All-star game run-up

[phillychuck]

We have 13 games running up to the all-star break, playing the O's, Mets, Pirates, and Marlins. 10 of the games are on the road. If we have a strong run in these two weeks anything is possible...How many games do you expect us to win of these 13?

• 10-13
• 9
• 8
• 7
• 6
• 5
• 4 or fewer

Show results

[el-pietro]

I count 13?
Orioles at CBP x2
Pirates at PNC Park x3
Mets at Citi Field x4
Orioles at Camden x1
Marlins at Marlins Park x3

I think they win 8.

[tom81]

A lot of people are missing the fact that 7/9 is a doubleheader. I guessed/hope 9.

[Lucky_Beagle]

I change my prediction with an extra game in there!

[phillychuck]

I realized there were 13 (missed the DH) when I was going to sleep last night...too tired to wake up and change it.

[bkeich]

The Starting Pitching has not been as good lately and I fear it may catch up to us for a little while. The bullpen is a disaster and we need to get some of the hurt guys back, because the fill ins are throwing batting practice. At some point we have to give Curtis a chance, clearly he is "out of favor" but he keeps getting people out and we need a few solid relievers.

As always, the variable in the lineup is Odubel. He is our best hitter, but he is also the biggest variance, he has been slumping, but when he gets hot he can literally carry the team (and it seems like other guys follow along when he gets going). I said 6 but honestly it could be about anything, the teams we are playing are not good (for the most part, Pirates are about equal to us). Hopefully the Starters get on a run before the All Star game.

Nola our only All Star? I think Ramos might have had a case if he wasnt hurt, but other than that, can't really think of one. (I assume Kapler or someone in the organization thinks that Kingery should go )

[tom81]

Nola our only All Star?

I bet somebody else sneeks on the squad. My dark horse is Seranthony.

[el-pietro]

How many relievers make it usually? Other than big name shut down relievers? Seranthony is probably a little under the radar I'd imagine.

Nola should be one of the first couple of pitchers for the NL. I imagine Scherzer gets the start but Nola should be in the discsussion to be number one along with deGrom and one or two others. Hes among the leaders in the NL in just about every stat.

[Philsmania]

How many relievers make it usually? Other than big name shut down relievers? Seranthony is probably a little under the radar I'd imagine.

Nola should be one of the first couple of pitchers for the NL. I imagine Scherzer gets the start but Nola should be in the discsussion to be number one along with deGrom and one or two others. Hes among the leaders in the NL in just about every stat.

As I posted on another thread, Seranthony has been in the Big Leagues longer than Juan Soto, who is not getting some All-Star consideration, has. Seranthony has outdone Soto in WAR, 1.5 to .7.

Yes, I imagine Nola comes in to pitch the 3rd or 4th for the NL.

BTW, is the AL going to be the designated home team like it was two years ago even though the game was in San Diego?

[zambonir]

I think Herrera is going to sneak in there still. He could even win final vote like Shane did.

To me the bullpen is trending up. Pitched great against the the Nats this series (the performance in the 17-7 game is irrelevant). Injured guys are coming back. Nobody is regularly blowing saves or losing games (Seranthony the only one who did so, though obviously no one pitched well that day).And the pen's struggles also directly correlate with the tougher schedule, so the opposite should be true.

[tom81]

I now am thinking the Eflin has a shot of making the All Star team. He is 12th in the NL in fWAR, 10th among active pitchers as Syndergaard is on the DL and Gray is in AAA. He has won 6 straight and gave up a total of 8 runs in that stretch pitching like an Ace. He might be the biggest positive development we have had on this team this year.

[zambonir]

Pretty unlikely to get two starters on the all-star team, especially when the odd reliever ends up filling the "one guy from every team" spot and star power counts as much as performance. I also think the selection process still favors old-school stats (not that his aren't good there as well).

Too bad he's not a rookie.

[zambonir]

Nola gets the only nod, not even final vote for Herrera.

[Philsmania]

You would think the Reds are a powerhouse team with three all-stars.

Is this Phillies team a whole is greater than the sum of the parts situation?

[julio]

You would think the Reds are a powerhouse team with three all-stars.

Is this Phillies team a whole is greater than the sum of the parts situation?

No, this is a result of low-information fans selecting "All Stars" on the basis of name recognition.

When you dumb down a process, you get dumb results. This shouldn't be surprising.

[zambonir]

It is decidedly an entertainment product. But the players picked Votto and Suarez (and Gennett was a pretty easy vote). They also picked Nola. Unfortunately they didn't hold Herrera or Hernandez in the same regard. Those are tough categories though, I don't think I'd have Cesar higher than 4th either. Herrera, unfortunately, played his way out of being a sure pick.

[tom81]

Baseball is a team game so it doesn’t necessarily follow that the team with the best couple of players will be the team with the higher overall value of players. Given the real strength of our team so far this year, the starting pitching, and the few starting pitchers on the all star teams, also provides reason why we didn’t have more all stars this year.

[gmwannabe]

i see Crawford snuck in though. will he be off the DL by that time?
gm

[Lucky_Beagle]

see Crawford snuck in though. will he be off the DL by that time?
gm

[zambonir]

It's also a popularity contest with the players sometimes. Votto is obviously beloved by his peers. Scott Lauber, in the Philly.com newsletter today, points out that with Herrera, maybe not so much (due to his long between-pitch AB habits, for instance). Of course those two players could be poster boys for the coded culture clash of "play the game the right way" and "it's a game, have fun."

Harper shouldn't be starting of course but he's a superstar and the game is in his home park, obviously those fans were motivated to vote more than any others too.