Phillies 2017 Spring Training Discussion

andyb 2017-02-26 18:06:52 UTC #61

Franco's inside the park home run: 19.7 seconds around the bases. I know he may not have realized he had to run all out right away, but that is just slow. 20 speed slow.

donaldorc 2017-02-26 18:53:10 UTC #62

He stopped at second base thinking it would be a double. That has to account for a bit of the slowness.

Austinfan 2017-02-26 19:00:33 UTC #63

That's a weird fence, I mean they couldn't afford to put a border on the bottom?

Philsmania 2017-02-27 15:29:49 UTC #64

Interesting column in yesterday's Inquirer from Bob Brookover. Apparently, Gillick, Giles and Green are not down in Clearwater. Gillick for unknown reasons but he is expected to get there at some point. Giles and Green, however, are having health problems. Giles hopes to get down there at some point, but it sounds like Green is not doing well and won't be getting to Clearwater.

julio 2017-02-27 15:36:15 UTC #65

I've debated whether to comment (something of the sense of "dancing on a grave"), but I see Dallas Green's absence as a positive thing. If Green is not there, he won't be making poisonous comments about young players to his friends in the media.

I certainly don't wish Green (literally) ill, and I can understand Larry Bowa's sense of personal loss at his absence - they go way back together - but I believe it's for the best. This organization has needed a culture change, which is why Middleton brought in outsiders (MacPhail/Klentak) to manage the turnaround. Dallas Green isn't about to change (nor should he be expected to change, at this point in his life!), and that means he really can't be part of the changes that are happening, that need to be happening.

phillychuck 2017-02-27 16:30:02 UTC #66

As long as Bowa is in the clubhouse I don't see a lot of positive change occurring.

donaldorc 2017-02-28 11:13:24 UTC #67

I read somewhere earlier that Gillick was on the road doing what he does best: watching prospects and schmoozing with baseball people. Not to read anything into his absence.

California_Dreamin 2017-02-28 15:08:15 UTC #68

Yes, Gillick is fine. Green and Giles are ill. Monty is doing well also.

Austinfan 2017-02-28 17:06:18 UTC #69

Keep Giles and Montgomery far away from the team, let them do PR fluff stuff in Philadelphia.
Green is a fossil, get him a rocking chair and take away his hearing aid.

Gillick at least can provide Klentak with useful advice.

Bowa doesn't bother me, as a coach he's harmless and he doesn understand both infield defense and small ball offense (Kingery could learn from him).

Philsmania 2017-02-28 17:17:28 UTC #70

I read somewhere last year that Bowa is the intermediary between the analytics department and either the coaching staff or the players themselves. And, he was very outspoken in support of Kim Ng when she was considered for the Phillies' GM spot. Bowa strikes me as a consummate baseball survivor. You can definitely see hints of him having evolved as a baseball person. Managing was probably his level of incompetence but he's settled in nicely at the coaching level. Joe Torre, a HOF manager, saw fit to have him on his staff the last several seasons he managed.

zambonir 2017-02-28 23:55:39 UTC #71

I think everyone agrees Bowa is an excellent coach, even if bench coach isn't necessarily his best role, but who really knows? He and Sandberg were not necessarily the best combination but Mackanin was happy to keep him on and he was happy to stay (hardly a guarantee given Sandberg brought him in and he could easily go back to TV). Klentak obviously trusts the staff and at the same time, also knows the whole staff will be gone if and when he makes a managerial change. No need to bring in some distracting outside hire or potential heir apparent (as was the previous Phillies Way).

tom81 2017-03-01 02:49:17 UTC #72

I'm really enjoying this spring training so far. Comcast has televised a bunch of the games and I've recorded them on my dvr and watched them on my 1.5 hour bus ride home after work. The Comcast app works well and the ff function lets you skip through the commercials and time between pitches fairly well. The really great part if finally being able to watch some of the youngsters in actual game situations and seeing them do well.

