2019 Phillies Season Discussion (part 2)

[nycphils]

...and the problem is that none the CF options are very good. Haseley jury still out but not likely to be league average there, Cutch still a very good hitter (assuming strong return from ACL) but not really a MLB quality CF at this stage, and Herrera unreliable because of both poor performance and being a girlfriend beating piece of crap. Add Quinn’s injury proneness to the list too.

[andyb]

I think they keep Quinn next year. All the articles I have seen talk about how difficult it is to carry him on a 40-man spot all winter but I just don't buy that. We don't really have that many tough rule 5 decisions IMO and probably go into the draft with a spot or two free even with Quinn. And if Quinn gets hurt next year all you do is put him on the injured list. I would not rely on him as more than the 5th OF, but he still might be our only true CF other than Kingery and they might need Kingery to play elsewhere. There seems to be little cost to going into the year with Quinn as the last guy on the bench.

[zambonir]

I think it's hard to make it work, and also depends greatly on what Dickerson wants (both contract and role) as well as Cutch's health and effectiveness. And then you also have to be willing to put a bad fielder in CF for half the games. But that patchwork may still be better than any outside CF option.

If you don't think Haseley is good enough to get 80 starts in CF next year than you need a CF, or you need to live with him there in the name of development rather than in the name of winning in 2020.

[Lawman]

I think the positions for the Phils' next year line up liek this:

1B: Hoskins
2B: Kingery/Hernandez
SS: Segura
3B: Kingery/Offseason Acquisition ("OA")
C: Realmuto
RF: Harper
CF: Haseley/Kingery/OA
LF: Cutch/Dickerson/Bruce/OA

Looking at the core 5 of Harper/Hoskins/Segura/Kingery/Realmuto - I think we all felt they were streaky this year, not really sure I see them being better next year. So, improvement on the offensive sided of the ball will have to come from the OA of the world, I would think.

[andyb]

I don't think you go into a season thinking Cutch is the right side of any platoon. He did not have any significant platoon splits this year so why would you go into a season with your $20 million player slated to play the 30% side of a platoon split. It would make more sense for the team to invest nothing in Dickerson (who probably will cost $10 million a year) and have Jay Bruce as the injury insurance and occasional platoon partner for Cutch. Obviously the team could trade Bruce and sign Dickerson, but that money is probably better spent elsewhere.

[zambonir]

Yeah it can't be a true platoon for Cutch. But he could play 80 games in LF and 40 games in CF (and fewer games than usual).

I doubt Dickerson comes back. He will have a chance to be a starter on a multi-year deal somewhere. Also, he's fragile, it seems. And some still view him as a platoon player.

My guess is either they will make a really shocking offensive acquisition/trade or they won't do much at all. Run prevention is what needs to be improved. The returning offense should be good enough with Cutch back, Kingery officially in the starting line-up and just about anything being an upgrade over Franco and Herrera. And if you don't think Hoskins, Harper, Realmuto and especially Kingery can't get better we've got a problem (even though some of them are fine).

[schillingfan]

Having Kingery increases the bench options, since he can play CF, 3B, 2B, and shortstop in emergency and occasional days off. It eliminates the need for a utility infielder. To me the question is whether you keep Hernandez. That would depend on whether any 2B of 3B you sign is better than Hernandez. Personally I’d love to keep Dickerson and Bruce. McCutcheon can play CF when Arrieta pitches and if we sign another ground ball pitcher. I think Kapler can do enough matchups and mixing of positions not to drive fans crazy. Can Dickerson play 1B? This would allow a bench of Dickerson, Bruce, Miller, Quinn, catcher with Haseley in center, Kingery at third and Hernandez at second. If Bohm is ready mid-season, Try to trade Hernandez. Similarly, if we find someone at 2B or 3B who is better than Hernandez, sign him.

[mdougherty12]

Can Dickerson play 1B? This would allow a bench of Dickerson, Bruce, Miller, Quinn, catcher with Haseley in center, Kingery at third and Hernandez at second.

Dickerson has never played 1B professionally, but Jay Bruce has played ~400 innings at 1B scattered over the last few seasons.

[flyers19rw]

No one seems to be high on Hasely in CF. I don’t understand that. All that he has done is make 5* plays in the field. Give him the off season to work out there and he should be fine. His arm is good. Heck at times he was the Friday starter for UVA. At the plate he’s shown well for a player that basically skipped AAA ball. His speed isn’t in the Quinn level but it’s still quite good. Hasely would be fine in CF at CBP which doesn’t have the biggest OF to roam.

[Austinfan]

I think Haseley will start full-time next year, he's really picked up his hitting the last few weeks, he's becoming more patient at the plate, and was a high 1st rd pick for a reason.
0 BB in 56 PA in July, 6 BB in 86 PA in August, 3 in 28 PA in September (only 5 K).
Like many young hitters, he needed time to relax and get used to ML pitching.
He has solid alley power, and should be a 20 HR/.450+ SA hitter if he plays full time.

