187 thoughts on “Phillies Discussion 4/7/2025”

1. The other day I complained about MLB taking away televised games to MLB subscribers to its promise of “all” out of market games for $24.99 a month. I was wrong. It’s now $29.99 a month.

   LikeLike

2. I saw this from Jesse Rogers. Seems like a nice article on the Phillies. Why Phillies ran it back instead of going big in MLB offseason – ESPN

   LikeLike

   1. Ironic quote from Garrett Stubbs about how hard it is to upgrade the Phillies given their talent at every position. Turns out backup catcher was upgradable (and, frankly, it was).

      LikeLike

   2. I didn’t glean much from the ESPN article. DD seems to have adopted a “we’ll see” approach towards future roster construction. It would be useful to have a better idea of what he’s focusing on.

      The Phils were “in” on Yamamoto in the 2023 off-season and nominally “in” on Soto this past off-season.What was the thinking by the team opening itself to these expensive long term commitments? What changed, as in, what happened to the money they were prepared to spend?

      By adding Luzardo, no one is losing sleep over Yamamoto and Sasaki going to L.A. But if there was room for Soto in the lineup, wasn’t there room for a lesser but still notable contributor? Even if there was no inclination to vastly improve the bullpen, were the resources not there to retain Jeff Hoffman who had performed well and seemed happy in Philly? And how do prospects much-discussed here factor into the Phils thinking going forward?

      I think the real”Dombrowski story” regarding the Phils running it back this season is yet to be told.

      LikeLike

      1. I think it’s more about a willingness to pay the luxury tax ONLY for elite players like Soto and Yamamoto. Once those players went elsewhere, the tax came back into play.

         LikeLike

3. Excited for you to get to see Painter Jimmy. And you are correct on another point at least for me which is to say I don’t give Sosa enough credit. In short stints and when the moment calls for it he really looks like an everyday player.

   I’m in the camp that Painter can be a secret weapon out of the pen for the Playoffs. By that point you don’t need to keep him in bubble wrap.

   LikeLike

4. I agree on using all hands in the playoffs. But if the pen seems as thin as it is now by the trade deadline, the team has to add a known commodity to the back end. You can see by the slow but constant progression of Kerkering that Toppe ris not one to rush the kids into high leverage roles. By the playoffs — if they were to happen for the Phils this year — you might see starters in addition to Ranger being called on in a relief role.

   LikeLike

   1. Quite frankly. I think Top would not hesitate or would rather prefer to put Orion into high leverage roles now, he did it two years ago when hew was a rookie. But am thinking he is deferring to his veteran relievers more than thinking he is rushing OrK into tough situations..

      LikeLike

5. Tait and Escobar are both off to good starts but really SSS. Both should push their way forward this season one level at least. JS and Reading need some better baseball weather (I think) before they get going but both teams aside for one or two guys look weak.

   LHV has some of the best overall numbers I’ve seen in quite some time. Kemp Crawford and Rincones all off to solid starts.

   LikeLiked by 1 person

6. I am going to say, as a marginal nonsequitur (sp?) that the key to Ranger’s success was always his amazing control. and that his back problems have diminished that. I would be incredibly sad to see him leave in free agency. I wonder what exercises or regimens are recommended

   LikeLike

   1. Perhaps losing a little more weight may help with his health issues. Oddly, his approach and delivery are not in any way violent, in fact have to think, one of the easiest deliveries on the staff.

      LikeLike

   2. Ranger had 1 crazy season (2021 with 5.6 WAR) but more recently, he’s been good not great. And now he’s getting older and more injured. The Phillies have Andrew Painter waiting. It’s an easy choice here.

      LikeLike

      1. Guru, you are right….(I mean I dispute that you have to choose either Painter or Suarez, but you are right that he is getting older and has been injured more recently) Look at his minor league walk to strike out ratio, and look at some of his pitching in specific at bats. His control was amazing. IMO Girardi overworked him. OK, I tend to blame Girardi for things, but in this case perhaps I have justification.

         LikeLike

7. Kepler and Marsh are out for tonight’s matchup vs Chris Sale. Sosa and Rojas are in.

   LikeLike

8. The Phillies won’t have to worry about Reynaldo López for most of this season. He underwent right shoulder surgery and best case, he comes back in August or September. But likely he’s out for the year.

   LikeLike

   1. Braves have been really experiencing a run of injuries’ to key players. Strider and Acuna may be back by June, but who knows how effective they will be.

      LikeLike

      1. Strider recently threw 5.1 hitless innings in the minors. He will be back in the next week or two

         LikeLike

         1. yes, he will be back soon. Biggest question with Strider is how many innings will he throw in 2025.

            LikeLike

            1. Had an internal brace procedure…assume his innings will be limited.

               LikeLike

            2. I’m guessing the Braves will limit him to 4-5 innings per start. I would be shocked if he went over 120 innings.

               LikeLike

9. After 5, Crawford 2 hits, Kemp dinger #4.

   LikeLike

10. Sosa made a heck of a catch at the wall, but overall he appears too tentative in his judgments to be put out there regularly, IMO.

    LikeLike

11. Stott, Turner and Bohm are inviting competition from below or from Sosa. Bohm’s fielding has taken a step backward.

    LikeLike

12. I don’t think we’ll see Sosa back in LF anytime soon. His defense basically cost the game. Minors went 4-0 tonight, multiple comebacks.

    LikeLike

13. Unfortunately, there will be more sloppy losses this season for the Phillies, but that winnable game was hard to watch. Obviously the big mistake was the misplay on Riley’s 2B. But Kerkering’s appearance was worrisome. He had no feel for his fastball and was way too tentative vs a last place team. Not something you want to see from a reliever who should be stepping into a role as a setup guy.

    LikeLiked by 1 person

14. 1st loss to start a season so I’m very interested in how we approach these next 2 games. Winning the series is key to me especially against division foes that you may be competing against for a division.

    My interesting stat of the day is JT 8 Ks and 3 BBs; Marchan 0 Ks 4 BBs.

    Bohm JT and Marsh all need to get it going. Throw in Kepler too.

    LikeLike

15. It kills me to watch a kid like Rojas, who at his age has the ultimate opportunity – how many kids get to play in an org with a chance to win it all every year but just so happen to desperately need someone at his position to emerge. Yet what does he do? Watch a ball drop in front of him. Take charge Johan. Take this opportunity and run with it. Please. Of all our OF’ers, after ten games and ST, the guy who has demonstrated the most growth and improvement is the oldest player – Nick.

    LikeLike

    1. Come on already. The guy made an error in a moment of confusion playing outfield next to a guy who has only played infield. Let’s not blow it out of proportion. Errors happen – they happen all the time.

       LikeLike

       1. They do, but the responsibility of a centerfielder is to take charge …. and I could tell by Topper’s head shaking that what Rojas was selling … Topper wasn’t buying! The position (CF) is for the taking, the time is now. Personally in retrospect, they would have done just as well with Marsh or Kepler in left. Agree with Murrayfein that Sosa’s total performance wasn’t very good.

