Don’t be a Negadelphian: the Phillies are still in a playoff race. They just need more.
As we can occasionally see, the Phils offense can come back to life. For all the disappointment laying on Bryce Harper, the star right-fielder hasn’t even gotten hot yet and he’s on pace for 120 RBIs, which would be a career high. Jean Segura has re-discovered his stroke and Mikael Franco, left in the lineup every day, is back producing from the eight hole. I worry a little about Scott Kingery. He’s slumping and maybe the pressure of being in the leadoff hole, as well as switching positions every other day, is getting to him.
But make no mistake about it, Matt Klentak has to be really busy in the next few weeks. He needs a starting pitcher who slots better than what he has in the three, four and five slots — and maybe even the two hole with Jake Arrieta, erratic, injured, and in ill disposition. And he needs a right handed hitting outfielder (a bopper) off the bench so we won’t have to deal with the likes of Sean Rodriquez, Brad Miller or Roman Quinn, who doesn’t belong in the majors.
Note: the Phils didn’t listen to me in spring training (or even two years before that), when I stated that Vince Velasquez, Zack Eflin, Nick Pivetta and Jared Eickoff were not good enough). But what prospects does Kentak have to trade? Currently, there are about three in the Phils system. Alex Bohm, Adonis Medina, and Spencer Howard. The Phils say Bohm is untouchable and Howard is hurt. So yeah, Matt, buying Dallas Keuchel would have been a great idea.
And one other thing about Arrieta: before you threaten to “dent” someone’s skull for complaining about getting hit with a pitch (I admit that Todd Frazier was a little bit of a wuss), you have to be a pitcher capable of getting past five innings. Otherwise, it’s like Tyrion Lannister threatening to kick The Mountain’s ass. (Game of Thrones binge problem, sorry).
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