2019 Phillies Spring Training Discussion

[Austinfan]

Williams is the obvious trade bait, he's buried on the bench behind McCutcheon and Harper, and in a year or two when they go to a LF platoon, Haseley and maybe Moniak or Cozens will have passed him - so you want to trade him now while he still has value.

[julio]

Where did you read Rodriguez actually requested his release?

Zolecki, yesterday:

Bryce Harper hits two home runs, feels comfortable

Butera and Romine exercised an opt-out clause Thursday. They would have received a $100,000 retention bonus if they were not placed on the 25-man roster or released.

Infielder Sean Rodriguez also exercised his opt-out Thursday. The Phillies have until Saturday to make a decision on him. If he is not added to the roster, he can ask to be released.

You could read this as "He hasn't actually demanded his release yet." That said, if he (or his agent) invoked his opt-out yesterday, I think we know what will happen if he's not added to the roster - by tomorrow.

[zambonir]

Ah, that wasn't in the Salisbury or Philly dot com reports.

The economics and politics of those things are weird. Why did the other two guys get retention bonuses?

Just remember, last year the opening day four-man bench was Florimon, Kingery, Williams (at that point Altherr was the starter) and Knapp. One OF, two middle IFs. And as hot as Florimon could be at times, he was basically a AAAA-caliber glove-first player. And had Kingery not gotten his contract Ryan Flaherty (who started out hot for Atlanta and then came down to where everyone figured he'd be) probably would have made the team.

This year, Quinn's ability to play SS and the Phillies' need to keep Altherr should make the utility guy less necessary (plus Segura is more of a sure thing at SS than Crawford was). But managers love them.

Williams will obviously be traded eventually but certainly not before the deadline (and more likely the off-season). He's the only good proven bench bat in the organization and the only LH bench bat on the 25. Now, if someone makes them a great offer, that would be cool, but it's more akin to the Cesar situation the past few years.

[el-pietro]

A relatively weak Phillies lineup are 2-0 up against the Yankees in Tampa thanks to solo homers from Odúbel Herrera and Scott Kingery against potential back of the rotation pitcher Loisaga. Eickoff has pitched reasonably well out of a couple of jams so far against some good Yankees hitters. Gave up a couple of walks to start the first and got out of it. I'd love for him to show he can be a good insurance policy, he was pretty good before the injuries.

[el-pietro]

Giancarlo Stanton just launched one towards left field out of the stadium.

[nycphils]

I’m thinking Arano is not having a good spring. 19 runs in the last 3 IP.

[el-pietro]

Arano walks Judge and then Stanton hits another homer to left.

Kingery has had a nice day in the field at third.

[zambonir]

I read that Arano just had some minor mechanical problems

[LoneStarPhan]

Clearly, Arano has to go to AAA to work out whatever is out of whack with him this spring. Blown save and on the hook for the L for Arano at this point.

Kingery leads off the bottom of the inning with a walk but is out stealing second on an outstanding throw from Sanchez, so he didn't score the run to tie the game when Franco doubled later in the inning.

Dominguez pitches the sixth. A single and a double around two strikeouts put runners on second and third with two out. He gets the third out but not until he throws a wild pitch to give the Yankees another run. Exactly what killed the Phillies over and over last season. Just cannot continue to give away runs.

The Yankees playing mostly the first string against the Phillies who are using many of players who will not start the season on the active roster.

Eickhoff continues to look good this spring with another solid start tonight. I don't see how he doesn't get ML starts this season.

[LoneStarPhan]

Trevor Bettencourt pitches the 7th inning for the Phillies and gives up a walk and a single. Of course, that's good for 2 more runs as the Phillies continue to flounder. Another run on a wild pitch.

I hope Kapler knows what he is doing. In the old style of managing, I think the game plan was to get the regular lineup playing as a unit in the final week of spring training and to use mostly the pitchers who were making the active roster.

[DurhamBull]

I don’t know that Kapler is as confident about Quinn’s ability to play SS as some of y’all are. From 2015 to now, he’s played 1.1 innings there. Granted, he played a good bit of SS prior to that so I’m sure he’d be the preferred emergency player at the position. But I think his time there would be restricted to those marathon games, the same kind where Roy Oswalt ends up in LF, Ruiz at 3B, Velasquez pinch hitting, etc. I don’t think he shows up at SS on the depth chart.

[Squire]

Victor Arano may have had the worst spring training I can even remember. Dude has a 51.3 ERA

[zambonir]

Oh, he's an emergency SS at best. But do you need two back-up shortstops? It just depends whether you view Kingery as a bat (a la Greg Dobbs or Wes Helms) or a glove (a la Wilson Valdez or Florimon). Typically the bat has played 3B but not SS while the glove could play SS. Except Kingery can.

I don't imagine that Sean Rodriguez can really play SS well either. Quinn might be better than him. But Quinn's not available right now

The only scenario where they do need a true back-up SS is if Segura gets hurt or Franco loses his starting job.

As for the bullpen scrubs we are watching on March 22, if the important guys needed more work they'd get it. I imagine they are limiting innings intentionally because several of them burned out last year (i.e. Seranthony, and, apparently, Arano still). Neshek and Robertson also get to decide their own workload clearly. Nicasio maybe too.

Victor Arano may have had the worst spring training I can even remember. Dude has a 51.3 ERA

A Stark item waiting to happen.

[allentown]

You don't need him to be more than an emergency SS. If an injury causes a need for replacement at any position, we can have a guy from Allentown roster there is a day.

[David_Criss]

Rodriquez at 1B and Altherr at CF both in starting lineup today against Bucs.

[LoneStarPhan]

Rodriquez at 1B and Altherr at CF both in starting lineup today against Bucs.

Rodriquez continues to lower his BA and now has it down to .060 (3 for 50) in a reasonable sample size. I just don't see him making the active roster.

[zambonir]

You would think but why even keep him around if they've decided? Could let him move on, could bring up Walding to sub for Hoskins. Unless he's going to agree to go to LV.

They are probably also on the phone seeing what people would give them for Altherr. Or keeping an eye out for someone else entirely to take last bench spot. But they head to Philly Monday night (or Tuesday morning?) so it won't be long now. Of course Rodriguez can leave of his own accord today.

[LoneStarPhan]

Well Rodriguez did get an inning lead off walk in his third at bat but was promptly doubled off on a fly to right.

In mixed news, Arano lowered his ERA to 45.00 with his work in relief of Eflin. He faced 3 hitters and got an out, then gave up a walk, a wild pitch and an RBI single. His velocity is down several mph over last season. He got a break on an out when the final batter tried to take second on the hit but was out at second.

So far today, the lackadaisical play of the Phillies continues. Now down 5-3 in the 8th.

[nycphils]

Watching Arano barely hit 90 mph and overthrow his breaking stuff and miss the zone pretty consistently with it, I’m betting on an injury. Maybe the shoulder.

[LoneStarPhan]

I have to agree that there is something wrong with Arano. If he is not hurt, he sure is messed up. I don't see how he doesn't start the year in the minors if not on the DL.