Around the League 2020 Edition

Yeah losing Cole sucked. But Donaldson/Ozuna were larger parts of our team overall.

Ozuna is because he played up that way. Both were brought in to be ~2.5 WAR players. It's what they projected to be and what they got paid to be.

Cole was brought in to be a stabilizer in our rotation which was full of uncertainty with our young guys. It proved right for the most part except Cole ended up busted too.

Luckily Ozuna played so well that his performance alone was worth what we paid him and Hamels combined.
 
Trouble brewing for the Braves as the Phillies demote Matt Klentak. Love this quote from Phils' managing partner John Middleton:

I think the problem the Phillies have had for 100 years is they don't evaluate talent. That's a problem that's haunted us. It was the No. 1 mandate I gave Andy and Matt when they came in and we're better than we were, but we aren't nearly good enough.

I don't think Middleton has figured out that all Andy MacPhail did up here in Minnesota was crap horseshoes. Would be selling life insurance if he didn't have a Baseball Royalty name.
 
Trouble brewing for the Braves as the Phillies demote Matt Klentak. Love this quote from Phils' managing partner John Middleton:

I think the problem the Phillies have had for 100 years is they don't evaluate talent. That's a problem that's haunted us. It was the No. 1 mandate I gave Andy and Matt when they came in and we're better than we were, but we aren't nearly good enough.

I don't think Middleton has figured out that all Andy MacPhail did up here in Minnesota was crap horseshoes. Would be selling life insurance if he didn't have a Baseball Royalty name.

This is why I wanted the Phillies to make the playoffs this year.
 
This is why I wanted the Phillies to make the playoffs this year.

I get that, but I think an early exit would have guaranteed the same result. The bullpen deal with Red Sox turned out to be a nothing-burger. If you look at the Phils' salary structure going forward, it's an absolute mess. Whoever takes over has a huge job on their hands.
 
I get that, but I think an early exit would have guaranteed the same result. The bullpen deal with Red Sox turned out to be a nothing-burger. If you look at the Phils' salary structure going forward, it's an absolute mess. Whoever takes over has a huge job on their hands.

Lots of rumors that Middleton wants to slash payroll.
 
Lots of rumors that Middleton wants to slash payroll.

He's probably going to eat salary to do that. Here's what he's facing over the next few years:

Wheeler: $95 million over the next four seasons.
Segura: $46 million over the next three seasons.
Kingery: $18 millon over the next three seasons.
Nola: $28 million over the next two seasons.
McCutcheon: $20 million next season.
Harper (of course): $291 million until 2031.

Add to that load Hoskins becomes arbitration-eligible. Elfin also arbitration-eligible, but likely not a huge payday.

Arrieta (I'd be surprised if they picked up his $22.5 million option), Gregorious, and Realmuto all off the books. Probably a few non-tenders as well (Velazquez and Morgan).
 
He's probably going to eat salary to do that. Here's what he's facing over the next few years:

Wheeler: $95 million over the next four seasons.
Segura: $46 million over the next three seasons.
Kingery: $18 millon over the next three seasons.
Nola: $28 million over the next two seasons.
McCutcheon: $20 million next season.
Harper (of course): $291 million until 2031.

Add to that load Hoskins becomes arbitration-eligible. Elfin also arbitration-eligible, but likely not a huge payday.

Arrieta (I'd be surprised if they picked up his $22.5 million option), Gregorious, and Realmuto all off the books. Probably a few non-tenders as well (Velazquez and Morgan).

Would make one wonder if that doesn't pave the way for Realmuto to become a Mutt.

Spend "stupid money" and you wind up with a stupid balance sheet.
 
Would make one wonder if that doesn't pave the way for Realmuto to become a Mutt.

Spend "stupid money" and you wind up with a stupid balance sheet.

I think Mets are the one team who would give Realmuto the contract he wants, even in Covid. But they need pitching alot more than hitting, Realmuto is a hell of a hitter and DH will be full-time on the back of that deal though. If JT does leave, would make the Sixto for JT deal look even worse.
 
Philly is in an interesting spot. If they decline the options, they're at 99-100 pre arb. But Hoskins, Eflin, Hale, Morgan, VV, Knapp, Hembree, Gosselin are all arb. Robertson has an option at 12 mil, Neris at 7, Phelps at 4.5, and Arrieta at 20.

Biggest problem for them is they dont have much coming up in the farm, Howard and Bohm were their top two guys and both are already up. That's what makes for sustained success, cant buy your way to a title, gotta have a good farm. Medina maybe but he took a step back this year. As much as people rag on AA, the team is in a good spot b/c he hasnt to this point made stupid moves in trades and in FA. Hamels deal is his big miss and that's just a 1 yr deal.
 
If the Philles decline all those options and nontender all those arb players then they just have to buy all those guys roles in FA. They have a lot to fill
 
Philly is in an interesting spot. If they decline the options, they're at 99-100 pre arb. But Hoskins, Eflin, Hale, Morgan, VV, Knapp, Hembree, Gosselin are all arb. Robertson has an option at 12 mil, Neris at 7, Phelps at 4.5, and Arrieta at 20.

