Phillies Discussion 6/14/2025

Other Stuff

I’m back for a while. This is your current Phillies discussion.

Just some random observations.

The Phillies double play seems slow.  I don’t know how to phrase this or who to blame (if there is blame) but the “catch-and-release” at the start and turn of the Phillies double play does not always look smooth.  They have turned a total of 45 double plays – 25th in MLB, 14th in the NL (ahead of the Reds’ 44), and below the league average of 53.

While their fielding percentage of .989 is tied for second best in all of baseball (Texas is at .990), their defensive efficiency is tied for 23rd at .680.  League average is .697.  Their defensive runs saved is a league worst -45.  League average is +6.

The above numbers came from Baseball Reference.  The next one came from Baseball Savant.

Johan Rojas, in limited playing time, leads the team in Outs Above Average with 4.  Only Stott (3) and Turner (1) are above zero among all non-pitchers on the team.

I’m worried that Harper’s stay on the IL may be longer than we anticipated.  If he was only going to miss the ten days required by the placement, why bother with a crash course at first base for Otto Kemp.  Harper would be eligible to come off the IL in 2 or 3 days.  I have no inside knowledge here.  I just find Kemp’s move to first base peculiar if Harper is going to miss just a few games.

I have a few other random thoughts, but I don’t have the time to research them properly and still get this posted before tonight’s game.  Maybe next time.

Promotions have begun.  I have the three most obvious in bold text below – Anthony, Ferrebus, and DeMartini.  More are likely to come.  For instance, I think Crawford would have made his debut had he not tweaked his hammy.  We’ll see what happens when he returns to action, he wasn’t placed on the IL.

Important Dates

  • April 4, 2025: MiLB roster limits decrease from 175 to 165 players
  • August 19, 2025: End of DSL regular season
    • Playoffs TBD: 8 teams, 3 best-of-three rounds
      • 6 division winners, 2 wild cards
  • July 24, 2025: End of FCL regular season
    • July 26, 2025: One-game FCL semi-final
    • July 27-29: Best of three FCL finals
  • July 31, 2025: MLB trade deadline at 6:00 P.M. EST
  • Note: These dates will be used unless/until notified differently.

Transactions 

6/14/2025 – Jersey Shore sent OF Raylin Heredia on a rehab assignment to FCL Phillies
6/12/2025 – Jersey Shore sent OF John Spikerman on a rehab assignment to FCL Phillies
6/12/2025 – Clearwater activated RHP Danyony Pulido from the 7-day IL
6/12/2025 – Clearwater sent SS Juan Villavicencio on a rehab assignment to FCL Phillies
6/12/2025 – RHP Maxwel Hernandez assigned to FCL Phillies from Clearwater
6/12/2025 – DSL Phillies White placed SS Carlos Severino on the 7-day IL retroactive to 6/9
6/11/2025 – Phillies recalled RHP Michael Mercado from Lehigh Valley
6/11/2025 – Phillies designated RHP Carlos Hernández for assignment
6/11/2025 – Lehigh Valley activated OF Keaton Anthony
6/11/2025 – OF Keaton Anthony assigned to Lehigh Valley from Reading
6/11/2025 – C Luis Caicuto assigned to Reading from Jersey Shore
6/11/2025 – C Jordan Dissin assigned to Jersey Shore from Reading
6/11/2025 – Clearwater activated RHP Ryan Dromboski from the Development List
6/10/2025 – Lehigh Valley placed RHP Austin Schulfer on the 7-day IL retroactive to 6/9, right shoulder discomfort
6/10/2025 – Lehigh Valley activated RHP Gabe Mosser from the Development List
6/10/2025 – C Alirio Ferrebus assigned to Clearwater from FCL Phillies
6/10/2025 – Clearwater transferred C Yhoan Escalona to the Development List
6/10/2025 – C Guillermo Rosario assigned to FCL Phillies from Clearwater
6/10/2025 – FCL Phillies transferred RHP Wilmer Blanco from the 7- to the 60-day IL
6/10/2025 – RHP Josias Utrera assigned to DSL Phillies Red
6/10/2025 – Luis Quintero assigned to DSL Phillies White
6/09/2025 – Phillies activated RHP Zack Wheeler from the paternity list
6/09/2025 – Phillies optioned RHP Daniel Robert to Lehigh Valley
6/09/2025 – Phillies signed FA Luis Quintero to an MiLB contract
6/09/2025 – Phillies signed FA RHP Josias Utrera to an MiLB contract
6/09/2025 – Lehigh Valley placed 2B Christian Arroyo on the 7-day IL retroactive to 6/7
6/09/2025 – Lehigh Valley activated 3B Matt Kroon from the 7-day IL
6/09/2025 – Lehigh Valley activated RHP Daniel Robert
6/09/2025 – C Josh Breaux assigned to Lehigh Valley from Reading
6/09/2025 – 3B Luis Verdugo assigned to Reading from Lehigh Valley
6/09/2025 – SS Carson DeMartini assigned to Reading from Jersey Shore
6/09/2025 – Reading sent C Caleb Ricketts on a rehab assignment to Jersey Shore
6/09/2025 – SS Cole Roberts assigned to Jersey Shore from Reading
6/09/2025 – C Yhoan Escalona assigned to Clearwater from Lehigh Valley
6/09/2025 – 2B Samuel Salcedo assigned to DSL Phillies Red from DSL Phillies White
6/09/2025 – OF Winifer Castillo assigned to DSL Phillies Red from DSL Phillies White
6/09/2025 – C Rey Cruz assigned to DSL Phillies White from DSL Phillies Red
6/09/2025 – SS Roiner Cespede assigned to DSL Phillies White from DSL Phillies Red
6/08/2025 – Phillies claimed RHP Ryan Cusick off waivers from Chicago White Sox
6/08/2025 – Phillies designated RHP Kyle Tyler for assignment
6/08/2025 – Phillies reassigned RHP Ryan Cusick to the minor leagues
6/08/2025 – Phillies optioned RHP Ryan Cusick to FCL Phillies
6/08/2025 – FCL Phillies activated RHP Ryan Cusick
6/07/2025 – Phillies placed 1B Bryce Harper on the 10-day IL retroactive to 6/6, right wrist inflammation
6/07/2025 – Phillies selected the contract of 3B Otto Kemp from Lehigh Valley
6/07/2025 – Phillies optioned RHP Alan Rangel to Lehigh Valley
6/07/2025 – Phillies recalled RHP Daniel Robert from Lehigh Valley
6/07/2025 – Atlanta Braves claimed RHP José Ruiz off waivers from Phillies
6/07/2025 – 3B Luis Verdugo assigned to Lehigh Valley from Reading
6/07/2025 – Lehigh Valley activated C Yhoan Escalona from the Development List
6/07/2025 – Lehigh Valley activated RHP Alan Rangel
6/07/2025 – Lehigh Valley activated RHP Nabil Crismatt from the 7-day IL
6/07/2025 – Reading activated SS Cole Roberts
6/07/2025 – Jersey Shore placed RHP Aaron Combs on the 7-day IL
6/07/2025 – Jersey Shore placed 2B Trent Farquhar on the 7-day IL
6/07/2025 – Jersey Shore activated OF Jordan Viars from the Development List

213 thoughts on “Phillies Discussion 6/14/2025”

  1. Here’s something to consider when discussing the Phillies offseason decisions. I looked to see if the Phillies ever paid 8 figures for a third and final arbitration year. They did. Rhys Hoskins went from $7.7M to $12M from his second to his third arb year. Alec Bohm is making $7.7M this season, his second of three arb years.

