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Phillies: Pitchers for a 40-Man Slot

By Tal Venada |
MIAMI, FL - AUGUST 31: Ben Lively
MIAMI, FL - AUGUST 31: Ben Lively
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While Fans Are Familiar with the Stuff of Nola, Eickhoff, Velasquez, Lively and Pivetta, They Might Not Know Eflin Can Dial Up a Mid-90’s Heater. Photo by H. Martin/Getty Images.
While Fans Are Familiar with the Stuff of Nola, Eickhoff, Velasquez, Lively and Pivetta, They Might Not Know Eflin Can Dial Up a Mid-90’s Heater. Photo by H. Martin/Getty Images. /

While auditioning hurlers at the Bank were toeing the rubber without fanfare, general manager Matt Klentak and other decision-makers on the Philadelphia Phillies were making notes, written and mental.

Who’s Out:

Determining another’s fate can lead to a positive or negative outcome affecting more than just one or two people.

Before last year, the faithful expected a Rule 5 selection or two on the last day of the Winter Meetings in mid-December. But rebuilding has stocked the farm system to the point of only swapping for Single-A talent with development time remaining because other franchises could claim any unprotected player: only 15 spots in addition to the active 25. In other words, the Phils are keeping their top prospects, which is why they didn’t call up youngsters not needing a spot until after the 2019 campaign: second baseman Scott Kingery and righty Thomas Eshelman. Why burn a roster slot?

As for the total to whittle down to 40, Klentak has 24 pitchers and 19 position players not including veterans with expiring contracts.

Regarding the starters, the ones on the club for two summers or more and flamethrowers except for Mark Appel are not trade chips. Moreover, a control pitcher like Jake Thompson could be part of a package to receive a mid-rotation piece. Currently, the numbers involve eight arms who appeared last season on the five-man staff.

As September ended, five relievers were successful and ready to keep earning their seat in the bullpen. However, three others had many opportunities to impress the higher-ups for a spring training invitation: right-handers Yacksel Rios, Victor Arano and Ricardo Pinto. But keep in mind, Arano relies primarily on his slider, while Rios and Pinto are the power arms.

Relieving Stats:

  • Arano: 10 Gms., 10 2/3 Inn. and a 1.69 ERA.
  • Rios: 13 Gms., 16 1/3 Inn. and a 4.41 ERA.
  • Pinto: 25 Gms., 29 2/3 Inn. and a 7.89 ERA.

With sharp evaluations, management will decide the moundsmen to carry, which means a preference for fireballers. Even so, Appel could be in a trade with Hernandez for a two-slot starter.

GAME PLAN: “I was three-quarters down the list of guys I would be facing in my first game when I realized I was looking at our own roster.” – Glenn Healy
Although the Phils Had Expectations for Neris, Garcia and Ramos from the Right Side, Morgan Was a Surprisingly Dominant Lefty. Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images.
Although the Phils Had Expectations for Neris, Garcia and Ramos from the Right Side, Morgan Was a Surprisingly Dominant Lefty. Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images. /

Of the auditioning relievers in 2017, left-hander Zac Curtis, whom the red pinstripes picked up off waivers from the Seattle Mariners in mid-September, had a 2.45 ERA but only threw 3 2/3 innings during three appearances.

With 40-man spots, the Philadelphia Phillies have southpaw Elniery Garcia and righty Alberto Tirado who are a starter and a bullpen piece respectively with the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils. Also, right-hander Drew Anderson now with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs already has a slot. And the red pinstripes must consider adding lefty Ranger Suarez and righty Seranthony Dominguez of the Single-A Advanced Clearwater Threshers to the roster.

ONLY YOU: “I love baseball, I really do. I always told my Dad, I’m not gonna make it working… I like to play ball too much. Which I did. I played hard. You gotta work at this game. You really do. And its fun doing it if you do it the right way.” – Yogi Berra

On one Phillies site, many fans believe moving the regular middle infielders is a foregone conclusion; ergo, Kingery will be the starting second baseman on Opening Day. Yes, and they also expected Kingery in Philly when he was with Reading. But if the front office doesn’t acquire a mid-rotation arm, they won’t deal either current regular as part of a package.

