2022 Phillies Major League Regular Season Discussion

[bkeich]

I did not hear that interview, but it must clearly be a case of someone working with him, some maturity or just the calmness of being set for life because the 19-20 year old Harper that I saw interviewed definitely did not come across like that. In his early years he was SHOCKINGLY arrogant and unlikeable. I am surprised every pitcher didn't throw at him in those days.

[allentown]

As a star he would have been interviewed many, many times before he came to Philly and he has had plenty of time to adjust to Philly media. Beyond that, he seems like an intelligent and good guy. Yes, as a star he surely has a consultant/PR guy, or did going into his FA year.

[julio]

I did not hear that interview, but it must clearly be a case of someone working with him, some maturity or just the calmness of being set for life because the 19-20 year old Harper that I saw interviewed definitely did not come across like that. In his early years he was SHOCKINGLY arrogant and unlikeable. I am surprised every pitcher didn't throw at him in those days.

20 year old athletic stars/prodigies are more often than not full of themselves. By the time they're 29, some of them — not all of them, sadly — have lived enough of life to have developed some maturity, some better sense of themselves as part of a community, a society.

The truth (if we're willing to contemplate it) is that most of us — not athletic prodigies, but just regular people — suffered from a lot of the same behaviors when we were 19-20. I would guess that this is more true of those of us that are male than of those who are female, because 19 year old males typically have not learned how to manage high testosterone levels.

[zambonir]

It seemed very obvious to me that he was working with a PR team and media trainers the minute he got to Philly (and probably was before). Not that it wasn't in any way sincere or that he couldn't come up with some of it himself, but the whole rollout of his first season - from emphasizing that he wanted to be a Philadelphian for the rest of his career to the Phanatic sneakers to the celebration rituals - didn't seem spontaneous. But that's part of being a professional entertainer.

At the same time, yes, clearly, this is Bryce Harper the veteran player and father of two, not the bratty golden boy teenager. I'm sure leaving DC without ever winning hardly anything - let alone the championship they got without him - was also humbling.

[zambonir]

Truly they are full of surprises

The Phillies have recalled INF Nick Maton from Lehigh Valley (AAA) and optioned INF Yairo Muñoz to LV.

— Philadelphia Phillies ( @Phillies ) August 5, 2022

[bkeich]

One of those head scratching transactions. Not bad, not good, almost no point except to give Munoz some AB's I guess and give Maton some rest on the bench? If transactions cost $1 I would say this was wasted money.

[julio]

One of those head scratching transactions. Not bad, not good, almost no point except to give Munoz some AB's I guess and give Maton some rest on the bench? If transactions cost $1 I would say this was wasted money.

Take a look at Yairo Munoz' major-league service time...

[andyb]

I can see why they did this. If Marsh starts then the bench has 3 right-handed hitters in Vierling and Sosa and Munoz. Only LH hitter is Stubbs. Adding Sosa (right-handed) and dropping Didi (left-handed) made the bench a bit unbalanced when Segura came back.

They are probably pretty equivalent as a player. Munoz had a little outfield experience which was nice, but assume the Phillies can have Maton do that too for emergencies. When there is a left-handed pitcher you could not get both Munoz and Sosa in the lineup unless Bohm is the DH, so they probably figured Sosa would get those starts for Stott because of defense.

[andyb]

Take a look at Yairo Munoz' major-league service time...

Likely had absolutely nothing to do with this move. Nothing at all. Whatever you are implying here is really beneath you.

The 2 are equivalent players. Both had options. Neither is good enough they'd be offered arbitration at this point anyway.

[julio]

Likely had absolutely nothing to do with this move. Nothing at all. Whatever you are implying here is really beneath you.

The Phillies would not manipulate service time? Would not even take note of it?

Frankly, I suspect that your conclusion (e.g., L-R) is more on the money. But Munoz is on the cusp of Super-2 free agency (by my quick calculation, he's at 2.149 service time). He'll either fall just short of Super-2 status, or reach it (and be non-tendered, if your assessment is correct). If they're interested in retaining him, but not going to arbitration, i would have to think they're at least aware of his status.

[andyb]

The Phillies or any major league club could care less about service time for a AAAA caliber player (which is what Munoz is long term). Using Maton's service time actually could cost them money as he is still probably capable of growing at least into a 300-400 AB platoon role.

Sevice time manipulation only really matters for stars or players who are at least starters. Other than that, if a player is useful and they cost an extra million or two most teams just don't care.

Stott's service time is actually more interesting to me and the Phillies are decidedly NOT manipulating that. I think he lost 13 days of service time when he was sent to the minors. In 2021 the season (186 days) was 14 days longer than the number required to accrue a full season (172). Maybe they sent him out to get an extra year of control because this season is a bit more compressed, but they might need a day or two more to actually get that season.

But nevertheless, your post implied some grand conspiracy by a cheap team and this season alone we have seen the Phillies put minor leaguers on the major league 60-day IL multiple times in moves that cost them salary, luxury tax penalties, and service time. You implied something that just is not true of this Phillies team.

