Minor League Games - August 21, 2021

[Philsmania]

What's the problem with our scouting? Bad scouts or does the fish rot from the head down?

[fish]

What's the problem with our scouting? Bad scouts or does the fish rot from the head down?

When I first saw kingery I thought I was looking at the next Roberto Alomar. When I saw Howard I saw a big game pitcher as strong in his last pitch in the 9th as his first pitch. Bohm showed the reason he’s such an exciting player last year and looks ruined this year. Hasely showed promise and looks ruined. The Rays pluck Meade from obscurity in the Phil’s system and now with them he’s nearly a top 100 prospect less than a year later. However bad their scouting has been, it can’t be THIS bad.

It’s like there is a reverse horse whisperer in the system ruining everyone.

[Squire]

I am coming to the conclusion that it's definitely more development problem than a scouting problem.

[Taudawg]

Seems like many of developmental problems began with the Driveline involvement. My biggest fear with Driveline was a one size fits all approach.

[andyb]

Seems like many of developmental problems began with the Driveline involvement. My biggest fear with Driveline was a one size fits all approach.

There might be something to that. I always felt the team's initial foray into analytics under Klentak was in duplicating what other clubs did and painting by the numbers. We did the shifts the computer told us to do without really training the fielders on how to play within those shifts. We changed a hitter's launch angle or a pitcher's mechanics because it was the thing to do.

Good organizations do different things with every player. There is room for a general philosophy of course, but everybody is different. Kind of what we are striving for (or should be striving for) in society in general.

[zambonir]

I wouldn't say they were doing better before Driveline either though.

[bkox]

They need to be studying what the Dodgers and Rays do.

Everyone wants to point out that the dodgers have the huge payroll.. but look at their roster construction and you will see that they arent just buying contenders. Bellinger, Smith, Seager, Kershaw, Buehler, Jansen, Barnes, Beaty, May, Urias, Beaty, Gonsolin are all home grown.

(in comparison, the Phillies have 2 fulltime position players (Hoskins, Bohm), 2 SPs (Nola, Ranger) and 2 bench players (Williams, Knapp) on our current roster. Plus a bunch of iffy relievers.

Then you have Max Muncy who was taken off the A's scrap heap and has turned into an MVP contender. Former 10th overall pick Phil Bickford, released by the Brewers, with a sub 2 ERA for the Dodgers. Chris Taylor, sub .700 OPS guy with the Mariners, with an over 800 OPS since hes been with the Dodgers. Justin Turner was a 28yo scrub barely managing a .700 OPS with the Mets... Since coming to the Dodgers hes been in the top 15 of the MVP voting 3 times.

Plus their farm system has landed then Trea Turner, Max Scherzer, Mookie Betts, and Chris Taylor.

Ours has brought Kennedy and Gibson

I wonder what the Dodgers scouting and development budget is compared to ours. Is it a money thing? A talent thing with the people they hire for scouting and development or a combo of both

[zambonir]

Gosh, if only we could have hired the Dodgers' head of player development and set him loose

We also tried and failed to get Josh Byrnes just this past off-season. I know he wasn't a sexy name given his past failings when he was solely in charge, but bottom line, either he didn't want to work here or the Phillies' didn't like what he was selling. Ditto the Twins and Indians candidates. We've also passed on Rays people multiple times.

[fish]

I wouldn't say they were doing better before Driveline either though.

Yeah, driveline hasn’t made it worse, it just hasn’t made it better. So then maybe the problem is the next rung up the ladder. It’s back to the same problem- they have all the same tools as everyone else, just no idea how to implement.

[zambonir]

Driveline is also convenient shorthand/scapegoating. We hired Josh Bonifacio from Houston. Obviously they have been good at both analytics and development (while also turning out to have an awful professional culture). He brought in Ochart from Driveline but only got his own pitching director (another Driveline-affiliated kid) before the current season.

I do think it's pretty hard to get a read on anything regarding development over the past two seasons, though we can still say other teams handled it - whether it was Zooms or how they used the alternate site and minor league spring training - better.

[andyb]

Clearwater remembered how to hit today. 22-5 win. Luis Garcia 5-6, HR, BB. Rojas 1-7, HR. Wilson 2-6. Minyety 3-5, HR, 6 RBI. Radcliffe 2-4, 2 BB, HR, 5 RBI.

[andyb]

Minyeta is an undrafted free agent middle infielder who hits the ball pretty consistently and hard (average exit velocity around where Baron Radcliffe is with much more contact). Not sure his defense is that great, but he is a pretty polished hitter that might move quickly. My biggest issue with him will be looking up how to spell his name every time I post about him....

[schillingfan]

It’s a phonetic spelling. Min-yet-a. I have no idea of how to pronounced that, but that’s what I’m calling him, so I can spell his name right.

[bkox]

My mind thought Miny-ETA.. a short time to get there..

[Soloman_grundy]

Bohms hands are too close. Can’t extend. Casts the bat, hence hitting majority of BIP to right field