Ya, let’s make trades before the deadline...

[Ground_Meat]

...stupid.

This team is NOT 1-2 players away.

[Snakebitten]

Good teams would have already promoted players like Sixto Sanchez* and Spencer Howard (Mike Soroka is 21). This abortion lets them rot in the minors or trades them away. Now the season is over because the pitching we all knew was an issue isn't there.

How much worse would this team be if they literally didn't make any moves this past off season?

*Alfaro is actually outhitting Realmuto.

[rothdawg]

JP Crawford is out hitting and fielding Jean Segura. The much maligned Carlos Santana is out hitting everyone on the team.

What a mess.

[Ground_Meat]

JP Crawford is out hitting and fielding Jean Segura. The much maligned Carlos Santana is out hitting everyone on the team.

What a mess.

Exactly...this trade talk infuriates me.

Keep the few young players they have and continue to develop them!!

[Snakebitten]

We know the pitching was neglected but the hitting is almost even more inconsistent. When players get better when they leave a hitters ballpark, at the very least, the hitting coach needs to go. Everyone is hitting home runs but the Phillies in this ballpark. Most of the lineup is underachieving.

This front office has spent a lot of money to make this team average at best. They have learned nothing from the team that competed a decade ago. That includes leaving their stars in the minors too long. As long as this front office is in place, this team will never win anything.

[SOS Crunchy]

Spencer Howard’s been hurt all year and just got promoted to Reading. The bigger issue is their lack of addressing/scouting pitching in the draft, the only time they’ve really done that is with Nola, who’s now the ace and Kevin Gowdy who looks like a flame out.

[SOS Crunchy]

Alfaro will also never be remotely close to how good Realmuto is behind the dish

[Snakebitten]

Right now, would you rather give Spencer Howard a chance or continue to watch what they have? He may not be ready but I'm willing to kick the tires. Even if it's not him, could Sixto Sanchez have helped? They'll be patient with someone like Roman Quinn and ship out Sanchez?

As far as Alfaro, would keeping him have been that much of a downgrade? Now, they will have to overpay to keep Realmuto since they have all of this money to burn....except on pitching.

In order to control payroll, they need to have a good mixture of young inexpensive talent and most likely overpaid veterans. This team doesn't have the depth in the minors to move anyone who could remotely have potential.

I'm not trying to play GM here but I know when an organization is consistently making more bad moves than good ones.

[SOS Crunchy]

I’m not sure starting a guy in the majors who’s never pitched past single A coming off an injury is the best idea, but he just struck out 10 in Reading last night so he may very well get called up this year, especially considering the way Arrieta has been pitching.

I’ve heard Sixto was a little bit of a head case and had some mechanical issues that led people to believe he wouldn’t be sustainable. They traded him for the best catcher in the league, regardless of his lack of offensive production lately (he’s still been a solid hitter and tremendous in every other aspect of his game).

I’m with you on the Phillies org being a mess, but not sure if it’s completely on Klentak, who’s been forced to make a lot of moves by Stupid Money Middleton.

[Snakebitten]

They've got one pitcher with 'heavy legs' and the other with a bone spur. I'm all ears if there's a better option out there that doesn't involve trading the limited talent they have in the minors.

Middleton was forced because Klentak and McFail blow. I don't care who gets the most blame, they all failed again.

[JuTMSY4]

what?

Good teams would have already promoted players like Sixto Sanchez* and Spencer Howard (Mike Soroka is 21). This abortion lets them rot in the minors or trades them away. Now the season is over because the pitching we all knew was an issue isn't there.

How much worse would this team be if they literally didn't make any moves this past off season?

*Alfaro is actually outhitting Realmuto.

Howard has been hurt all year. Sanchez was hurt the last two and that was a big part of why he was traded. Realmuto has a superior WAR to Alfaro precisely because Alfaro is an athlete and Realmuto is a catcher. I like Jorge too, but JT is still better right now. That stat is only brought out to bait and it's kinda silly.

The problem has been organizational development and it has been for years. Hamels got accelerated through the system and he's the exception that proves the rule. A guy like Carrasco (remember him) took years to develop - even his first few seasons in cleveland were a little rocky. I don't know if those guys are "rotting" in the minors as much as the franchise has historically (and continues) to do a terrible job developing pitchers.

Side Note: I wish carrasco the best, man. What a rough development.

[Snakebitten]

The point I'm trying to make is this team keeps their players in the minors too long. Sure, if there's no reason to bring them up, let them develop. They have now shifted from drafting 'five tool' high school stiffs to college players. They are more polished. Aaron Nola got the fast track (30 games in the minors). Spencer Howard has pitched more than that. He's pitched six games since the injury. I'm not saying he's the next Nola. I'm saying this team has to go against the grain once and awhile. I'm willing to roll the dice with a 23-year old who throws 98 and has four pitches. Alec Bohm better be this team's starting third baseman next year.

It's no question that Realmuto is better right now. I'm saying was Alfaro that much of a downgrade? Keep in mind he's not getting paid much right now. My preference is to spend money elsewhere (pitching). For the record, I didn't expect the pitchers to regress with Realmuto behind the plate but it is worth mentioning. I know it's not our money but he's not going to come cheap in the very near future.

There's two teams in this division better than they are and their strengths are the Phils weaknesses. We will never see a Soto (20) or Acuna Jr (21) here because they have nobody that can identify that talent and willing to bring them up at that age.

[1960]

The point I'm trying to make is this team keeps their players in the minors too long. Sure, if there's no reason to bring them up, let them develop. They have now shifted from drafting 'five tool' high school stiffs to college players. They are more polished. Aaron Nola got the fast track (30 games in the minors). Spencer Howard has pitched more than that. He's pitched six games since the injury. I'm not saying he's the next Nola. I'm saying this team has to go against the grain once and awhile. I'm willing to roll the dice with a 23-year old who throws 98 and has four pitches. Alec Bohm better be this team's starting third baseman next year.

It's no question that Realmuto is better right now. I'm saying was Alfaro that much of a downgrade? Keep in mind he's not getting paid much right now. My preference is to spend money elsewhere (pitching). For the record, I didn't expect the pitchers to regress with Realmuto behind the plate but it is worth mentioning. I know it's not our money but he's not going to come cheap in the very near future.

There's two teams in this division better than they are and their strengths are the Phils weaknesses. We will never see a Soto (20) or Acuna Jr (21) here because they have nobody that can identify that talent and willing to bring them up at that age.

They keep them in the minors so their MLB service time does not start.

[Snakebitten]

No doubt. Teams that know how to draft and recruit don't have these problems. They also don't know how to evaluate international talent. I remember when they took Jhailyn Ortiz over Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Juan Soto, and Fernando Tatis Jr.

[Ground_Meat]

No doubt. Teams that know how to draft and recruit don't have these problems. They also don't know how to evaluate international talent. I remember when they took Jhailyn Ortiz over Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Juan Soto, and Fernando Tatis Jr.

Disgusting.