222 thoughts on “Phillies Discussion 2/25/2025”

1. Romus, Rickardo Perez is still in the organization. He is in the DR. Maybe he’s not in the minicamp yet because he’s thought of as a first baseman rather than a catcher, now.

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   1. Thanks Jim.

      Was hoping he was not released like Yemal Flores…..they both recd over $1M to sign back in 2021, And considered prospects with plenty of potential.

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2. Jim. Great job on all the info you provide. Simply amazing. Hi Romus. I was bummed to see the game cancelled yesterday as well. I hope all of you enjoy your time and ability to watch Spring Training.

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3. Can Otto Kemp play the outfield well enough to stick?

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   1. He has 2 innings in OF in game listed in minors and 7 games in college. Not sure

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   2. Otto Kemp has been on a bit of a magic carpet ride since early last year. There’s no way he is making this team out of ST, but when he gets sent down (probably to AAA, where he ended last year), I assume he will be trained all around the infield. The guy looks like he can really hit (has very high exit velocities with good plate discipline- it’s not smoke and mirrors), he’s not that old (25, but broke out as a prospect at 24) and always had the reputation of being a good fielder. Quite a UFA acquisition for this team. Now let’s see if he can hit or fight off good big league breaking pitches.

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      1. Hope he makes them make a difficult decision, I really do!

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         1. I think that difficult decision is down the line a bit and only happens if he really crushes it in AAA, which he could!! If he can play outfield, that could provide him with an easier avenue to start in the big leagues. If he’s a really slick fielder at third, that would also help. Unless he gets MUCH better, I am not giving Bohm a big FA contract – that would be foolish move imo. So most likely, they will need to replace him in the next few years. Kemp could be that replacement. We’ll just have to see.

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            1. First, Otto Kemp will need to rake at AAA. Second, Edmundo Sosa will need to get hurt so that Kemp can take his roster spot. Third, Alec Bohm needs to get hurt so that Kemp can get starter playing time to showcase what he can do.

               That’s probably the only way Kemp will be able to prove himself this season to be a viable starter in the bigs.

               Otherwise, he will be battling Edmundo Sosa next season for a backup job.

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               1. IMO it will not take a stellar effort to bump Sosa, yeah I know he’s a vet so he gets Thomson coupons.

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4. Has Ranger looked like he’s improved his conditioning or still not so much? This being a contract year for him I was fully expecting to see stories about him being in the best shape of his life.

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   1. You realize of course, he could be “in the best shape of his life” and we couldn’t tell!

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5. Romus …… please report all occurences of Walker’s FB breaking the “sound barrier” and Rojas’ ability to hit line drives in the gap. I await your news with abated breath!😉

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   1. LOL………Thomson said, “I mean, he looks better than he did the year he won 15 games (2023) at this point in time. Just physically, his movements, athleticism. The ball’s coming out hot and the split’s fantastic. He’s landing his breaking ball. He was good that year in spring training but I think he’s better this year….”

      …….not sure what Mach he is throwing out right now.

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      1. Seems both of you being slightly little critical of Walker. I am looking for Comeback Player of the Year consideration.

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         1. Ya know, I was (like almost everyone else) a big supporter of moving on from Walker as long as we got some salary relief. Since it didn’t happen, I really am hoping for his success. What happens if he looks great this spring? I think if a trade arises, we go for it. But I don’t see the harm in starting the season with a 6-man rotation. Our guys have thrown a lot of innings these last few years. I’d be ok with a slower start to the season for everyone.

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            1. Tiajuan Walker is 32, still owed 2/36 and he’s coming off a miserable -1.6 WAR season. Unless he’s now throwing 95-96, the Phillies will still have to eat a considerable amount of money to facilitate a trade. Let’s put it this way, you could probably sign a guy off the street for the minimum and he’ll give you better than -1.6 WAR. Teams have long memories. Walker will need to have a decent season if the Phillies want to move him.

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         2. If another team loses a starter in the next few weeks, for an extended period of the season, ….just perhaps Walker will be offered…..it would behoove everyone if he truly has improved over the off-season and shows it thru the spring.

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   2. Skeet…Thomson says Rojas is in the top three of all MLB CFers when it comes to defense. They are also banking on his offensive resurgence from his winter league play in the Dominican League where he won ROY.

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6. If Kemp keeps hitting all spring perhaps he makes the team and is backup/platoon in infield with Sosa as backup/platoon in outfield.

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   1. Putting aside what the team needs, I think Kemp would great benefit from regular playing time at AAA – he still needs to develop to maximize his potential. Typically you do a guy no favors by having him essentially skip a level (see Johan Rojas). I’d love to see Kemp demolish AAA pitching for a couple of months.

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      1. And besides, you need to take ST stats with a huge grain of salt. Remember when Mickey Moniak dominated ST? It doesn’t mean as much as we would like it to mean.

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7. Word on the street is that some dude threw 102mph out of the Phillies BP yesterday…

   McMillion (sp?)

   Okay! I like to hear that, even if it is ST

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8. Sanchez was throwing in the upper 90s yesterday.

   Rincones went yard again today; opposite field this time. He looks as strong as an ox.

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   1. He really does look strong as an ox. Interested to see what he’ll do in AAA this year. The power appears to be there. The plate discipline is pretty good. Like so many prospects, it’s all about the hit tool. Can he hit enough for his other skills to show?

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      1. I missed the HR, but it was off Berrios, which is no slouch. It’s super early in ST though, so he could have been working on location … still we will take it. He looks more like a linebacker than a ball player but if he hits…

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         1. He, like many LHBs, have difficulties with LHPs….Josh Walker K’d him in his next at bat. He needs to see as many LHPs as possible this season @ LHV

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         2. It was opposite field on a line which made it very impressive. He is also the plus side of a platoon if that ends up being the worse case.

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         3. Castellanos is weak against RHP, but, wow, it would take a lot for them to platoon him.

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            1. His career OPS vs RHP is .767….but, as a Phillie these last three years…it is .711…he has regressed. Thomson has a choice with Casty vs a RH starter. And so far he is letting it ride as he has done for the last two years.

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            2. Exactly Robin. If they were serious they would start the platoon process this season with Nick but they are a loyal group. If Nick says he wants to be out there every game that is what they are going to do.

               Marsh won’t hold up in CF this season unless he really catches fire with his bat.

               Basically every position in the OF is/should be a platoon. Its very weak out there in other words.

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               1. DMAR……..I am ready to break up the Kiddy Kore….move on from Marsh and put Rincones in there…production IMO would be transparent.

                  At least Rincones is younger but still old enough to be ready to be empowered and given the responsibility as a cross between a 3rd and 4th OFer With Crawford headed this way in 4/5 months time to make some changes to the future..

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               2. I always thought the Phillies “Day Care” talk was hilarious. These guys were NEVER super young prospects. They were mid-20s guys who were relatively experienced and ready. If anything, they were on the older side for new MLB players. But, hey, give the group a nickname and everybody thinks they are super young. But it doesn’t make it so.

                  Now if Miller and Painter were to arrive this year – the nickname would make more sense for them.

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9. I find it hard to believe that the Phillies would platoon Castellanos when he’s making $20M per year. If that was the case, and he played only against LH pitching, he’d be playing way less than 50% of the time.

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   1. The $$$ should not matter. We talk a lot about sunk costs so a team should not look at it in that way…

      The only thing that should matter is which guys give us the best chance to win nightly.

      But to your point and my post above Nick is not the type of guy they seem willing to cross.