Biggest problem for them is they dont have much coming up in the farm, Howard and Bohm were their top two guys and both are already up. That's what makes for sustained success, cant buy your way to a title, gotta have a good farm. Medina maybe but he took a step back this year. As much as people rag on AA, the team is in a good spot b/c he hasnt to this point made stupid moves in trades and in FA. Hamels deal is his big miss and that's just a 1 yr deal.

Phillies are definitely in a strange spot. With the current roster makeup, their only hope of contending is to spend a lot of money. Their bullpen needs a total makeover which won't be cheap. Look how much we're spending on our bullpen for it to be good. Their rotation has a potential be good next year with Nola, Wheeler, Howard and Eflin as a top 4, but they literally have no depth. Outside of Harper, Bohm and Hoskins, they have a lot of holes to fill on the hitting side as well. With Realmuto likely gone and Didi likely gone, they've got holes to plug with no reinforcements in the minors to do so with. I'm not sure how they turn this current roster into a title contender without spending another $100 million between starting rotation, bullpen and hitters.
 
He's probably going to eat salary to do that. Here's what he's facing over the next few years:

Wheeler: $95 million over the next four seasons.
Segura: $46 million over the next three seasons.
Kingery: $18 millon over the next three seasons.
Nola: $28 million over the next two seasons.
McCutcheon: $20 million next season.
Harper (of course): $291 million until 2031.

Add to that load Hoskins becomes arbitration-eligible. Elfin also arbitration-eligible, but likely not a huge payday.

Arrieta (I'd be surprised if they picked up his $22.5 million option), Gregorious, and Realmuto all off the books. Probably a few non-tenders as well (Velazquez and Morgan).


If you assume the Phillies maintain a payroll similar to past seasons, they aren't really in bad shape. I don't think any of those salaries is debilitating in 2021 and they would have flexibility to add several players and probably could contend for the playoffs.

A significant reduction in payroll would probably freeze them in place as an inadequate club. If they are going that route, they might as well go ahead and commit to a rebuild.
 
Phillies are definitely in a strange spot. With the current roster makeup, their only hope of contending is to spend a lot of money. Their bullpen needs a total makeover which won't be cheap. Look how much we're spending on our bullpen for it to be good. Their rotation has a potential be good next year with Nola, Wheeler, Howard and Eflin as a top 4, but they literally have no depth. Outside of Harper, Bohm and Hoskins, they have a lot of holes to fill on the hitting side as well. With Realmuto likely gone and Didi likely gone, they've got holes to plug with no reinforcements in the minors to do so with. I'm not sure how they turn this current roster into a title contender without spending another $100 million between starting rotation, bullpen and hitters.

yup, they have a ton of holes. no idea how they go about filling all of them.
even if they manage to, they still have no depth whatsoever anywhere on the roster. not in the BP, rotation, or the field.
 
The Phillies really have no choice but to be one of the highest payroll teams in baseball. They made that decision when they signed Harper. And then they followed that up by signing Wheeler. Moving away from that now would be like aborting a complicated dive from the 30 meter platform about half way through your first turn. It would not be pretty.
 
The Phillies really have no choice but to be one of the highest payroll teams in baseball. They made that decision when they signed Harper. And then they followed that up by signing Wheeler. Moving away from that now would be like aborting a complicated dive from the 30 meter platform about half way through your first turn. It would not be pretty.

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The Phillies really have no choice but to be one of the highest payroll teams in baseball. They made that decision when they signed Harper. And then they followed that up by signing Wheeler. Moving away from that now would be like aborting a complicated dive from the 30 meter platform about half way through your first turn. It would not be pretty.

right, they absolutely will need to spend a ton of money still to be competitive.
i just wonder who it's going to be spent on. giving a bunch of vets long, value-neutral contracts is a bad long-term idea.
the only way to avoid doing that at this point is starting a rebuild. but they can't really do that either with Wheeler's and Harper's contracts. they'd have to hold onto them or take an L by trading them.

they're going to have to pony up for JTR, because someone else will.


they will need:
C
SS
OF (at least 1 to start)
2 SP (min.)
Basically an entire BP worth of arms
 
right, they absolutely will need to spend a ton of money still to be competitive.
i just wonder who it's going to be spent on. giving a bunch of vets long, value-neutral contracts is a bad long-term idea.
the only way to avoid doing that at this point is starting a rebuild. but they can't really do that either with Wheeler's and Harper's contracts. they'd have to hold onto them or take an L by trading them.

they're going to have to pony up for JTR, because someone else will.


they will need:
C
SS
OF (at least 1 to start)
2 SP (min.)
Basically an entire BP worth of arms

They have a solid top 4 in the rotation but basically no depth behind it. Bullpen is a disaster and agree with everything else.
 
They have a solid top 4 in the rotation but basically no depth behind it. Bullpen is a disaster and agree with everything else.

we don't know how good Howard is yet. obviously rookie pitchers struggle a lot but he is already 24.
 
The good news for Philly is bullpen is the easiest part of the roster to improve cheaply. They could essentially bring back last year’s team, get lucky with a few non-roster invitees and call ups in the pen and they would have a solid club.

The issue with that team has been and will continue to be depth. Across the entire roster they have difficulty filling in for injuries.
 
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