r/phillies • u/game-threads Best Bot In Baseball • 1d ago
Off Day Thread Phillies Postseason Discussion Thread - Tuesday, October 13
Around the League
CLE 1 @ TB 3 - Final
Last Updated: 10/13/2026 10:54:10 PM EDT
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u/Ok-Homework-9275 1d ago
It was really tough to see the Brewers hitters grind abs and not try to pull everything and work counts and have a sound approach at the plate. A nice reminder of how baseball can be played
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u/Hubris-Manifested 1d ago
People say that because the Phillies has a ton of proven great hitters who refuse to play baseball seemingly. They will for small stretches of time then they'll go back to just power swinging at every pitch. So when people see much younger and less experienced players just playing baseball and doing what everyone kind of "knows" works it's like "damn. Look at those guys doing the thing. What's the Phils' excuse again?!"
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
they'll go back to just power swinging at every pitch
I really don't think this is accurate. Especially with our current team makeup. I mentioned yesterday that people confuse Harper's violent swings with swinging for the fences, but I still don't know why people act like the team swings for the fences when it hasn't been true for a few years.
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
I do find it funny when people act like analaytics is at odds with smallball when all it did is really provide weights so we get a true understanding of the value of each outcome.
It is hard to do what the Brewers are doing; we know that now, but man, is it more fun to watch. I think I have been consistent in acknowledging that the baseball "meta" is not something I actually enjoy.
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u/PainterDaAce Trea Turner 1d ago
Iāll forever want the Phillies to make a run but man I must sayā¦. Itās nice to just watch stress free playoff baseball! Hope the brewers can pull it off.
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
I noticed that since I thought it was a lost season anyway (for 70+% of the season), I was able to bounce back and enjoy baseball right away.
In 2023, I didn't enjoy the WS at all; in 2024 and 2025, I needed the World Series to enjoy baseball again. This year, it was the next day, just like when the Phillies missed the playoffs entirely.
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u/GuitarPlayer07 is it really a good morning without Phillies baseball? 1d ago
Good morning r/phillies!
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u/GuitarChef35 1d ago
Watching these teams play scrappy baseball. They have an approach and stick to it. Wish we had their plate discipline and bullpens.
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
Ironpigs led MiLB in attendance this year. Pretty cool.
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u/Hubris-Manifested 22h ago
They're gonna be leading my listening attendance next year if a lockout cuts the season short or off completely
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u/cheesesteaksrule 1d ago
The announcers for the dodgers/Brewers game were making me so freaking mad holy shit. Seemed like no matter what the Brewers were doing (even like, idk, WINNING THE GAME) they wouldn't shut up about the dodgers. Just makes me sad cuz the Brewers are a really good team and they were treated like that (I know the players can't actually hear them during the game, but still)
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u/Hubris-Manifested 1d ago
I listen to the radio broadcast from the Brewers side
If listening to the Phillies radio with Franzke is a 10/10 experience (and it usually is) then the Brewers is probably a 6/10. But it's better than the commentators they get to host the games. Honestly listening to the Dodgers radio broadcast is probably better than the TV commentators. It's crazy how much better the radio guys are in general. Even the more boring ones.
If you want a reason to feel appreciative though listen to the radio broadcast from any non-Phillies even the high budget ones like the Yankees and Dodgers and none of them, none of them, can hold a candle to Franzke. The Phillies need to give that man the "lifetime extension" contract immediately. Do not let him leave while he's still able and willing to work!
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u/obiwan_canoli Defender of the Phaith 1d ago edited 1d ago
Really makes me miss Bob Uecker.
I've been preaching baseball on the radio for years now. There's a magic to simply listening to somebody tell a story, something deep within our DNA, like cavemen sitting around a campfire telling stories of the hunt.
Most team's radio crew is as good or better than the TV crew, and it makes sense because on the radio you have to be good, because your voice is all there is.
EDIT: forgot to shout out Tom Hamilton on the Cleveland broadcast. The Guardians have effectively become my AL team because I've listened to so many games just to hear his calls over the last 5 years.
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u/livefreediehard3244 1d ago
Yep love franskeā¦we have been blessed with great boardcastersā¦LA too but he complains about the umps too much sometimes
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u/livefreediehard3244 1d ago
Yep hate the national broadcasters they ignored brewers all year so only have lazy talking points
Kruck, votto, vargesian did a great job during braves series in depth and neutral we were luck for that much
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u/obiwan_canoli Defender of the Phaith 1d ago
The NBC broadcasts as a whole were pretty good. TNT/TBS is not bad, but Smoltz is insufferable.
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u/obiwan_canoli Defender of the Phaith 1d ago
I figured it out!
The press conference has to wait until after the Guardians' season ends because the Phillies are angling to make Austin Hedges the new Manager/backup catcher.
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
I think I decided that if Mattingly is back, Dombrowski is saying he failed Mattingly as a GM. It was very clear we had a bunch of arms Mattingly felt he couldn't go to. Something every single one of us would agree with. If Dombrowski felt Mattingly had other options, I am sure we would hear more pushback than the reports we have been getting.
