Phillies Discussion 9/1/2025

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The Phillies won three out of four games from the Braves.  And yet, there is disappointment that they couldn’t complete the sweep on the heels of Luzardo’s pitching gem.

The Phillies blew out the Braves in game one of the series, 19-4 on 20 hits including 11 extra base hits of which 7 were HRs.  I mentioned in a comment that they had scored double digit runs in 12 games and were 6 and 6 in the following game.

Well, they won the next games after the Braves blowout and the next game before losing last night.  However, their offense was anemic in the final three games of the series.  They won 2-1 with 6 hits, won 3-2 in ten innings with 6 hits needing 2 runs in the tenth to avoid a loss, and lost 2-1 with 5 hits.  That’s a combined 6 runs on 17 hits including 4 extra base hits.

They were 4 for 25 in the 3 games after going 6 for 13 in the blowout.

The pitching on the other hand was pretty good.  Aaron Nola pitched well after the first inning; Robert and Trivino pitched well in mop up.  Suarez pitched well scattering ten hits but only allowing one run, Robertson pitched well, Strahm and Kerkering pitched well enough, and Duran was Duran; Sanchez pitched very well, Banks and Duran pitched well, and Strahm limited the damage to the unearned runner scoring; and Luzardo pitched very well and Robertson did his job, but Kerkering stunk, Banks allowed 1 of 3 inherited runners to score, and Alvarado gave up the 2 game winners.

The Phillies are off to Milwaukee to face the Brewers.  Always nice to have a Sunday night game and then have to travel for a Monday night game.  They have an off day on Tuesday for all these poor players who need to reset.  Then 2 more games against the Brewers and off to Miami for the weekend.  Excellent placement of the off day.

The Phillies grabbed LHP Tim Mayza off waivers from the Pirates and added him to the 40-man roster.  Wheeler was moved from the 15- to the 60-day IL to make room.  They also signed RHP Walker Buehler to a minor league contract and assigned him to Lehigh Valley for at least one start before deciding on calling him up.  I don’t know if this means the Matt Manning experiment failed.  He’s at Reading.  He had been working out inside the stadium down here, away from the prying eyes of the two bloggers who frequent the Complex.

This is your Phillies discussion.

Transactions 

8/31/2025 – Phillies signed FA RHP Walker Buehler to a minor league contract
8/31/2025 – Phillies transferred RHP Zack Wheeler from the 15- to the 60-day IL, right upper extremity blood clot
8/31/2025 – Phillies claimed LHP Tim Mayza off waivers from Pittsburgh
8/31/2025 – RHP Walker Buehler assigned to Lehigh Valley
8/30/2025 – RHP Matt Manning assigned to Reading from Clearwater
8/30/2025 – Reading transferred RHP Braydon Tucker to the Development List
8/30/2025 – Jersey Shore placed RHP Ethan Chenault on the full-season injured list
8/30/2025 – Clearwater placed RHP Giussepe Velasquez on the temporarily inactive list
8/30/2025 – Clearwater transferred RHP Marty Gair from the 7- to the 60-day IL
8/30/2025 – RHP Keegan Batka assigned to Clearwater from FCL Phillie
8/30/2025 – RHP Gabe Craig assigned to Clearwater from FCL Phillies.
8/28/2025 – Reading activated SS Erick Brito from the Development List
8/28/2025 – Reading placed SS Aidan Miller on the temporarily inactive list

273 thoughts on “Phillies Discussion 9/1/2025”

  1. Walker Buehler will be a nice addition if he can pick up his game…has play-off experience…..and will only cost about a million. He is a free agent in Nov so he may have that extra incentive to shine.

    Assume Manning is here to stay, at least until next spring and training camp. The further he is away from his surgery the better he could be.

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    1. It’ll be interesting to see how effective Buehler will be. He’s 31 already and since coming off his SECOND TJ surgery in 2022, he’s been awful (-2.1 WAR since the surgery). But he’s banked $21M from the Red Sox for this season so he should be happy about that.

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  2. I feel like we need a line up adjustment. I love JT but he’s not cutting it in the 4 hole protecting Harper. It almost felt like Waldrep could have rolled a ball up there last night and Realmuto would’ve swung. Not sure what the answer is although I’d start with having Kyle hit behind him and perhaps move Bohm up and drop JT. Also, I know this might rub some people the wrong way but, Stubbs? That’s the September callup? Stubbs? Good grief. And Buehler is the other? These moves don’t inspire much confidence.

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  3. Winning 3 of 4 is always nice. Especially when your closest opponent is losing 3 of 4. But last night was disappointing for many reasons. Luzardo was outstanding but offense failed, and BP failed. My biggest concerns going forward is the inconsistent offense and the 7-8 inning BP guys. Duran will handle the 9th if they can get there. Really only Banks has been consistent most of the time.

    It is now September, and we will see how things look at the end of the month.

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    1. Kerkering, at least for the time being, should be supplanted by Robertson as the late inning RH reliever. He needs some kind of a reset. He has a 4.26 era his last 15 games and that obviously doesn’t include the many inherited runners he’s allowed to score.

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  4. Stubbs ??? Their idea of help during the stretch run is a cheerleader ? Marchan barely plays so why bring up a 3rd catcher when Harper is against all the celebrations and shenanigans that Stubbs is known for. They must really hate Crawford for them to make this move. This move speaks volumes about the front office.

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    1. If you bring up Crawford, he needs to play every day. He won’t be playing every day with Bader out there. I get that we all want to see Crawford (I do too), but seeing him get maybe 1 start per week won’t help him out. He’s still only 21. Let him play out the year at Lehigh and we’ll see him in ST.

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      1. Crawford has played every day all season and he can go play every day in a fall league. Im sure he would be fine playing sporadically in the bigs for one month.

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  5. Well, there goes my big announcement. In the words of Emily Litella “Never mind”.

    I guess we shouldn’t get too upset by the September callups. The Phillies always have a plan that makes perfect baseball sense even though we don’t always see it or agree with it.

    Here’s a look at the September callups the past 3 years with comments on the position players. I guess the common thread is that we shouldn’t expect much.

    2024:

    9/01/2024 – Phillies recalled RHP Tyler Phillips from Lehigh Valley
    9/01/2024 – Phillies recalled 2B Kody Clemens from Lehigh Valley

    Clemens was a contributing player until an injury landed him on the IL (.256 on 5/28 in 17 games). He was activated in late June when Harper had a hamstring injury and optioned in early July when Harper returned (.242 on 7/7). He faded in September as he started in half of his 20 appearances finishing with a .219 average.

    2023:

    9/01/2023 – Phillies activated LHP Ranger Suárez from the 15-day IL
    9/01/2023 – Phillies activated CF Cristian Pache from the 10-day IL

    Pache spent a lot of time on the IL on two separate trips. However, he performed well as a role player, seeing action in 32 games and batting .327 in 53 plate appearances (16 for 49). After his 9/1 activation, he cratered to a .114 batting average (4-35) in 16 games finishing with a .238 average.

    2022:

    9/01/2022 – Phillies recalled C Donny Sands from Lehigh Valley
    9/01/2022 – Phillies selected the contract of RHP Vinny Nittoli from Lehigh Valley

    You want to talk about hating a player? Donnie Sands is how much Harper hated Darick Hall. Sands got into 3 games. He pinch hit for Realmuto in the 7th inning and stayed in the game on 9/2 in a blowout loss and went 0-2. He pinch hit for Marsh in the 8th inning on 9/3 and grounded into a double play after the first two batters reached base in a one-run game. He didn’t see the field again until 9/23 when he pinch hit for Harper in a blowout win and walked.

