PhilaPhans

Just to make everyone feel a tiny bit better:

Ben Brown is:
-- nearly 24
-- has a 5.55 ERA in 14 starts at Triple-A
-- yes, he's striking out 12.9 batters per 9 innings, but also walking 5.4

I hope he has a nice long career in the majors, but he's hardly a slam-dunk prospect that got away.

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On the list of the "meh" guys they could get for an OF platoon, I think this is how I'd rank them at the moment.

1. Randal Grichuk
2. Adam Duvall
3. Mark Canha
4. Teoscar Hernandez
5. Tommy Pham

Christopher wrote: ↑Sun Jul 30, 2023 2:33 pm On the list of the "meh" guys they could get for an OF platoon, I think this is how I'd rank them at the moment.

1. Randal Grichuk
2. Adam Duvall
3. Mark Canha
4. Teoscar Hernandez
5. Tommy Pham

Agree,all meh team
PS today’s lineup #5-9 is AAA at best.

Christopher wrote: ↑Sun Jul 30, 2023 2:33 pm On the list of the "meh" guys they could get for an OF platoon, I think this is how I'd rank them at the moment.

1. Randal Grichuk
2. Adam Duvall
3. Mark Canha
4. Teoscar Hernandez
5. Tommy Pham

I don't think Hernandez is a platoon candidate. For what it would cost to get him, he'd have to play everyday. How much the others would play depends on Cave's production. If the price on those guys is anything more than a chance prospect, I'm going to pass. We're talking about a #9 hitter. Why not just use Pache when he comes back or give Wesley Wilson a shot?

I think "reliever who can handle 7th or 8th" is now tied with RH platoon bat as our #1 need.
This tape-and-glue bullpen has overperformed, but we can't count on that lasting in a season in which we might not get anything else from Dominguez or Alvarado

Jordan Hicks to the Blue Jays

Rangers receive: LHP Jordan Montgomery and RHR Chris Stratton

Cardinals receive: IF Thomas Saggese, RHP Tekoah Roby and LHP John King

Angels Acquire Randal Grichuk, C.J. Cron From Rockies

Serves me right for touting Grichuk today.

I'm not saying Dombrowski won't make a trade, but I hope he doesn't trade, just for the sake of making a trade. One player I hope he doesn't trade is Rojas. I think he is a better defensive CF than Marsh and I would rather see them move Marsh to left field.
I do agree that the bench needs to be improved and I'm not sure why Harrison played yesterday over Stott. Maybe for a possible trade? Which I would like to see.
Cave and Hall are two other players I would like to see them trade. I'm not sure either one helps the Phillies, because they don't seem to hit when they get called up. I'm not a big fan of Schwarber, especially leading off, but he is the only real power bat that we have. I would have thought that he would have hit better than he did last year because they got rid of the shift, but he actually has gotten worse. The only positive is he is walking more, because a lot of the pitchers are pitching around him.
If any trades are made, I would rather trade for more pitching help, instead of more OF.

I agree with you on keeping Rojas.

This team absolutely has to improve its bench in at least 2 spots. They don't have to be huge trades, because that bench is so awful that almost anything would be an incremental improvement.

I think they have to add a late-inning reliever. They're too thin with so much doubt swirling around Dominguez & Alvarado. And if the bullpen wears out and starts to falter, they're doomed, because that's the #1 strength