29. Willing to bet now that Bryce will need TJ and more than likely have it prior to Nov….. from reports I have seen, flexor strains lead to Tommy John more than they don’t….a flexor strain is the word that you don’t ever want to hear from a trainer…..because basically it’s like them saying, not yet to the Tommy John, but it’s an almost.

    1. Romus, let’s hope not. It’s unusual for an everyday player to need TJ, but it’s possible. Let’s hope it’s bicep tendinitis or a pinched nerve. I had a wicked cause of bicep tendinitis back in my mid to late 30s. It can get pretty bad if it goes unmanaged. It will make you question if it is a shoulder Tear or elbow tear. Once you get a muscle imbalance it can start to strain other muscles, tendons etc . Will all be monitoring this. Bryce in the DH is better than no Bryce but it impacts the effectiveness of signing both schwarber and castellanos. Well…. I’m glad the DH came this year because if not, we’d be without Harper already.

      1. Tac3……the less news you hear on his situation,, the more concern I would have.
        Normally by now, non-pitchers, would have this resolved if it were just a strain.
        And perhaps they could do a modified version of PRP therapy…it has worke for pitchers, a position player should have less trouble rehabbing from it….and he can still DH.
        Knapp as a catcher had to take a little less than 6 months off after his TJ …but the most of that time off was during the off-season…October thru April.
        Everyone is different however.

  30. My God, the Phillies offense is disappointing. Dave Dombrowski really has to find a leadoff hitter.

    And I understand Brad Miller’s 10th inning single that scored both Texas runs was a bloop hit off Brad Hand, but IMO Joe Girardi should have used Jose Alvarado in that spot. Alvarado, for me, has the perfect profile for the ghost runner scenario. You need a K in that situation, and a BB isn’t the worst thing because you set up a double play. Alvarado is the Phillies best bet to K a batter or two, even if he may walk a guy.

    Just unacceptable to lose two to Texas at home.
    Well … at least we have the Sixers … oh, wait.

    1. Yet again, the Phillies are having a brutal stretch with RISP and they’re finding ways to lose games. Joe G might not make it to the all-star break.

    2. Not so sure about Alvarado. He came in last night faced 1 lefty and the ball he hit was torched. Luckily right at Hoskins. He’s been less than impressive IMO and if he had some value I’d go ahead and flip him now.

  31. What a pathetic performance, other than Castellanos, who actually hits the ball the other way, and an unacceptable waste of Wheeler’s terrific outing. They have to hit it the other way with runners on and no outs and if that means Vierling, hitting .190 or Segura, hitting .220 have to choke up so be it. Kruk was calling for Harper to hit a ground ball to 3B after Castles’ ground rule 2B. And, we have the worst BA of any leadoff spot in the league! And can we talk about that route Didi took on Miller’s bloop? He ran back in a circle. But it never should have gotten to extra innings.

    1. The way this team is built they are going to be frustrating on a night to night basis. But then they will get hot and rip off 10+ wins in a row mid June/July. I tell myself to not get too high or too low. Imo there are only 2 questions on this club:
      1. Can they get a wild card spot? I believe they will.
      2. Can they get hot at the right time? Can their bats all get hot in September and carry them.

      1. I agree with this and will continue to agree with this so long as they don’t have a critical injury (not Harper – he can DH as long as necessary) and they stay within a few games of .500. People forget that the great Phillies teams of 2007-11 often started very, very slowly. I am not worried yet and won’t be unless we get to mid August and they are still sputtering or they lose so much they can’t dig out of it.

        1. If what Romus says above is true about flexor strains and he does need TJ at some point they will not keep pace. Not if BH has to be limited to DH.

          My opinion of course.

          Ricky Bo tried to espouse that opinion last night on the pregame and T-Mac tried to down play it but I 100% agreed.

