2019-2020 Phillies Offseason News and Speculation

[BostonRoss]

If the Phils could trade Cesar for Jackie Bradley (the Red Sox are widely expected to get rid of him because he’s a FA after 2020 and they have a lot of $$ in the OF/DH with JD, Betts, Benetendi), a situation with Holt at 2B and Kingery inCF Vs RHP and Kingery at 2B and Bradley in CF vs LHP (and Bradley in the late innings with a lead) would make some sense

Bradley bats lefthanded. He wouldn't be a platoon partner for Holt, who also bats lefthanded.

[BostonRoss]

Why not just keep Franco? Or Cesar for that matter. I don't think the Sox would have any interest in Cesar. We'd still have to give back prospects. Probably better to just trade for Bradley, keep Cesar, sign Holt and let them all mix and match between 3B and 2B (with Kingery still playing some CF too).

Probably also easier to just pay for Moustakas, keep Cesar and have Kingery/Haseley in CF. In any case neither Bradley Jr. nor Holt make the offense better. At 31 Holt doesn't even seem to be that much better than Miller.

If we're calling the Sox, give me Bets.

Yeah, the Sox wouldn't want Cesar. They have Chavis, who is a much better hitter, to play 2B, and he's cheap. The Sox might dump Bradley, but they won't be picking up players at Cesar's salary level.

Sure, ask about Betts, but would you trade the top prospects for a one-year rental?

[BostonRoss]

Who's on third?

No, Who is on first!

[LoneStarPhan]

Who's on third?

No, Who is on first!

But third will be a concern until Bohm steps in a proves he can handle the position or until the Phillies sign or trade for a regular for there.

For 2020, the position remains a question and a concern. For now, for third base, I don't know.

[nycphils]

Whoops! Embarrassing...I was sure he was RH. My mistake...but someone else defensive minded and a RHB would be a good guy to pick up to ease Haseley in to see if he can handle the position without taking too much risk on him.

[zambonir]

Well done, everyone.

I guess I'm just scarred by the last few years but I'm not counting on Bohm this season. Hoskins was the last guy we had who was actually ready (overdue, even) and I doubt very much that Bohm will be showing that kind of bat after just 3 months in AAA, especially with questions about his fielding too.

Bottom line, as BostonRoss has argued in the past, they have to add one impact player, and on paper that is either a CF (who could be defense-first but not exclusively so) or a 3B.

The real issue, I think, is McCutchen, currently an unknown, and Segura, who may be in decline. If both those bats come back strong and the pitching is strong then all of a sudden you can carry a lighter-hitting CF and afford to break in a rookie 3B.

If you're all-in on Bohm and think he can come up at the all-star break, Miller and Kingery would be fine. But that means keeping Cesar.

[andyb]

If you're all-in on Bohm and think he can come up at the all-star break, Miller and Kingery would be fine. But that means keeping Cesar.

That is the easy solution. Cesar is essentially your 3B solution with Kingery playing there mostly. We would need an OF with Kingery not in CF. Question is whether the Phillies just want to shed Cesar's contract so they can spend on pitching.

[zambonir]

Or a CF. Bradley's probably going to get as much as Cesar. Most trade targets probably in that ballpark too.

I'm still hoping Franco, Williams and possibly Cesar, as well as the odd man out of VV/Pivetta, could bring back either a bullpen piece, a bench piece, or some lottery tickets that will increase trade options in July. Last year we traded for 25% of our line-up and signed 25% of our line-up as free agents, and even though it seems like we don't have as many chips to offer this year, I gotta think there's one major trade, whether it's a starter, bat or high-leverage relief arm.

[EDmuch]

This is an easy solution. We sign Moustakis & if we have to go 3 years so be it. Moose allows Boem to spend a full year in AAA. If Boem is ready you move Moose to 2b and wave good bye to Cesar. Or if Rhys does not come out of his.funk, move Moose to 1b. That leaves Kingery to play CF or SS as needed.

[phillychuck]

A couple of nitpicks...Bohm, not Boem. Moustakas, not Moustakis.

I agree that Moustakas makes sense. As suggested, I'd be willing to go 3 years.

You need to get something for Franco I think. He's not a zero-value asset--some GM will like him and think he can be improved with good coaching.

[el-pietro]

I don't think Bradley is all that much better than Cesar. If that was the move I'd rather keep our own guy rather than give up additional assets for a similar player.

I wonder has any team ever looked at the pick compensation and considered going all in on one free agent window.

