Phillies Hot Stove, Winter 2023-24

[andyb]

I just wish we had a track record of going after any Asian major league ready prospect that requires a posting fee. Yamamoto is the one guy who costs only cash (no compensation picks but maybe $30 million plus posting fee) who has the high ceiling that could replace Nola. I am a little worried about durability with the small stature, but the younger age probably presents a lower overall risk profile.

[Chris23]

How much emphasis do you guys put on the Phillies lack of infrastructure of signing and nurturing Japanese players who come to the US?

Is it something that can be done in one offseason or will it take a longer process of hiring the right people and letting them develop a plan?

[Callison]

Maybe the Phils should offer Ohtani too to show their into Japanese players.

[andyb]

We don't have an open DH unless you want to trade Schwarber. Ohtani has never made sense on the current roster.

[zambonir]

Another way to interpret a Salisbury report is that the Phillies would like us to think they are interested. I seem to recall them acting like they were doing their due diligence on Ohtani the first time.

But for sure, they should be interested. Everyone who can afford him should be.

[Squire]

Part of me interprets these "Phillies have interest in..." reports as the Phillies signaling Nola's camp that the Phillies have options too.

[zambonir]

For sure. I would love to know what has actually been said the past few days, and what will be said the next couple of weeks. It's possible to imagine both sides giving ultimatums but it's also easy to see it being more cordial. The Phillies could easily say, this is our final offer or we're signing someone else, but if the likes of Snell and Montgomery sign with other teams more quickly that also affects both sides' options.

I think the good news is that if the Braves and Cardinals are the competition the Phillies can outbid both of them if they want. And Nola would presumably give them the chance to do so not because his first choice is to stay but because he'd get more money too.

[Les229]

You just explained what I alluded to earlier. We will never be able to judge players like the front office can and why the sabermetrics boys will never be complete scouts. You have to know the attitudes, personalities, work habits and desires of the players. Sitting at home, we will never know all that. That is why the quality of the scouting and evaluation abilities of the scouts is really a hidden ingredient of the management team..

I agree that acquiring a dependable closer is a dicey thing. But, again, you have to have scouts that not only knows the physical abilities of the pitcher, but his mental toughness and ability to handle the stress. Add that to a GM who can also do that and you stand a chance.

Actually I thought they did a good job acquiring Kimbrell and the lefthander from Detroit last year and they both turned out to be not enough.

[andyb]

No news means no 40-man news. The Phillies decided Carlos De La Cruz and others do not need to be protected. Hard to see any of the candidates sticking on a major league roster so likely a good decision even if somebody gets drafted.

[julio]

Well, we haven't seen (and probably won't see) the AAA and AA reserve lists. I don't know that we'll lose anybody we care about in the major-league portion of the Rule 5 draft; the AAA portion is less clear (since we don't even know who might be left off the AAA reserve list).

[Callison]

Ohtani has never made sense on the current roster.

Never serious - just responding to the Phils ability to sign Japanese players

[zambonir]

Stark says the Phillies are "just lukewarm" on Snell, putting Montgomery and Yamamoto and Gray, or the possible trade targets, ahead of him as the Nola alternatives. But he also doesn't rule it out.

He also says they won't get a Closer per se, just like last year (he mentions they made it clear when Kimbrel signed that he wouldn't be the closer. But in reality, he still kinda was, if only out of necessity. Though ironically he was not closing in the two ALCS losses.)

He also says Nick is absolutely available, but probably no one's buying. The four OF names he throws out there are Renfroe, Duvall, Rosario and Merrifield.

Stark: Phillies' offseason taking shape — What I'm hearing about their roster...

[zambonir]

Still a ton of shoes left to drop on the 40 I would think. Fringe relievers, possible non-tender candidates, trades both minor and major. Nelson, Covey and Bellatti are all out of options. So is Marchan. And Wilson, Clemens, Hall, Cave and Muzziotti are still there. I guess they all just beat out Dunn but that doesn't mean they'll last.

[Austinfan]

They may not have beat out Dunn, it may simply be that Dunn had actual trade value while the others were more likely to be waiver claims, so you can dump them at any time with no opportunity cost.

[Les229]

Part of the problem is that management is favoring strength. They are emphasizing and rewarding speed of fastballs and homeruns. the results are guys like Schwarber are sought. Until OBP is valued and it is realized that you need runners on base when the homers are hit, you are going to struggle.

Management still believes that unless you swing very hard, you can't catch up to todays fast ball and will not be able to sustain a rally. They seem to believe two solo home runs makes the game exciting. I believe it leads to a lot of dull time. I personally believe that runners zipping around the bases is exciting to watch.

[Aquapong]

Lots of nothing so far. Everyone is slow playing it.

[allentown]

It's very, very early in the off-season.

[zambonir]

Schwarber was third on the team in OBP, and would have a high OBP on any team. And Hoskins would have been right up there with him. OBP and power together is the best. It's not like the Phillies lacked for baserunners either - how else would they have stranded so many?

We're making a pretty big mountain out of a five-game NLCS molehill. Sure, there are holes and flaws and room for improvement, but it was a good offense. Get a normal season from Turner (.349 career OBP) and another year of improvement from Stott (plus more of the same from Marsh) and they will have lots of baserunners. Rojas will also be important assuming he can improve as a hitter (which will also allow him to draw walks). I'd like to see the Phillies fill that OF hole with a high OBP player but it should also be a slugger.

Bohm and Castellanos are the two guys who probably won't ever become on-base machines, but Bohm has improved. They are both BA-driven players though, more than walks.

[zambonir]

I guess the intense dissatisfaction with the two longer but ultimately failed seasons has made people antsy. There was not a single major free agent signed by a new team last year before December.

[bkeich]

I guess the intense dissatisfaction with the two longer but ultimately failed seasons has made people antsy. There was not a single major free agent signed by a new team last year before December.

I know this wasn’t the point of the post, but does anyone really consider the last two seasons failures? I am a fan, so success is that I enjoy the season. 2022 literally could not have been any more games, it was fun. 2023 was one less series, but still entertaining. It held my interest and I saw guys on my team excel, I had fun.

Success. If all I had was those seasons over and over I would be very happy with my baseball experience.