GDT 7/7/22 Washington Nationals (Adon) @ Philadelphia Phillies (Falter)

[DurhamBull]

At one point in the game, 8 batters in a row (Phils and Nats) struck out.

[LoneStarPhan]

A good win today and the Phillies win the series.

Early on, things didn’t look good. Washington scored in each of the first two innings and threatened to score more. The Phillies started the game with runners on second and third and no outs but failed to score.

Falter was able to pitch two more scoreless innings and the bullpen picked up the next five limiting the Nationals to one run on two hits. Nelson, Alvarado, and Dominguez were especially strong.

The offense scored 3 in the third and took a lead they held to the end. Great to see Hall with a double and home run.

[Patchmk88]

Did Rhys do something to you? In a game we won you go back to his one strikeout and comment on it?

[julio]

Did Rhys do something to you? In a game we won you go back to his one strikeout and comment on it?

Easy, Patch. Homerun2004 is new here, and he hasn't met the requirements for posting without moderator review (yes, we don't let people register and post without mod review - keeps the spammers out) - and since this was an afternoon game, and since I have a life, I didn't see his pending post until this morning. He posted it sometime last evening.

The new user requirements aren't difficult - a relatively minimal level of activity in a few different threads. Most new users meet these requirements quickly, and most new users read/look around a bit before trying to post, so in most cases the mods have to review one, maybe two posts.

I'll grant you I find it a little strange that he's criticizing a guy who just won Player of the Week honors...

[BostonRoss]

Rhys is taking a lot of pitches lately, but most of them are not strikes. He took 4 strikes and 11 balls in this game, if I counted correctly.

[phillychuck]

Rhys is very much better when he's patient and letting the balls go by. He really has a low out-of-zone average (as most batters do).

[andyb]

The second spot in the order might be good for Rhys in grounding him in a role that pushes his good habits (taking pitches, getting on base, waiting for a mistake) rather than his bad habits which might mean being too aggressive batting 4th or 5th (Castellanos is dealing with some of those aggressiveness issues also).

Rhys has had a good year but he is what he is. He is not going to hit .300 with 40 HR. But .250 with a bunch of walks and 35 HR is not that bad either while he is cost-controlled pre free agency.

[phillychuck]

I was hoping Rhys would always be what he was when he first came up...

[zambonir]

I was hoping Franco and Bohm would be too.

[BostonRoss]

And Darin Ruf.

I hope we aren't saying the same thing about Darick Hall someday...

[andyb]

Ruf is an example of later development that is not really the Phillies fault who gave him more than enough chances. Sometimes players get better after 30. It is rare, and usually with other teams because of minor league option and 40-man rules.

Franco and Bohm are kind of the exact opposite. Franco had decent minor league stats but we all were silently hoping that the scouting reports were wrong and he'd be better than expected in the majors. Bohm, on the other hand, is supposed to be a better hitter than he has been. He has a better hit tool than Franco but we all just assumed that with his size he would grow into his power. So far he has not, though having a decent hit tool gives him more hope for the future than we had with Franco after the first couple of years where it was more irrational hope.

[schillingfan]

Rhys is my favorite Phillie, because he’s an original draftee, a hard worker and appears to genuinely be a good guy with a sense of humor. I enjoyed his commentary on the National game he was miked. He came n with a bang, and I think much of the dissatisfaction is that we had too high an expectation for him. He was hitting really well when he got injured last year and other than Bryce, nobody picked up the slack. I prefer him to Rico Brogna, whose defense purportedly saved 100 runs.

[Philsmania]

I've always wondered why the Phillies haven't recruited Brogna to work with some of their firstbasemen on their defense.

[zambonir]

Oddly he was a Klentak guy (relationship with him and DiPoto working for the Angels). Didn't seem to have any real bond with the Phillies after he retired. Plus the football thing.