Category Archives: Weekly Discussion

Open Discussion: Week of March 23rd

Weekly Discussion

We’re still plodding along without baseball.  I wonder if MLB would consider playing ball games without fans just so they could start the season earlier.  I was watching footy on TV and it wasn’t until the camera panned back on a throw-in at one end of the oval that I realized there were no fans in attendance.  I guess I should explain that footy is Australian football.  It is played on an oval field (sometimes a modified cricket field) and pits two eighteen-man teams.  It looks like something I played during recess in grade school or had to play during phys ed in high school.  But, not having fans didn’t ruin TV viewing. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of March 23rd →

Open Discussion: Week of March 16th

Weekly Discussion

Well, baseball has come to a halt for an indefinite period of time.  Sunday morning, the Phillies complied with MLB direction and sent their minor league players home and curtailed organized workouts at team facilities.

Fans are left with many unanswered questions, most can’t be answered.  Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of March 16th →

Open Discussion: Week of March 9th

Weekly Discussion

One hundred-and-nine wins.  That’s what you get if you extrapolate the Phillies’ won/loss record over their first 17 games (11-5-1) of spring training over a 162-game schedule.  Actually, the number is 109.58.  I decided not to round up.  So, 109-53?  Why not?

This is the kind of thinking we did as children in the early 60s when we followed the Phillies.  Take a hot streak and extend it over the rest of the season to convince ourselves the Phillies could still win the pennant.  Calculate that they only had to go 27-4 to win the pennant, if all the teams ahead of them lost every night.  And other child-like thoughts.  But, why not? Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of March 9th →

Open Discussion: Week of March 2nd

Spring Training 2020, Weekly Discussion

The Phillies bolted out to a 6-1-1 record in Grapefruit League games.  The play during the games is more important than the scores and victories.  More than 30 players from the minor league mini camp have been assigned to the games.  Those among them who have gotten playing time, as well as others of their minor league brethren who were among the non-roster invites have  acquitted themselves well. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of March 2nd →

Open Discussion: Week of February 24th

Weekly Discussion

Busy week.  Position players reported, and the first full squad workout was held last Monday.  J.T. Realmuto lost his arbitration case and settled for the $10M consolation prize.  He’ll likely make up the difference in his extension.  Hector Neris settled before his arb hearing for $4.6M.  The Phillies opened their Grapefruit League season in Lakeland and played to an 8-8 tie against the Tigers.  Several young Phillies’ prospects distinguished themselves in the game.  The Phils beat the Pirates in their home opener at Spectrum Field, and the team unveiled an awkward update of the Phanatic. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of February 24th →

Open Discussion: Week of February 10th

Weekly Discussion

Spring Training starts this week.  Most pitchers and catchers have already arrived.  They’ll start getting their physicals to be ready for the first official workout on Wednesday.

The Phillies have invited 30 non-roster players to attend camp with the 40 on the active roster.  This year the Phillies have invited about 40 additional minor leaguers to a mini camp.  If you count rehabbers, that brings the total players at the Complex to over 120.  The Phillies are also bringing in the necessary coaching and support staffs.  Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of February 10th →

Open Discussion: Week of February 3rd

Weekly Discussion

Congratulations to Big Red, former Eagles coach Andy Reid.

Free Agency

Yasiel Puig is the “best” free agent available.  He heads the list of “top” free agents still unsigned, he’s also the youngest at 29  – Brock Holt (32), Ben Zobrist (39), Hunter Pence (37), Nick Hundley (36), Jonathan Lucroy (34), and Russell Martin (37).

Of the 608 free agents I’ve been following, 91 remain unsigned.  But, 517 have –

  • 120 – Signed MLB contract
  •      2 – Accepted QO
  •      8 – Declined QO and signed
  •      6 – Retired
  •   22 – Signed overseas (China-1, Japan-13, Korea-8)
  • 359 – Signed MiLB contract

Winter Ball

The Adelaide Giants advanced to the final against Melbourne.  They dropped the first game in their best of three against the Canberra Cavalry, 7-6.  In game one at Canberra, the Giants blew a 5-run lead in a 6-run sixth inning.  They rallied to tie the game in the ninth inning but dropped the game in extra innings.  Logan O’Hoppe went 0-1 as a pinch hitter, Mitchell Edwards and Rixon Wingrove each went 1-5, and Ben Aklinski went 1-4 with a run scored.

