Cohen breaking records to sign Soto is the least surprising news of the offseason. Great player. Like with all these huge contacts, time will tell how well a 15-year deal ages.
2024 Phillies Thread
- Thread starter Tom McAndrew
- Start date
It would indeed be a huge addition. Partly based on the fact that he would be a top of the rotation addition and partly based on the fact that a smallish number of teams seem to be the landing spot for Asian pitchers. It seems like LA, Seattle, and NY have a leg up. Other teams like the Phillies have to overpay but it could be a bargain to be in the mix going forward.
I thought I had heard that he was strongly leaning to padres so I think the Phillies have ground to make up.
I had also read speculation that the Padres were the leaders for him.
Under Middleton, the Phils have made bids for a few guys from Japan. I keep hoping that they'll break through and sign one of these guys, but it's tough to do, and the West Coast cities generally seem to have an advantage. Perhaps they'll finally win the bidding war for Sasaki. As you noted, he would be a huge addition.
Sasaki is very different (obviously) from Yamamoto so that every team should be interested and involved after he posts given the cost versus what Yamamoto demanded under the process for him. At some point, teams other than the usual suspects will break through. I hope this is a chance for the Phillies as they add an arm on the level of Crochet without sacrificing major farm capital.
200+ million for Max Fried???? Good pitcher, don’t get me wrong, but he also has a 5.10 postseason ERA in 67 innings. I guess if he’s your No. 4 or No. 5 it doesn’t matter as much, but man, that seems high for a guy who has consistently given up runs at bad times in the postseason.
200+ million for Max Fried???? Good pitcher, don’t get me wrong, but he also has a 5.10 postseason ERA in 67 innings. I guess if he’s your No. 4 or No. 5 it doesn’t matter as much, but man, that seems high for a guy who has consistently given up runs at bad times in the postseason.
It's the largest guarantee ever given to a left-handed pitcher, and the fourth-largest guarantee even given to a pitcher. And while Fried is for the most part an excellent pitcher, he's 31-years-old, and it's an 8-year contract. It's not my money, but I'd be very reluctant to give that to a pitcher that age who hasn't exactly been injury free during his career.
The Phillies have Manchester United Syndrome. They're a team that gets thrown out there with any available player to drive up the price.
Seeing the offer DD is making I think it’s something different.
He’s making stupid offers (Bohm and Castellanos for Tucker) and, rightfully so, being laughed at.
Then he’ll say, “We Tried”.
It’s interesting to see how they sell this to the fan base. You’d have to say that all they have done so far is to lose Hoffman and Estevez and add a hurt bullpen guy in return. Arguably their top offensive target (Tucker) and pitching target (Crochet) have moved elsewhere. If they wanted to add an established hammer in the pen he (Williams) was acquired by the Yankees.
Let’s see.
Let’s see.
It says it all without saying it all. Dombrowski has spent them up onto the beach. They’re now bloated and marooned. They have very few options besides running back some diminished version of the 2024 team.