183 thoughts on “What, We Worry?”

1. I just keep thinking (hoping I guess) DD has one big impact acquisition coming somewhere and somehow – when the prices drop. Neris for 9 mill ? now there is a “on sale” price. Would like to see one more arm in the bp – Maton ? or ?? After this long a wait – hopefully Wheeler will be extended as well.

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2. Probably just me, but it seems all the activity this year is in slow motion. Of course, if it is too mundane I can still keep pace with the Eagles which should be quite active from now to fall!

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3. DR?  Way cool! say hey to Manny Amador for me & safe travels

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4. I would love to give our Minnie leaguers the opportunities to make the club and save the millions for other payroll. Enough with the David Robertson’s of the world. Why add money to our tickets and cost of sportswear., save a buck for the same results.

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5. Jim…..enjoy the DR…will you be any where near Boca Chica?

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   1. Romus will you be filling in for Jim over the next ten days, Or is it a blackout?

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      1. rocco……LOL.
         We will have to do it on our own.
         BTW…just thinkng, you have not be banned in awhile now, must be record this time!

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6. Thinking DD is thinking they can ride what they have to start the season and acquire a bullpen arm during the season once they figure out what they have and still need.

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7. people on this site, as much as any, recognize that the key to longterm success is developing Phuture Phils to the point that they can both be productive on the field, or be traded for value. I believe the Phillies hired Brian Barber from the Yankees in 2019 and Preston Mattingly in 2021 or 2022. I am so much more excited about the draft now (not that I know much) than in the days of Cornelius Randolph, and well – this is nothing against Mickey Moniak but the entire 2016 set of prospects. But my question is, when is it realistic to expect to start seeing returns from the prospects who are not first and second rounders?

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   1. “But my question is, when is it realistic to expect to start seeing returns from the prospects who are not first and second rounders?”…….that is a long shot, a rarity.
      Outside of pitching prospects, especially relief pitching, many lower round picks never materialize as impact starters..
      Rhys, for the most part, was an anomaly. Logan O’Hoppe also.
      I thought Darick Hall had an outside chance but so far, not in Philadelphia.

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      1. Romus after reading about our prospects, I Came to the conclusion, that we have on relief prospect one starter, and about six bench maybe players on that list, not good,

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8. Someone last season after a playoff series win was quoted “this is why you spend the money”

   I forget who that was but if that person isn’t worried then I am not.

   tongue firmly planted in cheek.

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9. What would it take to get Classe from Indians? 2 Top 10 Prospects? He’s controllable, young and would solve the biggest issue – Closer. Plus he would reset every Pen arm for 6th – 8th inning usage.

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   1. The Hader deal to Padres is a good comp for a Classe deal. Something like:
      Soto + Covey + Rincon + George Klassen

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      1. I would do that trade in a heartbeat. I would not do the trade in this article … Justin Crawford and Aidan Miller

         https://heavy.com/sports/mlb/philadelphia-phillies/trade-rumor-guardians-emmanuel-clase/#:~:text=Zachary%20Rymer%20of%20Bleacher%20Report,Miller%20to%20the%20Cleveland%20Guardians.

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         1. There’s a huge gap between what the article suggests the Phillies might pay and what V1 proposes, but they need to be careful (and I think they are being careful), because trading young position players for relief pitchers is typically a losing proposition. I don’t think Miller, Abel or Painter would be traded for a guy like Classe. Whether Justin Crawford could be in play depends on what you think he could be down the line. I’m also a little concerned that Classe had a down year last year. If they make a trade like this, they need a flat out stud, not another Kimbrel or Seranthony or Soto.

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10. dmar…think it was Bryce after one of the wins over the Braves. It may have been the Series clincher. Count me as one who is somewhat surprised that other than Nola the Phillies have been pretty quiet. I do think someone you can count on for those last 6 outs may still be needed. Alvarado seems to be the best at the moment but Topper likes to use him earlier in some instances. The window for this specific core of players is only going to be open for so many years. Having Bryce hopefully for the full season helps but still not an answer to those last few outs in those last few NLCS games. I am still bummed.
    SoCal…I saw a proposed trade for Classe. Think it had Able, Crawford and I forget who else was listed. Those would be your 2 top 10 guys.

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    1. Don

       It was definitely BH who said it. I was being facetious of course. But to that end I get not paying almost $100MM for Hader

       But both Hicks and Stephenson’s costs were moderate IMO and you get to keep your prospects.

       I’m on board with not doing anything rather than any consideration to trade top prospects for a Clase or Bednar.

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    2. That’s too much for Classe. The Hader to Padres deal is a good comp.

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11. SoCal Phan – I have read that national pundits think that Classe is in DD’s sights. As I see it, he is highly desirable because he makes $2.5 in ’24 ; 4.5 in ’25 ; for ’26 and ’27 he makes 10 million, club option with 2mm buyouts. He is dirt cheap. His stats declined quite a bit in the last year – walks, HR, hits up ; K’s down. His more fashionable stats all deteriorated as his arm slot dropped (heard on the radio) and so forth- except, in 2022 he had a brilliant year so everything looked worse based vs that. My guess is he would likely take something like Abel and Crawford and maybe a lesser player further down to get him. Because Cleveland has a weak offense they would ask for Miller maybe rather than Abel since they just print pitchers at random. But I hear you – I would say he is the best closer out there. Pitched 72, 72, 69 innings in the last 3 years – so he shows up too.

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    1. Respectfully, that is way too steep of a price to pay for a closer. If we’re giving up more than one of our four top-100 prospects (as ranked by MLB), it’s not worth it. I’d be especially wary of trading Abel, who is very close to the majors and most pundits say his stuff is absolutely still major league caliber and he just needs to harness a little more command to become a steady 2-3 in a rotation. To have that caliber of a SP, controllable for multiple seasons, is FAAAAR more important than having 3-5 years of a closer who may be great, but may just be good. This is especially so with how DD’s front office has shown a propensity for collecting dirt cheap live arms that actually amount to something.

