2024 Phillies Season Discussion

[julio]

Castellanos is clearly providing something very important. Specifically, as the club continues to play at a blistering, first-place pace, Casty provides the perception of a problem for fans to obsess about!

[bkox]

Casty provides the perception of a problem for fans to obsess about!

I thought that was Taijuan Walker's job?

[BostonRoss]

Casty provides the perception of a problem for fans to obsess about!

I thought that was Taijuan Walker's job?

That's why they get the big bucks.

[phillychuck]

It's a tough job, someone's gotta do it...

[andyb]

The "getaway to London" lineup today with Merrifield, Stubbs, and Pache all in. Not surprised Stubbs is in today even with a LHP starter (though they have been using openers all week anyway)..

[andyb]

Any announcements on the 27th player? I noticed Marchan not in the LHV lineup. Cade Fergus in that lineup in what is more likely a temporary promotion because Dahl and Wilson are in Philly. I kind of suspect the 27th player will be Trea. It will be 5 weeks since the injury so we are almost at the prescribed timeline and they might activate him even if he doesn't play this weekend.

It is not as if we actually need an extra player when we have 3 days off around 2 games.

[Callison]

Playoff level baseball, fans - that's a strong team the Phils just swept.

Fans that go to a Phils game and get stuck with both Pache and Merrifield in the lineup should be given an apology ticket for a future game.

[zambonir]

Was reported tonight that Marsh and Dahl aren't making the trip but Trea is. No word on the taxi squad. Maybe they will just make Marchan 27 unless Trea is absolutely good to go.

I guess if you're not on the 27 you don't get the 70K. But Trea doesn't need it. What about the taxi squad?

They did say they wanted Trea to actually rehab though. Hmmh.

[zambonir]

Marchan, Nelson, Hall are the taxi squad. He didn't say the 27th guy (I think MLB wants to make a big deal of the roster announcement but it could also be the Trea move.)

[el-pietro]

Super excited for the London games. It's a very weird field assuming it's similar to last year bit still great to be able to get to some games.
Also have a ticket to theomir workout on Friday.

[bkeich]

2 off days in a row.

It can’t be explained how much I hate this. Throws our rotation off, guys are going to be going too long between starts, etc. It is like we get 2 all star breaks, but one is only for the Phillies (Mets don’t matter)

[andyb]

The layoff is not ideal but really there is no great way to do it. Hopefully Topper can get as many people (especially relievers) an at bat or inning or two as the game situation dictates. In general this is good for baseball though (like the WBC) and MLB should do more of it. Assume they will rotate the franchises that go abroad so one team does not do it too often. The early season Asian games a week before everyone else starts are probably much worse in terms of competitive fairness.

[zambonir]

Agreed, it's like an unexpected off-season void. But, it's a very cool event, and the Phillies belong it at it given the active fan base around there (the Passyunk bars, the British fan account, Chase). It works out well that we're playing a weak opponent. I assume they'll probably lose one of the games but that's one they might have lost as part of a three-game series anyway (especially in Queens).

The extra rest for the pitchers (starters and bullpen) is probably a greater benefit than the interrupted rhythm and jet lag is a detriment. Plus our offense has been ice cold except for Nick so it's not like this will slow them down. Probably wake them up with a 10-8 game, even.

It's also good practice for the post-season, where routines get disrupted and media demands are greater. Not that they don't know what that is like already.

We can complain again when our All-Stars come back from Arlington and struggle!

[Philsmania]

One concern I have is that the field dimensions at Wembley are shallow and the London games they've played in the past have been offensive shootouts. The moved the walls back, I hear, but it's hard to shoehorn a baseball field into a stadium built for the sport the rest of the world calls football. You don't want a pitcher to get freaked out after getting hit around and go into a funk.

[Philsmania]

Super excited for the London games. It's a very weird field assuming it's similar to last year bit still great to be able to get to some games.
Also have a ticket to theomir workout on Friday.

I just wish it could have been a Dublin Series although I doubt Aviva Stadium or Croke Park could be fit for baseball.

I'm going to in Dublin for a day July 4...an inconvenient 32 hour layover enroute to Vienna (and later Slovakia and Prague).

[zambonir]

It's at London Stadium, not that that changes the dimensions.

But it's just another weird baseball stadium. Also, what would happen if Taijuan Walker went into a funk? (I seriously would have just pitched him and a spot starter, let the good pitchers stay home and get real rest. But I'm sure they all wanted to go, and obviously they have passed up the chance to let Ranger skip a start.)

[bkeich]

I actually thought they would more likely “call up” Kingery than Hall, but I guess this is another sign that Kingery simply is not on the radar, even if he out hits, out homers and has more position value.

[zambonir]

It's not that Kingery isn't on the radar, he's not on the roster. You still gotta be on the 40 to be on the taxi squad it seems (unlike peak COVID era when anyone at the alternate site was eligible) and then you'd be exposing him to waivers after.

Plus they already have Wilson, Sosa, Merrifield and Pache, all RHBs who have the same versatility as Kingery (even if Sosa is a starter so can't be counted right now). Hall is basically there in case Harper or Schwarber gets hurt (since Clemens is out and Dahl is not a 1B). Or for one swing of the bat in one PH if he makes the roster and it calls for a LHB. If it calls for a RHB that's Wilson.

Personally I'd make Marchan the 27th guy. Let him go in for JT if it's not a close game, or let Stubbs PH if he's not going to start one of them.

[bkeich]

I don’t know that I would be that excited to PH Stubbs. He had a good game recently, maybe that is what you are thinking, but he has been a disaster at the plate all year. I think I would be more likely to PH Marchan, who hasn’t exactly been lighting up AAA.

The rules about the 27th guy being on the 40 man seem unclear. I have read he has to be and I have read there is an exception, I assume the teams know the answer but the public seems at least somewhat confused.

[zambonir]

The 27th guy absolutely has to be on the 40, just like for a doubleheader. It may or may not have been possible to take someone on the taxi squad who's not on the 40, and during COVID they could be added and removed from the roster without being subject to waivers. Maybe that's the case now. Really, it's not even clear what the taxi squad is for anymore. Still COVID? (It's not like people don't still get it but we certainly don't see baseball headlines about it.) It's not a London thing (you can still take one to any road game). I'm assuming there is not a mysterious 27th player we didn't know about, and that in reality there will only be two people on the taxi squad (or Turner is the third one, de facto).

I'm not saying they should actually PH Stubbs but he's the only LHB on the bench if Dahl starts, so if Marchan was on the roster you could if the situation truly demanded it. He's also a viable pinch-runner. But both things happen rather infrequently and the situation is also unlikely to come up (and Stubbs' weak bat means even having him hit for Rojas wouldn't necessarily be an upgrade). And yes Marchan is a SH but doesn't seem to hit from the left side very often so he'd be unlikely to get a PH opportunity before Wilson or Pache.