    This was one of Thomson’s earliest lies as the media was told Sands was brought up over Hall so that they could have the flexibility to use Stubbs more as a pinch hitter or left fielder. Stubbs made 9 appearances that September, zero as a pinch hitter and zero as a position player of any kind other than catcher. He was the starting catcher in 6 games, a relief pitcher in 2 blowout losses, and he replaced Realmuto at catcher in the 9/23 blowout win. Liar, liar pants on fire, Rob. This probably irritated only Romus and me.

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    1. I don’t understand why people are up in arms with the Phillies’ selection of the 2 extra players in September. Those guys are usually depth guys and you can see that from their past selections. If those 2 players were difference makers, they would have been up already.

      Was I maybe hoping to see Crawford or Kemp or Painter? Yes. Did I expect them to make any difference if they were up? Nope. Why? They won’t play enough to matter.

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      1. The reason for me is 1 game, 1 run or 1 play can make a difference. While I wanted Crawford, I was hoping for Rojas. I know he is not well perceived here but he could be a late inning defensive replacement or pinch runner.

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        1. If circumstances hadn’t elevated Stubbs to the Phillies’ selection, Crawford may well have been called up as a 6th outfielder. If Kepler is seriously injured, injured enough to go on the IL, it’ll be interesting to see if Crawford is the choice as a 5th outfielder, or if Rojas is the choice.

          Either way, line up decisions would seem easier for Thomson. Marsh-Bader-Castellanos almost every day, Wilson getting spot starts against most LHP, and Rojas or Crawford as defensive replacements.

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          1. i’m feeling the painter/crawford thing is kind of a more.. that the expierence may harm more then help both the player and the organization….. with painters rebuild from TJ and him working on stuff his era is inflated.. if he gets shelled in a game or two you break his confidence, you diminish his possible value etc etc…. March/April way easier to hide some bad numbers then september with folks frothing at the mouth for october…. same goes for crawford..

            don’t insert variables where they don’t need to be inserted…. the guys making the $ are on the hook for this one as they should be.. the dividing line has been placed and we now see the old wave/new wave divide.. at least if you don’t you should as that is what the org is showing

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        2. The reality is, the Phillies will only go far as the starters will get them. Yes, one play could make a difference, but if the starters don’t do their jobs to get to that point, it won’t matter.

          Just look at what was the reason why the Phillies lost in the playoffs the last 2 years. First was relief pitching, second was lack of collective hitting. No one play was going to change that.

          The Phillies will need most of the starters to get hot in the playoffs to win, simple as that.

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      2. You also mentioned that the Phillies needed Casty’s power right? That the Phillies needed his 16 HRs and .697 OPS? Even though there was a recent ESPN article that ripped Casty as one of the worst OFs in the game and Casty is now in a platoon? That Casty and his -1 WAR? That guy?

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    1. I agree. I saw him a couple times with Red Sox. One game he was really good at least the innings I watched. He has experience and he did well in the WS last year. Sometimes a small adjustment can make a big difference.

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    2. Agreed, What I also like with WaBu is that he could always work a game in relief if necessary…Roberts used him in that WS game last year, He is now a 93/94 guy and no longer a 96/97 guy, but he could still be productive with his secondary stuff. I think Dombrowski did well with this signing.

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  7. I’m from Missouri (“show me”) on the pitching moves but if it were my decision, I would have called up Crawford and Kemp and demoted Wilson. I can’t see a scenario where Stubbs contributes, barring an injury.

    This team remains weak against left hand pitching. Kemp for Wilson is an offensive upgrade. The Iron Pigs’ last game is September 21 To suggest that Crawford’s development would be impaired by not playing every day under these circumstances is hackneyed and poorly thought out. It’s not hard seeing him out in situations calling for occasional bats, pinch running and as a defensive substitute. Crawford (and Kemp) project as contributors now and in 2026. Wes Wilson projects to be gone.

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  8. On Stubby – let’s not forget the one thing he can do – and well at that – is bunt, and who knows if a sacrifice bunt will be needed at some point ? Glass half full take….

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  9. Kepler must be feeling better, since he’s in RF today (Phillies Show was pretty critical of Nick’s grousing today, fwiw). Sosa at 3B.

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    1. I have no issue with Casty being pissed. He’s a vet, he’s been around for a long time, he’s had success for a long time. It’s a shot to the ego going from playing 162 games and then being in a platoon the next season. If he doesn’t recognize that he’s a liability in RF, that’s on him. And to be honest, I think this makes it easier for the Phillies to move on from Casty in the offseason.

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      1. I think Casty’s behavior is reprehensible. Especially since he is a vet. The fact that at this point in his career he doesn’t care about winning and team over defensive playing time is disgusting to me. Seriously, scr*w that guy.

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  10. This is why we judge someone over the course of a season rather than a month or two. Walker is below average 

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    1. I don’t think there’s a single Phillies fan who thought he was a sub-3.40 ERA pitcher in actuality.

      We were just happy that he was having good results for a while. He’s been a good soldier for the team, and by all accounts he’s a good guy. So him actually contributing to our success was nice.

      But I would absolutely not trust him in a playoff series. Although we may end up having no better options, unfortunately.

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      1. I wouldn’t trust Walker at all in the playoffs. It has to be Sanchez, Luzardo, Suarez, Nola. Buehler if he shows up AND Nola is trending down.

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        1. That sting is not likely to subside anytime soon. Unless we win it all, there’s always going to be the, “what if” thoughts when it comes to Wheeler.

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  16. Not sure what to make of Bader for the future as a Philly. If they can move Casty, perhaps offer Bader a two or three year deal at maybe $10/11M AAV and hope the Phillies catch a genie in a bottle with him as he approaches his mid-30s.

    Is this year just a flash in the pan anomaly for him? In 2022 thru 2024 with 4 different teams he was MEH, will he revert back to those years in production. Could be a risky bringing him back but DD could be a genius.

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    1. Obviously all this depends on the Phillies moving on from Casty.

      I think Bader will absolutely go for 2/20 with a club option for the 3rd year.

      Marsh in LF, Bader in CF, Crawford in RF, that would be the best OF defense the Phillies have ever had. 3 above average gloves.

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  17. I live in Denver and was at one of the local AAA team’s games this weekend and sat next to a current scout who works for an “NL West team” is what he told me. I was wearing a Phils hat so we started a discussion. I specifically asked him about Crawford and unfortunately he had not seen him play this year but offered up some perspective I thought was interesting. He is not saying any of this as an insider, just his opinions.

    He said he’s surprised Crawford is still in AAA. He thought it was because the Phils were committed to Casty but now that he’s seen they are willing to reduce his playing time, he thinks the only obvious truth is that the Phillies believe Crawford would not likely offer improved production at the ML level over who they’re currently playing. They don’t believe at this point he’s an impact player. He suspects either DD will make him the centerpiece in a trade for a young controllable starter, similar to Luzardo but with a bigger track record, or he’ll start next year in the Phils OF batting 9th.

    Other interesting comments:

    • While Bohm and Marsh were on the trade block, he doesn’t believe DD ever intended to move either but just wanted to motivate them.

      He said the only guys they were serious about moving were Casty and Tijuan, but there was no interest.