          LikeLike

          1. It’s not Sosa’s fault, he’s playing out of position. The Phillies put him in the OF for his bat, knowing full well that there could be “adventures” in the OF.

             LikeLike

             1. Agreed and very convenient that everyone is ignoring Sosa’s amazing home run robbery in his first time out there. With a little time there’s every reason to believe that Sosa could play outfield.

                LikeLike

                1. I gave him credit see my post 9:15 pm 4/8.

                   LikeLike

          2. Skeet….you are correct that the CFer is in charge. If Sosa is out there again….I do not see that happening again.

             BTW….Turner’s lead off bat in the first…..goes up 2-0, then runs it full, then swings at a ball four high and away……poor AB…cost a big inning since after Harper, three hits in a row……Phillies could have put up 2/3 runs in the first and force the issue with Sale. I thought Turner could have handled that AB better.

             LikeLike

             1. Romus – I’m glad you pointed out Turner’s AB – I thought the exact same thing !!! He swung at a pitch high and outside for a K – if he had just walked it would have made for a 2-3 run inning as you stated !!!! AGREE 100 %

                LikeLike

                1. Sometimes he just lets me down. Perhaps I am expecting too much from him. I just think a 32-year old player with 11 seasons as a starter should be more in tuned to the situation.

                   LikeLiked by 1 person

                2. Let’s be honest, as a Phillie, Turner has been a good to sometimes very good player and a very inconsistent player. Problem is, we were told we were getting a great player. A few stellar months aside, that’s not who he has been.

                   LikeLike

                3. Did Turner let you all down tonight too?

                   LikeLike

16. Can Sosa make the throws from the OF? Yesterday was unimpressive. He can learn to field the position but if he can’t make the throws, to me that disqualifies him as an outfielder.

    LikeLike

    1. Sosa has a strong arm but I don’t think it’s strong enough to be an outfield arm. The Braves ran on Sosa first chance they got.

       LikeLike

17. Aroon Escobar with a game tying grand slam in the bottom of the 9th inning last night for Clearwater is pretty cool.

    LikeLike

    1. Just saw a video of the HR, the pitcher hung a slider to Escobar and it went a long way.

       LikeLike

       1. I wonder if the MLB locker room has a board of what the prospects are doing LOL…

          AAA LHV Center Fielder Justin Crawford 45 PAs 325/357/782 OPS

          AAA LHV 3B Otto Kemp 275/362/1.012 OPS

          LikeLike

          1. DMAR…….one thing about Crawford…..we will not have to worry about his strike-out rate….he seems to be able to make contact. Less than 20% so far in almost 1000 PAs.

             LikeLiked by 1 person

       2. Escobar looks better and better all the time. He’s a very exciting player.

          LikeLiked by 1 person

18. Moises Chace is starting for Reading tonight. Let’s hope for some improved velocity.

    LikeLike

    1. Chace is soooo getting traded. Just my little prediction here.

       LikeLike

       1. Come July that very well may be in the equation for that added asset. It would be ideal if his FB velo consistently is at the mid-90s and above. That would further enhance his value.

          LikeLike

19. Ranger to Clearwater tomorrow to work on a rehab assignment. He has to make up for some loss of spring training.

    LikeLike

20. To me the saddest part of the ball falling in front of Rojas was that with the catch, Wheeler gets out of the inning with 25 pitches over 2 innings. Who knows? From there maybe he gets stronger as the game goes on. The replay of Wheeler rolling his eyes after the ball dropping was priceless.

    After Sosa made the big catch, he got aggressive and chased a ball that was Rojas’ play all the way. After that play, Sosa was very tentative with hits dropping in front of him. With your best pitcher on the mound, you really need to have your best defensive team out there. You owe it to him.

    LikeLike

    1. I don’t think we can assume that De La Cruz strikes out if Rojas catches the ball. If we want to assume the timeline stays intact, then we have to assume that Kelenec walks to open the third inning and Murphy hits a 2-run HR. That trims one run off the score and the Phillies still lose 6-5.

       Now, I don’t believe that any more than I believe that De La Cruz’ strike out is fated. De La Cruz did get a hit in the sixth when the Braves finally chased Wheeler.

       What I do believe is that Wheeler got ahead of Kelenec and couldn’t put him away. Then he threw a cookie in the next batter’s hot spot. He had two opportunities to get the third out and couldn’t. I don’t think the misplay affected Wheeler. If it did, that’s some straight-up Cole Hamels BS.

       BTW, it’s April. If Thomson is going to try for 6-7 innings out of his starters (Wheeler has been over 100 pitches twice now) to protect the bullpen, we’ve got some issues that will have to cleaned up by the deadline.

       Has anyone else noticed that Rojas also defers to Castellanos on balls in the gap? He did it all last season. I don’t recall him doing it with the left fielder. But it doesn’t surprise me that he would defer to an older, veteran, Latin player who also made a great catch in the previous inning. Everything hit to the outfield is his unless he can’t get to it. If that hasn’t been explained to him before last night, some coach should get a strongly worded talk.

       And I agree. Sosa looks slow on his throws. He looks like he’s taking an extra crow-hop after catching the ball either in the air or on the ground.

       LikeLiked by 2 people

21. If I’m Justin Crawford,I derive confidence from the idea that there is room for a strong, confident performer on the big team. You don’t have to be the next Willie Mays ro seal the deal.

    BTW, can anyone remember how Kevin Long has improved any player during his tenure in Philly? I could never have kept any job I ever had with a track record like his.

    LikeLike

    1. Well, he’s coached the team with the 4th most runs in MLB from 2022-2024. We were 13th in baseball in runs scored in 2021 before he joined. So there’s that.

       You not being able to keep a job with a track record like that says a lot more about you than it does him.

       LikeLike

       1. Other notable stats in regards to Long (team stats):

          2021; 94 wRC+, .240/.318/.408 slash, 23% K rate, .168 ISO

          ’22-’24; 107 wRC+, .255/.323/.428 slash, 22.8% K rate, .173 ISO

          LikeLike

22. I’ve had no trouble keeping a job, Ace. But you being the savant you are could enlighten us as to the individual success stories attributable to Long; as opposed to the players brought in from other systems. Marsh – no. Stott – no. Bohm – definitely no. Turner worse than he was in D.C. I can’t think of any successes. But maybe you can since you’re full of ….. thought.

    LikeLike

    1. You’re the one that said you would never be able to keep a job with a track record like Long’s. Not my fault you said it not knowing his track record is success.

       Stott and Bohm we have no baseline for without Long, so saying he hasn’t helped them is speculation at best. As far as we know, they’re only as good as they are because of Long.

       Saying Trea is worse than he was in Washington is also disingenuous; he never had a full season with the Nats where he hit better than in 2023. Trea is a career 122 wRC+ and he had 124 last season.

       JT before Long had a career 109, with Long he’s at 113 (in his decline years, by the way).

