Random Thoughts of the Wrong Brothers

by **The Nightman Cometh** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 14:26:57

So far the series of moves for this year starting with the Utley signing have been the worst case scenario.

Somehow we are going to be older and even more uninteresting this year. At least if RAJ tore it all down or spent crazy in FA it would be interesting to watch this year. Instead, we are stuck with the worst team to watch that I can ever remember, regardless of whether or not they squeak out 80 wins. (Don't really remember the mid 90's teams).

by **Grotewold** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 14:34:50

You've had a charmed fandom if Hamels and Lee and Utley and Brown and Ruiz and even Gonzalez and Asche and maybe Franco can't hold your interest

And that's leaving Rollins, Howard, Papelbon for dead and writing off Revere and Boner and the bullpen dudes

by **Shore** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 14:57:12

Grotewold wrote:You've had a charmed fandom if Hamels and Lee and Utley and Brown and Ruiz and even Gonzalez and Asche and maybe Franco can't hold your interest

And that's leaving Rollins, Howard, Papelbon for dead and writing off Revere and Boner and the bullpen dudes

Really? Ruiz and Asche are on your list of 7 things that hold your interest about the Phillies?

by **ReadingPhilly** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 15:20:06

I think it's more than fair to say a recent draft pick who sped through the system and will likely be the regular 3B is interesting.

by **The Nightman Cometh** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 16:18:32

Grotewold wrote:You've had a charmed fandom if Hamels and Lee and Utley and Brown and Ruiz and even Gonzalez and Asche and maybe Franco can't hold your interest

And that's leaving Rollins, Howard, Papelbon for dead and writing off Revere and Boner and the bullpen dudes

It's as much as a lack of coherent and rational plan from the powers that be as the players.

The contrast between the Phillies FO and the Eagles and Sixers is both stark and depressing.

by **LongDrive** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 16:31:17

I remember when most people thought the Phillies owners/front office sucked in the early 2000's and that the Eagles and Flyers were going to be the 1st franchise to break the championship drought.

by **Squire** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 16:43:05

I tend to be more in the Shore camp than the Grote camp but yeah I have to admit that I'm pretty intrigued by Cody Asche. Guy got to the majors 2 years and 2 months after being drafted and put up .840 OPS in each of his full minor league seasons. Michael Young was .730 last year. I think Asche improves that number by at least 20-30 points.

by **Bucky** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 17:04:52

who did rube thanksgiving with

by **LongDrive** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 17:29:57

I can't wait until Rube lands Stanton and Joey Batts at the Winter Meetings.

by **Bill McNeal** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 17:50:13

LongDrive wrote:I can't wait until Rube lands Stanton and Joey Batts at the Winter Meetings.

Unfortunately those are prostitutes and not baseball players.

by **JFLNYC** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 17:51:07

The Nightman Cometh wrote:
Grotewold wrote:You've had a charmed fandom if Hamels and Lee and Utley and Brown and Ruiz and even Gonzalez and Asche and maybe Franco can't hold your interest

And that's leaving Rollins, Howard, Papelbon for dead and writing off Revere and Boner and the bullpen dudes

It's as much as a lack of coherent and rational plan from the powers that be as the players.

The contrast between the Phillies FO and the Eagles and Sixers is both stark and depressing.

I think from the POV of the PTB the plan is rational: Keep the big names on the team, try to patch and hope to get lucky -- at least until the new TV deal is done. They must know that, given the state of the farm system and the FA market, serious rebuilding is going to take multiple years, during which time the team's performance is likely to get worse before it gets better, attendance will dip and ratings will fall. So their approach is not necessarily irrational, just shortsighted and, at least IMO wrong-headed, since it delays the inevitable rebuilding.

But their primary concern right now is getting as much as they can from the new TV deal. From an owner's perspective that's rational. From a fan's perspective, in the short term it sucks.

by **sydnor** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 21:39:42

Jamie, I think you are right about the strategy being "logical" but I think there's a big problem with respect to tactics. No logical strategy need include signing Delmon Young.

I also have a theory that fans LIKE turnover and that the same expected wins between two teams with one team having turnover and the other not would yield more attendance than the one with the same team. Not sure how to test that one though.

Finally, I wonder if they've expected the reaction to Byrd/Ruiz because to say it hasn't been popular would be charitable.

by **Soren** » Fri Nov 29, 2013 23:07:55

Shore wrote:
Grotewold wrote:You've had a charmed fandom if Hamels and Lee and Utley and Brown and Ruiz and even Gonzalez and Asche and maybe Franco can't hold your interest

And that's leaving Rollins, Howard, Papelbon for dead and writing off Revere and Boner and the bullpen dudes

Really? Ruiz and Asche are on your list of 7 things that hold your interest about the Phillies?

by **Monkeyboy** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 07:37:34

Yeh, I think Asche is interesting at the very least. He looks like he has some potential to hit a bit, though it's hard to say what will happen once the league has seen him a while and starts to find his weaknesses. He seems to be smart and a hard worker, so hopefully he'll win the adjustment game once it starts. His defense was supposed to be a question mark, but he looked pretty solid to me. In that sense, he reminded me of Utley, a guy who was supposed to be all bat who turned himself into a very good defender. He's definitely interesting.

Going into last season, I felt like the Phils had done about as bad a job as possible. Young, Young, Nix, etc. It was just terrible and the results were very predictable. I don't think this offseason has been as bad so far, though it certainly hasn't been anywhere near good. Ache is one of the reasons I will watch.

by **Woody** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 11:00:04

Need to get all these guys on the next generation undetectable clear

by **Monkeyboy** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 14:26:15

Yeh,Asche doesn't seem to have much power, but he's still young and that's one skill that does seem to develop.

by **joe table** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 14:52:28

You want interesting? Wheels plus

by **smitty** » Sat Nov 30, 2013 15:03:44

Phillie reliefers make things interesting a lot of times. Also, we have a Cuban guy.

by **WhiteyFan** » Mon Dec 02, 2013 11:46:44

BR says the "Best case scenario for the Phillies this winter" is to sign Bronson Arroyo and Joaquin Benoit. Hurray?

by **Bob Loblaw** » Mon Dec 02, 2013 13:25:22

Dioner Navarro signed for two years at $4m per.

I'd rather have Chooch for double the cost....that being said, there's that year 3...

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