Phillies: 3 Options to Play at Shortstop Next Season
The Phillies have had a rotating set of gloves at shortstop for too long.
The Philadelphia Phillies ended their 2019 season surrounded by a cloud of disappointment and failed expectations. Throw in the fact that their fanbase had to watch a NL East rival hoist the World Series trophy this October, pressure is at an all-time high.
One of the many players who failed to live up to the hype this past year was newly acquired shortstop Jean Segura. After hitting over .300 for three consecutive seasons, both fans and coaches alike expected something of the same in 2019.
However, after a year in which he hit .280 and saw massive decline in his defensive capabilities, Segura’s name has begun to swirl as a potential trade piece. If you want to read more specifically on Segura’s 2019, check out my player review on him: here.
Whether it’s a trade or a simple position change, the possibility for Segura no longer being the Phillies’ primary SS is there. With that in mind, here are three potential replacements as we look ahead to Opening Day 2020.
Sell the Farm: Francisco Lindor
Despite the Cleveland Indians president Chris Antonetti proclaiming, “My expectation is Frankie (Francisco Lindor) will be the shortstop Opening Day next year”, trade rumors have been swirling around the 4x All-Star shortstop.
Simply put, Lindor is one of the best players in all of baseball. A 2x Gold Glove Winner, a 2x Silver Slugger, a 4x All-Star as previously mentioned, and a recipient of MVP votes in 4 consecutive seasons, his resume speaks for himself.
Lindor is due for arbitration after the 2020 season, and despite the team president’s claims, the likelihood of Cleveland shelling out the type of money needed to retain him is unlikely. Accredited baseball reporter Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) has reported the team has begun receiving calls for Lindor, and Jon Morosi (@JonMorosi) has gone as far to say he believes there IS a strong likelihood he’ll be moved before 2021.
Lindor is obviously an upgrade over Segura, that much is clear. His top of the league defense and elite bat (.854 OPS and 31 HRs last year) blatantly make the Phillies a better team. So how would they pull of a deal for the 26 year old?
“Sell the farm”. A term used when a team literally trades all of their top level prospects to acquire one singular superstar. Any sort of hypothetical trade package for Lindor would have to be strong enough to fend off the Dodgers, Yankees, etc.
If Lindor does end up a Phillie, expect top young talents like Alec Bohm, Spencer Howard, Adam Haseley, and Scott Kingery to all be on their way to Cleveland.
An Old Friend: Didi Gregorious
Didi Gregorious’ first public comment after not receiving a qualifying offer from the Yankees? Congratulating his old manager (Joe Girardi) on being hired for the Phillies job.
Considering the fact that Gregorious and Girardi have had a strong relationship for years and Didi just happens to be the top SS in the free agent market, this screams “match made in heaven”. The Phillies will no doubt shoot the Holland native a call this offseason.
Despite missing the first half of the season due to elbow surgery, Gregorious managed to put up impressive enough numbers through the final 82 games. A career .264 hitter, Gregorious had a slight down year in terms of average as he hit just .238 in 2019. However, his ability to generate runs and hit for power remained a constant.
Posting a slugging percentage of .441 while hitting 16 home-runs and 14 doubles, Gregorious more than silenced any doubts about his hitting ability. Throw in the 61 RBIs he produced in just half a season, it’s obvious why his name is being talked about as a potential upgrade over Segura.
The big “question mark” surrounding Gregorious will simply be his price tag. The Yankees declined his $17.88 million dollar option following the season, which is why we’re even discussing him as a FA option in the first place. Despite having a solid enough year, Gregorious’ production last season was not similar enough to his 2017 and 2018 years to warrant a New York style payday.
With that understood, the way Didi values himself could be somewhat of a mystery. On one hand, he’s coming off a rough injury and a drop in statistical production and could appreciate an opportunity to play for a contender on a smaller deal. On the other hand, Gregorious has been one of the better shortstops in the league the last few seasons and may be looking to cash in on a lucrative long-term deal.
With the Phillies expected to shell out major cash in the pitching department this winter, a decision on Gregorious may come down to if there’s even enough money to go around for him.
Scotty for Shortstop: Scott Kingery
Despite the general consensus being that Scott Kingery has Gold Glove potential at second base, many forget that he’s actually played a majority of his career innings at the shortstop position (49.1% to be exact). Given his hyper-utility role he was used at last season, it’s very possible he could find himself as the everyday SS next year if no outside help is brought in.
Although the least exciting of the three options mentioned, the ability to slot in someone already on the roster to replace Segura has to be enticing to Girardi. Similar to the third base spot (check out my article on potential offseason moves for that lineup spot: here), Kingery can provide above average defense and offense at the SS position.
Scotty “Jetpax” slashed .258/.315/.474 while knocking in 19 HRs, 34 doubles and 55 RBIs, all career highs. His .788 OPS ranked fourth on the team and his slugging percentage ranked third.
It’s obvious he’s a must have on the offensive side of things, but his defense was more than adequate at the SS spot as well. In the 887 innings he played there in 2018, Kingery recorded a fielding percentage of .973, a rate which scored slightly higher than Segura did in 2019.
Not only is Kingery a younger and more athletic player than Segura, but he’s simply a better hitter while also having the potential to eclipse Segura on defense. If Segura is in fact shipped out this offseason and neither Lindor nor Gregorious are brought in to replace him, playing Kingery at SS is the next best thing.