17: Phillies (Eickhoff) @ Boston (Porcello)

DurhamBull 2017-06-13 02:28:02 UTC #21

Tough break for Nava, Sandoval showing flashes of the Sandoval of old.

But then he gives Kendrick a break.

julio 2017-06-13 02:29:20 UTC #22

Oh, brother.

BostonRoss 2017-06-13 02:31:20 UTC #23

Can someone explain why the Phillies got another review? They already lost one challenge.

DurhamBull 2017-06-13 02:31:27 UTC #24

Kendrick caught stealing to end the inning on a close play.

DurhamBull 2017-06-13 02:31:52 UTC #25

They asked for and were granted a crew chief review is the way I understand it.

BostonRoss 2017-06-13 02:33:23 UTC #26

They were clearly looking at the replay in the clubhouse. Pete made a headphone gesture and then they reviewed it.

DurhamBull 2017-06-13 02:56:46 UTC #27

Pity they couldn't score there; it was a golden opportunity.

BostonRoss 2017-06-13 03:06:28 UTC #28

Wow, Nava sure remembers how to play LF in Fenway!

BostonRoss 2017-06-13 03:09:27 UTC #29

Maybe we should try bunting at Panda

Lawman 2017-06-13 03:20:44 UTC #30

zambonir 2017-06-13 06:12:17 UTC #31

Starting to look like they'll trade Nava for something. Given how it's all turned out it's funny how everyone was indifferent to him and hated the Kendrick signing but liked the Saunders signing okay.

gmwannabe 2017-06-13 11:16:46 UTC #32

as i stated before, they scored 4 and probably no more. i was wrong they scored one more. you could tell, the bench was yukking it up during that scoring in the first. laughing, giggling. they thought the game was over because of their scoring. the offense shut down. i know baseball should be fun, but with this poor team, they have no reason for that stuff. stay in the game for the whole 9. i guess they were surprised with that offensive prowess. show that you have done it before (i know they barely have) and show that you know how to do that. that was terrible. i don't know who to put any blame on, but that was bad. i guess i'm venting here, maybe about nothing, but it didn't look right to me.
gm

BostonRoss 2017-06-13 11:52:30 UTC #33

From an entertainment standpoint, it was a fun game. But despite the hitting, it didn't seem like I was watching a team on the rise even though the Phillies were hanging in against a good team. Nava and Kendrick had great games (Howie was handcuffed on one ball I thought he should have had), but they are not part of a future. Odubel had a couple of hits (singles) but also some bad at bats. Joseph and Franco were ok. Altherr looked good only one at bat. Knapp looked lost. And Eickhoff was bad. There were a few blown opportunities.

It was hitting weather for sure. But the ump had a big strike zone or there could have been even more offense.

I'll give them another chance tonight.

bkeich 2017-06-13 15:30:22 UTC #34

Yea, the old baseball saying is "that is why they play the games".

Nava was literally the worst hitter that got a job this year on a MLB club based on last 2 seasons stats. There were pitchers that hit better, and I freely admit that I was one of the more vocal on just how silly a signing it was. Honestly, even watching him he doesnt "look" like a good hitter to me, but in a fairly small sample size he continues to do well. If we can get something for him I would be thrilled.

Saunders was a good signing. We needed a LH hitter, we really did, and he was a solid one available. He isnt this bad, nothing in his past shows him to be a .200 hitter. I think there is still a chance he will get going early enough that he will have value by the trade deadline, but it needs to happen soon.

Kendrick was not a bad signing and frankly he still has so few plate appearances that his stats are overflated by small sample size. Hopefully they stay overinflated. He has value since he can play 2B and OF and hss speed, I think he may actually bring a pretty solid prospect from a contender, he is a very nice piece to add to a team.

andyb 2017-06-13 15:36:32 UTC #35

I am kind of hoping that Cesar gets back soon so they can trade Kendrick while his value is as high as it will ever be. That would free some more chances for Saunders to get back on track too.

flyers19rw 2017-06-13 15:36:51 UTC #36

Check his post AS stats from last season. He is what we see now.

Austinfan 2017-06-13 15:44:32 UTC #37

Saunders has one month to turn it around, then it's the waiver wire, no reason to keep him in August and block a promotion and tie up a 40 man roster spot.
Kendrick has value, Nava has value (bench player), Neshak has value, Benoit is puzzling, should be better than he's been, hoping for a hot streak, same with Garcia. Crazy, the washed up vet they just brought up looks as good as anyone in the pen, maybe they saw something in Lehigh and can showcase him.
Hellickson is a disappointment, great start then when south, might have marginal value as a 5th starter (Houston) for a desperate team.

I can't figure out what is wrong with Eickhoff, velocity is the same, curve is as good, changeup is improving, just seems to make bad pitches this year when it counts.
Which has been a problem with all the young pitchers, a good stretch here and there, then they start overthrowing and getting behind in the count.

I think if this season teaches anything, it's go for as many bargain basement types for ST, and be wary of over 30 veterans "bouncing back" if they cost real money.

Philsmania 2017-06-13 15:58:35 UTC #38

The problem is that if they cut Saunders, does that mean they automatically pick up his option for next season?

Philsmania 2017-06-13 16:01:40 UTC #39

Some were mad that they essentially cut Goeddel to give him a spot. Goeddel has done ok in the Reds' system all in all (flopped in AAA, doing pretty well back in AA) but has not done anything to make me rue the day the Reds claimed him on waivers.

zambonir 2017-06-13 16:04:35 UTC #40

Yeah Saunders has been like this since the second half of last year, and he can't even get in the line-up. Early trades are pretty rare so even when Cesar comes back, I don't think they will necessarily be able to move Kendrick until after the all-star break (unless a team with a big hole/injury makes them a good offer). Saunders simply isn't going to get the ABs. That doesn't mean he's totally untradeable as the Phillies will pay all of his salary, but it won't be for much of anything. Maybe he could be bundled with a reliever.

The real hindsight is, Altherr is a starting OF, and not everybody thought that (including me, and the Phillies) in March. But LH/RH, power no power, they could have just gone with a Kendrick/Altherr/Herrera OF, or even settled for Nava. I think they just got carried away - and thought they were lucky - with Saunders and Buchholtz when they turned out to be available. Thought they would make the team better than someone on a minor league deal, thought they'd have trade value. I don't really fault them for it because the team is no better or worse either way, and nobody is being blocked (Williams will get his shot soon enough).

They could have also cut Luis Garcia to give Goedell a spot. But yeah, no big deal. If anything they should have kept Asher, not because he's any kind of answer either but they demonstrably need bodies, and the AAA pitchers aren't having good developmental seasons getting yo-yo'ed (and injured).