       Schwarber pre-Long 119, post-Long >130<.

       Oh, and you saying he hasn’t helped Marsh is an outright lie. The only reason Marsh was available in a trade was because he never hit well with the Angels. Then suddenly he comes to the Phillies and he turned into an actual asset at the plate.

       LikeLiked by 1 person

       1. Suggesting that the Phillies going from 13th to 4th in runs scored because of Long is just as (if not more) disingenuous as saying the guys mentioned regressed because of Long. The Phillies added Schwarber and Castellanos in 2022 and had Adam Haseley as their opening day CF in 2021.

          LikeLike

          1. It’s definitely hard to pinpoint his exact contribution to the offense. But the point was our offense is doing extremely well with him at the helm.

             Saying he’s done so little that most people would be fired for it is ridiculous.

             LikeLike

             1. The point is that they should be top 5 in runs scored, independent of who their hitting coach is, considering the talent and money spent on this lineup alone.

                I’m not sure if he deserves to be fired, but I definitely see the argument for him being overrated.

                LikeLike

                1. It’s easy to say they “should” be top 5, but entirely another thing to actually do it. We all know money spent and talent on paper doesn’t always equate to success. So the fact that it has should absolutely be a sign of Long doing his job.

                   It’s also worth noting that two of the three teams ahead of the Phillies in runs scored are historically great lineups. The Braves and Dodgers. And they’re also ahead of many other powerhouses and/or big spenders like the Yankees, BoSox, Astros, Rangers, and Mets.

                   Again, it’s hard to know exactly how much success to attribute to Long. But the fact that the players like and trust him combined with the excellent results should tell us everything we need to know.

                   LikeLike

23. You don’t know anything about me so writing what you did makes you sound like a snide jerk.

    You don’t make a case case for any of the players you cite. I saw Harper, Turner and Schwarber when they were in D.C and there was a time you could make a case for Long. He had Soto as one of his charges.

    To say players had no baseline is one really random comment, If you’ve watched these players at all you’d see what others see. With his crowning success in his last city of assignment and now in his 4th season in Philly, he’s overdue for some success.

    LikeLike

    1. You’re free to think my words make me sound like a jerk. But, again, I was using your words.

       I made much more of a case than you have. I’ve cited numbers improving. Your “eye test” is as anecdotal as evidence comes. Especially since you apparently weren’t watching what happened with Marsh. As a reminder, Marsh had a .239/.299/.354 slash with the Angels good for 81 wRC+. After Long got his hands on him? .264/.365/.437 for a 116 wRC+.

       And it’s not a random comment. Hitting well minor league pitchers and showing glimpses in the majors doesn’t mean that is the player’s true talent level. Ask Dom Brown.

       Bohm has been an above-average hitter under Long. His (short) career stats were below average before Long came. Just because he’s not as good as we thought he would be doesn’t mean Long did a poor job.

       LikeLike

       1. In poker terms,the Phils have given very clear ‘tells’ as to where they are on Marsh and Bohm. Stott gets a little bit of a ass for health reasons. Again, Long has no success stories to tell regarding these 3 or Hasely or Moniak or Stubbs or Cave or Dahl and so on.

          As for the tells, they brought in Hays out of concern that they weren’t positioned well in LF last year. And they weren’t. That didn’t pan out. So they got Kepler. Then they said they’d try Marsh as the every day center fielder against all pitching. That’s already gone out the window as they’re pinch hitting for Marsh against lefties and he looks none too strong against righties.

          With Bohm it’s no secret they put out the word on his availability last winter. He was benched in a key game in the playoffs and he’s been sat again already this early in the season.

          If the Phils were buying what you’re selling on these guys, all this wouldn’t be happening. The Phils have been bad at developing notably outfielders long before Kevin Long but you’d have to be a friend or related to him to believe he’s turned that around.

          LikeLike

          1. My take on this is that it seems your expectations for Long, or any hitting coach for that matter, are unrealistic. A hitting coach isn’t going to turn average hitters into all-stars no matter how brilliant he might be.

             Citing guys like Moniak, Stubbs, Cave, Dahl, etc. as examples of coaching failure highlight the foolishness of this argument. Those guys were not good hitters before they got to Philly and they haven’t been good hitters after they left.

             As noted, Marsh has improved significantly since he joined the team, just not to the extent that fans would like. Maybe, he just doesn’t have that next level in him. Same with Bohm, Stott, etc.

             My take on Long is that he has a reputation around the league as a guy hitters want to work with. That tells me players think he’s good at what he does but he’s not going perform miracles with guys who don’t have the underlying talent.

             LikeLike

             1. I have to agree here, no hitting coach is going to turn an average hitter into Miguel Cabrera.

                For me, the hitting coach is there to offer suggestions to improve your hitting and to help get you out of funks that will inevitably happen during the course of a long season. He’s also a sounding board to help you feel at ease at the plate.

                LikeLike

24. I hope DD is working the phones on T.Walker 🙂

    LikeLike

    1. Was my first thought, too.

       Might be able to fool someone that he’s worth his contract right now. Maybe even the Braves haha.

       LikeLike

25. Tait is only 18 still! Another good game by him.

    LikeLike

26. I have been at Truist Park the last 2 nights, and the bullpen has not been the best. I think Ruiz and Ross will be ok, but not so sure about Banks, Romano and Hernandez. Alvarado is exciting, and can look great, but also scary. Ranger Suarez would be calming in the 9th, but is that a good idea? Thrilling win last night, thank you Harper and Turner.

    LikeLike

    1. Alvarado is an exceptional talent. The problem is can you get him from April to November…

       LikeLike

    2. I think Ruiz is likely to settle into the average reliever tier once again. Somewhere around a 4 ERA. Which is fine. Relievers are volatile, and it’s basically impossible to have a ‘pen full of elite guys.

       Hernandez is a project, so we’ll have to see if Cotham has any tricks up his sleeves there. But Romano and Banks I have absolutely no trust in. And Banks, especially, I don’t really see the upside.

       I still like our trio of Kerkering, Strahm, and Alvarado, though. I wouldn’t put Alvarado in the very top tier of elite relievers, but he’s not as far off as we might think. And even those “lockdown” guys aren’t as safe a bet as we tend to think they are. Guys like Edwin Diaz (5.79 ERA), Raisel Iglesias (4.50 ERA), and David Bednar (DFA’d) were all considered truly elite relievers within the past two years.

       So yeah, there’s definitely work to be done with our bullpen. But there pretty much always is. Relievers are a fickle bunch.

       Glad you got to be there for a nice win last night to remove the sour taste of the first game from your mouth.

       LikeLike

       1. Speaking of Kerkering is there something wrong I don’t know about.

          Usually he’s like everyday Eddie, but he hasn’t pitched this trip. He’s certainly better than Joe Ross who they’ve gone to and been burned lately. Just hope he’s hurt.

