7 hours ago, DrPhilly said:

Was there no one on the bench that could have run for Castellanos? The moment Nick made 2nd base it was obvious they should have pinch run for him.

Should’ve. Also an issue cause they have too many platoons. Because of that you burn through normal guys. Only one left on bench is Marchan. So had to be a pitcher or him. If you use that pitcher to replace Castellanos then either schwarber is going to be put in the OF and pitcher(eventually replaced with Marchan) is now your DH in the lineup going forward or pitcher (Marchan) is going to play OF in the 10th if it gets there.

cause bader injury, he is getting removed after he gets a hit for Weston Wilson. Unless Phillies win that game in the bottom of the 9th you’d have had an outfield of max kepler in CF, Weston Wilson in one of the corner spots and whoever is pinch running (pitcher or Marchan) for Castellanos or schwarber goes to OF and your DH is Marchan or pitcher.

This goes back to a roster management decision of having Taijuan Walker on this playoff roster when he’s never going to be used. Knowing that you play a heavy platoon lineup, you should want to have even more everyday positional players. Because something like this could happen. Again goes back to the fact that Rojas got hurt but him, Crawford or even another guy on your 40 man instead of Walker could have been your late game pinch runner/defensive replacement and yet weren’t there knowing your roster and since you messed around all year with Crawford he wasn’t going to be it

5 minutes ago, Diehardfan said:

Not trading Stott. First one of the best fielding 2B in baseball. Second he has finally adjusted and become an extremely good hitter. Particularly LHP he’s gone from bad to being a .262 hitter against them the last 2 months of the season (.280 with .333 in September). If anything I’d trade marsh when value is high cause he still is awful vs. LHP and his platoon is part of the reason you don’t have a pinch runner last night

Yeah Stott is elite as a defender and has great speed - gotta keep him. I am letting Ranger walk. I wouldn't mind keeping JT. Definitely keeping Bader. The rest can go.

Just now, mikemack8 said:

Yeah Stott is elite as a defender and has great speed - gotta keep him. I am letting Ranger walk. I wouldn't mind keeping JT. Definitely keeping Bader. The rest can go.

I’d like to keep Ranger if the money is right. However i don’t see it being that and i kind of think he’s replaced by painter or wood. And use the money to extend luzardo.

As for JT I’d move on assuming they have a trade for catcher. If he was younger I’d keep him. But i have a feeling a team is going to give him 3 years and at price probably doesn’t warrant at his age due to the lack of talent at catcher in FA. I’d still see what it would cost for rutschman. I think getting him out of Baltimore would be big for his career. He knows they have been drafting to replace him and not giving him an extension.

Another reason why I would’ve let Stott hit is simply the two guys hitting behind him in Bader and Kepler have not been as consistent hitting against left-handed pitching the last two months. Particularly bader. Your best bet was Bryson Stott who’s been one of your hottest hitters down the stretch and has seemingly begun turning the corner against left-handed pitching.

Stott vs. LHP

Since Aug 1: 262/.304/.405/.709

Since Sept 1: 280/.333/.520/.853

Bader vs. LHP

Since August 1: .210/.275/.306/.582

Since September 1: .200/.250/.333/.583

43 minutes ago, e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! said:

Not trading Stott. First one of the best fielding 2B in baseball. Second he has finally adjusted and become an extremely good hitter. Particularly LHP he’s gone from bad to being a .262 hitter against them the last 2 months of the season (.280 with .333 in September). If anything I’d trade marsh when value is high cause he still is awful vs. LHP and his platoon is part of the reason you don’t have a pinch runner last night

And had him freaking bunt

The 2008 team was made for big moments. "Just get me up to the plate,” Howard would demand as the game was on the line. And then he came up to the plate and delivered. As did Utley, Rollins, Cooch, etc etc. 

Game 1, Nyce was chatting it up on second base with the opposing team, talking about his cool gay cleats and laughing it up while we were down. Turner, Schwarber, and Bohm all looked scared too.

You work your ass off for moments like these and then don’t come prepared and are afraid? 

Your Philadelphia Seventy-Phillies! Just combine the softies. It would make a nice soft serve 🍦 

1 minute ago, Diehardfan said:

And had him freaking bunt

If Stott hadn’t been hitting as well as he had, and seemingly turned the corner against left-handed pitching, I would understand that bunt a lot more. Also, if they were actually facing a good bullpen, I could understand it a lot more. Like if they were facing the Padres, who had a phenomenal bullpen or even the Brewers, I would understand it. Because those pens you’re not gonna get a lot of hits off of so you got to manufacturer runs when you can. The Dodgers bullpen is just not very good once they get past the piggyback part of it. So the odds were more in your favor to make them try to earn three outs rather than give them a free out.

