It’s Only Spring Training, It’s Only Spring Training, It’s Only Spring Training …

Other Stuff

This has been my mantra for several days now.  I hope it doesn’t have to continue for the rest of this spring.  This will be the current Phillies discussion.

At the risk of sounding redundant, it IS just spring training.  The purpose of spring training is to prepare the players who will be on the active roster for the major league season.  Or the championship season as MLB likes to refer to the regular season.  A secondary goal is to identify the players who will be able to help the major league team when there are injuries, slumps, or trades during the season.

Okay, that calm, rational explanation did nothing to allay the forthcoming rant.

As a whole, the Phillies pitching in four of their five games has been, uh let’s say uneven. They gave up 13 runs in a 14-13 win over the Blue Jays.  They pitched well against the Yankees’ “B” team in a 4-0 victory.  And, they have blown late inning leads in a 7-6 walk off loss to the Red Sox, a 3-3 tie with the Twins, and a 7-7 tie with the Braves.

Now, normally when I go off the deep end, I usually do it in conversation with my friend Steve.  Often, he sets me straight with his common sense approach to the perceived problems I sometimes see.  This will be an unfiltered rant.

One of the problems we identified with the Phillies last season was their inability to close out some games, especially Kimbrel’s appearances the last weeks of the regular season and the playoffs.  So, in their efforts to get the big club ready for the season, why not have the high-leverage relievers pitch in the high-leverage situations?

Why “waste” guys like Soto, Dominguez, Strahm, Alvarado in the fourth thru seventh innings and have guys like Austin Brice and Brett Schulze pitching the ninth innings?  Even if they were to receive a mid-season call-up, they would never sniff the ninth inning in a save situation.  I think it would be better to prep the guys for their in-season roles by using them in those roles during the spring training games.

It’s only spring training and records don’t matter.  But, the Phillies could be 5-0 instead of 2-1-2.  We’ve heard that a winning tradition is important to establish.  Part of establishing a winning tradition is to win the games in which you take a lead into the ninth inning.  Time to manage the bullpen like these are real games.  If that means that the big leaguers have to hang around later, then so be it.  And, for goodness’ sake, anoint a closer.  Thomson can still do matchups in the sixth thru eighth innings but have one reliable pitcher to close out games.

Whew! that felt good.

Corrections:

Earlier I answered a question about the use of the paddles during fielding drills.  I read an article by Matt Gelb yesterday that explained that the drills were created by a coach and player in Miami during the offseason.  I haven’t seen this.  I confused it with a drill that Dickerson runs with infielders that uses a paddle that kind of looks like the Velcro one you would use on a beach catching fuzzy balls.

I reported that minor league players receive $125-$150 each game when they are called up to sit on the bench or in the dugout during spring games.  That was last year ($125).  This year, since they receive breakfast and lunch at the Complex plus about $30 for meal money, they only receive about $80 in meal money when they are called up for a day.  That brings them up to about $110 for the day and it is added into their next paycheck.

Important Dates

  • January 15, 2024, 9 a.m. EST: Opening of the 2023-2024 international signing period
  • March 2, 2024: Start of minor league spring training
  • March 1-10, 2024: Period for renewing contracts of unsigned players (pre-arb, the 0-3-year players) on 40-man rosters
  • March 20-21, 2024: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego in Seoul, South Korea
  • March 28, 2024: Opening day for all other teams, active rosters reduced to 26 players
  • March 29, 2024: Opening day for Lehigh Valley
  • April 5, 2024: Opening day for Reading, Jersey Shore, and Clearwater
  • May 4, 2024: Star of the Florida Complex League
  • June 8-9, 2024: New York Mets vs. Philadelphia in London
  • July 14-16, 2024: Amateur draft, Arlington, TX
  • July 25, 2024: End of the FCL regular season

Transactions – non-bold text indicates the guys who were called up for ST games.  Once called up a player remains available for future games.  There doesn’t have to be an additional transaction for additional games.

2/28/2024 – RHP Alex Rao assigned to Phillies
2/28/2024 – RF Felix Reyes assigned to Phillies
2/28/2024 – OF Baron Radcliff assigned to Phillies
2/28/2024 – LHP David Parkinson assigned to Phillies
2/28/2024 – C Lou Albrecht assigned to Phillies
2/27/2024 – RHP Cristian Hernandez assigned to Phillies
2/27/2024 – RHP Paxton Thompson assigned to Phillies
2/26/2024 – Clearwater released C Kliubert Avila
2/26/2024 – RHP Andrew Schultz assigned to Phillies
2/26/2024 – RHP Brett Schulze assigned to Phillies
2/26/2024 – C Herbert Iser assigned to Phillies
2/25/2024 – LHP Taylor Lehman assigned to Phillies
2/25/2024 – RHP Noah Skirrow assigned to Phillies
2/25/2024 – SS Robert Moore assigned to Phillies
2/25/2024 – CF Marcus Lee Sang assigned to Phillies
2/25/2024 – Phillies signed FA C Cam Gallagher to an MiLB contract w/invite to ST
2/24/2024 – RHP Carlos A Francisco assigned to Phillies
2/24/2024 – 3B Bryson Ware assigned to Phillies
2/24/2024 – RHP Andrew Baker assigned to Phillies
2/24/2024 – SS Trevor Schwecke assigned to Phillies
2/24/2024 – OF Ethan Wilson assigned to Phillies
2/24/2024 – SS Kendall Simmons assigned to Phillies
2/24/2024 – C Arturo De Freitas assigned to Phillies
2/24/2024 – 1B Bryce Ball assigned to Phillies
2/24/2024 – SS Erick Brito assigned to Phillies
2/24/2024 – RHP Cam Wynne assigned to Phillies
2/24/2024 – LHP Tristan Garnett assigned to Phillies
2/22/2024 – DSL Phillies White released RHP Carlos Millan
2/22/2024 – RHP Hanfermin Vargas assigned to DSL Phillies White
2/20/2024 – RHP Jeff Hoffman changed number to 23
2/20/2024 – 2B Kody Clemens changed number to 2
2/19/2024 – FCL Phillies released C Jackie Pertuz
2/19/2024 – Phillies traded RHP Kaleb Ort to Baltimore for cash
2/19/2024 – Phillies designated RHP Kaleb Ort for assignment

 

267 thoughts on “It’s Only Spring Training, It’s Only Spring Training, It’s Only Spring Training …”

  1. Before getting into baseball, is anyone in contact with or heard from Hinkie? He hasn’t commented here since January17th, and he hasn’t posted on Twitter since January 14th. I tried DM-ing him a couple weeks ago but got no response.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Jim…I watched the game today and thought the same as you mentioned. I even remember Ben or Tom speaking that Alvarado did not seem to be concerned about the outing today. I do believe in the winning culture thought.

    Regarding Hinkie I think he posted on this last forum; I forget what he posted but it was one he had some of us reply to if I remember. I will go look at my email and see if it is still there.

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  3. Jim…I just looked and do not see any email with Hinkie listed in February. Last, I had was back in January.

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  4. I assume they are using their regular relievers earlier in the games so they are certain to get their work in and get to finish their work and get out of the stadium quickly.

    For the “Pacoball” game. It was started by Paco and Castellanos as a way to work with the outfielders on hand-eye coordination, improving communication, and just to breakup the daily routine. Was a good article from Gelb. Has grown into a big daily event.

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    1. They also user the regular relievers early so they are facing Major League caliber hitters. By the seventh inning, most teams are playing fringe players or guys brought over from the minor leagues. It will change as the rosters are reduced later in the spring.

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  6. Also for the relievers pitching early. They are more likely to face better hitters vs. what they would see in the late innings.

    I have no problem with using them earlier in the game so they can better script who gets work and when it happens.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I understand your thinking the pitchers would see better hitters earlier in the game. However, I don’t completely agree. The Yankees and Braves brought mostly backup players to the two games in Clearwater. Most of the numbers on the starters were 60 and above. So, our guys aren’t facing many experienced major leaguers even early in the game.

      The Phillies do the same when they travel. They haven’t been sending very many of their top players or pitchers to road games.

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      1. I agree that even early in games they often are still getting camp players and not everyday regulars. Just think it’s too hard to plan out getting players work by waiting until later innings.

        If the minor league pitchers struggle in the middle innings and run up against pitch count limitations then the entire plan gets disrupted.

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  7. THANK YOU JIM, I feel so much better after reading your post. I have been complaining for the past 3 games about closing out. I agree with everything you ranted. Like Pete Rose would say about practice, you got to play like it’s the game or you won’t do it when it really counts. Thanks again!

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  8. Jim – I agree with you. If nothing else, the players who contributed during the whole game shouldn’t see it thrown away in the 9th. It is a bad look !

    I know Hinkie commented sometime in January but it was in the beginning of the month. I, too, have wondered if he is all right ? He would have had some comments about the Japanese pitchers – and I made a point about it directed at him and there was, no response. Last thing I recall is that he said he was feeling under the weather and hadn’t written anything for the prior 2/3 weeks, and he apologized. I certainly hope he is all right !!

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    1. Losing a pre-season game literally means nothing, especially if the team’s big league players played well.