          LikeLike

          1. Amend, just hope he isn’t hurt.

             LikeLike

             1. Orion pitched on 4/8 against the Braves …. got the loss.

                LikeLike

                1. Sorry, I must have missed that. Still a big fan of his. Plenty of potential.

                   LikeLike

27. Ranger to the pen is an obvious solution to a lot of things, unless Walker can only ever go 4 innings before he wears out.

    LikeLike

    1. No chance I’m taking Walker over Ranger in the rotation long-term. I want my best pitchers throwing the most innings possible and Ranger is the better pitcher.

       LikeLike

28. Eiberson K’d 5 over 3 IP in his debut with Reading. I’m glad he is back in the fold and excited to see what he can do.

    Miller is really struggling he’s striking out way to much for an elite prospect. I continue to hope everyone else is right on him and I am wrong.

    JS no real signs of life save for Raylin Heredia.

    Westin Wilson in his rehab assignment drew a couple of key walks and its why I love that guy so much. His ABs no matter where he is are almost always controlled.

    Hitters that refuse to get themselves out swinging at balls are so underrated.

    With regard to any hitting coach debates I’ve long felt they have very little to do with hitting success. Can they be helpful…sure for some players but not all. They will also be the first scapegoat for a team not doing well.

    However unfairly!

    LikeLike

29. Good points on Miller and the value of the hitting coach contribution ….. also I think over time if a hitting coach isn’t coming up with new ideas, he can get stale, I don’t believe that is true of Long.

    I know it is very early and I’m not concerned yet, but Saltiban slow coming out of the gate.

    LikeLike

30. Most players have their own hitting coaches…. assume Long lets the veterans decide if they need to come to him for his assistance……now rookies and younger players he may try to help like he did with Rojas,

    LikeLike

    1. Yeah, true … I wonder if most posters are cognizant of them having their own hitting coach.

       What do you think it will cost to extend Schwarber?

       LikeLike

       1. Depends on years. How many do you want to go? The shorter the deal the higher the AAV. Year to year 1-2 probably in the $16-$18 mil range.

          LikeLike

          1. You do know that Schwarber is getting $20M for the final year of his deal. He had 3.5 WAR last season and he’s on a higher pace this season. If he ends up even close to 3.5 WAR this season, I’m expecting him to ask for 2/50 minimum. It wouldn’t shock me to see a team give him 3/90 if he comes off a say 4 WAR season.

             LikeLike

             1. My guess, they will get the AAV about right, but will make the deal too long (it is DD after all). I predict 4 years, $100-110 million.

                LikeLike

                1. Yep, pendulum always seems to swing too far with DD.

                   LikeLike

                2. That is why…..everybody likes dealing with Dave D….he rather be skunked , than skunking.

                   LikeLike

                3. I would be pissed if the Phillies gave Schwarber 4/100.

                   LikeLike

31. Evaluating a hitting (or pitching) coach should not be about a few guys or even an entire team slumping. It’s about the long view and not about “what have you done for me lately?”

    We’ve seen results from Caleb Cotham’s work with Christopher Sanchez and Wheeler extols Cotham for helping Wheeler in his constant reinvention of his own pitching style. Orion Kerkering continues to progress.

    If Marsh, Bohm and Stott don’t show better, the conversation regarding the team’s post-season prospects will change. The players have some responsibility in this. But teams that under=perform cause shake-ups in the managerial and coaching positions. I hope Kevin Long has success reflected in performance on the field. We all want that, I believe. If it doesn’t happen, this off-season could see changes which I would say are timely.

    LikeLike

    1. Flea, spot on p.3.

       LikeLike

32. Minor league prospect tnoughts.

    Looks like Miller and Nori are both having trouble getting untracked.

    Chace with 4 walks in 2 innings last night not good.

    Watched the Iron Pigs and was impressed with Aoyagi. Unorthodox delivery and a lot of movement. He struck out the side. Is he on anyone’s radar for offering mid-season help to the BP?

    LikeLike

    1. It’s still early. Injuries will happen so I expect Aoyagi will be on the short list of available relievers to be summoned up from Lehigh, especially if Jose Ruiz is still struggling.

       Carlos Hernandez will likely get cut once Suarez comes back and pushes Walker to the bullpen.

       LikeLike

       1. As long as Walker pitches well, the team is going to slow play the Suarez return in an effort to trade Walker. The Orioles do stupid trades like that so don’t be surprised if Walker ends up in Baltimore.

          LikeLike

          1. Catch, From your keyboard to God’s ears !

             LikeLiked by 1 person

          2. It’s still early but yes, who’s desperate enough to trade for Taijuan. Orioles are one, I think the Red Sox are another team.

             The Red Sox surprisingly gave Walker Buehler 1/21 coming off a WAR season of -1.2! Not only that, he has a well documented history of injuries. If there’s another team with a poor GM, it’s the Red Sox.

             LikeLike

             1. I think we can, ironically, add the Braves to the list of teams desperate enough that they might take Taijuan. They just traded for Rafael Montero, and that dude was DFA’d and cleared waivers just last year.

                LikeLike

                1. The Braves are usually very smart about money – I don’t see them taking the Walker contract off the Phillies’ hands or even wanting him at all at any price.

                   LikeLike

                2. I suppose Braves’ frugality is smart business. Swanson, Freeman, and Fried were beyond their budget. In a few years it will be Albies and Acuna moving on I would think.

                   LikeLike

          3. I mostly agree. Managing the rotation has to factor:

             –Suarez’ health history, his expiring contract and the reality he’s never pitched more than 155 1/3 innings in a season

             -Walker’s checkered performance history, his recent relative success (which has not shown he can go deep into games) and the 2 expensive years left on his contract

             -Painter’s innings limit and lack of much of a recent performance history

             In the #5 slot, can the Phils piggyback Walker and Suarez to control the innings expected of each?

             In a best case, can Painter fit into a piggyback role in July that controls the innings expectations of him?

             If history is a guide, is it realistic to think that the Phils can go a season with just 7 starting pitchers?

             If you don’t believe you can have too much starting pitching depth, are you still in a hurry to move Walker when the team is ‘all in to win’?

             LikeLike

             1. Perhaps Seth Johnson will emerge later this season as an option at the back-end of the rotation. I am sure he will get another opportunity….looks like he is picking up his velo at LHV, but unfortunately may be costing him some control early on.

                LikeLike

             2. I don’t think it’s realistic to think any team can go through a season with just seven starting pitchers nowadays. Especially with pitchers’ penchant to dial up spin and velocity.

                However, in 2008 the Phillies completed the season with just seven starters – Hamels (33 starts), Moyer (33), Myers (30), Kendrick (30), Eaton (19), Blanton (13), and Happ (4, 2 in July and 2 after 9/1 callups).

                LikeLike

          4. Yes. Fortunately, the Orioles may be in desperation mode. Eflin just went on the IL. Their rotation depth includes 4 pitchers on the 15-day IL and 2 on the 60-day IL. They have 4 healthy pitchers on their active depth chart. Morton is off to an 0-3, 8.78 start. I might even roll the dice and pick up the phone now (or after one more solid start by Walker) and not wait for Suarez to be ready. Maybe too risky for a risk-averse team.

