Phillies Trade Double A RHP Franklyn Kilomé for Asdrubal Cabrera

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Todd Zolecki (ToddZolecki)

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Matt Breen (matt_breen)

[el-pietro]

He can't field right? I assume he's the starting Shortstop going forward and either Kingery or Crawford goes down when Crawford is healthy?

[nycphils]

It’s a good but not great prospect - could be a really good deal for the Mets, but doubt it would have a big negative impact on the Phils given the depth and his inability to put it together in the near term

[andyb]

He can't field right? I assume he's the starting Shortstop going forward and either Kingery or Crawford goes down when Crawford is healthy?

Decent at 3B, below average at 2B, and pretty bad at SS.

One of the fascinating things to watch about Klentak is how little he cares about defense. Maybe in 3-outcome baseball he has found an efficiency and perhaps he thinks the shifts make up for the shortcomings.

Assuming he is basically our starting SS with late inning defensive replacements the rest of the way even though he has only played 2B so far.

[andyb]

I guess I am OK with the deal as I think Kilome probably ends up in the bullpen. High ceiling but still high risk.

Cabrera probably plays most of the time. Definitely gives us a flexible offensive option. And since we were already playing a mediocre defensive SS in Kingery it is not as if it hurts us too much defensively. I wonder if Kingery goes down to AAA for a while.

[julio]

I wonder if Kingery goes down to AAA for a while.

You could make a case for sending him down until rosters expand in September.

[zambonir]

But for now I assume Plouffe goes down.

[tom81]

With the remarkable enthusiasm Kapler has for Kingery I expect Kingery to still get most of the reps at SS going forward. I think they just upgraded the bench and added a DH with this move. But what do I know lol.

[Lucky_Beagle]

But for now I assume Plouffe goes down.

Can he be sent down with his number of years in the majors? If not do they send Valentine down to keep both in the system for now?

[HopeSpringsEternal]

Would have preferred Eduardo Escobar, but I guess Asdrubal Cabrera isn’t a bad consolation prize. I would think he is our starting SS for the bulk of August and September, unless his defense is really really bad. I think Kingery sticks around and gets occasional starts at SS and other positions (2B, LF) to give a guy a day off. Hard to predict Crawford’s role until he gets some AB’s and we see how much rust there is after a long layoff.

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Todd Zolecki (ToddZolecki)

[HopeSpringsEternal]

Well, maybe his defense at SS is really really bad.

[zambonir]

Plouffe may be subject to waivers. I doubt he would decline assignment so long as they promise he will be back.

Nice thing about the trade is no impact on 40.

[tom81]

The great thing about this trade is that we don’t have to face Cabrera against us again this year. He owns us.

[andyb]

Moving Cabrera around the infield almost assures that Plouffe will be the move. Not sure the Phillies care whether he clears waivers or not as Cabrera (and later Crawford) will be around for 3B at bats.

The interesting roster moves probably come when Crawford is healthy. With Cabrera around I imagine they might give him a full AAA rehab (10 games or so) before making a decision about him or Valentin or Kingery for a couple of weeks until September 1st. Ideally they do not burn options for either Crawford or Kingery, so imagine Valentin goes down at that point.

BTW we do have a couple of DH games coming up against Boston.

[schooldoc]

Cabrera is a lifetime .355 hitter against the Phils with OPS over 1.000. A card-carrying Phillies killer.

Best thing about the deal really might be that he won't beat us another game or two this year.

I would have hated to deal Kilome a couple of years ago. Now I think he's been passed by at least 3-4 pitchers in the system (Sixto, Medina, JoJo). Also, there are enough arms now so that management is going to have to make some decisions in next 1-2 years about who stays & goes. Attrition (injury, poor performance) will take care of some of those decisions, but not all of them I don't believe.

In addition to the five current starters, you have Eickhoff on the DL and in the minors you have Suarez, De Los Santos, Irvin, Eshelman, Romero, Medina & Sixto all two years away or less. They can't all pitch here.

[Philsmania]

Ugh, Kapler really doesn't like defense, does he.

[schillingfan]

Klentak was on the phone describing needs for an infield power hitter, playing multiple positions, and not impeding development of younger players. He said they were looking for players who met the Phillies delta for the final two months. I laughed at a Phillies GM using the the term delta to describe the decision making.

[zambonir]

It seems clear the Phillies either have data that says the defense is better than the public metrics say or they have data that says it doesn't matter. Can't argue with the standings, though that won't be much consolation when Hoskins can't get to a tough fly with men on base in a deciding playoff game.