Phillies 2018 Season News/Notes/Discussion

[California_Dreamin]

PC...I love ya , man, but with all due respects, who cares what he has supposedly told friends? Did you know that Steph Curry told friends..and the Warriors...that he wanted to play with the Knicks [who had the 8th pick] and didn't want to play with the Wariors [who had the 7th pick]?

Warrior fans everywhere are saying "thank goodness" that they couldn't have cared less what Curry wanted at the time. My point is this. MM makes the Phils a potential WS team, certainly the odds on favorites to win the NL East and should we continue to see the Phils for what we thought they would be or what they truly are now, which is a very good and talented young club that has the potential to be playoff worthy for several years?

I, for one, think the Phils should "be bold" and go all in to bring MM to Philadelphia, give him two months to see his wonderful surroundings, let him play SS [the Yankees said they will move him to 3b] and let the cards fall where they may.

The performance by DeLosSantois yesterday should be a message that the Phils have solid young pitching depth and that they could offer two of them [maybe DeLosSantos and Romero,] and a suddenly rejuvenated Franco for MM and then see if any team can beat that offer.

Look, this team has a real chance to do something special this year with MM in the middle of the order and I am not about to let what "apparently MM has told his friends" get in the way of possibly giving the Phils players, fans and organization an opportunity go A] make the playoffs, B] win the NL playoffs and C] get a World Series berth.

The downside is in not failing to do these things, its in not trying.

[bkeich]

So, this is a little off beat, but I wonder what it would take to get Nolan Arenado. Obviously quite a haul, but really more than we have been talking about for Machado? Arenado is the better trade candidate since he isnt saying he will not sign a long term deal with us, actually, much better. Yes, he has a Colorado split, but he does have a lifetime .794 OPS on the road, so he isnt a bum by any means, he has 5 gold gloves already (in 5 seasons) and he has been about as steady as they come. He has 1 year left of control after this year, so lets say we could also include the 6 year deal in during the trade. Does pick a pitcher not named Nola and Sanchez, Crawford and 1 other high prospect get it done? If there is a deal in place, maybe I would even consider Sanchez.

He would secure our 3B and a middle of the order spot for many years. Only 27 years old and Colorado is going nowhere this year, next year he might be this years version of "Machado Madness".

[tom81]

Really good article in the Atlantic by Ben Harris about the changes Nick Williams has made this year. I was not expecting much from him this year as I thought he could/would not be able to fix this. I agree with Ben's quote. "The improvements aren’t just encouraging for his future, they’re borderline ridiculous and completely unprecedented."

Digging In: Nick Williams' dramatic plate discipline...

This chart sums it up.

[julio]

Yeah. Did the Phils do something like just quietly have his vision checked, and prescribe him contacts or something?

[zambonir]

I don't think Colorado sees it the same way you do. They're over .500 and only 4 1/2 games out of first place. No, they are probably not gonna get there but are they proactive enough to wave the white flag (and for next year too)? Would the fans embrace an early rebuild? I kinda doubt it. Of course it doesn't hurt to ask...

[bkeich]

I really wonder if one that far out is an outlier / SSS issue tom81. It really does stand out, actually incredibly. Williams to me was a poor part of the future in my opinion from what I saw before this season started, and then he basically was shown the bench for the first time in his life and he seemed to have taken all the advice he could get on how to get out of that by changing his approach significantly. Now the question is, once he is "comfortably" our starting RF does he revert back. Remember all those times that Jimmy Rollins was moved out of the leadoff spot and then suddenly he started working counts and drawing walks? I hope I am wrong, because I really like Williams attitude, he does seems like a great "kid" he is always smiling on the bases and was genuinely annoyed with himself when struck out last night after going 3 for 3 before that. He clearly is the right "guy" you want on the team, I just fear that the chart also shows that this is an anomaly.

[nycphils]

Yeah. Did the Phils do something like just quietly have his vision checked, and prescribe him contacts or something?