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
I agree with you, and I even agree that Mattingly obviously had no options, but it doesnāt excuse what Mattingly did to Tim Mayzaās arm lol.
How much of our terrible bullpen was the result of exhaustion from Mattingly warming them up every night to just not use them?
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
It was bad. I think his bullpen management was terrible. We had metrics that put us in the top 10 in the bullpen at one point in the season, and it went off a cliff fast. I think Mattingly is a huge part of it.
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
That level of mismanagement is concerning in a āmanagerā.
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u/wiivile #DoomerOptimist 1d ago
This is why I would be OK with Cotham as manager. I think managing the pitching staff is the most important part of a managerās job, like, by far. And Mattingly is really really bad at it. Cotham may end up being too āsoftā as a managerial personality because I know heās practically considered a teammate in that locker room, but I donāt think this team would respond well to another hardass like Girardi. But even if a guy had a perfect disposition to manage (like I think Jimmy Rollins does for example hypothetically) pitching staff management needs to be prioritized.
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
I do like that Cotham gets fired up occasionally though. Pretty sure heās been tossed before. He might just have the right balance of familiarity with the guys as well as not being afraid to go out there and fight for them when he feels they need a spark. Thatās an area I think both Topper and Don lacked in a bit. Not saying I want a guy whoās constantly gonna fly off the handle, but players definitely appreciate a guy whoās willing to put his but on the line for them when the situation calls for it.
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u/karawec403 Cyjuan 1d ago edited 1d ago
Mattingly somehow finds a way to overwork all 13 pitchers.
I think by the end of the season we were all just defeated and saying we have no bullpen. But most of these guys had some really good extended stretches before falling apart, even Kerk and Alvarado. Itās hard not to put blame on management that almost all our pitchers seemed exhausted by September.
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u/CrewOutside8690 1d ago
lol Dombrowski has never taken accountability for anything if I recall correctly. Other than maybe some generic platitudes about wanting to improve the team.Ā
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
What if the reason theyāre taking so long really IS because theyāre planning on bringing Topper back as manager w Donnie as his bench coach and theyāre just trying figure out the best way to spin it??
Stranger things have happened.
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u/ats1788 1d ago
Makes ya think
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
I really just do not get the big deal about this. Theyāre getting some sort of their ducks in a row before the press conference. What does it matter if itās now or next week?
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
I think the interesting thing is which ducks they are getting in a row. If it is what Salisbury suggested, and it's about whether Turner is willing to move to the OF, that is very interesting news.
I do agree; I don't care why it is delayed. At this point, the longer it gets delayed, the more curious I am about what are they getting lined up.
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
I just feel like itās becoming a bit of a circlejerk of āwhereās the press conference Dombrowskiā not because people care what will be said, but because itās further reason to dunk on a GM thatās not well liked.
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
Honestly, I just ignore those people, so it can't really bother me.
I'm not immune; the "why can't the players schedule all their babies in the offseason" really got me because I have volunteered in certain services and have seen how hard it is for certain women who are struggling to get pregnant. I am lucky I didn't see any /r/Phillies regular say it because legitimately, that would change my mind about them permanently.
But I am lucky that for the vast amount of arguments I find silly, or where they aren't making the argument in good faith, I can just ignore it.
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
That also irked me. I have a few family members that struggled heavily to conceive with miscarriage after miscarriage and it was heartbreaking to see how it affected them. Itās a lack of empathy, mixed with a lack of understanding of womenās and reproductive health.
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
It was part of why I said our science education is so bad that people don't even understand something every single one of our ancestors did.
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u/obiwan_canoli Defender of the Phaith 1d ago
I think it's easy to forget the faces in the box on the wall are not imaginary. They're real people living day-to-day lives, with day-to-day ups and downs, just like everybody else.
I'm 99% sure I spotted Bryson Stott out and about the other day. I was stopped at a red light and at first glance I just saw a young couple out for a stroll with their kids. It wasn't until I looked again that I realized who I was looking at. It honestly messed with my head a little bit to see him out the 'real' world like that.
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u/matts88us 1d ago
Great now Iām imagining the entire movie with The Dave. This aggression will not stand man
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u/Electrical_Doubt3024 1d ago
I don't really think Turner moving to the outfield would delay this presser. That kind of announcement doesn't need to be made now. It has to be a coaching/managing change.Ā
I mean, announcing Turner moving from SS would placate us, but then they have 3 infield positions to fill. Is that something we really need to know now?
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
They made a good point on the Phillies show.
Reporters will have a long list of questions. One of them will be about Turner moving positions. You need to talk to the player first, so it isn't a surprise to anyone. That alone will take a few days, as you want to give the player time to think (even if you force it, it shows respect).
I am sure the manager, extension, etc., are all primary reasons too. But if another primary reason is Turner, I will find that interesting, and it will further support my feelings since I consider this organization well run. The only thing that makes me think it isn't well run is calling Cora before firing Topper. That still feels so negative to me that it's hard to call this organization well run. But I am hoping it is just Dombrowski being Dumbrowski and having a blind spot for his friend. That is a pretty damn good weakness to have.