The Giants returned home and won 6-2.  O’Hoppe went 2-3 with 2 runs scored and a walk.  Wingrove went 1-4 with an RBI.  Aklinski went 2-3 with a run scored and a walk.

The Giants clinched their berth in the final with a 6-3 win on Sunday.  O’Hoppe went 1-3 with a run scored and a walk.  Wingrove went 2-4 with 2 RBI.  Aklinski went 0-4.

The Giants never trailed after their first game loss.

Below are the final winter league stats (regular season).

  • Australian Baseball League 
  • Aklinski – .210/.289/.340/.629, 21-100, 11 R, 6 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 10 BB, 28 K, 1/1 SB
  • Edwards – .214/.275/.262/.537, 18-84, 5 R, 4 2B, 9 RBI, 6 BB, 15 K
  • O’Hoppe – .258/.389/.483/.872, 23-89, 17 R, 5 2B, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 18 BB, 23 K, 1/2 SB
  • Stobbe – .152/.225/.203/.427, 12-79, 8 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 5 RBI, 6 BB, 33 K, 1/1 SB
  • Wingrove – .232/.326/.348/.674, 26-112, 16 R, 4 2B, 3 HR, 23 RBI, 16 BB, 39 K, 2/3 SB
  • Glogoski (0-2, 5.09) – 17.2 IP, 15 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 5 HR, 9 BB, 19 K, 1.36 WHIP
  • Hendrickson (1-2, 1.93) – 18.2 IP, 11 H, 9 R, 4 ER, 2 HR, 2 BB, 28 K, 0.70 WHIP
  • Tols (1-3, 2.84) – 19.0 IP, 14 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 2 HR, 11 BB, 22 K, 1.32 WHIP
  • Taveras (0-0, 5.40) – 10.0 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 6 K, 2.00 WHIP
  • Dominican Winter League
  • Grullon – .143/.143/.143/.286, 2-14, 1 R, 2 RBI, 5 K (last played 10/20)
  • E. Garcia (0-0, 10.80) – 5 G, 3.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
  • C. Sanchez (0-0, 10.13) – 5 G, 2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K (last pitched 10/27)
  • Puerto Rican Winter League
  • Singer (3-0, 2.38) – 11 G, 11.1 IP, 12 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 8 BB, 6 K
  • Mexican Winter League
  • Ross (0-0, 9.00) – 2 G, 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

This is the Phuture Phillies Open Discussion for Phillies and other baseball topics.

Key Dates:

  • February 3-21, 2020 – Salary arbitration hearings, Phoenix
  • February 11, 2020 – Voluntary reporting date for pitchers, catchers and injured players
  • February 16, 2020 – Voluntary reporting date for other players
  • February 21, 2020 –  Mandatory reporting date
  • February 22, 2020 – First spring training game at Tigers
  • February 23, 2020 – First spring training home game v. Pirates
  • March 1, 2020 – Reporting date for minor league spring training
  • March 2020 – Americas Qualifier in Arizona (2020 Olympics qualifier)
  • March 23, 2020 – Final spring training home game v. Rays
  • March 26, 2020 – Phillies’ opening day at Miami, active roster reduced to 26 players
  • March/April 2020 – At-Large Qualifier in Taiwan (2020 Olympics qualifier)
  • April 2, 2020 – Phillies’ home opener v. Milwaukee
  • June 10-12, 2021 – Amateur draft in Omaha, NE
  • June 15, 2020 – International amateur signing period closes
  • July 2, 2020 – International amateur signing period opens
  • July 10, 2020 – Deadline for drafted players to sign, except for players who have exhausted college eligibility
  • July 14,2020  – All-Star Game at Los Angeles
  • July 31, 2020 – Last day during the season to trade a player
  • August 31, 2020 – Last day to be contracted to an organization and be eligible for postseason roster
  • September 1, 2020 — Active rosters expand to 28 players

