2019-2020 Phillies Offseason News and Speculation

[andyb]

Other high number one picks from 2016 are doing OK besides Senzel. Ian Anderson, AJ Puk, Matt Manning, Kyle Lewis. Some of the pitchers have also had TJ surgery and are now just coming back like Puk. It may not have had surefire stars in it, but the 2016 draft class was not that bad.

[allentown]

Seems to me that the Phillies need to overhaul their strength and conditioning program in the minors

Good point. This also might be a reason for the late-season fades the past two seasons.

[zambonir]

They list the Phillies kind of high here give that we lack a lot to trade and Betts primarily plays RF. But he can play CF better than anyone else we have obviously.

Looking For A Match In A Mookie Betts Trade

[Taudawg]

I could see the Braves being in on Betts. If someone does acquire him, they do so knowing it is only one year guaranteed. The Braves could decline their option on Markakis and slot Betts in RF. The have enough minor league talent and could include Austin Riley in a package. Betts is from Nashville - he might have grown up a Braves fan?

Betts would look good in CF for a year, yet I don't think the Phils match up on a deal. The Sox will be looking for MLB lady talent and/or prospects that fit needs, neither of which appear to line up. The exception might be Hoskins. The Sox could use a 1B, but trading 4 years of Rhys for one of Betts??? What would the Phils do at 1B? Bohm? We would still need to address 3B.

[kmc1019]

The latest in the seemingly endless manifestations of the consequences of poor drafting and development, the Phillies simply do not have the prospects to land land Mookie Betts. The package would have to start with Bohm and Howard and that is just not happening. The Braves, White sox and Padres seem to have the most depth in blue chips to inspire Boston to trade one of the top 5 players in the game.

[EDmuch]

The only position player move the Phils should make is to sign Moustakis for 2-3 years. Playing at 3b he would give time for Bohm to complete his development. He could then transition to 2b when Cesar is let go or to 1b if Rys continues to struggle, He would also be a solid bat off the bench when not starting. It would also allow the Phils to deploy Kingery in the most beneficial way either in CF or SS as needed. Beyond that, focus on pitching.

[DurhamBull]

The only position player move the Phils should make is to sign Moustakis for 2-3 years. Playing at 3b he would give time for Bohm to complete his development. He could then transition to 2b when Cesar is let go or to 1b if Rys continues to struggle, He would also be a solid bat off the bench when not starting. It would also allow the Phils to deploy Kingery in the most beneficial way either in CF or SS as needed. Beyond that, focus on pitching.

I’m not saying it’s a bad idea, but the Phils would be paying for Moustakas after his career year. His lifetime OPS is only 20 points higher than Franco’s. Granted, Moustakas had some poor early years that drag his average down whereas Franco has been reliably inconsistent. The point I’m trying to make is that the Phillies would be paying for Moustakas‘ 2019 OPS (.845), but probably wouldn’t be getting it in 2020. Still might be worth it.

[EDmuch]

I agree about the risk. That is why I did not suggest a term longer than 3 years. Personally, I would try to get him for 2. I htink it could be worth it short term.

[mdougherty12]

The only position player move the Phils should make is to sign Moustakis for 2-3 years. Playing at 3b he would give time for Bohm to complete his development. He could then transition to 2b when Cesar is let go or to 1b if Rys continues to struggle, He would also be a solid bat off the bench when not starting. It would also allow the Phils to deploy Kingery in the most beneficial way either in CF or SS as needed. Beyond that, focus on pitching.

I’m not saying it’s a bad idea, but the Phils would be paying for Moustakas after his career year. His lifetime OPS is only 20 points higher than Franco’s. Granted, Moustakas had some poor early years that drag his average down whereas Franco has been reliably inconsistent. The point I’m trying to make is that the Phillies would be paying for Moustakas‘ 2019 OPS (.845), but probably wouldn’t be getting it in 2020. Still might be worth it.

It's only a career year for Moustakas if you ignore park effects. Last 4 seasons by wRC+ - 113, 105, 113, 111. 2015 was his career season (age 26) with a 123 wRC+.

[andyb]

Moustakas could also be that extra LH bat that we will lose when we probably do not re-sign Dickerson. He is at least average defensively to the point where I would not be concerned with a 2-year deal.

There are other larger problems of course on the pitching staff, but I would have no problem fitting Moustakas into some role on the roster starting at 3B and then moving around when Bohm is hopefully ready.

[zambonir]

I agree we'd be hard-pressed to trade for Betts, but I do think we'll end up seeing a major trade. Maybe we sign Moustakas or Donaldson and and trade for a pitcher or maybe we sign Cole and trade for a position player but either way someone significant will get added at either 3B, 2B or CF (or SS, if there's anything to the talk of moving Segura).

[allentown]

I ca see 2 years for Moustakis. Beyond that, I want to see a laser focus upon improving the pitching this winter.

[EDmuch]

Well, well, well, Charlie Morton won again last nite. He is now 4-0 in elimination games with a 0.85 ERA. And there was an interesting article in the Athletic last week about him. He explained that he re-created himself thru the use of analytics whereby he changed his arm angle and his release point which have resulted in much more movement on all of his pitches. In other words, he would have fit right into the system Klentak is supposedly trying to develop here because Morton is very much into analytics. Morton makes it clear that relying upon the use of analytics changed his career path. If Klentak did any due diligence about this guy, Klentak should have had him under contract immediately.

[zambonir]

He also mentioned McLure and Kranitz as two of the people that helped him in that article.

In big non-Kapler news (in an article that is otherwise all about Kapler) the Phillies are going to fire Scott Sheridan.

As John Middleton deliberates, the Gabe Kapler question has...

[EDmuch]

Yep. Morton had a good relationship with both of them. And I know that Morton is now spilled milk. But we are now relying upon a guy who must have done a very poor diligence review last off season on Morton to now be the guy who makes the right decision on which pitchers we sign for next year. Of course, Garrett Cole is the easy choice. But if we don't get him, I hope we do a more thorough study of available options than we did last year.

[andyb]

So everything was great in 2019 except our hitting and pitching and training?

[zambonir]

And Mrs. Lincoln enjoyed the play.

[Austinfan]

I'd rather they ignore Cole for the simple reason is I doubt he'd want to come here, but he'll use the Phillies to bid up the price, and tie them up when they should be pursuing other options. Cole knows he'll eat a big chunk of cap, and the Phillies aren't good enough for him to put them over the top. So I figure he'd prefer a team with a better shot at contending, given the money will be similar (6yr/$180M or so, another $20M is probably less value to him than a shot at a ring).

[zambonir]

I think the Phillies have every shot at him and would be crazy not to take a shot at him, and also he will sign for the highest deal, just like Harper did.

You might be right about the tie-up factor inasmuch as the Phillies can't afford to watch a lot of starting pitchers sign (or get traded) while they wait for Boras. But the market will also unfold slowly so long as Cole doesn't sign. You're suggesting the Phillies strike early/more cheaply to get the pitching equivalent of AJ Pollock instead of waiting for Bryce Harper but I doubt they see it that way.

[andyb]

Cole just had a 6.9 WAR season. If one thinks the Phillies were a 85-88 win team before this year and fell short because of injuries - then 6 more wins definitely makes them a contender. It would also not be the only move they make one assumes. We probably need Hoskins to be Hoskins again, but no winning scenario is possible without our best players coming through and having decent years.

Exceeding the luxury tax is also not illegal. We might have a higher limit or different rules under a new collective bargaining agreement, so if one does it now, they might not get hit with a repeat offender tax too often. They need to take a shot at Cole (or Strasburg if he opts out and the Nats have to choose between him and Rendon).