       I’d consider trading seemingly the most questionable of those four prospects (Crawford) and then one the highly regarded LatAm prospects (Tait or Caba) because they are so far away and this club SHOULD have a win-now mentality.

       If you empty the tank now with two of your four top-100 (plus more in your scenario!), what happens if there’s a major injury and you have nothing left to trade midseason? Further, starting pitching will extend this window, not a closer. They should view Abel and Painter as both virtually untouchable unless it’s for an absolute superstar. Especially with Wheeler not extended yet.

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       1. 65th – I am not saying trade Abel + Crawford – I am merely commenting that is what I have seen. I don’t think Cleveland cares about obtaining pitching since they raise all their own. They need offense – ergo, I see them asking for Miller and Crawford and then it can devolve into something else. I would love the team to get Classe but not at the price of Abel – or frankly, Miller. I just think that is going to be what it takes to get him.

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          1. Fair enough. I hope DD walks immediately on a request for two of the top 4, or on a request for Abel or Painter.

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       2. Classe signed for $10m TOTAL thru ’27 seems a steal when compared to annual deals for Nerris / $9m, Robertson / $12m.

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12. Howie Norsetter with an interesting Aussie signing. He’s a great scout! Video and Link.
    https://adelaidegiants.com.au/news/wells-wins-helms/

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13. Like others I simply saw mention of interest in Clase. I have no idea if that is true or not. I know it is hard but it sure is nice to go to the 8th and 9th innings ahead and knowing most likely the game is a W. Phillies had couple chances with Kimbrel last Fall, and it just did not happen. I am not sure there is anyone on board right now that you can have that confidence in. I agree on passing on Hader. That is a tremendous amount for a few innings a year. I am sure he will be great for the Astros though. But at least in AL.

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    1. Classe has basically two pitches that he throws…cut FB @98/99 and sldr @91/92…and they are both exceptional pitches for him.
       To get him will be costly however…..but Dave D has been known to make those trades in the past….not so much as a Philies guy, yet.
       Seranthony and Kerkering have to be solid this year, if they do not go any further this off-season in signings or trades.

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14. Romus…I have seen Clase a couple of times. He was really good those times. I think Phillies were hoping Kimbrel could regain that late inning magic. But he had issues in recent years late in season and it happened again in 23. I agree that the current guys have to be good but is there really anyone you have that faith in to get the final 3 outs? I do not know. I am not familiar enough with the young kids to know if there is already some in the system who can take that step forward. But it sure is needed.

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    1. Don…IMO I would change McGarry now into a relief role. He is 25 next season and has not progressed satisfactorily enough as a starter so far…they may try it this season as a final go round or test.
       But with his plus FB and slider…if able to control the FB…he could be the reliever they would need.

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       1. Agreed

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    2. A shutdown closer would be really great to have. I’m definitely not denying that or saying I don’t want Clase. I think DD may just need to let it play out, though. The bullpen is still strong and maybe we have something in Kerkering that we start to see come to fruition in the first few months (it’s also possible we don’t see this). I think they can get by until the trade deadline. Their schedule doesn’t seem all that tough and they already have a good roster. I might save the bullets for then, when you have a clearer picture of your roster both from a majors and minors perspective and know what might be needed to get a good team over the hump. Who knows… we could need a #2-3 SP if there’s an injury, we could need a CF or LF if Rojas doesn’t pan out. Just tough to throw the farm away for a closer right now, when they can likely be in playoff position without an established, dominant arm given the stable of other really good arms they have already.

       I have to think DD sees this year as the chance to push the chips in for a bigger trade deadline splash. Maybe one that helps out for the next 2-4 years and gets us over the hump in terms of a WS.

       Can’t wait for baseball to start for real.

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15. Romus…I am sure the Phillies have some young arms that are possible. Everyone has guys who throw really hard these days. The problem is finding that guy or guys who can get outs at the major league level.
    I do agree with 65th that team has several good arms on the roster at the moment. My only issue is that I am not sure that the guy who can consistently get those final outs is on the roster. I am high on Kerkering but he needs some time. I think the 7th inning in Arizona shows that to some extent. The other guys are guys we have seen and kind of know what to expect. The one who I think needs to make the biggest leap is Soto. Maybe he is a version of Alvarado who gets better the longer he is here. He has great stuff but has to find the strike zone.
    65th…I too am ready for baseball season. This has been a LONG Fall and Winter here for many reasons. Play ball.

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16. Don…yes, Soto is a guy tha needs to step up this year. This will be his age 29 season so time for him to become a force out of the pen.
    When I look at his peripherals they are not all that bad….low WHIP..1.14…FIP 3.6 vs ERA or 4.6…he evn lowered his BB/9 last season to 3.3 from over a 5 in his previous years.
    So hopefully he responds well this season.

    https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sotogr01.shtml

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17. Romus…at times he was good. But as I remember in critical times he did not show up as needed. He has to do that. No question about his stuff.

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    1. Don53, perhaps there is another perspective. Let’s say as a start that no professional wants to do badly. So, if they fail in a situation, is it because they are not executing the way they can, or because they are put in a situational position where they do not have the best chances for success, or because the catcher called the wrong pitch, or the opponent got lucky or performed well ? Law of averages would probably even out the last two. Romus’ stat on lowered walks might suggest that focus was present for Soto last year. So, the question may be whether Soto (or any player) really did perform below expectations in critical times…. and if so does that mean that putting them in game situations “in critical times” vs less high leverage opportunities is the best useage. I don’t know what such an examination of last year’s pitchers would reveal, but it might be another way of identifying appropriate roles and the associated team value.

