News of Former Phillies 2019/2020

[flyers19rw]

I’m going to be the outlier here since I feel that JT will be highly productive over the next six seasons. Physically he is in tremendous shape and shows no propensity to break down. He has the athletic skills to handle other positions if necessary. He’s like a Craig Biggio pt. 2. Many catchers do break down 32 ish but they aren’t Realmuto. Sign him.

[andyb]

He’s like a Craig Biggio pt. 2

He may be like Biggio physically. Might even be a better athlete because he has more power. But Biggio stopped catching at age 25 so you just can't compare career longevity. And Biggio also stopped being a plus offensive player at age 34. I am just not sure we can say that Realmuto would have non-catcher defensive value at age 34. If he is a first baseman he might be playable, but unless the OPS+ is 120 or more than he is probably not that valuable.

There is EVERY reason to believe that Realmuto will age better than other 30-year-old catchers. It is just a cruel business though and few catchers age that well. Realmuto's athleticism is probably what adds $20-$40 million to any deal that he will sign so it is built into his price. Now if he moved to a position like 3B you might have a better chance of him retaining defensive value too. Just not sure we can count on that scenario.

[zambonir]

That just seems like wishful thinking. But I think there's a middle ground. He can be an adequate 80-90 start catcher by year 4 or 5, just like Yadi and Chooch. Chooch after he turned 34 went 1.6, 3.1, -0.6, 1.8, with the last two years as a platoon (86 games) and back-up, respectively. I'll take that (the 1.6 or 1.8, that is. Obviously the 3.1 would be great, and JT will still be younger than Chooch or Yadi at the time we're talking about).

If they move him off catcher or DH him frequently perhaps things change but I don't necessarily think he'll be an elite hitter at 32 or 33 regardless.

I think the Phillies can match any five-year offer with the most money. I don't think they'd want to give a guaranteed year with the most money. Could see them going 6 or 7 if it lowers the AAV considerably though, at that point you are just redistributing the bonus/buyout and sunk costs.

[allentown]

We'll need a 1B and a DH. If we re-sign J.T., then looking 5-6 years into future, we will have J.T, Bohm, Hoskins, and Harper vying for those slots, unless one or more of them can play a more demanding position, like corner OF or 3B, 5-6 years from today. I' m guessing we have to trade/release one of the 3, and the remaining 3 rotate among those 3 slots. Perhaps J.T. still sound enough to be a 20 game per season backup catcher, allowing the other two somewhat more ABs.

[BostonRoss]

That was in response to “worst trade since Jenkins.” I wouldn’t put the probability of Sixto becoming an All-Star at 20%, but it’s all conjecture of course. Of course, even if Sixto becomes an All-Star, JT is one, too.

[BostonRoss]

I agree that the trade looks worse because the rest of the strategy wasn’t good. As part of a better strategy, it would look better. But I hate to think the Phillies shouldn’t make bold moves because they will inevitably mess up elsewhere.

I also agree that the exclusivity advantage is mostly gone now, but not completely. Of course, JT might have always wanted to test the market, bu that can be overcome, as with Mookie Betts.

The Lee trade is a good comparison although it took a long time for Carrasco to become productive. Pitching prospects often get injured (Drabek, Cosart, Knapp). I’d be ok if Sixto became a Carrasco or a Floyd.

[zambonir]

I don't think Hoskins will be here past his last arbitration year, though having the DH certainly increases his value if he doesn't flatline again.

But I also think JT will finish his career as a catcher, primarily. That's his value. Maybe it's only 60 games and another 40 elsewhere, but he's not likely to be good enough to be a full-time 1B/ DH. Harper might not be either! You definitely don't want two guys like that. And I think most teams will continue to use the DH slot like the Phillies use it now (and were already doing so in the AL). It's not a place to park aging hitters who can't field anymore.

Of course all this assumes the Phillies remain a contender after 2023. The last guy we had to sign like JT was Hamels and the same thing could happen (at which point Harper might be on the block too).

[andyb]

Cole is supposed to start Wednesday.

Rosenthal: Cole Hamels returns, set on mentorship and another playoff chance

[gmwannabe]

Sixto Sanchez pitched yesterday. i think he looked pretty good.
gm

[Philsmania]

Sixto Sanchez pitched yesterday. i think he looked pretty good.
gm

And, Realmuto is now hurting (possible caveat for those predicting he will age well).

[gmwannabe]

I think J T will be ok (and i would have still made the trade). just a shame it had to be Sixto that was traded. I would have replaced with kinney and Martinez instead of Sixto.
gm

[zambonir]

I would have traded Pivetta instead of Sixto.

There's really no way to know whether JT having a sore hip is a predictor of anything. It's always a risk, for catchers and otherwise. Bryce got hurt in 2017 and didn't feel fully recovered until 2019. Does that mean he's more likely to get injured again, or decline more noticeably, as he ages? If teams could know that in advance it'd be a lot easier!

[California_Dreamin]

zambonir...heck, I would have traded Scott Munninghoff for JT...there was no way Florida was going to deal him for Pivetta, no way. Its not like they had to move him, he still had two years on his contract and they were in the catbird's seat at the time. I doubt they would have made the deal at all unless Sanchez was the centerpiece of the deal, he was a Top 30 MLB prospect, regardless of his weight.

IIRC, the consensus at the time from a Phillie phans point of view was that it was a good deal at the time, I know I liked it. I also recall that Harper was a HUGE fan of Realmuto and the Phils certainly felt this couldn't hurt their efforts to sign him, all other items being equal.

[David_Criss]

With Hoskins, JT and Howard - it sure would be nice if Walker, Grullion and maybe even Pivetta weren't former Phillies right now, but at the alternate site.

[David_Criss]

regarding trading Sixto - the Phillies rolled the dice and traded away Alfaro and Sixto for the top/best stinking catcher available. You have to give something to get something. This may come back to backfire, who knows. Hoping JT recovers and re-signs. If not, it was a gamble and a bold move by the Phillies. It was also the right move IMO. To bad adding JT, Arrieta, McCutcheon and Harper wasn't enough for the 2019 Phillies to advance. That is why Gabe is gone.

[zambonir]

It was about as serious a suggestion as GM's.

[Squire]

Reds DFA OF Nick Williams

[andyb]

Better than Phil Gosselin against RHP!

Of course the real former Phillie where we have a current need to post about is Darin Ruf. 904 OPS this year in 70 plate appearances. We could use him at 1B now.

[zambonir]

Noticed that too, of course we can't get Ruf (not even at the trade deadline).

I would think there might be someone to claim today if teams are being generous about giving anyone a shot at playoff rosters. But the transaction would have to be completed today.

[David_Criss]

Luis Garcia designated by the Rangers