MLB Winter Meetings

[Cedrique]

Note to Klentak--Look at these meetings as if they were a fishing trip. Bring back Trout, or don't bother coming home.

 

[Cedrique]

Seriously though, I'm fascinated by the Andrew McCutchen talk. I guess it doesn't make sense unless you think they will be legit contenders this year (which I don't think many people do)--unless you think you can flip him at the trade deadline this year. It all depends on whether he can bounce back from last season. The four seasons before that he was top 5 in MVP voting every year so he is obviously not far removed from being an elite player. Also, he has 2 years remaining on his contract at "only" 14.5 mil. per year. That is really nothing for the Phillies right now (they routinely shell out that much for veteran starters in one year deals, even during the rebuilding process). But if he could turn it around he would look great in the middle of the Phils lineup and if they still weren't contending he would be a great asset to trade at the deadline.
It also depends on the Bucs asking price. They would want a couple prospects.

 

[jvett77]

McCutcheon is a tough call. We'd have to give up a bunch of young, good guys, hitters who may be on the verge. I think we're a .500 team and he would obviously help to imporove it now. $14 mill is atractive, but woulldn't he want a long contract to make a move? It couldn't be that easy. Wonder what _phillies_ thinks.

 

[Omar 382]

McCutcheon is a tough call. We'd have to give up a bunch of young, good guys, hitters who may be on the verge. I think we're a .500 team and he would obviously help to imporove it now. $14 mill is atractive, but woulldn't he want a long contract to make a move? It couldn't be that easy. Wonder what _phillies_ thinks.

How the hell are we a .500 team with the same roster last year that gave us 71 wins? Where do you see those 10 wins coming from- Pat Neshek?

 

[Cedrique]

How the hell are we a .500 team with the same roster last year that gave us 71 wins? Where do you see those 10 wins coming from- Pat Neshek?

I think the roster will be better this year. Maybe we bring in JP Crawford and one of those guys that hit a shitload of HRs in the minors last year to play 1B/OF and rack up some RIBBIES in the middle of the order. Plus the young pitchers will hopefully improve. That's gotta be worth some wins, right?

 

[Omar 382]

I think the roster will be better this year. Maybe we bring in JP Crawford and one of those guys that hit a shitload of HRs in the minors last year to play 1B/OF and rack up some RIBBIES in the middle of the order. Plus the young pitchers will hopefully improve. That's gotta be worth some wins, right?

Maybe 3-5, but 10? That would mean the new young hitters would have to combine to be Barry Bonds in the early 2000's. I'd love to be wrong, but I don't see this current roster getting to .500.

Add Cutch, and everything changes

 

[Cedrique]

Maybe 3-5, but 10? That would mean the new young hitters would have to combine to be Barry Bonds in the early 2000's. I'd love to be wrong, but I don't see this current roster getting to .500.

Add Cutch, and everything changes

You may be right, but I think you also forgot to factor in that this will be the year that Mark Appel comes up to the majors and K's 200 in 150 innings

 

[jvett77]

How the hell are we a .500 team with the same roster last year that gave us 71 wins? Where do you see those 10 wins coming from- Pat Neshek?

Look, I think clearly a few of those young pitchers will improve to provide maybe five additional wins and that's not a stretch. One or two hitting call ups from LHV plus the maturation of returning players should mean something positive like 4 or 5 more wins. So, book it, slam it, bank on it, rub it down. 81-81 minimum. Oh, Howie Kendrick also instead of the sleazy OF subs we had the past year cannot be ignored. Drink up!

 

[northeastphillyguy]

Look, I think clearly a few of those young pitchers will improve to provide maybe five additional wins and that's not a stretch. One or two hitting call ups from LHV plus the maturation of returning players should mean something positive like 4 or 5 more wins. So, book it, slam it, bank on it, rub it down. 81-81 minimum. Oh, Howie Kendrick also instead of the sleazy OF subs we had the past year cannot be ignored. Drink up!

Asche will probably be non tendered. That is a plus. He was no help at all and took up a lot of weak at bats.

