Phillies: Keeper-defining surprises
While the Phillies are accumulating victories, management is relishing the talent they sacrificed three summers rebuilding to acquire, but some fans may be expecting more from these youngsters learning their craft.
No time for patience:
During each Philadelphia Phillies‘ season, the faithful gravitate to the extremes of winning and losing, but it isn’t never-ending. And the same is true of their regard for players: They are future stars except for those with immediate success: approximately five percent.
IN OTHER WORDS: “Sometimes things aren’t clear right away. That’s where you need to be patient and persevere and see where things lead.” – Mary Pierce
In the comfort of their homes, supporters everywhere love rookies and have expectations based on hype –or lack thereof. Producing early –they believe– is equaling stats from Triple-A and Double-A, but not doing so to them means a demotion, a benching or a status change.
Behind the front-office doors, general manager Matt Klentak has a different take. He understands a player makes an impact in their third year or after three campaigns. However, that is an injury-free timetable.
When fans see a .300 average with power, they are ready to advance that minor leaguer to the majors from the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils or the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Yes, those supporters only need a strong April to promote a top prospect to an everyday spot on the red pinstripes.
On the other hand, organizations realize hopefuls have ups and downs, and they want to see the youngster handle adversity. They also require the prospect to earn an advancement to the next level with a solid first or second half. Like most companies, they don’t hand out promotions easily.
Unfortunately, forming a negative impression early on isn’t difficult because the player is making a big jump from the IronPigs to the Phillies. And specialist roles like a closer only require a bad outing or two to scar that reliever for a 162 or more. Guess who?
Although boobirds render a guilty verdict, management understands a rookie with less than 100 at-bats is still adjusting to MLB competition. And three blowups, for instance, out of 30 opportunities equals 90 percent success: The club sees 27 victories, but the faithful bemoan the three defeats.
Double-play combo:
Despite hitting .309 with 32 stolen bases for Lehigh Valley in 2013, Cesar Hernandez received no consideration to be the next second baseman with Chase Utley still manning the position. And, perhaps, fans immediately labeled the rookie as a reserve. Of course, Hernandez batted .272 for the 2015 Phillies, but the locals were still missing Utley.
Even though Hernandez had averaged .294 in 2016, some fans were eager to trade the second sacker because they felt he was worth something –instead of nothing. Then, he hits .294 again in 2017. And the faithful were enthusiastic because they wanted to move him for a decent starter. And, now, a running game?
Meanwhile, Scott Kingery batted .299 through July 18 for Reading in ’16, and the locals had no doubt he was ready for the Show. Did they notice he finished with a .250 mark? In ’17, however, Kingery improved to .313 with 18 homers before the All-Star break, and many thought the Phils only had a placeholder at second base.
Phillies stats:
- Hernandez, 23 in 2013: .289 in 34 Gms. and 131 PA.
- Hernandez, 24 in 2014: .237 in 66 Gms. and 125 PA.
- Kingery, 24 in 2018: .216 in 41 Gms. and 144 PA.
Following last July’s vacation, Kingery averaged .294 for the Allentown affiliate, and fans wanted a September call-up. But Klentak refused to burn a roster slot. Now, some locals believe Kingery needs more seasoning. But keep in mind, Hernandez didn’t do it overnight either.
Rehabbing in the high minors, J.P. Crawford will return to a likely platoon at short. He has a total of 156 plate appearances for last September and 2018 with averages of .214 and .188 respectively. Ergo, he’s a bust to some.
Upon his reactivation, Crawford will face the tougher right-handers, and Kingery will start against lefties and easier righties. In other words, it will be like the playing time for Nick Williams and Aaron Altherr.
Heavy cannons:
Although he’s in a slump and down to .243, Rhys Hoskins still has a .381 OBP. But his ’18 has two parts: a strong start and his current struggles. Basically, he’s lost 103 points off his average.
Hoskins, 25:
- Part 1: 78 AB, 27 H, .346, 4 HR and 19 RBI.
- Part 2: 74 AB, 10 H, .135, 2 HR and 8 RBI.
If you expected Hoskins to hit .346, you’re probably among the faithful now doubling the left fielder. But keep in mind, this slump is basically his first in the major leagues, and he’ll be productive again. Think Carlos Santana‘s April.
For the last two seasons, Odubel Herrera‘s every miscue has angered a significant portion of the fanbase. And if it wasn’t bat flips, it was a base-running blunder or a misplayed ball in center field. Yes, he’s another player the fans wanted to swap.
Like Maikel Franco with his run production, Herrera continues to be one of the consistent hitters in the lineup during the last few campaigns. However, he’s now the leader for the batting title in the National League. As for his antics, they’re almost nonexistent.
Responding to competition for playing time with Crawford and Kingery, Franco is batting .252 (a three-game slump) with seven bombs and 29 RBIs. Herrera has seven home runs and 30 RBIs. But even when Franco had a lower average, he still went yard and drove in runs.
Many fans were against giving Franco another chance. But when he goes into a prolonged slump, those boobirds will vocalize their “I told you so” unhappiness. For now, they’re quiet.
One of each:
Hector Neris has saved 85.4 percent of his opportunities for 2017 and 2018 combined. But since the first half of ’17 came to an end, his success rate is 90.3 percent. He’s recorded six blown saves in the last two summers, but three were blowups.
Regarding Klentak and manager Gabe Kapler, they are moving quickly to improve the bullpen and are not reacting to the faithful’s demand for a lights-out closer. Amazingly, Seranthony Dominguez notched his first save with a two-inning performance. And he’ll keep getting the ball to close or record the toughest outs.
If you want an example of a moundsman figuring things out mathematically, Vince Velasquez could fit the bill after 55 outings. Experience-wise, 60 starts is two full years even though injuries and other detours extend the timeline. But leather-lunged fans will only need one debacle to point to.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “We’ll never know our full potential unless we push ourselves to find it.” – Travis Rice
Yes, the whole debate could return: Velasquez isn’t a starter, and he doesn’t have the control required for the ninth frame. But Velasquez is 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA for May. And the pen doesn’t have any empty seats.
To sum up, Velasquez is delivering, Neris will handle less stressful innings, Dominguez will record the toughest outs, and three hitters are having excellent 162s. But can you imagine the Phillies’ return for Hernandez, Franco and/or Herrera during the offseason? Prospects!
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