Phillies Discussion, 6/24/24

Other Stuff, Weekly Discussion

This is your current Phillies Discussion.

I’ve come to terms with my less than rational thinking (or is it more perceptive) where the Phillies are concerned.  So, keeping with last weel’s format, here are some rational and irrational thoughts.  You decide.

  • The Phillies high water mark was a 10-game lead over the Braves on June 11th.  After Friday’s loss it was down to 6 games.  Going into tonight’s action, it is back to 7 games.
  • The Phillies have won 2 series and are 6-6 since Realmuto went on the IL.
  • The Phillies are 7-7 since sweeping the Brewers.
  • At 51-26 and .662, the Phillies have the best record and winning percentage in baseball.
  • They have a 4.0 game lead (5 in the loss column) over the Dodgers for best record in the National League, 6.5 (7 in the loss column) over the Brewers.
  • The National League wild card race has 7 teams within 3.0 games of the Padres and the third spot.  The American League is a little less close ad the Red Sox have a half-game lead over the Royals, but they have opened up some space (3.5 games) over the Astros and Rays.
  • Still all but 5 teams can entertain hopes of making the playoffs.  Those 5 are the Marlins, Rockies, Angels, Athletics, and White Sox.  Our deadline trade rumors should start with these teams.
  • Schwarber started a game in left field!!!  Called Turner off the last fly ball to claim the last out of the game.
  • Turner was activated a week ago and looks good so far.  I love watching him slide.  TMac described it as graceful.  I agree.
  • I also love watching Suarez field his position.  I feel cheated if e doesn’t get a ball or two it back to him during his starts.
  • Well, Rojas was the odd man out when Turner returned.  After a slow start at Lehigh Valley, he is now 8 for 22 in 5 games.  He is slashing .364/.391/.545/.936 with a double and HR.  He has bunted twice for a hit and sacrifice.  He has a walk and 5 strikeouts.  He is 1for 1 on stolen base attempts.
  • Since Rojas was demoted, Pache has played in 5 games, started three.  He is 0 for 8 with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts, .000/.273/.000/.273.  Oh, and Marsh misplayed a single into a triple against the Padres.
  • Did you all notice that during the Apple game on Friday (5-4 loss) that the Apple guy called out Harper for not advancing to third on Bohm’s long fly out to right-center?  That didn’t end up costing a run because the next batter struck out and the next ball in play was the third out.   Did you notice that Harper watched his double that led off that inning because he thought it was a HR?  He was very slow getting out of the batter’s box and when the ball bounded past the right fielder and rolled toward the infield he could only coast into second instead of hustling into third.  Now, that probably cost the Phillies an important run in a one-run loss.  Why do I bring this up?
  • Because on Sunday on the Roku broadcast, Tom Candiotti gushed over how Harper set an example as a star player by running everything out and hustling on every play.  Give me a break.  I remember watching him jog on a lot of balls he put in play early in the season.  I’m not saying he needs to run every ball out.  But, his lack of urgency spread to others.  I wouldn’t be surprised if a teammate called him out for his lack of hustle ala Papelbon.  He has certainly been better lately.  I only bring this up because he may have cost them a run Friday and Candiotti was making me sick with his slurping.
  • I wondered if optioning Rojas would affect his trade value.  One of the deals I heard about a couple weeks ago was Rojas for McCarthy (Arizona) straight up.  Would that still be straight up?
  • Realmuto’s replacements seem to be holding their own, so far.  Thomson led us to believe that Stubbs and Marchan would share the role evenly, maybe 3 to 2 in Stubbs’ favor based on how he might match them to pitchers.  Well, Stubbs started 2 games both wins, and Marchan started 4 games, 2 wins and 2 losses.  Stubbs has gone 1-7, Marchan has gone 5-14.  Stubbs – 1 assist, 0 errors, 0 stolen bases, 1 caught stealing; Marchan – 1 assist, 1 error, 3 stolen bases, 1 caught stealing.  Catcher’s ERA Stubbs 2.00, Marchan 2.40.
  • Pretty even.  Marchan has the batting edge but has only really hit one ball hard, the double off the wall.  Other than that, he has a lot of Merrifield-like contact.  Soft.
  • Taiwan Walker, right index finger inflammation.  Sounds so much more serious than blister.  Guess the choice was bullpen or work it out on the IL.  One of you guys may have said this already. Spot on.
  • I hope Turnbull can adjust back to five or more innings during the next 15 plus days.
  • Now some All-Star stuff –
    • I am totally amazed that baseball fans have Alec Bohm as the runaway leader for third base with over 1.4 million votes than runner-up Manny Machado.
    • Harper leads all NL vote-getters but is third overall behind both Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.
    • I’m a little embarrassed that the fifth thru seventh vote-getters for outfield in the NL are Marsh, Castellanos, and Rojas.  With the phasing that MLB has implemented only the top six will go to the next round of voting.  But, wouldn’t it have been funny for a minor league center fielder to advance to the next phase?
    • The top vote-getters in each league automatically start, the top 2 finishers at each position and top 6 outfielders (top 4 in the AL if Judge or Soto hold on) go to head-to-head voting.
    • Right now, Harper is the first base starter and Realmuto, Bohm, Turner, Marsh, and Castellanos would go to Phase 2 voting.  Stott is about 200K out of the next phase, Schwarber only 60K behind Ozuna.  The current phase ends Thursday.
  • Sorry to put All-Star voting in the discussion, but I am totally surprised that the guy who gets booed at every road game is leading the NL in votes.
  • And, I can’t get over the fact that baseball fans across the nation recognize how good Bohm is playing this season.
  • Good to get Sanchez signed for the next 4-6 years.  That means that the Phillies have 60% of their starting rotation under contract for the next 3 years.  Now, if they can just extend Suarez.  Please, oh please, oh please.
  • Regarding Suarez, I can’t really come up with a comp.  The Phillies will undoubtedly point out that he hasn’t performed as a starter over the normal, longer period that other pitchers have at this age.  He didn’t become a full-time starter until the 2022 season.  They also might point to his injury history.  His agent will undoubtedly point out that he doesn’t have the normal wear and tear that starters have at his age since he didn’t become a full-time starter until 2022.  And that his injury history is not really arm related.  The elbow strain in 2023 was WBC related.  Other injuries were hamstring and back.  Plus, he took a line drive off his pitching arm this season and didn’t miss a start.  The one thing we can bet on is that an extension will not occur during the regular season.  The rhetoric surrounding the Sanchez extension indicates how out of the ordinary it was that they would negotiate and so quickly (one week) during the regular season.  Shot in the dark, how about 5/$125M.

