News of Phormer Phillies, 2022

[David_Criss]

https://twitter.com/Adams_Steve/status/1549406061836255233
Andrew Knapp to Giants on minor league deal

[bkox]

Jonathan Papelbon delivers NSFW rant on Phillies, Bryce Harper

[julio]

[yawn]

[Philsmania]

I understand that Harper and Papelbon have history but why should Papelbon have a bone to pick with the Phillies? They paid him generously.

[zambonir]

Here's the full interview:

https://usblog.betway.com/mlb/jonathan-papelbon-interview-boston-red-sox-phillies-bryce-harper/

Pap's never been especially likeable - with good reason - and yet, I can't find anything that seems untruthful in this.

And why would he merely be content to cash his checks with the Phillies instead of wishing they'd assembled good teams during his time there? Sure, like any free agent he took the money, but he was joining a team that had just won 102 games and expected to contend for another three seasons. That those expectations were so wrong as to be self-fulfilling in the opposite direction is just the way it goes, but the closer certainly wasn't the problem, and his word choice is certainly an accurate description of the Sandberg era.

[DurhamBull]

I can't find anything that seems untruthful in this.

I don't get the sense that Papelbon cares much about being liked, so I don't think he'd sugarcoat any of his words out of concern for how others might receive them. But I also don't know him well enough to trust him. His comments cast Harper in a negative light, and what he says might be true, and/or he might have said them just because he wants to dig at Harper.

His comment about the Phils being "chaotic" resonates with me though. I feel like the organization has been throwing things against the wall to see what sticks for some years now, and I feel like that shifting environment makes it harder to players to be their best.

[zambonir]

I think it's always been unclear who was the bad guy in the Pap vs. Harper thing but at the time I disliked both of them too much too care.

[schillingfan]

Yeah. That’s why I was surprised at what a real good guy, team player he seems to be.

[julio]

Yeah. That’s why I was surprised at what a real good guy, team player he seems to be.

Two points here:

1. Papelbon and Harper had issues with each other in Washington. IMHO, a mature, well-adjusted human being would not be dredging up those issues five years later (or whatever it is). That Papelbon raises this, even in response to questions, says a lot more about Papelbon than it does about Harper. If Harper chooses not to respond in kind...well, that would say something about Harper.

2. Bryce Harper is not the same person he was all those years ago. He's older; he's married; he has a family. He may well have been less a team guy back then; people do mature, often in direct relation to increasing responsibilities.

[BaseballCat]

I start developing my opinion of a player on how they treat me and the fans when I see them in the minors. I have had great interactions with Hoskins, Nola, Eflin, Bohm, Rolen, Utley and many more, however my interaction with Harper - not so much. When we first signed him I was not happy (harder to root for a jerk) but I can say that I have seen a different person and a player since that time which was probably like 10 years ago. I am very happy with his drive and enthusiasm as a person and a player. Pap needs to move on, Harper certainly has. I hope we can build a team around him to get at least one championship.

[HopeSpringsEternal]

Roman Quinn signs a major league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays

[Philsmania]

The ironic thing is that most of Paps's bullpen-mates considered him to be a great guy. Giles, in particular, praised him as a mentor.so I always thought his clubhouse cancer reputation was not entirely fair. However, he had his bad moments, such as the obscene gesture he made to phans that one time so he obviously had a jerk streak. Harper, meanwhile, seems to have grown up a great deal and really seems to accept the responsibility of having to live up to his contract.

So yeah, as Julio says, Paps should really get over it. Not doing so is showing that jerk streak of his which unfortunately is still there.

[bkox]

Paplebon has also delivered an expletive filled tweet at the Nats for not chartering a plane for Soto for the ASG.. Hes also trolled the ESPN doc about Jeter.

Its like he emerged from the woodwork with a lot of say all of a sudden

[zambonir]

Roman Quinn signs a major league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays

Will be high comedy if Quinn stays healthy and scores the winning run in a playoff series or something. But I don't think even Tampa has that sort of wizardry.

[BostonRoss]

Wow, four franchises for Quinn this year. And it's only July.

[zambonir]

And five in less than a season if you count the Phillies twice.

But he's probably safe now, whether he's on the 26-man or the 60-day.

[zambonir]

Pretty ironic that Quinn gets a job due to injuries to both Margot and Kiermaier, two players the Phillies might have considered trading for (both in the off-season and now).

[Philsmania]

Austin Davis was one of the Red Sox hurlers hit hard by the Jays last night in that 28-5 beatdown. His numbers are now more in line with what he put up in Philadelphia.

[bkox]

"I'm going to work for Major League Baseball as their ambassador to the U.K.," Utley says.

Retired MLB Champion Chase Utley on the Next Phase of His Career: 'Moving to...

[HopeSpringsEternal]

Last night's Texas-Oakland pitching matchup featured a couple of former Phils. Oakland won 5-4, with Cole Irvin notching his 5th win of the season. Irvin, who gave up 1 earned run in 7 innings last night, is sporting a respectable ERA (3.08) and WHIP (1.07) this season. The losing pitcher was Spencer Howard, who continues to struggle at the major league level, with a 7.11 ERA and WHIP of 1.78 this year. I think most of us expected Howard to be the one who would be more successful at the major league level, but that's not turning out to be the case. Curiously enough, A.J. Puk got the save last night for Oakland - he was someone who's name was kicked around during the 2016 draft as a possibility for the Phillies when we selected Mickey Moniak #1 overall. Puk was drafted #6 overall that year.