2020 Phillies Spring Training News, Notes & Discussion

[zambonir]

So are Yadi Molina, Grandal and Posey not on that list because JT's not as good as they were?

There are certainly good reasons to not pay him what he's asking for, or even what he'll actually take. But losing him would be worse.

[phillychuck]

Similarity lists are not ranking lists. The catchers you mention are different types of hitters than JT, more or less power, more or less speed, more or less patience. So they don't make JT's similarity list.

[BostonRoss]

They're not on that list because baseball-reference.com's scoring system said they are not as similar. Posey's stats to age 28 are much better than J.T.'s. He has been steadily declining since his age 28 season though he was about a 6 WAR player over the past few seasons compared to about 4 for J.T.

I simply got a list that is based on some objective criteria out of curiosity as to what has happened to some other catchers after age 28. I wasn't making any predictions about J.T. or suggesting that he should't be signed.

[andyb]

Marchan doing a nice job blocking balls in the dirt today. And the Orioles are going to be a historically bad team this year.

CDLC sighting! Took a called strike 3 unfortunately. Every year they seem to be bigger on getting minor leaguers into these early Spring games. I think Girardi said he wanted 50-60 plate appearances from the regulars. If I remember correctly it used to be more like 70-80. Assume they are getting the work on the back fields, but it is a little different.

[zambonir]

With Knapp out even more opportunities for the minor league catchers.

Jhailyn Ortiz sighting! And several other kids I've barely heard of.

[bigegypt0417]

Matt Winkelman on Twitter

[rpmcmurphy]

I read a week or two ago that automated balls and strikes were going to be used in some spring training games this year. Does anybody know if and when this will be implemented?

One of my pet peeves in baseball has always been the umpires taking creative license with the strike zone. A strike is a strike, period. There should be no “narrow” or “wide” zone depending on the whims of home plate ump. The technology is there and should be used.

Some of the umps are arrogant jerks (I’m looking at you, Joe West). The arbitrary strike zone is an ego trip. Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine were great pitchers, but I got really sick of their strike zone being three inches wider than anyone else’s.

[jimbomill]

got really sick of their strike zone being three inches wider than anyone else’s.

Amen to that.

[LoneStarPhan]

Three games into the spring slate and the Phillies are 2-0-1.

These early games feature a good dose of minor league players and results cannot be taken as any indicator of anything, but I always like to see wins, spring training games or not.

[nycphils]

2-0-1.

Not that spring results mean much no matter what, but the three games were Tigers-Pirates-Orioles, expected to be 3 of the worst teams in the entire MLB. Let’s just be happy that baseball is back.

[Austinfan]

I've gotten to the point where I'm not even interested in watching a spring training game until March, once they've gone through the rotation a couple times and pitchers are past the "build up the arm" phase and into getting ready for the season or win a job phase.

Once most of the minor leaguers are sent to minor league camp, the games start becoming more meaningful in terms of player evaluation.

[zambonir]

You could just watch them for fun!

[LoneStarPhan]

I do find it fun to see minor league players that I don't often get to see play.

[tom81]

I dvr’ed the first two and only watched a bit, mostly the players I really enjoy watching or am curious about, Nola, Quinn, Didi, Velasquez.

[Philsmania]

I've gotten to the point where I'm not even interested in watching a spring training game until March, once they've gone through the rotation a couple times and pitchers are past the "build up the arm" phase and into getting ready for the season or win a job phase.

Once most of the minor leaguers are sent to minor league camp, the games start becoming more meaningful in terms of player evaluation.

My rule of thumb has always been to pay particular attention to the last ten (aside from annoying split squad games) because that's where you really begin to see the team that is going to start the season. But still, the early games are fun for a baseball fix for a baseball-starved fan and to see guys we've never seen before in a Phillies uniform (and may never see again).

[bigegypt0417]

You could just watch them for fun!

Why would anyone do that?!??!?!

[Austinfan]

I can watch AAA games (and don't they televise a few Reading games every year) to see minor leaguers against minor leaguers, what I want to see when I start watching are top prospects against ML hitters and pitchers. That's fun!

[bigegypt0417]

I find baseball fun.

Especially when I look outside and the ground is covered in snow.

It's all fun.

[Austinfan]

Snow? What's that?

[andyb]

Jhailyn Ortiz might swing and miss a lot, but he can also do this:
https://twitter.com/TheGoodPhight/status/1232403946955792384