If you sign a Free Agent subject to a QO each winter you keep giving up a second round pick. If you sign a bunch in one winter, each pick costs less than the previous pick. Sure you'd have one bad draft with very little

Obviously there are multiple factors, including the desired salary level for the team in a given year, the quality of players available, and how they fill your teams needs that year, as well as the alternatives available, but looking just at the QO players this year I would interest in the following players in this order:
Cole
Rendon
Strasburg
Donaldson
Odirizzi
Bumgarner
Wheeler
Smith

I don't expect them to sign a third baseman, but I could see them picking up two or even three pitchers.
If they did for example sign Cole, Rendon, Odirizzi and Smith I would be perfectly happy giving up 3 picks and the international money. Probably less so if they signed Ozuna, Wheeler and Smith.

[BostonRoss]

Maybe I am too far outside the box, but I wonder if the Pirates would entertain an offer for Starling Marte as he gets more expensive?

[julio]

Maybe I am too far outside the box, but I wonder if the Pirates would entertain an offer for Starling Marte as he gets more expensive?

I'm sure the Pirates would entertain offers - but you might not be too thrilled with the price. You can't expect them to just give Marte away, or to accept mediocre dross in return - e.g., no Nick Williams, Maikel Franco, etc. What would you consider a reasonable offer?

The Pirates would want young, inexpensive, but talented players in return. Who?

[andyb]

Franco might actually be a zero value asset if his perceived arbitration award is greater than his playing value. Players that get non-tendered are valued less than their salary. As a player they have positive value, but only if they have a low salary.

[BostonRoss]

I wasn't trying to define a specific offer for Marte; getting specific is even more hypothetical than just suggesting the name. I thought about Marte because he would fill a need for the Phillies, he plays for a team that likely is looking to save money (as evidenced by several recent trades, most notably Grrit Cole), and he has a contract situation where the Pirates may be looking to get something for him.

I'm not sure how important it is to say what I think is reasonable; I don't think the Pirates got a reasonable return for Cole, a much bigger prize, but they did it anyway. Generally speaking, I think the Phillies could part with players who are not likely to contribute in 2020 since a trade for Marte would make sense only if they were playing for now. Someone like Howard may well help in 2020 in some role, and I don't think it's necessary to trade our best prospect in such a deal. I am less optimistic about Bohm helping this coming season than some others, but he has the potential to help. I wouldn't rule out trading him, but it wouldn't be my first choice. But I would be willing to include a good prospect who is two or more years away along with current major league players who have potential and are not expensive. I don't think the Pirates would want Franco, for example, but maybe they would be interested in Velazquez and Pivetta? Who knows, maybe they'd take Jay Bruce. Maybe they would be interested in a package of three or four players, which is what they got for Cole.

It seems to me that one or two players like this are traded every off-season, often for packages that I wouldn't have thought were attractive enough. Maybe the Pirates would ask for too much, and so there is no deal. But I would like the Phillies to be thinking about these types of improvements, not just free agent acquisitions or trade the entire farm for one star deals.

[zambonir]

The Pirates said they are not trading Marte but then they fired their GM.

If you trade for Marte it probably starts with Moniak (you really can't give them Haseley since you only get Marte for one season). Plus a pitcher. I don't think any of our guys on the major league roster would be more than a third piece. I agree it never costs as much as you think it might, just not sure if the Phillies could win the bid, or if the Pirates would prefer to wait until the deadline.

I think the Phillies are going to be in on any and all possible available CFs and 3B, trade or FA, and I don't think you can rule out that Segura to 2B idea either if they feel like there's another option at SS (Gregorious?). Wouldn't rule out Rendon either though obviously it's hard to see that and a top pitcher happening. We certainly didn't think they were going to get Realmuto last year. Or Segura for that matter.

It's true that Bradley/Cesar is a wash, but Cesar can't play CF. Bradley being a LHB makes him less than ideal if you want Haseley to play (plus you still have Bruce and wouldn't have much pop off the bench w/o him).

Kingery/Haseley in CF and signing a 3B while keeping Cesar really does seem like the way to go. Not keeping Cesar doesn't really seem like a positive in most scenarios though I suppose it's possible you can find that 2.0 WAR (he actually had 2.5 BBRef) for half the money. Does Holt or Miller give you that simply by getting full-time ABs?

[EDmuch]

Moustakas

[Austinfan]

The Phillies are not playing for 2020, geez, they won 80 games, first get over 90 for a couple seasons then make a move to get over the hump.

[zambonir]

lol, yeah, that's why Kapler got fired and Girardi came here (and they got Cutch and Segura and Realmuto before that)... to try and win in 2022.

[flyers19rw]

Broadcaster Joe: How a well-prepared and candid Joe Girardi...

Very nice article on Girardi. Its behind the pay wall but if you can access it, its a very informative piece. The thing that stood out in it for me was JG's professionalism. He's going to bring that to the job and the players need to watch for that. He comes prepared and expects everyone else around him to be at that place as well. The Phillies are going to be a different type of club in '20 than they've been over the last two seasons.