Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Players, 3 Spots

Because fans don’t see all the possibilities, the moves of the front office tend to surprise, puzzle or lead to immediate criticism of general manager Matt Klentak and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Three Directions:

Increasing your options with a thorough search is the way to discover a second answer you can only appreciate if you make the effort.

While many of the faithful believe trading Cesar Hernandez, Freddy Galvis and/or Maikel Franco is a no-brainer, Klentak knows otherwise. He doesn’t have to accept the best offer from GMs looking for a bargain because they think he has a numbers problem. But does he really have more than he needs?

Barring a swap, injuries or unexpected events, second baseman Scott Kingery will probably begin 2018 with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. No way you say? Keep in mind, the infielder doesn’t need a 40-man slot until after the 2019 campaign, but he’ll join the team in early June if management’s plan doesn’t change. They won’t just hand him a starting job or deal someone until he proves himself at the top level.

Although he is a little further down the path, J.P. Crawford is productive, but has he done enough to be a regular on Opening Day? Well, unless Klentak can acquire a solid hurler to slot behind Aaron Nola, the decision-maker won’t be moving Hernandez, Galvis and/or Franco just to open a spot for Crawford. That said, the pickup of a left-handed bat with power or a mid-rotation southpaw could also dramatically influence the exec. Another consideration – albeit doubtful – is for Crawford to open with Lehigh Valley next April.

Regarding Franco, posters at Phils sites have recently been happy enough with the organization to ignore the third sacker. But the statistical devotees are the exception: One views the whole season, while another considers recent performances. GMs use both! But while the sabermetrician pointed out that Franco literally adds zero value because he is horrible on offense, defense and the base paths, the other gentleman countered with Franco’s average in September and since Crawford’s arrival.

"WORDS OF WISDOM:     “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden"

Motivating Franco (Compa F) are his friendships with Hector Neris (Compa H) and Luis Garcia (Compa G). Yes, those handles only vary with their names. And all three are walking the tightrope between success and failure. Having a friend (compa) is an important factor for players during the long grinding months.