    • On Wheeler, he said don’t listen to anyone’s opinion about his future because with that type of injury not even his doctor knows what his baseball future holds.
    • He said there is NO WAY the team goes into next season with a rotation of Sanchez, Wheels, Nola, Luzardo, and Painter, with Tijuan as the #6. He said with questions about Wheels health, Nola’s ‘25 numbers, Painter hasn’t thrown a pitch in the bigs yet, Tijuan is “a reliable #5 on his best day but not a guy who they
      ever intend to pitch in an October game”, and Luzardo is “a huge question mark as many teams who saw his medical last offseason ran in the other direction”, DD sees the top of his ‘26 rotation as Sanchez and a big ???. He expects DD to acquire a guy to pair with Sanchez as a 1-2 punch assuming he gets less than expected from Wheels, Nola, Painter, and Luzardo.
    • He believes Realmuto will be a huge target for several teams. May not be a more respected player across the league than JTR – can’t find anyone who doesn’t respect him. Was surprised the Phils didn’t add a year or two last offseason when his value was down as nobody should know his work ethic better and doubt him less than the Phils and now it’s going to cost them.
    • He thinks Casty is very movable when the Phils eat $10-12M of salary.
    • Thinks Bryce moves back to OF full time next year but more likely LF than RF. He also believes the Phils see Sosa as an everyday player or close to it next season as they “turned down offers at the deadline for Sosa that you don’t turn down for a 5th IF”. He guesses they’ll work him hard as an OF this off season and next spring.

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    1. interesting take/opinion… especially on the OF. Harper, Sosa, Casty (Im expecting a trade) Bader, and Crawford (unless gone for a starter.

      No offense to the scout, but a lot of his take is really depended on Wheeler’s recovery & decision to keep playing. His salary on or off the books really dictates which way this team goes. IMO, at this point, Wheeler meant more to the team’s postseason success than Harper. Huge loss. My expectations are rock bottom.

      Im starting to think the FO may pay the ransom Ranger will ask for due to Wheeler’s health, and then trade Luzardo. Just a hunch. If Wheeler does retire, everything is in the air. Schwarber, Ranger, Helsely, & Tucker is my hope for how the chips fall at that point.

      Crawford & Luzardo should be great bones for a trade If this scout is correct, but will see. I’d rather keep Crawford though, we need a homegrown star & the cheap salary that comes with it.

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      1. I’m a huge Ranger Suarez fan, but it given his agent, his often faulty health and his uncertain velocity, if it’s me, I’m putting money into Luzardo (who will be much cheaper if they sign him this year) and I’m certainly not trying to trade Crawford. But there’s no way I go into next year with Casty in the outfielder – he’s bad on the field and in the clubhouse. Let’s just move on already.

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    2. Many scouts will offer opinions but they are just that. I can tell you factually that very few things of the items he opined on are factual. He did get a couple right though 🤓.

      Steve Potter

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    3. “… current scout who works for an “NL West team” is what he told me.” is a red flag for me.

      I’ve met a lot of team scouts at the Complex and in the stadium. I have never met one who would not say who he scouted for. I’ve also met scouts who worked for scouting groups or independently; they were also forthcoming with that information. The fact that he was evasive is curious to me. Steve has met many more, maybe his interactions have been different.

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      1. My bad, next time I’ll ask to see his credentials and drivers license before posting his opinions on this opinion site.

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        1. Don’t be silly. You posted interesting comments from a guy who presented himself as a scout. Thank you. I posted a disclaimer so that readers could take his comments with a grain of salt and not accept them as fact because he’s a scout.

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    4. Very nice post. Lots of interesting observations. I definitely agree with Wheeler that everything is totally unknown. Hope for the best. I do think Casty is moved this, Winter. I am not sure on the other things. I am sure JT is one of the most respected players. How could he not be. But as we saw yesterday, he takes such a beating. One of these days it will catch up with him. I can see a 2-year deal for him. Thanks for your post.

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    5. I find it hard to come up with genuine criticism of this interaction or the observations which fall into the category of somewhat informed speculation. I can understand a scout’s reluctance to identify his employer in casual first time contact with a spectator. I don’t see much in common with that environment and scouts’ conversing with insiders at a team complex where their identity is already known by many in attendance.

      I think the observation about Harper going back to the OF is the most speculative and least likely to be based on real knowledge.

      I think the guy’s thoughts on Crawford hold water. The Phils don’t advance their prospects aggressively but I don’t see evidence the Phils are down on Crawford.

      It’s been reported that Wheeler’s clot has dissolved but no guarantees there won’t be a recurrence. The Phils have question marks in their rotation going forward but show me a team that doesn’t. Some teams might not have liked Luzardo’s medicals but ‘what have yo done lately’ is the coin of the realm.

      The value of depth in the rotation was manifest for the Phils this year. Based on their history, Caleb Cotham thinks he can really help Buehler. If he can, then Buehler gets signed by the Phils and becomes the addition to the rotation this scout guarantees.

      I think his observations on pushing trades of Castellanos and Taijuan this past off-season are true and not at all surprising. Ditto for half-assed efforts to dangle Bohm and Marsh in trade talks.

      I think his comments on the respect to Realmutto is spot on. He may not be watching JTR every day the way many of us are. My personal view is that JT is a tough guy who insists on being used heavily. As he ages, I don’t think he will slow down gradually. He’ll hit a wall the way many catchers at age 35 do. Any team signing Realmutto needs a plan for how to use him, including time as a DH.

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  18. I think if Wheeler doesn’t come back the same next season, I can see the Phillies going after Tarik Skubal and giving him his $400M. I wouldn’t be crazy about this (see Gerrit Cole recovering from TJ) but I can see the Phillies going for it. And the only way that they do this is IF they don’t sign Kyle Tucker this offseason and give him $400M.

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    1. KRAM 207
      @Kram207
      And that will be it for Manning. Lotta pitches. Stuff seemed good to me but gotta get the command dialed in.

      KRAM 207
      @Kram207
      ·
      Aug 31
      Manning First in Reading:
      4sm: 92-94 t95
      Cv: 79-80
      Sw: 83-84

      39 Pitches:

      1B, CS
      BB
      BB
      2B, Run
      K
      BB
      K

      KRAM 207
      @Kram207
      Manning second:

      91-93 4-sm
      79-81 Cv
      87-88 Ct

      Much better command:

      K
      K
      K

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      1. In some ways I am hopeful Manning becomes the pitcher envisioned for him when drafted. He faced long odds to crack the Tigers last spring roster amidst a crowded rotation competition.

        AJ Hinch , their manager had this to say about his spring training struggles,.. …..“This year we talked a lot about his pitch usage, getting himself to trust his stuff in the zone, finding the right breaking ball, using his split more, So it’s a combination of things, but he’s really just a small adjustment away from really helping us. He has tremendous stuff. He’s a great athlete. He wasn’t able to put it together this spring, but we’re going to see him again hopefully over here in another Major League game by the end of the spring. There’s little, subtle adjustments. He’s not very far off. I know his spring performance wasn’t his best, but as we’ve always said, it’s not all about spring, it’s about tying it all together. It’s an important year for him and for us, and I truly believe he’s going to pitch in the big leagues, and maybe relatively soon.”

        Well I hope it is now with the Phillies and they get him straightened out.

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    1. The most amazing thing from this article for me is that ESPN has 16 baseball experts. They just opted out of their baseball TV deal with MLB, televise one game a week, and barely cover baseball in their network shows. Sixteen? I’m astounded. (big grin)

      Seriously, thanks for sharing, Don.

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  21. Jim. That is funny. I was thinking the same when I glanced at the bold prediction part. Some I had never heard of before.