I think it really was the bench experience - when you only get one shot per game or less, you’d better pick out your pitch. Exception proves the rule though...this is borderline impossible to do so be happy but don’t expect Alfaro to get it like this...

[andyb]

Since Arenado has a year of control he likely would bring back a higher prospect price than Machado with 3 months of control. Just have no idea whether any long term commitment could be done. Baseball-wise it helps and might be a good bridge to Bohm, but if the price were Franco and Crawford and Sixto I probably say no.

[bkeich]

but if the price were Franco and Crawford and Sixto I probably say no.

If the price was Crawford, Franco and say Medina? Or Haseley? I think that is pretty close to the cost to be honest, but of course as Zambonir points out, Colorado might still see hope for this year, or more likely next year, and this might be throwing in the towel a little. Depends what their needs are, could Crawford be an upgrade for them? Maybe something like Franco, Medina and VV or Pivetta? I think it is worth a call, I would much rather be investigating Arenado than Machado, who to me is clearly stating that he wants to play in certain places and the Phils are not on the list (that we know of).

And of course, some of this is just my dreaming that Arenado would sign a long term deal. I suspect he will be next years big trade discussion, or at least he should be, might be a way to get a little of a bargain by not waiting for the market to develop.

[Earl_U]

Love your enthusiasm and going along with the plan that the team will be all in on the free agency market in the winter of 18-19, there is obviously no guarantee that Machado ends up with the team, despite all of the wonderful things that you say. You may not believe in what he may be telling his buddies, but it is food for thought. Time will tell.

[zambonir]

The front office knows Machado - and the MLB grapevine - well enough to make an informed judgment about whether Machado may or may not stick around. But it really doesn't matter very much. If you go after him now, it's as a rental, period. That is true for every team.

It's also true for many teams that the chance to convince him to stay has a certain added value.

But if the Yankees or Dodgers outbid the Phillies for him it won't be because of that, since that factor is the same for all three teams. It will be because they have higher expectations and a more advanced major league roster, and are less reluctant to give away future value for one season of success.

[tom81]

It may also be in our favor that we have a lot of depth in the area that Baltimore is looking to improve in their trade of Machado, young pitching talent. We may be more involved in negotiations than the press are aware of and we do have a trip to Baltimore tomorrow.

Orioles Still Seek Top Young Pitching Talent For Machado

[phillychuck]

Did you know that Steph Curry told friends..and the Warriors...that he wanted to play with the Knicks [who had the 8th pick] and didn't want to play with the Wariors [who had the 7th pick]?

Did you know Curry wasn't a free agent? Totally different situation. Machado has control over his destination.

[Patchmk88]

So a little off topic but at the end of the work day I usually like to scroll through google news for Phillies related topics. Found this cbssports link on us being in 1st place. Nothing crazy analysis wise, but man does this guy butcher some names:

Phillies in 1st place in the NL East

[Lawman]

Philadelphia Phillies (Phillies)

Hoskins will be a participant in the HR Derby. Hope this doesn't hurt him the rest of the year.

[LoneStarPhan]

Not a fan of the home run derby and always cringe a little when a Phillie is participating.

[jimbomill]

Howard participated and he turned out OK, with the same for Abreu.
I'll probably watch the HR Derby now.

[zambonir]

Legend has it Abreu struggled in the second half of 2005 after setting his record in the Derby, that's what Lawman is referencing. It's true (he went from 18 HRs and a .955 OPS to 6 HRs and .787) but the correlation is suspect, especially since he was also injured.

[Lawman]

Not only Abreu, but other players I think have also said it messed them up a bit.

I'm not sure I buy it. I'm looking forward to it.

[zambonir]

It is probably similar to the Sports Illustrated jinx, which has generally been proven not to exist, but also is based on the fact that only very successful teams ever get into the position to be jinxed. If you're in the HR derby you are having a really good first half and you are probably a pretty high-achieving player, so if you don't do as well in the second half for any number of reasons, it is more noticeable.