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

[bigegypt0417]

I don't plan to rebuild the team at $10 mill/WAR. That's for the available, young star the Phillies need. Most of the team will be young guys not that far from the minimum. We can well afford to pay $10 million/WAR to add a star.

Agreed. There are not many opportunities that present themselves to sign this level of talent for just money and a draft pick(harper).

[David_Criss]

Manny has to know where he is headed by this point, right? It is down to Chicago, where he can be a top of a really week division in the AL Central and play SS or play 3B in the NL with the Phillies. Both teams have made decent offers I am sure. Both teams have now hired/signed Manny connections to their staff/roster.

Any chance he chooses this weekend to take away from the Phillies meet with Harper headlines?????

[bigegypt0417]

Any chance he chooses this weekend to take away from the Phillies meet with Harper headlines?????

From the sounds of it, Harper is possibly making an announcement tomorrow. Unless it's all a publicity stunt he's supposed to be on the cover of an MLB video game and they are unveiling it tomorrow...supposedly in his new uniform.

[California_Dreamin]

Greg Luzinski is tweeting that the Phils are getting Harper tomorrow. Probably jumped the gun a bit but the stars sure look like they are aligning for the Phils and Harper to come to an agreement. As for the Phils hiring Machado's mentor in Baltimore, not sure how to read that but...I do not think the odds are 0% that the Phils might just get both players.

Sure seems a long shot but Middleton did say he might spend "stupid money" and signing both would certainly fit his description of his goals for this off season. One thing not often mentioned is that Comcast might just be pressuring the Phils to do something big this off season since the Phils are now into Year 3 of the deal and signing Harper and/or Machado would likely see a substantial increase in revenues on the Comcast side.

[Squire]

I noted in the Non-Phillies thread but the Yankees have signed 2B DJ Lemahieu for 2year/$24million. Being interpreted by some as a sign of their own diminishing belief they will land Machado

[schooldoc]

With the LeMahieu news (2/24 to Yanks), the Phils would have to monumentally mess this up not to land at least one of Machado or Harper.

The Yanks now figure to be out on MM, so it's Phillies or Chisox, right? And it's seemingly Phils or payroll-capped Nats for Bryce.

We're at the point now where it would be stunning not to get at least one of these guys.

[California_Dreamin]

So, I guess we will know soon whether Machado favors mentors over friends and family...or the other way around.

[zambonir]

I have a hard time believing this video game thing is tied into a deal but I suppose you never know. Could just as easily mean he's staying in DC. I reckon the Bull is not a real source.

We're at the point now where it would be stunning not to get at least one of these guys.

Sure seems that way but at least we got to freak out for two months in the last thread.

Also the coach hiring is a nice touch but if the Phillies beat out the Chi Sox it will be because they offered the best contract. As ever.

[phillychuck]

Or maybe he just favors additional zeros in his contract.

[zambonir]

Interesting note in the story about Dickerson, I wonder what the benefits set-up really looks like for coaches, especially as teams add more and more of them.

The Phillies recently lost first base/infield coach Jose David Flores to Baltimore as the Orioles were able to offer him a position covered by the big-league pension plan.

Phillies to hire Manny Machado’s mentor from Baltimore

[David_Criss]

If they are unveiling the cover tomorrow, they would need to be printing and mounting the boards for the press conference now.

[zambonir]

If it's really happening you just print all the options in advance.

[julio]

Another arbitration case settled in advance:

Robert Murray (ByRobertMurray)

[phillychuck]

Good payment for Morgan--they must have faith in him.

[phillychuck]

If they sign them both, is this your regular lineup?

Hernandez 2B
McCutchen LF
Harper RF
Hoskins 1B
Machado 3B
Herrera/Quinn CF
Segura SS
Alfaro C

If it is, that's as good a lineup as the BoSox or Astros I think. And Kingery as an IF super-sub, I might keep Franco to sub 1B/3B. Leaves Williams and Altherr fighting for an OF spot, and Knapp as backup catcher. 12 man pitching staff.

Some trade possibilities exist for a BU catcher and another starter.

[andyb]

I might keep Franco to sub 1B/3B. Leaves Williams and Altherr fighting for an OF spot

That is one too many if we keep both Herrera and Quinn. I think Franco gets traded and Quinn is the 2nd backup infielder. Harper or McCutchen could be the backup 1B.

[EastFallowfield]

The minimum salary in MLB in 2019 will be .555 million, so they're telling Morgan we like you around twice as much as the bare minimum.

[phillychuck]

It's not linear, though. Lots of players between .55 and 1.1M.

[EastFallowfield]

Morgan getting a little less in 2019, with around 3 years of service, than Luis Garcia got in 2018, when he had around 3 years of service, so it's the going rate for semi-veteran, semi-capable relievers these days?

[phillychuck]

You're probably right, but I was really expecting them to just cut ties with Morgan, so I saw the offer as being pretty generous...

Myself, I like Morgan more than most fans I think, so I'm pretty happy they settled.