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    1. I’ve definitely heard of Passan and Olney. They do carry a lot of baseball cache. Not knowing the others may be an indictment on me for not knowing. Maybe not.

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  22. Romus. I have an FYI for you and a question. Aimed to mention this other night. Montgomery the Indiana kid on White Sox hit 10 HRs in August. He may be as good as Max Clark will be. MLB guys interviewed him other night on show. He was 6’2″ and around 210 graduating. Now 6’4″ and 235. He was a high school stud and is going to be really good. He at the time hit only HR off Sanchez for a lefty hitter. Not sure if anyone has since.

    My question is this. Last night I tuned in NC vs TCU for a bit. Announcers said TCU quarterback was a really good baseball player till he got hurt and could not play anymore. So why he turned to football. He is really good. My question to you is what would be an injury that prevents you from playing baseball but can be a star football player. Made no sense to me. Professor Romus I await your response. LOL

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    1. Hah Don…..during the 2020 season, a preseason COVID-19 test revealed that Duggan had a heart condition called Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. He needed heart surgery, which put his football career in jeopardy….then in 2021, Duggan played through a significant foot injury that included a torn tendon and a broken bone……he evntaully decided During the 2020 season, a preseason COVID-19 test revealed that Duggan had a heart condition called Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. He needed heart surgery, which put his football career in jeopardy….then in 2021, Duggan played through a significant foot injury that included a torn tendon and a broken bone. He then deiced to to focus solely on football. I see the oddity there….football would seem more dangerous than baseball, but he went with football.

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      1. Romus. I heard of that back in the day. This kid is Josh Hoover I think. I only watched into the 2nd quarter. Are we talking the same thing here?

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    1. Hettiger maybe turns into something. Catchers sometimes develop slowly. Maybe he could be ready in 2028 or 2029.

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  26. Listing to Tigers announcers last night. They were saying how good Mc leans stuff is. Mets can win it all now with two kids added to there rotation. Plus there offense.

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      1. We were talking about Phillies avoiding Mets in playoffs. Phillies may have seen him, but he is pretty good. Only reason Tigers scored last night he was wild early. You are correct that he was more of a player than pitcher at Okie State. There are actually several two-way guys at college level. He did the hitting as well till the end of last season with Mets. Apparently, they decided he could move faster pitching only.

        We were talking this morning how Mets blitzed Phillies. Then lose 3 or 4 to Marlins. Now have blitzed Tigers these first 2 games. Shame they missed Skubal. I think the Mets may be the team Phillies need to most avoid in playoffs. JMO,

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      2. looking he will toss tuesday i think.. might grab cheap seats and go sro behind the plate.. i think we slap him around down the lines a bit this go round.. that is all he is going to offer then go where he throws it… stuff moves like a wiffleball but even those crazy spinners can get slapped

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  27. Jim Bowden’s top 50 prospects: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6587372/2025/09/03/top-mlb-prospects-rankings-griffin-wetherholt-mcgonigle/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mlbtw&source=mlbtw

    19. Andrew Painter, RHP,

    Scouting Grades: FB: 70 CB: 50 SLI: 60 CH: 55 CMND: 55 CTL: 60

    Painter was the best pitching prospect in baseball before he underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2023. He is now healthy but hasn’t returned to his pre-surgery form. In 2022, he went 6-2 with a 1.56 ERA over 22 starts, with 155 strikeouts and 24 walks in 103 2/3 innings. His fastball was a plus pitch and the slider was another reliable weapon. Next season, when he’s another year removed from the surgery, Painter could get back to that dominating form and once again be the best pitching prospect in baseball. Before the injury he profiled as a future Cy Young Award caliber pitcher.

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    1. 29. Justin Crawford, CF, Philadelphia Phillies (Triple A)

      Scouting Grades: HIT: 55 PWR: 40 RUN: 70 ARM: 55 FLD: 60

      Crawford is the son of former major leaguer Carl Crawford. The younger Crawford was the Phillies’ first-round pick in 2022. He’s had a great year in Triple A, hitting .336 with 45 stolen bases, though the power hasn’t emerged yet. Defensively, he’s an asset, catching everything in center field. I’m surprised the Phillies haven’t given him his first major-league opportunity, which now might have to come next year.

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    2. 38. Aidan Miller, SS/3B, Philadelphia Phillies (Double A)

      Scouting Grades: HIT: 55 PWR: 60 RUN: 50 ARM: 60 FLD: 50

      The Phillies believe that Miller will be able to stay at shortstop as an average fielder with a plus arm; there are others in the industry who believe he’ll end up at third base. Either way, he profiles as an everyday player on the left side of the infield with above-average offensive potential. He’s a hard worker who makes adjustments and although he hasn’t hit for a lot of power yet, it’s certainly in there and will eventually result in the kind of home run power that fits the middle of the lineup.

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      1. They have him as a 50Run….puzzling to say the least. Defensively as a infielder run tool ain’t that important…..offensively, however it is what he does on the base paths….from home all the way around and stops in between. I suppose stealing 50 bases is some sort of an anomaly. I’d would peg him, at a minimum, 55 Run and perhaps even 60.

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        1. Run tool is based on sprint speed. Not base stealing ability. That said, I think he maxes out at 20 SBs in MLB. Maybe 25. But he won’t get near 50.

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      2. These looks pretty fair, but Bowden, among the Athletic writers, has never struck me as having particularly compelling judgement. %)

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        1. 6 years as an MLB GM doesn’t buy you cred for your baseball judgment? It’s a harsh world out there.

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          1. Yeah, it buys you some cred, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s right about everything – or even most things.

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          1. Cause only the best GM’s should be writing for The Athletic. You guys take ‘funny’ to new levels.

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            1. Anyone can write for the press. But my point is people often position themselves as experts despite having failed in their careers. Philips was seen as a horrible GM. So he transitioned to being a write and boom…an expert.

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    1. I was wondering who flooded the market ….. I’m only getting pennies on the dollar for my stuff and had told the wife we were going to make a killing on his stuff!

      Liked by 2 people

      1. rocco…some trivia…..over the last 50 years the Phillies have been one of the better teams in the win/lost category. The Phillies have accumulated over 4000 wins since 1976 with approx 3550 losses. Yankees have the most with approx 4450 wins.

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        1. Romus. I saw earlier on the scroller that Nola did well last year vs Breweres. I think it said 14 IP, maybe 1 run. It he did that many innings he went 7 I guess each time. That would be nice tonight. I also saw Robert on IL. Did not catch reason,

          Nice Tigers did not let Mets sweep. Helsley helped giving up a 3 run HR. Like you I did not see Phillies being swept by them.

          Also, Pirates should be getting back to Skenes soon vs Dodgers. Think he pitched game 1 at Boston.

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  31. Saying right forearm strain for Robert. Lazar back.

    Romus on a light note. On TCU kid I asked a former Indiana Mr. Basketball this morning who played in ABA with Dr. J and Wilt. He also heard comments other night. He had no idea. Maybe one we got is the best. Simply baffled me. Who might that Mr. Basketball be? Back in my day. Professor.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Alford is good guess but lots younger. 83 Mr. Basketball

        Billy Shepherd.1968. He played with Dr. J at Virgina Squires and Wilt with San Diego both in ABA days. Wilt was player/coach.