Important Dates

  • January 13, 2024: Salary Arbitration Exchange Date
  • January 15, 2024, 9:00 a.m. ET: Opening of the 2024 International Signing Period
  • February 14, 2024: Voluntary Report Date for Pitchers and Catchers
  • February 19, 2024: Voluntary Report Date for Position Players
  • March 2, 2024: First date to renew Major League contracts
  • March 3, 2024: First date clubs may ask waivers on selected Rule 5 or draft-excluded players
  • March 8, 2024: First date clubs may assign draft-excluded players
  • March 11, 2024: Last date to renew Major League contracts
    • March 11, 2024, 2:00 p.m. ET: Last date to request UR waivers to owe 30 days’ termination pay
  • March 12, 2024: UR waivers requested 3/12 through 3/26, Club will owe player 45 days’ termination pay
    • March 12, 2024: Last date to assign injured player to a Minor League club, if applicable
  • March 18, 2024: Last date XX(B) players signed to a Minor League UPC qualifies for opt-outs
  • March 19, 2024: Earliest date a player may be placed on the 60-day Injured or the Minor League Full Season List
  • March 23, 2024: XX(B) Minor League player may require release if not added to the 26-man roster
  • March 24, 2024: The earliest date that a Club may backdate a placement on the 7-day Concussion Injured List
    • March 24, 2024: Last date to request UR Waivers to owe 45 days’ termination pay (before 2 pm ET).
  • March 25, 2024: The earliest date that a Club may backdate a placement on the 10 or 15-day Injured List
    • March 25, 2024: Last day to request OR waivers prior to Opening Day
  • March 26, 2024: Last day to request UR waivers prior to Opening Day
  • March 28, 2024: Official opening of 2024 season; rosters reduced to 26 (13 pitchers) by Noon ET
    • March 28, 2024: After noon, optional assignments begin to count towards the annual option limit of 5
  • March 29, 2024: Triple-A Opening Day; Domestic Reserve List limit reduced to 165
  • March 31, 2024: First date 7-day Injured List players may be reinstated, if applicable
  • April 4, 2024: First date 10-day Injured List players may be reinstated, if applicable
  • April 7, 2024: First date optioned players may be recalled, if applicable
  • April 9, 2024: First date 15-day Injured List players may be reinstated, if applicable
  • April 11, 2024: First date optioned pitchers may be recalled, if applicable
  • May 1, 2024: XX(B) Minor League player may require his release if he is not added to the Active Roster
  • May 4, 2024: Start of the Florida Complex League
  • May 15, 2024: Earliest date Clubs may re-sign Major League players they released after August 31, 2023
  • May 27, 2024: First date that players on the 60-day Injured List may be reinstated
  • June 1, 2024: XX(B) Minor League player may require release if not added to Active Roster
  • June 3, 2024: Start of the Dominican Summer League
  • June 8-9, 2024: MLB London Series (Mets vs. Phillies)
  • June 15, 2024: First date Clubs may trade a XX(B) player without his consent
  • June 17-22, 2024: MLB Draft Combine, Phoenix, AZ
  • July 7, 2024: Start of the Closed Period for the 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft
  • July 13, 2024: 2024 MLB All-Star Futures Game, Arlington, TX
  • July 14-16, 2024: 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Arlington, TX
  • July 15, 2024: 2024 T-Mobile Home Run Derby, Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
  • July 16, 2024: 2024 MLB All-Star Game, Arlington, TX
  • July 19-22, 2024: Hall of Fame Induction Weekend
  • July 25, 2024: End of the Florida Complex League regular season
  • July 30, 2024, 6:00 p.m. ET: Trade deadline
  • August 1, 2024, 5:00 p.m. ET: Signing deadline for drafted players – (First -Year Player Draft)
  • August 15, 2024: Last date to select a player to avoid draft-excluded status
  • August 30, 2024: Unconditional release waivers must be requested by 2 p.m. ET to avoid May 15, 2025 signing restriction
  • August 31, 2024: Post-season eligibility lists are established at 11:59 p.m. ET
  • September 1, 2024: Active Major League player limit increased to 28 and 14 pitchers
  • September 6, 2024: Players optioned today through the end of the season accrue MLS while optioned
  • September 8, 2024: End of Jersey Shore’s regular season
    • September 8, 2024: End of Clearwater’s regular season
  • September 15, 2024: End of Reading’s regular season
  • September 22, 2024: End of Lehigh Valley’s regular season
  • September 29, 2024: End of the Phillies’ regular season
    • September 29, 2024: Last weekend date waivers will be processed until next Spring Training
    • September 29, 2024: Last day of the 2024 championship season
  • September 30, 2024: All players on optional assignment must be recalled
    • September 30, 2024: All players on the 7-day, 10-day and 15-day Injured Lists must be reinstated
    • September 30, 2024: Minor League UPCs may now be traded between Major League Clubs
    • September 30, 2024: Injured players may now be assigned to the Minor Leagues until Nov. 19, if permissible
  • October 30, 2024: Article XX(D) Free Agency period. 48 hours following the last game for Postseason teams
  • AFTER the WORLD SERIES
    • 1st Day After: Eligible XX(B) players become free agents (start of the quiet period)
      • First date players may be traded between Major League Clubs
    • 4th Day After: Last date to request waivers on draft-excluded players until next spring
    • 5th Day After: Last date to outright potential Minor League free agent without Major League contract, if applicable
      • Last date for former Club to tender qualifying offer to XX(B) players, if applicable
      • Domestic Minor League Player Limit increases to 175 players
      • Minor League players become free agents at 5:00 p.m. ET, if applicable
      • End of Quiet period, XX(B) free agents may sign with any Club
      • All players on the 60-day Injured List (Major and Minor) and Full-Season Injured Lists must be reinstated
  • November 1, 2024: Deadline for the 2025 International Player Registration Period
  • November 15, 2024: Last date to ask Outright Waivers on an injured player, if applicable
  • November 19, 2024: Last date to outright an injured player to the Minor Leagues, if applicable
    • November 19, 2024: XX(B) players decide to accept qualifying offer from former Club by 4:00 p.m. ET. if applicable
    • November 19, 2024: Reserve lists for all Major and Minor League levels filed by 6:00 p.m. ET (all Transactions MUST be entered by 5:30 p.m. ET)
  • November 22, 2024: Tender Deadline
  • December 1, 2024: Release of the 2025 International Registered Players List
  • December 4, 2024: Last date to request Outright Waivers to assign player prior to Rule 5 Draft
  • December 7-11, 2024: Baseball Winter Meetings, Dallas, TX
  • December 8, 2024: Last date to outright a player prior to the Rule 5 Draft
  • December 10, 2024: MLB Draft Lottery.
  • December 11, 2024: Major League Rule 5 Draft – Winter Meetings, Dallas, TX
  • December 15, 2024: End of 2024 International Signing Period
  • Note: : : These dates will be used unless notified differently.