          1. DMAR….as for Bryce….why not put him on the 10-day IL and inject his flexor with PRP….and continue to DH once off the IL, at least for the next 6-8 weeks, while his tendon flexor heals. It did work for pitchers like Nola and Tanaka years ago.
            But bottom line with Harper as he approaches 30-years old…..playing RF may have to be re-evaluated for him after 2023..

    1. With every team now employing the humidor, not just in Coors Field anymore, MLB should have known what was gong to happen……pitchers are happy however.

      1. Again, this is MLB shooting themselves in the foot. Was there a reason why to have humidors in all stadiums? A fast way to lose casual fans is to have games with little to no offense. So you add the universal DH to make it consistent, expecting more offense in the NL, but now you have the humidors? Makes no sense.

        1. This is exactly right. The fans LOVE scoring, what they hate are slow games that last 3 and a half hours. So, here’s the solution, keep the games slow and reduce scoring. Sure, that will help. What a bunch of idiots.

          1. Not only that…the balls are now changed once again….many pitchers claim they cannot grip them like they want. The HBPs are higher than ever……because pitchers cannot control a 95 mph missile like they want. And the ‘tacky’ stuff is illegal.
            Commish. Manfred has made a mess of the with situation.

            1. sorry, but HBP are not higher than ever. Lower in 2022 at this point then they were last year or previous years.

              From the Athletic for April.

              “So let’s compare this April to other Aprils. Through 259 games played around the sport, hit-by-pitches this year are at 1.14 percent. A year ago, through the same amount of games, they were at 1.38 percent. This year’s figures, again through the first 259 games of a season, are at the lowest since 2018.”

  33. Is it too early to speculate on who the Phillies may be selling at the deadline if they’re no longer in the running, or at least trending in the wrong direction? (I mean besides Didi and Segura.(

    1. Anybody who’s a FA: Didi, Knebel, Hand, Familia, Eflin, Gibson, Herrera. Segura has a no-trade clause but he’ll likely waive it if he’s going to a contending team.

      If the price is right, I would consider trading Hoskins and Alvarado.

      I would have to be blown away to trade Nola.

  34. When a team is going bad, the fan base has tons of opinions as how to get better. When a team is going good, the fan base has plenty of things to nit pick. I am not sure where I stand in all of this but I do have a gripe that came up the last two nights – Alec Bohm.

    The kid has just begun to hit again and Girardi has to tinker with him. It appears he is very comfortable batting 6th, 7th, or even 8th. Then the manager slides him into the two hole on Tuesday and last night Girardi bats him lead off. What the heck is going on?

    We mostly agree that the problem with Bohm is from ear to ear. He thinks too much. Now, by batting him at the top of the order, knowing Bohm, he probably thinks he needs to be more selective because he needs to get on base and he goes 0-5. Put the kid back at the end of the order.

    1. Philly could see three head coaching changes within a three month period.
      Mike Yeo was let go by the Flyers earlies this….Doc Rivers will probably be let go next week as things spiral down for the Sixers, and Joe G may be let go by mid-season, though I do not think Dave D will do that, but Joe is lame-duck now with no extension in hand, so who knows..

      The only safe head coach is the Eagle’s nick Siriani.

  35. Yogi said something like half of the game is 90% mental, or something like that. They are trying desperately to find a lead off hitter because there isn’t one, and a leadoff hitter, after last year’s poor #s was one of the top priorities for this year. Of course, we now sport the worst .BA from leadoff in the league. The Bohm issue is the same as the one I have with Hoskins. Bohm is not a leadoff hitter, and Hoskins is not a #2 hitter. They require different skills, and whether it is consciously or not, the players approach the ABs differently at the top 2 spots. Major League hitting is hard enough, and it makes no sense to make it more difficult. I don’t think JoeG is back next year, but unless the wheels really fall off, he will most likely last the season.

    1. With Schwarber back in the leadoff spot tonight, he poses as the best option among no others. He’s done it before with success. He’s had a slow start, but through 25 games he’s smacked 7 HRs, which projects to 45 over a full season…and he’s yet to get in a groove. C’mon Joe…stick with what HAS worked before.

