Discussion

zambonir 2018-07-25 17:28:43 UTC #1124

Kind of hard for me to believe they'd even go with the short bench tomorrow, could send both Anderson and Thompson down for Suarez and Quinn. Unless they really want to keep using Anderson in relief.

Regardless, if they have to shuffle over the next 8-9 days options now limited to Curtis, Leiter and Neris.

Of course the trade deadline also looms. And Lively can probably go on the 60.

LoneStarPhan 2018-07-25 20:41:08 UTC #1125

zambonir 2018-07-25 21:06:53 UTC #1126

A lot can happen in 26 hours, no reason to call up Suarez (or anyone else) yet.

I suppose we should also be wondering if De Los Santos didn't get the start because he's on the block.

andyb 2018-07-25 21:13:39 UTC #1127

I think De Los Santos is hitting a bit of a wall. Noticed he only pitched 4 innings yesterday. Suarez is fresher and has thrown 20 fewer innings this year (110 vs 90). And the left-handed arm against Votto might have sealed the decision. Not a big deal either way.

EastFallowfield 2018-07-25 21:14:14 UTC #1128

When did the De Los Santos 'can't come back up in 10 days unless someone is injured' clock start?

andyb 2018-07-25 21:15:57 UTC #1129

He started the 15th against Miami so he would have been fine.

zambonir 2018-07-25 21:27:20 UTC #1130

Good read on the Dodgers' versatility and also a Q about whether Kingery should go back to AAA.

julio 2018-07-26 12:34:17 UTC #1131

Per the transactions page, De Los Santos was optioned on the 20th. Unlike DL assignments, options cannot be made "retroactive." So he could only be recalled today if somebody else is DL'ed.

zambonir 2018-07-26 17:25:00 UTC #1132

I wonder if that is an MLBAM error though, since the 16-20 was the All-Star break (so either no transactions were posted by the league office or the people who put them online were also on vacation). For instance, we know that Anderson was sent down yesterday but it's still not posted. Will it be dated the 25th or the 26th when it does go up?

Given how aggressive this team is about moving pitchers up and down I wouldn't think they'd slack on exploiting the 10-day window.

andyb 2018-07-26 18:04:22 UTC #1133

I wouldn't be shocked if there were a MLB rule that would prevent teams from optioning out players during the All Star break to save money. It may not be explicitly in the collective bargaining agreement, but it would be logical to prevent teams from sending all their players with already used options out to the minors for 4 days to save money and service time. They might have to freeze the roster at 25 for those 4 days.

zambonir 2018-07-26 18:14:47 UTC #1134

I like the theory but does not appear to be the case (my theory neither).

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/transactions/index2.jsp#month=7&year=2018

zambonir 2018-07-26 19:02:05 UTC #1135

Tonight's line-up has apparently been posted before Suarez has even been officially added to roster. I assume that means a three-man bench for one more night.

julio 2018-07-26 19:14:38 UTC #1136

You knew I'd look, right?

There's nothing in either the CBA nor the Major League Rules on this subject.

Moreover, I took a look at the major-league transactions for July 16 thru July 19: there were eleven players optioned on the 16th, two on the 17th, three on the 18th, and three more on the 19th - so there obviously isn't a rule, or even a norm, to prevent this.

Bottom line is the Phillies just didn't choose to option De Los Santos until the 20th. I've no idea why they delayed, and then optioned him on the 20th (and recalled Walding).

andyb 2018-07-26 19:23:03 UTC #1137

Of course. It could be something that is frowned upon even if it is not enforced. It does look like Tampa did some options to save money. If too many teams did it there would be complaints (and probably some back door meeting to make it at least an informal rule).

The Phillies may simply have been treating their player (De Los Santos) well for being a good teammate. Since major league pay is about $3,000 a day of service time it is a nice bit of change for a guy without a big initial bonus. De Los Santos was a $15,000 bonus guy originally for the Mariners.

zambonir 2018-07-26 21:08:55 UTC #1138

Minor League Games - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

LoneStarPhan 2018-07-27 06:34:19 UTC #1139

No surprise here. Question is who gets called up. I expect it will be a position player and my prediction is Quinn. That seems to be what Kapler was hinting earlier. I think Quinn had a couple hits in his rehab game tonight (Thursday).

zambonir 2018-07-27 06:53:49 UTC #1140

It's hard to believe they'd be considering Cozens, or anyone not on the 40. I think they are just leaving their options open on the off chance a trade gets done (but presumably Quinn has already packed his bag and has a flight this morning).

Austinfan 2018-07-27 12:54:45 UTC #1141

This is the "dream" season, when you rebuild and win with kids.
I mean there's no age on this team:
Santana (32) - easily replaced when Hoskins moves to 1B unless Listi is for real
Florimon (IR)/Plouffe (32)
Hernandez is the only other "old" player at 28.

Arrieta (32) - pitchers are lining up to replace him in two years if he falters
Neshek (37)
Hunter (32)
Garcia (31)

They're not just playing well, they're playing well with young players they can easily afford to extend, and a farm system that is building depth throughout the organization, not just from trading veterans for prospects. This success is very sustainable for an indefinite period. And they'll have excess young pitching this winter to trade to fill any perceived holes.

This puts Klentak in the catbird seat, he doesn't have to do anything, he can wait for the right deal to come to him.

EastFallowfield 2018-07-27 14:00:35 UTC #1142

Florida_Sunshine 2018-07-27 14:24:13 UTC #1143

The opportunity that is far better than Machado is for Trout. Currently signed through the 2020 season, but if you are Anaheim, do you wait until 2020 to trade him or do you try to determine his preferences sooner? They can get a lot more for him if they trade him late next year, in the 2019 season, which is not that far off.