I've been pleasantly surprised by his range, he has good but not great speed, but seems to get a good jump on the ball.

Kingery can face tough LH SPs and be his insurance policy, but this team needs to develop its prospects.
Unlike Nick WIlliams, where bad defense made patience with his plate struggles untenable, Haseley isn't a defensive black hole.

[tom81]

I think they keep Quinn next year.

Me too. The 40 man slot is worth the crap shoot gamble that he can stay healthy enough in a part time role. He can do things that nobody else can and this team needs to take some risks.

[allentown]

Quinn seems a lock for the 40-man roster.

[andyb]

Haseley (SSS) is grading out as slightly below average in CF and above average in LF. Kind of what we expected. I think you can live with that in CF if you had to. I am guessing they would still prefer to have a better CF defensively though. Interestingly Kingery also grades as slightly below average though decent this year at 3B defensively.

[LoneStarPhan]

The Braves have clearly become a very good team with some young starts. The Phillies have to improve significantly if they want to compete in 2020. It will be an interesting off season.

[BostonRoss]

I would like to see one offensive splash at any position other than catcher. Other than Harper and Realmuto, every lineup position can be improved. Find the right guy and then sort everyone else out.

[zambonir]

You could find a better defender than Haseley or you can find a better hitter than Haseley, probably not both. Haseley as your 3rd OF getting 125 starts is great for the development of Adam Haseley but not necessarily for winning anything of consequence in 2020. Unless you upgrade another position significantly (i.e. 3B) or really, really improve the pitching (which, no guarantees in the bullpen obviously).

But otherwise, Haseley as part of a four-five OF patchwork may work.

would like to see one offensive splash at any position other than catcher. Other than Harper and Realmuto, every lineup position can be improved.

My guess is we have no idea what's gonna be on the table (obviously). We'll have a bit more clarity as the non-tenders and pre-Rule V moves happen. But if the owner is feeling as disappointed by this season as fans seem to be, and if he is not going to fire anyone, I'd expect a move we don't expect (much as we didn't expect Segura or Realmuto). McCutchen, Hoskins, Haseley and any prospect could be on the table, though between Cutch's injury and Hoskins' second half I'm not sure the market would be what they want. It's easy enough (and fair) to say any position but RF and C can be improved; but not as easy to actually pay the cost of acquiring a new 1B or SS or LF (even Dickerson is not necessarily better than Cutch).

The other wild card is, can they get anything at all out of some combination of Herrera, Williams, Franco and perhaps one of the three "incumbent" starting pitchers? A decent reliever, a decent bench player, a lower-level prospect restock that sets up other deals?

And then of course Herrera himself is a wild card, if he's untradeable and they don't want to or can't negotiate a buyout. Then he has to come to spring training, get sent down on merit, and can possibly be released. But what if he plays well?

I gotta think Jay Bruce is gone too, you can get something for him given how little the new team will have to pay and the 26 man roster may even increase his value (even though that also makes it easier for the Phillies to keep him).

Now I'm just having fun but if you could do a huge deal for Hoskins would you make Bruce your 1B? What about Franco?

[David_Criss]

Is Nick Williams ever going to get to play any part of any of the remaining games? Why even recall him? Tired of seeing S-Rod every game.

[zambonir]

He isn't better than Rodriguez at this point, (nor do they hit from the same side). And they obviously don't want to use him in the field at all.

It's a good question though. I mean, he's up here getting paid and adding to his service time and that was the right thing to do. I assume De Los Santos, Hammer and Medina only get paid minor league wages to be in Clearwater (though who knows, maybe even not that, their presence there could be "optional" or considered off-season workouts unless and until they get a call.

[Austinfan]

I don't think Middleton is gong to be that upset, this was projected to be an 88 win team (Vegas odds) after the addition of Harper, then they lose Cutch, get Bruce, lose him, get Dickerson, lose him, Herrera suspended, Arrieta goes down, Eickhoff lasts 4 starts, 6 RPs go down. Sure Pivetta and Velasquez and Franco going south hurt, but few teams can survive that many injuries. Yet they still have a shot at 85 wins.

Kuechel acting hurt that the Phillies didn't try to sign hm cracks me up, you think he was coming here for the one year deal he signed with Atlanta? The only way the Phillies get him would be a 2-3 year deal at $20+M a year, he was hurt b/c the Phillies didn't drive his price up for where he wanted to go. I've seen that numerous times, players acting like they want to come here, getting a bidding war going, then signing elsewhere.

[bkox]

MRI shows that Corey Dickerson has a bruised navicular bone in his left foot. Likely a "pain management issue" for the rest of the year, according to Gabe Kapler, but #Phillies don't believe he's at risk of doing additional damage.

— Scott Lauber ( @ScottLauber ) September 13, 2019