{"id":77256,"date":"2015-08-31T18:35:34","date_gmt":"2015-08-31T18:35:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sandbox.web.rcn.net\/rcntv\/?p=77256"},"modified":"2015-08-31T18:37:05","modified_gmt":"2015-08-31T18:37:05","slug":"sportstalk-shop-dimension-versatility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/sportstalk-shop-dimension-versatility\/","title":{"rendered":"The SportsTalk Shop: A Dimension of Versatility"},"content":{"rendered":"

While the jury will be out for some time on this year\u2019s Phillies <\/a>trades, one aspect of these moves is clearly developing.\u00a0 In addition to getting highly regarded minor league players and prospects, the players they\u2019re acquiring seem to be versatile\u2014in terms of ability, skill set and potential roles they could have in this club.<\/p>\n

This is even more important on a rebuilding team as it\u2019s not locked in stone which players will be playing which positions as the team continues to evolve\u2026and hopefully improve.<\/p>\n

Can you imagine Ryan Howard<\/a> playing another position?\u00a0 Remember the failed attempts to move Chase Utley<\/a> to third base?\u00a0 How about the lack of quality catchers behind Carlos Ruiz<\/a> the last several years?\u00a0 The Phillies had to move Jim Thome<\/a> and Placido Polanco<\/a> to part ways with some valuable veterans in order to open up spots for the next generation of Phillies players.\u00a0 The current crop of prospects in the Phillies farm system will find it to easier to reach the Major Leagues, not just because of the present holes on the roster, but also because a good number of up-and-coming players have the ability to play different positions.<\/p>\n

Maikel Franco<\/a>, Odubel Herrera<\/a> and Cesar Hernandez have had good seasons and look to have starting positions waiting for them in 2016.\u00a0 Freddy Galvis<\/a>\u2014at least for the moment\u2014has played well enough to hold down the shortstop spot until J. P. Crawford<\/a> arrives.\u00a0 But most positions going forward are very much up for grabs.<\/p>\n

The advantage of the young players now in the Phillies\u2019 fold is not just that they have Major League potential, but they have the ability to move around and play different roles, should the need arise.\u00a0 Franco can also play first base.\u00a0 Hernandez has played shortstop, third base and outfield, even though he looks more comfortable at second.\u00a0 Newly acquired Darnell Sweeney<\/a> projects as a utility guy, but has some pop and speed and played regularly at second, short, third and center field.\u00a0 Galvis, too, has looked like an above-average defender, regardless of where he\u2019s placed on the diamond.<\/p>\n

Fans already can see the benefits of having different players\u2019 ability to play multiple positions.\u00a0 Interim Manager Pete Mackanin has frequently double-switched in games, allowing more flexibility with his batting order late in games, while not sacrificing anything defensively.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at the younger players in the upper-level of the Phillies farm system.\u00a0 Top prospects are listed in BOLD<\/strong>, and players, at least at the beginning of the season, projected as \u201csuper utility\u201d (or not quite everyday) players are in italics.<\/p>\n

Nick Williams<\/strong><\/a> (acq. in the Cole Hamels trade) \u2013 projects to be a left fielder per Baseball America, but has played all three outfield positions and has a blend of speed, power and the ability to hit for average.<\/p>\n

Roman Quinn<\/strong><\/a> (drafted by Phila, 2nd<\/sup> round) \u2013 Despite an injury, Quinn had a great season at Double-A after making the transition from shortstop to the outfield.\u00a0 MLB.com suggests he can be an above-average defender in center field with more experience.<\/p>\n

Cornelius Randolph<\/strong><\/a> (draft by Phila., 1st<\/sup> round) \u2013 An MLB \u201cTop #100 Prospect\u201d who has bat speed, strength and patience (according to MLBPipeline.com<\/a>), coming on a solid season in the Gulf Coast League.\u00a0 Randolph has played the middle infield positions with some believing he could play 3d base, but with Franco occupying that position, he saw time in left field this past summer.<\/p>\n

