Welcome to the first of what hopefully will become a weekly feature on Mondays: a Phillies Monday Mailbag. We asked the good people of Twitter what they would like to talk about, and these are the top questions we got in response from the Philliedelphia and 97.3 ESPN audience.
Who is the front runner to be the closer this season?
~Eric
This is one of those questions that will be determined along the way. The short answer some might give is simply, "it does not matter" given that the Phillies will not contend in 2016. However, how the Phillies play their hand in 2016 could really help them out in the future, given the high-priced market for closers. We saw how much closers like Craig Kimbrel and Ken Giles cost teams this offseason in trade, and the Phillies could try to cash in a second time.
As it stands right now, David Hernandez may get the first look. Phillies president Andy MacPhail and general manager Matt Klentak both have a history with Hernandez dating back to the Baltimore Orioles, and they gave him a guaranteed Major League deal to join the Phillies this offseason. Hernandez will get that first look mostly because he is getting a guaranteed $3.9 million in 2016, so the Phillies are all in on their one-year investment. If Hernandez can save a bunch of games, he would be a candidate to be flipped at the August 1 trade deadline.
However, the Phillies added a few closer reclamation projects. Relievers Andrew Bailey, Ernesto Frieri, and Edward Mujica have combined for 212 big league saves in their careers. Bailey has saved 24 or more games three times, and Frieri and Mujica each had 37-save seasons in the Major Leagues. All three have declined in one way or another, whether it be health or performance. If one appears to be catching fire, the Phillies could give them the ball in the ninth inning to run with it, helping create a trade chip.
Do you think (Phillies general manager Matt) Klentak will get a bat which is what we need?
~John
The answer as it stands now is "probably not". Most of the Phillies' offensive roster spots are accounted for at this time. While I agree that long-term a left-handed power bat is necessary to bat behind Maikel Franco, the Phillies are not going to add such a bat until they are ready to contend. 2016 will be about seeing whether or not Tyler Goeddel could make any contributions to the team as a Rule 5 pick, perhaps in a lefty-righty platoon with Cody Asche. Aaron Altherr will get to play right field every day to see if he is a Major League starter, and the Phillies will continue to play Odubel Herrera to see whether or not 2015 was a fluke.
The one caveat might be if the Phillies happen to find a free agent bargain. If a player like Ian Desmond is still unsigned and the Phillies can add him on a one-year deal, the might consider it if they think they can trade him at the trade deadline for a player better than the second-round pick they would have to forfeit to sign him. While the Phillies have their first overall pick protected in 2016, picking first in the second round is still a pretty high pick; higher than it used to be. There are no more "sandwich" picks between rounds one and two, so after pick 30 the Phillies will get to pick again.
Long-term, Cornelius Randolph might be that left-handed bat who hits behind Franco, but the Phillies could add a free agent. The MacPhail reputation has usually been to stock up on pitching, then add bats via free agency when the team is ready to contend. So for now, what we see is likely what we get.
Do you think Klentak and company will stay under the international pool come July?
~Dalton
The Phillies have money. But they are also trying to be smart about it. The Phillies made a trade this past season to acquire the Arizona Diamondbacks' slot money, as we now know the Diamondbacks were looking to save their pennies towards Zack Greinke and company to compete while they had Paul Goldschmidt in his prime. My best guess is that the Phillies will look to do more of the same and spend as much of it as they can.
Going over the pool will keep the Phillies from signing free agents in the future. The St. Louis Cardinals website "Vivo El Birdos" has a good breakdown of what the CBA says:
The CBA lays out penalties for teams that exceed their allotted bonus pool amounts:
- 0-5% overage: MLB taxes the overage at a 100% rate.
- 5-10% overage: (1) MLB taxes the overage at a 100% rate. (2) The offending club loses the right to sign any player to a bonus exceeding $500,000 during the following international signing period.
- 10-15% overage: (1) MLB taxes the overage at a 100% rate. (2) The offending club loses the right to sign any player to a bonus exceeding $300,000 during the following international signing period.
- 15%+ overage: (1) MLB taxes the overage at a 100% rate. (2) The offending club loses the right to sign any player to a bonus exceeding $300,000 during the following two international signing periods.
These penalties have not stopped clubs from spending well over their allotted pools amounts.
Look for the Phillies to try to expand their bonus pool without going over. If a player only costs money, the Phillies surely have it. But they probably will not try to jeopardize future spending.
When does Crawford make his debut?
~Willis
I think Crawford could be with the Phillies at some point this season. When Pete Mackanin played Freddy Galvis at second base some last season, he was making a statement: Freddy is going to be displaced at shortstop at some point. The Phillies are not overly committed to Freddy Galvis and Cesar Hernandez up the middle as long-term solutions and Crawford in no way should be considered blocked.
If Crawford is batting .330 come July and making a statement that there is nothing left for him to do at AAA, then the Phillies may promote him. At that point, whoever is performing better of Galvis or Hernandez becomes the second baseman while the other serves in a utility role. Having Galvis or Hernandez as a utility piece would be a nice component on a big league club.
So, whenever Crawford shows he is ready, he will come up.