Transactions

June 2024
6/23/2024 – Phillies placed RHP Taijuan Walker on the 15-day IL retro to 6/22, right index finger inflammation
6/23/2024 – Phillies recalled RHP Michael Mercado from Lehigh Valley
6/23/2024 – Lehigh Valley activated LHP David Parkinson from the Development List
6/23/2024 – Lehigh Valley placed LF Jordan Luplow on the FS-IL
6/21/2024 – LHP Cole Hamels retired
6/21/2024 – Phillies sent RHP Michael Rucker on a rehab assignment to Lehigh Valley
6/21/2024 – Phillies sent 2B Kody Clemens on a rehab assignment to Lehigh Valley
6/21/2024 – Jersey Shore sent RHP Wen Hui Pan on a rehab assignment to FCL Phillies
6/21/2024 – 2B Fernando Hernandez assigned to DSL Phillies Red from DSL Phillies White
6/20/2024 – Lehigh Valley activated RHP Ricardo Pinto from the Development List
6/20/2024 – Lehigh Valley transferred 3B Esteban Quiroz to the Development List
6/20/2024 – RHP Jaydenn Estanista assigned to Jersey Shore from Clearwater
6/20/2024 – Jersey Shore activated LHP Benony Robles from the 7-day IL
6/20/2024 – Jersey Shore activated RHP Jaydenn Estanista
6/20/2024 – RHP Jonh Henriquez assigned to Clearwater from Jersey Shore
6/19/2024 – Clearwater activated LHP Mavis Graves from the Development List
6/19/2024 – Clearwater transferred RHP Casey Steward to the Development List
6/18/2024 – Phillies sent RHP Luis F. Ortiz on a rehab assignment to Lehigh Valley
6/18/2024 – Phillies traded C William Simoneit to Chicago Cubs for cash
6/18/2024 – Reading sent RHP Dominic Pipkin on a rehab assignment to FCL Phillies
6/18/2024 – Jersey Shore sent OF Ricardo Rosario on a rehab assignment to Clearwater
6/18/2024 – Clearwater activated OF Dakota Kotowski from the temporarily inactive list
6/17/2024 – Phillies activated SS Trea Turner from the 10-day IL
6/17/2024 – Phillies optioned OF Johan Rojas to Lehigh Valley
6/17/2024 – Clearwater transferred 2B Leonardo Rondon to the Development List

137 thoughts on “Phillies Discussion, 6/24/24”

  1. FYI, we’re going to PA on Wednesday to visit our daughter and her family. This may cause some disruption in my posting schedule. Probably not just wanted to let you know. A home poker night would certainly cause a problem. We will be back in Florida after the fourth.

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  2. “One of the deals I heard about a couple weeks ago was Rojas for McCarthy (Arizona) straight up.  Would that still be straight up?” ….I think if Rojas continues hitting at LHV that could still be in play. Perhaps Phillies would have to add value by including a minor league pitching prospect. McCarthy, oddly, though a left-handed batter has very good reverse splits…..seems to hit LHPs well.

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  3. Romus. I have seen that one as well. The one seen most is still Phillies swinging a deal for Robert with Sox. I agree on Stott. They said yesterday he had 82 hits a year ago with 2 strikes. Way down from that this year. Hitting is hard. Sometimes you are just a little off on something and things go awry.

    My son said they are one row behind dugout right next to the aisle. I should be able to get some pics of them. They have already shown that section a couple times. I am getting Phils broadcast tonight so should Wednesday as well. At Cincy I only get their broadcast so no showing of Philly fans. He is bringing little guy over in a few to watch some of game. Gosh they miss Ranger by one day one way and Wheeler on the back end. But he will be in all of his Philly gear.

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  5. Stark just texted that 1, 3, 5 triple play is 1st in 95 years. So, I guess I have never seen one before at least at MLB level. T Mac also said it was also in Detroit.

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  6. Nice win. The one big difference with this team is they are really good defensively. Think of all the baserunners they have avoided with outstanding defense throughout season so far. Past Phillies teams would have seen guys on bases.

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  7. Nice to see Mercado in the show. He looked great. What a great pickup by DD. Stuff looks nasty. Really exciting prospect. He will contribute to the MLB team.

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    1. He looked so good that he might just stick around. Starting pitching is very short right now with lots of injuries. This might be the time, before the deadline, to deal Walker.

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  8. Sorry, but Suarez is not signing for 5/125. Suarez is headed for a 6 WAR season and Cy Young votes. If I’m Suarez’s agent, I’m looking at 6/160 minimum.

    Odds are, he’s headed to FA and I’ll say it right now, I think he’s signing elsewhere.

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    1. Disagree, I think you are discounting a few things:

      top tier team, in the window

      Owner pays

      top notch FO

      I don’t want to overstate it, but how can you not have fun playing in Philly in the playoffs? He better sign w/ the NYY then

      Hispanic players don’t always care about top dollar, look at Acuna & Allbies. I think Ranger extends with the Phillies. Will see though though.

      l

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      1. Acuna and Albies were extended early, they both were not 1 year away from FA. FA money will trump everything else so if somebody wants to pay Suarez $200M, he’s gone. Note that the Braves wanted to sign Nola but the Phillies were willing to give comparable money so he came back.