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u/Electrical_Doubt3024 1d ago
To me, it shows what a hot mess the FO is right now. They publicly pursued Cora without knowing he would say no, then seemingly have no backup plan to pivot towards.Ā
At this point, it's almost assuredly going to be Mattingly. Not a whisper about any interviews or discussions with anyone else. The delay, unless it's Mattingly making demands, just further diminishes him very publicly.Ā
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
I donāt know. Maybe Iām just thinking itās probably not that deep and itās just boring front office bullshit theyāre getting sorted out.
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u/ats1788 1d ago
The fans want answers
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
I think people have already made up their mind on how theyāll react to the press conference no matter what is said
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u/Swimming_Elk_3058 1d ago
Logical answer: they are working out the manager situation/Dombrowski extension
Unlikely but more fun conspiracy: the Sam Fuld offer from the Aās made them reconsider the future of the front office and the Dombrowski succession plan is coming sooner than anticipated
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
Unlikely but more fun conspiracy: the Sam Fuld offer from the Aās made them reconsider the future of the front office and the Dombrowski succession plan is coming sooner than anticipated
Why would you say that? That was exactly what I was hoping for, and I didn't want to jinx it. It was my 1%; wouldn't this be great?
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u/Hothabanero6 1d ago
so they're not running it back this time, and something major is afoot ... he he we'll see
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u/KingTurd0414 Phillie Phanatic 1d ago
Hopefully Dumbo will be stepping down.
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
Youāre going to hate whatās happening then
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
Fritz and Seltzer gushing over Kwan (while simultaneously bashing Arraez), while clearly knowing zip about his numbers is hilarious but also exactly what I expect from Philly sports media.
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u/joeco316 1d ago
The obsession at large with Kwan is so mystifying. FWIW though, people were similarly obsessed with Arraez til they go to watch him everyday.
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
I like both players, but, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, guys can be both good, fun players and overrated. Kwan is basically an overall worse offensive player than Arraez who walks more. His draw is that he plays consistent gold glove defense but at a less valuable position. And heāll cost prospect capital, if CLE even decides to move him. At that point, just bring back Arraez. The people who hate Arraez but love Kwan really perplex me.
I mean, Iām fine with bringing back Arraez for what itās worth; and Iām okay with getting Kwan in a vacuum I guess. We just need good hitters period, given the non-Harper/Schwarber bats combined for an 80 wRC+ this year. Adding even 105-110 wRC+ bats is a huge marginal improvement. Yet given the urgency, in my opinion anyway, of moving Trea to the OF, that Arraez will only cost money, and that Arraez will likely get less than the other big-name bats on the market, Iād rather just bring him back and sign one of the FA OFers for our last OF slot than trade for Kwan and get locked out from adding any power.
(Obviously, this is dependent on Trea going to the OF. Iāve determined I think heād also be a terrible 2B at this point.)
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u/joeco316 1d ago
I agree. Iām not completely against either one in a vacuum, despite thinking both are wildly overrated. Arraez unequivocally made us better when he was added. But he was a weird fit who didnāt address almost any of our needs. But better is better.
I would be fine with Arraez back, or trading for Kwan, as long as itās a supplemental type move.
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u/JackFritzWIP 1d ago
Yep, don't know anything about his numbers and have never watched him play. Just make stuff up, that's how I got here.
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
Sure sounds like it when you say the guy has more power but only hit 3 HRs this year, with his xHRs at CBP sitting at 2 per statcast (compared to 15 for Arraezā Arraezās power over a full season likely plays up significantly).
āThe ethical Luis Arraezāā you mean the guy who has a career OPS 40 pts lower than Arraez?
If you donāt like Arraez, youāre not going to like Kwan.
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u/LexieFM Happy Retirement, Zack Wheeler! š 1d ago
Hey, uh, Flyers?
Could you maybe, like, idk, WIN?!
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
Too much to ask for
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u/LexieFM Happy Retirement, Zack Wheeler! š 1d ago
I meanā¦come on, they gotta win at SOME point, right?
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
Iām starting to genuinely believe the plan amongst the players is to go winless until Tocchet is fired.
And if thatās NOT the case, then Tocchet DEFINITELY needs to be fired. š
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
It is hilarious that the rays seemingly fixed Peralta
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
I really donāt think we need to do anything dramatic with the bullpen this offseason. Yes, the bullpen sucked. But thereās also only eight spots. Duran, McFarlane, and Bowlan will obviously be there, barring a shocking trade. (Trading Duran would be dumb because I simply donāt think he nets as much as people think.) Iām sure that Killian will at least open the year in the pen as a project arm. I expect Mayza to be back.
There are basically three open jobs. Thereās no doubt theyāll get a leverage leftyā Iād expect one of Morejon, Vesia, Newcomb, or even Romero if they donāt want to devote a ton of payroll space to the position. There are internal options to fill at least one of the final spots: Rangel is out of options and is fine as a swingman type. Shugart was good at the end of the year. There are some arms in AA that I think we could see at some point. Plus I really think Marsh and Kerkering will be moved, potentially for relief help.
I hope they add one of the top three lefties, and bring back Mayza. At that point, Iād hope theyād add depth as opposed to being so worried about getting other leverage arms. Someone like Trevor Williams, for instance. Iād rather resources went to the offense.