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      1. Yes, they are oddly deferential to Castellanos. I get they probably feel that if they irk him, he’ll give them almost nothing, which is quite possible. It seems they also keep waiting for the great Castellanos season that, most likely, will never come. They just ridiculously overpaid (and it’s not just the money, it’s the damned years) for a player that is barely okay. People don’t understand how much that can gum up the works on a team. An example of DD at his nearly his worst (Walker is his worst, but this contract wasn’t good!).

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         1. FA’s are a crap shoot mostly as are extensions etc. No qualms with that really. You win some you lose some and hopefully at a better than 50% clip.

            Where I take issue is when organizations dig their heels in on deals that clearly aren’t working out.

            Take a guy like Kemp. A guy we all have taken to around these parts. Now I don’t know if he can play any OF but let’s see it. He’s 25. You may have something in him but you’re not going to know until you give him some extended playing time.

            Its not like he’s 20-21 and can benefit from some more time to mature physically.

            Last season they gave us Merrifield $8 mil this season its Kepler $10 Mil, and Kepler could have a big bounce back season. But Rincones is about to turn 24.

            Who cares if he struggles against lefties a cheap RHB platoon part is easy to find. Could have been WW could of been Sosa. Or could of been Casty. Just tell him LOL “hey we’re going to pay you $20 mil to platoon with this kid and bring him along”

            You take that Kepler $10 + the $6 from Ross and you get a Kirby Yates maybe instead. Or keep it in the bank and promote an arm like you had in Eiberson Castellano

            who by the way has pitched an inning so far and has 3Ks, 1 BB no runs no hits. I’ll be watching him closely this year.

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            1. Not quite seeing this the way you do.

               On free agent contracts, sure, a few contracts won’t work, but you’re dedicating huge resources to players and so you should hit on those bigger deals at a very high rate. 50% is entirely unacceptable for a FA who is known commodity and you’ve had years to scout. It’s how organizations either succeed or dig their own graves. You must win most of these contracts – or at least generally get the value you paid for. And, importantly, the deals need to make sense when they are signed. If you dug a little into the Castellanos deal, it wasn’t a great idea at the time it was signed based on his full body of work, which was very inconsistent. More than anything that damned deal was far too long and it’s dragging down the organization.

               On Kemp, the fact that he’s 25 doesn’t mean you should rush him. He came from out of nowhere last year and climbed 4 levels, which is incredible. But he still hasn’t even established himself at AAA, so it’s up to HIM to show he’s a big league player. Furthermore, because he’s still developing, he’s much better playing regularly at AAA, than getting spot play in the majors. Say what you want but Alec Bohm is quite a good big league player in his prime – you don’t just cast him aside because Kemp, an older undrafted prospect, might be able to play. Kemp has to show it in a big way and push Bohm to the side. But you can’t just expect that to happen.

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               1. I can see it your way also. My only counter is that on some occasions you get guys like 21 y/o Jackson Merrill. 18-19-20 in the minors.

                  You can say he came out of no where also. You can be cautious as an org or be aggressive.

                  I think you can rush some HS draftees I think not so much with college players. Personally I prefer aggressive especially when you are blocking these types of guys with aging players in decline just because they have big contracts.

                  2022 WS Loss; 2023 NLCS Loss, 2024 Divisional Loss (and you didn’t even have to play the Braves or Dodgers) I say its a bad trend especially offensively.

                  Eerily similar to how DD presided over the Tigers run back in the day. He thought he had something then too.

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               2. I don’t disagree with you that you want a young cheap player, as opposed to an older expensive player. But a player is ready when he’s ready and you don’t want to push aside a very good mid-career player who is in his pre-FA years (and therefore cheaper) unless you’re pretty sure the new guy can competently replace him. We are nowhere near that point with Kemp. The great thing about baseball is that most of the younger players actually play somewhere in the minors. They are not Tanner McKee sitting on the bench in the NFL where you really don’t know what you’ve got. By their play, the players tell you when they are ready. There’s a lot less guessing in baseball. So if Kemp kicks some butt here in AAA, believe me, they are going to give him his chance.

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      2. They are not going to platoon Castellanos in RF with a guy who played 60 games at AA ball in 2024.

         Every year the early ST darling gets everyone excited.

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         1. I mean yeah I know they won’t but they should…

            Its the perfect season to give some of these older prospects who have performed very well for you their shots.

            I’m way ahead of myself I know as there is a lot of ST left.

            If Preston is truly the GM I’d think he wants to know now what he has as he looks ahead to who he should give extensions to and who he may want to target big in FA in 26-27.

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            1. No, they shouldn’t. The Phillies are still trying to win a WS, not give major league tryouts to AA players.

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               1. So how many WS have they won with Castellanos in RF?

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               2. How many WS have they won with Harper at 1b? Time to replace him with some single-A player I guess.

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   2. Before they even platoon, it would be nice to see him “rested” once a week against a very tough RHP, and if the LH hitter playing in his place is having success, gradually expand it…(like Nick’s strike zone 🤣🤣🤣)

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10. My bad, I believe my ears heard wrong on that “102 mph” claim … Probably one of those cases of that my wife says of … hearing WHAT i want to hear… 🙂

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    1. No, McMillan hit 100.2 MPH yesterday in the ST game.

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11. A question for anyone who might know: Let’s say Bregman has a very good year and opts out after one season. He tests the offers but they are not as good as his deal with the BoSox. Can he just go back for those last two years of the contract or is the contract now null and void and Boston has to write up a new contract?

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    1. I think if he opts out, he’s out. He can’t have his FA cake and his contract too.

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       1. That’s correct but I am sure his agent would know if a better deal is out there before he makes a decision.

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    2. Once you opt out you’re done you have to go out and renegotiate a new deal…

       Sure the Red Sox could say ok we’ll give you a new 2yr deal at the same AAV or they can say no we’re going in a different direction.

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    3. pretty sure if you opt out of your contract you’re a free agent officially and would need to sign a new contract

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12. I get really irked seeing guys like Castro getting ABs in ST LOL

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13. Rojas HR to Right Center is a great sign. When I saw him in the minors a few years back he hit a lot of balls hard to the right side of the field.

    The he gets to the big leagues and his swing looks totally different…

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    1. Seems they are high on Rojas after his winter league play’s production…..like to see how it plays out for the entire season.

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    2. Yes, he was totally different when he was at Reading looked like a totally different guy last year.

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14. In the law, it’s what you call a voidable — but not a void contract. Boston could reinstate the existing contract, or not.

    If being clean shaven was a contractual condition for employment with the George Steinbrenner, Yankees. the team could elect not to enforce that provision. A player couldn’t grow a beard and void the contract.

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    1. I’m in the law, so I get the concept.

       So I’m fairly sure it works like this. Once you opt-out you have terminated or voided the remaining years of your contract with your present team (it’s always possible that the contract itself does not entirely terminate – some clauses may remain in effect – but for the sake of this discussion, let’s just assume they don’t). Those further contract years are now null and void. You can now negotiate with a new team or even go back (perhaps with your tail between your legs) and re-negotiate with your original team but that would result in an entirely new contract, which could be be worse, the same or better than the original contract for the player. I also suppose the parties could reinstate the original contract, although they probably would be under no obligation to do so.

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15. Kelly Dugan was actually in the game today. He is now 34…

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    1. He is the modern day version of Crash Davis.

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       1. Haha….

          Wonder if his dad has made any good movies lately!

