The Phillies are playing intrasquad games at their Allentown location. They last about four innings and coaches are filling a lot of positions in the field. Saturday, Romero, Llovera, Parker, and Arano pitched. Sunday, the “teams” were made up of four hitters each. Coaches again had to fill in on defense. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of July 27th
Four more days! The baseball season restarts this Thursday. The Phillies play their home opener on Friday, July 24th against the Miami Marlins.
The Phillies played three intrasquad games (winning all three) before playing scrimmages against the Nationals and Orioles over the weekend. They beat the Nationals and Max Scherzer soundly and then lost to the Orioles and Tom Eshelman. So, the Marlins will probably be a tough challenge, again. The Phillies play another scrimmage at Yankee stadium Monday night.
The countdown to the start of the Phillies’ 2020 baseball season is inside two weeks. They open at home on Friday, July 24th against their nemesis, the Miami Marlins.
The Phillies are playing intrasquad games, but will play scrimmages against the Nationals, Orioles, and Yankees on July 18-20. All at 6:05 PM, Nationals and Yankees on the road, Orioles at home. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of July 12th
The Phillies began workouts at CBP this past Friday. Taking advantage of an empty stadium, they have various workout stations (like weights and mounds) set up on the concourse to provide distancing. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of July 5th
Sunday evening, several hours after the submission deadline, the Phillies published their 60-man player pool. It includes 53 active players. Seven slots remain vacant.
If you think like I think, this list did not come as a surprise. The Phillies are a team that expects to compete for a division title. Their player pool reflects that with a number of older, experienced players filling out their pool. The only surprise is that there are only three catchers in the pool. But that may change. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of June 29th
Baseball is again on hold. Five Phillies’ players and three staffers tested positive for Covid-19 at the Phillies’ Clearwater Complex. Other organizations have released infection numbers and as many as 40 players and staff across baseball have been confirmed positive while teams await further results. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of June 22nd
Baseball returns!
Based on the most recent communications between the MLBPA and MLB, the union is rejecting and is not responding to the owners’ most recent proposal. The union did ask the commissioner to start the season according to his right as the commissioner. So, baseball by mid-July? The end of July? Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of June 15th
This is just a just a random thought that came to me. I don’t feel one way or the other. But, I thought I would share to get some opinions.
The Phillies signed Zach Wheeler to a 5-year contract last off season. This would have been his age 30 season.
My question, whether we play a partial season or lose the whole season (and each outcome might produce differing opinions), do we still like the Wheeler signing? And, actually, this concern applies to all free agent signings across baseball, not just the Wheeler contract.
We expect there to be some lesser value when a long-term contract is signed. We might accept losing some value in year five and maybe even year four. But, if we lose a year of value at the front-end of a five-year contract, when the player is expected to be at the top of his game, would we have preferred to keep the #2 pick in the draft and the $500K international money?
Thoughts?
Baseball’s saga/drama/soap opera continued this week as the owners rejected the players’ proposal last Sunday and stated that they wouldn’t be making a counter offer. Three days later, the Presidents of Baseball Operations for Milwaukee and Cincinnati both expressed optimism that an agreement would be reached.
At least, the leaks to the media have source names this time. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of June 8th
Jim Salisbury finally put a figure to the number of Phillies’ minor leaguers released last week. He reported that 27 players had been released but didn’t report any names. Later on Monday, players’ names began showing up on the various affiliates’ transaction lists.
Phuture Phillies 