If Kingery and Eshelman join the team in April, the decision-maker will place two prospects on waivers for those two spots, and another organization can select them. But whom will the armchair GM blame if a claimed youngster succeeds? Klentak!

Because He Can Start or Pitch in Long Relief, Leiter Will Also Have a Roster Slot. Photo by H. Martin/Getty Images.
Because He Can Start or Pitch in Long Relief, Leiter Will Also Have a Roster Slot. Photo by H. Martin/Getty Images. /
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “If you don’t set goals, you’ll never reach them. Or like they say in golf, if you aim for nothing, you’ll hit it every time. Take any player in the major leagues: I’d say just about every one of them had a dream – a goal – to be a big-leaguer when they were kids. It wasn’t an easy goal, but it was a reachable one, and that’s important.” – Yogi Berra

Although right-handed Jesen Therrien will miss 2018 due to Tom E. John surgery, named after former moundsman Thomas Edward John Jr., another franchise could pick him up off waivers and immediately stash him on the 60-day disabled list. Not a new wrinkle. Curtis, on the other hand, is another possible candidate to drop due to average stuff and two portsiders in the pen. Additionally, Klentak will have Arano, Pinto, Rios, Tirado, E. Garcia, Suarez and Dominguez on this basic bubble.

From these nine hurlers and other marginals, Klentak will determine who will not receive a roster slot, and his choices will not be easy ones. But how many players can each team cover beyond the active 25? Only 15!

Will Pivetta or Velasquez Harness Their Talent in 2018? Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images.
Will Pivetta or Velasquez Harness Their Talent in 2018? Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images. /

The Numerical Bible:

This review is not a sabermetrics article, which means no heavy statistical analysis. But because some readers rely on stats, this is only a reference: no reason to articulate the importance of these numbers.

MLB Stats:

  • Arano, 22.5: 10 Gms., 10 2/3 Inn., a 1.69 ERA, a 1.85 FIP, a 3.35 xFIP, a 3.18 SIERA, a 0.3 fWAR and a 0.94 WHIP.
  • Rios, 24: 13 Gms., 16 1/3 Inn., a 4.41 ERA, a 5.91 FIP, a 5.13 xFIP, a 4.49 SIERA, a -0.1 fWAR and a 1.47 WHIP.
  • Pinto, 23.5: 25 Gms., 29 2/3 Inn., a 4.41 ERA, a 7.89 FIP, a 6.36 xFIP, a 5.39 SIERA, a -0.5 fWAR and a 1.89 WHIP.
  • Anderson, 23.5: 2 Gms., 2 1/3 Inn., a 23.14 ERA, a 2.73 FIP, a 5.78 xFIP, a 4.99 SIERA, a 0.0 fWAR and a 3.00 WHIP.
  • Therrien, 24.5: 15 Gms., 18 1/3 Inn., an 8.35 ERA, a 6.92 FIP, a 5.72 xFIP, a 4.97 SIERA, a -0.3 fWAR and a 1.69 WHIP.
  • Curtis, 25: 6 Gms., 8 1/3 Inn., a 1.08 ERA, a 5.08 FIP, a 5.65 xFIP, a 4.71 SIERA, a 0.0 fWAR and a 1.08 WHIP.

Next: Phillies: Trading for Pitching

MiLB Stats:

  • E. Garcia, almost 23: 5 AA Gms., 25 2/3 Inn., 2-1, a 1.75 ERA, a 4.55 FIP, a 6.13 xFIP and a 1.32 WHIP.
  • Tirado, almost 23: 10 AA Gms., 21 Inn., a 6.75 ERA, a 7.14 FIP, an 8.54 xFIP and a 2.67 WHIP.
  • Suarez, 22: 8 A+ Gms., 37 2/3 Inn., 2-4, a 3.82 ERA, a 2.59 FIP, a 3.00 xFIP and a 1.43 WHIP.
  • Dominguez, almost 23: 15 A+ Gms., 62 1/3 Inn., 4-4, a 3.61 ERA, a 3.70 FIP, a 3.22 xFIP and a 1.30 WHIP.
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