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          1. I think Happy Gilmore 2…Netflix Release…he is in the movie…of course, comedy with Adam Sandler starring.

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             1. I just read that Eminem is going to be in that one…

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16. Last year in Spring Training Lazar and Garnett gave up 1 run in 9.2 innings…this year 8 earned runs in 2 innings

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    1. Those relievers are so volatile from year to year.

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17. Alvarado:………….“I had a great offseason. I changed my routine about eating. I lost weight. Latin people, we eat a lot of rice and beans. I switched for more protein, veggies. I came in in good shape and I’m so happy about the result today. Long time I was waiting for this moment. It’s different facing real people than when facing your team.”……….there you have it, the Phillies are bots.

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18. After 6 scheduled games, the Phillies are 2-2-1 with a rainout. I offer the following observations on the battle for backup catcher.

    Marchan started game one on Saturday in Lakeland v. the Tigers. Nabil Crismatt was the SP. Paul McIntosh was the second catcher

    Stubbs started game two on Sunday at home v. the Orioles. Tyler Phillips was the SP. Payton Henry was the second catcher.

    JT was in the starting lineup for game three on Monday v. the Pirates. The game was banged, Christopher Sanchez was to be the SP.

    Stubbs started game four on Tuesday in Port Charlotte v. the Rays. Sanchez was the SP. Caleb Ricketts was the second catcher.

    JT started game 5 on Wednesday in Dunedin v. the Blue Jays. Joe Ross was the SP. Marchan was the second catcher.

    Stubbs started game six on Thursday at home v. the Yankees. Zack Wheeler was the SP. Payton Henry was the second catcher.

    It’s too early to look at offensive stats this spring. The guys are probably one batting outcome from flipping positions. But here goes.

    Stubbs – 8 pa, 2 r, 2 h, 1 bb, 1 k, .333/.500/.333/.833, 1 hbp, 1 gidp, .400 babip

    Marchan – 5 pa, 0 r, 1 h, 1 bb, 0 k, .250/.400/.250/.650, .250 babip

    Defensive is also a small sample.

    Stubbs – 3 g, 3 gs, 15.0 inn, 20 tc, 20 po, 0 pb, 2 sb, 0 cs

    Marchan – 2 g, 1 gs, 9.0 inn, 9 tc, 8 po, 1 a, 1 pb, 0 sb, 0 cs

    The biggest difference is who starts with which pitcher.

    Stubbs started with Phillips, Sanchez, and Wheeler. Marchan started with Crismatt. Still a small sample, but a trend worth keeping an eye on.

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    1. Really important battle for the Phillies. JT needs a platoon this year and I assume that he will re-sign a 2-3 year deal in which he would also need a platoon. I am excited about Marchan but in all candor, if he can’t beat out Stubbs then he isn’t very good. Stubbs is an ok defender but a terrible hitter. His clubhouse vibes won’t impact decision. So this really is his shot.

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       1. It’s Marchan’s job to lose. Stubbs has options and Marchan doesn’t so if it’s even close they will make the move to keep both of them.

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       2. Phils are at a position where ‘vibes’ are cool, but winning is mandatory. Stubbs is not the guy I want catching 50-60 games this year.

          Go Marchan now. Let Stubbs and his Overalls retire into the sunset

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19. My sense is that the Phils are hoping — but need to be shown — that Realmuto is still the catcher they can justify paying $23.875 M annually, beyond this season.

    There maybe cases where the Phils offered a veteran less $ for less work but I can’t think of them.

    As long as this is a matter of doubt, the Phils have to retain Marchan, and give him work with the veteran staff. I can’t see the Phils telling Wheeler, Nola et. al. “We’re not bringing J.T. back and you’ll be throwing to someone new, from outside the organization., in 2026”. That said, I see Marchan as the only viable Plan B for next year.

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    1. IMO, JT will resign for 2 years maybe a 3rd team option @ $20M AAV

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       1. Anywhere between 15-20mil is fair… I said 20 mil earlier, got tomatoes thrown at me 🙂 … but 18-20mil seems realistic… if he wants to stay. I;d bet he does. 15 mil is what we all hope for, but likely not enough due to his current salary.

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          1. Yes…..his age and his slow offensive decline –his peak WAR was 2022 and has been trickling down since….work against him at this point. But lets put it another way……he will probably be one of the highest paid 34 year old catchers in baseball.

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       2. Re-signing 35 year old catchers to multiple year deals is what bad or declining teams do. One year reasonable deal ($12-15m) with a second year mutual option and reasonable buyout? Maybe (I’d move on, but it wouldn’t be the worst move ever). But otherwise, no way. They need to put those resources somewhere else. You don’t give big money to old catchers – it’s foolish.

          Also, Marchan is a superior talent and player to Stubbs. If he’s healthy, they need to transition to him now. The attachment to Stubbs is confounding. He’s a below average back-up – average at best; easily replaceable. Marchan has starter upside and is MUCH more talented player than Stubbs. It’s not even close. And Marchan could capable hold down the position for a few years (or more) while we wait for other potential stars.

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          1. In fairness to JT, he has been very good and while the odds are greatly against him not steeply declining after this year (catchers as a group, even great ones, fall off a cliff at around age 34 or 35 – even more than other position players), perhaps the best approach is just to let the year play out and see where you are when it ends, not only for Realmuto, but also Marchan and Tait. In the meantime, the fixation on Stubbs has to stop – he’s just another back-up catcher and he’s nowhere near as talented as Marchan, including defensively. I’ve become a very big Marchan fan and I think he could be quite a good and cheap starter for a few years.

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          2. I’m in favor of the 1 year with the 2nd being a mutual option at an AAV $15-$16

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    2. Flea, Im pretty sure they pay Realmuto and bring him back. Probably a 3 year deal, 2 would be better, but it usually takes 1 more year than you want. The way he handles the pitching staff… the team will justify the price. Im hoping he’s no more than than 15mil a year but will see.

       Put it this way.. think about Wheeler/Realmuto playoff games together… who wants to mess that combo up? 12mil for the regular season .. 3mil for the playoff run… do it… Marchan is cheap, and Tait hopefully develops as expected. Timelines match up… it’s just money Id gamble the overpay on Realmuto to keep that train going.

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       1. 3 year extension for Realmuto!?!? No please don’t. Crazy for a declining catcher.

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          1. Agreed. And there is zero reason to think about an extension now, before the season has played out, and we see where they are with all of their catchers, including Marchan and even Tait (not for next year, but to get a sense of when he might arrive in Philly).

             When you ignore a player’s age, you become like the 2012 Phillies or the current Cardinals (What happened to that organization? They’ve become atrocious and routinely make terrible decisions). It’s incredibly important, especially with catchers. And you don’t pay anyone for past performance – but, rather, projected performance. Catcher projections after age 34 are really, really bad and, yes, there are rare exceptions, but you don’t build projections based on unicorn players.

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             1. catch, yours is the analysis I agree with. If the Phils were inclined to extend Realmuto for 2-3 years, we would have an inkling of contract discussions happening by now.

                I think the Phils are on the cusp of moving from a Harper-centered team with free agents Harper endorsed and perhaps recruited to a younger, less expensive version of the team.

                Ii’s like “Win in 2025 or see changes unlike those of the past two off-seasons.” This old Harper-centered science experiment has one more year to run with a title marking success. Otherwise the payroll and roster change significantly with not just additions but some notable subtractions,.

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20. Something to also remember is that Marchan is a switch hitter. He would allow them to play an extra RH bat against a lefty with JT at DH and Schwarber in LF.

