Minor league baseball is prepared to continue after a hiatus in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Since 2019, there have been some changes to minor league baseball.  MLB used the considerable leverage granted by antitrust immunity to force all of professional baseball under its umbrella of control.  First, MLB squeezed out MiLB leadership and put control of minor league baseball under the commissioner.  Second, MLB exerted its will on minor league owners and dropped 40 or more teams from major league affiliations.  Third, MLB restructured the minors in a way that suited MLB.  And, fourth, MLB created partner leagues to soften the blow to contracted teams, those deemed to have inadequate facilities or to be geographically undesirable. Continue reading Meet Your 2021 Clearwater Threshers →

Pardon this self-promotion.  What would have been the Fifth Annual Phillies Minor League Digest was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Instead, we put together this history of the Phillies’ minor league affiliates – “Life in the Minors”.

Is available on Amazon.  My friend and companion at the Carpenter Complex and Spectrum Field, Steve Potter, is the co-author of the digest.  This year he worked with retired Phillies’ PR exec, Larry “Baron” Shenk.   Steve received participation from several photographers including Mark Wylie.  My participation was limited to editing as there were no Clearwater Threshers and the Gulf Coast League seasons on which to report. Continue reading Life in the Minors – the Fifth Annual Phillies Minor League Digest →

The Professional Baseball Agreement has expired.  The 2019 international signing period has closed.  Trading between teams has resumed.  Qualifying offers have been made and accepted or declined.  Free agency has started.  Rosters have been set.  Contracts for the 2021 season have been tendered.  The Rule 5 Draft has been held.

Now, the Hot Stove Season can go into full swing. Continue reading Playing GM in the 2020-21 Off Season (12/16/2020) →

The following is an accurate snapshot of the Phillies current roster situation and some potential moves.  Some not all.

The Competitive Balance Tax threshold in 2021 is $210,000,000.  For ease of understanding and typing let’s call it what it really is, a CAP.

By my calculations, the Phillies can find themselves $72,932,218 below the CAP going into the 2020-21 offseason. Continue reading Gerrymandering the Phillies 2021 Active and Reserve Rosters →

The winner of the fourth annual Phuture Phillies, James’ Hitting Award is Alec Bohm.

The winner of the fourth annual Phuture Phillies, James’ Pitching Award is Connor Brogdon.

Both awards are named after Phuture Phillies’ founder and benefactor, James. Continue reading Phuture Phillies: 2020 James’ Hitting and Pitching Awards Recipients →

I’ll pin this on the site for reference and update as necessary over the coming weeks.

A flurry of activity will begin the day after the World Series ends.  This could be as soon as October 25th if there is a sweep or as late as October 29th if the series goes seven games.  In any case, the morning after the series ends, a bunch of players get to choose free agency and a smaller bunch sees/takes action on their options. Continue reading Roster Information for the 2020-21 Off Season →

We didn’t have a minor league season, but that’s no reason to cancel our James’ Minor League Hitting and Pitching Awards.  Both are named after Phuture Phillies’ founder and benefactor, James.  Continue reading Phuture Phillies: James’ Hitting and Pitching Awards, 2020 →

There is always a moderate to phanatical interest among Phuture Phillies’ readers when baseball sites release prospect rankings and organizational strength rankings.

I find comparisons against other organizations by the various ranking groups very uninteresting.  Each site ranks prospects by their own criteria which can differ greatly.  The same can be said when they try to rank organizations.  But, one thing is certain, these rankings do generate discussion among avid baseball fans. Continue reading 2021 Phillies’ Top 30 →