    For those who credit WAR, both put up roughly 2.0-3.0 WAR in their first arb year. (Actually, I think Bohm was higher.) Bohm, after his horrendous opening 14 games this season, is among the team’s offensive leaders over the next 52 games. He’s unlikely to duplicate his previous WAR without approaching the 15 HR total from last season. Hoskins produced 3.0 WAR his second arb year (but zero his third as he was on the IL all season).

    I’m not going to pretend I know what the Phillies are going to do or should do with Bohm, but I’m also not going to completely rule out an arbitration tender.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Up here in south Jersey/Philly the talk on sports radio has continually been that Bryce’s injury was never a two week trip, especially once they moved Kemp to 1b. Thompson said he only started him at 3b early was because that was the spot he was most comfortable with.

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    1. Aroon looks , like Anthony , to be a one position player right now….for Escobar apparently 2B will be his, and of course Anthony it is 1B. I do think they will try different positions with Escobar as he goes up the ladder…3b already and eventually maybe some corner OF.

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        1. As much as I like Stott, if his production doesn’t turn around soon I’d have to agree.

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          1. For me I feel he needs to improve his bat speed. Why he has issues with fastballs. That may not improve with age.

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    1. Romus. I told Ruff the other night that Cub announcers also said Nola most likely out till All Star break as well.

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    1. Romus. I told Ruff that Kirk reminds me of the catcher I played both Babe Ruth and American Legion ball with long ago. Almost identical physical features. But kid was the hardest worker I ever played with in any sport. He got 100% out of every play he ever played. Ended up attending Illinois and played I know some there. Not bad for a kid that was not a gifted athlete. Kirk seems to get every bit of his ability as well. Players can come in all size and shapes. Just be able to perform.

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  5. i just learned Anthony was undrafted. Ant believe no one took a chance. On a 309 hitting college. Gold glove fielding player. Who can get on base. Even as a filler in minors.

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        1. NIL has changed the poor college kid these days. Baseball is not at the level of football and basketball but some doing more than pennies.

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  6. Crawford 1 — 2 at the moment in today’s game.

    Anyone have a sighting of Aidan Miller? Haven’t seen him in a game since Carson showed up.

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  8. The Phillies have acquired INF Nick Dunn from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for cash considerations.

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  9. I was wondering what the community as a whole thinks of who would be the .pst likely to be traded and who do people want to hold on to?

    I assume Crawford and Able represent the highest most likely to be traded. But do people think Tait or Escobar will be moved?

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    1. How about nobody gets traded? None of the big names from the minors anyways. I would even really like to see Keaton Anthony get a shot. I don’t care that he doesn’t hit HRs.

      The only people I would like to see traded are players like Bohm and Marsh. Maybe some team would value Stott?

      I would look to trade for Harry Ford. Then maybe Tait becomes a trade chip.

      Brandon Lowe looks like a good target. Taylor Ward and Ramon Laureano also. Shouldn’t take much to get a player like those three.

      There are some interesting names for the bullpen that would not take a lot to aquire. Bednar for instance shouldn’t require much to acquire.

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    2. This just from an article I saw regarding Mason Miller. In it Bowden seemed to think the 3 untouchables on the Phillies are Painter, Miller, and Tait. He seemed to think all others are on the table for the right deal. He also included Marsh as a possible though he is beginning to hit better. But I have no idea who the Phillies consider as keepers.

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  11. Escobar 2-5, 4 rbis, 2 Dbls

    Nori 3-3, 4 rbis, 2 Dbls, 2 BB, SB

    Crawford 1-4, BB

    Anthony 1-4, another Dbl, I think that’s 23rd Dbl already

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Romus you still getting Fathers day cards, From Vietnam? You were there for 18 months. And I heard get 7 father’s day cards, every year. WOW

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  14. My buddy, the Blue Jays fan, says that the gap between AAA hitting and big league hitting has widened to the point where rookie hitters are struggling like never before. Check out some of these rookie slashes:

    Otto Kemp: .250/.308/.292

    Jac Caglianone: .209/.227/.256

    Marcelo Mayer: .229/.283/.479 (3 HRs)

    Roman Anthony: .063/.167/.125 (#1 prospect)

    Kristian Campbell: .227/.324/.355

    Jacob Wilson, who’s a near lock for ROY in the AL, had this slash when he came up last season: .250/.314/.315

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    1. Especially left-handed pitching in AAA. One reason can’t trust split numbers for AAA hitters.

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  16. Here’s how I think it sets up for the Phils at the trade deadline. I’ll frame it as an algorithm.

    -Is Nola back healthy and pitching well on regular rest?

    If YES, the Phils have 4 experienced starters in Wheeler, Luzardo, Sanchez And Nola to meet playoff needs

    –Suarez becomes a valuable trade chip for needed improvement in the pen and a right hand bat. Fewer Phils’ prospects at risk of being moved.

    If NO, the Phils need to retain Ranger to assure themselves of the veteran starting pitching needed for the post-season.

    -Valuable prospects are the best the Phils have to offer at the trade deadline in this scenario.

    I don’t think the Phils can game for a slow Harper comeback. They can rest him, remove him from games late, score dependent. But there is no external move I can see the team making to minimize the loss during the season to minimize the loss of Harper’s bat.

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    1. when Harper returns Kemp should move to 2b and Stott becomes the lefty backup IF to replace Wilson. With Sosa and Stott they have good defensive bench with Sosa able to play LF.

      Kemp gives them a RH bat to better balance the line-up.

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    1. That was a filthy slider that he did a great job of staying back on and going down and getting it. Truthfully it’s an out if D was not all the way in with runner on 3b

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  18. Kemp is now 4/4 today with 2 RBIs. Last was a hard-hit drive to center. Just missed an oppo field HR the other day. Gradually getting comfortable and barreling more. This is fun.

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  20. Kudos to Kemp for a great game today and a pretty good major league beginning. With that said/written, he’s as good as gone. This is his audition. He is now a major trade chip for a two month rental.

    Why do I write that? Well, where are they going to play him when Harper comes back this year and the next few years? He’s not a good third baseman and he doesn’t play the outfield so where will he play?

    They are not going to move Harper back to the outfield. Bohm plays a better third base and I doubt very much that Kemp is anywhere near as good defensively as Stott. Enjoy Kemp while he’s here.

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    1. Kind of near-sighted way of looking at it,don’t you think? If Kemp was worth a nickel at the beginning of 2024, he was probably worth $.15 by the end of last year’s Arizona Fall League. In which case, with his success in the bigs over a small sample size, he’s easily worth $.50 now. Who in his right mind will sell him short now (rhetorical question, you don’t have to answer)?

      Look, the Phils took a guy with no defensive skills or versatility and gave him a 5-year $100 M deal. Think of that when you assess what Kemp might/might be worth. Compare Kemp and what he offers with the right handed bats on the roster. Kemp might prove to be what the Phils need, a guy with some pop from the right side to balance the order. If the Phils thought Bohm was that guy,they wouldn’t have shopped him last off-season.