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18. Romus Today Jim is away, can you do a thoughts for today article to keep us going, Tells us about how you help Patton in 1945, i think people would love that , or how you was a batboy for ted williams in 59 when you lived in Boston,

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    1. rocco….LOL, you are at your best early in the mornings…must be the java.

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19. rocco….LOL, you are at your best in the mornings…must be the java.

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    1. The story I want to hear is the one when you crossed the Delaware with Washington to watch the Trenton Thunder……I am told you still have the program…..they wore the high socks back then, right?

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       1. He also was with Lewis and Clark, when they meet Pocahontas He taught her english and sewing, what a guy

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          1. I think she taught him English.

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20. Dave trying to find talent where it lives

    Maybe he is a left handed Liam Hendricks

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21. I could still be satisfied with a Phil Maton signing. 1.12 WHIP 10K per 9 and he takes the ball. He pitched exactly the same # of innings Kimbrel did last season.

    He does struggle against lefties so you have to be very careful how you deploy him.

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22. IHeart…all good points. He had been the closer for the Tigers, so he was used to critical moments. I do not have the stats like Romus. It seemed to me he was similar to Alvarado at the beginning. You just never knew what you were going to get when he came in. Sometimes very good. Sometimes not so good. On another front Romus mentioned SerAnthony and Kerkering. Maybe Phillies believe Hoffman can take the place of Kimbrel at the back end. I have no info here, but I thought he performed pretty well when put in tough situations. He might be the answer.

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23. Romus…I did not know you were a Bat Boy in the 50s. So much talent for you. LOL

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    1. LOL…when it comes to history……rocco does not usually see it in any chronological order.

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24. Romus, Rocco, Denny and any others…I am seeing this morning that where I live in Indiana is in the 100% total eclipse zone for April 8th. All the reports are saying this area will be flooded with people. I have 14 acres. Got thinking it is a Monday. Is that the Phillies home opener? Have not looked at the 24 schedule yet.

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    1. We will be in Florida for ST 3/20 thru 3/24, seeing the Rays at Clearwater and Yankees in Tampa. Doing a Midwest camping trip end of April to May sometime. I think we will be after the eclipse. Maybe doing Tulips in Holland MI.

       Phillies will be in StLouis at that time, 4/8.

       Are you renting out spaces. Do a quick build for camping.

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       1. Hope to see you denny That week i am renting out Romus Condo in Tampa,

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          1. Will you be the one yelling “everyone hits, WooHoo”?

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25. Denny…looks like St. Louis and Philly are in the 90% range or so. If you get a pic of it the 100% goes right through here. Almost all the schools and colleges are closed. Guess 3:07 is the magic time. I see the State Fairgrounds in Indy are charging $25 to park and watch. Costs $100 to camp. I am not sure how long it lasts.
    I just saw all the things that Romus has done in the past and figured he would at least be part of the Eclipse. LOL
    Denny, I am so happy for you that you get to go to Spring Training. I am hoping I make it sometime but not crossing my fingers. I still can always have the locked gates of 73 as my reminder I was there.
    Rocco…it looks as though Romus simply has everything. LOL

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    1. Y’all ever visit the Tulip Festival in Holland, MI? Beginning of May.

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    2. I went in 93 with my oldest son and now my wife has been going with him & his family since 2017 except for pandemic years.

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26. Oh . . . please . . . God . . . no . . . do not let these be the Phillies’ City Connect uniforms. The Phillies have some of the best uniforms in baseball (the cream colored home day uniforms are magnificent) – but these would be among the worst uniforms I’ve ever seen anywhere. Just awful. Like something one of your friends’ middle school kids would come up with and you’d just roll your eyes.

    https://www.inquirer.com/phillies/city-connect-leak-phillies-jerseys-uniform-20240131.html

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    1. Do throwback uniforms mean throwback prices for tickets and concessions when they are worn?

       They do look awful. One on the reasons I don’t like the Detroit Lions, their uniforms look like my old ones hanging in the closet that are faded over the years.

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       1. Yes, agreed, but I got a thumbs down for the comment, so I guess someone on here actually likes them!!!

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    2. How many games per season are City Connect Jersey’s worn…just curious?

       I’m with you I prefer the cream jerseys but also didn’t think these were as horrible as the comments described.

       Not sure why they don’t design a couple and allow the fans to vote on their favorite.

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27. Denny…I have not. I have only been to Michigan a few times playing fastpitch softball long ago. I am pretty much a Central Indiana person.
    Catch…I just saw a lead saying Phillies new uniforms may have leaked. Must be what you are referencing. I did not look. I agree that some unis are awful. Some are good.

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    1. Agree that some are pretty good. I like the Rockies’ CC uniform and the ones for the Diamondbacks (that should be their regular uniform – much better than what they current have), White Sox and Giants (very cool color and look – not sure what it is, but it works). I was a little surprised to learn that the Red Sox’ CC uniforms were a big hit with the Boston fans, but apparently they are.

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28. I will ask my daughter-in-law. She is from Michigan and her parents are still there. Tulip Festival. By May it hopefully will be baseball and softball time for grandkids here.

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29. How do the Phillies wear anything but RED jerseys?

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    1. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

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30. Ciada…look at NBA teams. Seems like they wear all kinds of colors now.
    Denny…probably best answer. Ask all the apparel providers.

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    1. The colors are from the city’s colors – blue and yellow – when you watch the games notice the blue/yellow flag in CF. Oh well – and we give up the red jerseys for this ?

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31. I’m sure you all saw that the Angelos family finally agreed to sell the Orioles to another deep pocketed equities tycoon.

    Imagine the eyebrows that raises in the AL East and across the MLB. Not only are the Orioles well positioned in their FO they will now have the funds they need to extend their young talent and acquire what they need to round out the franchise.