        If the Royals want to play with the big boys (and they’ll likely get a new stadium), they should make a play for Ranger.

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    2. Certainly does depend on who is agent will be…..if it is Boras and Co., then probably goes to free agency……if anyone else, may take a very lucrative offer from the Phillies to get him to sign this off-season. Understand Dombrowski is hesitating trying to negotiate within season, Sanchez was the exception. So that means it will be this off-season that an offer may be made. I think you are spot on as to the AAV…..$26/27M…have no clue how many years or if a buy-out year will be tacked on.

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  9. So finally I found a game my peeps and I can go to. Thursday Jersey Shore against the Pirates affiliate. I haven’t really followed their rotation so wondering if I’ll get to see Aldegheri or Klassen…

    I haven’t been able to figure out their rotation.

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    1. DMAR..have you tried process of elimination?

      …for one Neuborn pitches tonight, so he is out….Fausnaught pitched on Sunday so he is probably out. Klassen pitched on Saturday, probably not him either, though there is four days rest, he is monitored for innings/pitches I assume so doubt they pitch him on Thursday. Castellano was on Friday….and last Thursday was Aldegheri……..so he da man for you.

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  10. It wouldn’t surprise me if Suarez also signed this season or shortly after this season. Maybe it won’t be the top of the market, but I think it will give him peace of mind, a ton of cash and will make him happy. I doubt highly that next season starts and Ranger isn’t signed long term.

    But something will have to give, but whatever it is, that thing shouldn’t be Ranger.

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  11. Jim Bowden says the Phillies are working on a Suarez extension.

    https://x.com/PhilsTailgate/status/1804956145897120032

    I can’t imagine they are going to let him get away.

    So you’ll have:

    1. Wheeler: through 2027
    2. Suarez: presumably for 5 or more years, so let’s say through 2030
    3. Nola: through 2030
    4. Sanchez: through 2030 (w/ options)
    5. Walker: through 2026

    Not a ton of space, except for Walker who probably doesn’t have much leeway after his year so far. Wonder if this means they’d be more open to trade some of their pitching capital (aside from Painter).

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    1. I think exactly why you don’t trade your pitching capital because older arms getting a lot of money are sure to break down. They will need young cheap options to offset that.

      Of course the obvious thing to do would be to trade Walker if he was at all tradeable.

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      1. True, but that’s a reason not to trade “all” your pitching capital. Painter seems untouchable cause of the ace upside. Klassen might be moving into that territory. On the other side of the ledger, Abel seems very much like they’d move him except they’d be selling low. Aldegheri might get moved. They do need OF help.

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    2. Not surprising and very smart they did the Sanchez extension first. I’ll bet the number comes in at a very reasonable amount given Ranger’s ascension, but it will set up the Suarez family for generations, which is freaking awesome. This team will have to balance payroll, but having 4 starters like that, with Andrew Painter coming along, is pretty impressive (yes, Walker is as good as gone this off season – they should be able to move him if they eat some salary, which I am sure they will).

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      1. I guess we’ll have to see how Walker plays out. I know he’s a guy (and contract) we’d all love to see replaced with an upgrade but I don’t think it’s that cut and dry. Painter has pitched as many innings in the big leagues as I have and he’s coming off a major elbow surgery. Even if he does well, I’m sure he’s going to be put on an innings limit so it’s not like he’ll be the 5th starter all season long. Who else do we have? Turnbull? He’s a free agent after this season. I’d love for the Phillies to sign him as a 5th starter next year and have Painter on deck in case someone gets hurt or needs a break. Mercado may or may not be the guy. Doesn’t look like Abel is…

        My point is this… be careful what you wish for. Walker typically eats innings and keeps his team in the game. If he weren’t being paid $18M / year, he wouldn’t be the target of ridicule he is. His salary is not his fault… the Phillies offered it and he signed the contract… good for him. BTW… A lot of teams would like to have a guy like him. I bet Atlanta is one of them. And… If any of Wheeler, Nola, Ranger or Sanchez get hurt, we’ll be needing Walker every 5th day even more.

        I’m not a big Walker fan by any means. He is what he is. But he doesn’t suck.

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        1. You can’t have everything. If you want a great team you’ve got to dedicate resources properly. Dedicating $18 million a year to a mediocre 5th starter isn’t a great idea when there are other pressing needs and you have the team’s best pitching prospect since Cole Hamels around. There will be a market for him (but not Atlanta – they know better) and the team will need to eat a little salary (probably around $3-5 million a year). I look for him to be moved.

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      2. I think it will be what Guru had mentioned earlier today…..$26/27M AAV area…..about on par with Nola and Wheeler. As far as the length…that could be the sticky point in the negotiation.

        But getting him to sign a year prior to his free agency, in his last arb year is key.

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          2. Why would you be stunned? What about Ranger’s demeanor suggests to you that he’ll want very badly to grab every last dollar?

            When I say team friendly, I don’t mean ripping Ranger off, I mean more reasonable than if he pitched well, didn’t get hurt and became a free agent.

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            1. I cannot name 1 pitcher who was 1 year away from FA and took a team friendly deal. Aaron Nola didn’t do it. And you can argue that Zack Wheeler didn’t do it either with his extension that kicks in next year. And don’t forget that Wheeler left the Mets to sign with the Phillies (and got paid) in his first FA.

              As a pitcher entering FA, they want to get top dollar because it lifts up all the boats. If Nola gets paid, then Ranger gets paid. Ranger is not going to settle for under $150M no matter how much he enjoys the Phillies.

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            2. In the last 8 years…..I cannot name one player who has recd a team-friendly deal that was approved by John Middleton…….even Wheeler’s initial free agent deal was above projected slot by MLRTR analyst. For the most part he will over-pay.

              When it comes to Phillies baseball player contracts….stupid $$$$ reigns.

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            4. Sanchez agreed to a team friendly deal because he has way more to lose since he was 4 years away from FA.

              Suarez only has 1 year to get to FA. If Nola took the risk, then certainly Ranger can too.

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  12. If you want to point out that Marchan has hits on soft contact, he has also smoked the ball a few times and had it go right to a fielder. Overall I think he looks the part. He has always been a personal favorite of mine though.