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21. Something to also remember is that Marchan is a switch hitter. He would allow them to play an extra RH bat against a lefty with JT at DH and Schwarber in LF.

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    1. I don’t want to see Kyle in the field ever LOL

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22. Good match-up today Luzardo/Crochet…

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23. I may be wrong but I can’t imagine a team giving Realmuto a two year contract. Could be but I wouldn’t do it at all.

    As for Marchan/Stubbs, I see Stubbs at LHV and if (let’s hope not WHEN) Marchan gets hurt, Stubbs comes up.

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    1. Sadly, I could easily see DD giving Realmuto a two or even three-year contract. That would be a classic DD too much money, too many years, dopey move. I hope I’m wrong, but we will see.

       Again – WWHD (What would Howie do?)? Think Brandon Graham. If they don’t have the guy to replace him internally he’d offer a lower value one year deal. That would be it – and it would be the right move. Otherwise, they would just move on.

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       1. So who is the GM now? If its Preston Mattingly there is a chance we start seeing them lean towards more of a youth movement.

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          1. Mattingly is sorta, kinda, a little the GM – it’s more a title than a traditional job description. Everyone knows that while DD runs the club, he makes the final decisions, not Mattingly. That said, I think it does give Mattingly some new opportunities and most important, the possibility of becoming the guy who really does make decisions when DD steps down or steps back.

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24. Speaking of a Howie move… he let Javon Hargrave go and Milton Williams played more and it worked out well. I love JT but with a payroll north of 200 Million, I think we let Marchan play 50 games or so (provided he doesn’t get hurt again) and see how he does. If he does well enough (I think he will) we let JT walk and allocate those funds elsewhere.

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    1. That’s basically been my point where this should probably go next year if things proceed as I expect. I think you just let the year play out, give Marchan his playing time and see how it turns out. The only big mistake for this year is giving Stubbs ABs that should go to Marchan. That would be a huge mistake.

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       1. We all love Rafi…..but lets face it…he is now 26-years old and has not played more than 85 games in a season in 6 years. And during that time frame that was as a starter in most seasons. Perhaps his MLB niche is as a back-up.

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          1. Yeah, but he’s really good. Let’s see if he can at least be a back-up. We won’t know that until he’s tried. The skillset is there – I’m pretty convinced of that. And I’m really convinced he’s quite a bit better than Stubbs. It’s like that old story about two guys being chase by a lion and one guy says, “we’re not faster than a lion.” And the other guy says “I don’t need to be faster than a lion, I just need to be faster than you.” And so it is with Stubbs and Marchan. Marchan does not need to be as a good as a starter, he just needs to be better than Stubbs (which I believe he clearly is).

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             1. No idea the framework of this trade but the Orioles have the top catching prospect in baseball amd a relatively full infield. Also desperate for pitching.

                At the end of this season, could a Phillies/Orioles trade happen for Rutchsman? If he repeats his last season -fine but not great – and Abel/Chace/insert pitching prospect not named Painter have a big season, i could see some possibility there.

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                1. Adley Rutschman is valued by many as the best catcher in baseball. I’d be shocked it they moved on from him with their young core. But maybe that means Basallo is in play.

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                2. I think it was Keith Law’s writeup where he mentioned, and I’m paraphrasing, that essentially Bassallo is so good that he’s probably just as good, younger and cheaperthan Rutschman

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                3. Basallo scouting report last year as a catcher:….”His arm strength is great and there were times last year when it looked incredible, but Basallo has been popping closer to 1.95 so far this year and his footwork is often pretty sloppy. As is true of a lot of catchers his age, he could stand to be more accurate and consistent coming out of his crouch. His receiving isn’t good, but it isn’t so terrible that it damns him to first base. His ball blocking might though, and it’s this area of Basallo’s game that most needs to improve.”

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                4. Interesting and, if true, why would the up-and-coming Orioles dump the young, best catcher in baseball and make this guy their receiver? Seems pretty unlikely, right?

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                5. Correct……Os are not giving up on Rutchsman at this point. In fact they are looking to lock him up on an LTC extension.

                   https://www.camdenchat.com/2024/12/9/24316743/baltimore-orioles-offseason-wish-list-adley-rutschman-extension

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                6. My guess is that it’s the chip that gets them their ace, or second ace. If not, one of them is the DH

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                7. You’re off the mark, Basallo is the #13 overall prospect. It would take Painter to get him and that won’t happen.

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                8. You’re off the mark, Basallo is the #13 overall prospect. It would take Painter to get him and that won’t happen.

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                9. I’m not saying its likely, but rutchsman had a not great year last year. If he’s decent but basallo is knocking on the door . . . Orioles cant waste their core bc their pitching is trash. Not saying its likely but even if rutschman has a good year, if abel/chace have a good year to, I’d throw sanchez potentially in a trade.

                   maybe they play first or DH, but they are also needing time for Mayo. Gunnar, westburg, holliday, mayo, cowser, krijstsd. That’s a lot. If I’m the orioles and believe that basallo is just as good, i trade adley for pitching. May have to be sanchez though

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                10. A team teetering on contention doesn’t trade arguably the best young catcher in baseball and replace him with a guy in minors who has defensive issues. It makes no sense. It’s much more likely they trade the guy in the minors.

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                11. I’m not saying they will trade him but if its the best and fastest way to improve your pitching? Like, if they believe baso is about the equivalent of adley and they can improve their chances by imrpoving elsewhere and for cheaper?

                    They are in a loaded offensive division. Also, adleys production doesnt scream “best catcher in baseball”. He hit .250, 18 hrs, w ana obp a little over .300. I dont think its crazy to think bassallo can exceed that.

                    Do they phillies have what they’d want? Ah, thats a stretch. But i dont think its absurd theyd consider trading him

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25. Okay, let’s go to our happy place now. Luzardo is starting the game and is pounding the zone in the high 90s. That transaction has the potential for enormous upside. Well-conceived trade.

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26. This Aoyogi guy doesn’t have MLB stuff

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    1. 20 pitches and doesn’t have an out with the bases loaded

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       1. Ended up with 2 Ks … last one was a nasty change-up. As the announcers said, if he can throw strikes at the bottom of the zone, though his pitches are high 80s, the movement is heavy. I could see him having success in AAA and then being a mixed bag in the bigs … when his control is on, he can be effective, but has a low margin of error. I would think he gets a shot during the long season at some point.

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27. this team is throwing gas. Surprised to see it so early in ST, but also a testament to the assembled talent.

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    1. This team’s rotation could rival the 2011 rotation, with a little less star power, but even deeper. As I think about it, when they get toward the end of the season, Painter is likely to become weapon X. They will deploy him where they need him most – which makes a ton of sense, since the BP is not quite as deep as in past years.

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       1. Indeed Painter could be a valuable weapon at some point this season…especially in the stretch run if need be. The BP, IMO, is very good on paper…..José Alvarado, Orion Kerkering, Jordan Romano, Joe Ross, Matt Strahm, with possibly Tanner Banks, and José Ruiz, and at the end of the spectrum in an emergency I would assume….T.Walker, Max Lazar, Nick Vespi, Cody Stashak, and Japanese newcomer sidewinder Koyo Aoyagi. This BP may not have the initial look of star power, but barring injury,  could be deeper than some BPs in the past.