      The Phils won’t get the type of offer for Kemp right now that would keep Dombrowski on the phone for a minute. No organization coveted him as no team drafted him. The team looks smart from seeing some potential in Kemp. They’d look awful dumb if they parted ways now.

      The best counter-argument is that The Phils at one point traded undrafted signee Larry Bowa. But they did that only long after they knew what he was worth.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. I disagree. As much as I like Stott, all hsi value is derived from defense and SBs.

      He hasnt had an OPS+ over 100 in 3 years. His best OBP was .329. His offense is blah. If Kemp can provide offensive output and an OPS+ north of 100 while being league avg at 2B, I’ll take it. Who knows maybe he can play left.

      There’s so much speculation on who will be here come post trade deadline and who won’t. I feel of all the names only Ranger is a lock to be here.

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      1. I think a lot of the speculation on personnel moves stems from the fact that — for a contending team– the Phils have remarkably few positions in lockdown going into next season and thereafter.

        Most of us,I suppose think Harper will be at IB for the next couple of years before transitioning to DH. But he’s indicated a willingness to re-position to help the team. Most of us think, I suppose, thatTurner will be at SS through this season and likely next year as well, before transitioning to a less demanding position.

        Beyond that, who can predict what? Castellanos is likely to play out his contract in RF but I don’t think that’s a lock. Realmuto could get a short extension because there’s no heir apparent ready in the wings. But that’s not a lock. Going into this season, I would have said Stott is a lock at 2B but that’s no longer set in stone. Does Bohm have a future in Philly beyond this year or beyond the expiration of his contract after the 2026 season?

        So there is a lot of opportunity for ferment and for prospects to kick in the door and earn playing time at almost any position. More opportunities than obvious candidates. I don’t think you can say that about many contending teams — maybe the Red Sox depending on how you see them.

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  22. Hard to believe Sox trading Devers to the SF Giants….and getting back some quality pitching in return. They are red hot now and they make this move…..takes some guts by the GM.

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      1. I don’t see us spending $400+ million on Tucker. Certainly not with what is still owed to BH and Turner.

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        1. You’re probably right, but if you were going to spend a lot of money on one player, Tucker would be a good bet to pay. He’s a true difference make and will probably be a star for the next 8-10 years. He has such good power, plate discipline and bat-to-ball skills that I think he’s going to age extremely well as a hitter. If you want the next Freddie Freeman at the plate but with fielding skills as well, he’s your man. And would I trade him for Schwarber? Yes, absolutely, because you can always find and pay a DH – guys like Kyle Tucker are rare.

          FYI, I hope people are now done talking about Andrew Painter like he’s a bust. He was bound to have a few rough outings and he’s still knocking the rust off. My sense is that, over the next year or so, his velocity will continue to increase and he’ll do nothing but improve. Give the guy a break!

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  23. Romus – They got out from under that massive contract for a guy who is not much of a team player. Now they can move Anthony to DH.

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    1. I agree, this was strictly to get out of that onerous contract. And the Red Sox are rolling with their young players, whether it works or not. It’s a ballsy move but one that they needed to make. I have to give their GM props for it.

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      1. Remember Chaim Bloom gave Devers that contract not their current GM, otherwise he is still there.

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      2. It may not help them a ton this year, but the Devers trade frees up cash and it gives them some young talent to work with. Any time you can trade a long and iffy contract, even if you get little back, to me, that’s a positive. It’s strange that most people don’t see it this way, but I sure do.

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    2. Yeah…..Devers was getting to be too disruptive….had a sit down with Cora and Henry understand to air out his gripes. He probably knew he was going to get moved and possibly asked for the move to a contender.

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  25. i love Lehigh valley pitching staff..most of those guys, are ready for social security. Dam there old and stink

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    1. Yeah, this really isn’t unusual, though. AAA is a finishing school (Painter, Abel, Crawford) and taxi squad – it’s not a prospects league. So you’re going to have a lot more guys like Max Lazar than Andrew Painter. But it is unfortunate that we don’t have any really elite relief prospects in the high minors right now. They would really come in handy this year.

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  26. BTW Phils lose 9 of 10 when Kevin Long’s wife took Topper’s bamboo plant out of his office to get it sunlight at their house; since it returned to the office they are 5-1.

    Liked by 1 person

  27. Guru ……. how is your buddy (the Bluejay’s Fan)? ….. he Otto feel BLUE! Hope you came out on top on the wager.

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    1. He’s a fan but he hates the GM. He’s still bitter that the Blue Jays let Alex Anthopoulos go. So as a result, he spends his time looking at baseball in general instead of focusing all his energy on the Jays. Don’t get me wrong, I still bust his chops when the Jays (and/or individual players) perform poorly!

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  29. Sadly the Mets and Soto have found their groove and are playing really good baseball. Unless they suffer a major injury they are taking the division.

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    1. A little early to crown anyone. Kodai Senga just went on the 15-day ILwith a hamstring with no return date set. Like the Dodgers, the Mets have been snakebitten when it comes to starting pitching.

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    2. You mean the Mets team that was just swept by the Rays?

      Mets did the same thing the Phillies did. They beat up on the Rockies, White Sox, and Nationals.

      They are a good team but not significantly better than the Phillies. Their offense is more dangerous but there starting pitching is more suspect.

      Will be a battle to the end for the division.

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  30. It’s funny how players get reputations they can’t shake, regardless of the actual outcome of events on the field. We kept hearing how Otto Kempt just couldn’t hit breaking pitches. Well, it’s early and it’s hard to know how things will ultimately shake out, but this year, when he was in the minors and hit homers, a lot of those dingers were on breaking pitches and again in the majors, he has shown a very good ability to stay with and make contact with breaking balls. While it’s still early, I’ve seen nothing to suggest that Kemp cannot turn into a very competent big league hitter and as he gets more comfortable, I’m fairly sure we are going to see more of his plus power emerge. They really needed this guy and, at this point, I think it’s about time we inject some talent and promote Crawford too. It will be a weird logjam with Crawford in the outfield, but I think his talent is just too great at this point to ignore.

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    1. Too early to proclaim anything with Kemp yet. His babip is .476 with a hard-hit rate of 38.1% so he’s been a bit lucky to start his big-league career.

      Also hitting .500 when he swings at 1st pitches (6/12) vs. .235 when taking the 1st pitch (4/17) so he’s swinging early. Teams will adjust with fewer early strikes.

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    2. I’m enjoying watching Kemp defy the experts. Waiting for the pundits to acknowledge, “I was wrong about the guy.” (Waiting to hear the voices from the Domonic Brown Chorus).

      When Crawford is healthy and hopefully performing well, I’d call him up and exercise Weston Wilson’s remaining option. There’s no ideal move but I want Crawford playing every day. I’d stick Crawford in CF against righties and move him to LF against lefties Kepler can’t handle. Crawford has good splits against lefties. Rojas would platoon in CF. If this works, Marshbecomes redundant. As I said, there’s no ideal move. Assuming Crawford is ready before Harper, it could be:

      (against righties): Turner, Schwarber, Bohm, Castellanos, Kepler, Kemp, Stott, Realmuto, Crawford

      (against lefties): Turner, Schwarber, Bohm, Castellanos. Kemp, Sosa, Realmuto, Crawford, Rojas

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      1. Flea, ……. doubt you will hear “I was wrong” from the “not invented here” crowd., but maybe they’ll decide to give his stable mate the .34x slap hitter a shot since it seems to be working out so well.