    Pache is very bad. They obviously made the decision to keep him over Rojas because of the minor league option, but are we sure Pache would even be claimed? And if he is, is it really that big of a loss? At this point I don’t think Muzziotti is even worse than him. Classic case of a guy who had a good month to start his Phillies career and too many people dont see that aside from that, he makes Garrett Stubbs look like Babe Ruth at the plate.

    Finally, not here for the Harper slander. No disrespect to the post at all, just not my thing. Overall he does hustle and play the game “the right way” but sometimes like all players he has mental lapses, and sure sometimes he doesnt run hard, but when you are Bryce Harper, that is ok. We may be witnessing the best Phillie of all time, so im not trying to nitpick one or two plays. Heck, Bohm forgot how many outs there were the other night too and failed to turn a double play. Nobody’s perfect.

    And, hell yeah, Mercado! Get Lazar up next!

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    1. I’m a Harper fan. But he has a long, long way to go to be a greater Phillie than the greatest third baseman of all time.

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      2. It’s essentially impossible to pass Schmidt and probably impossible to pass Carlton (not including Grover Alexander here – too long ago), but Harper could easily end up as #3. I watch these games and just shake my head at how great he is as a hitter. He’s stupendous.

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    2. DgDan ……… agree with the points you have made especially in P.1 and P.2.

      Harper from time to time doesn’t hustle if he’s disgusted with his effort (offensively). Never seen him loaf on defense. If I were to criticize him, it would be on offense when he tries to stretch the envelope by taking an extra base, etc. that simply isn’t there to be taken. However, thats Harper, comes with the package.

      Pache, by the way is steadily proving that there is no reason to retain him ……. maybe even by the deadline.

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      1. Skeet…to tell you the truth…..Dombrowski has to be thinking of one of the following three OFers to shore up the overall OF offensive production….Robert, Arozarena or McCarthy of the DBacks…..I cannot see him going long term with Pache into Sep and the play-offs…..then again, maybe Rojas will have advanced enough at the plate at LHV.

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        1. I start to cringe and break out in a rash when I see we are matched up against LHP. I know what the lineup will be like. Merrifield and Pache (golden Sombrero 2 nite) are brutal. Almost prefer to see Marsh and Dahl in there.

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          1. Marsh has a .391 OPS vs lefties. In limited time, Dahl hasn’t had a hit vs lefties.

            You could argue maybe Dahl vs a lefty now and then, but Pache over Marsh all day vs lefties. It’s not even close.

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            1. In 77 abs Pache has K’d 31 times. That is a 40% k rate, nothing good can happen, runners on base cannot advance, nothing, nada. I’ll go with what I said. I’m done with Pache.

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    3. Dan, it’s not slander if it’s true. I don’t report things like that if they aren’t true. I might blur the lines as I did in this case. The truth is that a teammate DID call him out for his lack of hustle. Early in the season it was apparent that he was not hustling. He set a bad example. I noticed it and I noticed it spreading to a couple of other players. Good on the player who called him out. And good on Harper for responding in the way he has over the past several weeks.

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  13. Regarding the ball that Marsh played into a triple, I just want to say that it was also a calculated risk. Letting it drop in front of him would have prevented one of the three runs from scoring and kept the hitter at first. But two runs were still going to score and we were already on the back foot.

    So in context, I really didn’t mind him going for the all-or-nothing play.

    I’m not arguing that he’s even nearly as good a defensive CF as Pache or Rojas, just that I get why he went for it and wasn’t upset with the effort. Pretty sure if it didn’t feel like we were 100% going to lose if we gave up another single run, he would have played it on the bounce.

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  14. I believe that when Realmuto returns, Marchan goes back to AAA and Stubbs finishes the year with the Phillies. However, I think this is it for the mascot and Marchan is next season’s backup.

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    1. Probably so – Marchan is, to my mind, definitely a better player right now. But this is a mojo year so Stubbs probably finishes it out.

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    2. Unless Stubby is traded in the off-season, Marchan will still remain on the 40 while at LHV. However, your point has validity in that, the 26-year old Marchán will be out of minor-league options next year while Stubbs will not have enough service time to refuse a minor-league assignment. They will go to spring training in a competition to be Realmuto’s backup.

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      1. I think, out of fairness to Stubbs, if Marchan is healthy, they’ll give Stubbsie a chance to catch on with someone else during ST. This should be Marchan’s job next year. He’s quite good.

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        1. Agree…..that is why they may just shop him for a nominal return. At least another club will want him vs him just floating out there in free agency if he is let go. But he could always be back in the org if he wanted to go to LHV and maybe mentor a guy like Caleb Ricketts, who will be at LHV next season.

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  15. See here in an article that Passan thinks Phillies would have to part with Aidan Miller to land Robert. Robert had 38 home runs but lots of Ks. Seems like perfect Philly fit. LOL

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    2. I would think and hope the Phillies would try to persuade WSox in taking Crawford or Rojas ilo Miller in the package. Of course a pitcher or two will also be involved in the package back.

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  16. As I mentioned earlier Robert gets the most Philly vibes around here. I see Passan bit also on ESPN tonight as well. He is usually pretty clued in but no idea. I just told my son they missed Ranger and Wheeler. He is taking 3 of little guy buddies. They should have fun time. They are right at the dugout by the aisle going toward the outfield. I am going to tape it. Hope they get on tv.

    BTW did you see the crazy play in the CWS that ended up being the winning run. How in the world did he not get tagged out. Incredible play.

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  17. I think I’d like to sniff around the Padres if they fall out of contention with their injuries. Profar would like nice in LF and wouldn’t cost too much I wouldn’t think.

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    1. There will be a lot teams asking about Profar, so you might be surprised about the price. He won’t cost a top 100 guy, but I could see the Padres asking for Aldegheri.

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    1. The stat line is awesome. 10Ks in 5 IP is impressive for any level. That said, his fastball was 88-93 with a lot of 90 mph. He must have good movement. But he needs to add a tick or two imo as he moves up.

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      1. v1. The A & M closer the other night was only throwing around 90 but I think he struck out like 7 of 9 Tennessee guys in the first game. His ball was really moving a lot. Now they scored 3 runs on him in the final game including a 2-run homer and the crazy play at home.

