2025 Phillies Thread
- Thread starter Tom McAndrew
- Start date
F me, that was beyond bad. Good for the ump to apologize (most wouldn’t, I’m guessing) but what a time to blow a call.
How do we feel about Schwarber coming back now? Emotions were raw right after the game, but his interview wasn’t a ringing endorsement for his return.
I’ve felt for a while that Dombrowski’s bad contracts (Nola, Casty, Walker) could mean the Phillies have to let Schwarbs walk.
I don’t see a lot of other salary flexibility right now to retool this aging roster.
We’ll probably lose Schwarbs AND Ranger due to those contracts
They may think they’re close but they need an overhaul.
They’re built to win a lot or regular season games but not for a playoff run.
Not a Phillies fan but love the game of baseball. I couldn't agree more with Plesac's take. Athletes that make the majors have practiced and lived through all of the scenarios that unfold in a game. To have that happen in that moment with everything on the line is heartbreaking for anyone who has a heart!
Orion Kerkering throwing home with the season on the line
- Sign the power hitter from Japan (instead of Schwarbs)
- bring up Crawford for CF
- try anything to get rid of Castellanos (and if you can, resign Bader)
- OF Marsh Crawford Bader
- trade Boehm
- bring up Miller - put him at 3rd if have to
- would also resign Ranger but don’t think it’s possible
- resign JT at cut rate - he’s not a $20m player anymore
Keep Topper! He did the best he could with what he had. The offense was too up-and-down the last couple of years. We also didn't get a true "Bryce Harper" season this year.
If Topper comes back I won’t watch all season. He is the James Franklin of baseball. Zero accountability. Pisses down his leg in big spots.
batting schwarber and Harper back to back is a fireable offense on its own
You're entitled to your own opinion.
- Schwarber was "protected" by Harper hitting behind him. Pitch around Schwarbs, then face Harper. But, you probably knew that.
- Topper managed the team to 96 wins. Losing Wheeler hurt in the playoffs. Not Toppers fault. He managed the bullpen as best he could. No other pitchers were lost for the year, injury wise.
- The hitting was questionable all year. Topper couldn't help if Casty, Stott, Rojas, Kepler, and others, had tough years at the plate. But, you probably knew that too.
Losing wheeler and bader v the best team in baseball was insurmountable. I’m sad but not mad
Absolutely! Wheeler was huge (God bless him!), and Bader was hitting real good and his defense was fantastic.
There’s more good than bad with Topper. But the roster needs work. I can’t imagine what kind of options Dombrowski has with Casty. That contract is bad. Nola and Walker too.
Maybe they hope a team will take Casty and pay half the $20M due next year?
Toppers moves don’t thrill me - it’s not the end of the world if he stays but wouldn’t mind someone else either.
What is a true Harper season anymore - he may have just peaked. I feel no excitement when he is up on a key situation anymore.
I know they’ll say he’s playing injured but he sure does hit a lot of home runs when the game isn’t in doubt. Plus, he makes a lot of questionable base-running moves.
Lastly, I just don’t think he’s a good leader.
Regardless, again, if topper stays I can deal with it but this team is just stale and needs to reinvent itself.
plus they needs some of the young cheap guys to make up for the bad expensive contracts they have.
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I don’t think Wheeler had an impact on this series - all the starters pitched well enough to win imo,
@Relayer -- I can't figure out if he's the dumbest, the most contrarian, or if he just thinks that anything he says is correct (he's famous for acting as though he's never wrong).
All that said, I did laugh where I heard this announcement earlier today. As if there isn't too much ESP on WIP:
5 thoughts from Phillies press conferences: Don't expect major changes, except one
Comments by Dave Dombrowski, Rob Thomson in season-ending press conferences suggested the Phillies wouldn't make major changes or additions for 2026, except a new bench coach.
www.phillyvoice.com
MLB rumors: Phillies expected to trade or release Nick Castellanos, report says
Are the Phillies going to start their outfield shakeup by trading or cutting $100 million man Nick Castellanos?
www.phillyvoice.com
Wouldn't be sad to see Castellanos go regardless of how much salary they'll have to eat. Maybe Rojas will eventually turn into something but how many chances are they going to give him?? Is he worth a couple nice catches per week just to have him suck in the batter's box?? Bader. Marsh - great second half. Crawford - .334 at Lehigh Valley. Maybe they'll look around for a depth OF.MLB rumors: Phillies expected to trade or release Nick Castellanos, report says
Are the Phillies going to start their outfield shakeup by trading or cutting $100 million man Nick Castellanos?
OF has been a challenge for a few seasons. It seems like the area where they can make the most moves, though it won't be a simple change.
It sounds as though Kepler is gone. He was on a 1-year deal. He was terrible at bat for a good portion of the season, but recovered nicely the last couple of months.
Bader was a nice addition at the trade deadline. His D was excellent, and his O was better than is his norm. His injuring his leg in the NLDS really hurt the Fightins. I believe there is an option for next season that would cost the Fightins $10M to retain him. It makes sense to exercise the option.
Casty, if Gelb is accurate, is gone. I'd prefer a trade over a release, as releasing him means that his $20M stays on the books. But I can't imagine that there are many teams clamoring to trade for him at $20M. 2026 is the last year on his contract, which makes him a tad more marketable than a player with that type of contract that has multiple years on it. I'm not sure that the Fightins can expect to get much for him in a trade, and they may even have to throw in a decent project to get a team to take on his contract.
Marsh remains an enigma. In general, he's an excellent defender. Though his giving up a triple on a poor decision in CF in the NLDS was not helpful. And his offense remains uncertain. He did poorly in the 1st half of the season. Then he recovered nicely in the 2nd half. And then he appeared lost at the plate in the postseason. The Fightins avoided arbitration with Marsh last offseason, and signed him for $3M. I believe he's under control through the 2028 season, and there is a $5.5 option for the coming season. There's also the issue that he goes into funks against lefties, which the Fightins see a lot of (either as starters or relievers) due to their playing Harper, Schwarber and Stott on a regular basis. Fans keep expecting him to take the next step, and become an everyday player, but it may be that he's just a platoon player/defensive replacement. To me, he's one of the tougher decisions the Fightins have to make (in terms of whether to expect him to play every day, or whether to sign somebody to platoon with him).
Rojas is really cheap for the Fightins, as he's not yet eligible for arbitration. I think his contract for next season is for $820,000. He's a tremendous defender in CF. But his offense is just too inconsistent. He probably would have been better served working longer on his offense in the minors, but his defense and speed, as well as performing better with his bat than expected when he was 1st brought up, kind of messed up that scenario. He's a nice complimentary player, but the Fightins already have too many starters that can go into offensive funks, so it's hard to figure out how to slot him, or include him, on the team.
Between Kepler leaving, and Casty either being traded or released, that's 2/3 of the starters (for large chunks of the season) being removed from the outfield. They already are over the luxury tax, so they are somewhat limited in terms of their ability to sign big-ticket FAs.
Crawford has a chance to come in and be a starter. I'm not as sold on him as many fans are, but perhaps the Fightins will get lucky.
Edit: There is a $10M option for Bader, but both sides have to pick it up. I'm pretty sure the Fightins would like to exercise that, but it wouldn't surprise me if Bader wants more than that, and won't opt for the option.
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This is painful watching all the star players in this Game 7 come up clutch in big moments. I forgot what that feeling is like.