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        1. All this excitement for a guy who’s a negative WAR player? Team would be better off just playing Sosa who’s a positive WAR.

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  31. been busy lately but I heard something that caught my hear, thought it was interesting… Wheeler plans to retire at the end of his contract. To me, the timing is a bit odd. I might be wrong, as he might of just been asked the question and he answered. To me, either way, it has to impact DD’s deadline thinking. Wheeler has been otherworldly in the playoffs, and yes nothing is guaranteed… but I’d keep riding that train until it proved otherwise. Is the 42million dollar man throwing his weight around? As in, make the moves NOW, don’t save the kids for the “phuture”…? Time is now type of subliminal threat? Might be nothing… might not be.

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    1. Matt Gelb talked about this a lot on the Phillies Therapy podcast when Zack signed the 3-year deal, that Wheeler didn’t want to be a guy who pitched into his 40s. I thought it was pretty well understood a year ago that this contract would be his last one. Maybe nobody believed it and now it just has that finality to it, but I always assumed, through Matt’s reporting, this was going to be the case.

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      1. Ahhh first I’ve heard of it but if it was common knowledge then I’ll pass it as nothing. 3 more swings at it with Wheeler l, need to get it done

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    2. I thought it was common knowledge but Wheeler made it very clear that his current contract will be his last one. He’s made more than enough money to be set for life and he wants to be a dad to his 4 kids. I have no issue with that.

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      1. So uncommon to find a human being that actually means what they say and isn’t corrupted by the temptation to make more big bucks …… refreshing actually.

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  32. Another funny thing – you heard a lot of Ranger complaints here until, you know, he starts pitching like one of the best pitchers in baseball again. People ignore that Ranger has had long periods of dominance where he is one of the 3 or 4 best pitchers in the game. But, yeah, it’s a real thing and it’s happened more than once. Now he just needs to put together a whole season like that, and he can.

    Now that he’s rolling again, I become more convinced than ever that his lull last season was mostly a product of his being injured. When he’s been healthy the last 2 years, he’s been an elite starting pitcher. I think odds are the team is not going to sign him and will pick between him and Luzardo – whether they should do that or not is subject to debate, but that’s what I think happens and I think they sign Luzardo because he’s really good and they can’t pay everyone top dollar and they already have a lot of great starters. It’s just the reality. That said, if he’s healthy, some team is going to get themselves one hell of a starting pitcher next year. I really don’t even care who it is so long as its not the Mets (which it could be!).

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    1. I think most in Philly are appreciative and perhaps a little surprised at how well has performed. He’s flashed brilliantly over parts of the last 4 seasons.

      For whatever reason, he hasn’t inked a contract extension. I suspect that he (and his agent) want him paid like a reliable innings-consuming workhorse and he’s not that guy and may never be.

      I don’t think he was bypassed when the Phils extended Sanchez. It’s not apples to apples but Sanchez signaled a desire to stay on when the Phils were already paying big money to Wheeler, Nola and Walker.

      Then the Phils went out and got Luzardo and that to me indicated that they were moving on from Suarez. Between Luzardo and Suarez, the Phils had made their choice. In a best case scenario, Ranger will for the first time qualify for recognition given top pitchers who log 162 innings in a season.

      Luzardo comes with an injury history but the Phils will see first hand how he holds up over an entire season before they have to commit more money to him.

      In short, Ranger’s been a spectator as the Phils packed their rotation to the point that he is expendable. All this without even talking about the low cost prospects seeking to be a part of the rotation.

      Whether Nola returns healthy and effective impacts Ranger’s value to the Phils for this season. But neither an otherworldly strong or weak performance from Ranger would keep him in Philly beyond this year. He wants to be a starter.

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      1. If Ranger isn’t moved next month, then come November I can the Phillies offering him a QO for 2026. Now with Boras as his agent and after only 8 starts he has a 2WAR season going for him so far…. he will not accept it.

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  33. “He (Stott) hasnt had an OPS+ over 100 in 3 years. His best OBP was .329…”

    Bryson Stott had an OPS+ of 103 in 2023, the same year he had an OBP of .329.

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  34. Things are starting to look like some nice baseball…. odd that often in june/july bryce gets injured, young kids come in.. team wins… byrce comes back.. they play tight.. they don’t win a WS/exit Playoffs earlier and earlier… just a pattern becoming a bit to long in the tooth to ignore with a Nats team that wins a WS year after his departure, just my own optics but i’ve been noticing a trend

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    1. He hasn’t played in 9 games. They are 5-4 in that span. Prior to that, he got hit in the elbow, and they went 1-4 in the 5 games he missed, including getting swept by the Brewers in miserable fashion. So, they’re 6-8 without him. Your optics are fuzzy.

      As for the playoffs, I seem to remember Bryce being exceptional, other than in the Mets series last year or when teams just walked him (like the 22 WS). Or did you forget all of his big hits against Atlanta (2 years in a row), the Padres, and others? In 8 postseason series with the Phillies, he has an OPS over 1.000 in 5 of them!

      No offense, but this just seems like a lazy post. Can’t wait for Bryce to be back, hopefully healthy for the final 3 months and then October.

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  35. Imo yesterday’s strange defensive lineup is all about trying to find a place for Otto Kemp. Schwarber out in LF opens the DH spot for Harper and the 1B spot for Otto.

    Kid has been raking. Fun to watch.

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    2. Phils treating 7 guys (the free agent 5 plus Bohm and Kemp) as non-platoon players. That shouldn’t be lost on anyone. Harper’s return will spell some form of change for Kemp but who they give the ab’s (and IP’s) to is its own story worth following.

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    3. V1, I have always enjoyed reading your posts over the years, I know you have talked about Crawford, what do you make of the Alex Carr’s comments,

      “Justin Crawford is an enigma. He is by far the most difficult prospect I have ever had to evaluate. He has all the talent in the world, but he just looks a mess: the swing is all over the place, his center field defense hasn’t been as good as one would expect it to be, and he hits everything into the ground. He hits it hard, which is a positive, but he has real trouble elevating the baseball — and that simply won’t play at the MLB level.”

      “I would imagine the Phillies are almost scared to promote Crawford. If they do, they run the risk of exposing his weaknesses at the MLB level, which could plummet his trade stock.”

      taken from,

      https://canwephixit.substack.com/p/which-phillies-prospects-will-be

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thanks for the kind words, Daniel. I feel very strongly that over focus on Crawford’s ground ball rate is lazy analysis. A player like Crawford is better having a ground ball than a fly ball. Here is why:

        BABIP Range based on hit type:
        Line Drives .650 – .720
        Ground Balls .220 – .270
        Fly Balls .120 – .160
        Pop-ups ~.010 – .020

          First, by far the most important hit type is line drive rate. Crawford has a very healthy 22.5% line drive rate as a 21yo in AAA. As a benchmark, that LD rate would put him in the top 100 hitters in MLB if he can maintain that LD rate.

          Second, as shown above, ground balls have a higher BABIP than fly balls. Especially with a player that has 75-80 grade speed. To put Crawford’s speed into perspective, his max speed is faster than Trea Turner. For a player like Crawford, we would always rather him have a ground ball than a fly ball. Line drives remain the best option, but without that, if the ball is put into play, then ground ball is definitely the best option for Crawford.