    More competition for Middleton and the Franchise when competing for FAs

    The ground under year feet is always moving in the MLB. Best to not rest on your laurels as they say!

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32. Romus Just text me, he is in Bangor Maine for the Moccasins festival, be back tomorrow to post

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33. Guys,
    I plan to view the eclipse in the Dallas area and it will last about 4 1/2 minutes (hoping for a clear day!). As it moves farther north, the duration will decrease slightly. I saw the 2017 eclipse in Jay Em, Montana which lasted a little over 2 1/2 minutes and it was amazing. I HIGLY recommend viewing it if you have any chance to do so. The event is spectacular and the viewing parties are quite fun as well. If you can get there, it’s imperative that you get to the CENTER of the path. This will show you the total eclipse for the longest duration. If you are not in the path, you’ll only see the crescent sun while wearing the special glasses. This is akin to an early spring training game while those at the center of the path are watching the World Series!
    Also, if you have any inclination to see a total solar eclipse, you should plan to see this one in April as the next one that comes through the US won’t happen until August 12, 2045.

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34. Andy…nice post. I am squarely in the path here in Central Indiana. I live just North of Indy and we are in the 100% path. Sounds like our area is expecting lots of people. They said yesterday that 3:07 is the time here. See State Fairgrounds in Indy and IMS are open for parking for a fee.
    I kidded some of the guys yesterday that I have 14 acres here where I live.

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    1. hotels and B&Bs have been either all booked or charging exorbitant rates for months now…..

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35. Don, If you don’t mind a couple hundred cars driving on your property, I think you can easily charge $20 per car and make enough money for a nice trip to see the Phillies!

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36. Andy…State Fair is charging $25. Not sure what IMS is charging to park. As time approaches, we might see. Who knows what things will be. I have an easy access. Only a couple miles in both directions from two main highways in area. Almost all schools are out already in County. Sounds like our county is really right in line. I have another 30 acres, but all of my land is basic farm ground. People on TV are saying it will be crazy around here.

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    1. Don, get John Mellencamp to come over for a concert during the eclipse. Make the $$$$$. Wear the new Phillies uni.

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37. Don,
    Count on it being super busy and super crazy and don’t plan on going anywhere that day. As I mentioned before, we stopped a little town called Jay Em, Wyoming…population is like 16. There were several hundred people there to see the eclipse. The locals were super nice and friendly. It felt like a mini Woodstock that day. I hope you have a clear day and a wonderful time!

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38. Intersting MLB trade Corbin Burnes for DL Hall (8th prospect), Joey Ortiz #3 prospect, 57th overall) and a 2024 supplemental first round pick.

    Hard to find a comparable trade for Phillies system.
    – Hall reminds me a lot of McGarry. Elite stuff and terrible command. Although that is more McGarry before last year. So maybe a comparable player would be Kerkering.
    – Ortiz is hard for us to comp to. I guess Aiden Miller

    So would you do Miller + Kerkering + a first round pick for 1 year of Burnes?

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    1. I expect the Orioles’ new owner to pay Burnes whatever he wants to extend him and keep him there. It’s a big deal for the young Os who have many prospects. They need a legit #1 SP.

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       1. Great deal for Os.

          My question here is would we give up what it would have taken to beat it?

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          1. Definitely not because we don’t have the same need for an ace plus we don’t have the depth of prospects they have. These weren’t even their top prospects. They have the #1 prospect in the game in Holliday coming up this year. They’re very deep.

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             1. The goal of any trade is to add wins.

                Getting another elite starter replaces our #5 starter. And in the playoffs would make a rotation of Burnes, Wheeler, Nola and Ranger.

                I would counter with Abel, Rincon and McGarry to see if that would beat their package.

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          2. The Phillies are not beating that for 1 year of Corbin Burnes.

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          3. I think I would repeat what Murray said word for word.

             I think we’re a bit overweight veterans on high AAVs so I would be looking to rebalance my portfolio here with younger cost controlled talent.

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             1. No one is talking about the Orioles basically tanking over the past years, little bit of a process going on in Baltimore.

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                1. Elias who is now running the Orioles was in Houston when they began the tanking process to rebuild that system.

                   However many years later its been the Astros have sustained their winning formula. Whatever process it was that they implemented it worked out for them producing 2 WS trophies and a number of division wins and playoffs.

                   The Orioles are on track now to mimic that success especially with the new ownership.

                   Its not enough to just tank you also have to draft well and then be able to pay the players you hit on.

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                2. It’s been a long time since a franchise bottomed-out and came up with as many strong young prospects as Baltimore has. I mean, in addition to great prospects they have like Jackson Holliday, Wesburg, and some of the young pitchers, they drafted Rutschman and Henderson in back-to-back rounds – literally both players have HOF potential. I am sure some other team has drafted players with potential like that in back-to-back rounds, but I cannot recall when that happened.

                   They are perfectly primed for a really nice 4-6 year run and with new management adding money, it could really be something spectacular, especially if they add some free agent talent, as I expect they will.

                   Getting Burnes was a massive win for that franchise. They are contenders right now.

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          4. Looking at the Brewers, poor Hoskins is on the down side of a once very good team.

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             1. Assuming Rhys puts up good numbers he’ll opt out to get another bite at that apple.

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                1. If he has an especially good year, he could easily be traded to a contender at the trade deadline.

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                2. LOL Catch I don’t know who’s wheaties you tinkled in but I see you get a down vote for even the most mundane posts.

                   Personally I don’t give the thumbs down unless I’m going to comment a contrary argument. I do like handing out the Thumbs Up when I see good posts.

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                3. Yup – I ignore it. You can’t control a troll.

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             2. Denny………sometimes you can’t have your cake…and eat it, huh!

