Phillies’ Lineup Changes Ahead
Adding a power bat to the middle of the order for August, general manager Matt Klentak of the Philadelphia Phillies wants to know if the Triple-A first baseman/left fielder is the genuine article.
Power and Competition:
With versatility, you can increase your options to solve multiple problems with just one adjustment that sets off a domino effect.
As Rhys Hoskins, Scott Kingery, J.P. Crawford and Dylan Cozens become closer to being ready for the major leagues, the front office is considering more than switching Hoskins to left field. In other words, the view of fans, many writers and media personalities is not thorough. Ergo, Klentak’s opposite. Many moving parts are in the works.
Regarding the chances of the three top prospects, Hoskins is primarily a first sacker but Tommy Joseph is productive. And the same situation occurs with the double-play combos for the red pinstripes and their Allentown affiliate. Yes, while Kingery may only need three more months to earn a promotion to the majors, Cesar Hernandez is a solid leadoff man. And although Crawford is making some noise with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Freddy Galvis is a defensive wizard who provides enough offense to warrant a starting role.
Having three home run hitters is preferable if they slot right, left and right in the middle of the starting nine. But the three right-handed bats of Maikel Franco, Joseph and Hoskins are only a temporary fix due to left-side hitters Odubel Herrera and Nick Williams separating them. Yet keep in mind, this alignment would fill lineup holes three through seven. And the other spots would basically be Hernandez (1), Galvis (2) and the catcher (8).
While looking over their reports for their director, two scouts speculated about Hoskins and Joseph. Yeah, if Hoskins lives up to his potential – one pointed out – it might not be Joseph who would lose his job. It would be Franco. Do you mean Hoskin’s power would replace Franco’s? Yes.
In the pipeline – Paul, the other scout, stated to Joe – we don’t have a third base replacement for Franco. Yes, Kingery is a possibility if he can handle the hot corner at Triple-A next April and May. Or, Joe replied, Galvis could slide over there with the promotion of Crawford in September or next summer. Joe, Paul agreed, you know you might be right.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “Veterans get priority in the training room and better parking, but there is not a whole lot of difference in terms of how they’re treated in the competition for playing time. To me it doesn’t matter if a guy is a 10-year veteran or a rookie. If the rookie is better, he finds his way onto the field.” – Brendan Daly
Klentak reaches decisions on players much faster than his predecessor. More and more, Franco’s shortcomings continue to disappoint: The third sacker’s average was .280 in 2015, .255 for 2016, and is .227 this campaign. Currently, Franco has 17 homers and 58 RBI, which projects to 25 bombs and 85 RBI. In other words, Hoskins can replace Franco’s production, hit for a higher average, and do so with plate discipline. Trading Franco, of course, will allow Kingery or Galvis to man the hot corner and Kingery or Crawford to be in the lineup.
IN OTHER WORDS: “it gives us a lot of versatility and flexibility. Looking ahead, we’ve got a lot of good young players coming through the system. As they make their way, we’ll have some tough decisions down the road.” – Tim Purpura
Regarding the pressing requirement for a left-handed bat with pop, Cozens might get a September call-up because he’s on the 40-man roster. But if he doesn’t surprisingly bottle lightning, he could spend another four months with Lehigh Valley. That stated, the Philadelphia Phillies will be in the market during the offseason for the left-side hitter they will need between Hoskins and Joseph. But an even tougher question is the position for that left-handed threat.
According to Tom Housenick of the Morning Call in Allentown, Hoskins has been taking fly balls during batting practice for the last couple weeks. Ergo, around July 17 to 24. Why would they just put him in left field without a few weeks of preparation? In other words, this began after the Triple-A All-Star Game on July 12 and has only a little to do with Aaron Altherr‘s two stints on the disabled list: July 17 to 26, and August 5 presently. Translation: Hoskins is ready for the Show, his performance will determine Klentak’s winter approach, and now he’s proving he can handle left field: A spot previously held by Greg Luzinski and Pat Burrell.
Next: Phillies' Offseason Expectations
If an MLB general manager wants to keep one of 30 such jobs out of the entire country, he must find some way to fit the pieces together. So, not only does he search the roster of the other 29 franchises but also looks at the IronPigs’ and the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils’ talent. Why would he do otherwise?