          Third, far more important than ground ball rate is walk rate and K rate. Again, Crawford’s performance is very good. His walk rate is 10.4% which is really good and his K rate is 18.8%. I have always felt that player with a walk rate above 10% and a K rate below 20% is exceptional. There are currently 22 players in MLB with those ratios. There were only 14 players last year with those ratios.

          Forth, Crawford sprays the ball all over the field. He has a 43.5% oppo hit rate.

          Lastly, Crawford hits the ball hard. His hard hit rate is 41.8%. That is very high. Last year, there were 62 players in MLB with that high of a hard hit rate. To put it in perspective, that was the hard hit percentage of Freddie Freeman last year.

          None of the above speaks to Crawford’s stolen bases or his great defense.

          In summary, I think Crawford is going to be a really good pro for a long time. I have certainly been wrong on prospects in the past, but I really like him as a pro and his ground ball rate is not a red flag for me.

          Liked by 3 people

          1. Thanks for the info, I wonder if we will see him soon then as Rojas clearly is struggling badly at the plate and may need some time in LV. Marsh has been on fire but he seems better suited for LF.

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            1. Barring injury, they will not call up Crawford to replace either Marsh (hitting .407 in June) or Kepler and as a left-handed hitter, he’s not taking Rojas’s spot as their primary right-handed hitting reserve outfielder.

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            2. Marsh is better suited for LF, but the Phillies are paying Kepler $10M so he’s going to play for as long as he could.

              But unless Crawford is traded, he will likely be the starter in CF for 2026.

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    4. Alec Carr’s evaluation on Crawford….” but he just looks a mess: the swing is all over the place,….”.

      She probably would give the same eval on Ichiro, or Clemente, Manny San., Tony Gwynn , Boggs, Musial, Vlad G Sr, Gary Sheffield, K Youkilis, and a host of others…………bat to ball eye strength is the bottom-line.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. He has plenty of velo but its fairly straight. if he doesn’t stay out of the middle of the plate he’s bound to start getting rocked. Also the off speed isn’t sharp enough yet.

        And he needs more pitches he can count on in hitter friendly counts.

        But he’s got potential as a 3/4

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        1. I don’t think it’s possible to truly measure whether a pitcher has a “straight” fastball or not by watching on TV.  It’s an instance where data is much more telling although when ya sit behind the plate you can certainly see ball movement if ya have a trained eye. Mick throws predominantly a four seam fastball (34 of his 77 pitches last night). To explain whether it was “straight” or not here is the definition of Induced Vertical Break (IVB) – “Distance between the height at which the ball crosses home plate and the height at which it would have crossed if it travelled in a straight line from release and were affected by gravity, reported in inches or centimeters.”

          An average  IVB is considered to be 15 inches with a measurement of 18 or higher considered elite. Last night Mick averaged 17 inches on his pitches on IVB and had a max of 20. He threw only two pitches below a IVB of 15, it was far from a “straight” fastball.  As a comparison last night Alcantara averaged 13 inches of IVB on his four seamer although he threw primarily sinkers.

          I believe the skipper made the right move in taking Mick out after five innings, pitch count isn’t the end all decision point. I’ve watched Mick a lot and he can lose command very quickly – a good manager gets a feel for such things – I believe Mr Thomson learned quite a bit in Mick’s last outing before this one. I have no doubt it was the right move.  

          The kid is a major league talent, don’t know if ya all notice but he rarely if ever sits down between innings, it helps him to stay focused to remain “in the zone”  – Ben Brown does the same thing, in fact he’s a pacer who can’t stand still. Mick has found the approach that works best for him – whether it’s with the Phillies or elsewhere he’s gonna pitch quite a bit in the show over the coming years.

          Steve Potter

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Honestly, I think the batter and the results will tell you if a pitcher is throwing a straight fastball. Abel is not getting lots of hard hit balls off of him although he did allow three homers in his last start. The amazing part to me has been his lack of walks. It was always discussed that if he could ever improve his control and limit the walks…. Well guess what, he has!

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            1. We’ll see and hopefully but 4 starts in the league does not constitute success. Neither a few good starts or even a bad start are going to sway me at this juncture.

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      2. I got in, settled in my chair, put the feet up, excited to see Abel…. It’s about 8pm… Topper puts in Walker, put the feet down and went into the kitchen. Thanks Topper!

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      3. Needs to develop his change-up as a way to get out left-handed hitters.

        Velocity is good and he has the makings of a good curveball and slider but is very inconsistent with both of those pitches right now.

        Like the demeanor on the mound and he doesn’t seem to get rattled.

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      4. I believe he is a 3 or 4 on a staff. Needs to stay away from letter high fast balls in the middle. Reminds me of a young Nola without as good a breaking stuff. Umpire got him a few times last night and he escaped the predicament.

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        1. Yep…a real estate pitcher….location location location with his FB, will do him well. If he keeps it within 3 inches off the side edges of the plate and able to locate it below the zone he will do alright. In the middle will get him in trouble.

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      5. For me, Abel is a 3/4. He has the velocity that a RH pitcher needs to succeed, and he’s not afraid to throw it up in the zone. Now, he needs to get that fastball in the lower half. His curveball is probably his second best pitch but it’s inconsistent. His changeup has promise because it can move, but he leaves it up which is not great. His slider is iffy. He has a calm demeanour which will serve him well.

        In order for Abel to become a 2/3, he’ll need to develop a more consistent out pitch that he can go to for strikeouts.

        Abel is still only 23, he’s still a work in progress.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. As often happens with teams, we get really spoiled by the good stuff we have and we overvalue the stuff we don’t have or don’t have in abundance.

          Let’s start with the pitching. This team has extraordinary starting pitching. You can’t quite compare this to 2011, because that team had all-time greats, all at their peak (except Oswalt) at the same time and nobody was injured. But this team has great starting pitching and more starter depth than that team had. If this were another era, we would be raving about Mick Abel, but we have an abundance of riches, so he’s viewed as a lesser talent, which he is not. Maybe he’s a 3/4 now, but he most certainly has the talent to become a 2/3.

          Wheeler is a perennial Cy Young candidate. Ranger is among the best starters in baseball. Sanchez is a 2/3 horse who is incredibly reliable and has more upside. Luzardo had a terrible few games, but he’s otherwise a grade A talent who can dominate at any time. And on top of that we have Abel and Painter. Nola will just have to get well and pitch well, but once he’s right, there’s no reason to think he can’t be very good again.

          As for hitting, this is not a great hitting team, nor . Schwarber is really good. Harper is still excellent and Turner is playing as we originally hoped he would. And, to be clear, nobody is playing like a superstar. After that, it’s spotty, although, to his credit, Bohm has been very consistent the last few months, but the fact is that, even hitting .291, his OPS is like 30 points higher than Kepler’s, who is hitting .218. So, Bohm is okay, but he’s not much better than that. Realmuto is declining, as we expected he would, in his age 34 season. None of the remaining younger hitters – Marsh, Stott, Rojas – have developed as hoped for. Casty is a -0.4 WAR because he’s such a bad fielder. So, yeah, I get why they are trying to give Kemp a chance to develop. This team is starved for young hitting talent.

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          1. have enjoyed seeing Trea be productive and see him in the top 20 of a few counting stats… keep it up Trea!

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    6. Young guys with a 2.21 ERA after 4 MLB starts are not a dime a dozen. The large gap between big league and AAA pitching has been taken up here recently. Abel has to refine and adjust but what’s been written here is pretty much true for all pitchers who don’t have enormous deception.

