2022 Phillies Major League Regular Season Discussion

[Philsmania]

5 games against the Nationals. Can’t mess around with these guys as we have SD, STL, and ATL coming up.

Zoinks, I thought this was supposed to be the soft part of our schedule. It's just an eleven game respite, actually. However, it does look like we played the Brewers at the right time.

[Austinfan]

Odds are they'll have him working on his curve, then trying it out in middle inning relief.
If he gets his curve back, Knebel is throwing hard enough to regain the closer role, if Brogdon hasn't taken it over.
He was hitting 97-98, but either hangs the curve or can't throw it for strikes.

[zambonir]

This extended Nats series does them no favors. Only winning three out of five won't feel good enough, but four out of five on the road with a doubleheader also a lot to expect.

[mdougherty12]

Zoinks, I thought this was supposed to be the soft part of our schedule. It's just an eleven game respite, actually. However, it does look like we played the Brewers at the right time.

The real soft spot on the schedule is from the All-Star break until the end of August. Lots of games against the Pirates, Reds, and Cubs.

[Aquapong]

Man I looked at tix in DC for this weekend. Outfield seats seem reasonable at $38 a piece. Then I got to $40 in processing fees and $48 for parking. Add in the extra gas money and screw that.

[andyb]

Easier to use the metro and if you have to drive there is a $20 lot about 4 blocks away (under 395 off South Capitol if you look on Google maps). The fees on something like Stubhub are pretty bad of course, though this season there are so many seats available for half price that it really is not too expensive.

[Philsmania]

If coming from the Delaware Valley, you can also drive to Perryville, MD and take the MARC train down to Union Station. In the not-too-distant future, they will extend that service all the way to Newark, DE to connect with Septa's Newark line.

[zambonir]

I hope those processing fees were at least for four tickets.

With the way the Nats are playing I'd just take my chances on the street (or yes, Stubhub still a better option potentially). I guess Ryan Zimmerman stuff may draw more of a crowd.

[gmwannabe]

Since Victor Robles' stats have dropped every year, do you think the Nationals would entertain a change of scenery for him. still only 25.
gm

[phillychuck]

Robles is pretty bad. OPS+ in the 60s and 70s. I don't know if I'd want to take a risk on him, especially in the big leagues where playing him takes someone else off the field. I'd rather look at Vierling/Moniak/Herrera in CF. To me, Robles has already proven he can't play MLB baseball, and Vierling and Moniak are still in the process of proving that, given their much smaller sample sizes.

[Taudawg]

I don't love our CF situation but also skeptical the Phillies can make a move that actually improves CF. The Phillies thought that was the case last offseason and I don't know much has changed. I don't like Odubel being on the team, but I'm also not in the "anyone but Odubel" crowd. The guy has a 804 OPS and I still have hope on Vierling too - hitting much better after the AAA demotion. The CFs that are mentioned as potentially available or likely to be traded, do not feel like an improvement. Marginal improvement maybe yet at what cost?

[zambonir]

The question is, what's the ceiling for this team, and also who plays CF for the next two seasons? It does not seem likely that any of our three current CFs are going to be full-time starting CFs going forward (Herrera is the best of them but he'll be another year older and his defense isn't getting better) and the farm options still seem further off than spring training best-case scenarios.

If it is just a wild card team that could end up anywhere from out in the first round to overmatched in the NLCS (two great pitcher and this offense could still produce that optimistic scenario) you probably don't add a starting position player (especially if Segura will return). If you do CF and 3B are your uprgrade spots, barring the big surprise move (but every time we talk about trading Hoskins he goes on a tear. Still think that's the best way to improve the team though, especially if Harper remains out. In that case acquiring a CF would also help, as Vierling and Herrera could still play corner OF too.

The problem is it seems like you'd be buying low but paying high on the current crop of CFs. Still, they probably need an OF, period.

[andyb]

Playing Odubel about two-thirds of the time is working surprisingly well. He never had massive platoon splits, so not starting against most LHP is probably not the thing that is helping him. Maybe being fresher with modest expectations hitting near the backup of the lineup is how he thrives.

The bullpen as always seems to be the top priority to fix. Beyond that I think we are all watching Didi and Bohm. If everyone is healthy a L/R platoon of Stott and Bohm might be needed as a way to improve the defense while getting the most out of Bohm, assuming Didi is acceptable and Segura comes back 100% (neither being a given).

Roster note - looks like Camargo is rehabbing at Lehigh Valley tonight.

[Aquapong]

Maybe the best time to trade Hoskins would be while he’s hot. We need 1b open for JT, Schwarber, and maybe Bohm. Bohm has been better lately and we can project he might continue to improve. Hoskins is what he is at this point. With Stott turning the corner offensively, it seems all but certain he’ll be at minimum a strong side platoon infielder at whichever position we need.

[andyb]

The offense required at 1B might make both JT and Bohm significantly below average if they were ever moved there. Schwarber makes more sense long term though I doubt the Phillies will make a move.

Now maybe JT should learn to play 3B and Bohm should learn to play LF. Their athleticism works for those positions in addition to 1B.

[zambonir]

This is where Dombrowski makes his money, but I think it's also not easy to trade someone like Hoskins in-season, nor is his value still all that high given his limitations and general contract picture. Probably requires a three-team deal or for the Phillies to take prospects for him that they use in an another deal (or just to replenish system depth) - but what low-budget seller team would even want him (unless they can also flip)? The perfect scenario where a team that has the CF or pitcher you want and could use a RH DH who isn't even very good at 1B (to say the least) seems unlikely.

The off-season is a different story.

[Philsmania]

Now maybe JT should learn to play 3B and Bohm should learn to play LF. Their athleticism works for those positions in addition to 1B.

Funny, that thought crossed my mind as well. Schwarbs to first? Is the organization still on good terms with Rico Brogna? He was a fine-fielding firstbaseman as I recall and may he could give a guy some pointers and some instruction.

[zambonir]

He was a fine-fielding firstbaseman as I recall and may he could give a guy some pointers and some instruction.

Saved 100 runs a year or something IIRC Travis Lee as well.

[EDmuch]

Right now Hoskins is the key right handed power in this lineup. The team is not going to be better trading him in mid-season. I am not even worried about the centerfield for this year. the combo of Herrera-Vierling-Moniak will be enough to get us by as long as Schwarber-Harper-Hoskina-Castellanos hits like they have teh potential to hit.

Get another good reliever (Robertson is my preference) and maybe, maybe another starter and see what we can do. Juggling the starting eigh on the field is a job for the off season. We have been getting really good starting pitching. If we had just one moer semi-reliable reliever I think that could make a big difference.

[HopeSpringsEternal]

I agree with not trading Hoskins in-season. I also think a reliable reliever is the priority trade target right now. I’d consider Bednar of the Pirates and Barlow of the Rangers in addition to the aforementioned David Robertson.