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u/TPChamp 1d ago
Yeah I expect a setup type of man to come in kinda like how they brought in Keller last year, would be nice if its a lefty. The dramatic changes will occur with the lineup. They're gonna need at least 3 new bats in the lineup. One of them is almost assuredly going to be Aidan Miller. But they're going to need to find another IF and corner OF as well. I expect Turner to be playing LF next year which leaves RF open assuming Crawford is back. An IF slot will be open assuming Harper goes back to 1B and Stott/Miller take 2 of the 3 open IF spots in 2B, SS, 3B. I don't see the Phils keeping Marsh if Turner really is moving to LF. I don't find Marsh to be an everyday player and I'd want a stable bat in RF if possible.
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
One of them is almost assuredly going to be Aidan Miller
I think that is a huge ask for someone who hasn't played baseball in a year. I hope he has a huge spring, but I am not penciling him in that spot yet.
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u/TPChamp 1d ago
I think they need him to take a spot given the financial situation they're in. Unless they can get creative and add multiple pieces thru trade I can't see them adding more than 2 FA bats. Miller lets them get cheaper and younger, I really believe he'll be on the team barring a disastrous Spring Training.
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
I think they need him to take a spot given the financial situation they're in.
I think it's way too early to know what type of financial situation they are in when we don't even know what the CBA will look like.
I think Miller will eventually be called up if everything goes well. I will love the risk of doing it, just like we did with Painter, because I personally love these things. But he just came off a year without seeing pitching. Throwing him in the MLB is going to be rough.
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u/TPChamp 1d ago
Yeah it's tough to say overall. I feel like we would have seen him this season had it not been for the injury. He could have potentially made the team out of Spring Training in the Otto Kemp spot had he played and played well. Not sure how much good a few months in AAA will do Aidan. If he continues to crush AFL and can carry momentum into Spring Training (if and when Spring Training occurs) i think it will be very hard to deny him a roster spot.
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
Maybe it is just that I really don't believe any Arizona Fall League hype, because, as the Phillies show said, the only pitchers there are those who haven't reached their IP cap for the year, and there aren't many good pitchers who still have IP to spend.
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u/TPChamp 1d ago
Which is fair to believe. I'm of the belief that he's showing the results that he should be showing. If the pitchers are inferior, then he's doing a good job at showing he's truly at the level above where he needs to be. Would be far more concerning if he was hitting .200. Spring Training and how the Phillies operate will be a bigger tell. We kinda figured Crawford would get the CF spot by how the Phillies planned out their offseason last year. We'll get the idea of the plan for Miller soon enough, I'm sure.
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
Completely agreed. My view of the league is that it can't be used to think positively of players (Rojas had something like a .800+ OPS in the league), but if they are struggling, it absolutely can be used to think negatively.
The rest of your comment I also agree. I think I was saying all offseason that they are showing faith in Crawford, and I am excited for it. It is just that Miller legitimately hasn't seen good pitching in over a year. I am OK with having him learn at the major league level, but I expect it to be rough. /u/Strange-Cold-5192 mentioned Rincon, and I'd be excited for that because he's played. With Miller, I would be excited, but I'd also know that, statistically, it will not end well.
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u/TPChamp 1d ago
Yeah I'm pretty high on Rincon. His defense has always been legit and he was looked at as a glove first SS. But this past season his bat exploded on the scene. He gained a fair amount of pop and completely reworked his approach and in turn, led the Eastern league in walks. I'd be curious to know how the organization rates him. I'm sure they're a bit weary as to whether those advancements with the bat will continue to carry over.
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u/karawec403 Cyjuan 1d ago
Simple solution. He needs to play in a league with much better pitching than Arizona. Send him to the DR for the winter.
I realize itās not actually simple and they have roster limits on foreign players and all that. But I feel like playing in one of the Caribbean winter leagues would be a good way to make up for the lost season and get him ready for the majors faster.
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u/karawec403 Cyjuan 1d ago
Worth noting that both Kemp and Dylan Moore made the team out of camp. And spent like half the season with 3 catchers that were barely used. Not that hard to imagine a healthy Miller getting a call up this past season.
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
Regardless of the risk, I still think the Phillies are going to plan for one of Miller/Rincon to take the job at some point this season, which is why their best bet would really be to trade for a Sosa replacement to be a stopgap (I think Sosa is going to get paid given the dearth of 3B).
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
Barring truly creative, out of left field trades, my ideal offseason would be to add one of the top three lefties on the market, add a swingman arm, re-sign Mayza, sign Suzuki, and re-sign Arraez (who I think is the best remaining fit if we move Trea to the OF, which we should do). Trade for Sosaās replacement and move Marsh & Kerkering.
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
Speaking of Keller, I think itās unfair of people to dump on Dave for that signing. He was coming off a great season out of the pen and a really solid post season performance. If we hadnāt paid him, someone else most certainly would have given him a similar contract to be a setup man.
Does it suck that we committed that money to him? Sure. But itās not as though anyone can predict that an injury is going to occur and essentially end the guyās tenure w the team. When we made the signing it seemed like a really solid move and I was in favor of it, as were many others. It was just a very very unfortunate turn of events, but I donāt believe itās a situation where itās fair to label it as Dave āfumbling the ballā.
Even if Keller didnāt get injured and continued to struggle a bit, imo heād have still been a solid enough low leverage man to have in our pen next year. Like I say though, the situation unfolding the way it did was just incredibly unfortunate, not āpoor judgementā.
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u/TPChamp 1d ago
Yeah I don't fault Dave for the Keller signing. I just haven't liked any of his 1 year deals. Hard for me to think of a single 1yr deal that worked well for us that Dave initiated.
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u/karawec403 Cyjuan 1d ago
Keller was actually a 2 year deal. But heās likely missing all of next season too.
Your point stands though. Basically none of these short term free agent signings have worked out well recently. Keller, Adolis, Romano, Joe Ross, Kepler, Whit. Kimbrel was a bit of a mixed bag. Great for the first half of the season, but couldnāt last til October.
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
For sure. Most, if not all, of his attempts in that area have been more akin to one hit blunders. There were a couple I was somewhat optimistic about, but none just ever seemed to pan out.
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u/joeco316 1d ago
Banks also has multiple more years of control and Iād be surprised if they donāt take advantage of that.
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u/Open_Tradition227 Derek Hillās Toothpick 1d ago
They need a leverage RH & LH. Iām fine with Bowlan/Mcfarlane in the 6/7th inning but I think it would be bad process to just hand them the 8th inning job. Both are still unproven
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
The money just isnāt there for both, unless you totally neglect the offense, which would be a bigger mistake. Youād need to acquire one in a trade. Which would be great, but you just canāt predict those with any specificity.
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u/Open_Tradition227 Derek Hillās Toothpick 1d ago
Yeah I would like to see them get creative with a trade to bring in an impact bullpen piece. I agree they wonāt dish out two big contracts for the pen tho
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
If they leave it too late and there is a lockout before a new manager has time to build chemistry with the team, then maybe the new manager can take them all on a quick weekend getaway together just before the season begins. A bonding and teamwork outward bound excursion to build unity. They can climb rock walls and do trust falls and makes sāmores by the campfire. š¤
I mean shoot, we all know how much professional athletes love to be coddled. I bet it would work like a charm. š¤£
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u/obiwan_canoli Defender of the Phaith 1d ago
Maybe they'll figure out who they want, and reach an agreement not to hire them until the next season starts. That way, the manager is technically not an employee, and then nobody can say they can't spend time with the players.
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u/Will-from-PA Chooch-oo Train Rider š 1d ago
That feels very legally shaky
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
āLegally shakyā is a term Iād be willing to bet that many teams around the league are VERY familiar with.
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u/obiwan_canoli Defender of the Phaith 1d ago
lol... A) I'm kidding, B) there are no laws I'm aware of that dictate who Bryce Harper can spend his offseason training with.
Labor disputes are between the business owners and the employees/union, who disagree on how the business should be run. The law doesn't have anything to do with it unless the parties start trying to use illegal means to coerce the other side into an agreement.
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u/Will-from-PA Chooch-oo Train Rider š 1d ago
When I say legally, I mean against the leagueās ruleset for the lockout lol That feels like a loophole that the league would punish us for
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u/Electrical_Doubt3024 1d ago
Would the players, especially those with strong feelings on the cba, play along with this sidestep of the lockout rules? I tend to think not.
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u/obiwan_canoli Defender of the Phaith 1d ago
Did they not "sidestep" the last lockout by training at independent facilities with independent trainers?
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u/Electrical_Doubt3024 1d ago
No. How could anyone claim the right to tell athletes to not train. How ridiculous.Ā
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u/obiwan_canoli Defender of the Phaith 19h ago
Exactly, so how could anyone say Bryce Harper can't train with, let's just say Gabe Kapler for example, during the lockout and then hire Kapler as the manager once the season starts?
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u/Electrical_Doubt3024 16h ago
Why would Harper, one if the most vocal players opposing the salary cap, work with Kapler during the lockout when the owners/mlb are not paying him? He can certainly afford his own private coaches.
Moot point now as they just extended Mattingly.Ā
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u/purl2together This space for rent 1d ago
I am now having fun imagining the entire team at the summer camp I used to take the church youth group to. Friday afternoon: check into cabins, swimming test, archery. Saturday: canoes in the river, arts and crafts, a nap after lunch, a hike, then sāmores and camp songs around the fire. Sunday: tug of war, 3-leg race, and a water balloon fight ā pitchers vs position players.
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
Right??!! I envisioned it being a fun little thought experiment to maybe take our minds off all the seriousness going on at the moment.
Bryce and Kyle and Stott sitting up late under the covers with a flashlight and talking about who they think the hottest hitters in the league will be next year. š
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u/beezer210 1d ago
Let me handle this event. I live in Schuylkill County.
Weāll go to the Yuengling Brewery with Nola, who is a spokesperson. Then weāll travel to beautiful Ashland and experience the Pioneer Coal Mine tunnel. After that, we will take a quick jaunt to the astonishing town(ish) of Centralia.
Call me, Phillies.