      Hope Hinkie is okay – hopefully someone can get an update on that soon.

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  9. RU…You are correct on Hinkie. The last post I see on my list was when the talk on Yamamoto was going on in January.

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  10. I totally disagree with the logic of using our “real” pitchers to close games early in spring training. The starting position players exit the game by the 6th inning. They’re trying to get the “real” pitchers work against “real” hitters, at least the best that day. I don’t care if they lose a spring training game in the 9th inning with all deep backups in the game. It’s totally irrelevant. All that matters right now is for the top 30 players to stay healthy in March.

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    1. I agree that it is important to maintain the health of players during spring training. And, I addressed the quality of the opposing hitters above. I still believe that if you are going to use Alvarado, Dominguez, Soto, Strahm for one inning apiece, they should be used in the context they will be used during the season – in the sixth thru ninth rather than the third thru sixth.

      But, we can agree to disagree.

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      1. Jim – you attend the games so you know the starters play and then leave. The main arms want to pitch and leave also, it’s just the way it is early in spring training. They just want to get some work in and get out. The starters know these games don’t count. The pitchers who have the team made are usually working on things. It’s still the first week, relax.

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  12. I love when you Rant Jim 🙂

    Does anyone remember if Hinkie was posting on any other platforms? I’m not on X but I thought he was….

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  14. Notice the last game after the 5th …there were few more than the opening game vacated seats in the bowl …becomes more evident…..though the folk on the berm still hang out until the end in hopes of catching that elusive HR ball.

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  15. Romus…was that you in the bean bag seat or whatever it was in CF yesterday. Guys were having a good time trying to figure out for sure what it was. Whatever it looked comfy. Weather sure looks nice there. 20s here.
    Last post I could find on my list with Hinkie was during the Yamamoto happenings. Like mid-January.

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  16. Nice rant. Love the enthusiasm. However, knew that was coming, it would be more appropriate around St paddy’s day on. Nola would get rocked early in ST. Throw the same pitch 10 times in a row. Early ST is not for strategy in my opinion. Second half is. Win the last 8 to 10 games and carry into the season. It is not how you start it is how you finish.
    Mike D

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    1. I know it is only ST but you get pissed when you spend a whole afternoon watching a game and then you know it will happen and it does, you lose. Just like a date and no coffee at the end.

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  17. Phillies are going to need to find someone to pick up Kimbrel’s innings from a year ago. I thought most of the BP guys looked good yesterday. I mentioned during off season maybe they thought Hoffman may be able to make the jump. He struggled some yesterday, but the guys said he was good his first outing. Looking at the nice weather in Clearwater maybe it is hard for us Northerners to realize it is only March 1st. Game on again today so that is good.

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  19. Jackson Holiday will face Paul Skenes today at 1 PM on MLBN….

    MLB’s #1 and #3 prospects. So much for the intrigue of that prospect showcase!

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    1. You know, the Phillies didn’t do too well with their top picks from around 2015-18, but, in their defense, these were very weak drafts in the first round. Very few impact players. So their picking wasn’t great, but they also had bad luck with the draft pool. The only class where you can really fault them for a bad pick was the 2015 class and the indefensible Randolph pick (I’ve been over this before, but that pick was horrible from its inception – unless you’re picking the next Tony Gwynn, they had no business picking a small, hit only, defensively limited, unathletic, high school corner outfielder)

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      1. In 2015, Walker Buehler, Austin Riley, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Trent Grisham were available when the Phillies picked, as was Ryan Mountcastle. 

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      2. I think Randolph was a high school SS who they immediately moved to LF. He reminded me of Joe Morgan during his initial GCL campaign, but he didn’t respond well to the Phillies efforts to add power to his repertoire. I always liked him but yeah, he was probably a bust as a first-round pick.

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        2. Yes, Jim. When they drafted him they so much as said he wasn’t staying at SS and they would move him to left field. So, out of the gate, you had a small-ish, relatively un-athletic, 18 year-old, left fielder, without power, who you hoped would hit advanced pitching. An okay pick in the 4th or 6th round, but an indefensible pick at number 10 in the first round. Fortunately, the team is in a much better place now in terms of scouting and development. The last three first round picks all look solid to excellent.

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          1. Last 5 actually (Stott, Abel, Painter, Crawford, Miller) – can’t complaint too much about those picks.

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          2. My understanding the Phillies were set on drafting Ian Happ at 10 out of Univ of Cinn.,….but Theo and the Cubs derailed those plans, and took Happ at 9, so they quickly maneuvered to the next man up..

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  20. The Phillies literally signed a HOF closer last year, “anointed” him the closer, he made the all star team and didnt blow a save until like July. I’m pretty sure the team didn’t blow a save in a loss for like two months straight or something ridiculous. They had an elite bullpen by any objective measure, including having the lowest ERA of any team in the playoffs that played more than 2 games. Kimbrel didn’t even technically blow a traditional 9th inning save in the playoffs, game 3 was tied and 4 was the 8th inning (against the bottom of the order). The Rangers gave up more runs both in the game and in the 8th inning in their game 4 against the DBacks, but the won because the offense stepped up.

    Just say you don’t think RPs should ever ever blow a lead even if the offense does jack against mediocre pitching. It will save you a lot of time.

    And no making these guys close spring training games would do nothing besides piss them off that they have to push their tee times back.

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        1. Need to set the tone, every play, every inning, every game, even in ST, it all matters. It is Time, no more fooling around and having a good time. BE DETERMINED. I’m ready to steamroll the Braves, then the Dodgers, then the American League!

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  21. rocco…bad news.
    Phillies announced that the team is moving on from their Dollar Dog Night promotion. Instead, will be “buy-one, get-one” hot dog promotion.
    BOGO Dog Nites….two dates, April 2 and April 16

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    2. Romus…see article saying the $ dog night is dropped because of unruly fan behavior. You and Rocco need to calm down on those nights. LOL

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    1. Best thing about most of his ABs thus far is that he is staying back letting the ball get deep and showing some pretty quick hands…

      Today’s HR was slight right of center and crushed…

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          1. Hardly but have a great memory. Clay was a backup catcher in the WS for the Orioles in 1969, 70 & 71.
            Only thing I remember was the clay Dalrymple show before games and he always grounded out 4-3 during games.

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            1. I began following Phillies during the 64 season. I remember Clay Dalrymple catching. When did Bob Boone begin as the Phillies catcher? I am pretty certain he was the guy for those mid 70s Phillies teams.

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            2. Boone came up in 1972 as part time and then took over the next year. Carlton didn’t like pitching to him so they had to get McCarver for his personal catcher.

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        2. Denny…right on McCarver for Carlton. Lots of pitchers have a guy they like to pitch to. Wasn’t it the 72 team that only won 50 some games and Carlton had 27 or so. Wow.

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      2. rocco……LOL, yes, he tore it up one spring in the 60s or so.
        Pache, otoh, was a hughly rated prospect for many years when in the Braves organization….he may be coming around to realize his potential now….maybe even Kevin Long worked with him and he adopted the instructions.

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  23. Nice hit by Pache. I have a question that probably any of you will know. When I saw the Phillies 3B go back and catch pop up down 3rd base line I wondered if the young kids who are getting to play in these games get to keep these jerseys with their names on the back and Phillies on the front? Seems to me that would be really nice for them if they never make it to the majors, they will always have these. Just wondered. Thanks.

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    1. I’m sure you noticed not every guy in the game gets a uni with his name on it….

      But I am sure they probably get to keep them

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  24. dmar…thanks. I really had not paid much attention till I saw him going for pop up. I know lots have really high numbers. I just thought it would be neat if they did.

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  25. dmar so to your point on the numbers what is the difference of Snyder who had his name on his jersey and Parkinson who did not? I have heard guys talk of Parkinson. I did not remember Snyder. He reminded me some of Ryan Madson way back in the day. I thought Parkinson looked a little smoother especially with delivery. Thanks.

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  26. dmar…really funny the Blue Jays announcer’s kind of got talking on this topic in the bottom of the 9th regarding their players. I thought Parkinson looked good.

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  27. I wonder if yesterday’s Phillies game, was seniors game. Most of those guys were near thirty.

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  28. Jim – I tend to agree, put the relievers in as much of a tight spot as you can in ST. I see it as a 70/30 good vs bad scenario. I’m a big believe the 5 P’s… Proper preparation prevents poor performance. The only risk is a dude gets lite up or can’t work on a new pitch/mechanics/sequence if they are trying to nail a “ghost hold/save”. I think its more good than bad

    Pache …i said it last year, if he doesn’t get hurt, much like Moniak (dodging tomatoes) its quite possible we never see Rojas in the MLB last year. I think Pache is under rated on this board. If Rojas doesn’t develop the bat (I think he will) Pache is a great compromise.

    Lastly… I can’t say enough about the “Story” game review baseball has put in. It can be improved, but this is exactly what baseball needs to help grow the game. They need to start profiling the players.. like the NBA does, and they can get baseball to actually start gaining fans. IMHO, it takes the boredom out of the game. Im a fan of baseball, but trying to bridge the gap between fanatics like us, versus casual fans is tough. This is one of best solutions I’ve seen. MLB needs to put a Montague together of Trout, ohtani, Betts, Freeman, Harper, etc… so it can grow fans. So much they can do with these daily “clips”

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    1. Oh don’t think it’s a guess that we wouldn’t have seen Rojas last year but for Pache’s injury – I think it’s a virtual guarantee. People forget that Rojas was in AA, not AAA. And while he was having a good season, if Pache had stuck around and done well, Rojas probably would have received a promotion to AAA at some point and may have gotten a few ABs in September.

