Phillies Hot Stove 2022-23

[Austinfan]

Yunior Marte

Some of these are AAA ball depth moves.
And if you have a deep bullpen, you can pitch a guy more than one inning b/c you have other options the next day.

[andyb]

There is much less optioning these days with the 5 option limit. It is pretty important to think your 13-man staff if healthy can handle most situations for multi-day use.

These moves are of course about bullpen depth because the odds are they'll need 15 arms in the bullpen over the course of the season because of injury. What is notable is that they are saying that some of the young arms many of us thought had potential (like Miller and Morales) really have less potential than we thought. Having options is still important as an acquisition criteria. It is just less important now because if we use an option we really want that person to be able to pitch this year.

[allentown]

Control became much better in the minors last year though he struggled in the majors.

Very true. His MLB time not at all good, but MLB a new experience for him Not often one sees a 27-year old repeat AAA and cut his WHIP in half. We really do seem to have utterly fallen in love with velocity. After the WS, I expected that we would look more at spin-rate than an extra couple mph. Miller has been wilder than Marte, but is younger -- good season in AA, stunk in AAA at age 24. I'm sorry to lose Miller, but we seem to be all-in for 2023. A very legit knock on Miller is that he is 24 and has only thrown 97 MiLB innings in his career. Marte with 568 professional IP, over 500 of them state-side.

[David_Criss]

So 13 bullpen options. And I was worried about letting Robertson and Knebel leave. Spring Training can't get here soon enough.

Soto
Kimbrel
Brogdon
Alvarado
Bellatti
Coonrod
Dominguez
Nelson
Strahm
Ortiz
Uelman
Vasquez
Marte

[fish]

We really do seem to have utterly fallen in love with velocity. After the WS, I expected that we would look more at spin-rate than an extra couple mph.

Soto and Marte are 80% percentile for spin and elite velocity. Guys like Uelman and Duplantier are in the top percentile for extension with lower spin rate, but really good BAA on their breaking balls- as long as they are really good at something and can execute a game plan there hope for them.

I found it surprising that Bailey Falter is actually in the bottom 1% of fastball spin while being the best at extension. I guess there is a correlation, huh?

[andyb]

Gotta think that the locks if healthy from your list are Soto, Kimbrel, Brogdon, Alvarado, Dominguez, and Strahm. Bellatti should probably be close to a lock. One more beyond that (Nelson?). Sanchez and Plassmyer currently on the 40 too. They could be in the long relief contest assuming Falter (or Painter) starts as 5th starter.

[allentown]

I suspect quite a few relievers will see time in Philly this season. Some will be guys there to be brought up in a pinch, whom they won't greatly grieve if lost when sent back down. I'll set the over-under at 12 and take the over.

[phillychuck]

Andy, isn't a total of 5 options basically a boatload of options? I don't see how this limit would affect anything other than a reliver you would be intentionally playing games with every 2 weeks or so, and you don't have to do that.

I guess I'm saying the limit shouldn't affect how we are managing the RP staff.

[andyb]

5 options seems a lot, but a team can burn though 2-3 of them in early season injuries and then they get wary of getting close to 5 which might mean losing a pitcher in certain circumstances.

The "pitcher is overworked" option just gets used less these days even though 5 options does give a team flexibility.

[zambonir]

I don't think the Phillies got close to having any issues in that regard last year. Falter and Sanchez were probably the guys who came up and down the most and some of those wouldn't have counted (doubleheaders and/or COVID list, though I guess not in Falter's case lol).

[Callison]

Gonna be an exciting season. Really nice to see the Phils out there continuing to gather what talent they can. I especially like the determination to gather the hardest throwers in the league. I always thought the Giants gave up early on Coonrod, but the Phils pitching coaches seem to have an idea how to coach hard throwers and he could break out... not to mention several others.

[bkeich]

It does put a damper on the off-season discussion when we really can't say "what are these idiots doing". Given the events of October criticizing the front office just doesn't really fly. Oh well, I hope I have the same problem next off-season.

[Austinfan]

Well, we can still criticize the farm system, at least until Rojas or someone likes him breaks out.

[RTaylor]

I see that Justin Crawford turns 19 on Friday--an important test of the teaching in the lower levels. Some progress there would be a great sign.

[Aquapong]

We can always criticize concession prices. $13 for a beer? Rabble rabble.

[Philsmania]

$13? Try $18.

[Philsmania]

Phillies release Vinny Nittoli after he was DFA'd on 1/4.

Phillies Release Veteran Relief Pitcher

[andyb]

Gelb initial roster projection. He has Guthrie, Cave, and Hall filling out his bench. Painter winning the 5th starter job. Which pushes Falter to the 8th spot in the bullpen over Nelson with Bellati getting that 7th spot.

My tendency would be to start Painter slowly so his innings could be used in the second half of the year, but I do understand letting him win a job (and maybe earning a bonus pick if he is ROY) if he can. I probably send Falter to the minors since Nelson is a more flexible reliever and there are already 3 other LHPs in the bullpen in Alvarado, Soto, and Strahm.

Phillies roster projection: How will new faces fill in around World Series core?

And Corey Seidman's take. A little less committed on his projections for 5th starter and the last man in the bullpen. He does have Clemens on the bench instead of Cave.

Phillies roster breakdown after latest set of trades and signings

[andyb]

Good news on the small transaction front as Morales clears waivers. I guess DD gambled and won here. Still like him more than a few arms on the 40 but he needs more AAA time.

Phillies announce RHP Francisco Morales has cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A.

— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) January 11, 2023

[zambonir]

I'm curious what Cave's split contract actually pays him in AAA. His major league deal is $950K. A player in AAA on the 40 normally makes either $50K or $100K (vs $15,000 if you're not). Is he getting twice that? Half his major league salary?

I was surprised Gelb didn't even mention Clemens but with the way he struggled in the bigs maybe he figures a reset (and more ABs) is best for him.