Phillies Hot Stove Discussion 2021-22

LoneStarPhan 2022-03-23 00:46:09 UTC #1444

Getting rid of the runner on second in extra innings was probably the thing that pleased me the most after actually bringing back baseball following the lockout. I hope this really is only for this year and the short spring training may justify it. I'd prefer if they did a runner on second starting in the 11th inning.

I hope they add a pitcher and another bench player to reach the 28 in April but fully expect the 15 man pitching staff.

zambonir 2022-03-23 01:31:36 UTC #1445

With the DH there's no reason to extend the bench. And the point of the expanded roster is that the pitchers aren't as ready as they would be with a full spring training. To have tandem starters or a deeper bullpen.

I think we'll have the ghost runner forever. The players want it even more than the owners. The fans have no say (and even the fans who say they hate it have mostly gone home or turned off their TV during those 12-inning games).

I actually had no real problem with it, and like it even more now that the NL is a DH league, because it does introduce some variables/strategy back into it.

LoneStarPhan 2022-03-23 05:19:06 UTC #1446

Certainly true that the DH changes the game. After years of seeing the Phillies run out of players and pinch hit with pitchers, the DH will reduce the needed bench players unless the manager starts making multiple defensive replacements on a regular basis. Then he will periodically find that the lead the defenders went in to hold has slipped away along with some of the offense now needed to come back in the game.

saycheese 2022-03-23 11:41:38 UTC #1447

The question on Williams is who should have been DFA'd instead of him? That is a tough one. I probably would have DFA Stubbs the Phillies have Sands and Marchan already on the 40 and they have Ohoppe in the wings. But... they did trade for Stubbs so basically I am not sure who else they would have DFA'd. I think Moniak would have sent more shock waves and although its not much he probably has a little of trade value if only in the Mark Appel sense.

andyb 2022-03-23 12:38:18 UTC #1448

Stubbs is the favorite to win the backup catcher job. Sands is considered the lesser prospect and thus would be more likely to be removed from the 40. Whether they would try to trade Sands would depend on how they feel about Marchan I think.

zambonir 2022-03-23 16:41:15 UTC #1449

One would think Sands' roster spot is still shaky unless he beats out Stubbs (or Marchan does, though I think they want him playing everyday). They might be hoping to sneak him through, or they figure there's bound to be a 60-day spot opening before the season starts (though if that's a pitcher they probably need to give that to another pitcher). He also just might have been insurance until everything - the major league back-up job, trade talks involving either catching prospect - plays out. Which at this point it has (i.e. they did not make a major trade) but it's not all over yet.

By August 1 presumably Marchan will either be the major league back-up or with another organization, and O'Hoppe will have gone from AA to AAA. At that point either Stubbs or Sands could still be in AAA, or not.