      Anyway, I agree that Pache is underrated here. He was pretty darned good last year in the outfield where he is either elite or near-elite. He’s not quite as good of a fielder as Rojas (who is?) but he has a more projectable bat right now with some serious pop if he can figure it out. I keep both of these guys around if I can. Also, imagine the late inning outfield of Marsh, Rojas and Pache. Not many fly balls hit the turf with those guys patrolling the pasture.

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      1. I was surprised when they didnt pull Castellanos for late inning lead for Pache in the playoff. I guess they figured Kimbrel was going to cough it up, so they needed his bat!

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  30. I was at the game today. Stayed long enough to watch McGarry. He looked every bit as great as 3 Ks looks in the box score. I saw him throw several sides already. He looked good then but didn’t know what his velo was. Today on the two pitches I remembered to check, he was 95 and 96. I had all but written him off last year. I’m very encouraged.

    Liked by 4 people

    2. Great news, Jim.

      In terms of pure “stuff” – McGarry may be second to none in the entire organization. Everything he throws, is thrown hard and moves like crazy – much like a younger Max Scherzer, but (clearly) without the pinpoint control. If he can regularly throw strikes, he’s a major leaguer – there’s no ifs, ands or buts about it – the only question is how good of a major leaguer he could be.

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      1. Take for example a pitcher like Braves’ Spencer Strider. His BB/9 just three years ago-2021- before he debuted with the Braves was close to 4 in the minors his last year there.
        Somehow the Braves corrected him.
        Now McGarry may not be in Strider’s class, however if the Phillies can work magic with McGarry and his control, he has a chance of being a special pitcher…be it a starter or reliever. So maybe we will see him in Phillly this summer.

        Liked by 1 person

  31. Johan Rojas, granted small sampling for sure, has had more ABs (13) and made more outs and Ks (5) than any other Phillies hitter so far this spring……he needs to pick it up more…..but if he continues to struggle, then again 2 or 3 months facing Triple A pitching at LHV may serve him well in the long run.
    He is noted however, for slow starts in his minor league career and picks it up at a very good pace around the quarter turn.

    Liked by 1 person

  32. Don, I held off on replying to your questions about jerseys until I verified my answer. Names are applied to the jerseys of the players on the 40-man roster and the non-roster invites. Each day’s minor league call ups will not have their names on their jerseys. Even if they are called up for more than one game. The players are NOT given the jerseys as a memento. The team reuses them.

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    1. Thanks Jim. I had no idea. I just wondered when I saw the 3B make that catch and it had his name and he was someone I was not familiar with. Really appreciate you finding out.

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  33. Today’s game was a bit of a disappointment. Mick Abel was scratched from the start due to illness. But, David Buchanan stepped up and pitched well enough to promise depth and experience at Lehigh Valley. Later, Nick Castellanos smoked that HR in the second inning. He knew it when he made contact. We knew it when we heard the contact. The left fielder knew it. He didn’t even have time to give his pitcher the courtesy drift back to the wall. I enjoyed watching big Felix Reyes drive in the tying and go ahead runs in the seventh inning. And, I really enjoyed watching my deep sleeper, Tyler McKay, having another solid outing. Now, I’m not suggesting that McKay will shoot through the stratosphere like Orion. But, he has followed up his strong High Performance Camp that got him his NRI and his strong spring training sides and BPs with three, solid in-game performances. I know some of you have questions because of his past command and walk issues. But, if he continues to build on his recent success, we could have a surprise contributor this season or next.

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    1. I am not familiar with Mc Kay I looked him up, said sidewinder, with good sink, velo 92 to 94 is that about right?

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      1. I don’t see a sidewinder, more three-quarters. Velo seems up a tic but not too much so far. He throws a sinker (two-seamer), a sweeper (slider), change-up, and cutter. For 8 weeks now, he’s been pounding the bottom and sides of the strike zone. I never really saw him when he came through Clearwater because he didn’t. He was a starter in Lakewood in 20019 and a starter at Jersey Shore in 2021. COVID in 2020 and the affiliate changes limited my chances to watch McKay. I was aware of his four-plus walks per nine innings two of the last three seasons. When I saw him throw in January, I was intrigued enough to look him up. I know he doesn’t have the high-90s velocity that the Phillies like in their relievers. But, I was and continue to be impressed with how consistently he is peppering the bottom of the zone.

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  34. Still no word from Hinkie? This is really becoming concerning…I don’t comment much cause I’m not very knowledgeable about baseball, but I am on this site a couple of times a day. His insights and in depth knowledge are so informative and entertaining.

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  38. Nightengale mentions Snell and Phillies today if a short-term deal could be done. This would put Phillies near $300M unless changes are made.

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    1. My guess is Walker may get traded to fit Snell unless they have an injury to a SP then they hold on to everyone

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      1. If they sign Snell or Montgomery, Walker is gone. Too many teams still need starting pitching. Our overpay last year has become a more reasonable upgrade for teams looking for a solid innings-eater.

        Liked by 2 people

        1. So the dream scenario is that they sign Snell/Montgomery and trade Walker. But I wonder if the high AAV on the Wheeler extension changes that option.

          That said, I think that we would get more for Walker than what many people think. I know that this blog doesn’t like WAR as a stat, but the GMs seem to and Walker had a really good 2.5 WAR the past 2 years. That ranked him 34th overall. His FIP ranked him 38th overall. And his ERA was 34th overall…that adds up to a really good starting pitcher folks. And that was the second year in a row with similar stats. I know that we all go gaga over velocity, but Tijuan Walker is a very productive MLB starting pitcher that would be a solid player on every MLB team’s roster.

          To put his market trade value in perspective, Lucas Giolito, who has been materially worse the past two season, was traded as a rental player at the deadline last year for a top 100 prospect (Edgar Quero).

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    2. A shorter term deal is going to bring more than the Phillies back into the picture. More teams will drive the dollars and years up and likely the Phillies out of interest.

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  39. Marcus Hayes who I respect as a journalist was on WIP yesterday. he was asked what he thought was the biggest key to the Phillies returning to the World Series this year and without hesitation, he said the bull pen. Wondering everyone’s thoughts on that?

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    1. The way thompson uses the bullpen in the postseason, I agree. SP has a chance to top notch again, the defense is much improved, and the batters just need to execute. It’s all there. Bullpen, Alvarado is one of the best arms in the league. Sir A could return to form. Rise of Orion, Stram out of the long reliever role. I think it’s good, but they could add another depending on what the ask is at the deadline

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    2. I would say overall health, including the bullpen. They have all the pieces to make another run but depth in the upper minors is questionable.

      They need their regulars to remain relatively healthy.

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    3. Pop He is a nice guy. He used to come into Dunkin Donuts on 18th Oregon in South philly. Sit with the older guys and talk sports. Very respectful.

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  40. Doesn’t matter if it is the regular nine or the scrubs, the Phillies strike out all too much. Fifteen today.

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  41. Once again home team wins late in game with regular hitting homerun to beat a rookie. Braves shortstop, Orlando Arcia, hits one against someone for the Phillies named Paxton Thompson in 7th.
    Poor Garrett Stubbs gets a start and has to face Chris Sale. One thing about ST games, some players would be platoon players but they are placed in a game to face someone they wouldn’t if it was the regular season.

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    1. MLB spring traing has changed over the years…most regulars stay at home when the team travels. Topper mentioned he like position players to get 65/70 ABs to get their timing down…..assume the last 10 days all regulars will be playing.
      But still looks like they could reduce the games over time…..I can see a gradual cutting down of games and ‘winshield’travel times for away games.
      During Covid it was basically clustered….Phillies/Yankees/Blue Jays/Detroit.
      I can see them further back to that to some degree.

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  42. Saw the game in Northport today. Observations for what its worth:
    Rojas needs more work on his hitting – 0 for 4 and it was as bad as it sounds; Pache, several k’s but a nice single as the dh ; Stubby had a bad week today and he didn’t look good doing that ; Bohm with 3 sharp hits was the offense period ; Sale didn’t look as sharp as the 5 k’s indicate- threw alot of pitches in 2 2/3 innings. Interesting note – I thought I was at CBP today – almost 8 of 10 fans wearing Phillies gear and they drowned out the Braves faithuful. But the stadium is beautiful — tickets pricey – $ 70 for a seat over Phillies dugout – opposite 3B ! My seat at the Orioles in Sarasota – first row over first base dugout is $ 33.

    To Romus – in Florida the teams may or may not eliminate games but they charge $ according to who the home team is playing. Braves-Phillies was sold out today and the prices were high (see above). I know they even change the cost of parking for who the Orioles play – more for Phillies, Yankees, and Bosox. I imagine the local towns who harbor the teams would have fits if games were dropped. It means alot of $$$ to many – and it is a major tourist attraction.

