Phillies 2016-2017 offseason Discussion

zambonir 2016-12-31 22:08:34 UTC #879

bkeich 2016-12-31 22:17:21 UTC #880

zambonir:

Yeah, we still have PTSD. Managerial discretion is overstated in general, I think. But if Klentak signs Moss for $4 million or more, it's not gonna be for 200 ABs (and if Moss chooses to sign with the Phillies, he will have been promised a satisfying role). Even with Bourjos, Mackanin didn't have to be told to play Bourjos (and if Klentak had wanted to see more of Goedell, he could have made that happen without it turning into a "don't tell me how to make my line-up" drama).

At the same time, Mackanin has publicly stated he wanted a veteran bat or two in the line-up this year, so it would seem Klentak is trying to help him out (or simply agrees that is the case). I think worrying about blocking Alther might be besides the point, I don't think the Phillies are planning to play him full-time regardless. It's just that a well-paid Moss is likely to be handed more starts than a Bourjos/Franceoeur type (or Quinn).

Moss would have been a fine almost-everyday player on a team without Kendrick.

How many games do you think one of Herrera, Kendrick, Altherr, Joseph and Hernandez will be unavailable. I bet it is more than 100. In all of those cases you could start Moss, in the other cases he could serve as a backup / PH / take over for rest / tough RH pitcher sub. I wouldnt have much trouble convincing Moss that he will get extensive playing time without really interfering with any of our younger players getting to play.

Add by signing Moss it gives us one more possible trade deadline player that might return a prospect if he is playing well. We need as many of those as possible as last year we failed completely to take advantage of being a "selling" team.

zambonir 2016-12-31 22:34:36 UTC #881

Kendrick has said he prefers to play a single position, if he is the LF I don't think you'll see him in the IF. And Herrera and Hernandez both started more than 140 games (at one point it was looking like Herrera would start all 162) last year. Joseph probably would have, had he been on the team all year (and Howard wasn't).

I don't think Moss is a guy you sign to flip, but maybe. I'm fine either way, I don't care if this year's team is better than 2017 if the goal is to keep trying out young players. If the goal is to win more games, or to add veterans who are valuable as holding patterns while the young players develop, that's okay too. If Klentak does make a bigger move for an OF then (as with Buchholz) that suggests he is worried about the team's depth and health. Given Quinn, Altherr and Joseph are always going to be one bad dive or baserunning collision away from injury (Altherr to both wrists, Joseph to his head) that would be understandable.

BtownFan 2017-01-01 21:16:03 UTC #882

On Cozens tweet: I agree, especially if you're slow on the base paths, but gotta keep that OBP above .350 at the same time like Howard.

BtownFan 2017-01-01 21:30:58 UTC #883

If Kendrick plays 2B over César consistently, I'll be sorely disappointed by Phils' management. With Odubel in center, we can hardly win when also playing Quinn, especially with Joseph and Franco at the IF corners and César and Galvis in between. This means the Phils need Altherr to live up to his promise (18 or so HRs and a .350 OBP). I can see using Quinn as the swingman in the outfield and as a good sub for Odubel, but his lack of power will hurt the Phils chances to move up in the standings unless we can get something superior to Kendrick in left. I still have trouble getting my head around this expenditure. The Buchholz deal makes sense to me though, given the extreme youth of the starting staff otherwise.

BtownFan 2017-01-02 01:46:56 UTC #884

Slinging_Southpaw 2017-01-02 10:38:59 UTC #885

The Red Sox don't have a deep enough farm system to acquire a pitcher like Buchholz.

andyb 2017-01-02 15:54:12 UTC #886

I think those Red Sox stories are way overblown. First they would wait till they absolutely KNOW a pitcher is hurt before replacing them. Second, their front line starters and depth are fine to go with for a couple of months even if they have issues at 4th or 5th starters. Why blow the salary cap now when you can wait till July and still be 8 games over .500 with what they have. These stories are just writers with lots of time and nothing to write about over the holidays.

tom81 2017-01-02 17:09:24 UTC #887

Maybe the Dodgers look to get Kendrick back since they haven't filled their 2B hole yet

Slinging_Southpaw 2017-01-02 23:13:58 UTC #888

I'm sure you're right..............but if we traded him back and ate 11Million of that contract, what do we get in return then?

allentown 2017-01-03 00:14:35 UTC #889

Probably an investigation by the Commissioner's office for buying prospects.

Philsmania 2017-01-03 16:24:35 UTC #890

Oh well. I thought SS had a brilliant idea.

Lawman 2017-01-03 21:11:26 UTC #891

California_Dreamin 2017-01-03 21:35:51 UTC #892

Interesting that Salisbury mentioned today that Saunders, a Canadian citizen, is a good friend of Phils hitting coach Matt Stairs, and that connection could make a union possible.

Phils are in a great position and when the dust settles, I think it will be either Saunders or Moss. Consensus seems to be that the Phils will ultimately land one of the hitters still on the market and getting a lefty is a priority, though not a must.

bigegypt0417 2017-01-03 15:00:24 UTC #893

I would trade him in a second if you get the right package.

allentown 2017-01-03 17:58:46 UTC #894

I would also, but since our new core hasn't come together yet, that's my approach to every player. In the starting rotation, VV and Helickson are the ones for whom that is most true, but I'd move any of them in the right deal, but not more than one total until trade deadline.

julio 2017-01-03 18:19:27 UTC #895

Depends on the return, obviously. But in general, yes - we're not in a position to contend, so there's no reason why any player should be "untouchable." Any trade that yields equal (or better) talent (or actually, talent + years of control), has to be considered.

To put it in a historical Phillies' context - Willie Montanez may be one of the better, and most popular players on the team - but if you can get better by trading him, you do it!

andyb 2017-01-03 19:44:41 UTC #896

We should never really be afraid to trade anyone. I'd even trade Crawford if the offer were incredible. All the talk about trading Galvis skips the reality that when you have 2 young starters at the same position you often look to trade one of them.

Same with Rupp and Alfaro. If Alfaro is knocking on the major league door in June you could still trade either one of our starting catchers (or Knapp though he has less value).

Philsmania 2017-01-03 20:26:38 UTC #897

I sometimes wonder why so many consider Velazquez's arm to be a ticking time bomb. Is there a particular problem that keeps resurfacing? Are his mechanics questionable? Is it just because he has yet to prove he's durable (never gotten anywhere near 200 innings). He already had the Tommy John so you would thank that would lessen the threat to his elbow.

andyb 2017-01-03 21:32:17 UTC #898

The high velocity puts more stress on the elbow and I don't think his mechanics are super smooth.

I guess nobody is going to trust that VV can put up 180 innings until he actually does it. Sometimes young pitchers get beyond physical problems and become very durable (Nolan Ryan and Cole Hamels are 2 that had inning issues and various injuries as young players). On the bright side some of VV's injuries have not been arm related, so that is a small bright spot.