Philadelphia Phillies Season 2017: Five Storylines to Watch
The 2017 MLB season has almost arrived, so here are five Phillies storylines to watch this season as Opening Day draws near.
Phillies Spring Training is coming to an end and the regular season is fast approaching.
With a new season, comes new stories and this season should be no different. The bullpen is revamped. The young prospects are starting to emerge and question marks surround nearly every position. The future of the franchise will be dictated by how this year plays out and that should bring some interesting conversation to South Philadelphia.
Take a look at five of the most intriguing storylines heading into the season.
Aaron Nola’s Rocky Start
It is no secret that Aaron Nola has not been the same since his elbow injury last season. The former LSU standout is 0-3 with an 8.38 ERA in six games so far in Spring Training and his command has been sub-par at best.
Now, this is no reason to give up on the young right-hander. As we have seen plenty of times in the past, Spring Training is no indication of how a season will eventually unfold.
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Yes, it is concerning that Nola has produced four rather horrendous outings in a row but things are not as bad as Philly talk radio may lead you to believe.
Nola, at just 23 years old, has shown plenty of promise since joining the Phillies in 2015. Unfortunately, for him and his expectations in Philadelphia, he was inappropriately labeled as a potential number one starter after his impressive rookie campaign.
In reality, most scouting reports coming out of college had Nola projected as a high number three or mid-tier number two.
2017 should be a rebound year for Nola and you should fully expect him to regain his command this season, albeit at the sake of a few rough, early outings.
Michael Saunders and Howie Kendrick’s Impact On The Outfield
In previous posts, I have applauded Matt Klentak for bringing in these two veterans. However, Spring Training has been a little of a disappointment. Neither has made much of a first impression as both Michael Saunders and Howie Kendrick are both struggling at the plate so far this spring.
Saunders is hitting .245 with four extra-base hits to his name while Kendrick is sitting at a cool .236. To add injury to insult, Saunders left Friday’s game after taking a C.C. Sabathia pitch to the hand.
As mentioned with Aaron Nola, you can’t base a player’s season off of their Spring Training performance but it is disconcerting. The Phillies front office seems to feel the same way as rumors have surfaced of the Phillies interest in free agent outfielder, Angel Pagan.
It will be interesting to see how this situation plays out as the season progresses. Saunders spot is seemingly safe but it seems as if Kendrick could be the odd man out if he can’t get back on track.
Can Tommy Joseph Hold Down First Base?
Tommy Joseph put together a nice rookie campaign while splitting time with current free agent Ryan Howard. The 25-year-old hit .257 with 21 home runs and 47 RBIs in 315 at-bats with the Phillies.
The former catcher has shown that he has the ability to hit major league pitching but he has problems remaining on the field. Forced to first base because of problems with concussions, Joseph’s health will always remain a question mark.
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Joseph is a lock to open the season at first base. However, there are a couple of players ready to jump in if need be. Rhys Hoskins had a ridiculous 2016 campaign in Double-A Reading, where he hit .281 while slugging 26 doubles and 38 home runs with 116 runs batted in.
In addition, Brock Stassi a.k.a. Darin Ruf 2.0, is putting together an impressive spring. Stassi, 27, is hitting .313 with five home runs and 15 runs batted in in just 48 at bats. He is making quite the case for himself and could be the next man up if Joseph struggles.
2017 will be a big year for Joseph. If he remains healthy and can keep pace with last season, Joseph could solidify himself as Philadelphia’s first baseman of the future.
How Will The Phillies Fare In A Top Heavy NL East?
ESPN recently released their first MLB power rankings as we head into the season. The Phillies landed in the 24th spot to open the season with a projected record of 67-95. The Atlanta Braves are projected to finish just ahead of the Phillies at 68-94. This is surprising.
The Phillies are coming off a season in which they finished fourth in the NL East with a record of 71-91. Although unlikely to compete with the likes of the Washington Nationals and New York Mets, the Phillies should still improve their record from last season.
The bullpen should more secure, the rotation should be more potent and the corner outfielders should be much more productive in 2017.
You can fully expect the Phillies to finish either third or fourth this season, which will be highly contingent on how Miami recovers after losing their heart and soul in Jose Fernandez last season.
This is no 100 win team but look for the Phils to finish the year with a win total somewhere in the mid to upper 70s as they move one step closer to the end of their rebuild.
Who Will Be Dealt Come The Trade Deadline?
This is the most intriguing aspect of the 2017 Phillies. A solid amount of players on the roster are either on a one year deal or considered to be a movable asset. Kendrick and Saunders in the outfield. Hernandez and Galvis in the infield. A long list of arms including Jeremy Hellickson, Pat Neshek, Joaquin Benoit, Clay Buchholz and Jeanmar Gomez all have the capability to be donning different uniforms by the end of 2017.
The team’s performance will dictate a vast majority of what happens come late July. However, common sense tells us that they will most likely be far enough out pennant chase to become sellers.
If that becomes the case, look for this new-look Phillies bullpen to be the first position jettisoned, followed by the veteran starters.
The case is a little different with the position players. Galvis and Hernandez will be locked in their never-ending struggle to not be the one replaced by J.P. Crawford and eventually something has to give. Galvis is the more appealing of the option to keep but he will also be more coveted in the market, General Manager, Matt Klentak, will have his work cut out with that one.
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As for the outfielders, both Saunders and Kendrick could also be expendable, especially with Nick Williams and Roman Quinn waiting in the wings. It wouldn’t be shocking to see either one or both of them moved at the deadline.