      I agree that Bohm should be left alone in the bottom of the lineup. Let him play 3b. Let him get his proverbial legs as a big league ball player in a lineup which SHOULD NOT need him to do any more than he’s been doing, for crying out loud, Joe.

      I wouldn’t have to post this comment if Girardi’s opposite number this weekend was managing the Phillies instead of him.

  37. Nola could throw a no-hitter and lose the game with this team. BP implodes, blows a 6 run lead in the 9th inning.😖😤

  38. Can anyone remember a worse collapse? I can’t and I am trying to remember being more sick to my stomach.

  39. Mets were 0-330 trailing by 6 runs.
    Teams in general were 0=684.
    Those marks are now gone.

  40. As Terry Murray once said … “We’ve got a choking situation here.”

    Somewhere Hector Neris is laughing.

    Adonis Medina … 2.2 IP, 0 ER
    Phillies BP … 2 IP, 7 ER

    Dombrowski has to do something extreme … like tonight.

    1. Hey, don’t look at me. I was always a fan of Neris. Neris was good for the Phillies.

      1. me too. Definitely IMO penny wise pound foolish letting Neris leave, or conceivably compared to other signees penny foolish pound foolish

  41. I’ve been watching Girardi for three years and have never called for his head, although I felt he always left pitchers in a batter or two too long.

    But this was a uniquely horrific managing job. He thought he could mail in this win and showed no sense of urgency when the tide started to turn. You absolute cannot let the Mets build that much momentum before you make a pitching change.
    I can assure you that Middleton is livid right now and he should be. If Girardi gets fired during the season – and it could easily happen, mark my words, this game is where the seed was planted. One of the worst jobs handling pitchers I have ever seen – totally inexcusable. Time for a new manager.

    1. And what the hell is a guy like Norwood doing pitching in a game that they MUST win to gain momentum?, I get not starting the inning with the closer, but this is a game where one of the set up guys closes – not the 12th pitcher on the staff. And if you do put in the 12th guy you give him the hook the moment he starts to struggle. This was all on Girardi. I am furious. A good manager does not lose that game. Epic fail by the manager.

      1. I’ll bet money that DD and Middleton are on the phone or meeting RIGHT NOW – and DD is being tasked with putting together a list of possible replacements. And it’s not an overreaction. How can you trust this guy to manage a playoff game? You want HIM to win a do or die wild card game? I don’t think so. He has like zero situational awareness or feel for momentum changes.

      2. As a related comment, sure in normal years, with normal Spring Training, pitchers may be able to make 100 pitches. But for the 2nd outing in a row Suarez predictably hit a wall at 90 pitches, and was left to fail. I don’t know anything about medicine. That said – Wheeler was Cy-Young worthy last year but Suarez was at least as good; I can see permanent damage reducing his control or movement if this misuse continues.

        1. As much as we would like to think that Suarez is a 1/2 pitcher, he’s not. He just pitched like one last season. I think he’s closer to 3/4 pitcher. That 2021 season is looking like an outlier season.

          1. I think we don’t know what Suarez is yet as the league is adjusting to him and he needs to adjust back again – just as we didn’t know what Bohm was last year.

            Last year he gained more and more momentum as the year went on, so let’s give him some time for his performance to tell us what type of pitcher he is. I think you’re right that he’s probably a 3, but he performed well enough last year that I want to have an open mind about precisely what he is and can become.

            1. It’s possible that he can become more than a 3 in the future i.e. gaining more velocity as he’s still only 26.. He has a decent fastball but it’s not elite. And his changeup is good, but it’s not Cole Hamels good if you know what I mean. So he doesn’t have an elite pitch so he has to rely on changing speeds and not walking guys.

