Last Tuesday, the Phillies made their 31 non-roster invites (NRIs) to spring training (ST) public. This year they made a distinction between ST and a Mini Camp (MC) that is being run simultaneously. Regardless of their designation, 75 players are allowed in Clearwater plus rehabbing employees. Since Tuesday, there have been a few additions and one subtraction.
Major League teams were required to submit their Non-Roster Invite lists (NRIs) to the league office COB Friday. Many teams have published their NRI lists on social media after submitting their lists. The Phillies have not yet. Maybe Monday.
Only two changes to the Payroll and AAV balances this week. I’ll keep updating until opening day or the 26-man roster is set. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of February 7th
The Phillies made several moves last week only to have MLB steal the spotlight over the weekend when their sycophant water carriers in the media started leaking the terms of their latest proposal to line the owners’ pockets with playoff revenue.
The Phillies started the week by releasing about 15 minor league players. They followed that with the addition of a starting pitcher when they signed FA LHP Matt Moore. Then most fans’ prayers were answered when they re-signed JT Realmuto and Didi Gregorious. To make room on the 40-man roster, Cole Irvin and Kyle Holder were traded for cash and RHP Ian Hamilton was DFA-ed. They also signed Ivan Nova to a minor league contract with a spring training invite.
Lots of changes to the Payroll and AAV balances this week. I’ll keep updating until opening day or the 26-man roster is set.
With Moore, Realmuto, and Gregorious in and Hamilton, Irvin, and Holder out, the Phillies’ running payroll to $171,915,962. This includes eighteen players under contract plus an estimate for eight players under team control with 0-3 years experience ($5.6M).
The Phillies’ salary against the competitive balance tax is $186,278,782 and includes estimates for the rest of the 40-man roster ($2.25M) and player benefits ($15.5M). With a CBT threshold of $210M, the Phillies are around $23,721,218 under the tax threshold. (see spreadsheet)
MLB presented the MLBPA with their latest scheme to cheat the players out of money on Friday. A response was expected by Monday. Anticipating that the MLBPA would decline, the MLB unleashed their dogs in the media with the MLB version of the discussion in a repeat attempt to garner public favor.
What the national media fails to stress in their reports is that there is no reach a new agreement. The current CBA already addresses everything regarding the start of the 2021 season – when spring training is to start, when ST games start, when the season starts, the length of the season, the number of off days, when players get paid, … You know, all the stuff that is normally covered in a contract.
The association is not required to negotiate or even say anything more than no. But, the MLB’s water carriers in the national media are already reporting the aspects of the “offer”. In fact, they were in such a hurry to get the story out, they reported a key portion incorrectly. Initially, the report stated that players were to be paid their entire salary in a 154-game season. Later that was corrected to they would receive pro-rated salaries over a 154-game season.
There were other things leaked that were intended to make the “offer” seem reasonable. Finally, the expanded playoff was mentioned with no explanation on how revenue would be divided. This has always been a sticking point. The association has said that they would not consider any “offer” that included expanded playoffs. But, the owners are relentless.
The MLBPA will likely decline the “offer” on Monday. And, baseball will begin in two weeks as agreed upon in the CBA. (Sorry if this rambles. It’s late and I’m tired as I write it.)
I think February 1st is a deadline for two other events. One is the acceptance of the PDLs by the affiliates who received them from their major league parent organizations. The other is the announcement of the medical requirements, staffing, roster size, and other important items regarding the start of spring training at the complexes in some sort of bubble. I had heard 60 players, but that doesn’t seem like enough – the 40-man, NRIs, and players headed to AAA at the end of camp. Probably be a good deal more.
FWIW, I think the Phillies are done on the free agent market. Accept its existence or not, I think they are very close to the payroll limit that Middleton set (and probably reset when he hired Dave Dombrowski). They have maybe like $3M available and don’t seem likely to go to $5M to sign another reliever. So, I think it’s ridiculous to criticize them for not pursuing a trade for a player they were never going to make. Unless, of course, you live to criticize their every move so that you can say, “I told you so”.
This is the Phuture Phillies Open Discussion for Phillies and other baseball topics.