             LikeLike

             1. Agree Jim….let Walker get one more start and cross our fingers, then open up the conversation…….I would assume not to expect much in return, other than salary cap relief.

                LikeLike

33. So is this the year that JT declines? His current OPS is now one of the worst of his career (.637).

    LikeLike

    1. Probably, but I wouldn’t expect it to be as drastic as it looks currently. He’s been fairly unlucky thus far. His expected batting average (.319) is almost a hundred points higher than his actual one, and his expected slugging (.453) is 130 points higher.

       Obviously that’s not indicative of anything going forward. But if he keeps up what he’s doing, he should have a very good offensive season.

       LikeLike

       1. Or maybe it’s 11 games into the season? Nothing like an 8-3 start to the season to force the fanbase to search for problems…

          LikeLike

          1. When was it ok last year for fans to “search for problems”?

             The time for the team to correct itself was by the July 30 trade deadline, not during the October playoffs when the problems manifested. The Phils were 65-42 on July 30. So maybe being too zealous wasn’t the problem. Maybe being too complacent was.

             LikeLike

             1. What problems did they have last year that they could have “fixed” for October if everyone had just started to complain earlier?

                They lost a playoff series to the Mets because their stars didn’t hit and their bullpen regulars didn’t pitch well.

                Turner, Stott, Schwarber, Realmuto, Marsh, and Bohm all hit .200 and under in the series. Which of those guys were they replacing at the deadine?

                On the pitching side, Nola, Straham, Alvarado, and especially Hoffman were terrible. Any of them not pitching in the playoffs because they weren’t going well?

                LikeLike

                1. Should have added that the one person most complained about in 2024, Castellanos, was their best hitter in the playoffs. Guess it was a good thing he wasn’t dumped at the deadline.

                   LikeLike

                2. Many fans, and more importantly the Phils themselves, recognized last July that they were — as now — short an OF bat and an arm in the pen for high leverage situations. .

                   The Phils rolled the dice on Austin Hays and Carlos Estevez. Wasn’t enough, Who knew?

                   Off-season came and went and the Phils didn’t do much to upgrade in these areas. The cavalry ain’t coming from Lehigh Valley. Again, who knew? Or, better still, who doesn’t know now?

                   LikeLike

             2. The Phillies’ problems actually manifested after the All-Star break. They played .500 ball (33-33) during the second half.

                LikeLike

       2. I expect Realmuto to have quite a good year when all is said and done – physically he looks better than he has in years and I’m guessing that will translate to his statistics and WAR numbers. His contract has gone as well one could have expected and it’s ending when you want a catcher’s contract to end (age 33 or 34). But the Phillies will do what the Phillies do and will probably extend him anyway, when all the objective signs say they should let him walk.

          LikeLike

34. When Wes Wilson is ready, and if Bohm is still crying every night, maybe we send him down to Triple-A to grow up. At worst, a team might think we gave up on him and offer a decent bullpen arm for him.

    LikeLike

    1. Looks like all the spring training hype about a rejuvenated Bohm has currently started evaporating. He needs to put together a few multi-hit games and regain that confidence. But see your point, this could be his last hurrah year with the Phillies…they may be tiring of the sulkiness. The fan base is surely tired.

       LikeLike

       1. I told Hoosier Don today, I think Bohm will be gone by the end of the year ….. and perhaps Marsh too.

          LikeLike

       2. There certainly didn’t seem to be any “growing up” over this past winter, that’s for sure. At some point, I think a change needs to be made.

          I was disappointed there wasn’t a major shakeup this offseason. But once spring training started, I was all about giving everyone a fresh slate. I’m happy for Taijuan, I’m pulling for Rojas and Marsh, but Bohm just continues to disappoint. The games where he sees 5 pitches in 4 at bats or 6 pitches in 5 at bats is what frustrates me. Everyone seems to be trying to work the pitcher. And I normally don’t have a problem with swinging early, but you need to do damage. It seems like silly for a guy like bohm to swing early because all he’s really good for is an opposite field single. Teams don’t fear him…. Still no protection for Harper, ugh.

          LikeLike

          1. I noticed that, too. The team edict appears to be, “see more pitches”. It’s especially evident with Trea who is currently TRIPLE his walk rate from last year. But even on the whole, we’re currently tied for 5th most pitches/plate appearance as a team (we were 21st last year). And yet Bohm is dead last on the team in that category, well below the league average, and the lowest rate of his career.

             I wonder if he’s just ignoring the coaching or if they’re telling him to swing early to try to get him out of his slump.

             LikeLike

             1. He just has to keep plugging away…and not pout or sulk when it goes bad. Swinging early may be something they told him to do….see the best pitch and swing. Who knows what the plan is for him. He turns 29 in August, and is not a free agent until 2027, and Boras is his agent. I hope he is not expecting an extension, which is not in Boras’ blood anyway, but if he continues to hover around mediocrity thru this season and early nest season, Boras may try to push for one knowing on the free agent markety he may not generate much interest as a 32 year old..

                LikeLike

                1. Bohm moved down in the batting order to 7th …. I think I would have put him 8th between Stott and Marsh.

                   LikeLike

                2. The closer a player gets to his first big FA contract the more natural it is for them to press.

                   Some guys have the mental aptitude to deal with it and some are just not cut from that cloth.

                   The Phillies know if he is sign-able or not. If its Boras you know probably not and if that is the case I’m of the opinion that you cash out now especially if you think you might have a guy that can plug the hole now.

                   Who knows if Kemp can lock the position down and excel but I would be willing to give the kid a chance. Sosa can back that up for the short term. Escobar maybe the long term if Stott does end up extending.

                   And I love Bohm. I appreciate the work he’s put in to make himself a better defensive player and I’ve witnessed he has enough of a hit tool to be an MLB player.

                   I think KC is the perfect place for him.

                   Ultimately this group of guys have run their course its time to start planning again for the future.

                   Same goes for Marsh IMO.

                   LikeLike

                3. DMAR….agree, maybe give the guy an opportunity….Kemp that is. Contending teams have done that in the past with some success, ….Gio Urshela with the Yankees and Muncy and J. Turner with the Dodgers. He is 26 this year, so I think he may accept the challenge when it comes.

                   LikeLike

    2. If teams think the Phillies have given up on Bohm, they won’t offer anything of value. When the Phillies were thought to be shopping Bohm during the offseason (psst, they were), They couldn’t get a decent bullpen arm then.

       LikeLike

35. I was one of the first who thought/wrote that the Walker signing was a terrible mistake added to Dombrowski’s resume. But we need to remember that Walker started the season injured last year and never came around. Being healthy from the get-go this season will be a telling factor. If his velocity doesn’t stick, than he probably is a goner. But so far, pretty good.

