NL East Enemies: 2017 Philadelphia Phillies

[Edgy MD]

Kendrick to the DL means a callup for lefty swinging outfield prospect Nick Williams.

Williams joined the Phillie system in 2015 after coming over from Texas in the Cole Hamels deal. He's got a rep as a free swinger/chaser, but he's put up 15 homers this year in second year in the International League, so the time is ripe.

Baseball America had him as the #27 prospect going into 2016, and Baseball Prospectus had him at #25 the same year, but his status fell following a lackluster 2016.

[Frayed Knot]

Mets @ Philly: Aug 10-13

Phils are a stunningly bad 42-69 which only gets worse when you realize that they're [u:2vs2bhrp]11-2[/u:2vs2bhrp] vs the Braves which, by some complicated math here, means they're 31-67 against everyone else

Thurs (7:05) - deGrom vs Vince Valasquez [14 starts; 2-6; 4.82; 1.65]
Velasquez made two starts vs the Mets back in April, Mets won both times

Fri (7:05) - Lugo vs Nick Pivetta [16 starts; 4-7; 5.89; 1.43]
We saw the rookie Pivetta back in early July and he held us to [u:2vs2bhrp]1 run on 1 hit[/u:2vs2bhrp] over 7 innings. It was clearly his best start of the year and his outings since have been nothing resembling that

Sat (7:05) - Matz vs Aaron Nola [18 starts; 8-7; 3.12; 1.18]
Their former #1 draft pick (7th overall in 2014 out of LSU) is starting to show shy as he's given up two runs or fewer in each of his last 9 starts

Sun (1:05) - Flexen vs Zach Eflin [9 starts; 1-3; 5.67; 1.39]
This will be Eflin's second start since being recalled from minors where he was banished in late May


Who's new since we last saw them?
OF Nick Williams - Their top prospect was called up at the end of June and is hitting well since: .289/.333/.529 with nearly half of his 35 hits going for XB
1B/OF - Rhys Hoskins was just called-up today so likely will make his ML debut sometime this weekend. He's a power-hitting 1B who's been getting a crash course in OF play recently
OF Hyun Soo Kim - A trade deadline deal from Baltimore where the 29 y/o Korean FA had a half-season's worth of success last year but not so much in 2017

Lately their OF has been Williams in RF, Odubel Herrera in CF, and about 20 different guys rotating in LF.
IF is pretty much the same as we saw early in the year: Tommy Joseph, Cesar Hernandez, Freddie Galvis, Makiel Franco, with Cameron Rupp catching.

Gone is 2B/LF Howie Kendrick who was shipped to the Nationals at the deadline
Also SP Jeremy Hellickson (Baltimore) and RP Pat Neshek (Rockies)

[Edgy MD]

Mets are eight games ahead of Philadelphia, but floundering and falling fast, so let's not give them any hope here.

[Frayed Knot]

Between having ten games left vs Philly and all seven vs Cincy still on the slate, if the Mets finish in last given this cushion it means that this is going to be one ugly seven week stretch.

Philly still has the NL's worst record but they're actually over .500 since the ASB (in large part due to going 6-0 vs ATL) while Cincy is steaming along at 8-18

[G-Fafif]

Pete Mackanin will not return as Phillies manager in 2018.

[Frayed Knot]

So, hey, one more candidate as a possible replacement for Terry.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Maybe Terry can drop off a resume while he's in town.

[Frayed Knot]

btw, the Phils signed McKanin to an extension for 2018 with an option for '19 just four months ago - so something went south there in a heck of a hurry.