Phillies Hot Stove Discussion 2021-22

[David_Criss]

And Muzzotti starting in Clearwater today. Guessing he will get a look, too.

[andyb]

Alvarado settles at $1.9 million. Exactly at the MLB Rumors prediction though the Cot's spreadsheet had him at $1.75.

Breaking news: Phillies, José Alvarado avoid arbitration

[julio]

Rhys Hoskins and the Phillies avoid arbitration. He gets $7.7 million

— Jim Salisbury ( @JSalisburyNBCS ) March 22, 2022

[andyb]

Again slightly above the MLB Rumors prediction ($7.6) and the Cot's spreadsheet ($7.2 million).

So Cot's had us about $700K over the cap and now this means we are $1.4 million over (plus JoJo Romero's $700K which probably won't get listed till the season starts). Emanuel probably makes minor league 40-man wages so he won't add to the amount over the threshold.

There is an argument that they should have just signed Hoskins to a 2-year deal like Chapman just signed. Imagine he'll get $10-$12 million next year, so if they just gave him $18 million for 2 years they would have locked in a lower AAV next year. One just never expects the Phillies to have that kind of foresight.

[zambonir]

Hoskins may have been less likely to take it, plus you'd be raising this year's AAV to lower next year's. Two weeks ago that would have seemed like lack of foresight, but now they are actively managing avoidance of the second tax threshold (or possibly hoping to get back under it if things go sideways), whereas next year they'll have so much space the extra $1-2 million for Hoskins won't matter.

[andyb]

I know Hoskins has been reluctant to take any sort of multi year deal so far, but he also might realize that the Phillies have options now if he got hurt again and it is not like he has a path to early free agency or lots of trade value. He simply is not going to score a huge $200 million plus deal even though the prospects of that eventually looked possible early in his career. Hoskins started his career looking like a potential All Star but is now probably closer to being a Josh Bell type (someone who is cost effective during his arbitration years but not good enough to get a decent long term deal).

It is frustrating, but Hoskins really has not gotten better since his rookie year and there was actually a danger sign last year in a decreased walk rate. Something to watch this year.

[BaseballCat]

OK not the move I was expecting.

Phillies Designate Luke Williams For Assignment

[andyb]

The guy I wanted for the 26th spot.

I can't imagine he'll get through waivers so hopefully they at least have a deal lined up.

[julio]

Whoa. Not what I was expecting, either.

Thoughts about whether he'll clear waivers? My first reaction was, "No way." But that's probably not a coldly objective take...

[BaseballCat]

I don’t see him getting through, but there are probably people in every organization like him. I hope we can get a low level flyer for him. I liked his spunk!

[andyb]

Why bother with Luke Williams when you can have Ronald Torreyes as a free agent every single year.

[zambonir]

Pretty sure someone (Andy?) actually raised this possibility earlier in the month before all the DH-type signings made it clear the last bench spot wouldn't be a bat per se.

In the big picture he already lost his job to Vierling last year (and then Camargo to boot). Maton and Torreyes (much as i don't want him back) stronger at SS.

[andyb]

I just think Williams could be that defense-first 26th man. With base stealing speed as a bonus. He could be a poor man's Whit Merrifield if everything broke right.

The Phillies must not think as much of his defense though. SS was always a little stretch I guess, but I thought he offered more than Torreyes since the Phillies are actually well protected in case of injury at SS (Stott, Maton).

[allentown]

I think the manager gets a few choices for his personal comfort zone. Didi and Torreyes are both Girardi favorites. Joe was Torreyes' manager for two season in NYC. Torreyes always sits right around zero in both WAR and dWAR -- positive 0.3 in both last season. Williams +0.3 rWAR, -0.3 dWAR last season. He's 4 years younger, but I doubt Girardi cares about that.

[Aquapong]

That’s a little surprising, but hopefully he’ll get a shot on another team. I imagine we’ll get a lottery ticket arm or cash for him.

[David_Criss]

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached a tentative agreement to bring the extra-innings ghost runner back for the 2022 season, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Additionally, they have agreed to expand active rosters from 26 to 28 players this season until May 1.

[zambonir]

I'm old enough to remember when Scott Kingery was supposed to be Merrifield!

A town is not wrong about the manager but sometimes the GM has to save the manager from himself. Torreyes and Didi both got too much playing time late last season, though Freddy being injured didn't help (and it's not like he was a huge upgrade either).

But Williams hasn't lost his job to Torreyes - someone else would still have to come off the 40 for that. Torreyes was 0.6 Fangraphs WAR last season, but Maton was 0.5 - and in 1/3 the playing time (BBRef has Torreyes 0.2 and Maton 0.2 but had Maton played more he'd have been higher). Neither of them can hit a lick, of course.

I doubt Maton will also get DFA'ed. What's probably going to happen if they need to make room for another position player (be it Torreyes or Kingery or someone else) is they finally cut ties with Moniak.

They also chose to keep the extra catcher over Williams of course, so that would be the other route.

[phillychuck]

The "runner on second" start to extra innings is weird, but given the rushed spring training this season it's probably not a bad idea to reduce the innings thrown by pitching staffs a bit, and this will help. 28-man opening roster is a boon for the Phils, who have multiple 26th man candidates.

[Lucky_Beagle]

Won't all extra players be pitchers though, My take on what I read is that there isn't a limit on pitchers for now at least, so I think it means there can actually be a smaller bench with more pitchers if desired.

[zambonir]

I don't think the 28-man roster will expand the 40 though (unlike during COVID times - or should I say, early COVID times). Just gets you the two extra pitchers