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                1. Exactly Skeet.
                   Maybe we will need a big righthand bat for the stretch run and Brewers will be in the tank. We can trade then a #25 & #30 prospect for him and he will be in the playoffs with us.

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                2. I like cake

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39. Braves sign Giles to a minor league contract. Was hoping that the Phillies would have done that.

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    1. Mets signed Fujinami. Would have liked 1 or both invited by the Phils.

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       1. IMO the Phillies’ brass fell that these types of players will take valuable innings away from the organization’s arms in ST. File had a9+ WRA in AAA with more bits than IP, almost same# of walks and didn’t have the strikeouts as in the past. Fujiami had close to a 5 ERA from the pen. We have enough of these players for a millions of dollars less.

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40. Denny… I agree with your comment. I think now Phillies are pretty happy with what they have in place and feel that they can make a move or two as season develops if the need arises. Almost time for pitchers and catchers.

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    1. 12 days.

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41. Just me but I wonder if Phillies believe Hoffman can kind of take the place of Kimbrel. He was given several high leverage opportunities and for the most part fared well.

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    1. It seems like a good philosophy to me, have a main closer and then manage a game according to high pressure situations. Like 3-4-5 batters coming up in the 8 th with having a lead, use your best, then bring in the next best against 6 thru 9 in the 9 th.

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42. This was just posted on Bleacher Report:

    Trade Proposal: Phillies acquire RHP Devin Williams in exchange for RHP Andrew Bellatti, SS Bryan Rincon, C Eduardo Tait.

    Why do y’all think ? If you wanna win in the next couples years I think it’s a move you have to make. Williams would be under team control through 2025. And he’s lights out

    No doubt it’ll hurt losing them but they are
    Years away from helping the Big Club

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    1. My guess is Brewers would think that is light. Williams is very good and if I had to guess they might want a starting pitcher piece back? But I like acquiring Williams.

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43. @Catch……….earlier you used the singular form “troll”, ……..I think you under estimate your magnetic qualities. Most likely poster’s with big fingers who erred on finger placement. You can back it out if you err, you know. Keep the comments coming, ok!

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    1. Maybe they liked your comment but didn’t like the content. Being Catholic, we forgive the ignorant.

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    2. By the way, now that Jim has updated the format, my magnetic qualities notwithstanding, I think most of this was done by one specific individual who had previously been banned from this site and apparently has some axe to grind with me that I do not really know about (perhaps a prior discussion some time ago got too heated? Maybe I said something snarky? I don’t know).

       That said, if you disagree with something I said, please feel free to comment and explain why you think I’m wrong (I’m wrong all the time – it won’t hurt my feelings) and as I previously posted, if somehow I said something to anyone that personally offended them, I am genuinely sorry. It is my goal to debate baseball, not insult anybody. Really. Truly.

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       1. Catch…….truly appreciate your posts…..I don’t agree with anybody all the time and don’t expect everybody to agree with me all the time.  Thanks for letting me know about the 👎 poster.  Knowing Jim, I imagine he is currently incarcerated.  Take care Spring training is on the horizon.SkeetSent via the Samsung Galaxy S23 5G, an AT&T 5G smartphone

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44. Anyone. Seeing again today rumors Phillies may get involved in regard to Clase. If they do, what do you guys’ feel is a correct package? Seeing Rojas being mentioned as possible main part. Thoughts?

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45. …….it appears👍 and 👎 has run it’s course, huh?

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46. Having continuous trouble posting in WordPress

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47. Hi, I’m home. I had internet availability for about an hour this week and read some of the initial comments. I am back at my laptop and am catching up on Steve Potter’s reports and the rest of the comments.

    I highly recommend Steve’s reports. He sees the same things I do but offers a different and often times more involved reporting style than mine. He was a college pitcher and pitched in men’s leagues until recently, so he knows and observes more about pitching than I can notice.

    Steve doesn’t allow comments, so you can read his work and comment on it here if you like.

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48. Regarding the thumbs up and down –

    If y’all don’t grow the “f” up, I’ll start posting the identities of the thumbs down entries or just take it away again. Maybe both.

    If you think you’re a tough guy giving the same person (or any person) a thumbs down, be a real tough guy and actually post a comment on why you disagree with the comment and engage in discussion.

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    1. Jim, For what it’s worth, I don’t think Thumbs Up-Thumbs Down adds any information or insight so removing it wouldn’t bother me in the least. In fact, Thumbs Down often strikes me as rude or even hostile.

       Let’s see what kind of thumbs, if any, this post gets.

       BTW, welcome back. Look forward to your always informative posts.

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49. Saw an article on Phillies have done very little. We just need to remember that there is 1 open spot on roster still so there will be at least one more roster move before opening day. There will likely be a couple of minor league signings/invites. I would expect another reliever and likely bench player added to the mix.

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    1. I think the Phillies are just waiting to see if teams/FAs will lower their demands.

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    2. I tend to think something that is fairly is going to happen here before opening day, although I am not entirely sure what that would be.

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       1. Some that is fairly significant, that is.

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          1. “something”

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          2. I am still a little surprised Taijuan Walker is still here…..he was not happy with Thomson after the 13th play-off game last season.
             He however was a top step fixture cheering on the lads.

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             1. I gave Romus a thumbs up Because of his brilliant knowledge of the game I Know jim likes us to explain our comments, Romus really studies the game, and brings insight to all his post, I know he is old, but he is still sharp, Not many guys who say Jackie Robinson play are still around, So this bud is for you M8

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                1. rocco…LOL….you are a pal.

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          3. WOW catch cant spell either like me

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       2. Would be interesting if they signed Bellinger and then traded Rojas/Marsh in a package for Clase or Williams.