      A very small number of young pitchers have success on every rung of the ladder and Abel is not one of them. I think it’s impossible to gauge his ceiling at this point. As health is always a consideration, it’s hard to know his floor.

      The Phils aren’t rushing him or pushing his innings while he adjusts to starting on as little as 4 days’ rest. Abel is the same age as the Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki and you have to like how the Phils are handling Abel and what they’re getting from him.

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      1. never got to see much on him when in minors so upon first impressions he is a gamer.. i like his approach and see his upside with refined breaking ball control and continued velo…. 2/3 for sure if he commands the spin and can keep it down… seems to have hung some and or grooved a few when trying to paint edges. This is where having realmuto will pay more then can be calculated with numbers.. abel and painter get to toss to him hopefully for a good number of innings

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    7. I was just wondering if all of you who attacked me for saying “leave Bohm alone and that he will start hitting” are ready to apologize to him? How about those of you who wanted to release Marsh? Apologize yet? See what his numbers are since his 0-29 April?

      Baseball is not football, it’s a long season with lots of ups and downs. You can’t overreact to the peaks or the valleys. The Phil’s are a good team (not great) who should be playing playoff baseball. Let’s hope they’re hot at the end.

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      1. Marsh’s value has never been higher this season…if another team offered a a great return, then if I were in Dombrowski’s shoes, I’d consider it. The OF will get crowded next season….even with Kepler moving on in free agency.

        Liked by 2 people

            1. Yeah, but the question is – what is his actual value? I don’t think it’s very much right now and that he’s actually quite a bit better than his market value. This team is in a tough situation because none of the outfielders has played particularly well and they are loaded with lefties. I totally get why people say that Crawford doesn’t have a place on this team because his skillset seems redundant. They need a righty power hitter with on base skills, not another lefty slap hitter – totally get it. That said, his skillset may be so exceptional (especially the hit tool and fielding) that they take a chance and do it anyway. I’m not averse to that possibility. They need to do SOMETHING.

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      2. For myself, I can’t wait to see the Phils develop an All Star calibre position player. I’ve had high hopes that Bohm might be that guy. I never endorsed trading him and wouldn’t unless there was a clear successor waiting in the wings. As Bohm approaches the end of his contract after the end of next season, the Phils have to figure if he fits their future plans. If he doesn’t, they should be thinking now where they might want to go.

        Marsh is in a similar situation. He’s not really home grown and he’s not an All Star. I wouldn’t adopt a tone of triumphalism over his recent success. He would do best in a situation he’s not in — alongside 2 outstanding defensive outfielders with middle-of-the-order power. Then batting him 8th or 9th is fine and he plays a competent LF. The less talent you put in the OF with him, the more you see what he doesn’t provide. The Phils have told you every which way from Sunday that they don’t see him as an everyday left fielder or center fielder. I believe them. Wish it were otherwise. If Marsh hits .400 for the month of June, I’ll still feel that way.

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        1. We don’t have to go here right now, but I have strong feelings about Kevin Long. Like you said, nobody has developed. Bohm came up and yes hes been a lot better lately, but the lack of power for a guy his size is kind of absurd. Stott was billed as a guy who “could win a batting title” some day and now hes close to .200. Marsh was a former top 50 prospect who could be a solid reclamation project. None of those guys are awful, but none have really gotten any better or unlocked a new level of production. Some have regressed. It seems like nobody gets better on the Phillies when it comes to hitting, and im not considering the vets bc a hitting coach doesnt matter to guys like Harper/Schwarber at this point in their careers much anyway.

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    8. Kemp is just a ballplayer. Hes the type of guy winning teams have and its not a coincidence that the team has looked better since hes been in the lineup. Guy is just a pest to opponents and hes done nothing but hit for 2 years now. Can’t say I understand anyone who wants to trade him. Same w Abel. Dont panic trade a guy who is solid just because you are worried about where they fit down the line. That stuff works itself out down the line. Thats a move bad teams do.

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      1. pretty sure Kemp isn’t the catalyst for them playing better. More a result of Marsh, Kepler, JTR all hitting better the last 10 days.

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        1. Romus. The article I saw said the same on Miller. We know BP guys have good and bad years. The one thing we do know is he has a big arm. Only time will tell where he goes with the talent. No idea right now what it would take to land him. I do feel the Phillies do not have enough BP guys for the end game to go deep in the playoffs. But just my feelings.

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          1. Like most relievers Don, there is risk involved. They tend to throw with high FB velo and hard breaking sliders or sweepers, and on occasions tend to have control issues. Miller has a high BB/9 and high ERA…but also a very good FIP, so go figure. Four days he implodes vs the Royals then he has a few great games.

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      3. What about Bednar? I don’t think the Red Sox will be sellers so no Chapman.

        I would like to not part with Painter/Miller/Tait/Escobar/Burkholder in any deals.

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        1. Bednar would be another for sure…..not sure what the Pirates would want for him…he has two years control also, so it could be expensive. And he is having a very good season and no blown saves….but then again the Pirates have not had many leads going into the 9th.

          Liked by 1 person

        2. Your first three are the ones I have seen as most likely untouchable but does anyone really know. I do not.

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    10. I go along with Moffo on this topic. Miller scuffled early but in his last five games (according to what Romus put out there) four of them being scoreless. As Don wrote, Miller has a big arm. And Romus, if the Phillies could get him for Kemp and Cabrera, I’d do it in a New York minute.

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      1. Does tend to lose control in spurts. Not even sure he has any command throwing that hard. Just a few days ago he imploded vs the Royals. But I guess that is the volatility of a reliever. If Dombrowski goes after him, hope he does not give up much in the quality of the farm.

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      2. Mason Miller is my favorite of the closer options. He has been for over a year. But no idea if it has any possibilities.

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    11. Had hoped they would have been able to make miller and rooker work last year but dave wasn’t seeling the farm, nor would i have either….

      maybe they can get miller still but i doubt it

      also no clue his numbers but if the rubber is that bad as wheeler said it was, not shocked any pitcher pitching there has bad numbers

      Liked by 1 person

    12. This time get relievers under team control, having good seasons who could fit into a ‘closer by committee’ scheme and who wouldn’t cost the farm. Cade Smith of the Guardians and Felix Bautista of the Orioles.

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      1. Good relievers under team control will, by definition, cost the farm. Every competing team needs that.

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    13. Casty’s games started streak comes to an end tonight after he reportedly said something, “inappropriate” after being lifted for a defensive replacement last night. It was literally a textbook time to replace him (winning late, immediately after he had batted), so I don’t know why he would be upset about that. The only other scenario he gets taken out is during a blowout.

      But hey, we get to see Rojas and Marsh in the field at the same time two nights in a row. A rare treat indeed.

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      1. word is getting around that Casty said something … when he was pulled for a defensive replacement. He should see the writing on the wall… and that is WHEN Crawford gets promoted… he’s the guy they will be subbing Rojas in ultimately for a late game defensive replacement. Whether they shift Crawford over, or not… Castellanos will not be on the field for the clinching out of the WS 🙂

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        1. I told Ruff I agreed 100% with the move. Have what you feel is your best 3 defensive OFs in late. But after watching Kepler last night I am not sure. I agree with Kruk. There is no way in the world that was not an error. As has been mentioned by many announcers it is really difficult for a MLB guy to commit an error these days. That play is an error in 10U travel ball. I do not think Casty would have made the catch Monday but most likely would have made it last night. 50/50

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    14. Rocco …… what exactly do you think the “french” word was that Rob took exception too, when he removed Casty from the game?

