Phillies Hot Stove, Winter 2023-24

[zambonir]

But they are in fact extremely short on RPs with options, especially since two of them (Kerkering and Soto) are unlikely to be used in that fashion. They may or may not use one spot in that fashion, and have before, but it has never meant carrying one fewer arm overall. It's happened for a couple of weeks a couple of times. And then of course they went with a six-man rotation though I'm not sure that actually led to using the bullpen less.

Currently they have to trade or DFA either Covey or Brogdon just to open up a single "rotatable" spot.

None of these bench candidates are even worth doing that for anyway, unless they simply don't want to lose Pache (or Cave).

[zambonir]

JT could, and probably should play 1B a bit. But didn't do one time last year even with 1B essentially unfilled. And the drop-off at C when he does that is steep (which should maybe still be addressed). They are also saying Schwarber will play the OF a little.

I guess I'll believe any of this when I see it - both a plan to start resting guys more and giving anyone but Merrifield the excess starts. Unless or until he flops he will always be the first guy up at any position except SS and CF (both of which he has also played) and C. And if he doesn't flop he'll play more.

Castellanos could also probably use a little less work and sit against the odd RHP but that would just put Cave in RF, Hall does no good there either.

[BostonRoss]

Whatever happened to the Castellanos playing 1B idea? I know that was hatched before Harper became the 1B, but Nick is a former infielder, and getting out of the outfield once in a while wouldn’t be a bad thing.

[bkeich]

Even Schwarber getting to 1B every once in awhile wouldn’t be atrocious and would make it possible to partially rest a regular by just having them hit.

Spring Training should tell us who among the 26 will get some time at 1B,because hopefully whoever it is will get 50 or so innings of ST game time “practice”

[zambonir]

Yeah I don't think anyone actually hatched that except Nick saying he'd be willing and had a glove. Along with Schwarber continuing to say "never again." (And I think 1B might actually be harder on his knees than OF, more action/pivoting. He and Thomson have both said he'll play some LF this year. 1B has not come up, and won't IMO).

But if Nick plays 1B who plays OF? That still just ends up being Merrifield or Cave or TBD, not anybody good (unless they keep Pache and then at least you've got a strong defensive OF).

All of these scenarios that involve a full rest day or position change for one of our top hitters puts a weak bat in the line-up, and only occasionally a good glove. Clearly while some of us are not excited about Merrifield, those who are, including the team, see him as the top option off the bench in almost every situation except Sosa for SS and maybe 3B.

[BostonRoss]

I am guessing that Merrifield is better than Nick in the OF (admittedly a low bar). If Pache is still around somehow, it makes sense for him to play since. If Harper is resting there’s probably a LHP facing the Phillies.

Cave is not a great outfielder but is also probably better than Castellanos. But it wouldn’t make sense for him to start against a LHP.

[zambonir]

Funny, I was just thinking this. It was always going to be tough, and twice as much money (more with the QO) but I sure would have liked Hoskins at 1B with Castellanos only getting 400 ABs (mostly in LF, RF on Harper off-days, DH on Schwarber off-days) over Merrifield getting 400 ABs).

Rob Thomson thinks the Phillies would be a better team with this one player who...

[andyb]

JT could, and probably should play 1B a bit. But didn't do one time last year even with 1B essentially unfilled.

But he has in the past and prefers 1B to DH. Last year was a mistake. JT got a year older and his catching load remained the same. Results were worse. None of that is a surprise and a more reasonable explanation to his season than mechanics and bad habits. JT is human. We need to realize that and manage that.

Stubbs or Marchan do need to play better. Hopefully they switch between the two if needed. Or get a better backup if both fail.

[zambonir]

Yeah but you read the same article I did. The team is focused on tweaking his game (both at the plate and behind it), his desire to not regress doesn't seem to be accompanied by an interest in catching less and the team agrees wholeheartedly (with three different people saying so!). The failure to upgrade back-up catcher kind of says that too.