          Brings up an interesting question, would you rather keep Rojas or Marsh? Marsh is a good defender and has a much better bat than Rojas now, but Rojas has been graded having 60 power and seems to have worked out a ton in the offseason.

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          1. ‘Rojas has been graded having 60 power’ …have not seen that.

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             1. https://www.fangraphs.com/players/johan-rojas/24336/stats?position=OF

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                1. Got it now…..that is Raw Power…Game Power is what I normally will go on.
                   Eric Longenhagen differentiates the two ratings somewher in his evaluation process.

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             2. Romus it was in all the papers, about Rojas power, where you been? i have to give you a thumbs down for this post , sorry

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          2. March cant play center, he is bad in center

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             1. rocco…….he does have his moments out there. I have not looked at the Statcast metrics on his CF defense, but judging by the eye-test he probably is passable vs the normal defenisivr CFers…..he is not in Rojas’ class for sure.
                More than likely a push -zero on the SDI scale….where as Rojas is anywhere over a positive 10 on the SDI scale.
                I would think even Simon Muzziotti could play a notch or two better in CF than Marsh….though do not see Simon staying in the Phillies org that much longer, unless injuries to OFers start occuring.

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                1. I see Marsh as the team’s regular left fielder, with occasional starts in center. Marsh is a well above average fielder in left. To the point where, defensively, he’s like 3 WAR better than Schwarber – it’s a huge difference. And, as a hitter, the real question is whether he can continue to hit for some power. He had a 127+ OPS+ rating last year, which is huge. Also, he’s a surprisingly mature and discerning hitter. I thought, he had among the most consistently excellent at bats last postseason. When others were falling apart, Marsh hung in there and battled. It was really impressive. Now I want to see him turn on a few more pitches without giving up the outside of the plate. Still, he was a 3-4 WAR player meaning he’s already a first division regular. Any improvement from here on out is gravy.

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          3. Huge dependence IF we sign Bellinger. Assume he would want 4-5+ years. My goal 2-3 years. In that model, bet on Rojas.

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50. Rojas’ BABIP was ridiculously high last year, so his .300 BA in the reg season was probably inflated/lucky and we saw that in the postseason. That being said, I wouldn’t want to see him traded. It looks like he’s been training hard in the offseason with Elly De La Cruz and he’s put on a considerable amount of muscle. I would love K Long to help him with his swing/approach. Prime Kevin Kiermaier seems like an interesting comp for Rojas.

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    1. Max….earlier you posted Power ratings on Rojas from Fangraphs.
       I found out Eric Longenhagens definition of Game vs Raw Power.
       ““Game” power is a grade describing power output. While raw power is “How far/hard can they hit the ball?”, game power is “What is their power production like in actual games?” These two are often different for any number of reasons (often augmented by swing plane, approach, or hit tool quality)”

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51. If you have OPS in the other 7 positions you can get away with a light hitting defensive wiz in CF.

    I don’t need a lot from Rojas but 42 K’s to just 5 BBs over 164 PAs needs some improvement.

    It’s not likely he’s going to BB a ton with little power and batting 9. Teams are going to attack him with strikes mostly but he will need to refine his approach and understand how teams want to get him out.

    By simply eliminating parts of the zone from AB to AB he could vastly improve his O Swing %.

    Your average pitcher is not going to have great command on both sides of the plate or up and down. And even when facing great pitchers there are tendencies you can try to hunt.

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52. Keith Law top 100 out

    34 – Andrew Painter
    43 – Justin Crawford
    89 – Aidan Miller

    Interesting things

    * No Mick Abel
    * Obviously, nothing new to report on Painter – hoping he can make it back for instructs, or maybe in AFL, setting him up for a normal start to 2025
    * Seems to be higher than most on Crawford
    * long way from a finished product
    * this is different than I’ve read at other places – at the plate he’s already posted high exit velocities and can show big power the other way in BP that’s starting to emerge in games
    * Did talk about how he gets on top of more balls than you would like to see
    * thinks he could add 10-15 lbs, while he does that, he may be a level a year guy
    * Thinks Miller should be fully healthy now and his power should return
    * power tool is ahead of the hit tool
    * has trouble on inner third as he’s always looking to get his arms extended

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    1. I think Law has always been a little less enthusiastic about Abel – he’s very concerned about the lack of command as I recall (I don’t have an Athletic subscription so I don’t know what he’s saying now). That said, Abel’s end of last season was fantastic and he may have turned a corner. If he can get his command in order, Abel’s upside is tremendous (like a #2), but we shall see.

       Nice to see that it seems the entire industry seems to be buying into Miller to a large degree. That is sounding like a very fine draft pick.

       As for Crawford, he’s just a polarizing prospect for now. Some believe the power will not come due to the swing or the lack of added strength – others aren’t so worried. At least we know he has great pedigree (All-star father) and athleticism – so that’s encouraging.

       On Painter, the only question is whether the post-surgery Painter is the same guy as the pre-surgery Painter. If so, he’s a potential ace and, unlike a guy like Abel (who will probably take several years to develop as a major leaguer), Painter might be a TOR guy within a year or so. He’s pretty clearly our best pitching prospect since Cole Hamels.

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       1. Before I post this, let me be clear, Mick Abel will not and most will never pitch like Sandy Koufax but maybe Abel should take the process Sandy did, don’t throw so hard and worry about location. Koufax said that the unsung hero was Norm Sherry the Dodgers backup catcher who told him to worry about where the ball is going not how fast it gets there.

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          1. Well, it was easier to say then Sandy threw as hard as he did.

             But these days, with all the harder throwers that are now out there, the lack of command is, perhaps, the biggest separator. But when you can throw multiple plus pitches for strikes, you can get away with having command that is not quite as good. By the way, there are worse things than Abel ending up as an inexpensive workhorse # 3. We could use a guy like that.