    Like

    1. RU……..that is true.
      March down there at the MLB complexes, bring in the money for the locals. Hard to believe the cost of those tix at North Port over the Phillies dugout. Almost as much as I use to pay for Hall of Fame tix at Phillies games 3 or 4 years ago.
      To the players…..Rojas may need more time.
      I wonder when will be the time in spring training when Thomson and the coaches-assume Kevin Long- will determine whether or not he goes to Philly or LHV?
      The next couple of weeks will probably give everyone the answer when the pitching gets to be more intense with him seeing more MLB pitchers.

      Like

  43. I was wondering the other day what tickets for these Spring Training games cost. Now I know. What if you have your blanket in the outfield. Are those pricey as well?
    OT. Indiana Fever will get Caitlin Clark in the WNBA draft. They sold out the lower portion of Gainbridge on Friday after she announced on Thursday. Also, in regard to price change. Those seats prior to Friday were $48. Friday, they became $94 per seat.

    Like

  44. Seeing Phillies and Wheeler agree on a 3 year and $126 million deal. Phillies are ready to roll.

    Like

    1. Wow – higher than I thought it would be. I was predicting the 3 years, but I thought it would be in the $105-110m a year range. There was no hometown discount here whatsoever. But if he can pitch like he has over the next 3 years or so, it could very well be worth it. If a WAR is worth $7-8 million or so, they are paying him to be a 5-6 WAR player – again, there’s no discount here (that’s the top range of his value), but he is a very fine pitcher and the extension is not too long, which is also very important.

      Like

    1. Gents… this leads me to believe, that the Phillies are could now be in play for Snell or Montgomery.

      I believe the Phillies were already over the 2nd CBT, this extension.. Im not sure how they would be under even for next year. I guess they would have to trade Walker, and plug in Painter or Abel to even remotely have a chance. Trade Castellanos. Something. Possibly both to get under.

      I can see either of them two signing, 3 year deals, with multiple player option/club options to re-enter FA.

      Makes too much sense now, if they were going to go after Yomamoto
      Not the prize, but near the impact for less dollars and years. The Phillies brass must be planning on staying in the CBT for a long time.

      Like

  46. Tac…article I saw yesterday said if Phillies signed Snell short term, they would be around $300M for 2024.

    Like

    1. I just saw Jim’s response about walker. It makes sense… and he really could be mentally hurt from last years non playoff use. Sanchez, if he increases his velocity, he could take off, and I think that makes walker expendable for the draft picks they are about to lose. I see a few ways out, but the prospects need to step up.

      Orion replaces Kimbrel
      McGarry to the pen?
      Can Crawford replace Castellanos?
      Miller replace Bohm?
      Painter can replace Suarez? I hate this one but Suarez is going to get paid too at some point

      Wheeler, Nola, Snell/Montgomery? Suarez, Sanchez, Painter/Abel
      Hellva SR with our lineup.

      Just trying to enjoy these good times because I’ve been a Phillies Phan way too long not to… So awesome to have Middletown as the controlling partner. He must be protected at all costs.

      Like

  47. I guess we’ll need a few years to see how it all plays out and I’m happy JM isn’t a cheap owner.

    BUT the likelihood that pitchers like Nola and Wheeler are what they are 3 and 4 years from now is very unlikely.

    More and more I worry that DD’s tenure here is starting to resemble what went down for him under Illitch in Detroit which was a peak of a WS loss then progressively shorter playoff appearances.

    As Illitch and DD were throwing big money at veterans the league around them got younger and better.

    Like

    1. Definitely worry about this. Wheeler’s deal isn’t too long, even though it is a potential hamstring given the high AAV. Hopefully they’re able to cycle in young guys like Painter and Abel and Sanchez when the Wheeler/Suarez/Walker trio are aging or deals are ending. If they can keep the effectiveness of the rotation high as it gets cheaper that would be great. I worry that we don’t have any tangible stars as position players in the pipeline. They will have to continue to buy bats at this point. When JT and others lose effectiveness, that’s when the problems will arise IMO. They need financial flexibility to replace bats when they need to. Painter and Abel have to succeed to have a long-term plan that works.

      Happy about the Wheeler deal, though. Length is okay for us it would seem.

      Like

    2. I think that’s unfair:
      1. Nola had higher offers from other teams (Braves). He took a discount to stay here
      3. Wheeler is as good as they come. You can’t get guys like him without overpaying. But a 3 year extension is very team friendly.
      3. DD’s refusal to deal any elite prospects including our top pitching prospects is to be commended. I am sure many teams have given juicy offers for veterans.

      Like

    3. I think the difference is DD has not traded from the farm. He has kept the potential in the pipeline when elsewhere he traded it for the vets.

      Like

      1. V1 mentions this as well and I completely agree the big difference is DD hasn’t dealt any major packages of prospects…

        But again I only say that I’m worried 🙂

        Like

    4. DMAR – I would give some pushback on this. A couple differences imo

      Times have changed, Salaries are through the roof, with players willing to take shorter deals with higher AAV. They are more willing to play roulette than they ever have. Look at Machado/Correra. 

      In terms of prospects, he’s kept the big guys. He’s traded O’hoppe, Moniak, and Brown. Technically for O’hoppe, he traded a prospect for a prospect, so it’s a swap

      Lastly, they are going for it. Even still, they have Painter & Abel to fill in with Orion, Mcgarry, and some others to fill in bullpen. You got a Crawford and miller to come in an replaces some high priced everyday players. Moving Wheelwe & Nola to the back of the rotation with Painter, Abel, Sanchez,Suarez to the front … doesn’t matter to me as long as they are producing for the spot. What they get paid … im not getting it. I think it coudl extend the window in a way if it works out. If is always a question. it looks like Middleton’s war chest can cover the “if’s”

      The players need to execute!

      Like

    5. DMAR….one reason to keep the young arms coming thru the system. Teams in trades want young controlled pitchers for the most part. Dave D needs not get tempted to move them for a quick play-off run.

      Case in point that could come be emphasized this season..Ben Brown with the Cubs….hope he comes on strong to prove that point.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. So far no major packages of prospects have been dealt which is a very good thing. My only quip was that 2 years in a row he traded some decent prospects for just ok rentals at the deadline.

        If he stays on the path all should be good and we should continue to make the playoffs.

        I thought the Soto trade was a good one and if he takes a big step forward this season it would prove to be a great one.

        Like

  48. Good Phillies prospect content just dropped on MLB https://www.mlb.com/news/philadelphia-phillies-top-30-prospects-list-2024-preseason

    – Crawford with a 55 hit tool, nice to read. if that’s true then he will be a star for us for a long time.
    – Caba also elite tools.
    – We didn’t talk about the Oliver Dunn (who?) trade to Brewers, but looks like we got some good prospects back. Hendry Mendez looks really interesting. Sneaky good trade by DD!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. They have Nikau Pouaka-Grego at 30…….he may be moving up that list after the mid-season rankings if he can continue to hit. The questions with him, as it was for Hao-Yu Lee…where will he eventually play in the field as full- timer.

      Like

  49. Christopher Sanchez listed in an ESPN+ articles as one of 10 players that “Scouts are buzzing about”

    Wildness had hindered Sanchez until he finally stuck in the Phillies’ rotation last season, and he rewarded their patience by allowing just 16 walks in 18 starts. He showed up this spring with two extra ticks on a fastball that’s now sitting at 94 mph, and he has added a cutter to his top-of-the-line changeup and effective sinker.

    Betting on 27-year-old pitchers to take the leap can be a fool’s errand, but the early indications make Sanchez a real candidate to do so. If he can join Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez for a full season in the rotation and continue to generate ground balls — his 57% rate was fourth among all MLB pitchers with at least 90 innings last season — the Phillies’ hopes of catching the Atlanta Braves in the NL East get that much better.

    Like

  50. Just watched Griff pitch in spring training…and while I know that “It’s Only Spring Training!” I don’t think that he will be a good MLB pitcher. Sorry guys. His fast ball looks very flat and with little movement. His command was horrible. He threw non-competitive pitches for many of his balls. And when he did throw strikes he got hit hard. I don’t think that his stuff is as good as advertised. He’s just not an MLB quality pitcher.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Didn’t see his outing but wonder if the remake of his delivery is also having an impact on his stuff. Not sure it’s possible to make a “will not be a good MLB pitcher” decision based on 1 IP in March but time will tell.

      What was obvious was he wasn’t going to be a major league pitcher with his complete loss of all control in 2023.

      Like

        1. You have to have good fastball command to be a good relief pitcher. His fastball command is horrible. Honestly, I would not be surprised if he was demoted to the minor league camp tomorrow. He looked unplayable. Like a little leaguer out there. Jays were licking their chops.

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          1. I watched some of the start and there’s no arguing he wasn’t good. What concerns me is that his FB was sitting 94-95 (mostly 94). Usually he sits 96-97, touching 98. But I’ve also seen him when he was virtually unhittable with really great stuff and more than passable control over all of his pitches. But, of course, his inconsistency is a huge problem. Obviously, if he continues to pitch as he did yesterday, he has no future as a big leaguer – it wasn’t promising.

