- Two days out and I still love the J.T. Realmuto deal. Getting the best catcher in baseball in his prime can't be underestimated. The best description I heard of Realmuto is that "he is a right fielder playing catcher." He is one of the fastest players in baseball. Getting him out of Miami, off a bad team and away from a huge ballpark, may elevate Realmuto to superstar status.
Jorge Alfaro has all kinds of potential, raw power and a rocket arm. But he strikes out way too much
and is lazy on defense. The 2019 Phillies should be vastly improved on defense. Let's face it- they can't get much worse. A solid defense will help the pitching staff With his numerous passed balls and wild pitches that weren't blocked, Alfaro didn't help his staff much.
Sixto Sanchez is only 20 years old. When healthy his fastball reaches 100 MPH with pinpoint control. He could be a Pedro Martinez-type ace in a rotation.
Then again, Sanchez is coming off elbow problems, which affected his limited pitching in the minors last season. The Phillies also weren't too thrilled with Sanchez' conditioning.
The organization takes a huge risk by trading it's best pitching prospect.Sanchez could return to haunt the Phils for years to come, especially for a club in the Phillies' division.
Realmuto comes cheap with two more years of club control .He is an extra enticement for friend Bryce Harper to consider Philadelphia. Despite the long-term risks I believe the Realmuto signing has made the Phillies a much better team, now and for the near future.
Most of all, after years of waiting on failed prospects (Dom Brown) and below average players (Jerome Williams and Peter Borjous) it's nice to see the Phillies management going for it, instead of kicking the can down the road. Like the other three Philly teams they are going all-in to win now. It's a refreshing take on the Philadelphia sports scene.
The Phillies are giving us hope and a reason to attend or watch ballgames this summer. Nice to know September games may be meaningful this upcoming season.
I'm frustrated by the Harper/Machado waiting game like most fans. It would be nice to wash my hands of both prima donas, but realistically, getting one may put the team over the top in National League East and put more fans in the seats at Citizens Bank Park this season. The Phillies have an improved, solid club which should contend for the division. With Harper or Machado, they suddenly become World Series contenders.
- The Sixers face LeBron James and the Lakers on Sunday afternoon. they put their new pieces on display last night in a home victory over the tough Denver Nuggets. Like the Phils, the 76ers are in an "all-in" mode, trading for forward Tobias Harris and dumping disgruntled guard Markelle Fultz.
The Flyers, playing the Anaheim Ducks ( who have lost six in a row) this afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center, brought up rookie goalie Carter Hart, after much reservation from former GM Ron Hexstall, and he has led the team to a long winning streak and back into playoff contention.
Thank the Eagles for this sudden spurt of enthusiasm and "go for it" mentality. The Birds signed guys like WR Alshon Jeffery and they promptly won a Super Bowl. Nice to know the rebuilds are over and, a year after the Eagles' Championship Parade, we may see another parade in the not-too-distant future.
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