2020 Phillies Spring Training News, Notes & Discussion

bkeich 2020-07-20 15:15:22 UTC #702

Well, Phillies are still in first place in the Grapefruit League, there are 3 teams tied with 6 losses but the Phils have the most wins at 15. Yea, do we really care? Does anyone? Might as well win it right?

zambonir 2020-07-20 17:51:21 UTC #703

It's funny, maybe it's because so few games were televised or maybe it's because of the virus but I really have no memory of the team doing that well in spring training, or any sense of how they looked. It seemed like most of the news was bad, tbh (injuries, undistinguished starting pitching).

Do they still count as Grapefruit League games if they're not in Florida?

Lucky_Beagle 2020-07-20 19:30:32 UTC #704

per mlbtraderumors.com "The Phillies announced that right-handed reliever Anthony Swarzak has requested and received his unconditional release

zambonir 2020-07-20 19:58:09 UTC #705

Interesting I wonder what the terms of his renegotiation were.

andyb 2020-07-20 20:50:53 UTC #706

It really appears that the Phillies are trying to minimize the number of 40-man roster moves they have to make. If a player like Swarzek was going to be on the 30-man roster but not the 26, is it worth exposing a player to waivers now (beyond Gamboa who is an easy move) for a couple of weeks on the roster.

andyb 2020-07-20 21:12:13 UTC #707

Velasquez pitching tonight. Potentially lined up in the rotation for game 3 after Nola and Wheeler. Wheeler is pending paternity leave of course. Arrieta would be the Yankees in game 4. Eflin in game 5 if they think he is far enough along. Pivetta would be the alternative there.

I imagine they want to slot Velasquez against the Marlins instead of the Yankees. If Wheeler had to go before game 2 I think they turn to Pivetta there also unless they wanted to roll the dice with Howard. I was always figuring Howard would take Wheeler's spot after he left, hopefully the 2nd or 3rd time around the rotation.

zambonir 2020-07-20 21:14:08 UTC #708

I think Tommy Hunter changed the math (both roster and $) for the 26. And also Irvin, who would have probably been in AAA staying stretched out, has proved his value as both a lefty reliever and an extra/tandem starter. Beyond that I think it's the $ more than the 40-man space.

Also they seem to like Kelley even though they outrighted him before. He might be the guy who gets added to the 40. I thought Swarzak may have agreed to a pay cut or a later opt-out date, but apparently not.

And yeah - for guy #29 and 30 the people on the 40 are probably good enough, especially if Howard replaces one of them (though yeah, he may be replacing Wheeler - I don't think they will start his service time if Wheeler leaves immediately). But more importantly they make minimum salary instead of $1-1.5 million.

I think Arano will work his way back eventually too.

Lucky_Beagle 2020-07-20 21:19:24 UTC #709

Didn't I read Arrieita was pitching in a simulated game today? If true this would basically have them both ready to go for game 2, 3, or 4 depending upon Wheeler and the order they wanted them to pitch the first time through the rotation.

andyb 2020-07-20 21:30:54 UTC #710

Arrieta is supposed to be throwing a intrasquad game Wednesday followed by Eflin on Thursday.

LoneStarPhan 2020-07-20 21:59:40 UTC #711

Lineup posted for Yankee game. Features ten hitters plus the pitcher. Bohn batting tenth as the EH. Extra hitter? Harper not starting tonight.

We might see anything in these games.

zambonir 2020-07-20 22:03:40 UTC #712

See the story Andy posted above.

• Bruce, Harper and McCutchen will not make the trip to New York on Monday night. Other than that, the Phils are taking a crew of regulars, including Realmuto.

zambonir 2020-07-21 05:41:59 UTC #713

As former Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. sees it, the traditional 20-80 scouting scale for players (50 represents a solid regular; 70 is an all-star) can be applied to managers, too, with the grades loosely equating to a win total.

By Amaro’s admittedly subjective formula, a slightly above-average manager (50-55) can account for two or three wins in a 162-game season. A manager who is solidly above average (60-65) “probably gives you five to seven,” Amaro said. An all-star manager (70 or above) can win eight to 10 games.

“If it’s someone that fits not just the city but the personality of the team, he can make that much of a difference,” Amaro said, pointing to the Phillies’ 27-win improvement under Jim Fregosi from 1991 to 1993. “You can see that kind of turnaround.”

andyb 2020-07-21 14:12:13 UTC #714

Good thing Ruben is not running the analytics department?

andyb 2020-07-21 15:55:55 UTC #715

Athletic confirms the Phillies let Liriano go largely because of guaranteed money. It would have cost them an extra $400K to keep him under the original terms of his deal even if he was not on the active roster. Hunter and Arano seem certain to make the team, but may not be ready for opening day. The name Garrett Cleavinger was mentioned as a name to watch. Sounds like they may want someone on the 40 to fill a roster spot for the first few days if Hunter and Arano are not yet ready.

Starters are pretty fluid after Nola. Velasquez could move up to the 2nd game if Wheeler had to go. And both Pivetta and Irvin seem ready to start too if needed. They really want to get through 6 days without Howard I guess.

andyb 2020-07-21 17:02:39 UTC #716

One other observation from the game last night - Ramon Rosso is clearly a relief prospect. He was not much of a prospect when he was a somewhat older prospect throwing 90-92 in the lower minors with dominant results against mostly younger players. Yesterday he was sitting 96 and could dial it up higher than that. Looks like he has lost some command with the higher velocity and he probably has a bit less movement than one would want from a late inning relief prospect, but he is definitely a major league relief prospect.

Sitting 96 with the history to stretch out to 2 innings could be pretty valuable this season, especially with unknown contributions from Hunter, Arano, and Robertson.

zambonir 2020-07-21 19:26:08 UTC #717

Reading that Liriano story one might surmise that one or more of Kelley, Parker and a few of the position players (like Gosselin, Torreyes or Harrison) accepted the advance-consent.

Seems to me there's still a lot of viable/fungible guys on the 40 without having to add Rosso or Brogdon just yet, i.e. Guerra, Stock and McLain. And yes, Cleavinger if necessary. The uncertainty with the starting rotation doesn't help but that will only be for a week (at that point Howard could come up and bump someone to the bullpen).

zambonir 2020-07-21 23:45:06 UTC #718

Genuinely not sure this is actually Bryce Harper

zambonir 2020-07-22 01:26:13 UTC #719

Salisbury follows up by saying Gosselin, who's been hot, probably makes the team.

Phillies announce: Josh Harrison requested and was granted his release.
— Jim Salisbury ( @JSalisburyNBCS ) July 22, 2020

andyb 2020-07-22 11:41:15 UTC #720

Another competitive balance threshold move? One wonders why they brought all these mid-priced veterans to Summer camp if they knew they probably were going to go in this direction. The 2 weeks of 30-man roster and 2 more weeks of 28 is expensive on the cap when the player might make a pro-rated $1.5 million.

Lawman 2020-07-22 16:00:21 UTC #721

Probably more of a 2020/21 offseason discussion, but if reports are true that LAD are going to give Betts a deal in the area of 10 years/$350MM, that would indicate that big ticket FAs are going to get their money. Wonder if that would put any pressure on Phils to re-sign Realmuto ASAP?