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          1. The last group of guys you mentioned are just a bunch of AAAA guys (except for perhaps the Japanese pitcher – the history of Japanese pitchers is that the big names tend to underperform and the lesser known names tend to overperform, so I’ll hold out hope for him) and Walker who may be a wild card. Overall, right now, the BP has about as much depth as it had at this time last year. However, as I’ve watched baseball over the years, I think there is something to having a reliable closer. I think Romano has a chance to be that guy, which would be extremely helpful. I also expect another arm to emerge from the system during the year – it might even be Chace who could fill out the BP for this year where he is more needed at this time and then compete for a rotation spot next year.

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             1. Moises Chace could possibly be up…assume late in the year….to augment the BP, for now it appears he will start in AA ball, then hopefully a promo to LHV mid-season or so. His acceleration up the ladder will come down to his control. Kerkering was able to do it in herculean fashion a few years ago, no reason why Chace cannot do it if he harnesses his FB.

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       2. catch – it should. This rotation is damn good. 2011 have been better, but I believe this team will get better results. I have a feeling Painter can add a crazy dynamic to this team. If Walker can be serviceable or Ross steps in as the 5th… Painter can be used sparingly unit the playoffs. Thats one the better scenarios, let him pitch 2-3 innings as an opener, no more than 4, and then in the playoffs he can pitch used in GM 2, and 5. I feel he’s going to be used in a unique way

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28. Personnel update.

    Minor league ST begins on Monday, March 3rd. The remaining 41 players listed above who aren’t in Clearwater will join those already in town.

    There will be 148 players in minor league camp. That number includes 3 DSL pitchers who have been added to the group – RHPs Eligio Arias, Naoel Majia, and Fernando Ramos. (Note that DSL players brought stateside must be added to a stateside roster and cannot be returned to the DSL unless they were brought over for medical reasons.)

    The total of 148 players is well under the offseason limit of 175 players and the in-season limit of 165 players. But that number will increase as the 26 NRIs are reassigned to minor league camp and as many as 14 players from the 40-man roster are also reassigned.

    That would bring the minor league total to 188 players. So, barring a rash of players being added to the 60-day and full season injury lists (which I think can happen 3 days before the start of the Triple-A season), over 20 players might need to be pruned from the minor league list.

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    1. Romus, Rickardo Perez is among the new attendees and is listed as an infielder and no longer as a catcher.

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       1. Thanks Jim….seems he can hit, hope he can encompasses everything else required to be a professional baseball player.

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29. Rincones has come into ST healthy and he’s making some noise: 3 HRs in 12 ABs. He’ll still start the year at Lehigh but maybe he’s more ready than people thought. A big year from Rincones could force the Phillies to do the unthinkable: trade Castellanos.

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    1. Happy Birthday to him also….24 years old today. He does have over 450 PAs between the AFL and AA pitching…..that just may not be enough according to the manual. I think if he does well at LHV thru June, they may look to see if he can handle some MLB pitching in August or September.. but Thomson is normally hesitant about young guys in a pennant chase.

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       1. The only way Rincones will start games in the bigs this season if there are MULTIPLE injuries in the OF.

          Rincones will also have to battle Crawford to be the extra position player when rosters expand in September.

          Rincones (and Crawford) need to take care of business at Lehigh so that they can come to ST in 2026 looking for a job. Of course, that also implies that they didn’t get traded at the deadline.

          Note that the Phillies are the 4th oldest roster with an average age of 28.93. Needless to say, the Phillies need to get younger in the worst way so they need to keep Rincones (and Crawford).

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          1. Yeah, it really doesn’t help that both Crawford and Rincones are lefties and Rincones has a massive platoon differential. Aidan Miller is the guy we need to keep an eye on. He could make as big of a difference as anyone else they have in the minors not named Painter.

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          2. Phils should have a relatively easy OF to break into. They’re not heavily committed to any outfielder on the 40 long term(beyond next year), Left-handed, right-handed, anyone who can hit and doesn’t have bad splits could land a job. It wouldn’t take injuries among the incumbents — just a strong bat and reasonable fielding. That’s what the moves for Hays and Kepler told us. Phils have a weak OF.

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       2. The Phillies have been notorious over the years for paying millions for mediocrity just because that guy has been around the league for a while and had some past decent seasons.

          Their also notorious for thinking more of prospects they trade for than their own.

          My poster child for such a case was Rodolfo Castro who we got in the Falter Trade.

          Consider that year 2023 Castro somehow managed to get 32 PAs to Weston Wilson’s 22. And at the time WW was in LHV putting up an 879 OPS on his way to 31 Dingers.

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30. What to do with Tai Walker — assuming his 1st start, no fluke –

    a. keep him as long man, never too much pitching;

    b. flip him for any A or AA player with a pulse;

    c. keep him as #5, look to package Ranger for a solid RH OF bat.

    This may be the funniest story in Spring!

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    1. If Taijuan Walker was on the open market, what’s the absolute most teams will pay for him? I’m guessing something like 1 year, $3M?

       He’s still owed $36M. He’s the poster child for not paying for mediocre pitchers in their 30s. Walker should be thanking DD for that contract every single day.

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       1. Philly Talk (Amaro, Salisbury, Zolecki) addressed Walker’s value today. Said he’s definitely not A#1 or #2 but could slot 3-5 depending on his improvement and the team he’s on. He was appraised as a $8 M – !2 M a year pitcher in the current market,.He was compared with 34 year old Matthew Boyd who signed a 2 year $29 M deal with the Cubs. Walker might draw interest from a team willing to him on with the Phils eating 1/2 of his salary.

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          1. That is crazy. Boyd only pitched 39 innings last season but he was very effective. Walker was terrible with reduced velocity. Walker getting $8M+? I don’t believe that for a second.

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             1. Key part of your statement is the reduced velocity part. If he’s throwing in the upper 80s like he was last season, then he’s not usable. If he’s throwing 93/94 like he was in his ST start, then it’s a different story.

                He’s going to have to show everyone that he can maintain that velocity over multiple appearances and innings before any trade becomes possible.

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                1. Agreed. For this reason, I think there’s a good chance that, even if he can maintain his velocity and be effective, the trade probably won’t happen until May or June. Until that time, he’ll be a long man/6th starter, unless another team is desperate for a starter this spring, which could happen. For everyone who keeps saying he could be our 5th starter. If everyone else is healthy, that will not happen. We already have 5 very, very good to excellent starters. To think that either Luzardo or Suarez is going to be our 5th starter that’s pretty staggering. It’s the truly special part of this team IF those guys can stay relatively healthy and effective according to their historical norms. Even the 2011 team did not have a 5th starter like that and certainly didn’t have another guy like Painter waiting in the wings as a 6th guy.

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       2. Joe Ross got what a 1/$4 Mil deal and Walker might not even be as effective as he.

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31. MLB Pipeline has released the Phillies top 30.

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    1. Nothing really unexpected from the MLB list. They always seems slow to drop guys down/off lists so Abel is still in the top 10. Some of the choices towards the end of the 30 are a little perplexing. Ricketts? Probably the 3rd best catching prospect on the AA roster.

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       1. I’m happy that the Phillies have a solid top 10 and that the majority of the players are under 24.

          Mick Abel has had 84 career starts and his numbers are not great: 4.78 ERA, 1.435 WHIP, 5.3 BB/9. You figure that this is his last season (at age 23) to be a starter.

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32. Surprised Griff McG. is still in the top 30, be it at number 30, and Jordan Viars is not at all. I am banking on Mavis Graves moving up from 17 by mid-season’s rework. This will be a pivotal year for him at JS. Also seems Alirio Ferrebus has been getting a lot of recognition lately. He could be a fast mover thru the system.

