Phillies: Hit-or-sit questions and answers

Unless the Phillies can avoid the fatigue of baseball from mid-February into October, the clamor for the traditional way of active roster construction is questionable.

Collision of beliefs:

Since the introduction of analytics, fans on both sides of the argument can endlessly debate the pros and cons of its value–or lack thereof. And the Philadelphia Phillies faithful are no exception, especially when the first sign of trouble “begs” for advice from the stands.

"IN OTHER WORDS: “Well, there are three things that the average man thinks he can do better than anybody else. Build a fire, run a hotel and manage a baseball team.” – Rocky Bridges"

In 1914, major league baseball instituted the 25-man roster with decreases coming only from the demise of the Federal League in 1915, the Great Depression and two world wars. But the possibility of expanding the active 25 for an entire campaign never came to fruition.

Despite the difficulty assembling a roster, the MLB has resisted an increase to it. And even thought it makes the final cuts challenging, those last decisions are there by design.

While many locals can remember a game-winning homer, a spectacular defensive play or a brilliant tactical move by a skipper, execs have their moments as well. For instance, general manager Matt Klentak’s 25th man was a long reliever to protect the question marks in his rotation. Will this be his slam dunk?

Years ago, a third catcher was the usual selection for the last slot. But Klentak did not opt to carry a third receiver: An extra bat off the bench wasn’t his preference. However, most franchises only have two backstops these days.

During the postseason, some organizations add a speed merchant to their active 25 because a pilfered bag or a dash from second base can determine the deciding run. So, Roman Quinn was a consideration with his wheels, glove, and bat. Cut!

The 13th position player usually is a pinch-hitter, a fifth outfielder or a utility infielder. Additionally, a late-game defender is an ideal replacement for a slugger with below-average fielding. The reason is to cover a weakness.