Key Dates:
The rosters and lists are up to date as of January 31st … 324 players in the org
Transactions (newest transactions are in bold print)
1/30/2021 – Phillies traded INF Kyle Holder to Reds for cash
1/30/2021 – Phillies signed FA SS Didi Gregorious
1/30/2021 – Phillies traded P Cole Irvin to Athletics for cash
1/29/2021 – Phillies designated RHP Ian Hamilton for assignment
1/29/2021 – Phillies signed FA LHP Matt Moore
1/29/2021 – Phillies signed FA C JT Realmuto
1/29/2021 – Phillies signed FA RHP Ivan Nova to an MiLB contract
1/27/2021 – DSL Red released CF Miguel Tejeda
1/27/2021 – DSL Red released RHP Yeison Sanchez
1/25/2021 – Reading released C Henri Lartigue
1/25/2021 – Jersey Shore released OF Tucker Maxwell
1/25/2021 – Jersey Shore released CF Yerwin Trejo
1/25/2021 – Jersey Shore released C Jesse Wilkening
1/25/2021 – Jersey Shore released RHP Seth McGarry
1/25/2021 – Williamsport released RHP Jake Kinney
1/25/2021 – GCL West released 3B Luis Rojas
1/25/2021 – GCL East released SS Jose Mercado
1/25/2021 – GCL West released 2B Jose Rivera
1/25/2021 – GCL West released C Kevin Escalante
1/25/2021 – GCL West released RHP Lizardo Herrera
1/25/2021 – GCL East released 3B Jevi Hernandez
1/25/2021 – GCL West released LHP Austin Crowson
1/25/2021 – GCL East released RF Luis Matos
1/25/2021 – LHP Hunter Milam retired
1/25/2021 – DSL Red activated RHP Yeison Sanchez from the restricted list
1/25/2021 – DSL White released RHP Elias Liriano
1/25/2021 – DSL White released RHP Alexis Herrera
1/22/2021 – Braves claimed OF Kyle Garlick off waivers from Phillies
1/22/2021 – Braves claimed RHP Victor Arano off waivers from Phillies
1/20/2021 – Phillies assigned FA RHP Bryan Mitchell to Lehigh Valley
1/20/2021 – Phillies signed FA RHP Bryan Mitchell to an MiLB contract with invite to ST
1/19/2021 – RHP Mike Adams assigned to Clearwater Threshers
1/19/2021 – Phillies signed FA RHP Mike Adams
1/18/2021 – Phillies signed FA RHP Archie Bradley
1/18/2021 – Phillies designated RF Kyle Garlick for assignment
1/18/2021 – Red Sox traded SS C.J. Chatham to the Phillies for a Player To Be Named Later
1/18/2021 – Phillies designated RHP Victor Arano for assignment
1/18/2021 – Phillies signed FA RHP David Paulino to an MiLB contract
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA OF Yemal Flores
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA C Rickardo Perez
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA SS Marco Soto
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA SS Leonardo Rondon
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA OF Raylin Heredia
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA SS Yemil Rosario
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA C Dervin Andrade
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA RHP Daniel Mejia
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA RHP Juan Melendez
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA SS Julio Hereaux
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA C/OF Solardo Rodriguez
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA SS Deivi Cabrera
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA RHP Joset Aparacio
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA OF Jorge Garcia
1/15/2021 – Phillies signed IFA SS Alfredo Alderete
Another slow week for the Phillies. They signed two more international free agents, signed a local kid, and saw the Braves claim two of their DFAs off waivers.
Now that Springer has signed, the Realmuto camp is probably hoping that contract somehow establishes a higher price tag for JT. If that were true, it would eliminate most teams, except the Phillies. If it’s not true, and it’s probably not, Realmuto will sign with the Phillies in a couple weeks.
Finally, a little activity. The Phillies signed a free agent reliever, Archie Bradley. They opened the 2020 international signing period on Friday by signing thirteen free agents from Venezuela and the Dominican Republic. They reached an agreement on salaries with Rhys Hoskins, Vince Velasquez, and Jose Alvarado and avoided arbitration. And, a rumor leaked that they made a serious offer to JT Realmuto.
Still quiet on the baseball front. One trade and one announcement highlight the week’s activity for Phillies’ fans. The 2020 international signing period begins this Friday, January 15, 2021, at 9:00 AM EST. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of January 10th
I hope you all remained safe over the holiday weekend. Local police started pulling drivers over as early as 7:00 PM Thursday night. My wife was out Dashing and she saw so many idiots running lights she stopped for the night. That’s Florida for you, no masks, no sense. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of January 3rd
I hope you all enjoyed your holiday. May we all have a happy and healthy new year.
All was quiet on the baseball front. No trades or free agent signings. Not even a waiver claim. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of December 27th
Happy Holidays everybody! No matter what you celebrate, I hope you all enjoy your seasonal holiday. And, if you don’t celebrate, then Happy Baseball!!! Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of December 20th