    LikeLike

36. I think JT will have a solid year. FWIW, I thought the O’Hoppe – Marsh trade was worth a shot, and at the time we needed an OF and didn’t need a catcher. But the 25-year-old O’Hoppe — under team control through 2028 — is making it look like the Angels might ultimately win that trade.

    LikeLiked by 1 person

37. Ranger update:

    I went to the game tonight to watch Suarez’ 3 innings. He struck out the side in the first inning overpowering the young Daytona Tortugas. He got 3 groundouts in the second inning. He gave up a broken bat flare to RF in the third but recorded his fourth K and induced a double play.

    On the groundout to SS that ended the second inning, he casually began walking to the dugout before the SS even started the play. He was halfway to the chalk line (with his back to the play) before the out was recorded.

    Suarez never cracked 93 with his 4-seamer. Lots of 92.x. His command was good enough throwing 24 of 33 pitches for strikes (72.7%).

    Several of his strikes came on wild swings on pitches in the dirt or otherwise out of the strike zone. This plus the low velo seems to indicate he’s a couple weeks from getting called up. He may get away with this at Low-A, but certainly not in the majors.

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    1. Ranger is another player I’d trade this season. Hopefully after a few really good starts. The premise is he’s obviously not extending and do you take the chance of offering him a QO at $19-$20?

       LikeLiked by 1 person

       1. No, you don’t trade him in a season you are trying to win a WS and absolutely, he gets a QO. Zero chance he would accept it.

          Why does everyone want to trade away the Phillies pitching depth in 2025? They don’t have tons of arms sitting in AAA just waiting to take over.

          LikeLike

          1. Don’t be so sure about the QO. Standing where we are today, Boras might have him accept it and treat it as a pillow contract. A lot will depend on his health and performance now through the end of the year. But if he’s in regular Ranger form, yes, you would extend the QO with the hope he signs elsewhere.

             If he pitches well for another month or so, I think the Phillies will try to extend Luzardo. We sit around complaining about this and that with this team (and, truthfully, there are things to complain about), but people should be over the moon about Luzardo – that appears to have been a phenomenal deal and people here barely mention it. It’s a nearly Zack Baun-like acquisition thus far.

             LikeLike

             1. Amidst uncertainty in the rotation, I’m confident the Phils will not extend Luzardo or anyone else during the season (the Eagles analogy is relevant) and that Ranger Suarez won’t touch his career high of 155 1/3 innings logged.

                It’s impossible to know for certain what market value will be for Ranger in free agency.A comparable is Walker Buehler who has his own injury history. Buehler signed a $21.05 M 1-year deal with the Red Sox this off-season,which includes a 2nd year team option/buyout. I see where qualifying offers to spending free is expected to be around $22 M. in the off-season.

                It’s hard for me to see a scenario where Ranger renders himself unaffordable to the Phils if they want him back. But where would he fit in a full rotation going forward? With 5 starters , arguably 6 including Walker, under team control.

                LikeLike

                1. If the Phillies are able to move TWalker…….to an Oriole team or Yankee team that needs another pitcher…..then Ranger probably gets the QO offering or even an extension….but does Boras go that route….nah..

                   LikeLike

          2. If you believe the team as it is wins a WS you certainly do not listen to me LOL

             I’m not in that camp based on what I saw against AZ and the Mutts last season. And that’s not to say it won’t be a good season it likely will be.

             LikeLike

             1. I don’t think this team is far off from having a chance to win the WS, but I also don’t think they are there yet. Some of the “patience” the team has shown is mystifying. I think we really need a legit right-handed power hitter – and it’s not Castellanos. We are also going to need relief help, although that solution could be internal depending on what happens with a lot of moving pieces. That said, the rotation is top notch, and that’s a big deal. If I’m the Phillies, I think Painter absolutely becomes your ace in the hole in the bp if you move to the post season and I think that’s always been the plan. Otherwise you retain one of Hoffman or Estevez.

                LikeLike

             2. Well then you disagree with most of the baseball and gambling world that generally considers the Phillies as one of the biggest threats to the Dodgers in the NL. Obviously, the Dodgers are the favorites but the Phillies are a WS contender, as they stand today.

                It’s too bad negadelphia refuses to accept it.

                LikeLike

                1. No, I don’t! I said this team is not far off. What do you think that means? The Phillies are 10-1 to win the WS, so I think my thoughts and predictions are entirely in line with those odds which indicate that the Phillies are ten times more likely NOT to win the WS than they are to win it. Moreover, those odds contemplate that there may be changes to the team during the year. If anything, I’m more optimistic than those odds suggest.

                   LikeLike

                2. Calm down a bit, I was replying to the original comment.

                   geez.

                   LikeLiked by 1 person

38. As I recall his fastball has never had a lot of juice, where should it be for him to be game ready?

    LikeLike

    1. pretty sure he now regularly sits at 94-95…. But I could be wrong. He’s deceptive. Obviously all abut location for him & mixing speeds

       LikeLiked by 1 person

       1. At his peak, Ranger sits 92-94 and touches 95 on occasion (that’s not even a good thing – his ball doesn’t sink and move at 95 as well as it does in the low 90s). When he was struggling last year he was like 88-91, so if he’s 92-93 now, he’s right on track.

          LikeLike

          1. In the ballpark….in ’23 he sat at 93.4 and last season his 4Smr averaged out at 91.9.

             https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/ranger-suarez-624133?stats=statcast-r-pitching-mlb

             LikeLike

39. lineup not available for tonight as yet. I think I’d play Sosa at 3rd tonight and give Bohm a rest. Casty’s 5 K’s performance is enough for me in the cleanup spot. The 0 – 10 Risp needs corrected as well. Bring on the “torpedo bats” or any that work, huh?

    LikeLike

40. With Marsh and Bohm, do they have minor league options so they can be sent down this year if it comes to that?

    LikeLike

    1. I believe they both have 1 option left but if you send them down, their trade value goes out the window. Not only that, they will both be pissed.

       If they perform so poorly, you can DFA them at the end of the season and move on.

       LikeLike

    2. According to Cots, FanGraphs, and Spotrac, they each have 2 options remaining. And neither has accrued the 5.0 years of major league service that would require their consent before they could be optioned.

       It’s not unusual for players to be optioned to the minors to get their mechanics straightened out.

       The Phillies optioned Alvarado and Stott in early 2022. Bohm was optioned in 2021 long enough for the option to count. (20 days triggers the option.)

       Way back in 2008, Brett Myers was optioned to work on something. Thats when JA Happ got his 2 July starts.

       I think Marsh would be professional and a good teammate if it came to that. I agree that Bohm would not take the demotion with any less aplomb than he shows after a bad at bat. Probably lose him for the rest of his tenue in the organization.

       LikeLike

41. I miss the old Nola. Wonder if/when we see him. He hasn’t looked good all year and this Cards’ lineup is what the Brits call “rubbish.” Perhaps understandably, the Phightin’s look sleep deprived.

    LikeLike

    1. The old Nola? It’s still early but you know pitchers eventually decline right? I wasn’t a fan of the contract (7/172). I would have went 5 years max or let him walk. Teams need to make the hard decisions.