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      1. I thought Graves was pretty impressive. He appears to have outstanding breaking stuff and it looks like he hides and locates his fastball pretty well. That, combined with his being a lefty, means he may be fine throwing in the range of 90-93 MPH. Interesting to see if the success carries through to higher levels.

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            1. Thinking about it a little more….MLB.com may have him just in the mid 20s area….his age and level may not be enough for them to justify him being in the teens.

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  19. Really excited about what our system could potentially look like in 12 months. If Barber and Co. continue their recent success and the post Agostinelli Latin signings boil over into the states I see no reason why we couldn’t be in the envious position of having a World Series level major league squad as well as a top 8-10(maybe higher) minor league system. Perfect storm.

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  20. Romus. The kids have arrived at Detroit. They are 8 rows from the field just at the edge of the dugout to right field. So probably close to being in line with 1B. Little guy has his Harper jersey and Phanatic hat on. So, he will be easy to spot if any camera shot. He has 4 of his little buddies. Sent some pics and the kids are all down along the rail to the field. Maybe they will get lucky, and someone will say Hi to them. Hoping Phillies can have a good game.

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  21. Turnbull has left the game early with shoulder soreness. So much for pitching depth! I feel bad for him.

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    1. Crap, I hope this is not a long term issue. I’m assuming Mercado goes into the rotation.

      There’s nobody else at Lehigh who deserves to be promoted.

      It doesn’t happen often but Robinson Pina at Reading is having a good year…

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  22. Does anybody know why Turnbull was replaced after 3 innings? Was that the plan because he wasn’t stretched out?

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    1. I’m watching the game on my phone… Tom McCarthy said Turnbull complained of shoulder soreness. Hopefully nothing too bad.

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      1. Shoulders can be tricky. He’ll need to be 100% no pain in 2 days or else he’s likely to miss his next start. Not only that, he’ll probably be on a 60 pitch count if he does start. The Phillies need to have Mercado ready to piggyback.

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  23. Romus ……….. I see DD up in the suite stroking his chin, mulling over your 3 OF candidates ……….. she love’s me … she love’s me not ……. she love’s me … she ……….. the suspense is killing me … I know you know who it is ……. please tell us!

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  24. I can’t see DD really considering Arozarena or Robert. Adding another high swing and miss hitter to our lineup seems like a disaster and exactly what bothered him in the playoffs the last two years. Just my opinion. I think there may be some right handed bats out there who make more contact and won’t mortgage your system.

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  25. I’m not sure about his defense but Jurickson Profar checks off nearly every box for me. I hope I’m not beating a dead horse.

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    1. One thing we need to keep in mind is where various teams are in the WC hunt. I don’t think the Padres or Red Sox are going to be sellers. Hell, the Mets might not even be sellers.

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    2. Ive beat this drum here before, but you have to be careful when you are paying a price for a guy whos been good for 3 months. Profar was a .230 career hitter at age 30 and nobody even wanted him until the end of spring. Do you really wanna give up anything good for a guy you could have had for the vet minimum 3 months ago? Do you really believe that suddenly hes a .300 hitter?

      Id rather take a shot on a guy with a pedigree of success whos struggled this year than a guy with a pedigree of a below average player whos been good this year. Thats just me. Feels like buying a stock at its peak.

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  26. If I’m the Orioles, I’m trying to pry away Tarik Skubal from the Tigers. I would give up Basallo, Mayo, and Kjerstad. Heck, he’s so good, I would think about trading Jackson Holliday straight up for Skubal.

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      1. The Orioles don’t have any top end pitching in the minors, that’s why they’re looking for pitching.

        The Phillies probably have better pitching than the Orioles in the minors.

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        1. Still can be worked around…..if I were the Os GM I would look for a three-way deal…..trade one of their top position minor leaguers to another team for one of their top minor league pitching prospects, then send that guy with the other Os position players to the Tigers for Skubal.

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  27. Elated that the boys took two of three from the Tigers. In today’s game, they whiffed 10 times and in the opener, they struck out SEVENTEEN times. Last night, I think it was 8 or 9. That’s got to be a concern, no? Great day for Marsh.

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    1. Oddly, Phillies overall team is 16th in the majors in strikeouts with 652….league average is 661. Mariners are the leaders with 825 total Ks……the lowest team are the Astros at 536. Judging how we see the big boys..Schwarber, Casty, Harper et al swing and miss it seems so often, you would think the Phillies were top of the leaderboard in that category.

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      1. It should also be adjusted to a rate basis, because we have more opportunities to strike out when we’re batting around the order and scoring 8 runs an inning sometimes.

        In K% we’re actually slightly better than league average (and also ranked 16th) at 21.4% (league average being 22.2%).

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  28. Romus. I see now Bowden is saying Phillies are cooling on Robert and now focusing more on Chisholm of Marlins. Thoughts. Says he has 2 more years of control. I will tell you about kids at game today later. They had nice time and were impressed that Marsh who signed his ball in Cincy had nice game today.

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    1. Chisholm is… fine. Very overrated player. In fact, overwhelming voted as the most overrated by players (who were willing to vote on that).

      But he’s a lefty hitter and not a particularly strong defender, so the fit seems weak.

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  29. Really, Chisholm(?) Don’t believe he’s a good fit for us, not impressed…….. has to be better choices out there that are available.

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    1. Skeet…my choice would be Randy Arozarena….he is ready for rebound and has been in the limelight and knows what is expected….and will cost relatively less in prospect capital than say Robert, since he has ready to go into arb3, will be 30, and will project more than his current $8M hit…Rays do not like to pay.

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    2. completely agree. He seems to be the counter to what we need. We already have issues when we face leftys due to the LH heavy lineup…we should be looking to add a RH bat. Not particularly good in CF as Dan K said, and he hasnt exactly been the most loved guy by his teammates, whereas the phillies are all about vibes. Granted, I know that it could have been just a few cranky old players who didnt like that he plays with spark and flash, but overall when you combine all these things i just dont think he does anything for the team to take them over the edge.

