Roster Whys for Phillies’ Final Spots
By Tal Venada
As the powwow continued, Nava and Stassi were the only two remaining possibilities but the decision-maker had no room on the 40-man roster. And three coaches reminded Klentak why the skipper will have to make two moves if he needs a fifth infielder to man second, short or third. And – the third-base coach chimed in – the squad has Maikel Franco, Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez and Andres “Whitey” Blanco; but Howie Kendrick can also play second base. That said, the bench coach stated how Kendrick could switch to second and Aaron Altherr, Nava or Stassi could replace Kendrick in left field. Ergo, musical chairs.
Depth chart:
- Second base: Hernandez, Galvis, Blanco and Kendrick.
- Shortstop: Galvis, Blanco and Hernandez.
- Third base: Franco, Galvis and Blanco.
"FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “It is the nature of being the general manager of a baseball team that you have to remain on familiar terms with people you are continually trying to screw.” – Michael Lewis"
With Nava and Stassi needing roster spots, Klentak traded right-hander Alec Asher to the Baltimore Orioles for a later-named player, which means Klentak accepted Baltimore’s list of minor leaguers for a future selection. Obviously, Double D, the exec wanted a piece down the road because he needed slots now for Nava and Stassi; and Klentak will see what he needs later before deciding on that MiLB prospect. And he also dropped Tyler Goeddel – who had all three options remaining – to create a second spot because the red pinstripes already have outfielders with a higher upside on the IronPigs.
Next: The “What Is a Phillie?” Answer
Because the Philadelphia Phillies had no room on their 40-man roster for Asher and Goeddel, it shows the franchise has a stockpile of potential stars and their top two picks in the MLB Draft from the last two Junes. Too much talent?