       I don’t like the Astros but I have to give them some credit for making the hard decisions for the good of the team. They have let the following players go: George Springer, Charlie Morton, Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander, Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker. That’s a serious list.

       LikeLike

       1. And the Astros don’t follow the “I traded for this guy so I need to re-sign him to make it worth it” mantra.

          LikeLike

42. Painter Update:

    Andrew Painter made his well anticipated return to the mound in an affiliated uniform with the Clearwater Threshers. He threw 37 pitches (his limit was 35) and faced 7 batters through one-and-a-third innings. He left with one out and two runners on base in the second inning. He walked the last batter he faced

    His outing breaks down as follows:

    1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

    37 pitches, 21 strikes (56.8%)

    23 4-Seam FB, 98.2 mph, touched 100.2, 100.0, and 100.1 in the first inning. Range was 97.3 – 99.7 with 3 additional outliers of 96.1, 95.2, and 90.8.

    6 Cutters, 91.4 mph

    7 Sliders, 85.0 mph

    one Curve at 81.0 mph

    The two base hits were bloops into shallow center field. The exit velocities were 61.0 and 61.8 mph, the distance traveled was 187 feet for each bloop.

    He got 9 swinging strikes, 6 on 4-seamers, 1 on a cutter, and 2 on sliders.

    From behind the plate, it appeared he might have been amped up for the appearance. He didn’t have his usual command spiking a couple of pitches and missing spots by a wide margin. His velocity was spot on. I would expect command to improve his next appearance.

    LikeLiked by 2 people

    1. Oh, his line has the 2 ER because the guy who followed him got rocked allowing the 2 inherited runners to score plus 5 additional runs in 0.2 innings.

       Tait crushed a HR to RF in the first inning. This kid has awesome power. I’ve seen it on the back fields. Doesn’t compare to the backdrop of a stadium field.

       LikeLike

       1. Good signs for both Painter and Tait, and assume Escobar also looked good in his ABs. Much to be hopeful for in A ball.

          LikeLike

       2. What will be Painter’s schedule? 1 start per week at Clearwater for the rest of the month and a corresponding increase in pitches?

          Then JS for May and Reading for June?

          LikeLike

          1. I don’t know. The Phillies play their cards close to the vest where injuries, rehab, and especially Painter are concerned.

             LikeLike

43. I believe it was Dombrowski who answered “health” when asked what he was looking for from Painter in his first outing. It’s got to be a pretty healthy arm throwing at that velocity.

    There are those who think Painter could be a secret weapon out of the pen in the post-season. I’ll look to see if he gets used more than once a week in the run-up in case the Phils see him in that light.

    LikeLike

    1. Strange……5 months ago he was able tp ‘aired it out’ in Arizona…they had no qualms about sending him there and getting in 16 or so innings…I would think their concern was more in Oct 2024 then now.

       LikeLike

       1. Think their concern is October, 2025. They are trying to use as few innings in the minors as possible before July.

          so how do you ramp him up while limiting his usage.

          LikeLike

          1. Exactly…….perhaps the pen is the answer…one inning at a time. July will be two years since the surgery.

             LikeLike

44. On Painter, Nola, and Alvarado

    Nola has been around the league a long time. Players know him. The Braves lineup has barely changed. That’s why I’m grateful for Sanchez & Luzardo. Both different looks. Nola can still get it done in a playoff game but I’d be highly considering moving him to the back of the rotation come the playoffs. Can only go to the well so many times type logic Hope the Phils don’t face the Braves or Mets in the playoffs, mainly for the reason. No issues with him facing the other teams

    on painter, put him in the pen for the playoffs. Keep him out vs playoff teams. Let the 1st time they’re seeing him… be in the playoffs. Great weapon. The SR doesn’t need him. Same logic with Nika, just reverse

    Alvarado … gonna want big money if he is closing these games. Pretty sure he is a FA. Him & schwarver are going to price themselves out of being resigned

    LikeLike

    1. There’s a club option for ’26.

       LikeLike

    2. Phillies have a $9M club option on Alvarez for 2026 with a $0.5M buyout. Alvaraez made $9M in 2024 and is making $9M in 2025.

       LikeLiked by 1 person

45. What if I told you that Bohm is hitting the ball harder this season than any other in his career? It’s true

    His average exit velocity this year is 93.3. Career average of 90.4. His BABIP this year is only .205. Career average is .314. Bohm’s barrels and hard hit rate are above career average.

    So Bohm is just getting unlucky.

    Marsh on the other hand is a mess. His average launch angle is just 4.7. Ground ball percentage is 54.5%. And his pull percentage is 47.8%. All way off his career averages. He is rolling over and producing a lot of weak grounders.

    If Marsh has an option as noted above I would honestly send him down and call Crawford up.

    LikeLike

    1. One note on Bohm is that his walk rate is an abysmal 1.7% and his K rate is up to 22%. Both way off career averages

       LikeLike

       1. I think Bohm’s just off to a slow start, but that doesn’t mean Thomson shouldn’t move him down in the lineup. That’s the right move for now.

          I’m really concerned about Marsh and the fact that Kody Clemens has virtually no role with this team (1AB this season).

          It may be a little premature, but I think it’s getting near Crawford and Kemp time for this team.

          Crawford may be a spark at the top of the lineup or it may be too soon for him. The kid seems to be a quick learner. Also there should be more opportunities for Kemp than Clemens.

          Marsh, if he has options needs AB’s in Lehigh and Kody needs a break, in another organization that will use him more than once a month.

          LikeLike

          1. Couldnt agree more. At this point, there is no good reason Kemp shouldnt be up. Dude gives them a lot of what they are lacking. I kinda feel like the fact that he was not a top draft pick and became a “prospect” rather late hurts his image in the organization.

             LikeLike

       2. Also worth noting that he’s among the highest in the league in whiff%, and his expected batting average is only .262 and his expected slugging is only .411.

          He’s definitely had some bad luck on balls in play, but there’s reasons to worry that he’s also just not seeing the ball as well.

          LikeLiked by 1 person

    2. Dream catchers, 4 leaf clovers, horseshoes and rabbits feet for Bohm and a train ticket to LHV for Marsh …. all in!

       LikeLike

    3. Agree……..Marsh has to get reset somehow. Since he has an option, a little time in LHV should not be a problem and may help him clear his head and regain some confidence.

       LikeLike

       1. Thats a tough call… they are both supposed to be past this. Bring up Ricones or Crawford ..and Kemp?

          Kemp doesnt have all the time in the world … it could be his chance if they send Bohm down. I dont see it though. Can’t picture him handling it well based on what everyone says his “attitude” is.

          LikeLike

          1. You can’t keep him up and let him keep killing the team because he has a bad attitude. If anything, that is more reason to ship him out. Kemp seems to be the exact opposite and I’d love to see him get a shot.

