Phillies 2018 Season News/Notes/Discussion

[bigegypt0417]

The Mariners have a weak system, in fact, Baseball America ranked them worst in MLB earlier this year:

Baseball America says the Mariners have ‘baseball’s worst farm system.’ So how...

Even though he's had trouble staying healthy I would take Kyle Lewis in a trade with the mariners.

[mdougherty12]

The Mariners have a weak system, in fact, Baseball America ranked them worst in MLB earlier this year:

Baseball America says the Mariners have ‘baseball’s worst farm system.’ So how...

Even though he's had trouble staying healthy I would take Kyle Lewis in a trade with the mariners.

Kyle Lewis envies Roman Quinn's durability.

[EDmuch]

Isn't it obvious? Thompson is packaged with Eickhoff for Hamels !!!! Duh !!!! (Just kidding you Julio).

[zambonir]

Throw in Matt Harrison and Alec Asher and I say it's a deal!

[BostonRoss]

I'll keep Alfaro and Williams, though, thank you.

[Austinfan]

Actually, that is a reasonable price for a 34 year old pitcher whose team may want the salary relief.
Ironic, but reasonable.

[zambonir]

I think he'll cost a bit more than that - at least one Top 10 prospect - but you're not entirely wrong, especially since the Phillies would be taking on the $. Though I think the Rangers can also probably afford to pay some of that freight - the cost of the buyout, for instance - if it gets them a better deal.

They probably want younger players too.

[LoneStarPhan]

But if the Phillies are willing to pick up the money, then the cost in talent to get Hamels should not be all that high. If they want too much, don't make the deal. The Phillies may not even need more pitching.

[zambonir]

Well you should know better than I but I don't think the Rangers need to shed salary. Sure, saving his second half $ and that fairly fat buyout has value, but it is not going to hamper their bottom line or 2019 payroll, so if they can find another team (like the Yankees or the Nats or the Dodgers say) who might need the Rangers to pay some of it down because their payrolls are so high, and will pay in talent for that, it will set the market.

Let's face it, Hamels is a fun dream because he's Hamels and he's a lefty but he's hardly the only arm who's gonna be out there.

[andyb]

If we do think of Hamels I think we would end up picking up his option so we should think about it as a season and a half deal. We are not going to trade for him unless we have a need in a couple of months. We also won't make the trade unless he is pitching well. Absent an injury or poor performance after a trade, the team would have a choice of picking up his option year for only $14 million above the buyout. That is probably a pretty good deal if he is good enough for us to trade for him in the first place.

[EDmuch]

Can't believe what I am reading about the FO thinking about taking someone out of the current rotation in order to create a spot for Eickkhoff because Eickhoff had a good season two years ago. Seems Klentak has forgotten the old adage, "If it ain't broke don't fix it". Eickhoff should have to earn his spot back by pitching lights out at LV for a while.

[phillychuck]

I agree with ED here. VV or Eflin would be the odd man out; I'd certainly make Eickhoff earn his innings (or go to a six-man rotation to preserve arms).

[andyb]

I am guessing we will see at least 2 more starts at LHV to "stretch him out" and use the full rehab period for Eickhoff.

Then in 2 weeks we make a real decision. If he is actually 100% Eickhoff is better than Eflin. Just doubting he is all the way back. Might as well stretch out the decision as long as we can.

[zambonir]

This will likely turn out be one of those non-problems. Klentak is just trying to respect Eickhoff now that he's almost back. A month ago, he wasn't even willing to do that, which was probably (ironically) out of respect for Lively.

Let's see what Eflin and Velasquez actually do. Decision is still a month away, if they want. Eflin's made two brilliant starts (and it's actually unfortunate his routine's been interrupted) but it may not continue. And more to the point, as Andy has often noted, they will probably do as the Dodgers did and use the 10-day DL to limit some of the starter innings. VV the most likely person to get that treatment. If he actually pitched continuously for five-six innings per game until September they'd probably have to shut him down (and if he doesn't go five-six innings regularly he'll be replaceable).

[andyb]

I don't know why they would shut down Velasquez because of innings. He is old enough where he can handle 170 innings if he is healthy and performing well. He has just never been healthy before for 30+ starts. The injuries have not been durability-type injuries (other than maybe the TJ surgery.

This does not mean they should go crazy with him and his innings. But it also means they should not shut him down if they are contending and he is pitching well. The latter are two big "ifs" of course. Most likely we will work 6 or 7 starters in all year anyway or somebody will have an injury. Frankly Nola is a candidate for managing innings too because he is a bit younger and he did have elbow issues a couple of years ago. A playoff run and 220 innings is probably too much for him.

[bkeich]

I just go back to my idea of how to do a 6 starter rotation. Have 4 regular starters and have the 5th and 6th guys rotate pitching 5 innings and 4 innings in the 5th "game". That way you should get a chance to rest your bullpen and you can go back to a 5 man bench I would hope. It also allows you to "absorb" one starter injury without having to make a move, and honestly most of the time 1 of your 6 starters are going to be hurt.

[zambonir]

Well, I exaggerate. I don't think they would shut him down, I just think they have to be mindful of it. Given his career high is 131 (albeit again due to injury) and last year he pitched just 71 it seems totally viable to give him a couple of weeks off if there's reason to do it. His limit was going to be 160 in 2016; yes, he's older, but is he really more durable or less of a risk? He's had both Tommy John and (we now know) Thoracic Outlet, as well as the numbness issue last season. And he's only exceeded 100 innings one other time in his entire career.

It's self-selecting in a way, he's averaging exactly five innings per start so if he makes 30 starts his innings won't be too high. If gets that number up to six, good problem to have.

[andyb]

I like the idea conceptually. In terms of long term use of a pitching staff it makes complete sense. I just think that teams prioritize short term bullpen situational advantages so much that they would not do this. Even if it was an important part of Houston winning the World Series.

[Austinfan]

The flip side is at his age, if you still have to protect him, just move him to the bullpen.
Given the increased pitching depth of the organization, you can't baby starters in the ML for extended periods.
And I think that will decide his future, if Velasquez can't consistently go 6 innings, he's more valuable as a RP.

[zambonir]

I got that from Gelb:

Someone could be hurt. Or, the Phillies could be proactive with limiting Vince Velasquez. The 25-year-old right-hander pitched in just 82 innings last year. He reached 131 the year before. He has never made more than 24 starts in a season. He’s at 41 innings in eight starts (with all 24 ribs) this season; it is hard to envision him extending beyond that career-best 131 from 2016.

There were just four teams in 2017 that boasted four pitchers with 150-plus innings. (The Phillies had one, Aaron Nola.) This will be a constant puzzle, and having both Eickhoff and Eflin as No. 5 options is a good thing.

‘It's going to be exciting’: The Phillies are 24-16, and...

Regardless, there is still every possibility that Eickhoff is the fourth or fifth-best starter on the team. He also might not be (or he might not be healthy). We'll see. This conversation could be different in just 48 hours (but I hope not).