Discussion

zambonir 2018-03-10 20:37:55 UTC #261

I think Salisbury's a bit lost tbh. Though it may just be an Internet thing, a dumb angle/headline for a story that is really just about a competent pitcher working on his change-up (which has nothing to do with a Hall of Famer who was already a star working on his change-up).

Pretty good pitching today from VV and Leiter (for two innings). Chad Curtis just put out the fire. Great hair.

Austinfan 2018-03-11 04:37:56 UTC #262

Velasquez looked good, but also exhibited his limitations.
FB at 94 but explosive with good movement.
Not much else, changeup at 88 which is not good, should be 84 or so, since his slider is also in the mid-80s.
Lack of velocity separation makes it easier to sit on the FB, adjust to the offspeed pitches.
Improve the changeup and his FB will be harder to hit.

Leiter looked good for 2 innings before he tired, 90-91 but his splitter is the difference maker, turning into a strikeout pitch to go with his curve, changeup and slider (also throws a cutter). He could be a solid LR/spot starter in the #6 spot.

PiedmontPhilly 2018-03-12 22:19:25 UTC #263

Scott Franske just mentioned that Tommy Joseph has been designated for assignment
.

phillychuck 2018-03-12 22:57:54 UTC #264

Braves and Phils in an offensive tour-de-force once again in Florida. Maybe we should have signed a hitter...

donaldorc 2018-03-12 23:12:07 UTC #265

Indeed. Phillies have really been offensively challenged this spring. But Eflin is really dealing. Good sign. Hope he can silence the naysayers.

phillychuck 2018-03-12 23:26:58 UTC #266

Eflin with 5 scoreless. Milner in the process of blowing things up.

1st and 3rd no outs, to 1st and 2nd two outs...pitching change.

Lucky_Beagle 2018-03-13 00:42:07 UTC #267

Phillies being no-hit until the 8th when a bloop double by Crawford ended it. Walding eventually hit and 3 run HR for the only scoring as the game heads to the 9th.

zambonir 2018-03-13 04:09:32 UTC #268

Funny how history keeps repeating itself at 1B in some ways. Thome gave way to Howard who didn't quite give way to Ruf, but Joseph couldn't be denied in 2016 (remember, he'd been DFA'd then as well). Then Joseph gave way to Hoskins (Santana a bit of a swerve, I guess).

David_Criss 2018-03-13 12:24:54 UTC #269

There really is no need for a fifth starter in April - can Eickhoff be sent to AAA? Does he have options remaining? That gives the Phillies a couple more weeks to pic the fifth starter behind Nola, Arrietta, Lively and Velasquez. Is it Thompson or Eickhoff or maybe even Leiter?

tom81 2018-03-13 12:31:58 UTC #270

All of the potential starters except Arrieta have options remaining. Outside of Nola and Vasquez I don’t think any are a lock to go North as starters. The guy you left off that I think has a legitimate chance is Eflin, especially if he puts in more outings like yesterday.

zambonir 2018-03-13 18:09:01 UTC #271

I don't think Lively is in the rotation, nor will Eickhoff be punished for a poor (and still at this point very short) spring. Assumption (as I said in the poll) from media seems to be that Pivetta is the 5th starter and Lively and Eflin just lost the job they were competing for. Thompson, who knows. Leiter is in the pen.

But yeah any of them can be stashed in AAA for 10 days one or two times. It will probably be whoever the 5th starter actually is though, just in terms of keeping the rotation set. I think Eickhoff still gets to pitch the third game of the season, as the vet.

EDmuch 2018-03-13 18:12:30 UTC #272

The continuing deification of Eickhoff by the Powers That Be must be the product of some form of mass delusion spreading thru the Clearwater area. How bad does a guy have to pitch to lose his spot in the rotation?

bigegypt0417 2018-03-13 18:38:46 UTC #273

That seems like a fairly extreme viewpoint from a discussion about a back of the rotation starter...who is it that you believe he's being held up by the "powers that be"?

Is he the next in a long line of those you've decided are worthless? Is he your replacement for JP Crawford?

zambonir 2018-03-13 18:57:44 UTC #274

Eickhoff was injured last year. There's no question he has some issues but he's still the third-best starter in the rotation, now, and he was the third-best starter last year (and I still don't buy that Lively's better).

Writing off a guy who put up the same WAR as Jake Arrieta in 2016 would be front office negligence, so I'd say the people who run the Phillies know what they're doing. Ideally a new pitching coach, analytics and his generally effective curveball will have him poised for a better season (we'll see about the change-up). That he might ultimately only be a #5 - or worse - doesn't matter at the moment.

Squire 2018-03-13 19:18:23 UTC #275

Phillies signed Soon to be 29 year old LHP Tim Berry formerly of the Padres organization

zambonir 2018-03-13 19:47:33 UTC #276

Minor league deal I assume. Only turning 27 though (unless it's a different guy). Another Orioles connection.

EDmuch 2018-03-13 19:51:27 UTC #277

Elfin and Pivetta.

Jazzhead 2018-03-13 19:57:24 UTC #278

I tore my knee last week, which gives me the chance to see a good Phillies game. 3-3 in the eighth. And you know, from what I've seen of Tom Eshelman (four and two-thirds scoreless this afternoon), I don't see why he can't be the fifth starter. The man can pitch, he was a top college pitcher whose unusual gift of freaky-good control has translated just fine, and if there's anything else he needs to learn he can do so in the majors.

zambonir 2018-03-13 20:09:34 UTC #279

The two guys with career ERAs over 6.00? They aren't even better than Eickhoff at his worst, currently. Sure, they may yet become better than Eickhoff (even at his best) but they actually have to do it first, and stay healthy (as does Velasquez) to flat-out bump him from the rotation.

I do still have hopes for Eflin but I think it's a good thing if he, in his first year of true health and ability (apparently ever!) starts in AAA. The way the injuries go he won't be down there long, unless Lively gets the call first.

Eshelman will get his shot eventually but he's not even on the 40, and space is tight.

EDmuch 2018-03-13 20:36:52 UTC #280

I want to see a fair, equal competition. This idea that because Eickhoff had one good season and one horrible season entitles him to some kind of priority is ridiculous. Who says 2016 was the real Eickhoff as opposed to 2017 being the real pitcher.? And this Spring, he looks like the 2017 Eickhoff. This idea that he is having a bad Spring is ludicrous. He has been bad for 1.5 years. Meanwhile Elfin looks like he could be solid. I mean, at least he can break a pane of glass with his fastball. I want to see the Phils take the 4 or 5 best pitchers right now north to start the season. The idea that Eickhoff gets to go north despite how poorly he is pitching solely because he had a good year 2 years ago seems to be a poor way to conduct a talent evaluation.