            2. It is possible that he can become more than a 3. He pitched like a 1 or 2 last year, so sure it’s possible. He’s the “x” factor in so many scenarios for this team over the next two seasons.

            3. Ranger has to have to throw a third pitch more often. This has been my contention all along (even after his mega season in 2021). That FB/CH combo can only go so far. The FB is well commanded (for the most part), but it isn’t overpowering (velo or life). Batters are sitting on the CH.

  42. This is one of the worst losses Ive seen in a very long time. I think I’ll skip watching tomorrow’s game.

  45. Maybe this loss tonight will be the turning point for the team that Bohm’s three-error night was for him. (Hope.)

  46. Our 2 top starting pitchers gave their best outings of the season on consecutive nights…and the team found a way to lose both games.

    Girardi’s dismissal needs to come now if the Phillies have any notion of being playoff relevant in 2022, his lame duck season. There isn’t a single reason why he should not be fired after 2-plus seasons of uninspiring baseball, questionable in-game decision making, and misuse of young players/dart board lineup making. And it’s not like he has a roster full of players in their contract year.

    Dombrowski has to want to bring in his own guy. Jim Leyland is 77, and collecting some pocket change as a special advisor in Detroit. Or would he go young with a guy like 49 year old Raul Ibanez? Dusty Wathan is an obvious in-house choice, but would DD want a completely fresh voice at the helm?

    1. Raul has no qualifications – Wathan is no better of a candidate than literally hundreds of other guys – reach higher.

        1. Look, when things go wrong, fans search for answers, and they turn to the familiar people/players they know as possible solutions. I get it. But it’s this type of thinking that got us Ryne Sandberg (winner, baseball legend, minor league mangers for the organization), who was one of the worst managers I’ve seen in quite some time.

          Maybe the Phillies already have an internal candidate that they think is great. I’m just saying there is nothing about these guys that says they will be good major league managers and there are managers and coaches all over baseball who may be much better candidates. And I understand that you might decide you want continuity here – especially given the importance of the new coaches that came in within the last year or two – and so that’s why you go with an internal choice like Wathan as an interim manager. But if they are just looking for the best manager, there are probably dozens of folks around baseball who would compete for that job who might be much better candidates than the familiar guys you mentioned. So, yeah, reach higher and broader – bring in the best guy you can find for the situation knowing that, for this year, it really might be better to stick with an internal interim guy.

          1. So, you put Wathan in as interim mgr. and he rallys the troops and takes them to the playoffs, which is the best expectation for this group, now what do you do for next year?

            1. Skeet…under that scenario, I would do what the Braves did with Snitker…..let him continue. Sniker was a long time company guy with no discernible major league experience before the braves handed the managers job in 2017 after letting Freddi G. go.

            2. I agree with that. If he proves during the year, that he’s the right guy, of course you keep him.

  47. I know they’ll be plenty of Phillies chatter after last nights meltdown, so I’d like some really good stuff and to do that I have to go to Fenway.

    How about that Ohtani? 7 scoreless innings pitched, 11 k’s, 81 of 99 pitches for strikes and a 2 – 4 performance at the plate. If they cut that guy open, they’ll find blueish gooey stuff because he ain’t of this world, he’s SPECIAL!😨 What a ball player!

  48. Familia is a streaky Pitcher, and he had it going last night. 10 pitches, and has to go back out for the 9th after he pitched so well in the 8th. You ride his groove last night. Huge mistake. Then, and infield hit, ok, but after the HR, Norwood should be out of the game. Next one up! 7-3 at that point, and you can’t leave him in to put 2 more runners on. Bigger mistake. JoeG’s inability to manage his BP, an inability to see who has it or doesn’t on a given night is a fatal flaw. I try not to over react, but I would change Managers today. Sorry, Skeet, I only care about my team. Ohtani is great, but he doesn’t play for the Phils.

