2023 Phillies Regular Season Discussion Part 2

[bkox]

That’s a sad state of baseball that a #4 starter is getting paid $18 mil a year.

Its not my money or your money. Why care how billionaires spend their money? Taijuan Walker made a total of about $15M combined over his first 7 seasons. There is nothing wrong with getting paid now for the effort he put in then.

[andyb]

That’s a sad state of baseball that a #4 starter is getting paid $18 mil a year.

Ir is more sad that better players in their first 6 years get paid much less.

[zambonir]

Yup you get paid for service time and on the open market, not performance. And MLB makes so much money, and salaries are so high, that his salary probably isn't all that different from what Joe Blanton made in 2008 ($8 million) relative to what an ace makes, and what the Phillies' payroll is.

[zambonir]

They could still try Wilson. I wouldn't even mind seeing Kody Clemens instead of Cave but obviously that is not happening. I don't think they expect Pache to get a big hit or make a start if they do carry him. He is certainly a bit redundant with Rojas. But also may have as good a chance as Marsh against LHP.

[bkox]

Phillies roster moves before Game 2:

- Selected the contract of LHP Michael Plassmeyer from Triple-A.
- Recalled RHP Erich Uelmen from Triple-A, then placed him on 60-day IL with a right flexor strain.
- Optioned RHP Luis Ortiz to the spring training complex in Clearwater.

— Todd Zolecki ( @ToddZolecki ) September 30, 2023

[bkox]

It was no accident that Weston Wilson was back in the majors on Saturday. And, if the Phillies are facing the Marlins next week, Wilson could be the starting left fielder for Game 1 of the postseason. The situation: https://t.co/SrWhNfcl51

— Matt Gelb ( @MattGelb ) September 30, 2023

[zambonir]

Front office doing work!

[julio]

That’s a sad state of baseball that a #4 starter is getting paid $18 mil a year.

Why? Why is it sad that the performers benefit from what media pay for TV rights?

If payrolls were slashed by 50%, there would be little or no impact on the TV deals, or your cable bill, or ticket prices, or concessions at the park.

You would prefer that all these monopoly rents (calling ‘em what they are) accrue to ownership?

Or is this just the green-eyed monster speaking?

[bkox]

A silver lining from today

The Mets' Game 1 doubleheader win today ensured that they will not finish with one of MLB's six worst records. They can still garner a protected Top 6 Draft pick via the lottery system, but at best they'll have about a 42% chance of doing so.

— Anthony DiComo ( @AnthonyDiComo ) October 1, 2023

[LoneStarPhan]

Yes, a silver lining. Sure, I hate to lose to the Mets, but even a sweep by the Mets does not really hurt the Phillies, but sure hurts the Mets.

[Aquapong]

You’re presuming a lot from one statement, but that seems to be your mo.

A #4 starter making $18 million a year takes away from the team’s ability to go out and get other players to help the team. Big market team or not, the money isn’t endless and perhaps the sum total of a handful of guys being overpaid relative to their production is not being able to get a top bullpen guy who would make an impact in the regular season and the playoffs.

[zambonir]

It sounds like Wilson might replace Cave on the roster if they face the Marlins. Stack the RHBs, keep Pache for defense and OF play. But Wilson also really isn't an OF so not even sure he should start over Pache or Marsh, though obviously recent offensive evidence says so.

This is certainly not the way it was supposed to go for Marsh though. Rojas sneaking past him in CF and then not being trusted against LHP either.

[Aquapong]

Marlins won and they clinch a spot. Diamondbacks clinched because the Reds lost and they have the tiebreaker on the Cubs. The Marlins are 84-76 with 1 game to go plus the inning of makeup with the Mets if needed. They also have the head to head tiebreaker with the Dbacks. The Dbacks are 84-77. So the Marlins’ magic number for the 5 seed is 1.

[gmwannabe]

not sure i'm liking this scenario. the Phils, who were hot, are really coasting into this 3 game series. the other 2 teams have been scratching to get in and are in a win mode. could go one of 2 ways, the Phils can't get their mojo back and are swept in 2 or their opponent, that has spent nervous energy trying to get in, calm down and get swept. either way, I don't see the series going to the 3rd game.
gm

[andyb]

Which means we should root for Miami to lose today and Arizona to win - just so Miami has to play the rest of the suspended game on Monday.

[zambonir]

Unless you buy GM's theory that is. But I don't think the way the Phillies played in the last four games will carry over to the next three any more, than, well, nearly every bad stretch of games over the last 162 games didn't carry over to a subsequent good stretch. I reckon the Phillies also haven't lost four or five games in a row since that June 3 demarcation line (they did it three times before that). Put Wheeler on the mound and the fans in the seats and it's a whole different season, literally.

I still think I would root for it being settled today. The travel is not that arduous for Miami and the Phillies - and especially Wheeler - would probably prefer to know who they are playing by tonight. And also when.

It appears Matt Strahm is opening today?

[phillychuck]

There has been research on this question (whether coasting to the finish line hurts performance). There is no evidence that teams that "coasted" to the end played any worse (or any better) than teams that had to compete to the end. I'm not worried about that at all. Baseball is a probability game--having the home field and the marginally better team probably means we are 60% or slightly more likely to win the first series. Of course that means 40% or so likely to lose.

Whichever, enjoy the ride!

[zambonir]

Sometimes I think we forget that everything in baseball is 60-40 or thereabouts (and it's hard to tell the difference between a .550 team and a .500 or .600 team in the moment).

Question is, do we have any preference on the first-round opponent at this point? I reckon there are enough pluses and minuses about both that the answer is no. Arizona feels like they are a better team (and run differential certainly says so) but playing a division rival and historically pesky opponent is a little nerve-wracking too.

I still think I root for it being settled today. Miami is probably going to win if they have to finish the game in NY, and a couple of innings (if it were to get tied up) is not going to affect their pitching that much. If it's not settled today I would think we'd rather play Arizona, who will have to fly across three time zones tomorrow to get to us.

[LoneStarPhan]

In baseball, you just cannot tell what will happen. How often is a double run offensive breakout game followed by a struggle to get a couple hits the next day? We just do not know how the Phillies will play on Tuesday.

Like everyone, I am disappointed to have lost the last 3 games, but I certainly am not ready to throw in the towel in despair.

I am hoping for a nice win today (Sunday).

[bkox]

One of the oddities of the regular season... For all of history it will appear in BBref that Kody Clemens was our main 1B. He had 3 more games there than Harper did. Bohm of course had way more games at first.. but even more games at 3rd.