5/9/25 : Notes

The Phillies are in Cleveland for a three game weekend series, the two storied franchises have played each other 25 times in the regular season beginning in 2002 with the Phillies holding a 13-12 slight advantage in record. They have played 14 times in Cleveland with the Guardians holding a 9-5 record. According to Baseball Reference 273 players (175 position players & 98 pitchers) have played in the major leagues for both franchises including four hall of famers (Nap Lajoie, Steve Carlton, Jim Thome and Elmer Flick). Each franchise has two World Series wins (Phillies in 1980 & 2008, Guardians in 1920 and 1948). The Guardians have the current longest drought to win the World Series - 75 years although they have won the American League pennant four times since 1948 (1954, 1995, 1997, 2016).

My specialty is covering the Phillies Player Development process and reporting on the players within it. Folks sometimes ask me if it bothers me when minor league players I come to know get traded to other organizations. Truth is that it used to when I first started writing ten years ago - now I see it as opportunity for the fellas that they may not have had with the Phillies. When the major league club is in the mix every season for a pennant there’s few advancement chances for players to get to the show. What happens often is they are traded to a less talented club to acquire a potential auxiliary part to the major league equation. Sometimes those deals work out, other times not so much. I think that fans in general are quick to criticize trades, especially afterwards with the ones that become more beneficial for one team than the other. I also think that greater risk of losing a developing talent is taken by contending clubs for short term reward while the trade partner often has a longer view. Hence I’m generally happy for the Phillies minor league players who get traded as it puts them in perhaps a more valued circumstance with an anticipated long term opportunity to become and excel as a major leaguer. Of course I’m equally pleased if the player the Phillies acquire successfully fills the perceived gap he was envisioned to do. 🤓

Speaking of Phillies minor league players who presently have elevated trade values there’s Otto Kemp, Andrew Painter, Justin Crawford, Mick Abel, Seth Johnson and Gabriel Rincones Jr with Erick Brito’s stock also rising in Lehigh Valley. Aidan Miller, Hendry Mendez, Jean Cabrera and Moises Chace in Reading, Alex McFarlane, Casey Steward, Bryan Rincon, Carson DeMartini and Devin Saltiban in Jersey Shore with Luke Russo also serving notice. Clearwater has Eduardo Tait, Aroon Escobar, Griffin Burkholder, Dante Nori and Titan Hayes with Jose Peña Jr also generating radar blips. In the FCL catcher Alirio Ferrebus and pitchers Brad Pacheco and Angel Liranzo garner attention. This is not to say that these fellas are probable trade parts, just to note that they are on the radar of other clubs and are likely brought up as trade discussions occur. Keep in mind it’s not always the surface stats of players that intrigue interest but rather the projection of ability.

I’m off to the complex to watch a noon FCL game in the Florida heat - just what I do.

Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️

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