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  30. Dan and oldruff. I have no idea if either Robert or Chisholm are on the Phillies radar as additions. Passan and Bowden should have some connections on what may be playing out. Most of these guys do feel that the Phillies will be active buyers at the deadline to try to improve outfield production. I do not know if there are better options out there. One of the things that I think will be an issue is that there are so many teams around the wild card range there may not be many players available. These two most likely will be. A week or so ago someone had the Phillies and Marlins maybe interested in a Tanner Scott and Chisholm for McGarry, Rincone, Rincones, and someone else who I forget. The one thing I do not hear much on anymore is adding a possible closer for the bullpen. You see some of those guys being mentioned with Braves, Yankees and Orioles but not so many Phillies anymore. So, who knows. The deadline is approaching and maybe some more teams will become sellers as it gets closer. I was amazed the other day on the Extra Inning game previews how many teams are right at the .500 level.

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    1. Don…..if the Phillies are still interested in a reliever, you probably ought to knock off the Cardinals and Helsley off the reliever market….Cardinals are closing in on the Brewers.

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      1. Yup, one of the obstacles for this deadline is the fact that all but like a handful of teams are still technically in playoff contention, not gonna be a ton of sellers, or if you do want someone to sell, you will have to overpay

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      2. Romus. I agree on Helsley. I saw other day Cards are now over .500. So, he is going nowhere.

        Dan. Yes, I was amazed how many teams are still hanging around .500. Tigers are only a few games under that now.

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  31. There still is time for teams to have their decision to sell/buy made for them. I could see if Tigers have another tough series or two they become sellers – mostly of the veteran types – Mark Canha for instance. We will know alot more in 3 weeks . My guess is there will be at least two more teams to join the Chisox, Miami, Rockies etc. group. Also, there still could be teams going both ways – getting rid of $$$$ contracts for future production. I dare say that if Turnbull is ok, Mercado proves reasonably effective, plus some luck with another Lehigh starter = a great time to get rid of Walker and his contract because there is a dearth of pitching available. They could sell higher now than at any other time ? Just sayin’…

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    1. Teams want good pitching, not pitchers who have a 5+ ERA, still owed $45M (2.5 years) and can’t throw his out pitch.

      If Taijuan Walker is moved, it’ll be during the offseason, not before the trade deadline. And depending on how effective Walker will be, the Phillies will have to eat at least 50% of his contract.

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    2. Everyone can hate Walker with the fire of 100 burning suns but the Phillies are not trading starting pitching, period.

      Both Walkers issues and now Turnbull’s shoulder highlight how important it is to have enough ML caliber arms to get through a full 162 game season.

      If anything, they might add another depth starter at the deadline just in case.

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      1. 3up…have to agree…..starting pitching is always out a premium. A team can never have too much. If Walker is moved, it will be in the off-season, and the return may not blow anyone away……may only be just be a prospect, range 8-12 listed prospect, from another club.

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  32. Catching up on all of the above…

    1. The great thing about the Sanchez extension is it locks him in for up to 6 years, if the team wants. The even greater thing about it is can you imagine his trade value three years from now if he’s this good, has one year left, with two team friendly, team option years attached? If the Phils get lucky with Painter and another starter or two that are young, Sanchez could bring back a king’s ransom via trade.
    2. Ranger Suarez leaving the Phillies is the 4,975,321st biggest worry in my life right now. He’s not going anywhere.
    3. Regarding the OF, the Phils are actually a mess. They have 3 LH OFs (Marsh, Dahl, and Clemens) that are platoon guys, at best. They have 3 RH OFs (Rojas, Pache, Whit) that aren’t even that – 2 defensive replacements and Whit. And the last guy Castellanos – could be worse than all of the above in October or could be NLCS MVP. Who the heck knows. So I think they just give one spot to Nick and pray 12x per day. I think Marsh has a second spot vs RHP, but the other 3 spots are up for grabs. They need a) Clemens or Dahl to step up and take the LF vs RHP spot, and b) they need a full-time everyday player, like Profar to slot in, or at a minimum, a RH OF that just crushes LHP.
    4. Whether the Phillies win or lose the World Series this year might be as simple as – are 4 of the following 7 relief pitchers at the top of their game in October: Alvarado, Hoffman, Kerkering, Strahm, Soto, Dominguez, and Mercado. They just need 4 of those guys to be lights out and it is good night for everyone else.
    5. Two things about Bryce Harper – First, and I love Bryce, but all these WIP types asking “Is he the best Phillie ever?” are insane. Schmidt played 17+ years, was a great defensive player, won a ring, won MVPs, played a premium position, yada yada yada. There is nothing Bryce can ever do to top that taking 6 years out of his career in Washington. NOTHING. Second, when you are as good as Bryce, and somewhat unique, you are always going to get people that see his glass half empty. Does he not hustle on a ground ball from time to time? Yes. Does he also care, and work his tail off, to be as good as he is? Every freaking day. He has been nothing short of 150% of everything we could’ve ever dreamed of. If you wake up each day and watch him play and feel hatred, jealousy, frustration, animosity, or any other similar adjective, I feel sorry for you and the fact that you’re missing out on truly cherishing and enjoying one of the greatest athletes this game has ever seen.

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  33. Red October:

    Vs RHP

    1 Schwarber DH 2 Turner SS 3 Bryce 1B 4 Bohm 3B 5 Stott 2B 6 Realmuto C 7 Profar LF 8 Marsh CF 9 Castellanos RF

    Bench – Marchan, Sosa, Dahl, Clemens, Rojas or Pache

    Vs LHP

    1 Schwarber Dh 2 Turner SS 3 Bryce 1B 4 Bohm 5 Realmuto C 6 Profar LF 7 Castellanos RF 8 Stott 2B 9 Rojas or Pache CF

    Bench: Marchan, Sosa, Dahl, Clemens, Marsh

    If Castellanos is struggling enough, Topper will need to sit him vs RHP sometimes, and PH for him in other spots, if that’s what it comes to. I don’t think Stubbs makes the postseason roster this year.

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    2. Casty has only sat out a couple innings all season. Guys mentioned that during the recent blowout game when Dahl came in the 8th inning. I think he will be in the lineup if healthy. Do not see him out.

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  34. I like Profar… don’t love him. He’s a competent bat, doesn’t strike out a ton, works his walks, has a little pop (possibly a little more outside of Petco) and doesn’t kill you defensively. He’s only signed through this season so he’d be a rental. But it all comes down to this? What would it take to get him? If you start with Miller, Caba, Tait… I’m out.

