News of Phormer Phillies, 2024

[zambonir]

So still around he signed with the Phillies last year! Just never got a call-up.

[Philsmania]

Michael Lorenzen staying with the Royals.

Royals Re-Sign Michael Lorenzen

[zambonir]

$33M three years, possibly as much as $39 million with incentives (presumably games finished and/or innings, though I guess it could be related to possibly starting too).

Blue Jays Sign Jeff Hoffman

[dcsman]

I get that he is now a former Phillie but I feel like this should have been posted in the Phillies offseason thread as I was not prepared to see this bad news. A shame but inevitable.

Apparently, the O's backed out of a deal they had reached with Hoffman after concerns about his physical.

Orioles Backed Out Of Deal With Jeff Hoffman

[zambonir]

It can certainly be posted there too but between Romano and Ross there was no way he was coming back. It's almost never a bad decision to eschew multi-year deals with unrestricted free agent relievers. I think between what they knew was his ask and the delay as he contemplated starting, Phillies just moved on fast.

Someone on Bsky joked that the Orioles backed out because of his kids' names, I'm amazed this was not something that came up during his time here!

“We are excited to add Jeff to our bullpen. His arsenal, strike throwing, and ability to miss bats against all types of hitters is elite and will undoubtedly make us better,” GM Ross Atkins said in a statement. “Jeff will get an opportunity to close games for us this season. His track record, competitiveness and experience make him a great complement to this group. We look forward to welcoming him, his wife Marissa, and their children Tytan, Houstyn, Jetsyn, and Lennyn to Toronto.”

https://www.mlb.com/news/jeff-hoffman-contract-with-blue-jays

[David_Criss]

Braves Walked Away From Jeff Hoffman Deal Due To Physical

Braves also backed out of a Jeff Hoffman deal.

[Philsmania]

Thinks makes me think back to when the Phillies pivoted to Papelbon after things with Madson hit a snag after 2011. I wonder if they knew or were concerned about something. Madson signed with the Reds but never pitched for them after pulling up lame in spring training and wouldn't pitch in MLB again until 2015.

[zambonir]

For sure the fact that he flunked two physicals makes you think the Phillies might have wondered about him coming out of the playoff performance. Though his price was also high. And, you could say the same thing about Romano and Kepler's previous teams, though the risk there was more obvious/mitigated by one-year deal.

[schillingfan]

Seriously, how many relievers have two good years in a row? If they are good they get used too much. Seranthony clearly suffered from this. The rubber armed guys who don’t get injured as much aren’t the late inning 100 MPH relievers. Just my unsupported b evidence, anecdotal theory. I didn’t want hHoffmannbqck on a multi-year contract.

[Philsmania]

Seriously, how many relievers have two good years in a row? If they are good they get used too much. Seranthony clearly suffered from this. The rubber armed guys who don’t get injured as much aren’t the late inning 100 MPH relievers. Just my unsupported b evidence, anecdotal theory. I didn’t want hHoffmannbqck on a multi-year contract.

I have to agree that relievers are just so darned fickle and you generally just can not count on them duplicate their success for long. If you get one who is good for two years in a row, you've pretty much struck gold. Three-plus years in a row and not a closer, or, as you call it, the rubber-arm 6th to 8th inning guy? A rarity. My gut said Hoffman is nearing his expiration date and didn't want him on a long-term deal either. Having a one-year option after 2025 on Strahm is smart.

[zambonir]

Yeah Strahm is going to be an interesting test case this year and really it's a win for the Phillies if he vests (60 innings pitched) because he's still not expensive. Hopefully Alvarado will actually be better due to his struggles/lighter use (which I'd say was also the case in 2023 after he was on IL more in 2022).

But I think the Phillies might have signed Hoffman if he was available for 3/33 right out of the gate. That's still a long way away from giving crazy money and years to a Hader or Diaz (or Tanner Scott this year). He was holding out for what Holmes got (3/38), and to possibly start, and now we know the Braves were ready to give him even more. Instead they got Romano + Ross for $12 million total, and no future risk.

[Philsmania]

You pretty much have to rebuild half your bullpen every year. It's good to have three or four guys you can be at least somewhat confident about from the year before. At least half the new guys you bring in won't work out. That's what got the Phillies in trouble in the Klentak years. Neris was the only dependable guy year in and year out (and he had his issues in terms of his annual midseason crises of confidence).