I guess he changed his flight today after they moved the start time of the game.
Fuld linked to Boston. Not surprising
https://www.si.com/mlb/phillies/news/philadelphia-phillies-general-manager-emerges-front-runner-boston-red-sox-vacancy19
Drew Ellis cleared waivers. He can refuse the assignment. It's all kind of moot I guess. Had someone claimed him he would have been controllable (but then he would have had to stay on the 40, and he's also out of options after this year).
FWIW that is a pretty weak item for now - one line in Nightengale's column, repeated verbatim by the clickbait, reporting-free SI site. Hardly moves the needle beyond us (and various professionals) mentioning he'd be an obvious candidate when Bloom got fired. Ordinarily I'd also point out Nightengale's penchant for getting things wrong but in this case he's not really claiming to have any scoop.
I still wouldn't assume it happens. That is a difficult ownership to work for and nobody knows that better than Dombrowski. And Fuld's previous connection to the organization that made him a managerial candidate was Bloom (from their Tampa days).
Dombrowski has four years left on his contract (originally next year would have been the last) but they could easily give Fuld a raise and put a succession plan into place starting around 2026. Kind of the same way they held on to Long for now.
Velandia or the more recent hire from Tampa perhaps?
Meanwhile, Kerkering looked like the real thing, 100 MPH FB on the edge, then 88 slider with a nice break.
Good luck, hitters.
Just when the Phils look like they're running out of arms, Kerkering shows up.
And Lorenzen shows up.
Well yeah but there are also limits (when it comes to non-players). They are not going to pay Fuld more as GM than he could make as Boston's President (were it a small-market team, different story maybe). If he wants to run the Red Sox and is offered the job he will leave, but if he's not sure and is promised a clear succession plan with the Phillies, he won't.
You guys should be more excited to see a reliever that doesn't blow up.
The Phils love the guys at the bottom of the pen, but they look like projects. They are unpredictable and can give away momentum, the lead and the game before you can say "Covey".
So Kerkering is exciting. One inning better than some of the others. IMHO, he looked good, too - like he can do it again.
Who are the projects in the current bullpen? Covey is what he is, a veteran long man who will be replaced by Lorenzen (among others) for that role. Everyone else is extremely established besides Hoffman who has earned his spot by now. Some are inconsistent, some have had injuries, but that doesn't mean Kerkering is any more of a guarantee, whether for the next six weeks or the next six years. Because that's relief pitching for you.
I am not saying he shouldn't be on the playoff roster, mind you. But he could make one mistake or have a bad inning in the a crucial playoff game just as easily as Soto or Seranthony. And one inning against the bottom of the Mets order doesn't mean he's ready for Freddie Freeman.
Kerkering has elite stuff for a RP. Whether he can handle big game pressure? But he's not a year out of HS.
FB velocity is overrated, or Marte and Soto would be top RPs.
But combine top velocity with a plus plus slider, well, Brad Lidge did pretty well with a good FB and plus plus slider.
As we've seen with Alvarado, when his cutter is on, his FB is unhittable b/c you can't sit on it.
Kerkering throws his slider around 88 or so, if he can throw it for strikes, it'll be similar to prime time Alvarado.
Listen.. im excited about Kerkering.. but hes only 1 year away from a college year that he had a 5+ ERA. Obviously the Phillies have helped him fine tune things and made him a full time reliever. But I need to see a longer resume besides just 60 minor league innings.
That said. I already have him penciled in as part of the Phillies opening day roster.
I am ready to enjoy the ride, let's hope there is one! (For him and the Phillies both.)
And if he does slot in as a legit late-inning weapon next year that means they could trade (or non-tender) Soto and/or be under less pressure to re-sign Kimbrel or replace him with a free agent. Which frees up $ for something else since Strahm, Seranthony and Alvarado are all locked up and Hoffman is also controlled. (Don't worry Callison, there will still be guys at the bottom of the pen next year for you to think should be replaced by All-Stars.)
That was definitely the full Fangraphs/pitching ninja treatment. I do get the argument stuff-wise that he is a unicorn. Most of the guys like him throw 95 and not 100. He seems to have the type of slider also where the break is so great that the chances of him being taken deep on a hanger are less than other pitchers.
I would still tread carefully. Probably limit him to every other day and no 2-inning outings. One can do that in the playoffs and frankly we have 5 or 6 late inning arms now. In tentative pecking order I think I rank them: Kimbrel, Alvarado, Hoffman, Strahm, Kerkering, Dominguez, Soto. All one could say about that is wow - 7 arms that could potentially close for many teams. It is a far cry from Neris and close your eyes on the rest of them that we had a few short years ago.
Kerkering could be the most effective of the 7 now but the main point is we have 7. If starters only go 5 or 6 innings we are fine because we'll have a couple of long relievers too in Sanchez and Lorenzen before we get to the 7 late inning arms. We also only developed 2 of these arms. Not ideal so it costs us a little more $$$, but this is a major league playoff-ready bullpen.
Kerkering is our most interesting relief pitcher prospect since 100 Miles Giles. But, the headline of that article is definitely a case of getting ahead of things.
Still kind of depressing to put Seranthony that low on the list. And that they just haven't found Soto's upside. But that took a few years with Alvarado.
For sure they should tread carefully. I don't think they will change his usage pattern, and they will be pretty targeted about where to spot him too. But they also don't have to hide him.
And yeah a bullpen game would look a lot different than it did last year... and they still managed to win a few of those!
I thought Seranthony was coming around maybe 10 days ago but he really has not found the movement on his offspeed pitch that he had last year. It is really a pecking order with no specific order. I don't really trust Kimbrel and Alvardo more than Hoffman and Strahm and Kerkering. They just have the experience so will get the chances until they prove they can't handle them.