2019-2020 Phillies Offseason News and Speculation

[zambonir]

well we can't afford him anyway

[zambonir]

Gelb is really sticking to his reporting on the CBT.

The bets the Phillies will make while adding a $118 million...

When the Phillies agreed to the third-largest free-agent contract in team history, it was a bet on Zack Wheeler’s upside and a solution to the club’s failure to develop capable big-league rotation pieces. But it was more than that. It was also a wager that many of the assembled pieces from a .500 team could return to form, recover from injuries or unlock an untapped level of production.

Those are the biggest bets the 2020 Phillies will make — if the budget stays below $208 million to avoid paying a few million dollars in luxury tax. That appears to be the team’s intention, according to multiple club sources, barring a surprise market development. The Phillies have roughly $20 million to fill various remaining holes on the roster if they adhere to those budget constraints.

[nycphils]

What the heck will they do with Nick Williams? Stash him at AAA again and watch him wither?

I’d dump him for a low level lottery ticket or two at this point.

[zambonir]

Surely they will move him but he doesn't get them cap relief (heck if he's in the minors he counts for even less right?). Maybe he's a throw-in on a bigger deal. And maybe they want to be sure of their plans with Bruce. Clearly part of of him being buried was Kapler, even if Klentak had the same opinion, but there's certainly no new opportunity for him.

[nycphils]

Hard to see how there is a bigger deal if the Phils can’t add any payroll.

[nycphils]

Interesting Keith Law take on Didi’s deal - he’s a fan:

it's dead shocking to me that Didi Gregorius, a four-win player (via WAR) in both 2017 and 2018 who struggled last year coming off Tommy John surgery, ended up with a one-year, $14 million deal that pays him like he is half the man he used to be. The Philadelphia Phillies should be overjoyed, as they could have an elite defensive keystone combination and still have money left over to continue to boost their pitching staff.

[zambonir]

Just depends what you believe. Or if they can move Segura.

But, for instance, say they wanted to get Matthew Boyd. His stock is down a bit compared to last year. You'd still have to give up some prospect value for him of course, especially because he's controlled until 2023. His arbitration projection is $6.4 million. If you trade Velasquez (whether in the Boyd deal or separately) and Bruce you're just about there. Pivetta saves you slightly less.

If they truly don't have any money to sign an $8-10 million free agent starter (let alone a better one) such a scenario has to at least be an option. And if the right free agent pitcher (or trade for a star such as Bryant) falls into their lap they may well go over.

[andyb]

Trading Bruce only gets them a little more than a million of luxury tax room. $1.75 million but then the threshold room we have left is calculated using the MLB minimum salary which is $563,500 this year. I suppose one could do it and theoretically Williams might be just as good, but it seems more likely they'll keep him around as a veteran presence.

I still think they go over the threshold. If they only go over by a few million they would have a chance to get under with trades during the season if they chose to.

[zambonir]

Right, Bruce doesn't save you a ton but Bruce plus VV saves you something. Just not sure this team needs Bruce any more than they needed Williams (and they didn't even have Haseley when Williams was originally drying up on the bench). And if Bruce and Quinn are two of your bench OFs, even with the extra spot, seems like one of them will always be out (otherwise, they'd be a good tandem).

[ahb]

Looks like the Mets are favorites to get Marte. Love how he’d slot into the lineup and would certainly do a deal centered on Medina and Grullion.

Cutch
Hoskins
Harper
JT
Didi
Marte
Segura
Kingery

That wouldn’t be too bad

[nycphils]

Marte would be nice but how will they fit his $11m salary in the payroll? He was only worth 2.9 WAR last year even with an .845 OPS, so that’s good but not amazing. Especially when they want to give Haseley a shot (which makes sense given that he’s cheap and apparently graded out as slightly above average in CF this past season)?

Haseley had a 1.7 WAR with a .720 OPS - a WAR of just 2.0-2.5 appears to put him in the top half of CF based on last years numbers (from ESPN) for CF with at least 325 PA. Even though I’ve been a skeptic, I’d say it makes sense to give Haseley a shot and see what happens.

[Florida_Sunshine]

I agree with you. As tempting as it might be to try to have an all super star team, the finances will not work.

We HAVE to incorporate young drafted talent. It does no good for us to complain about it when we are wasting and denigrating our own internal resources. I have not seen anything that makes me think we don't give Haseley a shot. He looked promising last year as a premature call up.

I also think Arrieta has a decent shot at contributing.

I am not so sure on Hoskins. We may well be replacing him within the year.

[bigegypt0417]

His "sticking" to it is a hedge...once a reporter starts saying "it appears" it means he's just guessing like the rest of us or sharing what someone wants him to share. there is no real advantage in letting agents know you are willing to go in to the CBT.

[fish]

Haseley is one of those guys you have to see to believe in. Yes, his stats and physical stature are nothing to get excited about, but he really showed a good feel for the game- some moxy in centerfield. He played like he belongs and seems to have the work ethic and ability to keep improving. That catch he made in center last year where he came trotting away from the wall and in that moment when no one was sure if the ball went over the fence that he pulled the ball out of his mitt with that sly look on his face- that sold me on Haseley. That and his ability to hit line drives to all fields. Find a righty outfielder for 200 ABs to hit lefties and they are good to go.

[Lawman]

Also, I'm thinking I'd like to see Herrera get another shot in Spring Training to re-establish value - either for trade purposes or to win the job from Haseley.

[bkeich]

I am pretty sure you will get your wish Lawman. I can’t see anyone taking our problem off our hands.

I suspect actually that Odubel will be on the team, which from a purely baseball sense is not a bad thing. He has had 2 questionable years, but at one point we were talking about him being s solid core player.

His head will always be his biggest problem, but who knows, being away from the game may have helped him focus a little more. Guy deserves a chance to redeem himself, maybe not here long term, but somewhere.

[Philsmania]

Yankees need to unload Happ now. Any chance we can get him in a matter which helps the Yanks financially while not putting us over the cap?

[xogfog]

I'm not buying that the Philies will not spend into the luxury tax this year, i think they know they have to go hard in because another year of no playoffs would be hard for the fan base to swallow.

[allentown]

I think you are correct, but I don't think the rest of the spend comes until trade deadline time, when the team proves it is performing well enough to justify the spending.

[Lawman]

Agreed.