Phillies Plan to Make Moves at Trade Deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies came into the season with low expectations because the team is undergoing a rebuilding process, which means they won’t be in contention anytime soon. At the start of the season, the Phillies played hard and out-performed expectations, but the team finally came down to earth and is trying to get back to playing .500 ball. Due to their rebuilding, the Phillies have one of the worst online MLB sports betting odds, but the team is still competitive and capable of big wins every now and then.

With the trade deadline approaching, the Phillies can try to get rid of the few remaining bad contracts that they have, and also get some young talent that can be important to the team’s success in the future. By trading some players away, the Phillies will also have to figure out which young players to call up to the majors, so they can get some experience heading into the offseason.

Currently, Philadelphia’s most valuable trading chip is Jeremy Hellickson, who has been plagued with trade rumors since the team signed him. The veteran pitcher has been one of the most consistent players on the team this season, and has a 3.84 ERA in 20 starts.

With teams looking for consistent pitching as they make their playoff push, Hellickson seems like the perfect candidate to be wearing a new uniform before the trade deadline.

According to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, reports that sources close to the Phillies told him the team wasn’t considering trading the right hander despite interest from other teams.

However, the Boston Globe reported that several teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Royals, Baltimore Orioles, and Miami Marlins are all interested in Hellickson and believe they can pry him away from Philadelphia with the right package of players.

If the Phillies get a significant offer for Hellickson, the general consensus is that the team will trade the 29-year-old. If they do, Triple-A player Jake Thompson is one of the leading candidates to get the call to the majors to replace Hellickson.

Thompson, who has a 7-5 record and a 2.58 ERA, was a surprise omission from the Triple-A All-Star game. If the Phillies don’t call Thompson up, another player that might get called up is Jorge Alfaro, the catcher the team received in the trade for Cole Hamels.

If the Phillies are to call Alfaro up, they will have to trade Carlos Ruiz, who many believe will be a good fit for the Cleveland Indians, due to his defensive value. Since the Indians have lost starting catcher Yan Gomes for the next two months, acquiring a player like Ruiz, seems like a no-brainer for the team.

According to reports, Alfaro has been playing very well in the minors and seems to have outgrown Triple-A, so it makes sense that the Phillies try to add him to their MLB roster to give him some experience against top competition and try to figure out where he fits in the team’s future plans.

While Philadelphia won’t be getting any big names at the trade deadline, they will be trying to get young pieces that can help them in the future and get them back in contention in the NL East.

Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 73

Danny Ozark was the Phillies' manager from 1973-1979. During his tenure as the team's general, Ozark led Philadelphia to three straight division titles. In his playing days, Ozark was a first baseman, who was a career minor leaguer in the Dodgers system. When Ozark took over the team in 1973, the Phillies were fresh off 5 consecutive losing seasons and 3 straight last place finishes. During his first season in charge, the Phillies would again finish in last place, 20 games under .500, but as his core of young talent, like Mike Schmidt and Larry Bowa, developed, the Phillies' win totals rose. Within 2 years, the Phillies were above .500 and in the playoff hunt until late in the season and the most successful era of Phillies history was about to begin. By 1976, the Phillies were headed to the post-season for the first time since 1950. The Phils would enjoy a 10-game lead over their nearest division rival at the midway point of the season. Despite a lul, which saw their lead d...

PhoulBallz Interview: First round pick Bryson Stott

Bryson Stott, image- Jay Floyd Shortstop Bryson Stott , the Phillies' first round draft selection this year, has enjoyed a successful initial pro campaign. En route to being recognized as an All-Star for the Class A short-season Williamsport Crosscutters the 21-year-old UNLV product has tallied a .295 average with six home runs and 25 RBI in 45 minor league contests. Last week I spoke with the lefty hitting Stott to discuss his transition to professional baseball, joining the Phillies organization and plenty more. Read ahead for that interview. -Obviously, your performance and the production on the field is going well, but how do you feel you have adapted to the pro life? It feels good. You hear about the everyday grind, but you don't really believe it till you feel it. I would say that's the difference between college and the pros, is you're not practicing, you're playing games every day. I would say that's the biggest difference. But I...

Velasquez shut down, Eflin on deck?

Eflin with Reading in 2015, image- Jay Floyd Following Vincent Velasquez leaving his start after just two pitches for the Phillies on Wednesday, righty prospect Zach Eflin was pulled from his start for Triple-A Lehigh Valley at Gwinnett. The 22-year-old sports a 5-1 record with a 3.14 ERA and a .210 batting average against in 10 starts for the IronPigs this season. He could take the place of Velasquez if he is required to miss any additional time. Initial word on Velasquez after he threw two fastballs that clocked in the 86-87 MPH range (considerably slower than the 94 MPH he averages) and was swiftly pulled from his outing, is that he has a biceps strain. He'll be further evaluated in the coming days. Prior to the regular season, Eflin got a taste of competing against big leaguers when he was charged with 12 runs (nine earned) on 11 hits while striking out two and walking one with a wild pitch in three innings of work in an intrasquad exhibition that pitted the Phils...

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog