2024 Phillies Late Season Discussion

[julio]

I think you may be reading that 7a and 7b incorrectly. Whenever it says "until the championship season" I think it applies to the regular season so the 10/15 day would not apply in the playoffs.

No question that "championship season" in the ML Rules refers to the regular season. It absolutely does, even though the cynic in me says that referring to the regular season as the "championship season," when 12 teams go into a post-season tournament to determine the "champion" smacks of 1984.

But that's why I read 7(a) as overriding 7(b) here - and that would mean that the 10/15 limit no longer applies - and that Gilbert and Stevenson could (and should) have been recalled as of two days ago.

Postseason player eligibility is governed by Rule 41(a)(1). To wit:

Nick Nelson doesn't meet requirement 41(a)(1)(A), since he was not on the 40-man, or any cited list, on August 31st. As written, the "substitution for injured player" loophole only applies to players who qualified under 41(a)(1)(A), but were "unreserved" after August 31st (that clause conditions 41(a)(1)(B), but does not affect 41(a)(1)(A)).

[andyb]

But was Nelson reserved?

Nonetheless the injury substitution lets them add anyone in the organization. They can add Nelson if they want to though he is likely their 4th or 5th choice at the moment.

[julio]

But was Nelson reserved?

As of August 31st, no, he was not. He was outrighted on August 13th. He was subsequently re-selected on September 4th, and outrighted again on September 11th - but he doesn't meet the Rule 7(a)(1)(A) requirement.

[zambonir]

Well, we find out soon enough. And I don't think the opponent will affect the make-up of the bullpen or the bench. The opponent's starting pitching will determine things in the OF (and possibly 2B), and it's possible the Game 2 decision between Nola and Sanchez might also depend on who we're playing.

Another question - might they consider an opener with Suarez?

[andyb]

The injury replacement still lets them do anything they want.

Ortiz, Turnbull, and Castro are currently on the IL so that gives us 3 flexible spots and we know also the pitcher/hitter ratio could be 12/14 or 13/13. It is not huge flexibility but it is not as if they have more than one or two spots they could switch out anyway.

[zambonir]

Coffey's summary:

Thomson said that final spot in the bullpen would come down to who the Phillies’ opponent is.

“New York is heavy right-handed,” he said. “Milwaukee has really good balance. So we’ll just have to put our heads together once we get there.”

If Turnbull doesn’t make the NLDS roster, it’s possible he’s in play for the rosters after that (should the Phillies advance).

The only reliever who is not eligible for the NLDS roster, unless there is an injury, is Tyler Gilbert, who was optioned on Sept. 29.

Ranger Suárez showed ‘big improvement’ and the Phillies’ bats came alive during...

[bkeich]

Mets Pads 0-0 in the 7th. Hopefully it goes 30 innings

[zambonir]

Hoskins gets pinch-hit for to a very good result.

[zambonir]

Brewers bringing back their Game 1 starter for the 8th, up 2-0.

[dicemen99]

Pitching update. Also says Ranger pitched well in two innings.

2 or 3 may be all they think he can hold up for given his current state of conditioning. Andy suggested this last week and they are likely postponing him for that role in the playoffs.

[zambonir]

I think Ranger has always been ticketed for the same role he's had the last two playoffs. That could be two-three, that could be five. He only pitched 2 yesterday because every reliever except Hofffman also pitched. I'm not sure I buy the rumor that he's egregiously out off shape. Injuries and ups and downs happen, and previous instances of that being the case for him earlier in other seasons were circumstantial (COVID, WBC). But if it's true that's a big fail by the team.

Mets! And also, closers!

[dicemen99]

I think Ranger has always been ticketed for the same role he's had the last two playoffs. That could be two-three, that could be five. He only pitched 2 yesterday because every reliever except Hofffman also pitched. I'm not sure I buy the rumor that he's egregiously out off shape. Injuries and ups and downs happen, and previous instances of that being the case for him earlier in other seasons were circumstantial (COVID, WBC). But if it's true that's a big fail by the team.

Amaro's comments didn't strike me as speculation or rumor. I would suspect that he and Zolecki are pretty wired on what's going on.

Maybe I'm wrong. But they don't strike me as guys floating those comments without substance.

[el-pietro]

So it's gonna be the Mets. I feel like with the geography and similarity between the two fan bases this is going to be wilder and more intense than either of the Braves series.

[Aquapong]

There are members of the press and tv crew that would see the players in the locker room, the clubhouse, the cafeteria, batting cages, etc wearing all different kinds of clothing. They can tell if a guy has been hitting the spread hard. They can tell if a player has put on some bad weight. They wouldn’t be floating these “rumors” without some observations.

[zambonir]

I dunno. I think Amaro has settled into the role of a TV pundit. He's neither an insider nor a journalist (and his days as a guy in the game are also fading fast, much like Jim Bowden).

But I didn't listen to the podcast so I don't know what was really said. I have a hard time believing such gossip wouldn't find its way into print (be it Athletic, Inquirer, NBC or MLB) if it was really a serious concern. This sounds more like talk radio speculation (in podcast form).

But we've always known Ranger isn't durable. That part's not in doubt.

[Philsmania]

So it's gonna be the Mets. I feel like with the geography and similarity between the two fan bases this is going to be wilder and more intense than either of the Braves series.

I HATE this matchup. Mets have always been tough for us to beat. Honestly, though, the Brewers' bullpen scared me. I would have rather played either the Padres or Dodgers who are much better matchups for us. I feared the Mets the most of the entire field.

I hope I'm wrong but I say Mets in four

[zambonir]

Funny, I wanted nothing to do with the Padres or Dodgers, or the West Coast travel. But they're all good teams. We certainly handled the Dodgers this year but I don't know if that was going to matter. Ditto the Padres who are playing much better ball. We had winning records against all these teams tho Mets (7-6) was tightest.

And the team we had a losing record against is also out.

Win or lose, it's the first Mets-Phillies playoff series in history. The only thing wrong with that is that it's not the NLCS.

[HopeSpringsEternal]

I would have rather played either the Padres or Dodgers who are much better matchups for us.

I think you still get your wish in the NLCS.

[zambonir]

Murphy's column the other day was about how lucky the Philllies were to get this draw, including no Arizona and no Braves. He also knew he was kinda jinxing them (or people would say so, at least).

Psst ... the Phillies have the easiest path to the World Series. Just don’t tell...

[el-pietro]

We have such a massive pitching advantage. I see a lot of people comparing them to the 2022 Phillies and they have been hot but I look at their roster and I'm not sure how they are winning. In a short series anything could happen and there are definitely question marks over Ranger right now but the Phillies are the better team and realistically the Mets are the weakest team left in the NL.
I was honestly hoping the Braves would win over the Padres because they are genuinely scary