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Mercado, Lazar, Ross and Banks don’t cut it on many playoff calibre teams. With any luck at all ….

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    16. Not for nothing but Banks is the last guy I go to with 2 on and no outs…

      Even with the understanding that his best RPs were probably not available last night.

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        1. Ruff. A little too critical of the BP guys. Luzardo had got to the magic 100 pitch area. LG only threw 6 pitches on Monday. His splitter may have got a K or even a DP ball.

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    17. A dreadful game last night. The only guys who can hit on Marlins – Edwards and Sonoja ( the new Philly Killer – you can look it up – he has already personally won 2 games this year) – kill them when Luzardo walks several and then Banks is forced to pitch to the two players above. How can you not put them on base ????????? with a 3-2 count, 2 men on, you pitch to Sonoja who you could tell was going to pop one and score both runners. Triple off the center field wall ! and the game.

      The remaining Marlins runs came off the lousy bullpen.

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      1. I don’t mind the bitching and complaining and the bullpen has to be fixed going forward to a great degree, but it’s baseball. They are going to lost 40 percent of their games, at least, almost no matter what they do. This was just that day.

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        1. Catch. You are correct on the losses. It is how some of these take place that bug me. I asked Ruff how often this season the opponent BP comes in and Phillies go for 0s. Marlins even had two Philly castoffs throwing zero innings. But it seems to me teams score frequently on the Phillies BP guys. Last night all three. At least Marlins did not have to hit in the 9th. Maybe they even out in the long run but it seems lopsided.

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    18. Dombrowski will be shopping in a few weeks….looks like it will be a bullpen arm. Now just have to cross your fingers and hope he stays the course, and does not trade any of the tier one prospects in the doing.

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    19. Romus – it’s dicey … it’s going to depend on how he sees it .. this coudl be the last run with the big 3 – Schwarber, Harper, & Turner. Which is somewhat comparable to Howard, Utley, Rollins. I think really the big issue is you have 3 cracks at the title with Wheeler left, and the last one with Realmuto. Also, this is the team’s last shot with The versatile Ranger in the playoffs.

      Now they could be bought back.. or DD could say this is it… now or never boys… I can see him dealing Miller or Escobar, Abel, and others … He’ll hold onto Painter… the rest is open season. (As i see it today)

      Liked by 1 person

    21. Keaton Anthony is interesting. He has the size to develop power but hes also not young. His ball off the wall last night just missed. Great defensive 1b with a good hit tool but little power are pretty rare. But I think he can play.

      No idea who Nolan Hoffman is, unless DD just wanted to give fans a reason to keep their Hoffman jerseys. He seems like a guy with little upside, but for them to actively go trade for him maybe his charts fit what the organization likes and feels they can unlock something?

      Ricketts is legit, MLB backup at least in the future.

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      1. Hoffman is a submarine pitcher that’s striking out 29% of hitters in AAA. So there’s definitely something there that can potentially be unlocked.

        He needs to get his walks under control to be consistently effective, but that’s the case for a lot of relievers. So he’s definitely worth taking a shot on when all it costs us is (a negligible amount of) money.

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    22. I personally dont like guys like Banks and Ross because there is just nothing there. Mercado is bad, but at least you can watch him pitch and see that there might be something to work with. He can strike a guy out. But it has appeared thus far that aside from a few spurts, he has not been able to put it together. Guys who come in and throw 94 with no real out pitch like Ross and Banks are my least favorite to watch though. They just look so….hittable

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      1. Banks was supposed to be a lefthanded specialist. 2 batter max unless it was 3 LH bats in a row. At least that is how I saw him. Think Topper in the playoffs with his bullpen management

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    23. I have always been enamored with left hand starting pitchers. It goes back to Chris Short and Dennis Bennett and Dick Ellsworth and Cole Hamels and most of all Steve Carlton. I’m glad the Phillies have 3 in their rotation but I don’t like it that they’re stacked on top of each other as in this Marlins series.

      Of the three, Luzardo is at the bottom. When he’s on, he’s in the zone, strikes out a bunch, and is fairly economical. When he’s not on, well, we’ve seen it in 3 of the last five starts. At best, Luzardo is a 4 in a starting rotation but realistically he’s more a 5. He’s worth what he’s paid but not much more.

      We as Phillies Phans, especially on this site, have visions (and often delusions) of grandeur. When a prospect is going well, we get all hopped up and see the kid as a future piece to the puzzle that wins us a world series. Think Tait, Escobar, Abel, Miller, and Painter just as we thought Moniak a while back.

      I don’t know if Luzardo will be really good this year and next. I don’t know if Abel could sustain what he has done thus far. I don’t know if Painter is the “savior” many think he is going to be. I do know that Suarez is really good and when he is healthy, he is one of the better pitchers in baseball.

      I hope the Phillies can find a way to keep him in red pinstripes. If they can pay him a decent salary and bite the threshold bullet for another year, that would be great. They can make up Suarez’ salary when Walker is gone, Wheeler is gone, Castellanos is gone and a few more. Okay, pile on. I’m ready.

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      1. Good matter of fact post, no need to pile on!

        Wish I could see the future on Suarez, ….. worry about the back and getting stuck on a lengthy contract like Walker … course what I think is fair, Suarez won’t.

        My gut feeling is Painter will not be the Savior.

        Will add that I think of our 3 southpaws, Sanchez is under appreciated and the one your guaranteed to get a good effort.

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    24. i could be wrong.but if you watch, Painter. You see how elite his stuff his. That curve is a knee buckler. 98.-99 fast ball hard to think. He won’t be really good.

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    25. In a sport where 40 % of the teams (12 of 30) make the playoffs, I’ve started to think in 40-60 terms. The ’40’ are the players capable of contributing on playoff calibre teams. Obviously, not all are All Stars.

      In a discussion of your Joe Rosses and your Tyler Bankses, Mercados and others; they to me are not among your ’40.’ Yes, big league calibre players but not guys coveted by teams hoping to make noise in the playoffs. Not guys who you ever see take control of a game or give other teams something to worry about.

      I think Luzardo definitely qualifies as a ’40’ who can be a nightmare to opposing batters when he’s on. The key, obviously, is consistency and maintaining his health.

      Is Castellanos a ’40’ or just a well paid ’60?’ You’d know if he ever played for a winner. If he carried a team or made it a contender. I don’t care a bit about what Castellanos said to Rob Thomson in the dugout. It is or should be settled. But when the Phils go into this off-season, they need to assess if Castellanos is a guy who can contribute to a contending team. Factor in his defense. And, if he’s not that guy, they have that one last chance to get something back for him.

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      1. Latest SABR-SDI rates Casty as a negative 7.9….worst OFer in MLB…….he ranks second worst of all position players in entire MLB to Nats Luis Garcia who is at negative 9.3.

        Not sure I agree with that assessment……for sure, he is not a Gold Glove candidate….but to be rated the worst OFer in MLB at such a low metric is questionable to me.

