2024 Phillies Season Discussion

[andyb]

Some notes here on Turnbull (and old friend Ben Lively who is having a surprise good season). Lots of BABIP luck for Turnbull but also a new sweeper pitch that makes him better than in the past.

Let’s Celebrate Some Small-Sample Superstars While We Still Can

[Austinfan]

Goes to show what adding a plus secondary pitch can do for a starting pitcher.
I think there are two main ways pitching coaches contribute to success: fixing mechanics and teaching pitches.
Alvarado with a cutter took his game up a tier. Now we're seeing Wheeler add a splitter.

It's not just teaching a grip, it's working a pitcher through the nervousness of a pitch he's going to make mistakes with until he masters it in game situations.

And understanding what pitches work with each pitcher, one reason Wheeler is working on the splitter is his motion isn't conducive to a change-up, so he needed to come up with something similar to improve against LH hitters.

[andyb]

Bohm out of the lineup again today against a left-handed pitcher. He must be hurting. Today is Jesus Luzardo and he has given us trouble in the past though I will note that the last 4 guys in our lineup (Stott, Sosa, Pache, Rojas) all have career averages of .500 or better against him. May the God of Small Sample Size continue to rule in our favor today. Luzardo probably another Marlin auditioning for other teams if he can show he is healthy.

[bkox]

Bohm out of the lineup again today against a left-handed pitche

Schwarber is the one out of the lineup. Bohm at DH

Lineup. Schwarber felt soreness in his back last night and Thomson said he’d be cautious

Merrifield 5
Realmuto 2
Harper 3
Bohm DH
Castellanos 9
Stott 4
Sosa 6
Pache 7
Rojas 8

Walker RHP

— Alex Coffey ( @byalexcoffey ) May 11, 2024

[bkox]

Rob Thomson said that he is being cautious with Schwarber’s sore back. He said he is feeling “better but still a little bit tight.”

They are going to take it day by day. Thomson said his level of concern is “very low.”

“He won’t be long,” he said

— Alex Coffey ( @byalexcoffey ) May 11, 2024

[dicemen99]

Bohm out of the lineup again today against a left-handed pitcher. He must be hurting. Today is Jesus Luzardo and he has given us trouble in the past though I will note that the last 4 guys in our lineup (Stott, Sosa, Pache, Rojas) all have career averages of .500 or better against him. May the God of Small Sample Size continue to rule in our favor today. Luzardo probably another Marlin auditioning for other teams if he can show he is healthy.

Nice job showing @Callison how it's done.

Cally, no need to turn down the enthusiasm as long as you stay respectful of the juju.

[Callison]

Cally, no need to turn down the enthusiasm as long as you stay respectful of the juju.

Yeah, cause that game wasn't right. I am down with the mission and though I suffer from enthusiasm, I will be cautious as I can when temptation calls.

But look at this team - even with '93. Lost an All Star 5-tool player, but he hasn't been missed! I won't have to predict anything. The entire sports world will do it for me.

[bkeich]

My fear that Turnbull would be delegated to mop up duty seems to be coming true. He has pitched once in 12 days, 2 innings in a blowout win.

It seems crazy to waste the guy that was actually off to the best start of any of our pitchers. I doubt he could maintain it, but he should have pitched 3-4 times in the last 12 days.

[Callison]

My fear that Turnbull would be delegated to mop up duty seems to be coming true. He has pitched once in 12 days, 2 innings in a blowout win.

He's shown that he can nearly shut out an opponent through 5 consistently. I can't imagine the awful &^%$ he had to listen to as he was told he was gonna be a long reliever.

Looking at the guys starting in front of him, though, Walker and Sanchez have been dominant.

The recent two relief innings, though, he looked just locked in - like in the middle of a game. Hellacious asset. Could become a starter again if anybody gets injured.

[zambonir]

They want to keep him stretched out, if not on a starter's schedule. He was available today but it would have been another low-leverage spot. Of course, what are the odds he'll be needed tomorrow?

The Phillies have only played three games since his last appearance, and before that he was still making a start. A bit soon to think he's been buried.

It doesn't really help him or the team if he just becomes a regular reliever and then they need him to start or even go back to a six-man (which they will eventually consider at the season wears on). He's already pitched more innings this year then he did last year (and it was zero in 2022) and also isn't accustomed to warming up like a reliever, so it's fine to take it slow.

More to the point, the team is succeeding.

[Callison]

Was anxious to read what Wheeler had to say. Was thinking he'd say he needed less rest or more rest or something, but apparently the only problem was he couldn't locate his pitches. IMHO, that was a hitter-friendly strike zone the plate ump was calling. Wheeler gets a few of those close ones and maybe he's a different pitcher. But he hardly got any.

[zambonir]

Don't like anything about this (worst case, surgery, less-worse case, IL, current still-not-good case, they're playing Stubbs and have no back-up)

J.T. Realmuto is dealing with what he described as “soreness” in his right knee. Felt it on his triple May 4 vs. Giants and it hasn’t gotten better. No tests yet. Said he’s hopeful of being able to play in the next few days; not concerned yet about it turning into an IL situation

— Scott Lauber ( @ScottLauber ) May 13, 2024

[andyb]

Yeah, no good solutions. Schwarber still out too. Not in love with Merrifield at leadoff in these situations. Might move Stott up to take some pitches.

[bkox]

I dont understand no tests yet... What is the harm of getting imaging done? Is it that much harder to do while on the road?

[BostonRoss]

I agree, it can't be hard to do an MRI. My son just had one yesterday--on Mother's Day--and he has less money than the Phillies.

[xogfog]

If there is swelling they have to wait for that to go down a bit before they can MRI.

[zambonir]

Seems like we have this discussion at least once a year. An MRI is never the first recommendation and not every physical exam of every injury calls for one. And often they aren't conclusive anyway (and when they are it's already obvious from the level of pain).

[rpmcmurphy]

Not in love with Merrifield at leadoff in these situations. Might move Stott up to take some pitches.

I think Stott should be the lead off hitter now and going forward. What about good contact, good 2 strike hitting, good speed, decent pop do you not like in the lead off spot? What about a 45 home run hitter do you not like in the middle of the order? Phillies are winning in spite of Thomson’s lineup construction, not because of it. His lineup construction and/or his questionable in game decisions will cost the team some ball games when they start to struggle a bit, as all teams do from time to time.. They’ve been so hot, and the starting pitching has been so good that it’s covering Thomson’s inadequacies. In the playoffs losing a game because of poor manager decisions can torpedo a season.

[andyb]

I have no problem with a healthy Schwarber leading off. He sees a lot of pitches and that is a big plus. Merrifield just does not see a lot of pitches. I still play him in this lineup tonight, but more towards the back end of the lineup.

[zambonir]

That's what they said about Manuel too. Thomson goes with his gut too but in this case I imagine the vastly more sophisticated Phillies front office compared to past years also knows that lineup construction is not really that big a deal.

I agree Bryson is still maybe the lead-off hitter of the future but why mess with what's been working great for him the past few weeks (especially when last year he also struggled leading off and was better once he stopped). With no Schwarber, JT or Turner you end up with a poor option in Merrifield is all.