2021 Phillies Major League Regular Season Discussion

[zambonir]

Oh, I think we'll see Anderson tomorrow, and possibly on Vince's next start (whether Vince makes it or not) as well. They have to decide what to do with him in the longer term.

One assumes it won't be hard to find reason to bring Sanchez back up.

Maybe Mickey will get some playing time over Odubel, otherwise they could have just brought back Maton, if it was a matter of bench depth.

There' no reason to "feel good" about any of this because they aren't baseball moves, or even about injuries.

[bkox]

Maybe Mickey will get some playing time over Odubel

Luke Williams (subbed out in the 3rd tonight on a Girardi Double Switch™️) has played 2 complete games in roughly a calendar month. He played a complete game in 7 of the 12 games before this stretch pic.twitter.com/2Qb3EL3l8G

— Paul ( @paul_boye ) July 25, 2021

[zambonir]

LIke Maton before him, Luke cooled off and fell out of favor, and then can't warm back up without playing time. Hard to argue with Jankowski being ahead of him though, and Torreyes for that matter.

McCarthey just said Jankowski has symptoms but no positive test. But I presume that means he is also among the unvaxxed.

[LoneStarPhan]

The COVID vaccine resisters continue to undermine the team as Jankowski now on COVID IL.

I'm still rooting for the Phillies and hope that DD makes some moves in next six days that help, but seeing a significant core of Phillies players not doing even the easy, simple things to help the team, but rather actually hurting the team deliberately, makes me fear there is no chance of success this season.

[bkox]

Mets play a DH today. Lots of scenarios.

We could end up 2.5 back.. or 5.5 back. if the Braves sweep and we lose, we fall to 3rd place but actually gain half a game to 3.5 back. Mets Sweep and we lose, 5.5 back. Braves sweep and we win, 2.5 back. If they split and we win.. 3.5 back. If they split and we lose.. 4.5 back.

[zambonir]

This is the really tricky thing about going for it. A weak division, but still a three-team race. BBRef currently has it Mets 41.0, Phils 27.9, Braves 22.9. Fangraphs still doesn't really rate anyone other than the Mets. The team can definitely improve itself, but it won't be in a vacuum.

[Austinfan]

I'd sell, and tell the veterans why - lack of responsibility by the players deep sixed the season.

[zambonir]

Clearly not the way it's gonna go. We'll overpay for a reliever, get a so-so 4th starter, and then see more guys go on COVID IL before the next Mets series.

[andyb]

Or just put Falter in the rotation and let him do a Marty Bystrom?

[bkox]

Or just put Falter in the rotation and let him do a Marty Bystrom?

assuming he doesnt get put on the COVID-IL 5 more times this season

[bkox]

Vince Velasquez (7.74 ERA in last 10 starts) is still scheduled to start Thursday. Chase Anderson will be used in long relief, per Joe Girardi. #Phillies

— Scott Lauber ( @ScottLauber ) July 26, 2021

Seranthony Dominguez, a few days shy of one-year mark of his Tommy John elbow surgery, could begin a minor-league rehab assignment later this week. He said his fastball velo has been 93-94, so there’s a way to go. But #Phillies think September is a possibility.

— Scott Lauber ( @ScottLauber ) July 26, 2021

Travis Jankowski was placed yesterday on the COVID-19 injured list because he was under the weather but did not test positive for the coronavirus. He’s feeling better and could rejoin Phillies tomorrow.

— Matt Breen ( @matt_breen ) July 26, 2021

Girardi: Zach Eflin didn’t come out of his Sunday bullpen session feeling like they wanted him to feel. So, he’s going to need more time. No longer a consideration for later this week.

— Matt Gelb ( @MattGelb ) July 26, 2021

[bkox]

Mets lose Game 1.

[LoneStarPhan]

Looks to me that Falter torpedoed his opportunities this season by his own personal decision concerning vaccination.

[bkox]

So at the beginning of the year I never would have thought to type this... but do the Phillies pick up the 15M club option on Cutch?

He has a .980 OPS over his last 45 games. Has played the 2nd most games on the team this year and doesnt appear to be wearing down (yet?) Hes tied for 13th in the NL in HRs. 18th in RBIs, 4th in BBs.

Plus hes fun and seems to be the kind of guy you want in the clubhouse.

[David_Criss]

bkox that is a fantastic question. He is being paid $21 million this year and has a $3 million buyout or $15 million option, so they pay $3 million and have nothing or $15 million and get him for another year. He could be traded this time next year, too with a lot less being owed to him, if it doesn't work out next year.

[phillychuck]

I'd pick it up. Not only is he a quality player, he's an awesome guy. Fun to root for.

[zambonir]

Yeah I didn't see that one coming either but seems like relatively easy call, especially with the DH. Still a lot of other moving parts (is Bohm going to play LF? Are you keeping Didi? What FAs?) but $15 million isn't that much. Would it only be 12 against the CBT, since the 3 is already in his current AAV charge?

On the other hand, he will still be a year older and if you are truly trying to change the chemistry of the team, and also improve the defense (since he's not going to be a full-time DH) that's gotta start somewhere.

Unlikely Herrera's back at this point of course (and even if he was, wouldn't be via the option). That doesn't free up nearly as much money though.

[bkox]

With Cutch we would have 144M tied up in 8 players (Nola, Wheeler, Harper, Cutch, Didi, Segura, Realmuto and..... KIngery). And 2 big arb guys in Hoskins and Eflin. So that takes you to $165-170M I would guess. and you still need 16 other players.

My Gawd.. do we even have the money to go after any free agents? The 16 players would need to average 2.5M to stay under a 225M cap. (Im adjusting based on a potential increase in the new CBA).

[andyb]

There is probably room for one big free agent. Most of those 16 players will come in pretty inexpensively.

Getting Cutch for a marginal $12 million is certainly interesting and maybe he would thrive with lots of DH at bats to keep him fresh (under the scenario of a rotating DH but thinking Cutch would get the most time there). Hoskins and Eflin are probably playing themselves into $8 million deals instead of $10 million plus.

[zambonir]

My only hesitation is that you have to pick up Cutch's option before everything else. I'm still assuming they trade Didi or Segura or Hoskins, though there'd probably be salaried major leaguers coming back in such a deal (plus Phillies would be paying some of it for Didi). Maybe they even figure out a way to offload Kingery at 50% (though probably not this year).

It's just a money gamble really, they could also pick up his option and then trade him, a one-year $12 million deal is probably fair market. Brantley got two years $16 AAV going back into free agency this past season.But Brantley's also been far better.