2023 Phillies Regular Season Discussion

[allentown]

Not sure he's better than a whole lot of people. His career, major league last season awful, this year not at all good offense for 1B, minor league numbers spotty. Very fringy guy.

[zambonir]

He's fringey just like any youngish bench player including Vierling and Maton (so far we really stole Soto) and Guthrie. He's just not a 1B (and neither is Bohm). If they needed him at 3B he'd be fine but instead they have three RHBs (including Bohm); if they needed him at 2B he'd be fine but the starter is a LHB; the bat means he's not that strong as a corner OF either but Cave was worse (though at this point, we need to see him).

I don't think it was just Sanchez who did badly against the Mets last year, and these aren't last year's Mets. I'm sure they will consider skipping him especially if he is still a little bruised but you given how well he pitched you also might want him to just go out there and try and do it again.

[Callison]

Should be no question about skipping Sanchez now. The Phils need all the pitching they can get next two games.

BUT we all saw Sanchez just pitch 4 shutout innings and mighta had more but he got hit in the hand. Yeah, his previous outings don't inspire confidence, but the innings against the A's did: Cristopher Sanchez: 4.0 1 0 0 1 5 0 61-40 3.24 - that's 5 Ks - that's all world compared to some of the previous auditions for #5. Yeah, it was the A's, but he's earned another start and he surely should be relieving before Covey, Hoffman and the turkeys.

But Big Rob might even start him against the Braves. That would be just like him - a move that no one else would make and one that makes you think he doesn't know what he's doing. Remember, Schwarber is a great leadoff hitter.

The Giants have won 10 straight - just hot as fire - and Joc Pederson is back in their lineup. Kapler shuffles the Giants' lineup in ways that also make you think he doesn't know what he's doing, but he recently let Pederson leadoff, a move Big Rob taught him with Schwarber. Not sure, but I think that was the game Pederson hit a homer and walked to walk in the winning run in the bottom of the 9th. It's good to put heavy, power hitters at leadoff. Who knew?

[phillychuck]

The justification for keeping Sanchez on rotation is not to try as hard as possible to win that particular game, but to maximize Sanchez's comfort as the #5 starter. If he can be decent at #5 that solves a lot of long-term problems for the season, and it makes sense to maximize his chances of doing that.

[Patchmk88]

Also getting the others in our rotation extra rest is a good thing. Nola has a lot better success with extra rest. Wheeler’s velocity has been down the last few starts so extra day may help him. Not sure the other two really need an extra day but I always think in the long run that all the pitchers benefit.

[phillychuck]

And we are going to have weather issues for the rest of the week that may lead to double-headers or changing pitchers after delays. The bullpen might be challenged.

[Austinfan]

One reason I think Brogdon was sent down, let him work on stuff without pressure, reduce his workload, then bring him back in a couple weeks. Why RPs with options are valuable, it allows you to "expand" your bullpen.

[zambonir]

It's already a done deal. Sanchez starts Saturday.

And yes, odds are high of another rain-out, or worse, one of those games where the starter goes and then can't come back, over the next 9 days.

[andyb]

I think the Phillies are very cognizant of cumulative workload. They like keeping the 5th starter in rotation to get everybody else more rest.

Maybe we have just scheduled Noah Song's first career start with that double-header in September.

[David_Criss]

Watching Schwarber in the field again today. Please recall Cave - designate Harrison for his spot and let Schwarber DH only - move Clemens to super utility - start Harper at 1B - while you are at it get Bellati back up for Covey.

[zambonir]

Right but none of that works until Harper can actually play 1B which could be 5 weeks away, could be 3 weeks away. But it's not tomorrow (even though I already joked that in the game day thread).

[David_Criss]

I know. Just frustrated. Does his .188 batting average justify having him in the field? I know he brings some serious power, but his batting average and fielding is just horrendous for a team that has playoff aspirations. Cave and Pache don't have the power, but both bring superior gloves and will hit better than the .188.

[zambonir]

I don't care about his batting average, the bat still plays and not just for the power. But he has to be an All-Star or at least as good as last year to make up for the defense, which is also worse than it was last year.

We actually don't know if Cave or Pache would be better hitters. Cave made a lot more outs, at least, while Pache remains SSS.

[bkox]

Does his .188 batting average justify having him in the field?

His .774 OPS which is really close to Bryce's .805 does.

What would this lineup look like without Schwarbs 20 HRs? No one else on the team has double digits

In June Schwarber has a 988 OPS. After today Harper has a sub 700 OPS.

Which means (in theory) to improve the team you bench Harper so Schwarber can DH and someone else can play the field.

[BaseballCat]

The team has great pieces, ultimately the Harper injury has forced the team to use its pieces in less than optimal places. They hoped Turner would elevate the hitting and fielding, but it has not been enough to overcome the domino effect of Harper and Hoskins injuries. With expectations high, frustrations will build if general play does not improve. Sitting Harper or Schwarber will not improve the general play of the team. Currently the Braves are just better

[dicemen99]

That's a bit disingenuous.

It is perfectly acceptable to bring up Schwarber's OPS when posters start whining about the BA which grossly misrepresents his value to this team's offense.

But it is also perfectly acceptable to point out that Schwarber's regression in the OF so far this year when combined with what is now a just above average OPS is really hurting the team. He needs to hit much better (which I think he will) or the whining will continue

[phillychuck]

Right now, in June, the Braves are simply better than us. The offense was non-existent today against less than all-star level pitching.

[andyb]

Sitting Harper or Schwarber will not improve the general play of the team. Currently the Braves are just better

That is all true. I would still shake up the bottom of the order a bit. We can't play Cave for Schwarber yet. So play Cave for Marsh. Bring up Hall for Clemens. I like those 2 bats in the lineup now to shake things up. Use Pache more in center to spell Cave on his starts. Marsh blew a ball in CF too today (he should have let Schwarber catch it, but if he calls it he must catch it). Clemens is not helping much. The popup he caught today was entertaining, but one could also say he completely misread the popup in the wind.

Probably should bring Bellati up for Covey too. I don't care if we lose him on the DFA. We are running out of trusted mid leverage arms out there. Not sure I trust Marte yet though I assume all those runs will be unearned today when they make sure Schwarber gets an error like he should.

Note both Marsh and Clemens have 2 options left.

[zambonir]

Yeah but I think his production in June renders the whole thing moot, i.e, he already has hit better and he needs to play and continue to do so. You don't bench him just when he has started to get hot. Right now he is the offensive player they need him to be given the lousy defense, even if he wasn't for the last few games. And the team has been winning (just not in the last few games).

I think what Andy's suggesting could happen though it would be a bigger ask to demote Marsh (which is not to say he couldn't use it). I think at the end of the day Dombrowski has to know the Harper/1B thing is not going to be cure all and Hoskins is still missed and Bohm is still a complementary player who, combined with Turner's disappointing season, makes Rhys's absence even worse. He either needs to get a 1B or a LF or a better platoon player for both spots but he should find out whether Cave and Hall are part of the mix first. And of course, see where they are a month from now, though I reckon they'll be in about the same spot.

[flyers19rw]

We may have to face the fact that last year was the best season that some of these guys will have. They still see themselves as a slugger’s row swinging from their heels. This year it’s not repeating itself. Hoskins is out; Harper is hurt; Realmuto is regressing; Schwarber doesn’t belong in the field and Turner hasn’t shown up yet. They’ll improve a bit at some point. However last season isn’t going to be duplicated. It was a magical run that came to an end.