2019 Phillies Season Discussion

el-pietro 2019-05-19 18:45:33 UTC #381

Cole Hamels due to face the Phillies later this week for the first time in his career.

zambonir 2019-05-19 19:25:08 UTC #382

Williams would have to play for four or five seasons before we could say he was or wasn't a good pinch-hitter. He was great at it last year for a little while though (no more or less meaningful than his numbers this year). In the end I think they will move on and try to find a Matt Stairs/Ross Gload type veteran bat. So long as pinch-hitting is the only role there's really nothing wrong with the AAAA guys, especially if you value their versatility. If 1-2 starts a week are involved, than you'd rather have Williams.

Essentially Kingery is now an OF reserve, and they want to play him as much as possible (I'm sure he'll also play 3B). Then Quinn would be the other one, and Rodriguez (or Gosselin) stays on as the IF reserve (who can also still play the OF). If they can't find any ABs/starts for Williams I'm not sure he actually will make the team better, come September. But for now it also really depends on Quinn. He might be the guy they move on from sooner, since he can't be optioned. It would stink for Williams but there's no real downside for the Phillies to keep him around all year if his trade value isn't appealing in July.

LoneStarPhan 2019-05-19 21:48:28 UTC #383

I thought the Phillies uniform look this series with the Rockies was good with the black touches.

Anyone miss this uniform look of 40 years ago?

The photo Larry included in his tweet doesn't come through, but click on it and you can see the photo. In addidition, this link will give more on the uniform with a few examples.

zambonir 2019-05-20 00:48:06 UTC #384

Kind of shame they can't face each other given the history

(Instead we got Cole x 2)

zambonir 2019-05-22 13:28:05 UTC #385

As is his right, but still a bit of drama. Can't get regular ABs if you're not there!

Nick Williams, who the Phillies optioned to Lehigh Valley on Sunday, has yet to report to the team. Williams has 72 hours to report. Jones said he expected Williams to be at the ballpark on Wednesday.

julio 2019-05-22 13:52:34 UTC #386

It's only drama if somebody defines it as drama. Other players who have been optioned have taken most (or all) of the grace period to report, with no media commentary. Nick Williams continues to be under something of a microscope - treated differently than some other players, in the media and fanbase at least. I suspect that, when he's eventually traded, he'll be happy to shake the dust of Philadelphia off his feet.

zambonir 2019-05-22 16:43:53 UTC #387

It was drama when Eflin did it too, and he was a pitcher who wasn't even going to be used in a game. You'd have to tell me who else has been sent down in such a way in the past, I can't say whether or not I remember if Dom Brown or Cody Asche did that. Not even sure Pivetta did, but again, pitcher.

I think all of the flare-ups with Williams were overblown and this doesn't appear to be flare-up either, most likely because Klentak and Kapler are not like the guys who were running things back then; when I say it's drama I am not being critical of Williams, merely speculating that it speaks to his understandable unhappiness with the situation, about which he's certainly been a good soldier. This is his job and he's entitled to whatever perks/days off the CBA allows but in this case I think there is something to be said for sending a message - to other teams as well - that he's bummed but eager to get down there and get his ABs.

Probably his agent won't make a fuss or demand a trade since he's still busy figuring out what to do with the money he made off costing Williams his job! Plus he knows the trade is coming regardless.

Austinfan 2019-05-22 17:02:00 UTC #388

Williams has to be unhappy, but he's more a victim of circumstance and his own failure to seize his opportunity, put up an .800+ OPS last year with average defense and he's the starting LF this season.

So it's in his best interest to tear up AAA and garner a good return in a trade - because the more a team trades for you, the more patient they'll be if he struggles in his return to the Show.

David_Criss 2019-05-22 22:01:04 UTC #389

Not 3-months ago, the starting PHillies outfield was McCutcheon, Herrera and Williams. It now appears to be McCutcheon, Kingery and Harper. Meanwhile Gosseling, Rodriquez, Walding, and Cozens have all had at bats for the parent club. It is an unpredictable business.

Also in the article, Cozens is out for a long time, so there is a move to the 60-day DL if a spot is needed.

