Philadelphia Phillies: Day Care continues to impress at halfway point of season

In a season marred with injuries and some growing pains, the one thing that continues to grow smoothly is the ability and skill of the so-called Philadelphia Phillies “Day Care,” consisting of Brandon Marsh, Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm. Watching these three young players develop in Philadelphia has been nothing short of amazing.

Whether it is Stott learning shortstop, only to be moved back to his natural position of second base, Bohm overcoming his struggles at third base and becoming a huge piece to the Infield puzzle, or Marsh having to prove he can be a legitimate threat to both right- and left-handed pitchers, the members of the “Day Care” have become integral parts to this team’s success this season.

Early on in the season, there were questions about this team and whether or not the young players would emerge as everyday caliber players. I thought the “Day Care” was going to be a big piece to this puzzle, but seeing the way they have carried themselves and have produced has been way past any expectations.

While some of the veterans on this roster have struggled at times, this lineup needed a spark. The Phillies young, up and coming stars have provided exactly what Rob Thomson has needed for his lineup.

Let’s look at the “Day Care” unit for the Philadelphia Phillies and their progression this season.

Brandon Marsh was acquired last season from the Angels for one of the Phillies top prospects in Logan O’Hoppe. The Phillies had a big void to fill at center field and obtaining a young Gold Glove finalist was a no-brainer. The only question mark to Marsh’s game was his ability to hit. Marsh last season did have his ups and down in Philadelphia but was still a key piece to that World Series run.

While with the Angels, Marsh was batting .226 in 93 games. Marsh had 66 hits in 292 at-bats. Scoring 34 runs and recording 37 RBI, Marsh was a perfect piece to anchor the nine spot in an already star-studded lineup in Philly.

Marsh finished last season with a batting average of .245, with 104 hits, 49 runs, 52 RBI and 11 home runs. After the Wild Card series versus the St Louis Cardinals, Marsh went cold for the Phillies. He went from a .400 batting average to .250 against the Braves and .000 against the Padres. While Marsh did bat .231 against the Astros in the World Series, the question began to loom if he can be a consistent threat in the lineup.

The Phillies ended up acquiring Cristian Pache, a similar player to that of Marsh. Thomson has ended up using the two as a platoon in center field and it hasn’t backfired yet. While Marsh has shown flashes of being able to hit left-handed pitchers, the question still remains if he can be a true threat.

Marsh has been hitting the ball well this season. He has had a few hiccups in the field but his defense has still been extremely solid.

Marsh is currently batting .279 with 67 hits. He also has 32 runs and 32 RBI adding in seven home runs. Marsh has a OBP of .358 and OPS of .820 in 76 games. If Marsh can continue improving his hitting at the plate with batting coach Kevin Long, there is no doubt Marsh could become the everyday center fielder and no longer need to platoon.

Alec Bohm has gone from villain to fan favorite in the city of Philadelphia. It all started when the viral video of him being caught saying something along the lines of “I hate it here” during the broadcast. It was not an easy transition for Bohm from his natural position at first moving the left side of the diamond to third.

As anyone who has played at any level could tell you, it’s very different playing third base rather than first. Now imagine doing it at the pro level where the ball could be coming off of that bat at you over 100 mph. Decision making has to be just as quick as deciding whether or not to swing at a fastball.

Bohm has become the third baseman this team has been searching for. While playing him at first has allowed Edmundo Sosa to get playing time and at-bats, with the return of Darick Hall, Bohm will most likely get a lot more steady appearances at third base with the occasional first base appearance thrown in.

Regardless, Bohm adding 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason has been a game changer for him.

Bohm’s recent six-RBI game against the Washington Nationals was great to experience. Bohm has become extremely confident this season at the plate and has been consistent. Even when Bohm went out on the IL, it was uncertain as to whether or not he would pick up where he left off when he was injured. The answer was yes.

Bohm is currently batting .277 in 267 at-bats. Bohm as 74 hits with 33 runs and 54 RBI … and add nine home runs into that mix as well. Bohm currently has a OBP of .322 and OPS of .749. If Bohm continues hitting the way he has, he could end up closer to a .300 batting average than .250.

The “Day Care” has star potential and if they continue to progress the way they have been, it bodes extremely well for the Phillies moving forward.