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             1. LOL – another typo – I meant to say “when” Sandy threw as hard as he did.

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             2. When I think about Koufax, I think about how much better pitchers are now than they were way back then. As hard as it is to believe, Koufax threw only two pitches by all reports – his ridiculous fastball and a crazy 12-6 curve. I think that was it. It would be very hard for any starter to dominate with two pitches today the way Koufax did back then and that’s no insult to Koufax – if he were pitching today he would have figured it out and been among the best pitchers in baseball; I have no doubt about that.

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    2. Keith Law on Abel:
       Phillies Nation Podcast. “It is not just about strikes with him, but it’s the quality of the strikes,” Law said. “He does not really show particularly good fastball command, and it surprises me. Because I saw him as an amateur and thought, ‘Well this guy’s gonna have good command.’ It’s a great delivery. He had good stuff but already showed pretty good feel for it, and it looked like he had pretty good ability to manipulate the baseball. That hasn’t been true now in two years in the minors. And that doesn’t mean he can’t get there, but so far, it’s really not been up to expectations.”

       Was is surprisong to me…..he does not even have Abel in the back end of the 100.

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       1. Yup – just what I expected.

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          1. Great comment, well thought of , just brillant

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             1. Okay, what is your problem?!!!!

                I have no personal issues with you Rocco but for some reason, you seem intent on starting some type of personal feud or war with me. I am not going to take the bait – I am just not doing it. If you want to post sarcastic comments, I have no ability to stop you (although someone else does), but it is wrong and I am calling you out on it. I am asking you politely to stop it. If you disagree with one of my comments, I have no problem with you explaining why you disagree – but that was not an invitation for you to be nasty, sarcastic or rude to me – which your most recent comments are.

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       2. He does have Abel on his list of 10 that just missed so he was within his 110 top players 🙂

          His comments on the Athletic article are similar to the Podcast. He has good FB/CU mix but his command is just not good enough and also his fastball has good velocity but is missing some finish. Also notes he struggles a bit with spinning the baseball so he doesn’t throw his slider for strikes.

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          1. I think Law did not know all te develop protocola that Abel was learning last season…in a recent interview..
             “……, he’ll have to improve his command. His walk rate rose to 13.5% … last season, after reducing the rate in 2022, his second pro season. But Abel began to locate his pitches better toward the end of the season, thanks in part to a few tweaks he made to his pitch mix. He added a two-seamer around mid-August and replaced his sweeper with a gyro slider around the minor league All-Star break. He threw both pitches in high school but got away from them when he transitioned into pro ball.
             “[The two-seam] has been huge for me,” Abel said. “It’s a really good option for me to righties, just so I can go in, mix that with — maybe I go four-seam up, two-seam in. It’s just another look for the hitters. “And the gyro slider is something I can throw for a strike. I can throw it below the zone. I can tunnel it with my curveball, tunnel it with my fastball on the outer half of the plate to righties or inside to lefties if need be. I think it’s a really good weapon in my arsenal.”

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53. Nightengale is mentioning that Phillies might slip in on Montgomery or Bellinger if their prices come down. Does anyone think either might be in play at some time. If so, who do you think would be the best pickup?

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    1. I absolutely think the Phillies are lurking and would be a value shopper deal for a big name. The fact that they offered big money to a pitcher earlier tells me they will invest opportunistically.

       For me, you can never have enough pitching. I would take Montgomery on a one year deal in a heartbeat.

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    2. Don….I think Montgomery would be an ideal pick-up for a year…..the only issue, three lefties in the rotation, and also especially vs the Bravesright-hand hitting lineup, that does not bode well.
       Bellinger assume would go to CF…..Rojas becomes a fourth or down to LHV.
       Unless the signings all have trades tagged to them from Dombrowski after the signings….like Walker or Castellanos.

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       1. cant find the down button

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          1. rocco….LOL…Jim made some changes.
             Keep looking.

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54. Just noticed at end of article that both are Boras guys. I knew Bellinger was.

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55. Romus…I was thinking on this last night. You can always find the stats. Phillies I think signed Arrieta back in the day for 5 years and around $75M I think. He was ok for a couple and then really fell off. Thinking he also was around that 34 to 35 age at the time. How far do you think the Phillies are willing to go to extend Wheeler in years? We know it will be lots of $$$s.

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    1. Don….Arrieta’s deal was actually three years-$75M …$30 million in the first year, $25 million in the second and $20 million in the third — and that Arrieta can opt out of the contract after the second year.
       I think Wheeler’s could be the same set-up…..three years, but somewhere north of $30M AAV….how far north, who knows.

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56. Romus…I knew you would know. LOL. I got the $75 right. Three years makes more sense. Wasn’t Arrieta and Wheeler similar in age at the time of deal?

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    1. Actually Arrieta was younger…..he was 32 his first year as a Phillie.
       In 2025, Wheeler will be 35.

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       1. It’s true, but Arrieta was already on the downside of his career. We thought he might bounce back, but he didn’t. Wheeler has maintained his velocity pretty well (he peaked in 2021, but still throws really hard) and has continued to improve as a pitcher – always adding new pitches and improving his command. He’s still pretty close to his peak.

          My rough prediction is, if the deal gets done this offseason, is 3 years, $105m or 4 years for $130m. My experience is that DD usually gives at least a year longer contract than I think he should, so don’t be surprised if it’s 5 years, assuming it gets done all and it might not. Wheeler is a rare ace who has also proven to be durable, so he could get a huge contract in free agency after next season – something that looks a little like the contract deGrom got.