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    1. I was surprised that Griff was still on it.

       As for Jordan Viars, he’s still only 21 but his career slash is not great .228/.330/.374. Not to mention he’s played in 248 games and now entering his 5th minor league season.

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       1. He’s extremely young and he seems to be a superb athlete, but he just looks to be the kind of guy who simply cannot hit advanced pitching. If that’s not the case, we should get some hints of that at least this year. My current sense, however, is that he never gets above AA. Of course, I hope I’m wrong – but he’s probably not a top 50 prospect in the organization right now.

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33. FYI. Just for anyone who is not aware. Phillies preview of the 30 clubs is on MLBN tonight at 6. An hour-long preview. The prospects games run March 13-16, and the Phillies vs Pirates is at 1 p.m. on March 14th.

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    1. Don….wonder of Painter will pitch an inning. Seems MLB wants these break-out games to be an annual marketing tool event in spring training to generate more fandom enthusiasm. If the Phillies plans are not pitch Painter, then I would think there would be no pressure from people at MLB to alter those plans, even for just one inning. I guess we will know in 10 days from now.

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       1. Romus. I do not know on Painter. Network guys did say other day they will have prospects who are playing but I missed when they will say. I am sure they will talk about Painter tonight. These are hour long previews. I watched about half of the one last night on Tigers. Saw Max Clark is their #5 prospect. I only check in from time to time right now. I did see Mad Max yesterday morning on a replay of game with Phillies. He looked good. When he went out Kepler hit s double off of the right center wall. I always liked him years ago with Twins. Hope he does well. He looked good running to 2B on hit

          Romus. I just looked at the pic I took last night. MLBN is going to have 8 games. Roster reveal is March 6 at 11 a.m. It is at the bottom of the screen. Will not have to wait that long.

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          1. Don…I will have to check that out on MLBN on Thursday. Assume if he is on the roster he will play. It will be almost 20 months since his TJ surgery (July 2023) and he already has pitched in the fall in the AFL…..but the bottom-line according to Dave D., is that they want to limit his total innings this year so that is what they have to consider.

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             1. Romus. I believe they played these prospect games a year ago as well. But I could be wrong. I am not sure at all on the setup. If it is 7 innings, 9 innings or what they do. Maybe 2 hours. I have no idea. I have the pics on my phone so I will try to remember to see as well. But I get doing things around here and then realize I missed what I was going to watch. One would think that if they play something like a game each team will have around 18 to 20 players maybe. I may be all off.

                TV times on 13th is 8. 14th Pirates vs Phillies is 1. 2nd game not till 8 p.m. 15th games are 1, 6, 9, 16th 4 and 7:30. That really does not tell much.

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                1. Yeah Don this is the 2nd or 3rd year for the Break-Out Games. Actually a good marketing tool….may bring in more fans to the parks at approx. the half-way point of ST to see future stars playing.

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34. If it is me, Painter is a no go for this prospect game. Unnecessary risk that benefits the MLB fan base, not the Phillies. Thats an inning or 2 that could be used in the playoffs. The AFL was the test. He sits if it’s my decision. Im sure he will want to pitch … but… tooooooo baaad! We got a trophy to get back!

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    1. Tac and Romus. They interviewed Painter on the preview show last night and he is not pitching in the prospect game. He said he plans to be at it since in Clearwater. He looked really tall, or Sam Dykstra is short.

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       1. That is what Dave D. had wanted all along with the plan they set up for him. And he agrees with it.

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       2. Word on the street is he is 6’7”….

          He is tall. For comparison, Some dude named Zach Wheeler is 6’4”.

          One of the reasons Wheeler is so effective is his stride & reach. Sounds like Painter can replicate that, if not be closer to the plate once the ball is released. Hellva of a prospect to have…

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          1. If A.P. strides like Bailey Falter, it would be a slam dunk strike. They would have to change the rules.

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35. Romus ………. when you are rubbing shoulders with Mattingly tell him to send a scout to George Mason ….. they broke a 42 year NCAA record the other day. Scored 23 runs in an inning! Must have some bats down there.😅

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    1. Yeah…sent 28 batters to the plate in that inning…..Holy Cross pitchers were shell shocked.

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36. Ricones Jr making waves, Sounds good to me. He’s keeping Kemp under the radar so far. Could be 2 internal replacements from within. Not bad. Haven’t seen that in a while …. Or at least it feels that way.

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    1. If I am reading you right…..you are saying Rincones would be replacing Grizzly ‘Charlie Blackmon’ Adams in the OF……I just do not see that happening this season. Now if Marshy flubs at the plate this season, then next year it could be a reality.

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       1. Romus – not that optimistic yet, more for the bench spots with making some players expendable at the end of the year … maybe even the trade deadline

          Wilson, Sosa, Clemens, and Rojas may need to start looking over their shoulders. Will see. I’ve had Sosa on the chopping block for a while, not due to ability,but his salary. If he grabs the CF spot, well that changes things. Wilson & Clemens seem the most in danger to me, with Rojas being able to justify a roster spot simply for late innning defense.

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37. Tac. I knew Painter was tall. I just saw a piece where Rosenthal spoke with Harper and Bryce urged Phillies to pursue Alonso when he stayed out there so long. Harper said he would go back to the outfield if it would help the team win. Seems Bryce wants a WS.

    Last night on the Phillies preview Denny and Plesac felt Phillies have best shot at the moment of knocking off Dodgers. One glaring thing for Plesac is he is concerned about the Phillies BP getting outs 25-27. They spoke of the two games leading vs the Mets and letting them get away.

    Also, both mentioned that the Phillies should have put a WS title in 2023. I agree there. That may be the best opportunity this particular core group gets. Hope not.

    Romus. oldruff let me know last night that George Mason really liked the Holy Cross pitchers.

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    1. Don…..George M, bless them…they gave the Holy Cross pitchers their Ashes a day earlier. For the Mason kids….it was a Fat Tuesday celebration.

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       1. Romus. You 2 are so funny. Phillies bats last 2 days did not go through the burning ritual. They are COLD.

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       2. Romus, I see that it is 12 – 0 in the 3rd vs the Tigers, I told you to tell Mattingly to sign the GM bats …….. not the Holy Cross pitchers …….. come’on pay attention l.

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          1. Yeah….Luzardo and Strahm got up on the wrong side of the bed today.

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38. The baseball gods are unforgiving … can’t even get away with some positive comments in spring training … they will release their wrath …

    See SR comments from earlier

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39. I will likely be at the ST workouts and game on Saturday (work permitting). Please let me know if you’re also going to be there and would like to say hello and get acquainted. It’s been a looooong time since I’ve been to ST and I’m looking forward to it.

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    1. lucky dog, enjoy!

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       1. Thanks! You know I will!

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    2. I haven’t been attending workouts at the Complex on game days. The walk back and forth is a bit much for me nowadays. If I don’t sell my tickets, I sit in section 201. I carry a gray, cloth gym bag with Clearwater on the side. I wear a dark blue Threshers hat these days instead of the straw hat people are accustomed to seeing.

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       1. No straw hat? I wouldn’t recognize you.

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40. Watching this homer from Rojas yesterday and it looks like he made some changes to his swing. Looks to my eye that he has widened his base and has much less movement. Shorter and quicker to the ball.

