Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Phillies

 

So. 

Even with Zach Wheeler, Didi Gregorius, a better manager, healthy Cutch, and both Bohm AND MONIAK UP IN THE MAJORS...the Philadelphia Phillies...STILL can't figure out how to be competitive.

It's getting infuriating. They have the team. They have basically all the necessary materials to compete. They just don't have the energy to actually stick it in. They had a wild card spot for a MONTH, and thanks to the stupidest damned mistakes and losses to teams who didn't deserve it, they lose a playoff spot to the goddamned Brewers. The Brewers, with virtually no upward momentum and a quick loss in the playoffs to LA, were a better team than the Philadelphia Phillies.

It's depressing as hell.

Anyway. Rhys Hoskins did his usual schtick of missing a few games and not hitting enough for average, but he still had 26 RBIs and 10 homers, which is not bad in a 60-game season. Not perfect, not Bryce, but he's still a welcome 1st base presence in Philly, and we need a guy like him back on his shit.

2021 Prediction: Completely back to his old tricks. 35 homers, an ASG nomination and some Home Run Derby fun, and maybe, just maybe, some PLAYOFF TIME?!?!?!?

Jean Segura had a great season this year, even if the fans around here don't seem to want to think so. Jean Segura had a few minor errors this year, and only hit .266, but he had 51 hits and 25 RBIs, and he still had some pretty solid defensive numbers, so clearly he did SOMETHING right. He's not quite where he was in Seattle, but he's still an above-replacement-level second baseman, and it is good to still have him.

2021 Prediction: Harper and Nola and Wheeler are all gonna have big seasons and y'all are gonna expect that, but Jean Segura's gonna have one of the best ones because a lot of people won't be expressly looking for it.

When the Topps card of Didi Gregorius on the Phillies came out, I texted a picture of it to my girlfriend, also a Yanks fan [I did well], and she just couldn't take it. She loves Didi, she loved him on the Yankees, and...she couldn't see him anywhere else. Even if he was happy in Philly [this photo is clearly from Spring Training, hence the people in the stands], it wasn't gonna be the same.

Thankfully, Didi had a really nice season in Philly. Didi hit .284 this year, which was the highest average of anybody who started on Opening Day [only Bohm, who came later, had higher]. He also led the team in hits with 61 and in RBIs with 40. With this abundance of great stats, it saddens me that it's looking like Didi's time in Philly might only be a yearlong stay.

2021 Prediction: He'll continue his good numbers in another city, maybe actually getting a playoff spot out of this one.

Andrew McCutchen is still one of my favorite players, and though he is beginning to go into his career decline, I'm still glad he's at least hitting in some faction for the Phillies. True, the WAR gods were not with Cutch this year, but he still hit .253 with 10 homers and 34 RBIs. It was good to have Cutch back and healthy, I just wish it was slightly more statistically friendly.

2021 Prediction: Okay, last season of the three-year deal. Let's bring in some classic Cutch numbers, make us miss you in a year or so.

Speaking of three-year deals...uh, Jake Arrieta's came to a close this season, and it was another unfulfilling, not-quite-as-it-said-on-the-tin year for the former Cubs hero. Jake was slightly healthier than last year, but still pitched only 9 games, and had a 5.08 ERA with only 32 strikeouts. A sad finish to a tenure that looked so bright a few years ago.

2021 Prediction: Has a better season somewhere out of the question on a cheaper deal. 

At least Zach Eflin was there with more consistent rotation numbers for the Phils this year. Eflin's always been solid in the rotation, and this year was no exception, with a 3.97 ERA, a 4-2 record and 70 Ks [more than Wheeler!]. 

2021 Prediction: Acts as a truly tricky third man for Nola and Wheeler, and gets some accolades himself next year. 

Meanwhile...Vince Velasquez has been teasing us, in spurts, the unbeatable strikeout artist who we wanted in 2016. And once again, he instead brought us more unfortunately timed runs and losses. In 9 games, Vince had a 5.57 ERA, even with 46 Ks, but the 1.559 WHIP really makes it clear. Velasquez is giving up too many runs, spoiling too many starts, and has lost his mojo, completely.

2021 Prediction: We bring up enough people so we can finally get rid of him.

Jay Bruce, like in 2019, had some power hampered by injuries, and more so this season. In 32 games as DH, Bruce hit .198 with 14 RBIs and 6 homers. Yes, good for power, but Phil Gosselin was better for contact, AND stayed healthy. So there.

2021 Prediction: I don't know if anybody's gonna sign him, but it'll be a minor deal, spring training stint kinda deal that mayyyyybe amounts to MLB play?

Okay, so...let's be real. J.T. Realmuto's not playing for the Phils next year. I know this, you know this, JT knew this once the Phils lost again. It's not gonna happen, I've accepted it. So then, what's left at catcher? Well...judging by this season, still a pretty good piece in Andrew Knapp. Knapp was mostly hitting off the bench this year, but still hit .278 in 33 games, with 20 hits and 15 RBIs, and some solid defensive catching. I don't think we're gonna need a full starting catcher from the free agency squad if Knapp vows to be this good as a starter. 

2021 Prediction: Yeah, gets the starting gig and keeps it by continuing to hit. Please. Please...don't go back to not hitting like you did in 2019.

The Phils' bullpen was...horrible this year, so much so that even the guys they brought in from other teams to fix it did horribly. David Phelps had some sort of 10+ ERA, yeah, same with Heath Hembree. And Brandon Workman, the former strong Boston closer, had a 6.92 ERA in 14 games for the Phils. On one hand, he rescued the closing gig from the once-again-unreliable Hector Neris. But on the other, he still couldn't keep runs at bay and blew half as many saves as he won. 

2021 Prediction: Someone signs him and he gets 30 saves again. Clearly Philly was the problem.

Coming Tomorrow- HOO BOY, if you thought I was bitter about the Phils...wait til ya hear how bad things were on the other side of PA...