How to fix a hole in your swing: J.T. Realmuto started by visiting the hitting...

As far as Realmuto is concerned, this is not a physical issue. He’s started 130 games at catcher in each of the past two seasons and that is the number he’s targeted again for 2024. There won’t be a debate about this. “He’s in great shape,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “It’s tough to take him out of the lineup.” If Realmuto’s swing adjustments don’t lead to better results, maybe the Phillies reassess. Realmuto seemed to benefit in 2023 whenever he had occasional rest. The Phillies are not convinced that is correlated.

“I mean, if a guy is 28 years old and has a down year, people don’t say he’s aging,” Wathan said. “If a guy is 32 and he has a down year, people say he’s aging. So, why don’t we talk next spring?”

_Wathan wasn’t being flippant; there is just confidence in Realmuto that is not reserved for most soon-to-be-33-year-old catchers. “He’s too good of an athlete still,” Long said. “I mean, he’s still running well. His body doesn’t look slow. It looks explosive. His mechanics needed to be [adjusted]...."

[Austinfan]

Whistling past the graveyard. Age charts apply to everyone, there are outliers, but very few.

[zambonir]

Well, we're certainly gonna find out. With about 2/3 of this entire roster, over the next two years and the next five years.

[andyb]

Sometimes there should be a debate about this. Yes I read that article. And I disagree with Thomson. It is unlikely they will follow my sage advice, but that is what message boards are for.

[allentown]

It is fine to carry a bench guy to do nothing but PH (or DH). If Hall can hit well enough to hold down that position, fine. Same with Merrifield, although I don't think either has the bat for this.

[julio]

3 posts were merged into an existing topic: Phillies Spring Training Discussion 2024

[BostonRoss]

We all love Rhys, but unless Schwarber or Harper went down, there wasn't a place for him to get much playing time. The article seems to say he would be a good addition to the lineup, but you can't just add him and bat ten guys. He would have to replace someone. That could be Castellanos at times, but would you really want to pay $35+ million for that roster spot to split between Rhys and Nick?

[Callison]

From the stats-challenged side of the board, I like Merrifield. He's 35 but he can hit AND RUN. When he says he wants to work his way into the lineup, I wish him well. In the Phils' lineup, he could see better pitching and hit better. He could easily become the best hitter in the Phils' OF. I predict Merrifield will hit .300+ in ST. Saw some sports scribe go on about how Merrifield needs lots of ABs. If he earns them, he can have them.

Everybody in the game knows the Phils ' bench is dog meat. Maybe slightly less with the addition of Merrifield.

I LOVE the way the Phils have stacked up a lot of pitchers with upsides. Many here are fine with Covey, Marte, Bellati, Ortiz, etc., but they've had LOTS of shots and done way too little. The bottom of the rotation AND, especially, the bottom of the pen could be stronger.

Had to laugh when I read Kerkering has no guaranteed spot on the Phils. He'd have one anywhere else, but I understand the Phils want a fire under him.

Lots of folks out there saying the Phils are just fine the way they are and they don't HAVE to sign another super star. Another poster already used "whistling past the grave yard", but that truly seems where the Phils are walking. Might work out OK, but I remain hopeful the DD will find a way to acquire Bellinger, Trout or Snell. If that happens, Phils' tickets will be like gold ingots and the Phils will be WS favorites. Just hope the Dodgers don't sign all three.

[zambonir]

Shouldn't we just lock this thread? many more posts than the three julio moved are also more about ST than hot stove at this point. And even if the Phillies made a trade or signed Cody Bellinger tomorrow that would be new that happened during spring training, whereas hot stove is off-season.

[phillychuck]

That's a good point--let's move the ongoing discussion to the spring training thread.

I'll lock this one.

[phillychuck]

[julio]

Works for me. I was thinking to lock this tomorrow (first spring game), but today works, too.