That said it still doesn’t excuse Castellanos for being a ***** and not knowing how to run bases in that situation. But then again we’ve all said this a million times they have base running issues dating back to the klentak/kapler era so another reason not to bunt

well, I don’t love Thomson‘s moves in the bullpen. The bigger overwriting factor is their bullpen stinks. Outside of Duran there’s not one guy in that bullpen I trust do their Fing job. So realistically, Rob could use anybody in that bullpen and I would expect them to F it up because that’s what they’ve done in big situations pretty much the last two postseasons. Heck even going back to the postseason before against Arizona in the last five games of that series.

This was probably the last year of meaningful baseball for a while. They need a total destruction. Robby blew at least one WS. Horrible manager in key situations. What a damn shame.

24 minutes ago, Diehardfan said:

They were never beating the Rangers. The Rangers were on fire those playoffs, they beat the Astros and smoked the Dbacks. 2022 was the year, they were up 2-1 before the Astros cheated.

4 minutes ago, Diehardfan said:

This was probably the last year of meaningful baseball for a while. They need a total destruction. Robby blew at least one WS. Horrible manager in key situations. What a damn shame.

Tbh depend on what they do this offseason. Having wheeler, Sanchez and luzardo is a heck of a trio along with Duran the full year in the BP. That alone is going to keep you in the running for a playoff spot. Realistically Middleton needs to make a decision if he’s willing to spend the money to be able to overthrow the dodgers. He and Dave (probably should be fired) can’t do what they did this past offseason if they expect to beat the dodgers. Need painter/wood to come up be good and nola can be your 4/5 (granted sucks for that amount of money if that is what he is).

They badly need to remake their bullpen. Duran is the only one you trust out there. Strahm is fine. But you need 2-3 flame throwing arms added. Can’t rely on alavardo or Kerkering. They’ve proven unreliable and Kerkering disappears as season gets longer.

Their lineup needs a makeover. I’m assuming schwarber is back just simply cause they’ll cave to fans. But I’d look to deal marsh while value is high. He still can’t hit lefties which is problematic unless you have a legit RH platoon. Maybe bader and marsh platoon. Use Crawford in CF and go get someone like Bellinger or Tucker. Then at catcher i think you try to pry away rutschman from the O’s. Id say upgrade over Bohm but i think with a year left until miller is ready you’d just let Bohm play it out and have him hit 6th and not cleanup. Everywhere else i think you are kind of set based off contracts but could use a better bench bats than Wilson, kemp.

That said Middleton has to actually be willing to spend the money and Dave not to piss the money away on bad contracts

Castellanos just really just needs to shut his mouth. Because the fans are a product of an issue you and team created by not playing well in big games and consistently failing in big spots.

1 minute ago, e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! said:

Castellanos just really just needs to shut his mouth. Because the fans are a product of an issue you and team created by not playing well in big games and consistently failing in big spots.

6 minutes ago, e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! said:

https://x.com/johnstolnis/status/1975550500339589436?s=46 Castellanos just really just needs to shut his mouth. Because the fans are a product of an issue you and team created by not playing well in big games and consistently failing in big spots.

Exactly what I said in my post above. When we boo’ed the 2008 Phillies and Rollins when they sucked, they used it as fuel. These guys need diapers and tissues.

schwarber since game 6 of the 2023 NLCS (8 playoff games) he’s been the worst hitter on this team in the postseason. His slashes over his last 8 playoff games are:

.107/.286/.250/.536 1 HR, 1 RBI and 40% strikeouts on 35 ABs

First 28 playoff games here:

.237/.382/.608/.990 with 11 HRs and 16 RBI 33% K rate

I’m pretty sure he’s going to sign with the Yankees or the Mariners. But if you actually are able to acquire him, it allows you to trade Bohm and hope to just get a reliable bullpen piece

1 minute ago, e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! said:

If you can play third base, you can look to trade Bohm and just get back a reliable bull pen pieces. That said I’m 100% positive. He’s gonna wind up either on the Yankees or on the Mariners.

Yep. Phillies never get them.

We should make an All Washed Club. Harper, Schwarber, Joel, PG, Couturier, who am I missing? Taking applications for future candidates.

Just now, Khani1 said:

We should make an All Washed Club. Harper, Schwarber, Joel, PG, Couturier, who am I missing? Taking applications for future candidates.

Pretty solid list

Ranger Suarez vs this Dodgers lineup:

.326/.375/.535(.910 OPS) against including 9 doubles and 3 HRs in 94 career plate appearances. Freeman and Betts are 10/26(.384)against him lifetime

This is why I didn’t love when people wanted them to use a ranger against the Dodgers out of the bullpen. Particularly against the part of the lineup that was coming up in the 7th game 1. Normally I would be for it. But Ranger has been bad against the Dodgers. It is not a good lineup for him because dodgers tend to feast on pitching like his. If you’re gonna beat the Dodgers, you need to be like Sanchez and luzardo. Who have nasty stuff and can blow it by them. That’s why they were so effective.