Discussion

andyb 2020-09-25 11:55:56 UTC #802

Was just saying it is just as likely that they will be 1 PM or 4 PM starts since they will spread the games out for TV (and they would want a game with an East Coast team in it to not play at 10 PM.

So you'll be staying up till 3:00 AM, not getting up at 3:00 AM!

el-pietro 2020-09-25 12:02:31 UTC #803

Ah ok! Staying up until 3 (and often 4) is what I've been doing far more than is healthy all season, so another week of that is fine.

andyb 2020-09-25 16:44:09 UTC #804

Howard could be back tonight to go an inning or two behind Vince if necessary.

Full transactions have Howard and Suarez active, Moniak and Rosso sent down. I guess it is a bit interesting that they are keeping the 3 catchers active.

LoneStarPhan 2020-09-25 17:30:25 UTC #805

They may not want to use an option on Marchan this season. If he remains on the active roster through Sunday, he will (I believe) have his full 3 option years remaining going into the 2021 season.

andyb 2020-09-25 17:38:39 UTC #806

The option rule does not apply because the optional assignment needs to be for more than 20 days. Same for Moniak. They are not using an option on him either. Next year they would need options on both of them if they get sent to the minors (which seems likely).

andyb 2020-09-25 19:33:36 UTC #807

Going with the bad defensive lineup tonight. OF of Cutch, Kingery, Bruce. Bohm at 3B, JT at 1B. Bryce at DH (assume the back is still bothering him).

Bruce does have 3 career HR off old friend Charlie Morton.

zambonir 2020-09-25 20:19:46 UTC #808

Are we sure Kingery is not our best defensive CF? It certainly can't be his bat.

And once again, we have to wonder if Haseley is banged up.

andyb 2020-09-25 20:32:37 UTC #809

I think Quinn is our best defensive CF. Probably rank them Quinn, Kingery, Haseley. Quinn has not hit much of late though which is why Kingery is in there. Might want to save Quinn for pinch running also late in the game. Most of our lineup, even guys with decent speed like JT, might need a pinch runner at some point.

allentown 2020-09-25 20:38:14 UTC #810

Kingery hasn't hit much all season. I think he needs the winter to recover and that continuing to play him will just ingrain bad hitting habits. I do agree with your ranking of CF defensive ability -- Moniak is definitely behind all three of these guys.

andyb 2020-09-25 20:41:00 UTC #811

His average is below .200, but Kingery is actually at a 799 OPS the last month. Just his 3 HRs all came in the last half of the season. The lack of confidence in Haseley is striking and it has to be mainly about his defense because we kind of know he'll get on base at a decent rate against RHP.

zambonir 2020-09-25 21:01:36 UTC #812

Yeah, Kingery actually has come around and Joe obviously has thought so too. With the injuries they had little choice but to use him, and they actually also need him, even if he doesn't necessarily need to be starting. 5, 10 or 15 games isn't going to affect his habits or his future prognosis.

Anyway, the fact that they don't automatically start Haseley against RHP and Quinn has struggled (including in the field - he certainly has the best skill set for CF, but only barely the most experience or decision-making) is less than ideal. But it's what we got.

Moniak isn't even the conversation, if he's starting games in the majors again before next September he either had a breakout season in AAA and got an early call-up, or the Phillies have definitely cut payroll.

phillychuck 2020-09-26 12:48:03 UTC #813

I read this stat for our bullpen, which is just amazing (in a bad way):

The Phillies acquired 4 pitchers at the trade deadline:

Brandon Workman
Heath Hembree
David Phelps
David Hale

OPS allowed by the 4 combined:

2019 (763 batters).............. .634
2020 pre-trades (145)....... .667
2020 post-trades (206).. 1.179

I have no clue how a variance that large happens.

andyb 2020-09-26 12:56:13 UTC #814

I guess it is not too early to be the grim reaper, but Bowden says Klentak is likely gone if they fail to make the playoffs. He also implies Klentak could be gone even if they make the playoffs but don't win the wild card series (a high bar because it is likely the Dodgers). Sounds like the decision is already made.

allentown 2020-09-26 13:31:44 UTC #815

Very small sample size, but totally bizarre.

The psychological side of coaching? The team trading them saw something off at deadline? Bad fielding not ruled as errors?

Philsmania 2020-09-26 14:09:09 UTC #816

The psychological side of everybody pressing?

phillychuck 2020-09-26 16:01:10 UTC #817

It just is so weird. Pitchers changing leagues usually get a brief boost because more hitters are unfamiliar with their stuff. Is something "off" with our mound? Our pitch-calling? Our defensive positioning? I have no idea...

flyers19rw 2020-09-26 16:06:08 UTC #818

When pitchers throw as many hangers as this bunch has this season, the construction of the mound; pitch calling and defensive positioning have little impact. It all comes down to performance.

Austinfan 2020-09-26 16:06:40 UTC #819

Morton has a weird LH/RH split, he's far more effective against LH hitters his year, which is why Haseley sat for Kingery.

Maybe the RPs suck because their former teams saw that they sucked and made them available - self-selection bias.

If they fire Klentak but keep McPhail, they'll just hire another mediocre GM.
Fortunately, the manager and coaching staff should stay.

Philsmania 2020-09-26 16:07:40 UTC #820

Interesting thoughts. Our defensive positioning caused us a lot of trouble a couple of years ago and perhaps that issue--which might go to the analytics department--still needs to be corrected. As for the mound, maybe they need to bring Schilling in for a consultation. Didn't he redesign the Vet's mound?

Philsmania 2020-09-26 16:11:27 UTC #821

One thing to bear in mind is that firing Kapler put Klentak and MacPhail on the hot seat. If he pulls the trigger on those guys, Middleton will be putting himself there and continued failure will lead to the "bad owner" narrative which seeps through not only the fanbase but the ranks of players and agents and becomes hard to shake.