 

[Retroram52]

When are they going to sign lardass to a 500 million dollar contract?

 

[Cedrique]

Asche will probably be non tendered. That is a plus. He was no help at all and took up a lot of weak at bats.

Yeah, I think Asche was Designated For Assignment about a week ago. He's a decent backup but because he can play 3rd but that's about it.

 

[Omar 382]

When are they going to sign lardass to a 500 million dollar contract?

Any day now, Retro. Kidding, kidding. I think they are finally through with him

 

[Omar 382]

Yeah, I think Asche was Designated For Assignment about a week ago. He's a decent backup but because he can play 3rd but that's about it.

So the Cody Asche Era is officially over. What a fraud. His name was even an anagram of "Chase" and played 2B in the minors before switching to 3B, much like Utley playing 3B in the minors before switching to 2B. Continuing the trend of ironies, Chase Utley is a borderline Hall of Fame player because of his time in Philly, while Cody Asche is not.

 

[Cedrique]

Word. In other news, the Phillies are interested in JD Martinez, but the trade probably won't happen. (which is another way of saying "I'm supposed to be reporting on Phillies trade rumors for ESPN but I got nothing, so I will speculate".)
MLB Rumor Central: Phillies, Giants have shown interest in J.D. Martinez

 

[Omar 382]

Word. In other news, the Phillies are interested in JD Martinez, but the trade probably won't happen. (which is another way of saying "I'm supposed to be reporting on Phillies trade rumors for ESPN but I got nothing, so I will speculate".)
MLB Rumor Central: Phillies, Giants have shown interest in J.D. Martinez

Now that would be a trade I could get behind. Ridiculously friendly contract (1 year, $11.8 mil left on his contract) for one of the best hitters of the last three years. Granted, for some reason, his defense became horrendous last year (-21.5 UZR/150) which only resulted in a WAR of 1.8, despite a wRC+ of 142. Still, only 29, and he put up WAR's of 5 and 4 in 2015 and 2014, because his defense was average.

Honestly, I don't care about the defense. A bat like his could get fans excited again, and for $11.8 mil, we could take the gamble with his defense. Unfortunately, I agree that I doubt it would happen.

 

[Omar 382]

Now that would be a trade I could get behind. Ridiculously friendly contract (1 year, $11.8 mil left on his contract) for one of the best hitters of the last three years. Granted, for some reason, his defense became horrendous last year (-21.5 UZR/150) which only resulted in a WAR of 1.8, despite a wRC+ of 142. Still, only 29, and he put up WAR's of 5 and 4 in 2015 and 2014, because his defense was average.

Honestly, I don't care about the defense. A bat like his could get fans excited again, and for $11.8 mil, we could take the gamble with his defense. Unfortunately, I agree that I doubt it would happen.

Speaking of gambling, this has to be the funniest commercial in the history of commercials

 

[Cedrique]

Now that would be a trade I could get behind. Ridiculously friendly contract (1 year, $11.8 mil left on his contract) for one of the best hitters of the last three years. Granted, for some reason, his defense became horrendous last year (-21.5 UZR/150) which only resulted in a WAR of 1.8, despite a wRC+ of 142. Still, only 29, and he put up WAR's of 5 and 4 in 2015 and 2014, because his defense was average.

Honestly, I don't care about the defense. A bat like his could get fans excited again, and for $11.8 mil, we could take the gamble with his defense. Unfortunately, I agree that I doubt it would happen.

Yeah, it's amazing that some of these other teams have the depth to deal guys like that, while the Phillies last year were running Tyler Goeddel, Peter Bourjos and Cody Asche out there in the field.

 

[Cedrique]

Speaking of gambling, this has to be the funniest commercial in the history of commercials

That is one of the great all-time commercials

 

[Omar 382]

That is one of the great all-time commercials

Do you remember when they were playing it during Phillies' games?

 

[Cedrique]

Do you remember when they were playing it during Phillies' games?

No, but I know I've seen it a couple times. I've just watched the youtube video 5 times now to see if they made one of the balloons sink down to the floor of the car at the end. That's good film making.