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  32. Collect your money. I said it when they gave him that 7 yr deal. They were nuts. You think Romano is bad. This guy has no velocity. And can’t hit spots. All that dam money wasted . Why DD gave him all those yrs. Should get him fired

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  34. Damn, what my buddy said was right, Aaron Nola just turned into Patrick Corbin. Corbin’s decline came when his WHIP went back over 1.5 because he was giving up 10+ hits per game. Aaron Nola now has a WHIP over 1.5 and he’s giving up 10+ hits per game.

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    1. Nola looks a shadow of his former self. Command is terrible. Missing right over the plate. I really hope he finds it. We need Nola of old. But he looks terrible right now.

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      1. Nola is nibbling a lot. And it looks like he’s trying to add juice to his fastball (to compensate for his declining velocity?) but he’s pulling the fastball badly. Right now, he’s a mess. If I was a hitter, I would sit on the knucklecurve.

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  35. Nola on the downward slide. Taijuan is Taijuan. Painter a longshot to be anything to open 2026.Wheeler is a complete question mark. Buehler needs a rework. Ranger’s on the open market. Car 54 where are you?

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  36. I know the starting rotation is looking iffy now with the loss of Wheeler but the Phillies won it all in 2008 with a playoff rotation of Jamie Moyer (45), Brett Myers (27), Joe Blanton (27) and Cole Hamels (24). Hamels was elite but I don’t feel that rotation as a whole is better than Sanchez, Suarez, Luzardo and Nola/Walker. The 2025 guys obviously can’t give up five runs in the first inning like Nola did tonight but assuming they can give the Phils three quality starts in a best of five and four quality starts in a best of seven, then it will all come down to how we hit. This team probably won’t get far if they can’t score at least four runs per game in the playoffs. A lot of contract decisions will hinge on who delivers the big hits in games 163 and up. Hopefully by the end of October, we will all want the entire team back in 2026, including Kepler. If they don’t make it past the first round, we may not want any of them back, including Schwarber.

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      1. Now it’s all about getting Painter ready to contribute next season. He’s got 2 more starts but will likely fall a little short of his IP target. He probably reaches 119-120 this season. Keep running him out there to stretch him out for 160 or more next season in Philadelphia. (Much like last season when they kept running (a weakened by Covid, my belief) Abel out to stretch out his arm for this year.)

        Liked by 1 person

    1. I believe at some point. They have to trust young kids. Like Crawford and miller. Painter. Can’t keep giving out these contracts to guys like Kepler and Romano without seeing if cheaper prospect can do the job. They have a big problem with Nola. That contract will limit them they need to find at least two starters next year.

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    2. Really, another guy like Rojas, to skip AAA? I don’t think Miller is ready and unless DD is creative this winter, there is nowhere to put him.

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    3. Miller going to the AFL is probably the worst kept secret……Phillies like to do it with their hi-tier positional AA prospects, ie Bohm, Stott, O’Hoppe, Moniak et al……Crawford probably would have been there last year but he did the Japan tourney.

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      1. If all goes well (and that’s a big IF – he has had trouble transitioning at every level so far – but maybe he’s turned the corner), Miller arrives in Philadelphia around mid August or so. The timing is actually excellent – it gives the team an opportunity to see what he does before Bohm becomes a FA (bad teams sign guys like Bohm to long term FA deals – I’d avoid that like the plague). To me, the key here is keeping Sosa around for a few extra years in case Miller has an adjustment period as the third baseman, which is very possible. As for shortstop – there’s no way Miller starts there if Turner continues to play the position anywhere close to as well as he has this year. It’s hard to believe, but Turner has really played a GG shortstop this year – and has shown staggering improvement at his age. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a middle infielder in his 30s improve the way Turner has year – it’s amazing – and it’s a testament to Turner’s work ethic and humility. He’s become the player they’ve asked him to become. Good for him!

        As for Crawford – that’s your presumption centerfielder next year. I was not very high on him to begin with, but he has won me over. I think the hit tool is special and if he continues to hit with even a moderate amount of power, who knows how good he can become.

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        2. Concerning Crawford, and his AAA season, many did have concerns because of his higher then normal GB rate, his challenging of an ISO metric and maybe even his swing path …inside out at times going to the left side. All of that led me to think of past players….stars who may have been in that mold , or close to it, and I decided to look up Tony Gwynn’s AAA stats. Over a two year period and at ages 22 and 23, he hit a total of 5 HRS in over 450 PAs. Of course his BA was exceptional with also an exceptional OPS of over .800 but then again, this was done in the 80s and in the always friendly hitting PCL. Now I am not predicating a Gwynn career for Crawford, bu, in my own way, it is how I have hope with Crawford.

          Liked by 1 person

  41. I mentioned this to Ruff. Nola has been bad. The thing is Phillies cannot go into a playoff game and risk being down 5 or 6 runs after the first inning. Even in the past he seemed to always have that one really bad inning. Now it seems to be the first. Used to be maybe 4th or 5th. My thought. I only see 3 reliable starters for playoffs at this point. Not sure Topper will be thrilled using 3 lefties in a row. Right now, and even a month from now you cannot TRUST Walker or Nola at this point to start a playoff game. Loss of Wheeler is a gamechanger on how things can be set up. At least they have a month to try to figure out direction to take.

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    1. Like it or not, deserved or not, Nola will start a playoff game, most likely game 2 in the first series they play.

      Everything Rob Thomson has shown is that he will give veterans a long lease and with Nola being under contract for many years to come, they are not going to create the mess that happens by skipping him.

      Liked by 1 person

        1. So your saying. They would rather lose, then admit they made a mistake? Just like pitching Romano.whenkept getting bombed or playing Kepler. Refusing to call up Crawford. If your right. They won’t ever win a championship

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          1. No, what I’m saying is that will defer to Nola’s track record. You might think they made a mistake with Nola’s contract but doubt the organization agrees with you.

            As for Crawford, he isn’t some magical offensive elixir just like Kemp wasn’t a solution for anything.

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            1. Not sure this tracks with Thomson’s recent past. Taijuan Walker did not throw one pitch in the 2023 postseason – the first year of his big four year deal – despite going 15-6 in the regular season. I personally didn’t think that was too cool, and we all know how that postseason ended. As things stand now, I expect games 1 & 2 to be Sanchez, Suarez, then TBD. If they win 2 or even split games 1 and 2, Walker/Nola will pitch game 3. If they are 0-2, then I expect Luzardo to start game 3 and (if he wins) Sanchez will go again on short rest. Sanchez has to be the Hamels of this rotation who will out-duel the other team’s ace (who hopefully will be the only one to stifle our bats). If they get down 0-2, then it’s going to take a huge offensive barrage by the Phils in three consecutive games and how often does that happen against a rotation good enough to make the postseason?

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            3. The Iron Pigs have gone 12-1 since Kemp was demoted and he’s been integral to most if not all of the wins.

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            5. I have high hopes for Crawford long-term, but his AAA numbers are not going to be his MLB numbers.

              Highest career BABIP ALL-Time is Ty Cobb at .372, Crawford is currently at .407.

              There are 6 players total in all MLB in 2025 hitting over .300. Crawford is hitting .334.

              Drop those numbers by what you would expect with the jump to MLB and he becomes a .280ish hitting OF with great speed and little power. That has value but isn’t game changing.

              Think V1 had the comp to Chandler Simpson from TB which is probably his upside. Maybe Xavier Edwards from Mia.

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            6. Why are we burying Kemp? I don’t get it. It can take a year or two for even good prospects to click in the big leagues. He has every chance to become a good big league player. The swing is there. The power is there. The plate discipline is there. And there’s a surprising amount of athleticism there. There’s no guarantee that he will make it, but it’s far, far too early to write him off.

