Bryce Harper

[slag]

Many moons ago, my wife wanted to buy a leather couch set ... she took me to a place where the product was shit-a-brick expensive ... I shit a brick ... then she took me to a place and showed me couches that were less than half the prices in the other place ... where I still would have shit a brick if she had taken me there first ... I went along with what she picked.

Effective tactic.

[J_Cuz31]

Yet somehow this dumbass FO has managed, with the impending Harper signing, to construct a roster that will be the Vegas favorites by the end of the week to win the NL pennant.

They will not be the favorites until they add a LH SP. In fact, this poorly constructed roster, with no LH power or LH starters is the reason Boras has been able to force the Phillies to essentially bid against themselves for Harper. Klentak has built a roster around a player he has yet to acquire so clearly Harper has the Phillies over a barrel.

As with the Realmuto deal the team is adding players who marginally improve their team at excessive costs. That is rarely a recipe for long term success. and short term these moves arent enough to make the Phillies serious contenders.

Klentak is not looking good here no matter how many fans get distracted by the splashes he is making in the shallow end of the pool.

[06hawkalum]

They will not be the favorites until they add a LH SP. In fact, this poorly constructed roster, with no LH power or LH starters is the reason Boras has been able to force the Phillies to essentially bid against themselves for Harper. Klentak has built a roster around a player he has yet to acquire so clearly Harper has the Phillies over a barrel.

As with the Realmuto deal the team is adding players who marginally improve their team at excessive costs. That is rarely a recipe for long term success. and short term these moves arent enough to make the Phillies serious contenders.

Klentak is not looking good here no matter how many fans get distracted by the splashes he is making in the shallow end of the pool.

Realmuto a "marginal" improvement over Alfaro?

You are in for a pleasant surprise.

[Snakebitten]

This front office has already been labeled as one that overpays for players. It has to overpay because they've created a sub-par product for nearly a decade. Santana, Arrieta, Hunter and Neshek were all overpaid and all under-performed last season. McCutchen shows they aren't learning from their mistakes. I will credit them for moving Santana but fixing mistakes a year later doesn't give me any confidence with this front office.

Sure, you'll have to pay Harper. Unfortunately, this organization created an environment that they need to overpay Harper more than most.

[Snakebitten]

These are the same people that think teams need Antonio Brown or Le'veon Bell to win championships.

[Anthony]

I just hope if Harper signs with the Dodgers that Middleton learned his lesson and keeps his mouth shut in the future and also sets deadlines and stop showing desperation. He always has the we are going to move forward card to play. He can mention he will just go after local Trout in 2 years and overpay him instead and say until then continue to build the team to be ready to win when he comes.

He could have made a couple of moves earlier and maybe could have even gotten Corbin if he wasn't held hostage by Harper/Machado. Put the best offer on the table in January take it or leave it, move on. Harper hasn't won a playoff series yet. Look how Milwaukee is doing it, follow that model.

[nerd]

I just hope if Harper signs with the Dodgers that Middleton learned his lesson and keeps his mouth shut in the future and also sets deadlines and stop showing desperation. He always has the we are going to move forward card to play. He can mention he will just go after local Trout in 2 years and overpay him instead and say until then continue to build the team to be ready to win when he comes.

He could have made a couple of moves earlier and maybe could have even gotten Corbin if he wasn't held hostage by Harper/Machado. Put the best offer on the table in January take it or leave it, move on. Harper hasn't won a playoff series yet. Look how Milwaukee is doing it, follow that model.

The biggest problem is that the phillies haven't drafted well in general (especially in the first round) for quite a while. I mean, with their first pick in the draft (since about 2010) they have basically hit on one player. Nola.

The rest are either bums or at best question marks.

[Anthony]

Mickey Moniak leads the pack. Lost 99 games to draft him and there are players taken right after him that show a hell of a lot more promise.

The biggest problem is that the phillies haven't drafted well in general (especially in the first round) for quite a while. I mean, with their first pick in the draft (since about 2010) they have basically hit on one player. Nola.

The rest are either bums or at best question marks.

[nerd]

Mickey Moniak leads the pack. Lost 99 games to draft him and there are players taken right after him that show a hell of a lot more promise.

right. that is why they have had to go so heavy into free agency, because they haven't developed players.

That 2008 team (building up to it with other years) was loaded with draft picks or player signings. Howard, Utley, Rollins, Burrell, Victorino (rule 5 at least), Hamels, Madson, Myers.

I see two guys that the phillies have developed that I can say are very good, Hoskins and Nola. Then it's just free agents or inconsistent players.

[Snakebitten]

The fact that Middleton has to fly across the country and beg because his front office can't close tells you how bad they are.

[Anthony]

He didn't have to do that. You could allocate his $ to three players: a hitter, a SP and a RP and make the team deeper. Harper already has proven he couldn't win with a loaded Washington team whether it was his fault or not. He's not nearly as good as Trout either.

The fact that Middleton has to fly across the country and beg because his front office can't close tells you how bad they are.

[nerd]

He didn't have to do that. You could allocate his $ to three players: a hitter, a SP and a RP and make the team deeper. Harper already has proven he couldn't win with a loaded Washington team whether it was his fault or not. He's not nearly as good as Trout either.

That's the biggest part that sucks. Trout isn't available yet. He's the better player right now and it's not all that close either.

Bryce has had two seasons of 1.000 ops and the rest have been around .850 or below.

Trout has been below .950 once in about the same amount of time.

[HEREisAKERS]

Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son....I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way.

[Snakebitten]

I have zero faith this front office can identify the right people through free agency. Keuchel is most likely another Arrieta. Kimbrel isn't worth the money he wants. Nerd is right. They failed with those high picks they had in the draft. Teams that usually win the World Series have had more success in the draft. They wasted that opportunity. Yes, they're still young but history shows us their track record sucks.

[J_Cuz31]

I have zero faith this front office can identify the right people through free agency. Keuchel is most likely another Arrieta. Kimbrel isn't worth the money he wants. Nerd is right. They failed with those high picks they had in the draft. Teams that usually win the World Series have had more success in the draft. They wasted that opportunity. Yes, they're still young but history shows us their track record sucks.

Trading a top pitching prospect for a catcher is stupid, also.