Phillies Hot Stove 2022-23

[zambonir]

Probably cheaper than signing someone to a minor league deal with a higher guarantee. Also probably means Hall has a job for sure. Seems like he has to be DH/OF almost exclusively though.

[bkeich]

I guess what I don't like is that you are telling young guys that they can't make the team before ST even starts. I just don't see a reason to give Harrison a Major League deal, sign him and give him a shot, but it is January and he is a VERY marginal bench player (can't hit).

I like the idea of having his speed available with our team, but I don't see why you give him a guaranteed roster spot. Of course he can still be cut...

[Aquapong]

I was kind of wondering if they would take shot on Wacha as more pitching depth. Maybe we’ll see another trade coming? Bohm?

[andyb]

Right handed bat. Plays infield and corner outfield. This is the Hall platoon. Cave and Kingery no longer are needed as immediate options.

Kind of the Howie Kendrick 2.0 move for us even if his value is a little more defensive than Howie's was.

[zambonir]

Yeah the only young guy it hurts is Clemens and he's a LHB who seems to need a reset in AAA (and Cave, while not young, is also a LHB). I reckon Guthrie still has a role regardless but considering he's never even played a major league spring training game and isn't likely to hit either, no big deal if he gets squeezed out.

Signing a LHB would have actually more definitively taken away opportunities from Hall, Clemens and Cave.

It's just funny they whiffed on Harrison the first time (kept Neil Walker instead and Harrison was much better. He has hit much better in the NL, FWIW, but that still can't make him two years younger).

[LoneStarPhan]

As they say, it's not my money. I see the advantages of adding a veteran presence to the bench that can provide coverage at second, third, and corner outfield positions as well as another RH bat. Of course, it may not work out, but Harrison might just make a positive contribution to the 2023 team.

He does provide a RH second base option if Stott struggles with LHP this season, although I guess Sosa did that as well. We will see how it works out.

He also can fill the mop up, position player pitching role.

[VoteForKalas]

What are people's thoughts about the value of speed and base stealing this season in relation to the new pitcher rules?

I think base stealing could become an advantage again and help produce runs.

[zambonir]

I guess I'm having a hard time seeing speed as something a guy who turns 36 and stole 2 bases last year (in 425 PA) in July really brings.

It seems like they did just want to add a vet in Harper's absence, even if the positional fit seems a bit odd. Sosa probably is the guy who loses playing time here - at 2B and maybe even at 3B if they want to DH Bohm but still have more offense than defense against a LHP.

How Hall and Harrison and Guthrie fit in will likely evolve and change around Harper's return and the trade deadline. Marsh and Stott's ability to play every single day also has to be established (or not).

You could also play Harrison instead of Bohm against RHP occasionally. He's merely average (102 OPS+ the last two seasons) but Bohm is bad.

[BaseballCat]

It does seem like an odd fit and against letting the kids play. Total speculation but maybe there is an injury we don’t know about. Or maybe he made an impression on higher ups in the lost 2020 season. Giving him a MLB contract seems above public perceived need. Time will tell

[zambonir]

Or maybe he made an impression on higher ups in the lost 2020 season.

No higher-ups left from that season, though I suppose Thomson and Fuld were both around.

He is basically replacing Vierling, without the CF component. But Vierling also made a lot of starts in LF and RF (33) plus another 12 split amongst 3B, 2B, 1B and DH. Depth is good. There's always going to more playing time than you expect especially on what is still an older team (at LF, RF, 1B, C and SS). Some wanted the Phillies to go out and spend $8-12 million on a Harper band-aid. This is cheaper. And Cave or Guthrie still make the team as extra OF.

[andyb]

I think base stealing could become an advantage again and help produce runs.

This is definitely true and probably one of the reasons that they preferred Turner at SS over Correa. Guthrie can also run though he is replacing Vierling on the roster.

As for Harrison I think it is much more about the veteran presence and the desire for another right-handed bat. He also might be keeping the Rojas roster spot warm for a year as Rojas is really the guy that can fill that speed role. Rojas could slip into an outfield-only version of the Vierling role and play against LHP and defensive sub/pinch run in every other game. A right-handed version of Kansas City's Jarrod Dyson who would routinely put up 2+ WAR in half seasons.

[Austinfan]

Harrison is a fine hitter for a legitimate utility player, RC+ 104 and 98 the last two seasons in a close to full-time role.
He's a switch hitter without much of a platoon split, so he provides a lot of flexibility off the bench.

[zambonir]

He's not a switch hitter. That would have been a great thing.

[andyb]

It is actually interesting how they have moved away from switch hitters of late. Nobody on the likely 26-man roster and only Marchan in the next wave. Probably just happenstance, but we used to have Knapp and Quinn and Camargo in recent years to give the manager a little more flexibility.

There are hardly any switch hitters in our minors also. The only prospect of any kind outside of the DSL might be Andrick Nava. Luis Garcia was a switch hitter but he is gone now. Newly signed Starlyn Caba is probably our best switch hitting prospect now after Marchan.

[zambonir]

It just seems like most of them have such a pronounced platoon split anyway. Quinn even tried to stop doing it for a while.

I feel like it's not out of the question that another minor move happens. Harrison and Sosa actually seem slightly redundant if you assume Turner will rarely sit or DH (though you still need a back-up SS). But I reckon the DH spot is really what this is about. Harrison gives them more options to use any RHB at DH, or Schwarber for that matter. And there's value in having a guy right from the start of spring training.

[David_Criss]

Guessing Harrison's signing puts an end to any hope of Kingery making the team just a few days after Rob Thompson talks about his opportunity. And Kingery is owed a lot of money this season.

[zambonir]

No doubt. But that was just a nice human interest off-season feature, not any real reflection of the team's plans. Kingery was already pretty much going to have to put up a .900 OPS just to stay in major league spring training for the duration. His chance was always more likely to come in-season between continuing to be consistent in AAA and inevitable injuries.

Another advantage of finally spending money without worrying about the CBT - Kingery's $4 million tax hit doesn't stop them from adding another $2 million if they like Harrison better (and why wouldn't they?). The money that they actually pay Kingery doesn't matter much beyond the taxable amount.

[zambonir]

For now, the question: who leaves the 40 to make room for Harrison?

[andyb]

There are still a bunch of extra pitchers on the 40. Luis Ortiz, Michael Plassmeyer, Eric Uelman, Andrew Vasquez. Imagine it is one of them. I don't think 60-day IL moves can be made until March, though we might need Bryce's spot for a non-roster player out of Spring Training.

Fangraphs thought enough of the Harrison move to actually write about it.

Phillies Add Josh Harrison To Replenish a Depleted Bench

[zambonir]

The #Phillies announce they signed INF Josh Harrison to a one-year deal. To make room on the 40-man roster, they DFA'd RHP Sam Coonrod.

— Todd Zolecki ( @ToddZolecki ) January 30, 2023

I remember Gelb predicting Coonrod (or perhaps Nelson) might actually get traded for a bench piece). Guess they didn't find much traction either way for now.