Phillies: Keeper-defining surprises
By Tal Venada
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.