            Like

      2. It wasn’t the wildness that concerned me…is was his strikes.

        I know what an MLB pitcher’s stuff looks like and that ain’t it.

        Like

        1. Yeah, rough outing from what I witnessed. I watched it unfold on Gameday. My take:

          his velo is down, I believe he was sitting up near 96-98 last year? Occasionally Hitting 99-100. He was down to 93-94. Touched 95 once.

          he was “almost” effectively Wild. His control had him falling behind every hitter. And he faced some of the best hitters in baseball. Not a recipe for success. Springer, Bichette, Vlad Jr with men on base, some bases loaded.

          my opinion, he needs the mph on his FB back (duh)He’s gotta throw a strike in the 1st 2 pitches (also duh). He’s down 2-0 a lot with a patient hitter, and then gets back in the count with a called strike or foul ball. 

          worst part of his outing: Too many pitches are so far outside, I think once he does come back over the plate his pitches look “beach balls” to professional hitters

          he did work a few full counts … but then his pitch were so far outside it wasn’t competitive for the walks. Or he had to put a meatball up there because he just wanted to throw strikes.

          I can see this being a bump in ST, if he can sit at 95-96 next outing, and get strikes earlier in the count. he worked behind every hitter. Needs to hit the edges earlier on the count too. Seems like he has too much to work on to expect anything befofe mid season

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  52. I do not hope the Cubs asked for McGarry and the Phillies said no deal it was Ben Brown or nothing.

    Like

    1. Not that you want to give away prospects, but Sanchez’s potential makes me forget about Brown. Unless they got with a 6man SR, there is no room for Brown. You could argue he could have been traded for more but … win some lose some. So far DD is winning more trades than not. 

      Like

      1. I like Brown a lot and now would rather have him than McGarry (I’m pretty sure they didn’t want to give up McGarry back then). That said, Brown also has serious control issues and his minor league walk rates are not sustainable. 

        Like

        1. To boot…. Brown not only has fallen out of the Top 100 at MLB.com, but is only 11th on the Cubs top 30. Not sure that he will provide much more than McGarry (and vice versa).

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          1. That said, I would still rather have Brown. McGarry has a higher ceiling and a lower floor, but, to me, he’s much more likely to flame out than Brown. Brown is the type of big frame, good velocity guy who could figure it out in his mid to late 20s and have a nice career as a mid-rotation starter. He could also develop into a late inning reliever, much like Trevor May. 

            Like

            1. Ben Brown is one of “my guys”. As much as I hate/hated the trade, I was happy for Ben. I feel that he has a better chance of making it with the Cubs than the Phillies. I have the same sentiment regarding Bailey Falter and the Pirates, and Darick Hall and wherever he lands when the Phillies are finished with him. A rumor had surfaced that he might sign in Japan. I didn’t ask him about it but secretly prayed he would go there.

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    1. If this is true, it makes me want to throw up in my mouth. No 12 year-old should be committing to anything with a professional baseball team, even if it is informal. Frankly, this is disgusting and a bad look for the Phillies and baseball. 

      Like

      1. Agree, pretty sure this is how it’s gone on for ages (doesn’t make it right), just never seen it publicized like this.

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        1. Appears Philies are making it a family affair with the Acuna’s……Aaron Escobar is Acuña’s cousin and he signed with the Phillies in Jan 2022…..but he was 16 at the time.

          Like

          2. Although if he were Ronald’s brother, it would follow a time-honored tradition in Philadelphia sports of our teams always acquiring the lesser of the brothers:

            Mike Maddux < Greg Maddux

            Jeremy Giambi < Jason Giambi

            Casey Matthews < Clay Matthews

            Vince DiMaggio < Joe DiMaggio

            Ken Brett < George Brett

            Mark Leiter < Al Leiter

            Frank Torre < Joe Torre

            Bill Hubbell < Carl Hubbell

            However:

            Jason Kelce = Travis Kelce (in all fairness, this is a draw)

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  55. Romus…2 quick questions. My son likes the hat Phillies are wearing in Spring Training games. I could not find it on Phillies site. Thoughts? Also, I told him he should get his son the Haper Phanatic headband. I did not see it there either. Thanks.

    Like

    2. Don, the hat is (I think) the one with the liberty bell on it? It is a ST only hat for players, coaches, staff. The Phillies do this every year. It will probably be available for purchase when the season starts.

      Like

  56. Michael Mercado doing it again today. What an amazing pick-up. Great arm and really live stuff. Sitting 97 to almost 99. And he has pedigree. He’s struggled in the minors and his stats aren’t good, but the ability is there and perhaps the lightbulb just turned on for him. I can’t believe they got him for Adam Leverett. 

    Like

    1. The guy who has given up 7 hits in 2 and 2/3 and has a career 5 ERA in the minors? I get that he may have stuff but dont think we should be excited about this yet

      Like

      1. Have you watched him pitch? We might have said the same thing about Jeff Hoffman last year. Watch his tape from this ST if you can- there really could be something there.

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        1. I saw the game today and Mercado. The FB is live and I’m intrigued but I’m not sure he has faced any real MLB hitters yet.

          For Leveritt it is a good pick-up!

          Like

          1. It been almost 5 years since his Tommy John surgery in 2019 so his FB velo is true to form. And when you can K 14/9 over 62 innings last season combined in AA and AAA ball, you know he can get it by hitters.
            If he can harness the control he could be someone to keep an eye out for…..assume he is targeted for LHV this season.

            Like

  57. Romus…thanks. My son found the hat somewhere online for $43.95 and the headband for $20. Think it was two different sites. When he asked, I just looked on the Phillies site and did not see either. I am not a big online shopper. My wife does that stuff. LOL

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  58. Romus…you may know this. Jim was great explaining the uniforms with their name and those who do not. I really had no idea. I did know guys with high numbers usually do not make team but sometimes you see someone with one.

    Guys were talking how expensive the game tickets are now. A while back they mentioned the costs on the motel/hotel route. My question for you or anyone who goes to most or all home Spring Training games is if they have a Season Ticket package for Spring games as well? Just wondered. Thanks.

    Like

    2. Don53 – they do have season ticket packages for spring training games. I have an Orioles package – box seat over O’s dugout – first row. 16 games @ $ 33 per seat = $ 528 ; parking is additional between $12 – $20. The good season seats are always owned for “years” by the holders and rarely come up for sale. I bought my single seat from a friend who owns 3 of them. The people around us have owned them for eons. Most of them come from the mid-west – namely your Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois but live in Florida for the winter as I do ; (6 months and a day) makes you a Florida resident.

      Like

    3. Yes, the Phillies have a spring training season ticket plan. I sit in section 201, upper level, along the first base line, and under cover. 

      When we first moved down here in 2011, they told us we couldn’t buy season tickets (although they had been selling same to others) because they needed the tickets for Phillies fans when they came down for spring training. A few years later when the Phillies sucked, they contacted us and asked us if we wanted to purchase season tickets. Told them thanks but no thanks. Finally bought them last year.

      Liked by 1 person

  59. If you got to see Holiday face Wheeler today it was quite impressive. Its something to behold when a prospect comes along at just 19-20 y/o and looks like he’s been in the league for a decade.

    Defensively he doesn’t look as polished but my gosh can that kid hit.

    Like

    1. The Os hit the jackpot on their number one picks….Holliday, Henderson, Rutschman, Rodriguez…if the Phillies could have had the same success 2015 thru 2017 it would be a whole different story.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. The scouting director for Baltimore during that time was Brad Ciolek – pretty impressive. He now works for the Nationals; he was hired a few months ago. Why Baltimore let him leave is anyone’s guess. Sounds like the height of foolishness to me.

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  60. Thanks Romus and RU. I also just learned how you become a Florida resident. Never knew that. I do have various people I know up here who spend Winters in Florida.

    Liked by 1 person

  61. I was watching the game this afternoon and someone name Estaban Quiroz came up to bat. I thought it was one of the people in the Phillies’ organization getting a chance to play due to some special situation, almost like a celebrity. Then I looked him up and he played in the majors last year for the Cubs. He has a tremendous walk ratio, no strike zone. I would never believe he was a player.

    Like

  62. Glad to see we’re letting one, one inning appearance determine whether or not a pitcher has a major league career or major league stuff. 

    Here’s some stuff that I heard that could mitigate this appearance.

    The Phillies are dealing with a flu or something going through the clubhouse. Mick Abel was bumped from his last appearance. Nick Castellanos was a late scratch from today’s lineup. The Phillies have been short pitchers for a few games now. The pitcher in question was not supposed to pitch that day. He stepped up and volunteered to pitch before his next scheduled appearance to help the team.  His lower fastball velocity indicates to me that he wasn’t pitching on the rest that he has been pitching on since January. But, yeah, let’s just write him off on the basis of that appearance.

    Like

    1. If you are saying that Griff was sick when he pitched then ok, lets see his next time out…but my opinion was based on a lot more than one inning of one spring training game.