[zambonir]

Yeah I think it was purely the LH bat. It seems unlikely that both Maton and Munoz (let alone Camargo) can even stay on the 40 this off-season so the service time won't really matter. If anything, it's probably also a pedigree thing - Munoz was a minor league depth player who only got called into service because of injury, Maton is a homegrown prospect who technically only lost his spot (once he finally got it) this season because he got injured.

[Austinfan]

If they're even, Maton wins b/c he has more upside than Munoz.

[schillingfan]

Re: Bryce Harpers transition from boy to man, young men Not only have high testosterone levels, but underdeveloped brains. When the Supreme Court decided life imprisonment was unconstitutional for juveniles, Justice Kennedy relied on studies that showed the part of the human brain that governs recognition of consequences fr actions, or think before you do or speak, doesn’t fully develop until around 25.

[julio]

Per the transactions page, Odubel Herrera and Jeurys Familia have been released; Ryan Sherriff has been outrighted to AAA.

Odubel Herrera and Juerys Familia have been released. They were DFA’d on Tuesday. LHP Ryan Sherriff has been outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He was DFA’d on Monday.

— Todd Zolecki ( @ToddZolecki ) August 6, 2022

[EDmuch]

Looking at what the team now is, I am pleased at what appears to me could be a fairly stable roster for the next 3 years. I think Bohm, Stott, and Vierling/Marsh fill in 3 positions with lower cost solid ball players. Of course we then have four of the "Big Five", Bryce, JT, Schwarbs and Castellanos tied down for the next four years. Only Hoskins is a question. We have some solid young arms now in the pen, and it looks like 2 or 3 more that will arrive very soon. We have 3 good starters,Wheeler, Nola and Suarez, and a few other vets for the other two spots and we have the "Big 3" who could be arriving at CBP probably within the next 2 years. Currently shortstop is the only open position in the starting lineup and that will probably be answered in this off season with a "star" caliber player.

Meanwhile we have what appears to be a reorganized and positive development program being put together. We have strong pitching and hitting coaches.

It does not appear that we will have to be trading quality prospects to fill holes for the next 3 years at least. That means we can allow prospects to develop and reap those benefits longer term. I would say for doing it sort on "on the fly" DD has done a very good job of pointing the franchise in the right direction.

[xogfog]

Not sure the Phillies want to be in the luxury tax two years in a row. I think they’ll let Hoskins walk and play Hall at 1B. I don’t think they will go after any big free agents. I’d be pleasantly surprised if they kept Hoskins and added a top SS and stayed in the luxury tax, contending teams have to do that now to keep up with the likes of Dodgers and Yankees.

[Austinfan]

If Segura walks, they have about $30+M (Segura, Didi, Herrera - $35M) for position players with only SS to fill.

As far as pitching, Gibson ($10M), Thor ($22M), Knebel ($10M), Eflin ($10M?), Hand ($5M), Robertson ($9M), Famila ($5M) -
they'll need 2 SPs and 1-2 RPs, but unless they're looking to add a $20+M starter, they should have plenty of head room to fill those holes.

So they could add one starter in the field, 2 back of the rotation SPs and 2 7-8th inning RPs for say $65M, which would still leave them well below the "salary cap," given they'll clear close to a $100M.

Now my calculation is very crude, just getting a sense of what they could do.

[zambonir]

Technically, the current opening is 2B, though obviously Stott would move for a FA SS.

And don't think Hoskins puts the Phillies over the tax. Certainly not if they don't sign a big FA, but they should also be able to sign a SS with the $ from the combination of Didi and Segura. I also don't think they would play Hall every day.

What they probably can't do without going over the tax is get a top pitcher. But Thor, Gibson, Eflin, Familia, Hand and Knebel represent money to spend. And it's possible one of the Big 3 is in the rotation by mid-season.

(One correction to AF - Robertson only makes $3.5 million. You probably thought that was prorated. And Hand and Familia made $6 million.)

I think the Phillies' real problem is not just keeping up with the Dodgers, Yankees and Braves, but the fact that the Braves are and will remain better than them without having to spend at the same level, given the contracts they now have their best players under.

[Austinfan]

I don't think we catch up to the big boys unless our "Big three" produce two top 3 SPs, one of Rojas or Muzzioti becomes a top CF (or Long salvages Marsh) and so on. Garcia walks a lot, if he can learn to hit (right now I ignore his struggles, he missed a lot of time but he needs to add strength) then you have more options, etc.

They've pretty much maxed out the FA market the next 4 years, basically they can go tit for tat, replace guys they lose in FA or give up on, but can't take on serious extra money. So net improvements will have to come from within - but I think DD knows that, which is why he traded around the margins but didn't go all in.

Unfortunately, too many of the prospects from previous years have flopped (Ortiz, Simmonds, Baylor, etc, not to mention missing on 3 1st rd OFs) and they simply don't have much depth at AAA or AA ball right now - hopefully in two years that will change.