2018 Trade Deadline rumors/speculation

zambonir 2018-07-28 17:10:36 UTC #904

Likely true but if you like him longer-term you never know. Would need him to be able to play RF though.

EDmuch 2018-07-28 21:15:43 UTC #905

I note that we are not mentioned as being heavily involved in the Chris Archer Derby. Good. Since my Florida condo is less than 15 minutes from the ball park in St. Pete's I followed the Rays as my second team after the Phils. And I think that Archer is one of the most overrated pitchers in the game. Yes, he has "stuff" but he has never shown any ability to harness it. And I could see him needed TJ or shoulder surgery in the next 2-3 years. Just not a fan and I am glad Klentak does not appear to be either.

zambonir 2018-07-29 02:25:28 UTC #906

Here ya go Ed!

And, perhaps most relevant, the teams among the most interested, such as the Astros, Braves, Padres and Yankees (who may have to pay a slight intra-division premium), have the inventory of high-end young major-leaguers and upper-level prospects the Rays would want. The Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Indians and Phillies are among others in a group of a dozen or so teams said to have expressed some level of serious interest.

I just don't see Klentak paying the freight in a deadline deal though.

LoneStarPhan 2018-07-29 21:58:32 UTC #907

Another deal for International signing money.

andyb 2018-07-29 22:14:28 UTC #908

Orioles loading up for those 2 Cubans most likely.

zambonir 2018-07-29 23:23:00 UTC #909

That seems like a low price for Brach. Not that we wanted him necessarily but it sets a market for spare relief parts. Depending on how much I guess.

(Edit: just $250K which is also what Venters cost.)

andyb 2018-07-30 00:11:00 UTC #910

The reliever I am watching is Diekman. Seems very likely to be moved and the price should be modest if we are interested. Not a closer, but might be a better late inning LHP option than Morgan.

zambonir 2018-07-30 01:24:22 UTC #911

I agree, but he's not having the greatest year. SSS but his opponent OPS from LHBs is 150 points higher than Morgan's. And he's always had more than a bit of Neris in him (i.e. high WHIP but get the outs eventually). Might come cheap though.

phillychuck 2018-07-30 08:49:00 UTC #912

Jim Bowden @JimBowdenGM

#Phillies #RedSox #Astros #Mariners “in” on practically every reliever available from Kela to Barraclough to Rodney to Norris to Clippard to Yates to Romo to Stammen to Parker to Conley to Diekman to Ziegler should be an interesting last 36 hours until trade deadline 4pm et Tues

Love Kela...young and strikes out a lot of guys, good to deal with Texas

Rodney--absolutely not, even if free. Twins will dump him elsewhere

Clippard--consistently at 4.5 FIP...I don't think so; Jays seem to win lots of reliever trades

Yates--decent lefty having by far his best year...don't overpay for the illusion; also benefits from Padres' park

Romo--hasn't been good for 4 years; sort of a "meh" acquisition from the Rays

Stammen--old but solid...don't know why the ~~Nats~~ Padres would trade him to us.

Parker--solid but unspectacular, get the Angels to throw in their CF and I'm in

Conley--marlins' young loogy--I'd be fine with this pick-up

Deikman--heck yes, if cheap. Still striking out lots of guys in Texas

Ziegler--pitches batting practice for the Marlins. No thanks.

HopeSpringsEternal 2018-07-30 13:16:45 UTC #913

Stammen is with Padres now.

Apparently the Blue Jays are also shopping Roberto Osuna - eligible to return August 5th from 75-day suspension for domestic violence.

Squire 2018-07-30 13:34:18 UTC #914

The pen really isn't the problem with the Phillies. Their offense is bad. 10th in the NL in OPS and 10th in Runs.

bkeich 2018-07-30 13:40:33 UTC #915

This guy has been a weird enigma. He has, at times, in the last few years been a very, very good pitcher because of his extreme ground ball rate, but not so much this year, he is getting the ball up and he is indeed a batting practice pitcher. I wonder if it is an injury, age or just being bored with the hopeless nature of his team. Someone might get a serious bargain here, but it is a huge risk.

phillychuck 2018-07-30 13:45:13 UTC #916

Couldn't agree more. I'm OK with the pen. A young, good reliever like Kela or Conley would be a good acquisition if he comes at a bargain price, but at this point I'm fine riding out what we have.

If Klentak is special he'll figure out a way to get a big offensive piece in here, maybe someone who is not rumored to be on the trading block. The only real places to play that guy are RF/SS/C, and the team is OK with the guys who play those positions, so I'm not looking for a move. Personally I'd be chasing Realmuto, who could move the needle. Alfaro + Medina could get that done.

Philsmania 2018-07-30 14:11:59 UTC #917

After seeing how the rotation didn't do all that well this past weekend, I am beginning to wonder if the decision to bypass rotation upgrades is a mistake.

andyb 2018-07-30 14:12:10 UTC #918

The problem is there is not much game-changing offense out there. Yes Realmuto is there, but that would be pretty expensive and would not move the needle anything like Machado. Plus our weakest position has been SS and we theoretically just upgraded our offense there.

Harper would be a bold move in the OF. Adam Jones would not.

Prediction is we get a reliever or two - and potentially we plan on a September with a huge bullpen where we even experiment with planned bullpen games (each pitcher goes once through the lineup) when guys start to get close to inning limits (Pivetta, VV, Eflin).

Squire 2018-07-30 14:13:39 UTC #919

Agreed. I wouldn't really do anything. Spending assets to fix a problem that doesn't exist seems stupid.

andyb 2018-07-30 14:18:20 UTC #920

Athletic recommends going for the left-handed reliever:

Key reason is that all the NL potential playoff teams except have really good left-handed hitters. MLB rank of left-handed hitter OPS of NL playoff contenders:

Dodgers: .808, 1st
Nationals: .799, 3rd
Cubs: .781, 5th
Braves: .777, 6th
Brewers: .775, 7th
Diamondbacks: .675, 26th

andyb 2018-07-30 16:07:22 UTC #921

Not necessarily advocating it for the Phillies because of the cost, but this is what will be percolating down in DC the next 30 or so hours:

EDmuch 2018-07-30 16:23:28 UTC #922

I would not go for Harper right now. Cost would be way out of proportion to benefit

zambonir 2018-07-30 17:27:10 UTC #923

The offense can't be upgraded significantly at this point. But the pitching can be upgraded incrementally.

I think a starter would still be a good idea. This rotation has also avoided a major injury this year, which is maybe in part because of its relative youth (though it's also true that one member of the Opening Day rotation is now done, and the guy he replaced still hasn't pitched at all). An insurance arm (better than what you'd get in August and possibly controllable) in case of injury or for moving Pivetta to the pen would not hurt.

And the bullpen is not so good that they could endure another round of injuries to Neshek, Garcia, or god forbid, Seranthony, especially with Ramos already out. Someone better than Davis/Morgan/Hunter to face lefties still seems like a must. They can cut Chad Curtis loose from the 40. A second piece - ideally someone who'd be an upgrade over Hunter or a returning Neris - woudn't hurt. If they don't get a starter.

They should still be thinking about having home-field in the NLDS too, if not the NLCS (but that is by no means out of reach).