    The homer is nice, but we don’t really need home run power from Rojas for him to be an every day CF. We just need him to cut down on his strikeouts and take more walks. Last year he had a 3.6% walk rate and 19.0% K rate. We really need him to be 8%-10% walk rate and a 15% K rate. If he can do that then he could be a 3+ WAR player.

    https://www.mlb.com/phillies/video/johan-rojas-three-run-home-run-x3312

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    1. Here’s how I look at Rojas. In any given year, he has the ability to be an elite defender, although last year, he was just very good and not elite. But if he can be elite, any way that he can improve his offensive abilities is a big plus – be it through increased OBA, BA, slugging or even base running. But on the whole I agree with you that, fundamentally, unless he improves his plate discipline, he’s not going to become a competent offensive player. I think improving plate discipline is one of the most difficult things in baseball (regardless of what people say and write, it very, very rarely happens), but perhaps he’s still young enough where that could occur.

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    2. sometimes the worst thing that can happen is a guy like Rojas hits some home runs. that leads to over swinging and getting away from what he should be doing.

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41. Romus. Did you catch the Breakout Roster reveal? I took pics of the Phillies roster. Lots of the top position players. Clase seems to be one of the top pitchers. It scrolled across bottom of screen so difficult to see. A list would be easier.

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    1. Don…here it is….good solid team.

       https://www.mlb.com/phillies/news/phillies-spring-breakout-roster-2025?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage

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       1. Romus. Thanks. This is so much nicer than my pics on the scroller. I got all the names, but it was a pain. I am looking forward to these games next week. Seems like the young guys they spoke with today are as well. I am sure my Indy guy Max Clark is probably playing in Tiger game.

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42. I’m really glad this is spring training and these guys are “working on things”. I realize it’s early and the players are getting into the groove. The Phillies starting lineup has pretty much been inept and Turner is 0 for everything while Curtis Meade is now batting just under .800. Most of his hits have come against his “old” team. Of the 54 outs in today’s game, 32 came via the strike out. Looking forward to the real games.

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43. Many have soured on Mick Abel….but Steve Potter reported yesterday he threw very well for the two innings he pitched…..and had control…’very encouraging’ It will be a real plus and shot in the arm for the org. if he can live up to his past billing.

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    1. I am pulling for him. I like his attitude. He kept positive and said he just needed to work more. Many pitchers go through this.

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       1. So far he has shown positive results. If he can sustain this he could be an attractive trade asset .

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44. Romus. I have a quick question you may know a bit on. What is the situation if a player has a partial UCL tear. What happens then?

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    1. Don……I really do not know…every arm is different.

       Listening to Nola yesterday…..he talked about his health regiment since his shutdown in late 2016, had the issue in his first full season and I believe had PRP and avoided the actual TJ surgery and the long period of recovery and rehab. He came back and pitched in April 2017.

       Now there are so many different procedures that can be afforded to pitchers…like an internal brace which Strider had done.

       So to answer your question…..not sure what actually can be utilized these days for a partial tear.

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       1. Thanks. I knew you had spoken about this some. Grandkid had MRI yesterday and that is what he has. No other info.

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          1. Don….good luck to your grandson. Hopefully whatever treatment he gets from his medical people, he will fully recover and be back on the diamond.

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             1. Thanks Romus. Was Bryce and Painter both UCL issues? I saw the play on tv of Harper injury. Did Phillies wait and try something on Painter before ultimately going the TJ route?

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                1. Don……Yes both UCLs…..and they did wait a little before Painter had his surgery…I suppose that was the protocol. Not every UCL tear is at the same degree from what I have read. I guess trying rehab is the first phase. Remember Seranthony’s a few years …waited thru rehabs and waited, but eventually had to have it done

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45. DMAR …….. how is your evaluation of Rodolfo progressing? I think his bat could use the singeing process that Romus advocates.

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46. Yankees are awaiting results on Gerit Cole’s elbow…wanting a second opinion is not a good sign. DD contact D.Cashman and see if they would like Taijuan Walker for insurance…just in case.

    https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/yankees-ace-gerrit-cole-concerned-after-initial-mri-results-on-pitching-elbow-will-seek-second-opinion/

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    1. I would suspect the Yankees go after Alcantarra of the Marlins, hope he is back to form … or … everybody’s favorite CY winner … Trevor Bauer.

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       1. Trevor Bauer is the new Secretary of Education so likely unavailable to the NYY…

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          1. Yeah, it’s pretty apparent. For 30 MLB teams to say they don’t have a roster spot for him… yeah… OKAY!

             Anyways, it indulge the storyline. Im sure many, if not all know, but Bauer & Cole were college teammates. Possibly even roommates (not 100% sure) but they do definitely hate each other. So what a storyline it would be for Bauer to come in and save the season. Imagine him being a top tier arm in the AL … while Cole is rehabbing hating every minute of it…

             It’d be a hellva story, with other angles mixed in. I will say.. it’s a move George Steinbrenner would make. No doubt about it

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47. I like what I’m seeing from Kemp so far this spring. He doesn’t get himself out, makes pitchers work, has a great idea of where the strike zone is, seems very productive and ……. I don’t care how old he is!

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    1. Bryce said today he likes Kemp “a lot.”

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48. Kemp, Rincones, A. Escobar, Crawford, Miller, Tait

    6 to keep an eye on.

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    1. Was at ST yesterday. Took in minor league BP and then saw the game. Saw most of our bigger prospects hit – very cool. Did not see Tait or guy still in big league camp. Here are some brief notes. Remember it’s BP – it doesn’t tell you if a guy can hit a great heater or breaking ball but you get to see the guy and see what he can in ideal conditions.

       Miller – totally looks the part; stud athlete – nice BP – nothing I saw suggests the hype is wrong.

       Crawford – much bigger than I expected. Looked good.

       A. Escobar – really looked good. Hit the ball hard everywhere.

       Burkholder – big athlete who hit hot lines drives around the park. Looking excellent.

       Spikerman – Just so so. Didn’t get the pick when made and still don’t get it. Should have taken a big arm at that spot.

       Nori – ripped Adam Eaton/Dykstra type of athlete. Very aggressive personality.

       Saltiban – WOW – stud athlete – drove towering drives all over the park. Huge up arrow.

       Pouka-Greggo – utterly unimpressive both physically and in terms of performance – totally off my radar.

       Ferrebus – big kid, slightly disappointing BP.

       Viars – Big athletic kid – unimpressive bat to ball skills as his stats would suggest.

       TJayy Walton and Hendry Mendez – huge, powerful guys – descents BPs

       Rincon – Had a really nice BP session – very impressed.

       Keaton Anthony – you see him and you understand why he went under drafted. Looks like a guy who gets stuck in AA or AAA.

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       1. Good report and encouraging for some of the young hitters coming thru the system. Plenty to like right now.

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       2. Interesting report on Keaton Anthony. I had a different take when I saw him at Lakewood. He went undrafted because he was caught up (unfairly) in a gambling scandal at Iowa. First Keaton won the gold glove for first baseman last year. Pretty impressive defensive accomplishment. I saw a big guy who knows how to find the barrel. I am actually pretty high on him. Will be interesting to follow.

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          1. Assume he will start at Reading this season. So far at every level , with extended PAs, he has produced. Now he will be 24 this season, so this season may dictate how he eventually ends up in the grand scheme of things. Could be that 4A player if he struggles with AA pitching or may go on to become a legit MLB prospect-rake at AA and get the LHV promo in the second half. Shame he cannot play some OF or third base…that versatility would do him good.

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          2. A couple of points.