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      1. Can’t think of why Bowden would think Mullins and the Phils are a match. I’d find it more interesting if it was Justin Crawford for that package. I like Crawford; Mullins is a left-handed bat on an expiring contract. Mullins as a rental with the season he’s having isn’t great. And 1 more left-handed bat? I’d say no to Mullins and yes to Bautista in a different package.

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      1. Ruff and I spoke last night about a 5-1 deal. Five of our guys for one who can get hitters out. A trade like the old Von Hayes days.

        But I have a better thought this morning. Phillies just need to add 5 more starters to the mix and avoid the BP altogether in games. Kidding of course.

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    29. okay . Middleton. Eat 5 million a yr for six yrs. Of Nola contract trade him and sign Ranger. Strahm almost blew this game facing guys hitting 173. A guy who was 0-8, as and a 203 hitter. Terrible.

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      1. Strahm has had 7 appearances in June and only has given up hits in 3 of them, including tonight. 2 runs in those 7 appearances.

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        1. I wouldn’t be surprised if Anthony – and his hitting exploits – are packaged in a bullpen deal at the deadline…

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          1. Alternative: Let Schwarber go at the end of the contract, move Harper to DH, Anthony to 1B.

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            1. Anthony wouldn’t come close to being able to replace Schwarber’s production. He doesn’t have any power.

              He’s a perfect candidate to be part of a trade for a back-end reliever.

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              2. He does if you are advocating him replacing Schwarber in the line-up unless you have some other major move to get a bat at another position who will replace those numbers.

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              3. I am advocating a remake, I personally don’t think this team has the stuff to be world champions and this year is their last shot as constructed. Only the starting pitching is good enough. The other areas are all in need of improvement.

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    31. The Phillies bullpen is even more suspect considering that Strahm is barely half as good as he was last year. The team is really fortunate that they escaped that ninth inning. Need to win tomorrow and make a good showing versus the Mets but with this bullpen, I don’t know.

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      1. The concern I have is who will be called upon for the 9th inning of an elimination playoff game leading by a run. I do not know the answer. I was surprised as I think T Mac and Kruk were with the order of BP guys last night. OK and then MS. Five straight right-handed batters in the 9th. Oh well. Phillies won by a foot or so. All is well.

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        1. i am concern with .bullpen. Lack of offense. Bad defense at right field third SS. Center when marsh is there.

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        2. Matt Strahm had an up and down MLB career before coming to Philly. Could be we’ll be seeing what he’s been elsewhere — up and down and not a lockdown piece. A clunky Marlins lineup looked very comfortable batting against him.

          Topper has auditioned Ross, Banks, Romano and Strahm for late inning work. I’m guessing Taijuan will be next.

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          1. Strahm’s underlying numbers in 2025 more in line with his 2023 numbers. 2024 was a bit of an outlier related to his WHIP which was ridiculously good last year.

            He’s allowing more base runners this year which will result in a few more runs scoring.

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            1. he was throwing 2 seamers it looked like that he started on the outer half to righty hitters…. idk the idea or pitch shape there but it just results in righty’s thwacking liners over short… that pitch path from a lefty to a righty basically allows them to barrel it perfectly.. it’s like a hanging curveball/sweeper… if you are going to throw that pitch like he has been trying to.. you need to burry it at the back foot of the batter.. he’s hanging 2 seamers or not locating and it’s bad… bust out the hula hoops and get your locations Strahm or you’ll be a 5th inning mop up man soon

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          2. Taiwan did a 3 inning save one night a while back I was surprised to see the other night was Kerkering’s first save. I would have had him for the 9th last night.

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    33. Can Abel really be traded as long as Nola is out for an indeterminant amount of time ? Painter’s time frame is still about a month away ? Thoughts ?

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      1. I’m convinced that the Phils see a need to rely on 4 tried and true starters ready to go in the post-season. At the moment, those are Wheeler, Ranger, Sanchez and Luzardo. Nola is an X-factor. Walker is a non-factor..

        Phils’ management is conservative in ascribing leading roles to untested players. Increasingly it looks as if the Phils will keep Ranger for the duration of the season and let the chips fall in the off-season.

        If you take Ranger out of the equation, it’s prospects and perhaps Marsh or Sosa available to get moved.

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      2. If the Phillies think that Abel is part of the future, they will keep him. It cannot be understated how much value a cheap starting pitcher brings to the table, even if he’s a 3/4.

        I think teams are trying to pry Abel away from the Phillies (I know I would), but they won’t go crazy with their offers. He’s not Andrew Painter.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. man i don’t much care what his numbers or results end up being… seeing TJ come out of the pen in october will make me poop my pants in anticipation of him throwing meatballs and the scoreboard lighting up… when it’s time to make the diamonds will anybody believe he has the composure to face the pressure? this is the thing.. we need some killers out there and really we don’t have any now that alv is gone… batters at least were a tad bit afraid he would just plunk them in the head… if we are to get somebody.. they need to be a bit nuts… nice doesn’t cut it as we saw last year…. wild thing…. wagner… lidge…. ? papelbum don’t count… sorry pappel why have we not thrown the stupid money at the closer after 22 when it was shown we had a “team”.. always need a killer to close it

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        2. I think your last point is right. Teams will clearly try to steal Abel, and they very well might get away with it if DD is true to his past.

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          1. true to what past? Over his multiple decades career, which player(s) were other teams able to steal from Dombrowski?

            Keep seeing this claim but not seeing the evidence.

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            1. You are probably correct on that….the only trade that come to mind that had any semblance of that was about ten years ago….the Sale to the Sox for prospects Moncado and Michael Kopech…at first it looked like it would be a push…but DD came out on top with the 2018 WS title and Sale as da man for the Sox.

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            2. Ever heard of a guy named Randy Johnson? DD and his team had him rated as the third best starter in their system. That’s a pretty good start.

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              1. Honestly, I don’t really care if he trades someone who ends up as a middle of the rotation starter or even an above average regular if it gives us a chance to compete for a championship. But it will be upsetting if we trade someone who becomes a star for a rental – like Pete Crow-Armstrong for Javier Baez – not so good. I am also fine with a “tit for tat” type trade where we trade a promising young pitcher for a promising young pitcher. This is why it’s so disappointing that the Orioles are out of the race – they would have made superb trade partners with the Phillies. Young hitters aplenty.

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              4. In fairness to Dombrowski…..he was on the job for 10 months with Montreal and the youngest GM in MLB at age 31. And Randy J. was horrific walking batters almost every inning…..and did not reach stardom for 5 years after the trade to Seattle.

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    34. Miami hitters looked very comfortable against our BP pitchers last night. They were aggressive and swinging freely. Was hoping someone, anyone would have brushed a couple of them back off the plate a little.

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    35. Nola moved to 60 day IL…possible return mid August. About same time Alvarado comes off his suspension. Buddy Kennedy brought up…Wes Wilson optioned back to LHV.

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    36. Buddy back, and our lowest ERA pitcher sent down… buddy used his upwards mobility clause and forced their hand and Weston has an option left i guess… hope buddy has a mean 72 mph fastball

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    38. Kerkering not doing badly late in games. Maybe he’s the man.

      As for starters, Wheeler, Ranger, Sanchez, Luzardo and, so far Abel, ain’t too bad. Throw in Painter, assuming he’s ready, and you’ve got six starters to pick from even minus Nola and Walker, and up to eight counting them. That leaves DD trading room.

      I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team with this much quality depth at the position.

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