MLB (Non Phillies) News and Discussion 2025 Season

[Philsmania]

Hoffman's WHIP is 1.177, not up to the standard of his Phillies years (0.944) but still decent. His ERA is 4.77. I guess those HR's have mattered.

It should be noted that his arm has held up after medical reports scared off both the Orioles and Braves last winter.

[bkox]

Anthony Rizzo has announced his retirement after 14 seasons with the Cubs, Yankees and Padres.

Rizzo was a 4-time Gold Glove Award winner (2016, 2018-2020) and won Platinum Glove honors in 2016. He was also a 3-time All-Star (2014-2016) and won a Silver Slugger Award in 2016. In… pic.twitter.com/ljlJMQ1Hlc

— MLB ( @MLB ) September 10, 2025

[Philsmania]

[quote="bkox, post:382, topic:54272, full:true"]

Anthony Rizzo has announced his retirement after 14 seasons with the Cubs, Yankees and Padres.

Rizzo was a 4-time Gold Glove Award winner (2016, 2018-2020) and won Platinum Glove honors in 2016. He was also a 3-time All-Star (2014-2016) and won a Silver Slugger Award in 2016. In… pic.twitter.com/ljlJMQ1Hlc

— MLB ( @MLB ) September 10, 2025

[/quote]

Not quite HOF, in my opinion, but a fine career.

I know some people who really get their underwear in a twist over guys signing ceremonial contracts to retire as members of a certain team. I mean they really hate it. Rizzo is signing one of those contracts with the Cubs. The Phillies do that often and, just going off memory, I believe, all of the core guys from the 2001-11 period (with the exception of Chooch) came back and signed them to formally retire as Phillies.

[zambonir]

I can't say I'm familiar with anyone getting upset about that. It's not like they get added to the roster. I thought it was a little sad that Freddy Galvis didn't get to do it here. But it's a PR exercise as much as anything, for both the player and the team, when a guy like Rizzo retires Chicago media is going to come out. Freddy probably wouldn't have drawn the cameras. The guys who do that are the ones who are going to end up on the Wall of Fame (or whatever their team has) eventually anyway.

I'd say Rhys is our next one.

And let's win a World Series and re-sign Schwarbs so there's no chance of him doing it (or going into the HOF, should that be a possibility) as a Cub.

[Philsmania]

I can't say I'm familiar with anyone getting upset about that. It's not like they get added to the roster. I thought it was a little sad that Freddy Galvis didn't get to do it here. But it's a PR exercise as much as anything, for both the player and the team, when a guy like Rizzo retires Chicago media is going to come out. Freddy probably wouldn't have drawn the cameras. The guys who do that are the ones who are going to end up on the Wall of Fame (or whatever their team has) eventually anyway.

I'd say Rhys is our next one.

And let's win a World Series and re-sign Schwarbs so there's no chance of him doing it (or going into the HOF, should that be a possibility) as a Cub.

It's also for the fans, too, hence, no dice Freddy. At the same time, Lieberthal, Wolf (but not Abreu whose Phillies career almost completely coincided with theirs) and Polanco all ceremonially retired as Phillies. Lieberthal and Abreu are both on the WOF already. I would not be surprised if Polanco joins them. Not sure Wolf (69-60, 4.21 ERA as a Phillie) deserves it.

It's really just two guys who I know who get steam coming out of their ears when the topic of ceremonial contracts for purposes of retirement come up, for reasons I've never quite figured out.

[zambonir]

Polanco seems like a longshot to me. He retired as part of alumni weekend but didn't really get his own fanfare. So many guys to check off still from that era (Howard, Utley, Lee). Werth, Chooch and Vic all before him too IMO. Oh and there's still one other pitcher from then too (Also still think it's odd how Moyer was nominated once and then fell off the map. Always figured it had something to do with him not working out on the broadcast team too, but he's been back since then.)