Les229 2017-03-01 03:51:12 UTC #73

The Yankee centerfielder batted the ball under the mat on the wall and raised his arms signaling out of play. Franco actually stopped between second and third. The Ump had run out into centerfield, saw it batted and waved off the stoppage of play and Franco ran home.

andyb 2017-03-02 20:21:48 UTC #74

Nola report:

30 pitches. Sounds like he had his typical velocity (touched 94 but likely sitting in the 90-91 area) but was a little erratic with his command.

So far so good healthwise.

Austinfan 2017-03-03 00:55:38 UTC #75

Stassi making a serious run at a job, it's early, but they're starting to play him in the OF.
If he can show up as an adequate LF, with Altherr also showing well as a hitter, the corner OF spots won't be the black hole they were last season.

bkeich 2017-03-03 18:51:42 UTC #76

Brett Lawrie was just put on release waivers, honestly, I would put in a claim. His salary is not low (3.5M) but it isnt really outrageous either, so the question is he a better fit than say Coghlan?

Both have comparable career stats, but Lawrie is coming off OPS 95 and 99 seasons, whereas Coghlan is coming off a OPS+ of 68.

Lawrie is 27, Coghlan is 31. Coghlan does hit LH, which is something we are in need of.

Since there is the possiblity of putting in the claim on Lawrie and retaining Coghlan at AAA for a period of time, I think this is a no brainer to be honest, it is a chance to improve the amount of utility player we have in the franchise and frankly we need help in almost every area at the MLB level (and backups for the MLB team).

That said, our claim would be in the middle of the pack for priority, and I suspect he will get claimed otherwise.

zambonir 2017-03-03 19:55:39 UTC #77

I don't think it goes by league on release waivers, so the Phillies should be pretty high. But it sounds like he will probably clear waivers, at which point the Sox won't actually be paying him (just a 1/6 buyout since it is still spring training) and a team could offer him a minor/major deal.

Of course the Phillies also can't claim him without making a roster movie (whereas once he clears he can go on a minor league deal, should they really be interested). Obviously nobody wanted him in a trade.

And one never knows if this stuff is true but he was considered a bad clubhouse guy in Oakland. I suspect they also want Coghlan around for that ring on his finger. I do think you have to throw out Coghlan's AL stats from last year (as well as, as you note, his non-platoon performance, probably).

andyb 2017-03-03 20:09:08 UTC #78

Lawrie is certainly interesting in a young enough to still have upside kind of way. I guess he could be the second reserve infielder, especially if Knapp will play some 1B. We would still need a left-handed reserve somewhere, though Stassi is less of a fit with Lawrie because we really would want an outfield reserve then.

I am not so certain he gets through waivers. Salary is not that high and his age is enticing. Last 2 years were medioce at 1.9 and 1.3 WAR, but that is still well worth $3.5 million. This is a guy that had a 4.5 WAR year early and looked like a star and has never been below 1 WAR.

The other reason he might not be a fit here is that he puts unnecessary pressure on Franco. His defense is better at 3B and he also bats right handed. Since any signing would be a 1-year rental there is not much upside. If he is good and gets a $10 million plus free agent contract next year then Franco is cheaper. If he is bad it wastes some money and a roster spot. And absent injury he probably does not play enough to get too much in a trade. There are likely other teams where he would be a better fit.

bkeich 2017-03-03 20:58:55 UTC #79

Yes, the article I read seemed to imply Lawrie would like clear waivers, but honestly I dont see that. Salary of 3.25M for a league average 27 year old seems like a steal.

I don't really know about the clubhouse stuff, but it might help to explain how he is getting himself released this early in ST I guess. This just seems like an odd move.

Austinfan 2017-03-03 22:29:36 UTC #80

I think one reason to favor someone like Stassi is that he's has played with a lot of the young prospects coming up through the system.
All else being equal (that is, if we're talking a bench player for a year), "rewarding" a kid who has worked his way up the farm system sends a positive message to minor leaguers that even if you're struggling, stick with it and we'll reward you if you turn it around.

The last bat on the bench probably won't have much of an impact on the season, so the "goodwill" created should be the tiebreaker.