Phillies 2018 Season News/Notes/Discussion

[Lawman]

The Phillies would have to pay a King's ransom in prospects for Trout. They have the depth, but I don't know about the overall quality. But, giving up that much may be close to mortgaging the future as well.

[Florida_Sunshine]

As we get closer to his free agency, that amount will be lower. But, even if we provided 3 really solid prospects, that is not too much for a guy that wants to be here and is the best player in the game. Machado does not even compare.

[andyb]

Philly.com Quinn article notes Crawford took BP in Clearwater yesterday which of course is an important step with a fractured hand. Hopefully he gets in rehab games next week if not this weekend.

[Philsmania]

This probably won't happen but I would like to see Crawford start at shortstop to hopefully stabilize the defense a bit.

[andyb]

This probably won't happen but I would like to see Crawford start at shortstop to hopefully stabilize the defense a bit.

There is actually a pretty good argument to do a L/R platoon with Crawford and Kingery once JP is back, assuming Franco continues to hit.

[zambonir]

JP should definitely play but I'm not sure he solves any defensive problems short-term. He had more errors in 23 starts at SS than Kingery has in 70. IIRC Galvis had a bumpy first (full) season defensively too.

[andyb]

But he has more range and lots of history of being a good defensive SS. Errors are not the only thing to look at. This year is most likely SSS (and pressing when he got few consistent opportunities to play).

[zambonir]

Of course. I just don't think he'll have a measurable impact on the team's defense in a platoon role with only 60 games left. He might have a bigger one offensively, if he can keep doing what he was doing in June, and if Kingery can actually hit better (certainly there have been signs) with more judicious use.

It will be interesting. If they do trade for someone who is primarily a SS I assume Crawford slides to the Valentin/Florimon role and Kingery returns to the utility role.

[andyb]

I just don't think he'll have a measurable impact on the team's defense in a platoon role with only 60 games left.

Well then any move is silly if you don't generate 3 WAR with it alone. The larger point is that he is probably significantly better than Kingery defensively even if it is only half the time. And largely a L/R platoon should help the offense. Why shouldn't the Phillies think of doing this? Seems better than getting Galvis or another no hit/good field SS. There just is not another SS out there who is close to what Machado would have given us so this is a move I decidedly do not want to do if the impact is marginal.

Better off making the bullpen better. Even OF seems a lower priority with Williams playing well and Quinn coming up. The bullpen falling apart at times seems the most likely weakness on the team at the moment.

[zambonir]

The case for doing nothing is strong. I'd be happy to see Crawford replace Kingery at SS 80% of the time, even. But if you bring in someone like Escobar he doesn't make the defense worse, he makes the offense better, and the bench is better just from Kingery and Crawford and Franco (much less often, now) being on it. And he's insurance if Franco doesn't keep it up or Crawford's OPS is no better than Kingery's.

And if you bring in a pure defensive shortstop he's going to be better than either Crawford or Kingery, and the offensive drop-off is minimal (if at all) given how those two have actually performed.

To me Crawford is a huge question mark this season simply because of his injury. With only 8 weeks left sometimes you just don't get your timing back (at the plate or in the field). And since he was barely finding his footing at the major league level this season to begin with we don't even know what "back" is. Literally, - he could still be 2-3 weeks away and obviously a trade has to be made (most likely) in the next four days.

[LoneStarPhan]

I think the fans and the team itself gets into the mind set that the GM needs to add something to the team to help their quest for winning the NL East this season. Adding Cabrera at least gives them another productive bat. In fact, he will have the second highest OPS on the team.

I would not be surprised to see another deal or two, but I am confident that the GM will not make a deal if the price is out of line.

[Austinfan]

I like Cabrera over Escobar, Escobar is having an anomalous season, otherwise Cabrera has been the better hitter over a three year stretch. Both are below average fielders at SS, Escobar is better at 2B and a wash at 3B.

Cabrera is a switch-hitter, no commitment after this season and the price was right.
As a player who can play multiple positions and pinch hit from both sides of the plate, he's a perfect depth player down the stretch.

[phillychuck]

I think it's clear Escobar is the better "value" as a player--a bit better defensively, a bit worse offensively, but 3 full years younger. The question is the price of acquisition and whether or not you want to keep (or trade) Escobar for 2 more years. What would the Phils have had to pay beyond Kilome to get Escobar? I honestly don't know. Kilome was our #10 prospect, probably somewhere in the 150-180 range in the minors right now. The package for Escobar was Pitcher Jhoan Duran, outfielder Ernie De La Trinidad and outfielder Gabriel Maciel. I think Duran and Kilome were close to comparable with Kilome having a slight edge in tools and level and Duran in performance. So we would have to have added someone about as good as Maceil. Maybe that's Jose Pujols.

De La Trinidad is a lottery ticket...a tiny outfielder having a good year in A-ball. Maybe that is Muzzotti.

If I'm right, I would have chosen to trade for Escobar, but it is a close call. Escobar would be tradeable this off-season, which, to me, is what moves me toward him as the best option. You would be able to get some of his value back if you decided not to keep him.

[mdougherty12]

Escobar will be a free agent at the end of the season, just like Cabrera.

[zambonir]

Yeah I think you are confusing Escobar with someone else though I am not sure who.

[phillychuck]

I thought Escobar was signed through 2020...sorry about the mistake. That being the case, I'd rate the Cabrera acquisition as slightly better due to the smaller coast.

[Austinfan]

Escobar is RH, which would make him almost useless, since Kingery and Franco are RH, he might be an offensive upgrade over Kingery, if you want to send Kingery down and platoon with Crawford.

Cabrera is a switch hitter, which makes him more valuable off the bench, both as a LH power bat and as a pinch hitter in the NL (makes it harder on the other manager to manage matchups), less power but more contact as a RH hitter, which works as a pinch hitter.

The other factor is Cabrera is playing in a pitcher's park, and has three years playing NL East teams.
So it's easier to project his performance in Philly.

[Florida_Sunshine]

All in all, good move by Klentak.

[California_Dreamin]

Agree its a good move for the Phils, probably the best non Machado infielder they could have acquired without gutting the pharm system. Worth noting that with the addition of Cabrera there will be days when the Phils start a lineup featuring 6 guys with likely 20+ home run numbers...Hoskins, Franco, Williams, Herrera, Santana and Cabrera, as well as a guy who hits a ball farther than any of them in Alfaro.

It is almost eery to watch the Phillies transformation and see how they attempt emulate the success of the Dodgers via a similar philosophy...players who play multiple positions, guys who see lots of pitches and get on base with a high percentage, lots of home run power throughout the lineup, and power arms....and lots of them.

I believe this was one of the reasons Kapler so impressed them in his interviews, they admired the Dodgers from afar and Kapler was a disciple of their system...as well as a true believer.

[Austinfan]

It also showed Klentak's feel for value, I saw Kilome as trade bait because at some point a young pitcher will never develop command, and he's had a lot of innings to show improvement. At some point you have to move on to other pitchers when it comes to those 15 40 man roster spots in the minors.

Got De Los Santos for Galvis, then Kilome for Cabrera, De Los Santos is clearly ahead of Kilome and is six months younger.