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          1. Wheeler’s first year on an extension is 2025….5 years puts him at age 39….I think if a 5th year is involved, it will be a club option with probably a 20% buy-out.
             Four years with the option buy-out year would be the thing Dombro could possibly do.
             Actually almost coincides with Nola’s last age season which would be 37…four years and option for Wheeler would be 38

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             1. By the way, I don’t think there’s anyway I would do 5 years as a GM and probably wouldn’t agree to do the 4th year (maybe 3 years and a $10 m buyout of the 4th year). DD did well on the Nola agreement, so let’s see if he can work some more magic.

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                1. Really wish they would get the deal done prior to the season.
                   Hope it does not come down to end -of -year negotiations like Nola’s did.

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57. Romus…you got a Like. Leader in the clubhouse. I like the like better. No reason for people getting thumbs down.

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    1. In today’s world, everyone gets a like when they post.

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58. So we filled the 40 man with a 26 y/o Diego Castillo who is mostly a utility IF type who has been DFA’d multiple times. I don’t understand the FOs penchant for these types of players.

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    1. I wrote and re- wrote this post so many times before hitting send. This transaction and Castro’s last year make me seethe. Why take a valuable shot on the 40- man roster, every teams needs arms not a light hitting middle IF. Quit wasting these spots!

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       1. Denny, I don’t ask to be snide but because I don’t know; what are the limits on 40-man roster transactions?

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       2. I don’t get their infatuation with utility infielders either but it’s not like they can’t just DFA him like everyone else has when a better option come along.

          I assume that since he still has an option left he gives them depth in AAA.

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59. I know if was the owner of the Philllies , And i saw this transaction of Diego from Yankees My first Question would be you telling me we don’t have on guy in our system who can play multiple position and hit 204, with a 260 obp, then when they say no, I would fire the scouts,

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    1. Especially after having Scott Kingery and not utilizing him, even when a need arises.

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    2. Rocco……be careful, he might be Don Diego……Z.

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60. Why not Whit Merrill ???? Got to be better than Castillo – although he may not want to sign because he is not going to play a whole lot ……Nick Maton cut loose maybe take him on again ?

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    1. If Phil Maton doesn’t finalize deal with Rays, sign him and Nick and get a brother discount.

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61. A Double Maton. LOL

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    1. Don…we already have one comedian, rocco.

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62. Funny Romus. Deal mentioning Clase says Phillies would give up Crawford, Miller and Rojas. That seems too high.

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    1. That would be a very bad trade. One existing starting position player and two additional potential starting position players (at least one of whom could become a star) for a relief pitcher who just had an off year? I cannot imagine that DD is foolish enough to fall for a trade like that. It’s the type of trade that can screw up a franchise for years. No way.

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    2. Do not like that deal…..like to keep Rojas and Miller.
       In the end, nothing is guaranteed.
       Barring an extension, the Guardians are probably more likely to trade Bieber than Clase.

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    3. Don, is that a joke? That is too much for a reliever; they are so inconsistent.

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63. The Cleveland Plain Dealer proposed the trade I suspect.

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64. catch…I think Romus thought 3 years for Wheeler. I kind of like that. To me 4 and or 5 is getting risky. But who knows. I forget but weren’t both Verlander and Scherzer 38 last year. That did not work out well for Mets.
    I have only seen Clase a couple times. It appears Cleveland is possibly willing to move him. Seems like they always have pitchers. So, for anyone, what would be a package that would be appropriate for Phillies? I still think the Phillies may like Hoffman as potential guy to take role of Kimbrel. He now has a year behind him. It is getting close to pitchers and catchers now.
    Romus…spent last evening with the 9-year-old at a Winter workout at one of the nice facilities. Sitting above practice area for two hours had me wonder What if …something like this 60 years ago. Kids sure have a lot of advantages today.

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    1. Don……there are now more opportunities for kids to develop their baseball skills for sure than 60 years ago……then we played outsdie on a field as group like the movie Sandlot.
       We even played stick ball on the streets…those days are gone.
       You will never see 20 kids in a field playing….it is camps/indoor facilities and organized leagues.

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65. Okay, Phillies pick up another RH reliever but drop Bellati. But we have another light hitting IF.
    Rucker from Cubs, doesn’t seem much better than Bellati, but younger. Still need arms. Still shopping at the Dollar Store.

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    1. Rucker has an option, Bellati does not. Looks like they are creating a pathway to move guys between AAA and the majors for 2024.

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66. Romus…you are 100% correct. Team had 2-hour workout. Fielding and then hitting. Tonight, they have pitching for an hour. Probably about 60 kids in facility almost all of the time. Think things go from 4 till 10. Wow.
    One other thing that is astonishing is the COST. Part of the time I just walked around and looked at the merchandise.
    Bats $500
    Gloves $300
    Helmets $100+
    I did not even look at all the gimmick items they had.
    Guy who owns this attended my school back in the day and he actually asked me back in the 90s to do his Softball instructions. Told me last night he now has over 30 people working in there. Huge weight training area now as well.
    So different as you said. Plus, so many $$$$s spent.

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    1. And here I though hockey gear for the kids was expensive…..$500 bats…$300 gloves…sheesh.

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67. Romus…I too hope that the Phillies and Wheeler are able to get a deal done before season. I think that just helps everyone involved.
    Youth baseball costs are just outrageous. I sat there last night and thought to myself that there would have been no way I could have played. We did not have that kind of money.

    Denny…this was just one article with someone speculating what might be involved. I forget who wrote it or if they had a tie to the Guardians or not.
    Last night it was Nightengale mentioning Montgomery and Bellinger.
    Maybe they are all just getting anxious for Spring Training to begin.

    Because my three teams are IU, Cowboys, and Phillies every time I get online, I am bombarded with something on one or all of them. I try to ignore the ones that make no sense.

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68. Hi guys, Sorry if this breaks up any current discussions. I’ll leave both open for an hour or so to close out any thoughts. But any new discussion points should be taken to the new Phillies discussion at –

    Pre-ST Phillies Discussion

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