The year is 2045 and the Phillies are still an average baseball team, without talent in the farm system, their bullpen has broken their own record for blown saves in a year.
Ok, you get the point. We all know how frustrating this baseball team is but, of course, they show life before the All-Star Break. This makes things tough on Dave Dombrowski on whether he wants to buy, sell, or stay put. The Philadelphia Phillies in the past, under Matt Klentak, have often stayed put and made minor moves that do not cost them much and even those not one has panned out (aka Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree).
Which Phillies Are Tradable Now?
Zach Wheeler(!?)
Zack Wheeler has pitched extremely well all year and seems to be the lone bright spot of the first half. His name has been thrown around as a potential trade asset because of the high value that the Phillies could get in return. I am sure that teams are calling as we speak asking about the price but I do not see Dombrowski making that move at this point. I do not think that he wants to make a big splash this quickly into his tenure.
More importantly, I think that Dombrowski believes in this core group of players. Even at the young age of 31, I personally would not trade him. I truly believe that Zack Wheeler’s best days are still ahead of him.
Jean Segura
Jean Segura is another Phillie that has had a great first half that should have been chosen to be an All-Star. He is on a current hot streak and when he gets hot, he’s hot. Since being traded here from the Seattle Mariners, he has not always hustled. In this market, not hustling will put you on the bad side of the fans and possibly out of town. He has been a good utility player and bat in the lineup but his time here has run its course. He is not getting any younger and his trade value could not be any higher than it is now. Trading Jean Segura would not only help player development, such as Nick Maton, but it would also get his crazy contract off of the books with the ability to allocate that money elsewhere.
Rhys Hoskins
I have never seen a player be so streaky like Rhys Hoskins. He’s either colder than ice or hotter than the sun. I think everyone can relate to Hoskins because when he is mic’d up you can hear how much he cares. He is a big leader in the clubhouse and is someone who guys can look up to. I have been a fan of his ever since I saw him play in Double-A ball, but I am sick and tired of seeing him hook every single pitch that is on the outer part of the plate. Even with the DH coming to the National League very soon, I still think it is time for him to go.
Let’s just say that theoretically the DH is installed for next year. I think we can all agree that Alec Bohm needs to be moved to first base. That then leaves Rhys Hoskins to be the everyday DH. Here is my question to you. Can you live with Rhys Hoskins being the DH even with his hot and cold streaks? My concern is that he is the short-term answer and will not be here in 3 years.
All Aboard the Dombrowski Bandwagon
I have full confidence that Dave Dombrowski will turn this team around but also do know that it will take time. He came into a dumpster fire of a farm system and of a bullpen. He can’t fix it all in one offseason. I believe in his track record and the player development crew through the minor leagues that the Phillies will win the NL East in the coming years. This core group of players is too good not to win. They need an average bullpen at the very least to be able to contend. They are a lot closer than we all think and we have to trust the people in the front office and the coaches to right the ship.
Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire
