OT: Official 2021 Philadelphia Phillies Season Thread

[SouthJerseyRU]

If you have a subscription to the Athletic, this is a must read article, about how Harper came back from being hit in the face to win the MVP.

How MVP Bryce Harper overcame a 97 mph fastball to the face to deliver one of the greatest seasons in Phillies history

The story of Bryce Harper, 2021 NL MVP, does not begin with a 97 mph fastball to the face on April 28. But it did not end that night either.

theathletic.com

 

[RUScrew85]

If you have a subscription to the Athletic, this is a must read article, about how Harper came back from being hit in the face to win the MVP.

How MVP Bryce Harper overcame a 97 mph fastball to the face to deliver one of the greatest seasons in Phillies history

The story of Bryce Harper, 2021 NL MVP, does not begin with a 97 mph fastball to the face on April 28. But it did not end that night either.

theathletic.com

LOL. Gave up paying for the athletic once they decided politics was important.

 

[RUScrew85]

Don't forget that Wheeler had a top 5 NL Cy Young season as well. Amazing that the Phils have a MVP and Cy Young candidate and still won't win more than 85 or so games.

Need to fix the entire left side of the infield and 2 outfield spots as well.

Don't give up on Bohm yet. Stott should be up some time mid this year or next. Need CF, LF, SP, BP.

Don't overlook Kris Bryant - Harper's bestie - signing and playing OF/3B.

 

[SouthJerseyRU]

LOL. Gave up paying for the athletic once they decided politics was important.

To each his own, but IMO they have the best coverage of the Philly sports teams of any outlet, as well as good fantasy and sports betting content.

Don't give up on Bohm yet. Stott should be up some time mid this year or next. Need CF, LF, SP, BP.

Don't overlook Kris Bryant - Harper's bestie - signing and playing OF/3B.

I think Bohm could end up as a decent hitter, but he's either a DH or 1B. Problem is the Phillies need to give DH and 1B at bats to Hoskins and Realmuto as well.

I like Stott but their history with prospect development the last few years has been troubling to say the least. Hopefully with the offseason shakeup, the new minor league dev group lead by Preston Mattingly will change things around.

 

[RUScrew85]

To each his own, but IMO they have the best coverage of the Philly sports teams of any outlet, as well as good fantasy and sports betting content.



I think Bohm could end up as a decent hitter, but he's either a DH or 1B. Problem is the Phillies need to give DH and 1B at bats to Hoskins and Realmuto as well.

I like Stott but their history with prospect development the last few years has been troubling to say the least. Hopefully with the offseason shakeup, the new minor league dev group lead by Preston Mattingly will change things around.

Agree on all.

I was a paying customer of The Athletic when they started but just couldn't justify sending money to folks who hate some of the things I stand for.

But give Bohm another year. Keep the door open for Stott and they might just have a cheap decent left side of the IF. Can sign a big Fa at every position.

Not sure I love the front office additions. I hope they're OK but I've looked at some of their backgrounds and am not impressed.

You have any thoughts on Kris Bryant?

 

[SouthJerseyRU]

Agree on all.

I was a paying customer of The Athletic when they started but just couldn't justify sending money to folks who hate some of the things I stand for.

But give Bohm another year. Keep the door open for Stott and they might just have a cheap decent left side of the IF. Can sign a big Fa at every position.

Not sure I love the front office additions. I hope they're OK but I've looked at some of their backgrounds and am not impressed.

You have any thoughts on Kris Bryant?

Regarding the front office additions, I don't know how good they'll be, but they can't be any worse then what was there previously.

I like Bryant, fills a 3b/OF need. I wouldn't break the bank for him though, I don't think he's a star anymore, but he is a really good everyday player with some position versatility, which they need.

 

[retired711]

There was a headline this morning in the inquirer about how the MVP award for Harper validates his signing. I have great admiration for Harper, and the Athletic story explains why I feel that way. And the signing was good publicity -- it greatly increased ticket sales. But I'm not convinced the signing was a good thing. Baseball is a sport in which superstars are not that important. Even the best hitter can come up only once every nine times. If superstars were the key, then San Diego, with Machado and Tatis, and the L.A. Angels, with Trout, would be in the playoffs every year. It's better to split the kind of money Harper got among several players, not as good individually but good enough to be important contributors.

 

[retired711]

BTW, I think this year's World Series was the first between cities that were both in states that were part of the Confederacy. Keep in mind that until the 1960s, there was not a single major league team in the former Confederacy. The Houston Colt 45s, as they were originally called, was the first, in 1962.

 

[WhiteBus]

There was a headline this morning in the inquirer about how the MVP award for Harper validates his signing. I have great admiration for Harper, and the Athletic story explains why I feel that way. And the signing was good publicity -- it greatly increased ticket sales. But I'm not convinced the signing was a good thing. Baseball is a sport in which superstars are not that important. Even the best hitter can come up only once every nine times. If superstars were the key, then San Diego, with Machado and Tatis, and the L.A. Angels, with Trout, would be in the playoffs every year. It's better to split the kind of money Harper got among several players, not as good individually but good enough to be important contributors.

The contract is the difference. Bryce Harper will never be a top 15 contract in baseball in any year he plays. He was $10 million behind Trout this season.
Team friendly contract. Between ticket sales and merchandising he has easily covered his contract so far.

 

[retired711]

The contract is the difference. Bryce Harper will never be a top 15 contract in baseball in any year he plays. He was $10 million behind Trout this season.
Team friendly contract. Between ticket sales and merchandising he has easily covered his contract so far.

What you say is correct, but Harper's contact is large enough that he Phillies would have to exceed the luxury tax threshold to surround him with the players the team needs to win --and, despite Middleton's talk of spending "stupid money," I don't think they're going to be willing to do that. There is also the problem (and this is not Harper's fault) that the Phillies have long been *very* poor at judging and developing talent.

 

[WhiteBus]

What you say is correct, but Harper's contact is large enough that he Phillies would have to exceed the luxury tax threshold to surround him with the players the team needs to win --and, despite Middleton's talk of spending "stupid money," I don't think they're going to be willing to do that. There is also the problem (and this is not Harper's fault) that the Phillies have long been *very* poor at judging and developing talent.

Their biggest problem is bullpen. I'd love them to get Raisel Iglesias to close. Younger then Jansen and probably cheaper.

 

[retired711]

Their biggest problem is bullpen. I'd love them to get Raisel Iglesias to close. Younger then Jansen and probably cheaper.

I agree the biggest problem is bullpen, but I'm sure you'd agree there are *lots* of other problems.

 

[WhiteBus]

I agree the biggest problem is bullpen, but I'm sure you'd agree there are *lots* of other problems.

Every team has lots of problems. Look what happened to Atlanta this year. Lost their entire outfield but replaced it cheaply and highly effective. Phillies 2nd biggest problem was defense. Horrible the first half. Looks like Didi is bask at SS. Puzzling as he was a great defender with the Yankees but many issues last year.
However if the Phillies had an average bullpen they would have been a playoff team. Certainly not a WS team but would be nice to go to Citizen Bank for a playoff. I have no idea what their budget is this year. Bohm has already been mentioned. He is a very likable player but is inconsistent. If they are able to get a true 3rd basemen then see if Bohm can move to first or outfield.
Agree on developing talent, or lack thereof.

 

[read option]

There was a headline this morning in the inquirer about how the MVP award for Harper validates his signing. I have great admiration for Harper, and the Athletic story explains why I feel that way. And the signing was good publicity -- it greatly increased ticket sales. But I'm not convinced the signing was a good thing. Baseball is a sport in which superstars are not that important. Even the best hitter can come up only once every nine times. If superstars were the key, then San Diego, with Machado and Tatis, and the L.A. Angels, with Trout, would be in the playoffs every year. It's better to split the kind of money Harper got among several players, not as good individually but good enough to be important contributors.

If the Phils didn’t have Harper this season they would have lost at least 90 games.

 

[retired711]

Every team has lots of problems. Look what happened to Atlanta this year. Lost their entire outfield but replaced it cheaply and highly effective. Phillies 2nd biggest problem was defense. Horrible the first half. Looks like Didi is bask at SS. Puzzling as he was a great defender with the Yankees but many issues last year.
However if the Phillies had an average bullpen they would have been a playoff team. Certainly not a WS team but would be nice to go to Citizen Bank for a playoff. I have no idea what their budget is this year. Bohm has already been mentioned. He is a very likable player but is inconsistent. If they are able to get a true 3rd basemen then see if Bohm can move to first or outfield.
Agree on developing talent, or lack thereof.

Agree with you that an average bullpen would have gotten the Phillies into the playoffs. The same would certainly have been true in 2020; a decent bullpen would have given the Phillies the #5 seed because they would have caught Miami for second in the division, and the Phillies would have had the second best record among the second place teams, with San Diego having the best. Yet the Phillies appear to have terrible judgment in picking closers. They signed Alvarado, but he cannot find home plate consistently.

I think the Phillies will try to find an alternative to Didi at short. He clearly had physical issues -- the pseudo-gout being an example. He also has a swing that works in Yankee Stadium with the short right field porch, but is not as effective anywhere else. As for Bohm, he just doesn't fit anywhere -- and by the way, I don't see why you think he is likable; he sulks all the time.

The Phillies also need Hoskins to come back, although he is so streaky I despair of him. He is certainly not great defensively, but that side of the infield is not as bad.

The Braves' midseason acquisitions worked out better than anyone could have anticipated. Good for them! That's what can happen when you try to improve your team at the break, and when you have prospects other teams will trade for. The Phillies have almost no one in the minor league system who anybody would want.