Phillies Hot Stove Discussion 2021-22

[allentown]

Castellanos would cost us a draft pick. He's not sufficiently necessary to warrant that. I'd pass on him.

[nycphils]

I’d take Tommy Pham. Also Corey Dickerson if he’s still on the market - professional hitter.

[zambonir]

Without that fifth bat we are a pretender, a team that might make the playoffs only to be eliminated in the first round.

'
Well, it would certainly be one way to outhit your bad defense and shaky pitching. Unfortunately I don't think it actualy does make the Phillies especially legit. Better, yes, and definitely makes it easier to not worry about offense from CF or SS. But not significantly more likely to win the East or avoid a best-of-three loss (which can happen to anyone).

That's where Middleton keeps landing, really - while I don't respect or even fully believe it, his position is that he would exceed the tax if it turns a good team into a great team, not just an above-average team into a good team. Like, you pretty much want to have a legit shot at 95 wins and a bye, otherwise you may as well just back into the new playoff format with two great pitchers. Question is do they have that?

But there is also no pitching out there. If they could just get get rid of half of Didi's salary they might be able to do it. But the $ (and draft pick) is probably still too much. Unless he can play 3B or CF.

[bkox]

People need to look at Castellanos numbers away from home last year before they jump to want him. SLG was 250 points lower away from Great American Ballpark. 260/319/454/778 slash line on the road. 2020 was similar but without the gaudy home numbers

[HopeSpringsEternal]

This write up on the Phillies interest in Castellanos is amusing - maybe they thought the universal DH applies to every position.

[Philsmania]

I’d take Tommy Pham. Also Corey Dickerson if he’s still on the market - professional hitter.

Dickerson signed with the Cardinals today.

[zambonir]

MLB rumors: Will the Phillies really exceed the luxury tax for Nick Castellanos?

No actual news or new gossip here (and some of you may be familar with Betteridge's Law of Headlines)

[Austinfan]

A bit of a stretch, though the Carpenters weren't exactly in the forefront of integration.

A better explanation is that they didn't like the rising salaries b/c it was changing the game from a vocation to an investment - because rising salaries went lockstep with new stadiums, luxury boxes, high ticket, concession and parking prices - and the trend in sports to be the playground for the 1% as the rest got priced out. Owners benefited if their goal was a high return on investment, but not if they wanted the family atmosphere and fans who loved the game and paid out of their own pocket instead of an expense account.

[Austinfan]

Or you just go with Bohm and hope your new hitting coach can turn him into the player he should be given where he was drafted.

[Squire]

Stark adds a bit of credibility to the Castellanos chase:

https://twitter.com/jaysonst/status/1504829860006477837

and so does Morosi:

https://twitter.com/jonmorosi/status/1504833785132691456

[phillychuck]

Can we play an OF of Harper in CF, Castellanos in RF, and Schwarber in LF? Better have a ton of ground ball pitchers!!

Still would like to see them sign a really fast OF for CF who can cover it like Garry Maddox did.

[fish]

Mind blowing. Sure, great bat- but if you are going to spend big, why not take the next step and go after Correa to fill a hole instead of expanding the existing crisis on defense? I don't know, Dombrowski is way to smart to pull a "Klentak"...right?

[LegoDoom]

Bourn as a broadcaster/CFer?

[Squire]

Dombrowski is settling all family business. And in this case the business is drafting Jesse Biddle in the 2010 MLB Draft instead of Castellanos.

[baseballoldie]

Time for Middleton to spend that stupid money he promised. Get both Correa and Castellanos.

[David_Criss]

Would love that. Its not my money. But rumor has it Correa has $32 million per for 10-year offer from Baltimore and is using it to try and get Houston to beat it.

Today the lineup is the same as last year swapping Shwarber for McCutchen and hopefully a full year of Hoskins, which is an improvement only the Mets and Braves are several rungs better than last year. What can DD do? Unload Didi? No-one wants him and the Phillies will pay his salary anyway. He didn’t have the prospects to pull off a Chapman or Olsen trade. Nor does he have the prospects/assets to trade for a Myles Straw (who I’d love to see leadoff), Reynolds or Mullins.

It is sad when the thing to look forward to watching the next couple of weeks is can Stott, who has barely played above AA can beat out a $15million SS and who will be the backup catcher. The bullpen looks to be a bit improved. But the bench took a hit losing Jankowski and Miller and will be very young. And the infield is ugly when it comes to defense with an awesome catcher.

DD needs to add a starter, too with Eflin, Wheeler and possibly Suarez missing at least the first couple of rotation turns – Jones, Falter, Morales and Crouse are the candidates to fill those roles.

With $10 million give or take available does he:
A. Use some of it to sign a Cueto, Anderson, Pineda, Smyly or Davies and a Tommy Pham type to help the bench and add to the DH shuffle?
B. Sign a Conforto or Castellanos and lose a draft pick and go over to improve the lineup?
C. Try to trade the likes of Painter, Stott, Abel, Rojas, O’Hoppe/Marchan, Garcia, Miller, etc. for a 3B, SS, LF or CF upgrade? I just don’t see a great candidate (Ramirez/Straw from Cleveland; Reynolds from Pittsburgh, etc. being available for a package of those names. Think more B-level players, which sadly could be an upgrade, an expensive upgrade?

Realmuto, Wheeler and Harper window is only open for so long. I would not want to be in DD’s shoes right now.

[allentown]

Not just given where he was drafted -- he wasn't a HS wish-and-a-prayer like so many of our HS OF first rounders. He had an extremely solid college record. He had a solid rookie season. He had either a sophomore slump or a state of confusion from shifting guidance on how he should hit. Every reason to believe he can rebound.

[zambonir]

Well, if they are truly willing to exceed the CBT to sign a DH that is very different than trying to get Soler for $9 million or trying to decide whether your $2 million bench player should be a bat or a CF glove. And if they exceed they should still have $15 million to play with at the deadline (which might not even be necessary, most deadline deals include salary relief). But exceeding it for a DH instead of a pitcher or a CF, and giving up a draft pick and who knows how many years, seems questionable.

At least in some ways signing Castellanos is still a bet on Bohm. If they are all-in like this they need Bohm to thrive, and at 3B. Didi is probably still the SS and if he can't play he loses his job to Stott by June.

[andyb]

I really hope DD is not imagining that Castellanos can still play 3B. We know we can't have fly ball pitchers. Then we can't have ground ball pitchers. We'll just need a parade of relievers that throw 100 mph and strike everyone out.

[David_Criss]

Wonder what the price is for Ahmed from Arizona to anchor the infield? Apparently the Rays asked for a haul for Keimaier, another glove first player.