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
We could also have them dress up as Kensington drug dealers and play a fun little game called ābaseā runningā¦ā¦although I bet theyād all suck at it. Lol
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
I really am cold on Mattingly but the longer the month goes on the more Iām at peace with him coming back.
1. They canāt float the manager as the ābigā change.
2. Itās a guy with established relationships in our clubhouse right before a lockout where the manager wonāt be allowed to talk to the players.
3. Because of the established relationship, Trea might take better to being asked to move off shortstop.
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u/Swimming_Elk_3058 1d ago
I get this reasoning and would be ok with all of this if it wasnāt for his bullpen management being so poor.
We are running out of seasons that Wheeler/Harper/Schwarber will be good and I donāt know if we can afford another year of Don making these calls.
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
His bullpen management drove me absolutely insane
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
I don't know if you were around in 2022, but I didn't exactly like Topper. I didn't exactly like his moves, bullpen, or otherwise. I spent that whole offseason trying to understand his moves, and when I did, I thought he actually was pretty damn smart.
I don't know if you were around in 2026, but I didn't exactly like Mattingly. I didn't exactly like his moves, bullpen, or otherwise. I spent that whole offseason trying to understand his moves, and when I did, I thought he put us in a worse position.
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
Thatās about how I feel. I miss topper
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
I said that era ended when Topper was fired, and we are starting a new era for Phillies baseball. That's why I couldn't use what the Phillies have done before to support any feelings about this year.
I didn't feel they were the same team.
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u/dusty_roads 1d ago
I think thereās a possibility Dave is stuck.
I donāt think the Phillies manager is a very attractive job right now. Ā You have an aging core with contracts that canāt be moved.Ā On top of that a fan base thatās not happy with how the last few years ended who want change.
Maybe Don doesnāt want to be a part of watching this team further decline as these contracts age if he knows the team isnāt willing to be bold and make changes and may try to mostly run it back again.
Why would a new manager want to walk into this job right now in those same circumstances?
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
I'm really curious about the established relationship angle because that is something where I absolutely hate the reasoning, but I could accept the reasoning if someone else believed it was important (including the organization).
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u/joeco316 1d ago
Recent Gelb article indicated that they believe it is important in particular this year because of the lockout and thus likely no contact from December 1 til who knows when and with a likely shortened spring training.
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
I read that. I want to know more about their reasoning. I replied to WheelerDeals, so I won't go fully in depth, but I want to understand their reasoning so I can be convinced.
Basically, I don't buy it, but I also won't be upset if others do, and I am curious to learn more because I would be willing to change my mind. I just haven't seen arguments that I felt were that strong.
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u/joeco316 1d ago
Iād be interested in hearing more. I donāt think itās a super strong reason, but I think itās fine as one reason on a list of reasons.
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
The lockout makes it difficult. Letās say we run a real search, hire the new manager in mid November, and 2 weeks later weāre in a lockout. And then, the lockout ends mid March, and the new manager has barely any time to establish any rapport with the team. Itās a tricky situation.
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u/NintenJew ęåę¬¢ę£ē 1d ago
It's a new manager anyway, with a new culture. I don't know how much relationships matter when they will be establishing them this offseason. It also isn't like the manager is consistently in the building in the offseason, working with the front office and players.
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u/bartwn52 Cristopher SƔnchez 1d ago
Anyone else see those sloppy, lazy, unfunny AI posts by Fox on instagram? Uhh. All I gotta say is EMBARRASING for a billion dollar news corporation. Even if itās something as simple as that. And im not even one to complain about AI stuff but thatās just plain lazy and uncreative
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
They had a god awful one after the braves Phillies series of some baseball boxing people. It was awful
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u/GOAT_SAMMY_DALEMBERT 1d ago
The Flyers might have the type of season we thought the Phillies were gonna have back in April. Brutal stuff.
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u/jhamels Nothing ever good happens after midnight 1d ago
Me seeing Jo Adell ball out for the Guardians while DD traded for a lefty infielder with zero SLG.
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u/RunningFree212 1d ago
It was exciting, but his only hit last night would have been a routine ground ball out if it werenāt for Ramirez stealing 3rd there.
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u/jhamels Nothing ever good happens after midnight 1d ago
If my grandma had lights and a siren sheād be an ambulance. You canāt if and or but what actually happened to try and discredit the man for his accomplishments.
The dude has a .792 OPS this postseason which would have been a big boost to the Phillies poor lineup.
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u/Perryplat199 Ask me about my Kody Clemens jersey 1d ago
Hey. Maybe letās just leave it empty for a while huh?
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u/karawec403 Cyjuan 1d ago
Probably gonna be LeBron. But Iād rather they stick with the young players vibe. Maybe Otto Kemp and Johan Rojas.
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u/Jacesus_Deals Church of Painter 1d ago
Genuinely if by some miracle Cleveland wins a title and gets Rhys a ring I will be over the moon.
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u/GuyaneseRumFan123 Andrew Painter 1d ago
Letās go Guardians. F the Dodgers, f the brewers (canāt explain why, I just donāt like em), and the Rays donāt deserve to win as they have no fans.
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
Iām probably higher than most on Rincon. The plate vision, glove, and raw power are legit. He probably needs a nice stint in AAA because the contact skills are a legit question.
