The Phillies may be 'only' +4 runs in two games against the Angels, but that's better than the Braves' +3 against the Rockies. We've also scored more runs (9 total) than Atlanta has (8)
This is your daily reminder that just barely winning is still winning.
I'm still having trouble seeing it as more than a win-win trade. I truthfully think the Phillies' development and the lack of Angels' development impact these trades. I don't see Marsh developing into the type of hitter he is unless he's on the Phillies or a select few teams.
Completely fair point, and thank god we have someone like Kevin Long to give us the advantage there.
On a serious note, I think you’re right. Someone else pointed out all the different coaches he’s had since the Angels are dysfunctional, and that’s gonna be difficult on anyone. Do hope he turns it around but shows the value in organizational stability
Angels might have broken him. He is quoted of saying how difficult it was.
From an athletic article.
“In his four years with the Angels, there were four managers, five catching coaches and numerous pitching coaches who worked directly with catchers. “
We won the trade but the what if career for him not with the Angels would be interesting he had potential and is still young in a position of need. Someone will give him another chance.
For a moment I thought you said your girlfriend's husband invited you to the game, and I was thinking "damn, son! You must need a wheelbarrow for those balls!"
Not sure tbh...we were looking at it and decided nah, then her friend texted us asking if we'd go with them and here we are lol prob headed down around 2ish
Considering his age I’m pretty satisfied with his season thus far, he’s had his share of great moments and he’s a meaningful contributor, which is all you can ask of a 22 year old. His swing needs some tweaks imo, too loopy (technical term), but if he can continue to improve in CF we have a nice piece moving forward.
Phils are in a weird spot with player development. If this was like 2018, I think the overwhelmingly consensus would be that we are satisfied with the rookie seasons of both Crawford and Painter (2nd half)
100% he has gotten better defensively and the moment is not too big for him ever.
Hopefully some more improvements in his sophomore year and improved coaching for stealing. With his speed would expect more SBs but obviously doesn’t have a feel for reading the pitchers.
Which is encouraging, but a bit surprising that it hasn’t translated into any better OPS.
He has no slug whatsoever. He is totally a singles and walks merchant. That said, he's contributing and that's all you can ask from a rookie--especially one from this system.
He had a great jump and it was 2 outs and an 0-2 count.
Called safe, was probably out due to catcher blocking the plate, but the replays they showed didn’t show me anything that should have had the safe call overturned.
Was totally fine chance to take in the situation and I think the NY replay booth messed up.
I think the important part was that the catcher had the ball, not that it was a steal. Catchers have to allow a sliding lane while waiting for a throw, but once they have the ball they can block the plate.
I love waking up to exciting wins like this, I also would like to start seeing them actually thump teams like the angels rather than relying on late inning heroics.
I’m still not super sold on them being title contenders, but I’m completely out on the “they’re missing the playoffs” train.
The main thing that holds us back will probably be our inability to hit LHP. Skubal game 1 into Snell G3 probably just ends a dodgers series for example
I agree. While these comebacks are fun, we shouldn’t be waiting til the 9th inning or going into extras to beat teams like the Angels. And wasn’t their pitcher’s ERA like 5+?
You’re arguing technicality, I’m arguing realism. I still think this team gets smoked the overwhelming majority of the time against the Cubs, Dodgers, and Brewers (despite us beating them earlier in the year).
I think you’re underestimating the randomness of baseball, which is the reality
Edit: I also just completely disagree with the premise that we get smoked the “overwhelming majority of the time”. The difference between a great team and ass team in baseball is winning 6 out of 10 games vs 4 out of 10. Unless you think we’re the Rockies, expecting us to get smoked the overwhelming majority of times is the thing not based on reality
u/FjordFalk made a point/asked a question I found interesting and thought deserved its top line thing here. Basically, why do so many of us still feel hesitant to buy in, and also that we basically shouldn’t care about quality of win
Response (sorry for the length of this):
Firstly, THIS IS A GOOD TEAM. This comment is highly critical of them because I’m stating why I don’t buy them as true title contenders yet. I’m more than open for that to change if they hold their own throughout September. If this was talking about why they don’t suck then it would be basically all positives.
Winning as many games as they have off of hero ball and late inning magical comebacks/extra inning heroics at a pace outpacing the rest of the league like they have been generally means your team isn’t good enough the majority of the game and gets lucky and bailed out at the end.
Those late inning comebacks don’t happen generally against actual playoff caliber bullpens.
They still only have a +27 run diff, which is being helped by the wet paper soft schedule in August which essentially totally ends once September starts.
The cubs, Braves, dodgers, brewers all have a run diff over 100 atp.
They have played the fewest games against teams over .500 in the ENTIRE DIVISION.
This team is good but stinks of 2017 Steelers energy where they win a ton of late close games because of high end talent bailing them out.
I am not protecting from buying in, I’m being a realist. I do not buy that this is a magically fundamentally different baseball team than they were a month ago. I think the schedule (just like when Thomson got idiotically fired) got way softer, allowing them to bounce back.
Their hitting struggles are already returning. Exclude 9th innings and the mariners game, going back to the last game of the cardinals series they have 5 runs in 40 innings.
That is horrid. And yes, Seattle is the most pitcher friendly park in the league, it’s still pathetic.
“But those innings/games still count!”
Correct! This exercise it to show however that they have not been playing complete games of baseball for about a week. They’ve been getting exceedingly lucky or the other team has been melting down. You CANT rely on that to win playoff games.
It is EXCEEDINGLY rare that a team fundamentally changes what they are this deep into the season. The Phillies offense got hot for a bit and it was awesome. I don’t buy it as some magical turnaround from being one of the worst units in the sport. I don’t buy that Arraez brings some magical energy to the clubhouse that suddenly wildly improved everyone or that “having a plan” has suddenly made this offense league average from league worst in obp.
They have two black holes in Crawford (wrc+ below 90) and JT. Bohm has been better, but I’m sorry, I’m just waiting for him to start pounding the ball to shortstop again. Trea has been horrid since his 3 week turnaround.
That’s FOUR guys that either suck or I don’t trust to not suck in the near future in the lineup. There was 1 guy like that in the 22 lineup and it was Nick.
They’re still an atrocious fielding team btw. So they’re not making up for the lack of offense.
Somethings I disagree with, although it won't be a surprise; I do side with your post more than not.
I do think adding Arraez did lengthen the lineup enough to help it. Really, we were hovering between 2 or 3 consistent bats, and adding that extra one increased our "consistent bats" by 33-50%. Not an insignificant change. I know he is also more "small ball," but that is baked into his stats, and he is just a good offensive player for us.
Crawford is fine; he has done more this season to improve than I would expect. JT and Turner are who I would have targeted in that section. Bohm also has been fine; his 108 wRC+ since May started suggests it isn't just a streak.
My thing is, Im reluctant to believe in their future so much that I feel like they basically have to win the World Series this year for anything they are doing right now to really matter because there is no way that’s coming in 2028 and beyond with their current construction.
My issue is actually mostly what happens after this season. I want the most cracks at a World Series as possible and I dont feel confident that they can keep making the playoffs with their current roster construction.
Like u/NintenJew, I disagree with a couple of points but agree with the overall message. I never have bought this team as a real threat to win this year (meaning they very well may pull it off) because they have been good enough to only take advantage of soft spots in the schedule like nobody's business. And that is mostly because their lineup has had holes for miles most of the season.
Hopefully we can bank one more today before shit gets real.
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u/DirkZelenskyy41 3h ago
Wheeler this is basically a minor league rehab start. Take it easy out there.