[Philsmania]

Oh and there's still one other pitcher from then too

You mean Lidge, right? Yeah, he gets on eventually to join Hamels there and it wouldn't surprise me if Madson ends up there as well eventually since Reed did from the first Golden Age--valuable bullpen piece for a championship team, many years of good service to the organization. Yeah, that era has just begun, especially since they cleared the deck of remaining first golden age guys with Reed and McBride in 2022. Madson might be clear the deck guy before the current crop of Phillies WOFers need to get their turn.

[zambonir]

Haha I totally forgot about Lidge. Madson might be a little tougher but he has the homegrown/longer stretch on his side. I've always thought they should just do three or four of these guys together for a couple of years. It would be silly if someone is getting it 40+ years later like Reed and McBride (who were the 11th and 12th members of the '80 team). They also didn't put anyone on it in 2017 (that was going to be Rose) or 2020 (COVID, Trillo had already been announced and was the sole honoree a year later).

[Philsmania]

Likely controversial opinion re a not-good time in Phillies history--Von Hayes should get a spot there too. He really did have a good career. Have they taken care of all the '93 guys? Dykstra and Williams are probably not going to get while they are alive (Dykstra is a foul human being who could make things go sideways like Rose did, Mitchiepoo is a persona non-grata in MLB). Mulholland (member of the '93 team, threw a no-hitter, All-Star) has allegedly gone of the grid and is hard to reach. Then of course, there are the likes of Sarge, Morandini and M. Thompson who are now Phillies ambassadors which probably gives them brownie points.. Yes, off-topic, enough of this.

[VoteForKalas]

Hamels deserves it as well

[zambonir]

Hamels is who I meant. No-brainer. He just hasn't been retired as long.

[jimbomill]

Polanco seems like a longshot to me. He retired as part of alumni weekend but didn't really get his own fanfare. So many guys to check off still from that era (Howard, Utley, Lee). Werth, Chooch and Vic all before him too

Polanco was a solid player and like you said, Werth, Chooch and Vic should be before him, probably others as well.

[dicemen99]

Are we really discussing Polanco as a member of the WOF? I just SMH. In the 2010s when they ran out of guys to put up there and started added guys like Burrell and Lieberthal, it just lost its luster for me.

I guess if you make an AS team once or have a season of 3.5 WAR you now need to be honored in perpetuity.

[phillychuck]

I guess if you make an AS team once or have a season of 3.5 WAR you now need to be honored in perpetuity.

The standard is the standard.

[zambonir]

Rizzo certainly did it right

Anthony Rizzo lets home run bounce off his hand in Wrigley Field bleachers

[phillychuck]

Misc things I read this morning:

Colorado’s run differential is approaching -400... wow.

Mick Abel has an ERA below 2.0 in 5 starts for the Twins AAA team. Only pitching 5 IP per start, but I’d take that. The Duran experience has been worth it.

Phillies have the third lowest number of runs allowed in the league.

Houston and Seattle are in a tie for the AL West lead, and also in a three-way tie for the last two WC spots.

The Rangers have the third-best run differential in the AL but are currently out of the playoffs and have to pass one of the Astros, Mariners, or Red Sox to get the last WC, assuming either the Mariners or Astros wins the West.

[zambonir]

Mick Abel has an ERA below 2.0 in 5 starts for the Twins. Only pitching 5 IP per start, but I’d take that. The Duran experience has been worth it.

Mick Abel has only made one start for the Twins, and has a 24.75 ERA. But presumably you read something that suggests he's still a dominant AAA pitcher!

[LegoDoom]

I also did a double take at the Abel claim. He has been good in the minors with the Twins, though.

[zambonir]

I had looked him up yesterday wondering if he might face the Phillies in the last series. Could still happen, AAA season will be over and why not let get one more look at him (if you're the Twins).

His ERA for St. Paul is indeed 1.85 in five starts.

[phillychuck]

Yes--I saw his stats in AAA for the Twins, not in the majors! Fixed. Sorry.