2018-19 Phillies Off-Season Discussion (2019 version)

[el-pietro]

I think that Kapler has also said that CF is a competition between Herrera and Quinn, though I can't find an exact quote.

Odubel Herrera will have to fight for Phillies' starting center field job

[EDmuch]

Good to see.

[Austinfan]

Let's not write off Herrera quite yet, as frustrating as last season was, he supposedly did buy in this offseason and work hard to get into shape. When he's on, he's the best player on the team, plus defensive CF who can flat out smoke at the plate.

Question is can an in shape Herrera focus for 130 of 160 games?
He'll always be inconsistent, but if he had 5 good months out of 6 instead of 2, he's a guaranteed Allstar.

[zambonir]

I don't believe there's a real competition at 3B but I do believe Kingery will make 40 starts there, especially if Franco is not setting the world on fire. Of course (assuming we get Harper) that could also be the trade deadline position to target. As has been noted Deitrich and Marwin G are also still out there.

CF will take care of itself. If Herrera returns to form he'll earn his starts and Quinn will be a great 4th OF. If Herrera doesn't fully return to form Quinn will play more. And if Quinn gets hurt Herrera will still have to play. And if Herrera craters completely again and Quinn gets hurt...another trade deadline need.

I know Quinn could defy the odds but it really does seem like the more he plays, the more likely it is he'll get hurt. Make him your starting CF and he might get 150 ABs before going down for three months. Make him a bench guy and at least it will take him three months to get those 150 ABs.

[HopeSpringsEternal]

The #Phillies are reportedly ‘rounding third’ with Bryce Harper and could be close to signing the prized free agent.

... haven't scored yet. Guess we're caught in a run down.

[julio]

A post was merged into an existing topic: 2019 MLB Non-Phillies News/Notes Discussion

[Lawman]

I get the feeling that Harper and Machado simply don't want to play in Philadelphia, for whatever reason. You'd think that if it's only about the money, then one of them would have signed.

[zambonir]

I still don't understand this line of thinking. They haven't signed with any of the other teams either. And it's not taking any longer than last year's top free agents did.

I think there genuinely is a battle going on. Sounds like the Padres, at least, are competing hard with us. And I don't know that the Phillies have decided who they really want either. So long as Manny is available they don't have to blow Harper away with the reported >$300 million. And even if they've decided they're ready to do that, the gap between both sides agreeing in principle and hammering out the actual details (particularly opt-outs and structure and any deferrals) could take days.

Re: Deitrich, amazing that a lefthanded versatile bench guy, even one without much glove, couldn't even get a guaranteed roster spot. Of course the Marlins didn't want him either (and presumably found no trade market for him last year)

[Philsmania]

The #Phillies are reportedly ‘rounding third’ with Bryce Harper and could be close to signing the prized free agent.

... haven't scored yet. Guess we're caught in a run down.

Now I have Phil Rizzuto and Meatloaf in my mind.

[tom81]

Now I have Phil Rizzuto and Meatloaf in my mind.

Harper to the Phillies, "Will you love me forever?"

[DurhamBull]

We all know how that song ends...

[zambonir]

The Good Phight's regular Twitter remains a good place to catch up on the rumormongers (and mock them).

The Good Phight (TheGoodPhight)

(This is via TGP)

Matt Carey (RealMattCarey)

[phillychuck]

Too likely to be at least somewhat true here...waiting for the end of time, so we can end our time with you...

[zambonir]

I'm gonna give some of these rumor mongers the benefit of the doubt and assume things really have picked up steam. Today's the first day of full spring training, Friday is the first game and a week from Friday is March 1.

Martinez signed a year ago tomorrow.

[BostonRoss]

Now I have Phil Rizzuto and Meatloaf in my mind.

I still understand why they didn't throw the batter who bunted out at first base. There were two outs!

[julio]

There were two outs!

I will NOT go there!

[Patchmk88]

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=26027061

Just for fun

[kmc1019]

Machado to padres, per ESPN's Passan.

[teabag259]

Time wrap Harper up then.

[EastFallowfield]

So much for the idea that the Dodgers had wrapped up Machado when they traded for him last year was only off by a 2/3 hour drive in Southern California traffic.

And that one about how he'd take less money to play for the Yankees.