Wait 'Til Who Knows When (Certainly not 2021!) ... (Winter 20-21 Off-Season Realism)

[andyb]

I don't think we should make much of where Kingery is listed other than the fact that they are clearly going with Segura at 2B at this point. If Hoskins was not ready to go on opening day I am pretty sure Kingery would be back in the infield mix. At the moment with everybody healthy though, Kingery's path to playing time is more as an OF.

There was a pointed reference in there about both Haseley and Quinn having bad years defensively in CF and I recall there was one game where Kingery pushed Quinn to RF I think. We probably make far too much of this other than the team seems ready to open competition in CF and the best players will hopefully play (though Herrera's situation is unique there - he probably needs to be head and shoulders better to get a chance).

I do wonder sometimes though if they should just go for pure offense and get another Bruce. It is not as if Miller or Gonzalez are really plus anywhere they go and Haseley can always be used as the late inning defensive sub. Maton or Chathan would actually be pretty decent anywhere they play too and we know Kingery is competent in most of his positions. The weakness on the bench now is offense and not defense.

[David_Criss]

https://twitter.com/Feinsand/status/1356639022693629954
In addition to Salisbury confirming the Phillies interest in M. Gonzalez saying there are half a dozen teams in on him.

[Dirk41]

I'm admittedly ignorant to how these things work, but how is it that the same teams seem to sign the top international free agents every year? White Sox, Twins, Astros.

[andyb]

These days they start out with a little more money in their international pools. Plus the top prospects generally gravitate to the organizations with a record of success in Latin America. Since spending beyond the pool is prohibited now players will sign with organizations with a good reputation if the money is the same.

[zambonir]

I do wonder sometimes though if they should just go for pure offense and get another Bruce. It is not as if Miller or Gonzalez are really plus anywhere they go and Haseley can always be used as the late inning defensive sub.

Well, Miller's already better than Bruce, if you think he can keep doing it. He's certainly younger/less injury-prone (and I realize you don't literally mean bring back Bruce).

Gonzalez can also be a pretty big bat, if not an all-around productive hitter, assuming he isn't as bad as he was last year.

In both cases I feel like they are already focusing on LF/1B guys, it would be a small bonus if they can play a little middle IF, but they're neither Josh Harrison/Neil Walkers who are definitively 2B/3B, nor SS candidates.

I agree anything can happen with Kingery, but A) he's probably going to be our opening day centerfielder (against a lefty) and B) if they weren't expecting him to play a lot of OF we really wouldn't need Maton or Chatham. But every manager seems to want one more bad-hitting glove than any fan does.

[andyb]

Gonzalez can also be a pretty big bat, if not an all-around productive hitter, assuming he isn't as bad as he was last year.

Less sure about this. He had an outlier year in 2017 (OPS 907) but his next best year was 759 way back in 2015. 733, 736, 606 the last 3 years suggest he is basically a 700 OPS guy at this point (and maybe he knew what pitch was coming in 2017).

[zambonir]

Yeah I guess I remember him too fondly from the World Series team.

Heck, at this rate Bruce himself might have to take a minor league deal. There will be someone out there. How do we find the next Darin Ruf?

[andyb]

How about kicking the tires on Asdrubel Cabrera again? He shockingly has never played LF (and is pretty bad everywhere these days), but he can still hit.

[zambonir]

Yeah what we really need is to hit big on one of those guys. Cabrera just couldn't put it together in his brief time with us. Amazing how much Howie Kendrick had left too.

We did it with Miller but then couldn't keep him. Bruce was supposed to be that good given what he was making (even though the Mets were paying it), and still wasn't especially good.

It will be interesting to see the list of minor league deals coming up.

[andyb]

Markakis is out there too and not sure anyone will guarantee him a starting job. He could platoon against RHP with us. Cutch could play a little 1B too if necessary. I also would not be shocked if we still do get the DH this year.

[zambonir]

Cutch to 1B doesn't do much good when Bohm and Hoskins (and Kingery and Segura for that matter) are all RH.

Markakis really struggled last year (despite almost exclusively facing RHPs) but yeah by all means, bring him and hope it was because of the weird year (maybe he was also out of shape).

[andyb]

Remember Markakis did not have any Summer Camp last year as he opted out and came back late. OPS still was over .700. I am not saying he is great. But his $4 million price the last 2 years might be down to $1.5 million with incentives. And he is still great in the clubhouse and pretty good defensively. Maybe he hurts Haseley's development, but his career is kind of everything we hope Haseley could be so maybe he is a mentor there.

If a $1.5 million bat is simply a pinch hitter and 1-start-a-week guy that is OK too. Just thinking of left-handed offensive bats we could bring in cheaply. Nomar Mazara is out there too. White Sox kept Nick Williams over him....

[BostonRoss]

I would give Kingery the first shot at CF. He has the most upside. If he can’t hack it, we still have the others.

[rkeden]

Hi Tom- Your Boston team (by neighborhood, not allegiance!) just lost a second baseman and we have two. Do you think we could find one of our missing links on their squad and solve problems for both teams? I think Jean would look good in the Red Sox line-up.

[zambonir]

They didn't actually lose a 2B, Pedroia hasn't played for real since 2017. Heck, the Sox already traded us their extra one!

Segura is basically untradeable, the only reason to trade him would be if the Phillies could spend half or 2/3 of his salary on pitching, but nobody is going to take those terms. Plus, what if Kingery doesn't come around?

[David_Criss]

https://twitter.com/ByRobertMurray/status/1356982406301900801

Source: Chase Anderson in agreement with the Philadelphia Phillies, pending physical.

Doesn't say if it is for the pen or rotation or if it is a minor or major league deal.

[kmc1019]

Minor league deal for Anderson? Any depth is good I suppose, but - wow - was he terrible in 2020 and gives up a ton of homers in any year.

[Taudawg]

MLB trade rumors says MLB deal -

Phillies Sign Chase Anderson

[Taudawg]

Similar to the Matt Moore deal, I kinda like this Chase Anderson signing and we don't even know the cost yet. Chase does give up the long ball, but take away his horrific 2020, he's been a pretty solid starting MLB pitcher.

In 2020 he had one inning where he surrendered 5 home runs.

[andyb]

$4 million, so a little more than Moore. Guessing this puts Velazquez in the pen to start the season. Moore and Anderson could start in the rotation with Howard held back. Hard to know if that is good for Howard since there will be no minor league games for a month. If he competes for a job and then does not get it he is in kind of training limbo.

It will be hard to cut Moore or Anderson loose with their contracts in the first half of the year if they do not perform well, so we should assume they'll get chances. Not a bad move though I think I would prefer one more quality reliever at this point, not knowing if Velazquez can be effective in the bullpen.