As the title of this post suggests, here’s an announcement – I’m leaving PhuturePhillies.com as of the end of this regular season. I’ll post a couple more weekly discussions and maybe a thought or two about the state of the org before I go, but it’s been a long year after two long ones prior, and it just got to the point where I wasn’t enjoying myself anymore. I’ll still be doing my Crashburn Alley stuff, and I hope that writing for that different, less prospect-intense audience will help bring some challenge and fun back into my writing.

A huge thanks to Gregg for bringing me on board in the first place, back when I was nothing more than a regular commenter with some questionable opinions about certain things, (notably big-bodied catching prospects from Texas). It’s been a great three years, and I’ve enjoyed writing for all of you and interacting with those of you who boldly choose to try out your opinions in the comments. I look forward to seeing what the person who comes after me has to say about the day-to-day goings on of the 2015 Phillies Minor Leagues.

Anyway, as I said, I’ll be around for a couple more weeks. So please – PLEASE – no tears, folks. There’s no use crying over minor league baseball websites. Or is it “there’s no crying in minor league baseball websites”? Perhaps its both. In which case, it’s a double negative, and you all better get the water works…uhh…working…over my departure. Open the spigot of your heart and let the sadness flow out of you like a hot summer rain!

Or talk about Phils/Bucs. Whatever.

Discuss.

August 31 marks the end of the biggest period of waiver trades, as any club looking for help that could be with them through the postseason needs to add that player to their active roster by August 31. There are a couple Phillies who have not cleared waivers, namely Hamels and Byrd, (I think that’s it), but pretty much every other healthy veteran is likely available for the right payoff. I wouldn’t count on much happening, though. Hopefully Bastardo finds a new home, and maybe Burnett, but probably not, IMO. Who else are you thinking might be moved?

Discuss.

A long homestand kicks off with the Mariners tonight, tomorrow night and Wednesday afternoon. Off day Thursday, then three with the Cardinals this weekend and Washington next week.

Yo no soy Cardenal o Nacional, either. For the record.

Discuss.

Per a couple different sources on Twitter, notably Steven Falk (@smfalk) who detailed them all, WIL’s Aaron Brown has been promoted to Lakewood, along with Jesen Therrien and Nick Rodesky (from GCL). Dan Child has been sent from LKW to GCL, reliever Aaron Baker was sent from LKW to CLR, and Sam Hiciano was put on the DL.

The big club is off today. Sounds like Ruben Amaro did the Ice Bucket Thing for ALS but it’s only on Facebook. Not enough reason to get me to sign into my Facebook. Someone let me know if he falls on the ice. That would do it.

Discuss

At home today for the wrap-around with the Mets at 1:05, then two late-nighters at Anaheim starting tomorrow, an off day, then three at San Francisco. At least both weekend games are 4:15 EST. Back home next Monday with Seattle in town. No King Felix, but Hisashi Iwakuma looks like he’s lined up for Monday the 18th, if you’re inclined to head out for a good visiting pitcher. He’s having a really fine year.

Discuss.

Since there are things to discuss, specifically the Roberto Hernandez trade, here’s a fresh thread. Also, VSL was rained out, so we should get Ranger Suarez tomorrow on regular rest.

Also, hey, while I have ya – I wrote a thing on Nola and Biddle at Crashburn Alley –

http://crashburnalley.com/2014/08/07/aaron-and-jesse-wait-aaron-paul-jesse-pinkman-whoa/

Enjoy, if you’re so inclined.

Discuss.

I’ll post a bit of news here – Phils have signed Panamanian SS Jonathan Arauz for $600k, per Jim Salisbury and other media reporting. Arauz joins SS Arquimedes Gamboa, ($900k) SS/CF Daniel Brito ($650k) and C Lenin Rodriguez ($300k) as six figure signings from the International Amateur market. Including P Jhon Nunez, who got $90k, the club has now spent $2.54M on five known signings. With a budget of $3.22M, and lots of other guys sure to be signed for dollar amounts over $10k, (under $10k is a freebie, essentially), this is probably the last of the high dollar signings. I was a little surprised to even see this many, but more power to the club for getting some nice looking guys for fairly reasonable dollars. We’ll see how many of them make their way stateside for instructs this fall.

Back home, the first round of revocable waivers were discovered, with Howard, Burnett, Bastardo, Kendrick and Roberto Hernandez reported earlier by Ken Rosenthal. Teams can claim the players and their contracts, or the Phillies can negotiate trades if they don’t want to let the player walk. I would imagine they’d let Howard go if someone wanted him, and insist on a return for the rest, or pull back the waiver. Once cleared, the men in question can be traded just like they would have been in July, with no-trade clauses and options in place.

Discuss.

Things have gone cold…maybe still you could see Bastardo go, since there’s little reason not to deal him with a bullpen crowded with younger, cheaper arms right now. And you never know if Amaro may find the right deal for Byrd or Burnett yet, but I can’t really see much else. Could be wrong, I suppose, but it doesn’t seem like it.

I will say this, I don’t think there’s much to complain about what Amaro is doing right now, though it’s pretty easy to complain about what he’s done in the past that led him here. Feel free to do some of that now. I’d personally like to complain about Ryan Howard’s contract, because as far as I know, no one’s ever mentioned how bad it is, I don’t think. It’s pretty bad, I think. Maybe I’m the only one.

Discuss.