A couple of games from yesterday. Our pitching got battered.
Stevenson was optioned today, I'm sure he's safe. If memory serves it was an extra option year situation?
It was on his Fangraphs page
https://www.rotowire.com/baseball/player/cal-stevenson-157542
(He may have just had an option year left in any case, might be thinking of someone else. Or no one at all. Though I guess I assumed PC thought he didn't since he was thinking release.)
Thanks, z.
Actually, I just found it - and a bit more - from a bot that mirrors the Phils' Twitter feed (I do not use Twitter any more):
Prior to today’s game, the Phillies optioned OF Cal Stevenson and RHP Kyle Tyler to Lehigh Valley (AAA). Additionally, the following players were reassigned to minor league camp: INF Christian Arroyo, C Josh Breaux, RHP Nabil Crismatt and OF Oscar Mercado.
https://bsky.app/profile/notphillies.bsky.social/post/3lkxunpeltn2e6
I like the Crawford move. I'm sure they will set very clear goals for him about what to focus on and what a reasonable level of production is. It's almost like they're skipping the part where he keeps putting up unsustainable numbers in AA. Just play great defense and keep fine-tuning the swing/ground ball rate.
Assuming Clemens gets the last MLB spot, who is starting where for the IPs this spring:
C - Stubbs/Breaux
1B - Carson Taylor/Otto Kemp
2B - Christian Arroyo
SS - Robert Moore
3B - Buddy Kennedy
LF - Oscar Mercado
CF - Justin Crawford
RF - Marcus Lee Sang
DH - Cal Stevenson
Others - Matt Kroon, Gabriel Rincones (maybe AA), Weston Wilson (injured), Luis Verdugo
Seems like a very good defensive team for AAA, lots of OF who have seen time in CF, but no AAAA mashers to anchor the lineup. Solid defensive IF, too. The rotation is going to get hammered, though. Mick Abel is the #1 starter according to the reporters.
Too many position players for AAA -- Phils are gonna release some or send them to AA. Castro and Lantigua should be there, too, based on their priors. I'd like to see Rincones at LV, he's an older prospect who has lost time to injury, needs high-level ABs.
Noticed Andrew Bechtold was 97-99 cleaning up in the exhibition game today. He is the 3B that just started pitching last year in the Twins and Blue Jays organization. Turns 29 next month so he has a pretty short window to show he is a prospect, but the arm is good. Results last year were bad with lots of walks, but curious if this organization can find something in him.
Local Delco kid.
Also signed this kid today. Another upper 90s arm that topped out in AA.
That was kind of weird, 3 years at Arkansas, pretty decent stats, hits the high 90s and they never give him a look in AAA?
Sounds like someone decided he was too short and just gave up on him.
Lehigh Valley starts first (Friday).
Rincones does make it along with Crawford. Abel, Seth Johnson and Kemp round out the prospects.
Will have a larger IronPigs preview later in the week, but beyond the notable announced moves (Crawford and Rincones), it is surprising to see Erick Brito start there and McGarry and Garnett start in AA.
— Matt Winkelman ( @mattwinkelman.bsky.social ) March 25, 2025 at 12:39 PM
I think Brito is more about plugging in solid defensive SS onto the roster in the same way we often move catchers around when needed. Moore looks to be in AA and he is more of a 2B anyway. Maybe Miller takes the spot shortly (June?).
https://static.wixstatic.com/media/0fa902_da0ed55439454551b4e6bec8186e8eb6~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_1211,h_1185,al_c,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/0fa902_da0ed55439454551b4e6bec8186e8eb6~mv2.png2
I'm surprised Moore didn't make it. Brito, Castro, and Lantigua are all non-prospects and not useful MLB depth, so I thought they'd give Moore a shot in LV. I think he looks ok at SS based on the eye test, but that can certainly be wrong or biased by small sample.
Did I miss Buddy Kennedy's release, or his he DFA'd right now and we're waiting? I'm also surprised Marcus Lee Sang is still at Reading. He's at least a C-level prospect and is aging out.
Yes Kennedy is still in DFA territory and they are trying to trade him. Probably less than 50-50 he gets to LHV.
I'm sure Rincones will play every day until he proves he can't hit LH pitching.
He's 24, so they probably want to see what they have in him.
Kemp will probably play 1B, 2B and 3B, since they're grooming him for a utility IF role. Wouldn't be surprised if they gave him some starts in LF.
Had a great day at the Carpenter Complex watched some BP. Ferebus sp? Crushed 3 out to left. Tait drilled one out to right but everything he hit was hard. Then watched infield, the organization of the practice runs real smooth. Saw Lee Sang talking to a fan, the players were very accommodating. I talked to Wes Wilson. He said he was doing great. His timeline to be back is 2 weeks. Saw Nori hit and Saltiban. Saw Burkholder walk by, no action yet. Painter ran by. He looks even taller then when I saw him at reading.saw Aidan Miller walk by to get on a bus. The one squad was traveling today. Lee Sang was on that bus. Graves was loosening with the plastic water jugs. They’re pretty cool. Then watched some of the young kids play the Tigers young kids. They didn’t hit much. The Tigers had a real good pitching against them. Randall. As I was leaving I talked to a tigers coach walking by and said that Randall looked real good. He stopped and said yes he did”he’s definitely Major League material. Great day.
Technically they don't have to DFA Kennedy until Opening Day I guess? I would think he's more likely to get traded off the wire than to draw a better offer rto keep him from hitting it. At least he's used to it.
It is actually a little concerning that both he and Crawford sat against LHP fairly often last year. Whenever they found playing time for the backups it tended to be against their weak platoon. Rincones had only 40 PA (out of 294) against LHP and Crawford was only 61 out of 497.
Looks like the managers need to some organizational direction to play the better prospects all the time rather than try to win every single game.