GDT 4/8/22 Oakland Athletics (Montas) @ Philadelphia Phillies (Nola)

[andyb]

He had one elbow scare early in his career but seemed to work through it. Like 4 years ago.

[zambonir]

Hopefully, by that time Abel and Painter will be ready, Saurez will have established himself, and one or two other pitchers in the system progress where they can fill out the back of a rotation.

Well, they probably have to sign a free agent or trade for a starter next year to replace one of Eflin and Gibson (if not both). Unless they acquire someone controllable in July. And odds are they'll have to add another for 2024 (if not Nola) especiallly if Wheeler is winding down. Even Abel might not be ready by then, let alone both youngsters (plus, TNSAAPP etc.).

[andyb]

Nola goes up to $16 million next year. They will pick that option up if he is healthy (and it has a $4.25 million buyout so they probably pick it up even if there are some questions).

Assuming Eflin and Gibson are good enough to be wanted back it is pretty safe to say they will invest money in at least one more starter. Eflin at 3/45 and Gibson at 2/20 might be the future if they have decent years. Just depends on whether that is what we want (and Gibson really may not be the best fit for CBP).

[Austinfan]

I don't think anyone is going to chase Eflin, those knees will limit him to short-term deals.
Gibson is fungible.
Nola will be back next year, I'd extend him but not to a 5-6 year deal, his arm won't get stronger as he ages.

They really need a few of the arms they've brought in the past few years to step up.
Falter would be my candidate, he's got starter stuff and added velo as he filled out that frame.
Not sold on Sanchez as anything more than long relief. Nor on Crouse.
If Leverett could add more velo, but the rest of the Reading SPs are low velo guys.
You really have to get down to Lakewood, not just Abel, but McGarry, Pipkin, Ben Brown, McGowan, Lindlow - but they're probably 2-3 years away, and the ones in Clearwater even further.

[zambonir]

Gibson is a one-year deal guy, and/or the pitcher most likely to be upgraded from in the rotation come July. And Eflin seems pretty determined to hit the open market, but that's not to say he isn't signable. Both sides happy to see how this year plays out I'm sure.

[Philsmania]

I was there. A fantastic day for a ballgame!

I didn't have a problem with Nola going back out there. He didn't throw a lot of pitches up to that point. And, don't forget how Kapler got roasted for taking Nola out after six innings in eerily similar circumstances four years ago. Sometimes managers can't win.

Dominguez was brilliant. Getting him back to form would be absolutely HUGE for the bullpen.

[zambonir]

What Kapler did was extreme (but also probably suggested by the analytics). Nola had only pitched 5 1/3, 68 pitches. And got pulled so Hoby Milner could pitch to Freddie Freeman!

Yesterday, by contrast, he'd gone a full six and than wound up facing three more batters, even if the pitch count wasn't much higher. I think Girardi made a reflexive move without truly considering the unique circumstances of this spring training.

But you're still not wrong: you might have watched Familia give up three runs all on his own had he started the inning.

[andyb]

And yesterday Nola would have had a couple fewer Spring Training starts than any other year.