      My concern was with his strikes, not his balls. He has had poor command his entire career and clearly that is not fixed. But a pitcher can still be productive if his stuff is explosive when it is a strike, and I didn’t see anything close to explosive from Griff. And his velo being 93/94 instead of 95/96 won’t change that. His stuff looked very hittable and the Jays looked extremely confident in the box.

      obviously everyone is free to have their own assessment of Griff, but imo, he is not going to be a productive MLB pitcher. That’s not what they look like. IMO, productive MLB pitchers can either paint with their command or have explosive stuff. ball just jumps out of their hand. That’s not what I saw.

      Like

  63. Reaching a handshake agreement with a pre-teen is reprehensible. But, other major league teams have been striking earlier and earlier agreements with Latin American players for years. The Phillies are just catching up with other organizations. 

    That doesn’t make it right. Baseball has rules against this. But the commissioner does not enforce those rules. Why? Because they want to point to the chaos they have allowed and use it to get an international draft.

    So, whose actions are more reprehensible? I’ll say the commissioner who alows this practice to continue just to get an international draft.

    And, you know what sucks for the 12-year-old? The handshake agreement is not enforceable. 

    Like

  64. In his second at bat, Jackson Holiday launched a triple to dead center field. The ball landed on the warning track as Pache looked lost trying to get to the ball. I would rather have Rojas and his possible offensive limitations out there than anyone else on the roster.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Jim, hope you are feeling better soon. I agree that I’d rather see Rojas out there than anyone else. Elite defense in centerfield can save a lot of runs. Also, with the Phillies stacked offensive lineup one weak hitter shouldn’t be that much of a detriment. Until the advent of the DH in the National League didn’t we suffer through one at bat out of nine, the pitcher? 

      Like

      1. And, Rojas did bat .302 last season in 57 games, 40 starts, 164 plate appearances. Of course, everyone is focusing on his 4 for 43 and 15 Ks in the playoffs. And, he is struggling this spring. But, he has a career .188 batting average in ST. So, ST shouldn’t be that big a deal. I don’t know whether he should start in Triple-A and get some lower leverage at bats. But, I do know that he has to completely crater for the Phillies to do that.

        Like

        1. I’m probably in the minority but even if Rojas hits ~ .220 I think his defense and speed would make him a valuable contributor

          Like

        2. I really like Rojas and I really want him to hit enough to be our CF because I love his defense and think that he can be a Gold Glover many, many times over. But his .302 batting average was a mirage. He had a .410 BABIP. His 3% walk rate with 25% K rate and little power suggest that that will come down a lot. Where it settles is a guess right now, but he has to cut down on his strikeouts a lot and find a way to take walks. That’s what concerns me about his spring training, in 20 PAs he has zero walks and 6 Ks. He should be given every opportunity because his defense is truly elite. But even DD said, you can’t have an automatic out in the 9th spot.

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    2. Jackson Holliday has as good a chance of being the next Mickey Mantle as anyone we’ve ever seen. And I don’t say that lightly. He is fast, he is compact, he is massively strong in his wrists and forearms (where a hitter needs to be strong), his bat is lightning quick and he’s incredibly athletic. With him and the other great prospects Orioles are going to be amazing for the next 4-5 years. We could easily have another Philadelphia/Baltimore WS in our immediate future.

      Like

  65. Okay, this is important. I apologize for not following through with my intention to write everyday this spring. Truth is that I haven’t been feeling well enough to go to the Complex. If I hadn’t already purchased game tickets, I would probably have missed all the games so far.

    I asked this last year and got no response. I’ll try again this year.

    Does anyone out there who attends games in Lehigh Valley, Reading, Jersey Shore want to contribute game reports during the season? I’m worried that I won’t be able to. 

    Is anyone interested in providing any other kind of contribution?

    Like

    1. Jim you really do spoil us…

      In a worse case scenario we all can pick up on game recaps and articles from those affiliates and call out various highlights and/or provide interpretations of them.

      I know this would not be up to your standards but your site is already well beyond what we could get without it.

      It offers those of us who really want to know the Phillies top to bottom a centralized place to share pieces of information we scour throughout the week.

      Like

  66. Does anyone have an update on Scott Kingery? He was in the lineup a couple days ago but scratched before playing and haven’t seen him since. Castro has been taking his spot it seems, and I think that Kingery is a better option.

    Like

    1. I don’t place any stock in either Kingery or Castro at this point. We currently sit with a bunch of redundancy at the utility role: Merrifield, Wilson and then Sosa.

      Second tier AAA guys like Kingery, Clemons and Castro aren’t likely to play major roles this year.

      IMO

      Liked by 1 person

  67. Jim…I hope you get feeling better soon. This has been a difficult year up here as well. Back in December wife had Covid for a couple weeks. Now when weather starts to improve, she has possibly Vertigo. Two weeks ago, she was so dizzy she could not get out of bed. When she gets up to walk, she says she feels like she is drunk. Back to the doctor this morning to see if they can figure out for sure what it is. Vertigo was a guess.

    BTW did anyone find anything out on Hinkie. I do not think I saw anything. Hope he is ok.

    Like

    1. On Covid…..a German man has on record showing he was Covid vaccinated 217 times over the last 29 months….claims all 8 mRNA vaccines he has taken…no side effects, never had Covid. Medical community claim he is the most vacccinated man in history…Germans officials launched a criminal investigation for fraud…no charges ever filed.

      I would not advised that.

      Like

      1. I had COVID last a year ago. Ill for 36 hours and nothing afterward. I was worried that I caught COVID on the cruise but tested negative. However, I have lost my sense of smell. Now, I have to shower everyday instead of waiting until I stink. LOL

        Like

    2. Several years ago, I experienced a similar vertigo-like feeling. I was diagnosed with a thyroid problem and have been on medication for it ever since. I’m not trying to diagnose through a comment. When the doctor sent me home with meds I checked thyroid problems on the internet. Turns out I had all the symptoms listed except one – coma. Hope your wife gets properly diagnosed and gets better.

      No, haven’t heard from Hinkie.

      Like

  68. was at the game yesterday with tickets for two more. does anyone know when the minor league games at the complex begin? the complex guards were no help.

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  69. Romus…that is about 217 more shots than I would want. I did get the first Covid and then a booster. No problem on first but on the booster that night for about 6 hours my arm that got shot and my right thigh simply throbbed. Then they quit. No more shots for me. I hate needles.

    Jim…doctor still thinks it is some form of Vertigo. Tomorrow will be two weeks and he told her today that things should start to get better, or she will have to do therapy. No one has mentioned anything thyroid related. She did have another blood test. So, we will see what that shows. Thanks for giving your experience.

    I so appreciate all of you guys. This is my favorite site. I did hear Rueben mention that several guys on Phillies and other teams have been under the weather.

    Like

    1. sorry to hear that, vertigo is terrible. my wife had it following COVID too. She was able to finally get rid of it. All the best.

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    2. Yeah, it has almost reached epidemic levels with the Phillies. I wouldn’t be surprised if they closed the Complex to visitors. There are some who would love to keep us out.

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      1. Jim…this is not really funny but the only time I ever got to the Phillies complex was in the Spring of 1973 and as you mention above it was locked and chained to visitors. Players were on strike. Just my luck. Never been able to work things out to go back. Glad you get to go.

        Like

    3. Don….just another non-mediacal ‘diagnoses’…..a freind of mine had those light-headed spells, dizziness, nauseauting feelings….what she found out…..something about calcium crystals in the inner ear that dislodge and end up in another canal distorting signals to the brain……oddly after she had that….other women said they also suffered the same thing…..as of now, never heard of a man coming down with that.

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  70. Guys. Thanks for your thoughts. One off the gals at the doctor’s office told her when she scheduled another appointment that she had it once and it took her finally going to a therapist to get better. The doctor had said that is the next step if things do not start to improve. Romus…the deal with the inner ear is what is the cause. The doctor today told her that now her body is confused as to how to react to things. So, he reduced in half the strength of the medicine but a few days ago she did that with the original pills and got really sick again. So, need to wait and see what happens. She still has a few days left of the stronger pills. That is interesting you mention women. All but one I know are women. But the guy who farms my farmland told me a few years ago he got it from watching the crops feeding into the combine. It took him quite a while to get better. One of my friends said another woman got it and has never got back to where she is normal. And that was years ago when she was in her 30s.

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  71. Romus…Thank you. We will take things one day at a time. Hopefully steady improvement. 

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    1. Hey Don, prayers to your wife and to you. my wife gets vertigo attacks at times, no fun at all.

      Are they really thinking about closing the complex? Did that include the stadium for fans too; just checking because we are coming down in 2 weeks.

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  72. Denny…thanks. It is definitely no fun. I forgot you are going down. Oh no. I remember the talk of a place for your dogs. Surely things will pass quickly so things can continue on course. My fingers are crossed for you.

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    1. Don, I had vertigo about ten years ago and it was really debilitating. After several futile tries at medication my doctor sent me to a special physical therapist who had me sit on his table and literally pushed me down several times on each side and a couple of times pushed me down on my back……did this every other day for a week and gave me several exercises to do at home – it worked! He explained before he did anything that a major cause of vertigo is from the crystals in the inner ear that have somehow gotten scrambled (not his medical term), and the sudden movements from him pushing me down in specific directions helped put them back in place. He admitted it sounded weird but assured me that it would work. As an aside I have often had trouble with motion sickness that is also inner ear related. I wish the best for your wife, dealing with vertigo is miserable.