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    1. lol if the padres even mention those names the phillies should hang up and spend the next hour laughing. Wouldnt even give up Klassen for him. this guy was unsigned through spring training and has a .230 career average before this year. If I’m the Padres, I am absolutely trying to maximize a return for a guy whos at his all time “sell high” value, but I would hope the Phillies are not too dumb to fall for it. They could have had him for nothing 3 months ago. And considering its a rental…I MIGHT give up McGarry for him. Maybe not even.

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      1. Preller does not want minor leaguers 2/3/4 years away…..he wants to win now when someone like a Machado is within the window of excellence. He will probably ask for MLB pitchers or someone very close….maybe McGarry, Mercado types.

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  35. I feel like if you had to describe a worst trade deadline additions list it would start with Chisholm and Robert Jr.

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    1. Everyone has a right to their opinion and disagreements are completely fine here. I 100% agree with you on Chisholm. I disagree on Robert. Yes he has an injury history, but if they can keep him healthy, I think the fresh start in a city that loves its team might be what he needs to re-start his career and get back to the caliber of player he once was. I don’t think the Astros would trade Tucker, so Robert or Arozerena may be the 2 realistic options.

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      1. Dan, me not liking the Chisholm is more about his fit talent wise and culture wise. With Robert Jr it’s more about what we’d have to give up and his inability to consistently stay healthy. Other than that it would be fun to see what our line up could look like with him in it.

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          1. in addition, as an older fart(not ancient yet), I really don’t enjoy the overwhelming celebrations of mediocrity. Like a base hit in May, a tackle in September or a dunk in the first quarter of a game in December. And Chisholm seems to be a very, well, charismatic player to put it nicely. It may be one of the reasons that Stubbs drives me nuts too. May be I am old.

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            1. Haha, well as we already established, no arguing, but I do love the flare. Charismatic isnt an insult imo i love seeing players having fun. Flip those bats! But thats fine, different generations, different outlooks, no problem, we both want whats best for the team. We agree Chisolm aint the answer!

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  36. I just looked at the standings. I did not realize Cubs are in last place. That one snuck up on me. So, there are currently 14 teams under .500 in both leagues. But only 5 are more than 7 games under .500 today. So, at this point I would think most are playing. Things can change in 2 or 3 weeks, but it seems these teams are now kind of hanging around these numbers. Right now, only White Sox, A’s, Angels, Marlins and Rockies are totally out of it. So, who among those teams are possible additions? Seems no one wants Robert or Chisholm. So where do you go.

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  37. Without going crazy and giving up the farm for a Kyle Tucker like player, the RHB I like is Lane Thomas on the gNats. Not sure if he’s available or what it would take to get him but it seems he’d be a good fit. He plays a pretty good LF, he can hit a HR or double now and then and he is a threat to steal bases. The gNats are (I think) 8th in the Wild Card race. They’re not terribly far back but there are a lot of teams between them and a playoff spot. Just spit balling here… he’s a guy I like whom I don’t think will be terribly expensive.

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    1. Lane Thomas is looking like his 3.3 WAR season last season was an outlier. He’s not having a good year and his defense has really went down this season. But he rips LH pitching so if he was put in a platoon, it would be better. He’s under control for 1 more year but he’s not making much ($2.2M this season and maybe $2.8M next season). The Nats would not be motivated to move him because of his cheap cost so that lotto ticket would have have to be decent. Maybe Raylin Heredia and another longshot.

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  42. Andy. I do not get good vibes on Hinkie. There is just no way he would be missing unless something happened. I remember when Jim asked, I looked back at posts and the last one I could find was in January when Phillies were in on Yamamoto. Nothing since. I miss him. He was always nice and knowledgeable.

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    1. Don….can understand where you are coming from, like you I fear the worst. Then again I am thinking, just maybe he got employment with the Phillies org and cannot be on social media, like Phuture Phillies.  Professional sports org frown on employees on social media posting about their work environment or operations. Hopefully that may be the case.

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  44. Romus. I hope you are correct on Hinkie. My only fear is I would think he would have said goodbye in some manner. But I hope you are right. I miss his posts and his colorful hat.

    I have not seen kids yet after their Detroit visit. Tonight, they went to see the Bananas at Victory Field in Indy.

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  45. I thought Schwarber being in LF for a game was just a one-off kinda thing, but now I’m worried that Thomson thinks it’s an actual viable strategy.

    Does he just not believe in defense?

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  46. Yep, thought he was cured of that nonsense, but maybe not. That game was a real puker in a lot of ways. Flush that down the 🚽 and move on. Miami seems to bewitch us or lull us to sleep.

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  47. To this day still amazes me how just one ‘ ball/strike’ call can turn the tide of a game….Wheeler was out of the inning on a third strike , third out pitch, and as it may be, the umpire missed it……at that point my gut said that is it. And the game unraveled from there and the Marlins get their mojo going. Umpires make mistakes ..for the good or for the bad…..you just have to deal with it I suppose.

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  48. So I waited all spring and a few weeks into summer to head out to Lakewood so I could see Crawford and Miller. What a disappointment LOL. It was one game yes but man both of them didn’t look like they belonged.

    And to boot I thought good chance to see Aldegheri or Klassen and who do I get 19th round Casey Steward making his JS debut. Granted he pitched a really good game. Opened with a 96 MPH FB and some type of 80-81 MPH breaking ball. By the second inning I think he was sitting more 91-92 with the occasional 94.

    The Pittsburgh team featured Termarr Johnson the 4th pick overall and Malvern Prep star Lonnie White Jr. who went 2nd round 2021. He looked lost.

    Termarr was in the same draft as Justin Crawford. I guess if its any consolation he is only hitting 216 but with a 368 OBP. Both players are only 20 so they have plenty of time to figure things out. Both players you can tell have great command of the K zone and don’t chase.

    Overall I wasn’t impressed by anyone I saw.

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  49. A really terrible loss last night to the Marlins. Two outs, none on in the 7th with a 3-0 lead and your ace on the mound. The two best relievers come in and give it up. Lot of pitches by Wheeler. Did Thomson wait too long to pull him?

    It reminds me of the game versus the Mets last year (or the year before) when the Phillies gave it up late leading by 5-6 runs. Am I right about that game? Someone must remember that.

    Now, with 3 games to go in this series and our ace done and some stars hurting, can the Phillies even win 2 of the next 3?

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