    1. matt13…..I don’t know.
      Yeo, Rivers Joe….all oughta here…. all within 10 days!
      That could be a new Philadelphia record for head coaches/managers exiting

  49. True, Romus, but all deserved. Yeo was strictly an interim, who didn’t come close to earning the spot. Rivers is awful at in game adjustments, and I can’t stand his arrogance. And, Girardi mismanaged that game beyond belief. Not hyperbole, literally, I could not believe what I was watching. And, watching him looking befuddled, hoping his Binder had an answer for him, and the pretty much lifeless way he has been since getting here, has been enough. Middleton and Dombrowski need to be as embarrassed as I am by the team.

  50. Reading has only 1 real outfielder playing right now and 1 player hitting over .250. This is a joke. Find some players.

  51. Matt – Good call on Norwood. After the HR, he should’ve been lifted for sure. If the Mets sweep this series, chances are pretty good that Girardi doesn’t make the trip to the left coast. If he does fly out with the team and the Phillies lay an egg in the 7 day road trip, I’d say he’s toast and Romus is named interim manager with Moffo as his dugout #1.

    1. With tonight’s game washed out and tomorrow’s in serious doubt, the Mets need only Sunday to sweep 2 games, but yes, I can’t imagine Joe surviving the trip out west. And this is a thoroughly rough stretch ahead. Perhaps Dombrowski anticipates being out 12 games by June 1 and will wait until then before making the change. Why subject a new manager to the inevitability of enduring this difficult May schedule?

      1. if that is the case, i hate it….might as well make the move now and see if it jump starts the team to overperform out west and if they dont nobodys gonna be too hard on the new manager

    2. ciada….hah…however, count me out.
      And good thing tonite’s game is postponed until Aug 20th.
      Phillie players can gnaw on that loss for another day.

  52. And the first thing Manager Romus does is put Derrick Hall on the 40 man roster and brings him up to immediately play first base.

    1. Nostra-Romus – he’s prescient and all-knowing in things pertaining to Darick Hall!

      If Hall keeps hitting like this, he’s going to get his chance. Good for him!!

      And keep an eye on on-base machine Donny Sands. He’s really emerging too.

  53. Hall could be a free agent next year. If the Phillies put him on the 40, do they then control him after this season or can he still make a deal for himself?

  54. Falter with another solid start,
    ….3 innings, 10 batters, 5 Ks, no runs , no BBs, 2 hits…40 pitches..28 strikes.
    It will be a big plus if he can continue this production, and bring it back up to the Phillies.

    1. He’s only going to be in the rotation if there’s an injury or he’s up for a double header. He should be spending most of his time at Lehigh. Falter should be eyeing a rotation spot next season with Gibson and Eflin being FAs.

      1. You can be fairly certain there will be a pitcher going on the IL during the season…happens to most every team, every year….that is why managers want 6/7 starters available.
        If you go back and look at team rotations over the last years..it is a rarity anymore seeing a team with only 5 starters, starting 32/33 games a piece in the season.

  55. You are correct, Guru, but when was the last time we didn’t need 7 or 8 SPs to get through a season. There is a very good chance we will need Falter.

    1. I’m not saying that Falter won’t be starting for the Phillies at any point this season. All I’m saying are the conditions for when he will be starting. As of today, the starters are healthy and competent, so Falter is not required right now.

      As for people who were complaining about the Phillies depth before the season, Falter and Sanchez (and even Crouse) are that depth. They’ll stay at Lehigh until they are needed.

  56. Didi to the IL for 10 days, knee sprain. I don’t know who takes his place.

  58. Stott also in the lineup if there is a game today. Hasn’t been cancelled due to rain yet.

  60. Phillies signed 25 year old LF who was released by Pirates AAA team and assigned him to Reading.

      1. Wait, is Morales being called up as the extra man for the double header tomorrow?

  64. It appears Philly, Baltimore, and NY are now getting the rain we have had here in Indiana all week. Today is the 1st day of sunshine since last Sunday. Rain, rain and rain. Maybe the days off will let the Phillies regroup and get things back in order.
    High school team only got 2 of 6 games in this week and one of the nights the grass was so wet and air so heavy.
    Hopefully the weather improves for you guys.