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      1. Dave47…thank you for you post. I showed my wife your post last evening. Everything you describe is exactly what she has experienced. We are beginning week three. She takes a med three times a day and it helps but she can tell when she gets to around hour 6 or 7. Doctor switched the dose some and hopes that helps. She goes back again next week, and he said physical therapy is next option. She was glad to see that it helped for you. Her doctor said Thursday that her body is confused and just does not give the correct responses. Some others have mentioned that it may have some connection with Covid. She did have that last December for about 10 days or so. Thanks again for your info. You guys here are all the best. I really enjoy this site.

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  73. I thought about Jim’s response to my comments about Griff more…and he is right, my comments were over the top.

    It is impossible to predict with certainty if Griff will be an MLB pitcher one day. What I should have said was that I don’t see him pitching in the MLB this year. That I don’t see any progress on his command issues and I don’t think that the stuff is good enough to overcome his poor command. But I should NOT have said definitively that he won’t be an MLB’er.

    Maybe my reaction was borne from my disappointment as I had read a lot about his work this offseason and I had higher expectations. But in the interest of furthering discussion, let’s take his 3 strikeout performance. I will share what I see and you can tell me what you disagree on.

    Here was the strikeout pitches: https://x.com/PhilsPlayerDev/status/1764034083489812579?s=20

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    1. First K was Jesus Sanchez looking. I have no idea why Jesus took that pitch, but that was 95 at the d*ck. Not a good pitch. The command on that pitch is terrible. It is a mistake. Against a good MLB hitter that ball goes 400+ feet. You may disagree. You may see a filthy strikeout. I see a mistake that he got away with in an early spring training game.

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    2. Second strikeout was on a really nice curve ball. I like that a lot. Nice. What this video doesn’t show was that strike 1 and 2 were both on 95 mph fastballs right down broadway. Both middle, middle. strike 1 was a foul ball and strike two was a take. No idea why Brujan took a fastball right down the middle, but maybe because he was surprised that an MLB pitcher would throw a fastball down the middle. but those are mistake pitches. Against a good MLB hitter, you can not throw two fastballs right down the middle of the plate. The command is really poor here. But the strikeout on the curve was very nice.

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    3. Last strikeout was on a pitch that should have been ball 4 of the AB. Griff misses the catcher glove setup by 2 feet. But he got him to chase. Just not sure that that will work against good MLB hitters during the regular season.

      So that’s what I see…tell me what you disagree with? Am I being unfair? too harsh?

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      1. You wouldn’t want to give up on an arm like that too soon. There is always a chance he finds what clicks for him but if you asked me today if he is a highly successful MLB pitcher I would say very unlikely.

        Griff’s command issues have always plagued him. His BB rate in college was pretty extreme. The Phillies to their credit have been able to get it down quite a bit but its still not where it needs to be.

        Its kind of the Philippe Aumont syndrome if anyone remembers him.

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      2. V1, I watched McGarry’s last outing. And you’re not wrong in your analysis about that outing. But there have been times when he’s both thrown significantly harder and demonstrated much better control. Times I’ve seen him and he’s been truly outstanding. But he completely imploded at the end of last season – it was a complete disaster. Sometimes young pitchers dramatically improve their control and go on to have great careers. But most do not. We will see with McGarry. Perhaps the key to unlocking his potential is just to develop him as a reliever. We will see.

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    4. My only take on this situation is that’s it’s a waste of time to breakdown his individual strikeouts/outings this spring training. 

      The Phillies/Griff are trying to completely restructure his delivery because of the complete breakdown he had at the end of last season. Doing so is going to take time and repetition. It’s not going to happen in ST, it’s going to take months of him throwing in actual games to make his new delivery stick. 

      It’s one thing to make changes and use them when throwing in a side session and quite another to do them in game situations when the pitch clock is running, fans are watching, and the opposing team is trying to hammer the pitches being thrown.

      No one knows yet if the changes he’s making will help or how they might impact his velocity, control, command, etc.

      Come back again sometime in June/July and see how he is progressing. Currently, he’s not a major league pitcher because he can’t throw enough strikes. 

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  74. On McGarry…not sure about this….maybe Jim would know….but has he always started on the extreme first base side of the rubber…..do not remember him being that way last season.

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    1. One of my favorite things about Wheeler is just how much he has developed since he joined the Phillies. In 2020, under the old pitching coach, he really just dominated with his fastball and sometimes a curve, but he didn’t throw a lot of pitches and you wondered why, with his velocity, he didn’t strikeout more batters. In addition, I am pretty sure he was told to “keep the ball down” (you know, the stupid old pitching coach philosophy which entirely ignores the importance of spinning the ball up in the zone to get strikeouts) and so, he really did not strikeout a ton of batters. But his command was excellent and he was quite good. But over the last several years, he, under the guidance of Cotham (a very underrated coach) has worked hard to develop new pitches and workto become a complete pitcher with 4 very effective pitches. If he can keep his FB in the 95-97 MPH range – there’s no reason, with his improved arsenal, he cannot pitch effectively into his late 30s. I wasn’t sure before last postseason if he was still an ace because he showed signs of slipping during the season last year. Yup, he sure is.

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  76. My 13 position players if I had to cut it today would be: JT, BH, Stott, Turner, Bohm, Marsh, Pache, Nick, Kyle, Stubbs, Cave, Merrifield and Wilson

    I’m over the Sosa experiment and I’m in the camp that Rojas needs more time to develop his bat at AAA. In fact I was preaching that back in Dec/Jan.

    Its not that I like Pache that much more than I do Rojas but just looking at age and options it doesn’t make sense to me to have both Pache and Rojas on the same 26 man roster.

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    1. In two years, I agree with you, we probably won’t need both players around, but for now, knowing there’s a lot we don’t and won’t know about these two players, why not keep both around and let the situation just play out? And if both are on the roster, it may be worth it just for late inning defense – Marsh, Rojas and Pache is probably the best defensive outfield in the majors – or if it’s not, it’s got to be close.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. An OF of Marsh, Rojas and Pache would be the best defensive OF in the majors and likely the best defensive OF based on any defensive metric for a long time. Rojas is a GG caliber defender in CF and both Pache and Marsh are plus defenders at the corners. I can’t recall another OF that consists of an 80 grade CF and two 60 grade corner OFs. Elite defensive play.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Catch I think you heard me say this before. I am keeping both players around I just want them both to play everyday. I want to see what Pache can do with consistent ABs at the MLB level and what Rojas can do with consistent ABs at AAA.

        And to your point V1 about a defensive replacement the player we’re talking about is Nick and not once last season did Robby pull Nick out for defense. (fact check that statement)

        That’s not to say he shouldn’t have. But let’s say he was going to start doing that he has 2 bench options that would be upgrades defensively in RF in either Merrifield or Cave.

        If defense is so important I don’t want to see Marsh in CF ever again. He should be a fixture in LF and in the LU not withstanding an occasional day off.

        Just my opinion

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        1. I am okay with starting Rojas in AAA but am also okay with starting him in the big leagues. I am less “worried” about Pache – no insult intended, but he’s “found money.” He’s a nice luxury to have around. He’s just going to have to earn his ABs and, if he plays well enough, he will. So, basically, I am going to do what I can to develop Rojas who has the early track and is already an elite big league CF – Pache is going to have to play well to earn more playing time, but, unless he starts showing serious potential with the bat (by that I mean the potential to be a first division regular), I’m not moving things around to accommodate Pache - he’ll just have to fit in as the #2 option.

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          1. Agree with this take catch. Just seems that people think Pache was better in 2023 than he actually was. He had a good 30 at-bat stretch from late June into July and then got hurt. His overall numbers weren’t very good.

            I’m fine with him starting the season in CF with Rojas starting in AAA if the team thinks Rojas needs more time but Pache is also going to need to hit better in 2024 to keep the job.

            Based on the 2023 season overall, Rojas was the better player.

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            1. When it comes to Rojas vs Pache…I looked at their minor league peripherals as possibly an indication of their projection and/or their differences.  They are so close it is weird.

              Pache’s….slash—276/329/401

              PAs…2390….K-21%…BB-7%

              Rojas’:……slash—274/334/413

              PAs-1887……..K-17%….BB-7%

              Rojas does have a better swing and miss percentage…though it is also close.

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            2. You are missing one key point on Pache, his L/R split. He can’t hit RHP. A career .128 BA. And last year .121. Pache is only a platoon OF and late inning defensive replacement or baserunner. Not an everyday OF

              Liked by 1 person

      1. This is an interesting discussion. At this stage of their careers (right now, not 4-6 months from now), it seems like Pache and Rojas are a little redundant. Rojas may be the better defender, but I think Pache will still be a plus/near-elite defender in center if starting everyday. The bats are close, but Pache had similar success in his short sample size last year as Rojas did with his. If Rojas is your future in center, I would let him take some hacks at AAA for a month or two to get comfortable. The only risk is that he views it as a “demotion” and ends up scuffling down there. That would be a bad sign overall, though, as the mental side of his game would potentially be a problem if that happened. As for Pache, when Rojas is ready, maybe he’s established value and you can trade him. Since he’s out of options, I’d like to utilize the Rojas to AAA experiment.