             First, Anthony didn’t look bad or anything like that. He looked fine. His calling card is his hit tool, not really power, so you tend to see that a little less in BP. All I was saying is that there’s nothing apparently electric about the player when I saw him, which is not surprisng.

             Steve’s point about players working on things and the crazy small sample size is a good one (I mean, maybe Jordan Viars typically makes good contact in BP, but the day I was there, he made consistently poor contact, which was noteworthy). That said, you definitely pick up on things down there that tend to carry over. When he was still in A ball, you could see how hard Rhys Hoskins hit the ball – it made a different sound coming off of his bat. Odubel Herrera looked amazing and, as it turned out, that was for real. And after about 3 minutes of watching Larry Greene, you knew this kid had no shot whatsoever to be a major leaguer – he was horrible in ST.

             Also a big Otto Kemp fan. He’s on the older side for a prospect, but he’s still in the reasonable range. Plenty of prospects break out when they are in the 24-25 age range, including Ryan Howard (breakout year when he was 24). Josh Donaldson and Max Muncy didn’t really break out as prospects until they were 26. It happens. Also Kemp’s ascension was slowed by several injuries in college.

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             1. I have been impressed by Kemp this spring. That said it is spring training so have to discount stats. But he is interesting for sure.

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49. A few other guys and noted

    Matthieson – Looked okay and showed power but looked more like he was in a home run derby than trying to develop hitting skills (by the way all these guys were trying to hit homers – I mean REALLY trying to hit homers). Put it this was – the younger Burkholder was much more impressive.

    DeMartini – Looked okay – not sure what conclusions to draw. The team seems to like him.

    Cade Fergus – believe it or not he showed the most power in BP – hitting the ball way out to left center and halfway up the batters eye in dead center. Have no idea whether or to what extent this ability will show up in games – but he has legit raw power.

    R. Moore – ripped and energetic son of a baseball GM. Positive kid high-fiving and talking up everyone. Looks like he had all the best training money could buy and embraced it – but you just can’t buy baseball talent – his BP was just average. Nothing to write home about.

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    1. Sorry I missed you – I was unable to attend practice yesterday. As you say it’s only BP and without seeing it on a daily basis on more than one occasion it’s not a fair assessment to base a judgement on. As scouts have told me time and again practice habits can tell a lot about a player but more than one practice is needed to do so.

       Should also note that each BP session has specific rounds to work on different things – hitting the other way, line drives, power, etc. It’s pre discussed each day before the sessions – some days may be dedicated ones to just one area.

       Same with fielding and bullpen sessions – pre determined and discussed on what is the day’s focus.

       Steve Potter

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50. Otto Kemp is finally becoming a story outside of this place. BH specifically called out how much he likes his ABs and how he works his approach.

    Otto is not going to displace anyone in the IF not this season anyway unless an injury happens but would be nice to know if he can play corner OF.

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51. Aroon is another guy that looks the part…

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    1. I think they may let him stay at 2B from here on out…perhaps a little of third base also along the way. It would really be nice for an original Phillie international signee LA hitter to break out.

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       1. Escobar absolutely smoked a line-drive HR yesterday with the Phillies. It’s available at phillies.com

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52. Bummer to see that Matt Strahm could hit the shelf with a left shoulder issue. It seems the weakest area of the team will be the bullpen, but I guess that guarantees Walker making the team in a long relief role and sets up Joe Ross for a more critical leverage role? Who else will make the pen? Not excited about Tanner Banks being in there…

    Let’s hope this is the extent of injuries as we inch closer to Opening Day. Looks like the Mets and Braves are far worse off at this stage of the preseason than the Phillies (knocking on wood desk currently).

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    1. Does not look like there are many great LHP relievers available right now if Strahm is out for an extended period of time…they all have major league experience, but are all in their 30s…Ty Blach …Brooks Raley……..Will Smith……..Drew Smyly

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       1. Not only is Strahm dinged up and LHRP not generally available …….. but, I’m not really excited about some some of the RHRP.

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          1. Hopefully Orion K. is now ready for prime time stardom…..and Jordan Romano is what he was a few years ago when he was an all-star. Phillies cannot afford injuries to their BP…..I guess like most teams.

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             1. I haven’t seen him pitch this ST, but his stat lines suggest Alvarado is BACK.

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                1. Saw him twice so far, he hasn’t looked bad.

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                2. His velocity was noticeably down last year and, as weird as it is to say that there’s a difference between throwing a 100 MPH fastball and a 97 MPH fastball – well, there is. Fortunately, the velocity appears to be back with a vengeance. Whether that’s because he’s in better shape or just needed to heal up – I don’t know, but in either event it’s good news.

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53. With roughly 3 weeks to go to the start of the season, the Walker storyline has some legs. Will see this week. The manager seems to think he is back.. could be an amazing story if so. That said, still early for me to get excited. Ultimately, i think he needs another 2mph on his FB. 92/93 seems hella slow these days. Will see… not getting exited yet but we getting closer.

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    1. He’s our 7th or 8th starter. Not a good contract but a decent depth piece.

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54. As soon as I hear shoulder I automatically panic. Not to be negative Nancy but I didn’t think they did enough in the BP going in to 25.

    Romano with his IR history I don’t think he holds up. He may but I’m not confident. Alvie always starts ok then he slumps a few times throughout a season and gets to the playoffs looking worn out.

    Perhaps the good news is this line-up of starting pitching reduces the number of high leverage outs coming out of the BP.

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    1. One thing that can always be found during the season up to the trade deadline are bullpen arms. If they find the bullpen is struggling by June they have ability to trade for reinforcements.

       If that’s their greatest concern by the all-star break then the season is going relatively well.

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       1. Correct……teams out of contention will be willing to trade BP pieces. Giving up a prospect or two is a hard pill to swallow, but you have to take that risk.

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          1. There’s always David Robertson….

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             1. Ben Brown will be vying for a rotation spot this season with the Cubs. That pill was a hard swallow.

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                1. Who’s spot in the Phillies rotation would Ben Brown be taking in 2025? Maybe they don’t trade for Luzardo?

                   Brown threw 55 innings in 2024 so he’s not throwing 150 in 2025. This horse has been beaten already many times, but the Phillies probably aren’t a playoff team that season if that trade doesn’t happen

                   Need to let it go and move on.

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                2. No. Never let it go…do elephants ever let it go!

                   Seriously….IMHO, Dombrowski could have obtained DR at a lower price if he just negotiated a bit more, ilo of acquiesce to whatever other teams want. His reputation of being a favorite GM to deal with from opponent GMs, is unnerving every trade deadline. I know he does well in other areas of player acquisitions and transactions, but that is just the one area of his that I find he could be a bit more cunning…the trade deadline time.

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                3. Well, if we are talking about DD’s weaknesses, he is definitely prone to overpaying and providing too many years on FA contracts – it’s almost like he’s trying to overextend on some of these deals.

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                4. Know what they say about opinions, everyone has one 🙂 There is no way to know if he could have made a better or not.

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    2. I saw your “special project” got his inaugural spring training hit yesterday! Cementing his position on the “40” for the year, I suppose, huh?

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55. Everybody hits today ….. well almost ….. DMAR’s buddy didn’t!

    Q: ….. is Christian Arroyo going to make this team? There are some bench guys that are doing nice stuff. O.K. got assigned to minor league camp, 20 minutes ago.

    Interesting time is coming up!

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56. New discussion at Phillies Discussion 3/11/2025 | Phuture Phillies

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