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
Something that I liked about him, and which many didnāt seem to want to give him credit for, were his Home/Away splits. They were remarkably similar, but all anyone ever wanted to talk about was how much of āhitterās parkā Reading was. Yeah, itās a fair point, but if a guy is still doing the same stuff when heās on the road, then imo itās unfair to belittle his achievements in the way that some persisted in doing.
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago edited 1d ago
Oh, thought I posted this in reply to [u/NintenJew](u/NintenJew), but I guess I just posted this as a standard comment on the daily thread lol
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u/TPChamp 1d ago
The glove is certainly legit. I think he's always had the plate vision, but the discipline is what took a massive step forward last year. He wasn't a volume walk guy until this past season. I definitely think they'll start him in AAA as they look to see if he can continue to improve the approach. They might also want to see if the pop is real too. Ik Reading tends to inflate homerun numbers and Rincon wasnt exactly a power threat previously either.
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u/ttsa_25 1d ago
The USWNT has a game at Subaru tonight.
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u/Perryplat199 Ask me about my Kody Clemens jersey 1d ago
Howās that going. Better than Saturday o hope?
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u/jmiah717 Derek Hill's Hitting Diary 1d ago
Is someone in here just down voting everyone š. Why did you get down voted. That's hilarious.
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u/jhamels Nothing ever good happens after midnight 1d ago
Buck Showalter is right there DD. Go sign him instead of settling on a guy who canāt manage a pitching staff to save his life when you have one year of Wheeler left.
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
If we went after an old, washed manager, canāt we at least go get like Joe Maddon or somebody?
Showalter seemed like he gave zero fucks with the Mets.
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u/jhamels Nothing ever good happens after midnight 1d ago
Meh to be fair the Mets seem to do that to everyone these days, even their own GM.
Iāve never been big on Maddon but yeah Iāll give mostly anyone a shot over Mattingly. I just think Showalter would be interested as heās never even made a WS managing and this team is built to compete rn.
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
Iāve always had a soft spot for Maddon. He likes and uses analytics well, but also harps on fundamentals, has an old school, baseball-lifer mentality (a lot of people miss this because they never listen to him speak, only look at how he dresses), and heās a relatively local guy. I think he was in a bad position in LA.
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u/VideoGangsta 1d ago
I know the thing people hate most about Cora is the cheating. But isnāt Dombrowski just as complicit?
Cora cheated in 2017 AND 2018. Dombrowski was the POBO of the Red Sox in 2018. There is no reality where he didnāt know what was going on.Ā
So why do we give Dave a pass?
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u/joeco316 1d ago edited 1d ago
I donāt think you can definitively say he knew. There can be lots that goes on in the locker room, clubhouse, dugout during the day to day that the top boss is not aware of. Maybe he did, Iām not saying he didnāt but I donāt think we can just assume he did.
And also the cheating was quite different between the two teams. From what we know, the 2018 Red Sox did not use a special cheating camera and did not use audio cues (trash can banging) like the Astros did. They had someone look at footage in the video room to decode signs and then only when runners were on 2B to relay the signs were they (able to be) used. They also didnāt (werenāt able to) do it in the playoffs. Not good, but a far cry from what the Astros did.
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
Why werenāt they able to in the playoffs? Iād never heard that part before.
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
We expect the corporate types to be snakes in the grass. We want our managers to be harbingers of our wholesome, boyhood baseball dreams.
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u/WheelerDealsAgain Wawa please bring back teriyaki sauce 1d ago
u/wawa bring back teriyaki sauce please
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u/Basic_Mistake_903 the. bullpen. 1d ago
Holy shit what is the big deal about a delayed press conference?!
I kinda like the delay. Itās like waiting for the season finale of a good show. Maybe itās delayed because there are things they want aligned prior to conference. Maybe???
Press conferences are not the State of the Union address. Dave will announce new manager and say very similar high level things and thatāll be it.
Jesus.
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u/Di5pel he's the fucking lizard king 1d ago
Iām a big advocate for people having more than one hobby lol. Itāll happen when it happens. Read a book or do a puzzle in the meantime
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u/Basic_Mistake_903 the. bullpen. 1d ago
Me, I like to color and walk dogs.
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u/Foolish_oyster Fire Cora 1d ago
What do you use to color the dogs?
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u/Basic_Mistake_903 the. bullpen. 1d ago
Sometimes I use the usual deep and light browns. But sometimes when I am feeling bold, Iāll go with a soft pink or dark purple. Depends on my mood
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u/stopthehuns 1d ago
Tick tock Dave - where is the end of season presser?!
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u/ken-davis 1d ago
āWe have a good clubā. I can just say what he will say.
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u/Gapinthesidewalk 1d ago
āI like our club.ā
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u/Hothabanero6 1d ago
I like broccoli š„¦
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u/incognito042620 Cristopher SƔnchez 1d ago
It's good for you! That's why I slather it in butter and salt
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u/Magoatt_TheWhite 1d ago
Iām praying that weāre holding out from announcing Mattingly is back in case weāre waiting to interview a candidate from one of the teams.
