OT: Philadelphia Phillies (MLB): 1st pick secured!

[PHILOUDELPHIA]

altherr big hit 3 run basesloaded triple phils up 6-2 bottom 7th have a great shot at avoiding 100 losses.

 

[PHILOUDELPHIA]

icirio pitching for marlins lol

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Ichiro did well pitching. Good for him as a way to end the season for him.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I'm actually feeling good about where this team is headed for the first time in a long time. The changes at the top are obvious but it seems like things are starting to fall the Phillies way here.

The win/loss record very likely won't be good again next year but if things keep going the way it appears to be it should be a fun transition year to which these guys come up & play.

 

[PHILOUDELPHIA]

phils win avoid 100 losses,

and nice job they throwing there jersey's and stuff into the crowd.

nice

 

[FLYguy3911]

Avoided 100 losses, got the 1st pick, dealt the one guy that had decent trade value, early returns of the draft class look good. Pretty successful season as weird as that sounds. There's a lot to work with moving forward and little holding back the next GM. Just have to nail the hire.

I have a lot more confidence in the organization now than 6 months ago.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

The most important thing in all of this is no more Dom Brown going forward!

 

[Halladay]

Hamels just threw a 2 run complete game to clinch the west. Didnt allow a hit after the 2nd.

 

[Cody Webster]

Rangers vs Jays and the Astros will play the Yankees in the one game WC

 

[montreal]

The most important thing in all of this is no more Dom Brown going forward!

he's down at instructs so that would seem kind of odd to send him there and then cut him lose. Not saying they won't but not sure why they sent him to instructs then.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

he's down at instructs so that would seem kind of odd to send him there and then cut him lose. Not saying they won't but not sure why they sent him to instructs then.

I was just going off what most reporters have been speculating for a while now. I don't really see the point in bringing him back when the OF could get crowded next year with guys who should be more priority to get at bats over him.

 

[Schwarbomb]

I also feel good about the future of this team along with the sixers and flyers. Too bad I can't say that about the football team.

 

[Jtown]

Avoided 100 losses, got the 1st pick, dealt the one guy that had decent trade value, early returns of the draft class look good. Pretty successful season as weird as that sounds. There's a lot to work with moving forward and little holding back the next GM. Just have to nail the hire.

I have a lot more confidence in the organization now than 6 months ago.

that is a very good way to look at it. i love the hamels trade, if amaro was the architecht of that well he left us in style.

We are still set up to succeed

 

[King Forsberg]

Hamels just threw a 2 run complete game to clinch the west. Didnt allow a hit after the 2nd.

Proud of you Cole.

 

[Halladay]

Im intrigued to see more of Altherr next season. Sweeney too. I believe that this was the worst year, and signing at least one decent starter and we are looking at a 70 win team potentially.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

If we need a lefty starter, maybe pick up Kazmir?

 

[FLYguy3911]

Im intrigued to see more of Altherr next season.

33 hits. 20 went for extra bases.

He's one of those guys that is probably going to be pretty streaky throughout his career, but if nothing else he should be a valuable 4th OFer as he can play all 3 OF spots and cover a ton of ground.

Don't forget Odubel who had arguably the best Rule 5 rookie season ever. What a find. He hit .297!!! 50k well spent. He has his flaws, but he's a middle of the diamond player that can hit and he was a surprising good fielder. Hopefully he builds off of the great 2nd half.

 

[OrangeAndBlackMetal]

Crawford should be up with the big club next season, Franco should continue to get better, we have a few pieces that look very good from the Hamels trade, and we're adding a 1st overall pick. Future starting to have a glimmer of hope.

Hell of a change from a calendar year ago when there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

Alfaro seems to be a bit of a wild card. Hoping he can get his development back on track, he's an elite talent.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Should mention the farm system that was already in place saw a bunch of guys take steps forward. Guys like Pinto, Knapp, Kilome, Quinn (before he got hurt), Tocci, Canelo, Hoskins, Altherr, Medina, Ramos, Arauz, Luis...

 

[zarley zelepukin]

According to Fangraphs, Altherr was worth almost 2 WAR in only 39 games. A lot of that is because of defense- his metrics there are pretty great- but that's still really impressive.

His glove is for real and it seems like his power is for real (maybe not to the extent he's shown but he's definitely capable of driving the ball) so if he can make enough contact he could really be an unexpected building block. How funny would it be if, after years of being maligned for drafting toolsy busts, one of them fulfills his potential just when this era comes to a close?

 

[deadhead]

Altherr learned to work the strike zone this year in AAA, and watching him, you could see it carry over to the show. He's a plus plus defender (minor league golden glove) which means he doesn't need huge offense to have real value - but his ability to draw walks, power and baserunning suggests he'll be at least a .750 OPS guy (10% BB rate and .400+ SA) even if he hits .240 or so. Which would make him around a 3 WAR RF. But he has upside above that.

Sweeney needs a year in AAA ball, he's not ready for prime time.

Herrera on the other hand - jeez, what an amazing season, never played OF until winter ball, ends the year as one of the top ten fielding CFs, solid offensive season despite never playing above AA - so I won't try to guess his upside.

Franco can flat out hit, if he improves his plate discipline, wow.

Hernandez, Galvis and Rupp are serviceable starters who are young enough to improve. Ruf plays much better on a regular basis than off the bench. So right now LF is the hole, but Lehigh should have an OF of Williams - Quinn - Dugan and Perkins, with Cozens in AA unless he's lights out in the AFL.

Pitching is their biggest need, but they'll have a solid AAA rotation with some good arms in AA. Adding a veteran innings eater to protect the young pitchers is probably their offseason priority (the premier pitchers will want huge overpays to come here, so don't expect that to happen). The bullpen is deep, and that will help if they have to go with Nola - Eickhoff - Morgan - Buchanan - veteran FA next year until guys like Eflin and Thompson are ready.

 

[JDinkalage Morgoone]

Obviously, the biggest surprise of the 2nd half to me was Eickhoff. This dude can flat out hurl. There is definitely reason to be excited about the Phillies again!

 

[Hiesenberg]

This season went about as well as you could have hoped.

Re-stock the Farm
Secure #1 Pick
Avoid 100 losses
Trade Players
Players we like make the playoffs
Player we hate missed the playoffs

BTW, I'm in full on Hamels mode, rooting hard for Texas. I hope his playoff experience puts them over the top.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

The most important thing in all of this is no more Dom Brown going forward!

w00t! I was reading an article from back in September about Dom Brown. He said he thinks he can replicate that great month he had and put up those numbers on a consistent basis, but not with the Phillies because they won't let him get regular playing time so that is why he could never get it back. This after earlier in the year while in AAA saying he feels he is one of the better players in baseball. Maybe he has brain damage.

 

[Protest]

Honestly I had no faith that they would get this turned around, but thankfully they got some luck with some of the guys that you didn't expect much from. They could really be ready to go in 2 years and start challenging for a WC spot if things keep progressing.