On Monday, the Phillies officially acquired Jean Segura, Juan Nicasio, and James Pavos for J.P. Crawford and Carlos Santana with no money or prospects exchanged. For once, the sun shined brightly in Southeastern Pennsylvania as Phillies GM Matt Klentak pulled 3 rabbits out of his hat from Seattle. All were happy, but I’m ready to get even happier.
With that trade, the Phillies effectively only added around $5 million in payroll for this season, giving them $100 million still to play around with if they so desired. They also didn’t part with any prospects to get the deal done which gives them more trade possibilities as well.
So, as it is customary, I will submit my Christmas wish list to the Phillies front office and, of course, Phanta Claus.
The Bullpen
Wow. It got crowded in there all of a sudden. There’s hardly any room for James Pavos’ mustachioed excellence.
That doesn’t mean I don’t want more!
The Phillies still could use a top of the line reliever. Craig Kimbrel is the obvious choice, but he’ll probably command up to $20 million a season. On the other hand, he’s a 7-time All-Star with a sub 2 career ERA and a top-10 Cy Young candidate as recently as 2017.
Kimbrel is the pipe dream, but there are other options.
One I would personally enjoy is Kelvin Herrera who, before being traded to the Nationals, pitched to the tune of a 1.05 ERA in 25.2 IP. He didn’t fare too well with the Nats and eventually suffered a foot injury that he is currently recovering from. He had amazing seasons from 2014-2016 and looked to be in that form for the Royals last season. He’d be a buy low option that could pay off greatly.
If the Phillies want to get crazy with their money, go Kimbrel. If not, go Herrera.
The Rotation
To be honest, I like the Phillies rotation. Aaron Nola has broken out as the newest Philadelphia ace. Nick Pivetta has really shown great ability on the mound. Zach Eflin’s fastball is promising and he’s so efficient with his pitches when he’s on.
But it’s that same rotation (sans Nola) that collapsed down the stretch. There are 2 options that I would love the Phillies to look into (3 if they’re really feeling it).
Let’s trade for Robbie Ray from the Arizona Diamondbacks. They just jettisoned Paul Goldschmidt to St, Louis so maybe we could coax them with Adonis Medina and friends.
Robbie Ray had a down season in 2018, posting a 3.94 ERA. In 2017, he looked like a strikeout stud. He went 15-5 with a 2.89 ERA while striking out 218 in 162 IP. While his ERA dipped in 2018 his strikeout rate did not. He had a 12.1 K/9 rate in 2017 and a 12 K/9 rate in 2018. He’s basically a Nick Pivetta that has figured it out.
With that, I want the Phillies to resign Charlie Morton. He had a cup of coffee with the Phillies in 2016 when he was a rebound candidate. He didn’t get to show his potential the first time through because of an untimely hamstring tear.
A second stint for the Roy Halladay copycat could be beneficial for the Phillies. Since his original stint in red pinstripes, Morton has has career years. In 2017-2018, he went 29-10 with a 3.36 ERA, 1.176 WHIP, and a 10.4 K/9 rate. Since 2016, he has been striking out a full 3 more batters per 9 innings pitched. It also helps that his wife’s family resides in Delaware, giving him a closer proximity to family.
Finally, if the Phillies can acquire Corey Kluber, they should acquire Corey Kluber. He’s proved that he is one of the best pitchers in the AL since 2014, going 83-45 with a 2.85 ERA and 1228 K (that’s an average of 246 strikeouts a season!). If the Phillies hypothetically got him, he’d be under control for 3 season in team friendly deal. If it takes Sixto Sanchez, I would give the Indians Sixto.
Well, I think this is long enough of a list for Phanta Claus to digest. I’ll have to compose a second letter for all my positional desires!
Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