Jorge Alfaro<\/strong><\/a> (acq. in the Cole Hamels<\/a> trade) \u2013 The key piece in the Hamels\u2019 trade, boasting perhaps the greatest potential of anyone acquired in the deal, was hurt for much of the year.\u00a0 With raw power, he\u2019s currently listed as the #2 catching prospect in all of minor league baseball.\u00a0 However, he can also play first base and some feel he could also be an everyday right fielder, or even play first base.\u00a0 This is important with the development of Phillies\u2019 farmhand Andrew Knapp, who had a strong second half in Double-A and might be closer to the Major Leagues than Alfaro is at present.<\/p>\n

Odubel Herrera<\/em> (Rule 5 selection) \u2013 Per his Rule 5 status, Herrera had to stay on the Big League roster all season or be offered back, but the Phillies had no problems finding a spot for him, and even felt comfortable moving Ben Revere for him at the trade deadline.\u00a0 He\u2019s a quality MLB bat and seems to be improving as the year has gone along, both offensively and defensively.\u00a0 However, if Quinn has another big season in 2016 and makes the jump to the Big Leagues, Herrera can also play left field and is a natural infielder.\u00a0 The Phillies should be able to find a way to get plenty of \u201cABs\u201d for him going forward.<\/p>\n

Aaron Altherr<\/em><\/a> (draft by Phila., 9th<\/sup> round) \u2013 While not everyone in the Phillies organization viewed him as a blue chip prospect, I was impressed from what I saw in Altherr\u2019s play in Triple-A this season.\u00a0 More importantly, some of the guys who saw Aaron play on an everyday basis said they felt he could be an everyday MLB outfielder\u2014at least on the current Phillies team.\u00a0 He has nice range and a strong arm, which lends him to playing all three outfield positions.\u00a0 Offensively, he was one of the top hitters at Lehigh Valley.\u00a0 Supposedly, the Phillies wanted him to continuing playing every day and was not promoted once Revere was traded.\u00a0 I am glad he received a \u201cpre-September\u201d call-up and hope that he gets even more of a chance to showcase his skills (and hope he doesn\u2019t turn into another Darin Ruf, who really never did seem to get an extended look).\u00a0 If he continues to play as well as he has at the Major League level, he may force the team to have him in the lineup every day.<\/p>\n

Cody Asche<\/em><\/a> didn\u2019t exactly shock and awe anyone with his offensive outputs.\u00a0 But if Asche and Ruf<\/em> remain on the team beyond their arbitration years, both can play a couple different spots defensively and could see themselves as platoon or bench options as the other young players develop.<\/p>\n

Trying to predict an everyday lineup is nearly impossible at this point, which is a good thing.\u00a0 The future Phillies manager (whether it\u2019s Mackanin or not) will have many different options where to bat and position players in the field.\u00a0 This will also help the front office in trying to improve the team.\u00a0 If\/when they assume the team is ready to challenge for a playoff spot, it will keep options open in trying to acquire additional players through trades and free agency.<\/p>\n

Even the most skeptical Phillies fan has to be impressed with the moves being made by the Phillies front office over the last several months.\u00a0 While it might still be a stretch to be in playoff contention next summer, outgoing CEO Pat Gillick\u2019s ominous warning that the team may not be a contender until 2017 or 2018 may not be correct after all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While the jury will be out for some time on this year\u2019s Phillies trades, one aspect of these moves is clearly developing.\u00a0 In addition to getting highly regarded minor league players and prospects, the players they\u2019re acquiring seem to be versatile\u2014in terms of ability, skill set and potential roles they could have in this club….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4,5],"tags":[43,354,421],"class_list":["post-77256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured","category-sports","category-the-sportstalk-shop","tag-baseball","tag-mlb","tag-phillies"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe SportsTalk Shop: A Dimension of Versatility - 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