              Liked by 1 person

  42. Watching the Mets out of necessity reach into the well and call up 3 minor league starters leaves me pondering our current circumstances. Both Nolan Mclean and Jonah Tong look like guys, who in a lightning in a bottle type of way, are capable of starting atop a rotation in the playoffs. If we just had one such arm, we would feel good about our chances this post season. As things stand, we will be reliant on 3 left handed starters. I don’t think Nola, Walker, or Buehler will or should start a playoff game. Where am I going with this, heck, I don’t know. I am pondering if the Phillies make a very unexpected move and reach into AA for a starter. Griff McGarry has been dominant at times and just had a good start following a 5 walk game I believe. Anyhow, from watching a video that Steve Potter provided as a link on this site, he appears to definitely have the stuff that will play at the MLB level. Can we catch lightning in a bottle? Do any of you think there has been any mention of considering something such as this?

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  43. I watched Tong pitch for the Mets in his debut. It really wasn’t anything special. He looks to be back of rotation. They are bringing up another kid to pitch this weekend. They are desperate for starting pitching . They want Senga to take a start or two in AAA. McLean could be the real deal Time will tell.

    Before we close the casket and throw dirt on him, let’s give Nola the off season and see how he comes back next year. We all owe him that much. He’s only come back from a long term rehab once and it took him some time to get with the program. I know he’s older but he deserves our positivity.

    As far as Buehler goes, don’t put too much stock in him being very good. There was a reason why the Red Sox released him and ate over $6M of his salary. He was pretty terrible outside of a game here or there. I got to see him pitch over a dozen games and he has very little left in the tank.

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    1. Maybe the added rest will help Ferris Buehler…come out recharged and give the team a couple of quality starts down the stretch….though play-offs they could revert to using him out of the pen like Roberts did at the end of the Series last year, Actually, he may be a very useful bullpen guy going forward, though he does want to believe that.

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  44. I watched Jonah Tong’s debut highlights and cannot say I was extremely impressed by his stuff. He does look to have a nice riding fastball and good changeup. Looking at his minor league stats though, he pitched exceptionally well.. 113 Innings, 179Ks, and a .92 WHIP. That tells me that he has the potential to at least be a #2 or #3 if not better. I know that is mostly AA, but how many guys get that kind of a result at AA? Painter’s line in 2022 is virtually identical. 103 Innings, 155Ks, .89 WHIP…He pitched equal parts in A, A+, and AA that year. Jonah Tong has pitched almost exclusively in AA this year. He made two starts in AAA and was dominant.

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  45. Two points…

    1. Painter probably needs to shut it down. Even his fastball speed is down two ticks. Let him have a nice rest and come to spring training strong and fresh and a lot of times a second season post surgery is the uptick season.

    2. crawford’s upside profile is his dad. Not Xavier Edwards. Crawford is 6 2 like 185 and his power is coming around. I feel like the guy is criminally underrated by our organization. The guy hits at every level every year at a below average age (by a long shot) for each level. He will continue to fill out as well. I get that he hits ground balls but with his speed, that’s a better approach than the lazy fly balls that a guy like whit merrifield was hitting last year. I wish they’d give him a cup of coffee. Also, his pedigree matters. His dad was a nightmare for opponents in his prime.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Good analysis- I basically agree with both of your points.

      I don’t think Crawford is underrated by our organization. If he had been, he would have been traded already. I think they are working on some things with him (including, perhaps, a more powerful swing and I understand better routes to the ball in the outfield) and don’t want to jerk him in and out of the line-up during a pennant race. I expect him to compete for the full time centerfield job next spring. I think they like him quite a bit and if he turns into his dad, he’ll be a first division regular!

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Larry Bowa was a ground ball hitter also and he turned out to be a good hitter. There are always exceptions to the rule that work out.

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    1. Doubtful. Someone will offer him more money and/or years on the open market. Teams are desperate for high impact pitching.

      But I guess you can never really account for the human element. So it will come down to how much he wants to stay versus how much he wants to earn.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Depends on what Scott Boras recommends to his client. Boras likes length with opt outs…..but he and Middleton have had good working relationships in the past, so the AAV may be manageable..

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  47. Some folks on this site are critical of Dombrowski….how about giving him some credit when deserved….this is an improved team with his 3 additions of Duran, Bader and Robertson. Actually, I believe Phils lose today’s game without the contributions of all 3 players.

    Without Wheeler it’s going to be a lot harder to win but he really improved this team at the trading deadline.

    Liked by 1 person

            1. watched the replay on insta and otto’s shoulder really jawed Crawford.. woof… hopefully no face issues beyond sore/bruised.. would be phils luck to lose 2 guys in one play down in AAA

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  49. Anybody Consider a Bullpen game in playoffs which would include Nola and Walker. And if so would you start either of those 2?

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    2. I’m taking this as a serious question.It’s hard to picture a playoff bullpen game unless the Phils were up against a platoon-heavy opponent where you might lead with a Tanner Banks with the thought of shopping him out for Nola or Walker after an inning or two in hopes of getting a righty-on-righty advantage.

      If this sounds like a long shot, it’s because I feel it is. You mess up the game prep routine for a guy like Nola. Taijuan has been used in enough different ways to make it possible. But for me, September is audition month for Taijuan to see if he makes the Phils’ post-season roster.

      As innovative as I see the Phils being is trying to carve out some post-season role for Walker Buehler. The Phils are not a fly by the seat of their pants organization. There are always 16 reasons not to think outside of the box.

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      1. appreciate the time and thought into your answer. Our team can make it through one series with just 3 starters. By the second series we will need a 4th. I don’t want, at this time, Nola or either Walker starting that game. I Like your thought on Banks… or maybe Robertson. If it does happen do it before a off day and everyone recovers..

        thanks

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  53. Romano has been awful, but many of us were clamoring for Jeff Hoffman and Tanner Scot. Both have been pretty bad. We’re the second-best team in the NL and will soon be done with Romano. Dodgers and Blue Jays are “stuck” for a lot more years and dollars with their off-season prizes.

    We destroyed Dombrowski for this move and yet, things are turning out ok for us. The real question is, do we dare try and trade for Hoffman this off-season? He probably won’t cost us much….

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    1. Giving Tanner Scott 4/72 is beyond ridiculous. I’m not sorry that the Dodgers are stuck with that contract.

      Surprised that Hoffman (3/33) has struggled so much in Toronto. But the Rogers Centre is a hitters park.

      You know what else I’m happy about? The Blue Jay giving Vlad Jr. $500M. That means the Phillies won’t be giving him that contract. It’s an astonishing contract for somebody who will eventually be a DH for the bulk of that contract. Kyle Schwarber is having a monster season and yet his WAR is still 4.3. The Jays will be paying Vlad Jr. to be at least a 4 WAR player every single year. Vlad Sr. had a better body type and he was in decline by age 33.

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  54. Andrew we talking g about Hoffman who has 30 saves with a 8-6 record? I don’t remember one person saying to keep Scott. But if we kept Hoffman. We would still have best catching prospect or one of in baseball. Plus dodgers are able to spend more money.they just spread out the yrs I pay Hoffman ,,12 million for two yrs for 30 saves

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    1. rocco……..though JH has 30 saves, he is negative WAR with 7 blown saves….ranks 4th in MLB, behind only Helsley with 9 and Scott and Weissert (Red Sox) with 8 apiece. So he is having a season which he probably would like to change for the better.

