Phillies Calling Up Challengers
As rookies continue to arrive into September, they are making their promotions and opportunities count, while general manager Matt Klentak of the Philadelphia Phillies is formulating his plan for 2018.
August and September:
When you combine talent, maximum effort and dedication with opportunity, a dream years in the making can come to fruition if you overcome all obstacles.
During the final weeks of this 162, Klentak is evaluating his 40-man roster from top to bottom with no exceptions. But now their total stats are more relevant than they were on July 1. Yet while players still have their hot and cold spells, the overall statistics now show which was more frequent. Of course, time is running out for regulars and hurlers to lift some sagging numbers.
Barring injury, trades or any unforeseen event, prospects who require no protection from the Rule 5 draft after the season will not see an advancement to the majors next month. For instance, shortstop J.P. Crawford was in this position last September and did not receive a promotion. In other words, second sacker Scott Kingery and starter Thomas Eshelman will make their debuts by next June if they remain productive. No, the front office isn’t going to burn a 40-man spot for a team looking ahead to ’18. Demands notwithstanding.
When management looks at their eight regulars, they see question marks: catcher, first base and the hot corner. They have the luxury of four starting outfielders with three who can man center field: Odubel Herrera, Aaron Altherr, Nick Williams and Rhys Hoskins. Yes, Hoskins could move to first if Tommy Joseph can’t rebound like he did in May, when he was fresh with only one month’s wear, not a month remaining. On the other corner, however, Maikel Franco is a major disappointment, so the Philadelphia Phillies will promote Crawford during the final month to earn some playing time at Franco’s expense. And, finally, three receivers – including Jorge Alfaro‘s hot bat – are competing for two slots, but this battle will continue into Spring Training.
In the stands, you can sometimes overhear two knowledgeable fans discussing the latest numerical measurements. The one who claimed he’s a lawyer believes stats tell you everything you need to know, and he disagreed with his friend regarding intangibles. Look out! Did you see that one-handed catch?
While the attorney enthused over exit velocity of 104 mph off the bat, the English teacher just didn’t see the value of it. He stated knowing the speed of a pitcher’s fastball can determine if he is losing his stuff over his recent campaigns or because of an injury. Additionally, the educator pointed to the throwing velocity of a backstop making up for the lack of an extremely quick transfer and release. But while he raved about Herrera robbing many hitters with his wheels, he couldn’t figure out the reasoning for the mph off the bat. A new stat toy?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “A lot of rookies hit the wall after 50 or 60 games.” – Andrew Bogut
In 2015, Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff, Herrera and Franco were the bright spots the faithful pinned their hopes on. Now, Nola is a budding ace and Eickhoff is still more dependable than not. And although Herrera wouldn’t be rowdy enough for the lionized heroes of yesteryear, he is an entertaining sort. On the other hand, the opposing moundsmen know Franco’s holes and are exploiting them.
While 2016 had many positives, two have struggled this summer. Yes, April was a cruel month for Rupp and Joseph, but the first sacker appeared to have survived until his recently ended slump. Is the presence of Hoskins a factor? On the other hand, the double-play combo of Cesar Hernandez and Freddy Galvis continues improving despite hearing the footsteps of Kingery and Crawford.
IN OTHER WORDS: “Success is the person who year after year reaches the highest limits in his field.” – George “Sparky” Anderson
Comparison from August 10 through August 24:
- Joseph: 13 Gms., 47 AB, 14 H, .298, 3 HR and 9 RBI.
- Hoskins: 15 Gms., 53 AB, 15 H, .283, 8 HR and 19 RBI.
- Game 1 for Hoskins was on August 10.
Up until August, Altherr and Williams claimed outfield jobs because of their production: They have their lifelong dream in their own hands. And the thought of returning to Triple-A is extremely unappealing because of travel, accommodations and monthly pay. For instance, someone on the 40-man roster in their second year at Triple-A receives roughly $2,400 per month according to YouGoProBaseball.com, while the MLB minimum is $0.535 million or $44,583 a month based on 52 weeks.
Next: Phillies' Rebuilding Fuels Trade Fears
With August moving into September, Hoskins and Alfaro have reached their destination, but grinding through an entire career is an entirely different beast. Meanwhile, Galvis and Hernandez also are not making it easy for their so-called replacements. In fact, the move to the hot corner by Crawford is telling, but what does that make Franco? The weakest link.