        I agree with you maybe on Sosa-out, Wilson-in. Sosa has been given a lot of looks and he’s replacement level. He’s also shown to be not the best defender, which I thought was supposed to be his calling card. I’d like to give Wilson a shot, partially just also to add some different vibes to the club.

        Some better contributions out of the bench this year would be good. It’ll be interesting to see what they decide.

        Liked by 1 person

  77. I’m not down on Rojas he’s just 23 and has never had any PAs in AAA. He would greatly benefit from some more seasoning there just as Stott did a couple of seasons ago.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It was a great write-up … hadn’t heard this disappointing news before … Wen Hui Pan broke the pinky finger on his right (throwing) hand, so he’ll miss the first month of the season. Pan, a 21-year-old who signed for $350,000 last year out of Taiwan, will continue in a hybrid role that has him pitching twice a week — sometimes as a starter, sometimes as a reliever. His fastball has hit 100 mph when pitching in shorter bursts.

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    2. V1- can you give a brief synopsis for those who do not have a subscription to The Athletic? Thanks.

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  79. anyone have access to the Breakout Game roster? The rosters were released at 11:00 am but I can’t find it. Thx

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  80. I’ve been wondering how embarrassed (if at all) Scott Boras is at the moment. None of his clients have experienced anything close to what he was putting out there as what each was worth.

    If I were those clients I would be switching to whoever Wheeler has…

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    1. I don’t think you can blame Boras.

      Boras can’t turn Cody Bellinger into Shohei Ohtani. When Boras has a top talent he almost always gets top dollar, but if the market is the market – there’s only so much he can do. Once in a long while, Boras will overread the market and misplay his hand. He really screwed Ryan Madson, who was about to get a big, multi-year deal from the Phillies (like 3 years and close to $30 million, which was a big reliever deal back then), but when Boras pushed too hard, the Phillies pivoted and signed Papelbon and Madson got a much worse one-year deal, got hurt and never got his big free agent deal. So, it does happen that he goes over the top, but mostly he does an excellent job for his clients.

      If Boras had been Wheeler’s agent, he would have gotten the same deal or better most likely.

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      2. Hey I don’t blame him or a player at all for trying to target a number they seem to float to the pundits. Its a strategy but the results are the results….

        I can’t recall ever hearing reports on what Zach and his camp was looking for until the deal was done. The other agencies don’t seem to play that game. 

        Even going back to the Harper deal he did an interview where he was asked if he thought he would be the first $400-$500 Million player and he famously said “don’t sell me short bro”

        LOL

        I could be wrong. And really I shouldn’t care.

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        1. I’m pretty sure he maxed out for Harper. Harper had a sub-par year the season before he became a FA, which was lucky for the Phillies. But I highly doubt anyone could have extracted more at the time. Boras is very, very good at what he does, even if we, as fans, don’t like it.

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    2. DMAR……..if they do not sign soon, some of the Boras stars may have to sit out until that date in June , (use to be June 15) when signing teams do not have to worry about a QO attached to the free agents, and teams can offer them a high AAV for the remainder of the season.

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  81. MLL – just to share a little bit of Matt Gael’s article on the Phillies, minor leagues

    so they really are emphasizing backed to ball skills and quality of contact with their hitters. They have a bunch of guys that show excellent that to ball skills already. A lot of comments from Preston Mattingly; here are a few:

    Caba – he has the it factor. It’s already un defensively at shortstop, but needs to get stronger since he is only 18 that should come could play in the FSL later this year

    Aiden Miller – super high on him, feels he might have plus power has a great idea at the plate. Adjust back to bat hit strikes. we start the year at shortstop and see one or two starts per week at third base

    Justin Crawford- has gotten stronger and bigger 190 pounds up from 178 last year hits the ball on the ground too much but has an elite eye and they feel they can work on the swing and then the drives will start coming

    Brian Rincom- so impressive for young 20-year-old shortstop has a great feel for the game. Does everything right has a lot of upside is a hitter, the type of guy you watch him a few games and he becomes your favorite player

    Gabriel Rincones- the Southfield might be closest to the major leagues has +power, and they think there’s ++power to be unlocked there

    mentioned a few other prospects, and I won’t get into them, but they’re all gonna be playing shortstop. The thought is if you can play shortstop you can play anywhere on the field

    Eduardo Tate- 17-year-old catcher already has a man size body limited defensively, but the bat is very loud very high on him

    on the pitching side after painter and Abel not so much but they are excluded about some of the folks they’re bringing stateside this year. Seems like they’re back to adopting the road for developing the hitters and trading for pictures apparently for this year‘s draft there’s a ton of pitching quality

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      1. Romus…You need to update to the modern game. Sweeper is like the machine going up the street sweeping the dust off. LOL

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      2. It’s definitely been around for several years. It really is a slurve type pitch. The article notes that Ohtani threw more sweepers than anyone in MLB last year. And of course the arm breaks down.

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    2. v1 those points make sense to me as a former pitcher long ago. I saw that article earlier. Good find.

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    3. Interesting. The same has been said of the splitter and the screwball (which NOBODY throws anymore but which made many careers, including for Carl Hubbell, Warren Spahn and Mike Cuellar).

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      1. One-time Rays top prospect RHP Brent Honeywell, back in 2018 -2019 or so, threw the screwball,

        Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Screwball: 65 | Curve: 45 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 60 | Overall: 55

        ……until he blew out his UCL and had to have TJ……so he may have been the last pitcher to throw screwball.

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      2. We don’t have pitch velo data from back then but it is highly probable that pitchers in that era simply didn’t throw as hard as pitchers in this era. 100 mph used to be on extreme lows uglier. Now high school kids to it every year.

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  83. Where will all of these minor league infielders play when ready with Harper, Turner, and eventually Stott play with the long term contracts?

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    1. They will be dealt for pitchers or perhaps the placeholders will be dealt, there are no constants in baseball, only change. Sometime subtle, sometime not. The DH, the height of the mound, where you can stand defensively, etc.

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    2. A long-term contract guarantees a spot on the roster, not necessarily a position. Harper has provided a solid example to teammates that a position change should be accepted if it is good for the team. 

      I notice you didn’t mention Bohm. If the Phillies move on from Bohm at third, Turner or Stott might be asked to take over the hot corner to allow one of the young infielders to move up. 

      That said, all the young prospects have to hit to remain prospects. Defense is important but we can’t have too many glove first players in the lineup. They will have to hit now and continue to hit as they move up the organizational ladder. Reading and Lehigh Valley have often turned prospects into suspects. 

      With the Phillies roster pretty much set for the next couple seasons, players at all levels are playing not just for internal opportunities but they are also auditioning for 29 other organizations. 

      So, if for nothing else, these guys will become trade chips. Major league teams are always looking for pitching as Skeet suggests. After 2025, the Phillies will need a replacement for Realmuto. I don’t see a sure-fire replacement in the organization right now who will be ready for the 2026 season. 

      And, I’m not so sure that Stott is a candidate for a long-term contract. Yet. I think he will have to continue his upward development to lock that up. But, another good season might see the Phillies offer one of those 5-year deals that eats up his three arbitration years and two years of free agency thru his age 31 season. 

      Baseball has a way of solving your question. If and when these kids are ready to move up to the big league, the Phillies will find a way to get them on the roster or flip them for a need. 

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      1. I find it interesting that they are planning to keep Miller at SS this season. My interpretation is that they want to see if he could possibly be a replacement at SS for Turner (in 3 years), who could move to 3B or potentially replace Castellanos in RF. Turner would be a great RF.

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  84. Romus…….notice Schwarber is just about in “season” form…..is there a sub-Mendoza line or sub-sub Mendoza line?

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    2. I cracked up a few in my section when Schwarber came to the plate. I yelled, “This is Florida, it’s June somewhere!”.

      Seriously, sort of, he only struck out once, just missed on a fly to right, and put a Grapefruit Season personal game-high three balls in play.

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    1. I wonder what Preston Mattingly and the Phillies’ plans are for Rickardo Perez this season. He seem to start his career with a lot of expectations, then last year rolled around and derailed things for him..

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      1. Could be an early release if he comes back with the same attitude that got him suspended last year. I haven’t seen him yet but I’ve been told he came back um heavier. And not in a good way. I hope to get to the Complex next week.

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        1. Well gaining weight that is not muscular is not a good way to show up. I guess we will know real soon what the Phillies’ plans are for him. Thanks Jim for the update and egt well soon..

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  86. Watching game yesterday, first time I have seen, Mc Kay. Seems like a lot of guys are high on him. Hard for me to judge him watching on T.V. lot of talk about arm angle. Which I know nothing about

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  87. RHP Mercado pitched a scoreless inning and K’d 2 batters…..From Thomson, the Phillies intend to stretch out Mercado to multiple innings over his next few appearances. …   Johan Rojas so far  is 5-for-31 , a slow starter in the past, would be nice to see him pick it up now with about two weeks to go before the teams heads north.

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  88. I experienced today why people were saying, ”don’t get excited about 1 outing in ST”. 

    I was excited about Max Castillo after his first outing, then today, not so much. I am somewhat humbled.

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