The Phillies are ten games over .500 (1.5 GM back of the Braves & 2nd WC leaders) and I project them to enter the All-Star break with a 54-41 record despite a double header and all road games. They also have an 18-7 record in 1-R games, but mostly it's the players doing well. The rest of July except the last two days (Red Sox) is fairly easy with 3 vs the Padres (37-51), 3 vs the Dodgers (47-39), 4 @ Reds (38-49). This will allow them to buy at the deadline.
Who's going to the All-Star game in DC? Aaron Nola is a sure lock after winning his 11th game (T1 NL, T3 MLB) and if he continues to pitch well (top ten in most pitching categories), he'll likely be in the top 5 in the NL Cy Young vote! Herrera won't start in the game, but he, Dominguez, Hernandez, and Eflin have the strongest cases with Hoskins an outside shot. However, considering this is the first-year they're contending, two will be justified and also great (1st time since Lee & Brown went in 2013). Some players are having woes and inconsistencies but they're winning despite Kapler: yes, less questionable moves but they still happen. They are greater than the sum of their parts - not to the same degree as the Eagles, but close.
Congrats to those who are ultimately selected and good luck. As for the trade deadline, the Phils will buy and while Klentak's phone bill will likely be the most expensive out of all the GMs this month, he will only buy at the right price. With the Orioles requiring at least one of the team's big prospects for Machado, it would be best/ more likely to get him in FA and go after Beltre or Moustakas. Former Phillies Hamels and Happ are the lefty starters they could acquire but the rotation is doing well enough that acquiring a lefty reliever would be a better move.
An exciting month of baseball so far and it just got started - Go Phillies!
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