    1. If any team needed a two day break it was the Phillies. Underperforming in many respects as a team and individually – except for Nola in his last several outings. While the Mets can’t seem to do anything wrong, it is almost like the Phillies can’t do anything right – nor get any breaks. Its time to stop blaming umpires, Girardi, and whatever else and just play – whether it is kicking the ball around or making the plays – its about hitting and not striking out – putting the ball in play….if the Pirates, A’s, and other much lesser teams have better records and can do that – its time to answer the bell, I am relieved that they are not playing…maybe we can get yet another storm tomorrow ? and hopefully this team finds itself.

  65. Morales now takes Eflin’s spot, who is on Covid list, and Sanchez is extra man for DH. That was originally Morales’ role until Eflin needing to be out.

    1. Zack Wheeler is also on the covid list. He won’t be making his Tuesday start.

      Brogdon is back up.

  66. Wheeler and Eflin now on Covid list. These players just don’t care about the team. This team missed the playoffs last year because of it and they still don’t get it. This franchise does not have playoff DNA.

    1. How do you figure, Buddy? Surely, for example, all those millions of people who are vaccinated and contracting this virus, including many athletes from many teams, are doing so because they are suicidal? This is a virus that often is symptomless at the beginning and sometimes throughout. How would you change their behavior?

  68. Thankfully, the Phillies have decided to leave Stott at SS and let Camargo be the one that’s moving around the IF.

  69. There are two bad managerial decisions in today’s lineup that is another example (in a long line of examples) why Girardi is a bad manager.
    1. Batting Stott (a lefty hitter) last when Schwarber is leadoff and Harper is 3rd is just a bad decision. Camargo is a switch hitter batting 8th. Mets brought in a lefty specialist to go against Stott. Schwarber had a hit but he struck out Stott and Harper. Stott should have batted 8th and Camargo 9th.
    2. Imo it makes zero sense to start Bohm at 3rd and Camargo at 1st. There is no one who would believe that Bohm is better defensively than Camargo. If you don’t need Camargo at SS, why not put Bohm at first?

    Just poor roster management imo

    1. The club hasn’t picked up the option on Jo’s contract for 2023….and will likely wait to make that decision…however, Joe is basically lame duck.
      So Dave D …if the team is still sputtering come late in the season, and on the outside of a play-off berth, he may make a managerial move to kick start the team.

  70. Two comments for today.
    1) I had been thinking it’s difficult to see Rhys on the team next year, but now I’m wondering whether he’ll be starting in July
    2) I love watching Quinn playing CF. Best here since Victorino. If only he could get his bat going. Interesting Inquirer piece recently about his recovery where he consulted a track specialist who changed the way he runs to take pressure off of his Achilles; he’d been landing on his heel every stride.

    1. You make great comments Robin. Isn’t it uplifting that the idea of having that conversation with the track specialist, whether or not it works, (finally) occurred?

  71. I hate bullpen games, seemed like a spring training game from the get go. I don’t see alot of fire in some of these guys.

  72. The 2nd game today was lost – more or less – on Nelson’s 38th pitch to Alonso. He was clearly exhausted on the pitches 34-37 before that home run ball. Clearly – he was flat out gassed as he was just throwing the ball up there. Why not walk Alonso and pitch to anybody else -Alonso had already had 2 hard hit shots and was evidently wired !!!! Either take Nick N out or let him face Escobar who is slumping ????? This was the whole game in my opinion. Now would they have won – NO – because they still could not get a hit when they had men on base with Harper, Castellanos, and primarily Hoskins leaving all of 9 runners on base. Hoskins twice left 2 men on in scoring position with 2 outs. No timely hitting, and a poor job by the Mgr with the bullpen….live for another day but the days are running down.

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