Phillies Hot Stove Discussion 2021-22

zambonir 2022-03-16 22:05:02 UTC #1264

Well, we just signed our LF for at least the next two years (maybe he's the DH after that) so that's not really a good path for Bohm anymore. Yeah, Schwarber will DH a little now but at that point you still want to put a better OF out there. Bohm plays 1B when Hoskins DHs probably (though JT wants time there too).

andyb 2022-03-16 22:10:07 UTC #1265

It does feel like we need an extra bat. Currently use of the DH will give extra at bats to the backup catcher, either Vierling or Herrera, or Camargo. None plays good enough defense to really demand much playing time.

Stott could change the equation a bit, but then more DH ABs go to Didi. Really seems like we need a 750-800 OPS bench bat. They probably need to forget about CF defense and hope Muzziotti is ready by midseason to help.

EDmuch 2022-03-16 22:33:28 UTC #1266

Andy seems to be making the point that I was trying to make about Soler. Seems to me strong AL teams, and strong NL teams will copy that trend, use the DH to add another power back to their lineup. We however, seem to view the DH as an opportunity to rest some of our older players. That is going to cost us when we go up against the Mets, Braves, and Nationals. We do not have a single hitter off the bench who is actually a good hitter. Our best off the bench from last year will be playing in Texas this year. Our DH will be either one of our four big names who is getting a day off or a marginal hitter off our bench. We are blowing the chance to use the DH to add another power bat. Right now I see us finishing fourth in the East.

andyb 2022-03-16 22:43:36 UTC #1267

The difference in my mind is this extra bat plays the field a lot. We actually don't mind DHing Schwarber or Hoskins because there will be some defensive benefit. Soler is another bat that should DH though. Helps the offense but I think they want a 2-way player.

julio 2022-03-16 22:46:20 UTC #1268

But a two-way player who has a good enough bat really should be starting, not sitting on the bench - unless we’re so loaded that he’s not as good as the starters…which we are not.

A two-way player who cannot break into the starting lineup is not likely to bring enough offense to really take advantage of the DH.

zambonir 2022-03-16 23:56:28 UTC #1269

Seems to me that approach to the DH has been increasingly rare over the past decade. With a few exceptions (like Nelson Cruz) AL teams also use that spot to spread out guys and give their regulars a blow. The primary DH still has to to be able to play somewhere and the Phillies don't have the $ left for a full-time bat (at any position).

The Phillies' problem is not that approach; the Phillies' problem is their 9th-best offensive players who aren't at SS or CF (Bohm or Gregorius), the most likely DH options, aren't good enough. Get rid of Didi's salary and you could sign someone to be a mostly full-time DH; keep Stott or Bohm in AAA and you can sign a bench bat good enough to DH 80 games (but then your 3B bat still stinks, potentially, and so does your SS on both sides of the ball).

I would still try to get a Brad Miller or Tommy Pham over a guy who can play CF. But Soler is probably out of that price range unless teams are looking hard at his entire 2021 (and when you look hard at his entire 2021 he is not necessarily a guy you want to hand the full-time DH job to either).

baseballoldie 2022-03-16 23:59:33 UTC #1270

Miller signed with the Rangers

zambonir 2022-03-17 00:02:07 UTC #1271

Yeah, I'm aware, should have said "type." What I'd like to know is how much he got.

bkeich 2022-03-17 00:23:05 UTC #1272

Bummer about Miller, he was cheap offensive production for us, but it always seemed like luck. He is still a guy with a lifetime sub.700 OPS despite his big numbers with us.

Actually, after looking it up, he has a .742 OPS. For some reason I thought he had bad years. How has he not been a starter, he isn’t good defensively but he should have had more chances to start.

Squire 2022-03-17 00:35:48 UTC #1273

I wanted Joc Pederson. You could probably get Will Myers from the Padres depending on how much salary you are willing to take. But I do think Tommy Pham on a cheap deal would make sense too. Pham was much better away from Petco last year.

zambonir 2022-03-17 00:45:33 UTC #1274

I don't think we want a lefty and Joc is probably getting starter money too. Joc instead of Herrera (which is maybe what you meant), certainly a conversation.

Miller isn't good in the field anymore, even at the easy positions, and is strictly a platoon player (and again, lefty). But he'll probably get 4-500 ABs as a DH/sub for Texas. He basically started for the Cardinals with the DH in 2020.

andyb 2022-03-17 01:28:01 UTC #1275

But a 750 OPS outfielder who plays at least average defense is not that valuable. We just might need one because VIerling or Herrera may not be that good on their weak platoon side.

julio 2022-03-17 01:42:37 UTC #1276

Vierling or Herrera may not be that good on their strong platoon side. Of course, we have some reason to believe they may be that good, but Herrera has been all over the place offensively, and Vierling... very small sample size. So I think the point stands; a .750 OPS outfielder with average CF defense, if he doesn't have a serious platoon split, might arguably be our best starting CF.

I would like to see a .750 OPS or better CF (or CF platoon) with strong defense. If we had that, then I'd be inclined to prefer a better bat, with less concern for defense, in a bench outfielder/1B type. But I'm not convinced that we have that. Now, maybe Vierling will prove to be what his small sample size optimistically suggests. That would be lovely, but I wouldn't bet the farm (or the season) on that.

Austinfan 2022-03-17 03:00:23 UTC #1277

We'll see. If Stott makes the team or comes up, then the DH can rotate since Stott, Didi and Bohm can't play the field at the same time unless Bohm plays LF or 1B, which then frees Schwarber or Hoskins for DH.

It's also a good reason to keep O'Hoppe around, he potentially has a bat that limits the dropoff when you move JT to DH to rest him. And you can then platoon him at DH with a LH hitter, say if one of the young OFs emerges in a year or two, giving Schwarber a bigger role as DH.

andyb 2022-03-17 05:14:14 UTC #1278

That is not the $5 million player we can fit on the budget unfortunately.

Aquapong 2022-03-17 12:51:41 UTC #1279

How about Kevin Pillar as a RH bench OF?

Otherwise there’s got to be a team with a overstock of RH bench type OF’ers.

andyb 2022-03-17 12:53:40 UTC #1280

Someone like Pillar would be an improvement, though I am not sure he is much of a CF defender any more. I think we can do better than that (though we know the manager loves veterans in these roles).

xogfog 2022-03-17 13:35:33 UTC #1281

I'm not sure there are any "surplus" RH hitting OF that can play CF available that would be any better than Moniak.

andyb 2022-03-17 14:03:36 UTC #1282

That is why we should not bother with a CF. They will cost too much to be better than the Herrera/Vierling platoon and we theoretically might have some options later in the season from within (Kingery, Haseley, Moniak, eventually Muzziotti).

That is why I highlighted Justin Williams as a potential contender since he is clearly an 850 OPS bat in AAA. Could he be 750 in the majors on his strong platoon side and play better defense than Schwarber? Possibly.

I am fine spending a few dollars on this extra bat too to get more of a guarantee. Tommy Pham is still out there. Corey Dickerson might make much less than the $8,75 million he got last time. Adam Eaton? Brett Gardner (wants to play one more year, ideally with the Yankees but they have not signed him yet)? Not sure who is the best fit that would sign for $3-$5 million and be OK without a regular starting spot but one of them might.

xogfog 2022-03-17 14:14:30 UTC #1283

Soler would certainly be a good fit, not sure what he would cost, but he could DH and platoon in LF. For CF, I would still go after Laureano, but I'm not sure what the A's would ask for.