      Liked by 1 person

  55. Speaking of other teams’ regrettable free agent signings is a kind of schadenfreude winning teams shouldn’t engage in. There are teams that develop capable young relievers and teams that buy them up once they reach free agency.

    Ken Giles is the last high end reliever I can recall the Phils’ developing. Orion Kerkering may turn out to be another. Comparing relievers with 5-tool ballplayers, one might think the former would be the easiest to develop. Have a limited pitch arsenal? Not a problem. Fastball starts to lose its juice the second time through the order? Not a problem. Can’t go an inning a game 3 days in a row? Not a problem, no manager will ask you to.

    Nothing speaks more clearly to the shortcomings of the Phils’ development regime than the re-hashing of Hoffman vs. Romano vs. Scott vs. Duran.

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  56. Kepler in RF again tonight. Wow, have the Phillies turned the page there. I hadn’t been thinking they’d eat at least part of Nick’s contract this winter, but not now.

    Lost in the shuffle this week is Bohm dropped to 8th in the order. I’m not convinced by JT at 4th, but, as Bohm showed last night in his first 2 ABs, he hasn’t been getting the RBI-job done.

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    1. JT is definitely in a slump again. He really should swap places with Bader. Bader still may not be much “protection” for Harper in pitchers’ minds, but he doesn’t hit into many double plays at least (33 in his CAREER vs. JT’s 11 this year). So that should lead to Marsh getting up to bat with men on, a situation where he’s quietly batting .287 this year.

      As for Bohm, I’m actually kind of shocked he got moved down. I know he had 0 hits in the four games leading up to it, but before those 4 games he was on fire. He had an 11 game hitting streak and was batting .349/.404/.488. I really wonder what Topper/the analytic department saw that made them want to give him less PAs.

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  58. I went down a massive rabbit hole today. And after watching the first inning tonight I fell again. JT has walked an amazing 360 times in over 5000 plate appearances. And yet he still carries a career obp of .331. Higher than that of our beloved Jimmy Rollins. And I really loved Rollins in his time here. But the average career obp of hall of famers including pitchers is .376 and Rollins has a career obp of .324. Like I said, rabbit hole.

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  59. And I’ve held my tongue, I believe, on this site out respect for those that contribute here. I just cannot wrap my arms around the idea that people want to resign a guy(in the neighborhood of 35M/yr) who has struck out 800 times in 4 years and doesn’t play the field. If we would have won a championship or two I could understand but resigning Schwarber to a 3 or 4 or 5 year contract makes no sense. Not to mention that he’s in bed with Wawa( the worst sandwich maker in a city of phenomenal sandwich shops). Haha

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    1. Your Wawa take is worse than your Schwarber take. But both are terrible.

      Schwarber’s strikeouts are irrelevant. Strikeouts are an irrelevant stat at the MLB level.
      Let’s say a player has 5 PAs, strikes out 3 times. Takes a walk and hits a homer. That’s a great game. His 3 Ks are meaningless.

      Schwarber changes the game. He is an elite power hitter who also takes a lot of walks. Every team in MLB would love to have him. That said, it is reasonable to be concerned about contract length given his age. But complaining about his Ks misses the entire point.

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      1. Haha. Wawa sucks. I understand your points. What if however there’s a runner on 3rd with less than two outs and the hitter strikes out. That’s not meaningless.

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        1. That’s baseball. The probability of an out is always higher in every AB. The question is what does a hit look like.

          To prove my point further:
          – Player A: K% 26.6%, walk % 14.9%, ISO .328
          – Player B: K% 25.8%, walk % 14.6%, ISO .328
          – Player C: K% 27%, walk % 13.4%, ISO .336

          A is Schwarber
          B is Ohtani
          C is Raleigh

          Liked by 1 person

          1. Generally with you on Schwarber except for him being a DH only. Phillies should take a real run at Kyle Tucker as a replacement for Schwarber and then move Castellanos.

            Opening up the DH spot for Harper longer term would be helpful.

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  60. I doubt the broadcast will mention it, but it looked like JT told Marsh what pitch was coming on that home run. Gotta love having a catcher on second to analyze the pitcher.

    Liked by 2 people

        2. V1 said. Tucker will get 12 yrs. Which is most likely about right. My question is can you win without giving out this crazy ten or more yr deals I hate anything over five.

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          1. rocco…..I think the NHL will be the first pro sport to try to restrict any contracts over 7 years….we will see how that turns out when they soon will negotiate their new CBA. If they are able to do it…other pro sports may try to follow.

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            1. New NHL cba limits contract length to 6 years. Also no deferred payments. Don’t think the mlbpa will agree to limit contracts but I can see limiting deferred money

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  63. The Reds just really hurt their playoff chances by having the bases loaded against Edwin Diaz in the ninth inning with no outs and not scoring .

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  65. I think JT has more value to the Phillies than any other team. I also think that Schwarber and Realmuto making $43.5M combined this season could be had next season for a similar amount of money, except with JT making $10M and Schwarbs pulling in $33M. So I’m ok with going that route.

    The player I’d really like to see us sign is Bo Bichette to play 3B. Time to cut Bohm loose. Crawford and Marsh can man the corners and I would really be interested to see how much it would cost to keep Hader. I know his hitting will fall back down to earth, but it’s so nice seeing someone out there who knows what he’s doing. He’s robbed two homeruns since he’s gotten here. When was the last time we saw one of our guys pull one back? I think Marsh had one earlier this year, but that’s about it.

    Liked by 1 person

  66. On a lighter note, very nice move by Marlins, Phillies and Bader. After the game the little boy who had Bader HR ball taken away (not sure what really happened up there) got to meet Bader personally and was given a signed bat by Harrison. Lots of good vibes given.

    As for Casty saw a Topper quote that RF basically is a platoon position now. Get used to it. The fact that Kep is producing makes it easy for Rob to do. As I see it Bader is the CF going forward and the other two positions can only have 2 guys. Topper said he is going to put out the guys who give him the best chance to win each night. I am fine with that.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I am also, fine with Topper’s statement with the exception that it suggests that April thru August he didn’t always put the team on the field “that could win”!

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    2. Perhaps preparing for a Casty off-season trade.

      If he continues to play like he has, they may want to resign Bader, so that would leave Casty enduring another platoon next season.

      There will be plenty of player concerns management will need to address this off-season.

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    3. Perhaps preparing for a Casty off-season trade.

      If he continues to play like he has, they may want to resign Bader, so that would leave Casty enduring another platoon next season.

      There will be plenty of player concerns management will need to address this off-season.

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      1. Romus pls take your meds. You keep repeating yourself. Phillies I read told Saul Teran to drop couple of his pitches. Seems to be working atJS might be able to help in bullpen in 27. If he keeps it up

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Yes, WSC, NLC, WCC, whatever we end up …… we cannot go into 2026 status quo …… and I don’t mean just cameo changes. Need to start turning some players over …. they have had their due process.

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    4. don really. You didn’t see that macko Karen going after him that guy imo should never give her that ball. He is a better man than me. She would have never gotten that ball from me.

      Liked by 1 person

          1. Well, we saw on full display the kind of baseball spectator we should not want to be. I wonder what would have happened if he stuck the balli n his pants,and I don’t mean his pockets.

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  67. Robertson has been a great pickup. Really like this bullpen now. Overall Dombrowski did a great job at the deadline — Bader, Robertson, and Duran — probably the most improvement any team had at the deadline. Some of the other big names at the deadline haven’t really worked out (e.g., Eugenio Suarez has hit .188/.250/.393 in 128 plate appearances for Seattle).