Squire 2019-05-23 15:33:53 UTC #390

LHP Cole Irvin optioned back to LHV and RHP Drew Anderson brought up

Austinfan 2019-05-23 18:30:01 UTC #391

Kind of an overreaction, unless they're bringing back Velasquez off the IR and want Anderson for long relief the next four days.

Thought the Chicago game was a learning experience for Irvin, have to challenge ML hitters b/c if you nibble, you're just putting guys on base for the next good hitter, better a base empty HR than 3 and 4 run HRs. He now knows he can pitch in the Show, just has to get more consistent with his command and sharpen his changeup.

andyb 2019-05-23 18:39:21 UTC #392

That is exactly what they want, though I suppose they could choose between Anderson and De Los Santos as to who to send out. It is not an overreaction. They were teeing off on Irvin. If Irvin challenges hitters he will get hit hard.

David_Criss 2019-05-23 18:45:27 UTC #393

My first thought was Anderson to help the pen this week and in 5 days they choose between De Los Santos, Panetta or Suarez. Haven't heard anything about VV and have to imagine he gets a couple rehab starts. This move is just to help the pen not a knock on Irvin imo.

andyb 2019-05-23 18:55:56 UTC #394

It does mean that Irvin is out of the rotation though. They do have an off day Monday so they could skip the 5th starter, but they have not done that all year beyond the first week and I am not sure they want to. They would like to manage the cumulative inning load on the starters, Nola and Arrieta included. I expect VV to start Tuesday if he is healthy.

andyb 2019-05-23 22:28:11 UTC #395

Free agent compensation question - since Kimbrel and Keuchel can sign starting June 3rd without draft pick compensation, does the loss of $500K of international spending still apply? Does it apply till the July 2nd period starts? Or does it go away like the draft compensation?

zambonir 2019-05-23 23:40:27 UTC #396

If the Milwaukee series is tough they could even send down one of Anderson or De Los Santos for another reliever Saturday or Sunday. Then swap him for the starter Tuesday.

gmwannabe 2019-05-24 17:00:55 UTC #397

not sure where to put this but, looking at the braves new phenom, 22 yr old Riley from the '15 draft. he looks, and has in the minors looked, real good. They just keep getting them don't they. 2 out of their 3 tops picks from that '15 draft are in the bigs already. Soroka is there also. and the phils sit with Corny still in AA. that is the indictment of this current team.
gm

jimbomill 2019-05-24 22:18:16 UTC #398

Amen.

zambonir 2019-05-24 23:34:19 UTC #399

Can't put "Corny" on many people who still have jobs these days. Sure, Almaraz, but different president, different GM, who knows who many different scouts, different development guy. Our second-rounder looks like he might still be good too.

zambonir 2019-05-25 00:16:17 UTC #400

While I really don't begrudge Nick Williams his personal life, or his CBA rights, or the fact that he's getting a raw deal, it sounds like it was in fact, a bit of drama. And let's face it, the purpose of the 72-hour period is so that a player has time to travel between the major league city (or the road) and AAA, maybe spend one day with the family you are leaving behind in the major league city, maybe have one day to get settled in. Like, if you play for the Nationals right now, you get sent to Las Vegas. A little different to be flying to Texas and back in that window when you could just be in Allentown in 70 minutes. And then to also be wanting personal time off (which I hope the Phillies would have given him anyway, but would he have asked for it if he was in the majors?)

He knew this: By rule, he had to report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley before Wednesday’s game. But he wanted more time. His fiancée, Brianna, is graduating from college this weekend. The last thing on his mind was baseball.

“It took me a couple of days to really talk to anybody,” Williams said Wednesday, outside the clubhouse at Coca-Cola Park. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do at the time. I just got some time to myself. I relaxed.”

He savored the time with Luna, his German Shepherd. He ate at Whataburger. “I just wanted to take a break and just think,” Williams said. “Not really think, but just figure out what I want to do.” He was not sure.

A few employees from the Boras Corporation, which represents Williams, were dispatched to Austin on Tuesday to nudge him. It was in his best interest to join the IronPigs on time. The Phillies offered a concession: Williams, if he reported within the mandated 72-hour window, could escape for a few days to attend Brianna’s graduation.