Despite His Struggles, Aaron Nola Will Still Get Paid Somewhere

Aaron Nola is an enigma. At times, he looks like a true Ace. We saw that in the first couple games of the playoffs last year where he dominated the Cardinals and Braves. But it is those other times that drive us crazy. And most of this season has fallen other the other times category. On the season his ERA is 4.49. He has already set a personal record for HRs allowed in a season (29). He is tied for the NL Lead in Earned Runs allowed at 80. It has been a bad season. And with it also being a contract year, many expect that this will cost him money, and maybe make him more affordable this offseason. Not so fast.

After his most recent start on Monday, where he actually looked decent despite giving up two more HRs, Jayson Stark joined The Best Show Ever to discuss Aaron Nola. And he told us that despite what we see from him from start to start, there are still teams out there who will be willing to pay him what he wants.

The thing about Aaron Nola is he is usually a lock to go deep into games. Even if he does give up a 3-run HR early, he usually sticks in the game until the 7th. Every season he is always near the top of the league in innings pitched. And despite his struggles, he is a top-25 pitcher in batting average against this season.

We look at Nola and see how frustrating and inconsistent he can be. But as Jayson Stark mentioned, not every team does that. There are a lot of front offices who will look at the underlying metrics, and see a guy with a huge upside. To be fair to them, there is an upside. We have seen Nola be great. He has very good stuff. But he is prone to mistake pitches, and untimely blowups.

So if you were hoping the Phillies could maybe get him cheap this offseason, you may be disappointed. There are teams who highly value what Aaron Nola brings to the table. The volume matters, especially in the regular season. And maybe if he goes to a ballpark with loftier dimensions, more of those mistake pitches will end up in his outfielder's gloves at the warning track, instead of in some fan's hands. Though with that said, he has actually pitched far better this season at home than on the road.

We all know he likely does not deserve top Ace money. But he wouldn't be the first pitcher to get overpaid. And it is very likely someone will be willing to overpay for Nola this off-season.

The Philadelphia Phillies currently own the longest stretch in professional sports using a single continuous name in one city. A lot of fans attending home games at Citizens Bank Park have rooted for the team their whole lives. However, they probably don't know the whole history of Phillies ballparks. 

The Phillies won their first World Series nearly a century after their original inception as the Philadelphia Quakers. It was 77 years after the Fall Classic began.

The triumph of 1980 and a second celebration in 2008 stand as the best moments in franchise history. However, over 11,000 losses have sandwiched the two World Series championships.

A franchise that’s been around since 1883 has certainly experienced its fair share of ups and downs and its fair share of changes. The Phillies have moved into five new homes since the 19th century.

There have been moves just a few blocks between ballparks in North Philadelphia. There have been implosions and new construction projects at the sports complex in South Philadelphia. Two temporary homes and a timeless tradition of baseball fandom are also involved.

Other prominent venues have also hosted professional baseball games in the City of Brotherly Love. The Philadelphia Athletics opened Shibe Park long before the Phillies moved out of the renowned Baker Bowl. The A's won five World Series in the storied stadium.

The Philadelphia Stars played at 44th and Parkside, the current site of Memorial Park honoring a major chapter in the history of the Philadelphia Negro Leagues. 

Attending a Phillies game has become as essential to life in Philadelphia during the summer months as a 4th of July celebration or a trip to the Jersey Shore. A day at the ballpark creates the appeal of America’s pastime, whether you’re a younger fan only familiar with Citizens Bank Park, a former diehard of Veterans Stadium, or a lifelong Phillies fan who can reach even deeper into history.

The grand opening of Citizens Bank Park in 2004 provided a shiny new alternative to a rundown stadium that had fallen apart. The lure of Ashburn Alley, Harry the K’s, and Bull’s BBQ created excitement for a new era of baseball in a town that had endured too much losing during the 1990s.

Three years later, the Phillies won the first of five consecutive National League East pennants. The stretch included the clinching victory in Game 5 of the 2008 World Series at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies sold out Citizens Bank Park for 257 consecutive regular-season games from July 2009-August 2012. It was the third-longest streak in MLB history at the time, and 16 playoff games all sold out during the same stretch.

Veterans Stadium opened during an era when MLB and NFL teams trended toward a preference for sharing multipurpose stadiums. The Houston Astrodome and Three River Stadium in Pittsburgh had recently opened before the Vet, creating some excitement for a brand new venue.

The multipurpose stadium turned into a venue associated more commonly with the Philadelphia Eagles and the tough, old school identity of the fan base. The hostility against visiting teams, the infamous jail of Judge Seamus McCaffery, and the cringy field conditions all became part of local legends personified by the Vet.

The Philadelphia Athletics opened Shibe Park in 1909 at 21st Street and Lehigh Avenue in North Philly. They played home games there until they moved to Kansas City in 1954. The Phillies moved there in 1938.

The ballpark contained about 23,000 seats and an additional capacity for standing-room crowds. Fans also used to line the tops of the North Philly rowhomes behind the outfield wall during home games. 

The A’s won five World Series under legendary manager Connie Mack during an astounding 50-year tenure. The name change to Connie Mack Stadium in 1953, three years after his death, was a no-brainer. 

The Baker Bowl was the home to the growth and recognition of the Philadelphia Phillies in the first half of the 20th century. Renovations and expansions changed the seating capacity multiple times.

Fans referred to the stadium as National League Park, Philadelphia Park, and the Huntingdon Street Grounds at different points while the Phillies played there. According to Philly Voice, the right to keep foul balls that land in stadium seats began at the Baker Bowl.

According to Philadelphia Baseball Review, the Quakers played their first game on May 1, 1883 at Recreation Park in Philadelphia. Their tenure there lasted only four seasons.

The Phillies needed two breaks from hosting games at the Baker Bowl. The first came in 1894 when a fire forced a temporary move to the University of Penn for six games.

The A’s played at Columbia Park from 1901-1908, and the Phillies borrowed the venue for 16 home games in 1903 because of an unfortunate balcony collapse that resulted in the death of 12 fans at the Baker Bowl.