    Saw Marsh’s post-game interview and he said all of the outfielders were bought into their current roles. I guess that includes Castellanos? Big, if true.

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    1. Back when they went to the World Series…thru-out the whole play-offs players saw what Taijuan Walker had to endure…..I think they have a lot of respect for him and realize maybe they have to take one for the team when their time comes….Casty may bit like it, but may not show it..

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      1. I think it’s factual for him, at least. You can see how happy and excited he is for his teammates to do well even when he’s on the bench. And he’s been a terrific pinch hitter for us. So clearly he’s staying ready, too.

        I seriously doubt Kepler and Casty are as enthusiastic about a reduced role to what they expected, but as long as they aren’t being a detriment to the other guys it’s fine.

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        1. Dan, Absolutely agree about Marsh, but I suspect he may be being politically correct in characterizing all others as buying in, so I share your serious doubt.

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    2. Hoping the Phillies got a steal in the draft here. The couple times I saw him he had nasty stuff. I know there are injury concerns. Hope for the best.

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  71. I just saw Camping world gave the guy who gave the ball, to crazy Karen got free world series tickets and a free camper.

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    1. Rocco. You would only have got the ball. LOL I enjoyed all the comments on this topic.

      BTW while you were taking care of Karen Phillies are now 5 up on Dodgers and 7 up on Mets. Yamamoto was one out from a no hitter and then …

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      1. Watched the last few innings of Yamamoto’s no-hit bid…..he was at 110 pitches, so Roberts takes him after the JH HR….and as usual relievers come in and cannot find the strike zone to just get one last out….hard to believe. Relievers now must start an inning clean or they are out of whack…in the old days they would come in and with runners on and worked from there and many did well.

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        1. Romus. good point on the relievers and middle of the inning. I have felt that was an issue with Kerkering but he has struggled some at the beginning as well.

          Does Rocco have any relatives named Karen? Just wondering how he knew it was Karen. LOL

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          1. Don…in the minors anymore…relievers are now mostly all brought in at the start of a inning or there is that piggy-back routine…..they have become comfortable and accustomed to it. So they get to the majors…..they are slightly out of whack in mid-inning hi-leverage situations.

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            1. Karen is a pejorative slang term typically used to refer to a middle class woman who is perceived as entitled or excessively demanding. The term is often portrayed in memes depicting middle-class white women who “use their white and class privilege to demand their own way”.

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  72. The largest contract ever given the an MLB free agent following his age 32 season was in 2022 to Freddie Freeman, 6/$162m ($27m AAV).

    On the one hand, Freddie played a defensive position at an elite level. On the other hand, AAV for premium FAs has gone up since 2022.

    I think this is probably what it will take to re-sign Schwarber.

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      1. Rocco. I agree with you and Richie. I am a huge Schwarber fan but not at those prices or years. Something that amazes me is perception. Take out the 4 HR game and Schwarber has been very pedestrian the last several games. Most likely Turner will be an issue down the road, but I prefer a player who contributes to many areas. He fits that. Kyle would add another long-term expensive deal to an already list. of those. I will still be surprised if he is not resigned. I saw someone wrote Reds might be his best alternative, but I do not see them going to those levels. But I guess they may. Time will tell.

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        1. Don, I was the one who brought up the Reds. And everyone here questioned their ability/desire to pay what it would take to sign Schwarber. I don’t often go out on a limb with a statement like that without a credible source. I was recently reminded that the Reds’ interest remains strong.

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          1. Jim. I am with you on the Reds maybe being a strong pull if they will pay enough. Home for Kyle is really pretty close to Cincy. I still think the Phillies are favorites because how he is viewed by fans but just have to wait and see.

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  74. Interesting to me that they now have Gage Wood pitching. Maybe this is normal for picks. I would have thought they might have had him sooner.

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    1. When Nola was drafted in June 2014…he pitched and did so all the way up the ladder ….and was in the majors by July 2015….all under Amaro’s regime. And the team was not too good at the time, so they took the chance. Some regimes do it different based on their current circumstance and the pitcher in question. Braves and Brewers like to push the envelope on pitchers.

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      1. I am sure teams all have their schedule. I am just surprised Wood did not pitch till now. He has nasty stuff. Hope Nola can put a few good games together down the stretch but not sure how Phillies can trust him in one of the playoff games. JMO

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    1. Sure, they checked in on them. They have not been good. Minny has been good for the Phillies. Robertson has performed better than I anticipated. Maybe the abbreviated year is a positive for him. Hope he is able to continue. The 7th and 8th still are my biggest concerns.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Them not being good was my point. We really dodged a couple of bullets there. I’m a little worried about the 7th too.

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  79. no turner. No Wheeler. They have to pick Nola.Harper looks like he doesn’t care lately. We could get swept

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      1. Someone on autopilot doesn’t try to take second if he senses the slightest hesitation in an outfielder.

        At this risk of getting my head ripped off: the relentless complaining about Harper on this site baffles me.

        I’ll remind the complainers that Chase Utley never smiled either.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Do you believe he is having a great Harper season?

          Less than 3WAR this season……do you think he is happy with his season …with his RISP- 243/.352/.427? ?

          Time for Harper to do what he was brought here to do – carry the team and these last few weeks left in the season and into the play-offs, he needs to do what he wants to do.

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          1. Harper is 20th in mlb in .OPS in 2025. He’s not having his best career year but let’s not pretend he’s having a bad year.

            No doubt the wrist issue earlier in the season has impacted his numbers.

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            1. Over his last 50 games Harper has 15 HR, among other pretty good numbers. 45 HR pace. No, I don’t think he’s happy with his season. He wants to win. He wants to be great. The “not caring” “not smiling” stuff people are lobbing is just silly. And I’d be surprised if his wrist isn’t bothering him.

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          1. Numbers aside, Harper just doesn’t look like he’s into it. Hopefully he locks in from here on out as he’s especially important if Turner is our and Schwaber has returned to Earth.

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            1. I would say that Schwarber needs to pick it up if Turner is out for a period of time. He’s hitting under .200 for the last month+ with the exception of the one, 4 hr game.

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    2. The future of the Phillies is coming up and it has potential to be very good. The Phillies seem to have a solid plan for the future .

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  81. Once Bader pinch hit for Sosa, it would have been interesting if the Phils had carried the game to the bottom of the 9th. I assume Stott would have shifted to SS and Wilson would have come in to play 2B.

    Liked by 1 person

  82. Would the Phillies consider a relief pitcher to start games when Nola and Walker pitch? Maybe they avoid a large hole in to start the game.

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    2. Interesting idea. But they still have to pitch their first inning when they come in. I wonder if they are not warming up enough. Just a thought. Both seem to have very little command that first inning recently.

      Romus. Nola does need to get the first batter out, but he needs to get 3 out in the first inning before team bats around. Walker got the first out then the roof caved in. One thing is for sure. It is difficult to constantly overcome those 4 or 5 run deficits. Not impossible. Better baserunning and couple timely hits could have got the job done yesterday.

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  86. Very disappointing for Trea if he is out for an extended period. They mentioned he had 178 hits as of yesterday. A very legit shot at 200. That is a number that is almost unheard of in the game today. Once in a while. I mentioned to Ruff the other day he has been the overall MVP for me this season. He has done it all. Offense, defense, baserunning, etc. A very solid season. Hope he is back soon.

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