             LikeLike

46. The NL is off to a scorching start … only 6 of the 15 teams have a winning percentage below .500. Obviously it’s early but …. Some really really hot starts in the NL West. That dropped ball by Rojas/Sosa may loom very large. Letting ATL breathe… when they could’ve basically ended their season… tough to watch even if it’s early. Not overacting but huge missed opportunity to make it a 2 pony race for the NL East title.

    LikeLike

47. Shut out twice and the total # of hits in both games 6 hits (3 per game). We need to make some changes ….. DD get it going.

    LikeLike

48. Hope the Phils keep the kids that can offer some juice in the future. This squad’s a couple quarts low.

    LikeLike

49. As the big club goes, so the Pigs go. Lose 7 – 0 also, only 2 hits. Reading 8 — 7 win. Fergus, Mendez and Anthony all with 3 hit games. Miller struggling out of the gate.

    LikeLike

    1. Slow start might be an understatement. Miller’s 102 BA and 212 OPS make Mash look like an all-star. Well, maybe not quite an all-star, but you know what I mean.

       SWFL Frank

       LikeLiked by 1 person

50. If you want silver linings as Charlie used to say “it ain’t hittin season yet” I don’t doubt the guys who are really struggling will get it going.

    The extent of my pessimism only pertains to what we have being able to win a WS. I still believe we are very capable of winning the division.

    Bryce and Trea as good as they are do not have enough around them and we’re pretty much stuck with those two. And Nola and Wheeler still really good I think you’re starting to see they aren’t at the level they once were.

    Also if you haven’t seen it yet the series on Netflix on the Boston Red Sox behind the club house is a somewhat interesting watch.

    LikeLike

    1. DMAR…just hope this team is not the 2012 version of the Phillies…..in 2011 they won 102 games and were expected to coast in 2012 to another division title….but instead ended up at 81-81.

       LikeLiked by 1 person

       1. On offense, there’s a bunch of stuff going on at the same time. First, they are just cold, so it looks a lot worse than it probably is. Second, like the 2012 team, the stars are getting older and their performance seems to be regressing as a group (and, for a guy like Turner, there’s another 9 years left to go of his contract. 9!!!! It’s insane), which shouldn’t be surprising to anyone. Third, the young “daycare” players (I absolutely hate that term – it suggests these guys were really young when they hit the big leagues, they weren’t) may just be okay players, not future stars, so rather than continuing to improve, they’ve maxed out or regressed as well. Fourth, and this might change, there are no really young players who are being promoting and adding to the mix. Kemp, Crawford and Rincones, or any one of them, could be very important to this team later in the year.

          LikeLiked by 1 person

          1. One silver lining is that I think the starting pitching is really, really good. They may have the best rotation in baseball and that can take a team a very long way. We are very critical of the bullpen, but while the bullpen has weaknesses, on the whole, it’s actually pretty good.

             LikeLike

             1. One thing that depresses me a little bit, although I think there’s a passing of the torch that may be going on to Preston Mattingly, is that I don’t DD is always a very good judge of hitting talent and he certainly enters into his share of dumb contracts that have too high of an AAV are too long or both. People ask – well, why didn’t we sign another relief pitcher? The answer is that the Walker and Castellanos contracts ($38 m per year!) get in the way of that. The money is not limitless, even with John Middleton.

                LikeLike

                1. …… and the Turner contract is beyond terrible and forever!

                   LikeLike

                2. It kind of is though. He just chooses not to spend it. But he could. Like the Dodgers do.

                   LikeLike

                3. Glad you think so – but you could say the same of essentially every other team, including the Yankees and the Mets and the Cubs. He’s already at the third luxury tax level so I think we can cut Middleton some slack.

                   LikeLike

51. Thus far Phillies pitching has given up the 5th fewest runs in the league. The Giants who are in town the 4th fewest.

    Alarmingly the Mets are #1 and I was thinking going into the season they were going to take quite a few steps back with their pitching.

    And sadly we are 21st in runs scored. So as good as our pitching is it will eventually collapse if it continues bearing the weight of an offense that doesn’t put up runs night in and night out.

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    1. Heard Brian Kenny on mLB network say the other day…a player’s prime is between inclusively ages 26 and 30- 5 years…..if you agree with that statement , we have quite a few starters beyond their prime years. Whether that has any bearing with this team remains to be seen. Players do stay in relatively better shape as they age, than those 30 or 40 years ago

       LikeLike

       1. Position players generally age as they always have – there’s not that much of a difference as far as I can tell. Pitchers do better because their work loads are monitored so there are more power pitchers throwing gas between ages 34-38 than I can ever remember. In the old days, by the time a guy was like 33 or 34, his velocity was shot because he had been overused. But not anymore.

          Now that everyone is trying to throw harder and harder, I definitely there is an opening for some old fashioned junkball and knuckleball pitchers.

          LikeLike

       2. Also consider that baseball is an outlier among the professional sports. 26 may be when people tend to enter their physical prime, but it is extremely rare for a baseball player to reach his peak by then.

          I tend to think of baseball primes as delayed by 2 years, so 28-32 is when you expect most players to have their most productive years.

          LikeLike

52. The Phils are configuring their lineup to give protection to Harper in the order. If you poured enough truth serum into Topper, he’d acknowledge the need for an upgrade right handed bat so he could split up Harper and Schwarber. If Castellanos or Bohm was the guy, we would know it by the consistency of the lineup Thomson throws out there.

    Don’t know if Thomson isback next year or Schwarber either. But I do believe the Phils will go big on a “Harper support bat” come what may.

    LikeLiked by 1 person

    1. Thomson’s contract runs through 2026 so, barring an epic collapse that Girardi would be jealous of, he’ll be around.

       Schwarber is a little murkier. But he’s been worth every penny and more of his current contract, and he seems to absolutely love being on this team. So I expect him to stick around with an extension unless someone way overpays him in FA (Toronto, maybe?).

       I can’t help but think history repeats itself and we see the Phils try to move on from Bohm either at the deadline or in the offseason.

       LikeLiked by 1 person

53. In his sixth year now with the Phillies , Zack Wheeler has produced at a clip of 26WAR. He may be the best free agent pitching signing the Phillies ever did. Cannot think of any other free agent pitcher they may signed that produced that high of a WAR in such a short period of time.

    LikeLike

54. Where things are now and where they could be by season’s end could be 2 very, very different places. In a good world, the Phils produce, Topper’s job is secure and Schwarber (and Bohm) find Philly a place where they want to continue to play. It’s a hope but not a given as to any of that.

    The Phils have kept some cash in their back pocket and have contracts coming off the books. If Dombrowski likes his job, he won’t run back an under-achieving team and won’t repeat the mistake of leaving Harper unprotected in the order. If it has to be a lefty like Schwarber, then there’s slack in the order at the top that will have to be addressed.

    LikeLike

55. Closing this discussion. Wish I had done it last night before today’s interesting comments were posted. New discussion at

    Phillies Discussion 4/14/2025 | Phuture Phillies

    LikeLike

Comments are closed.