Please Phillies hire Rodney Linares (TB bench coach)
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u/jmiah717 Derek Hill's Hitting Diary 1d ago
I dig this crew for this game. I like them all, Lauren included. She's one of the best in the biz and this announcing crew blows fox out of the water when it's Davis and Smoltz.
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u/sunshineLebron23 1d ago
There are SO many empty seats for this game at the Trop. Rays should be embarrassed. They deserve nothing.
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u/PracticalPay8657 1d ago
Not sure what to make of this CLE-TB matchup, both teams looked shaky at times this year. I'm more interested in how our rotation holds up if we make a deeper run. Also that empty schedule after the one game feels weird, like the calm before something
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u/mustacheddragon 1d ago
Heyman report (take it for what itās worth) that Mattingly has a decent or better chance to be back is still surprising to me. He was fine in the playoffs honestly, but I donāt think he ever had a good feel for the this team(mainly bullpen) during the regular season. I get thatās largely a talent thing. I get you dont want to make a change for change sake but itās not like Mattingly is your manager forever and this just feels like theyāre buying time to go after Cora again.
In the end I donāt think managers matter TOO much. They probably end last season in a similar spot if Thomson stays on IMO. But weāve seen that manager changes are a good way to shake things up. A team where a lot of the stars are set, I donāt think a new outside perspective hurts. I feel like if youāre doing a legitimate, honest manager search, Mattingly would not come out as the top candidate.
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u/Fancy-Performance-37 1d ago
the level of success of both aidan miller and bryan rincon will decide near future of franchise. they fail, we will have to go through another dark era like 2012-2018
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u/DoomedToRepeats 1d ago
Is our entire pitching staff and development program just going to fuck off and implode? The future is not as bleak as you think.
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u/pstellar 1d ago
I don't like to think boom or bust, but if the goal is to be good enough to win a title it's looking really bleak. Who knows what the landscape is when baseball resumes, but with right moves (bigger payroll than like 26 other teams helps) we can certainly scrape together another another run or two to win one of the WC spots.
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
I donāt think itāll be as dark, but, yeah if theyāre total busts then we wonāt win anything anytime soon.
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u/VideoGangsta 1d ago
Canāt John Middleton see how toxic and weird this is getting?
At this point I think the best bet is just to can Dumbo and start fresh.Ā
Itās just getting so weird. Middleton and his infatuation with letting Dave Dombrowski do whatever he wants like he is the only person who has ever constructed a World Series roster.
Dave and his infatuation with Cora like heās the only manager who has ever led a team to a World Series championship.
Justā¦ yuck. Start over. Itās not that hard. Pretty much every team does it at least once a decade.
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u/jmiah717 Derek Hill's Hitting Diary 1d ago
All my comments keep getting down voted today. Interesting. Didn't know liking an announcing crew and mentioning my latest podcast recommendation was controversial š. š¤·
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u/faithfulllittlebird Toothpick Rik 1d ago
I donāt really care about it, but I noticed the same thing oddly happening to me today too. The most random, innocuous comments of mine getting downvoted. I didnāt think I came across as offensive, but apparently Iāve offended someone. Very bizarre. Lol
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago edited 1d ago
https://x.com/philstailgate/status/2110125088037114365?s=46
I would happily take Arraez, Sosa, and Mayza at these numbers.
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u/OverallPersimmon6786 1d ago
A concern with Arraez thatās being somewhat overlooked is that a 3 year deal means you need him at 2B for the entire time and last year looks like an outlier defensively. Thereās a good shot he becomes another DH which they just have no room for
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
Now this is a legitimate worry I have despite wanting Arraez back. Obviously, I hope his market is even worse than I anticipate and he can only get a 2yr deal. But I also think that itās just something weād have to live with. Plus, I donāt think his bat will age badly, so we could always potentially move him in a trade in his final season, if heās no longer a positional fit.
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u/ghoulbabes1 1d ago
Pass on Arraez. Was overall meh and I doubt think he profiles well at CPB. 300 foot pop ups.
Mayza a no brainer at that price, low key second best bullpen piece on the years work.
Sosa is going to be an interesting one to watch, would be great to bring back at that price.
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u/Electrical_Doubt3024 1d ago
I don't understand the infatuation with Arraez. While trying, I compared Bohm and Arraez when batting fourth in 2026, which seemed reasonable to me. But I just got further confused as Bohm is simply better and a righty. Explain what I'm missing, please.
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u/Strange-Cold-5192 1d ago
Heās overrated, but still a 105-110 wRC+ bat. Our non-Harper/Schwarber bats combined for an 80 wRC+. Thatās a huge marginal boost. I also think moving Trea to the OF is a necessity, which leaves us with only one free OF spot. Given I believe we need two bats, we need not only another corner OF, but an IF, and the two best options are Lowe and Arraez, I want Arraez. I think Arraez will be the cheaper of the two and ultimately the better buy.
So Tl;dr, we need to add an infielder, I think Arraez is the better value of the two bats I like on the market. Itās much less, āWow, Arraez is amazingā and more āArraez is good and the best fit given the market and our constraints.ā
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u/FriedHigh 1d ago
GO BREWERS I LOVE IT š