The rosters and lists are up to date as of January 26th … 378 players in the org

Transactions (newest transactions are in bold print)
2/02/2020 – Phillies signed INF Logan Forsythe to an MiLB contract w/invite to ST
1/31/2020 – Phillies designated RHP Trevor Kelley for assignment
1/31/2020 – Phillies claimed RHP Reggie McClain off waivers from Seattle
1/23/2020 – 1B Neil Walker assigned to Lehigh Valley
1/23/2020 – LHP Francisco Liriano assigned to Lehigh Valley
1/23/2020 – RHP Drew Storen assigned to Lehigh Valley
1/23/2020 – RHP Bud Norris assigned to Lehigh Valley
1/22/2020 – Phillies signed FA 1B Neil Walker to an MiLB contract w/invite to ST
1/22/2020 – Phillies signed FA RHP Drew Storen to an MiLB contract w/invite to ST
1/22/2020 – Phillies signed FA RHP Bud Norris to an MiLB contract w/invite to ST
1/22/2020 – Phillies signed FA LHP Francisco Liriano to an MiLB contract w/invite to ST
1/17/2020 – C Christian Bethancourt assigned to Lehigh Valley
1/17/2020 – 2B Ronald Torreyes assigned to Lehigh Valley
1/16/2020 – Phillies sent CF Odubel Herrera outright to Lehigh Valley
1/14/2020 – Phillies designated CF Odubel Herrera for assignment
1/14/2020 – Phillies claimed LF Nick Martini off waivers from Cincinnati Reds
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster 3B Alec Bohm to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster 3B Luke Williams to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster LHP Kyle Dohy to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster 1B Austin Listi to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster LHP Tyler Gilbert to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster 1B Darick Hall to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster RHP Spencer Howard to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster LHP Damon Jones to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster C Henri Lartigue to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster SS Nick Maton to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster OF Mickey Moniak to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster RHP Ramon Rosso to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster RHP Addison Russ to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster LHP Zach Warren to spring training
1/13/2020 – Phillies invited non-roster RHP Connor Brogdon to spring training
1/10/2020 – Phillies agree to $2.65M contract w/RHP Zach Eflin, avoid arbitration
1/10/2020 – Phillies agree to $3.6M contract w/RHP Vince Velasquez, avoid arbitration
1/10/2020 – Phillies agree to $2.95M contract w/LHP Jose Alvarez, avoid arbitration
1/10/2020 – Phillies agree to $1.575M contract w/LHP Adam Morgan, avoid arbitration
1/02/2020 – Phillies signed INF Ronald Torreyes to an MiLB w/invite to ST
1/02/2020 – Phillies signed C Christian Bethancourt to an MiLB contract w/invite to ST

Open Discussion: Week of January 27th

Weekly Discussion

Condolences to the Bryant and Altobelli  families at this time of loss.

MLB Top 100

MLB published their top 100 prospects last week.  It included three Phillies minor leaguers.  Alec Bohm was ranked #30, Spencer Howard #34, and Bryson Stott #87.

Bohm was ranked the #1 third baseman, and Howard was ranked the #9 right-handed pitcher.  Stott extrapolates out to the #16 shortstop. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of January 27th →

Open Discussion: Week of January 20th

Weekly Discussion

Baseball was all abuzz last week with the Astros cheating scandal.  The organization was fined, lost draft picks, and the manager and GM were suspended for a season.  They were later fired by the Astros owner.  The Red Sox and Mets managers were subsequently let go as they were mentioned as being involved in the final report on the Astros scandal.  The Red Sox will likely receive their own penalties when their own cheating case comes to a conclusion. Continue reading Open Discussion: Week of January 20th →