Phillies Mailbag: Play in Extras, Fixing Issues, Time to Sell?

We are back once again with the 97.3 ESPN Phillies Mailbag.  We take your quesitonas and answer them on The Sports Bash with Mike Gill.  Tune in each week at 3:00 p.m. to hear your questions answered on the air.

Here's one that no one will ask Thomson after the game. After the Cubs walked Kyle Schwarber in the 10th, how does Thomson not walk Armstrong int in the 11th?
~Tony

I think there actually is an explanation for this.  The Phillies were the home team, and the Cubs are the road team.  How teams handle extra innings in the "ghost runner" era often depends on who is at home.

The Cubs walked Kyle Schwarber because he is 1) an offensive threat, and could quickly end the game, and 2) because the Cubs do not get another chance to bat should that run come around to score.

One statistic I saw showed that 62% of those free runners at second base score.  That's for both teams, of course.

So if Schwarber singles, the game is over, and the Cubs already missed their chance to score.

In the case of Crow-Armstrong, you realize that if a run does indeed score, there's that more likely than not chance that the Phillies will at least tie the game.

So the Cubs took the chance and set up a double play.  And they got the double play from Alec Bohm.  That helped neutralize threat and the Cubs lived to see another inning.

Is there any reason why this team should not announce themselves right now as open for business to sell off and start the rebuild? This team has zero chance at winning a title. Zilch. Why prolong the inevitable? Start the process now before its 1 year too late.
~Greg

As of June 10, the Phillies are 38-28.  They currently hold the top Wild Card in the standings, and are four games behind the New York Mets in the National League East.  That hardly is the Phillies having "zero chance."

I do not think there is any chance that the Phillies will look to "rebuild".  They have holes like other teams have holes.  They will look to address them ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.

But with the Phillies starting rotation being what it is, they are going to accidentally get into the playoffs, even if the rest of the roster fails.

In the postseason, this starting pitching can go a long way, especially with just four starters necessary and potentially the other starters pitching in later in games.

I think it is too easy to get into a football-like mindset.  I remember leaving the Eagles-Buccaneers game in Tampa last September, and the conversation was about Nick Sirianni getting fired if the Eagles struggled again the following week.   In a 17-game schedule, one must react quickly.

But this is a 162-game Phillies season.  And the recent 1-9 stretch was the quivalent of less than one game in a 17-game football season.

The Phillies will make some adjustments at the trade deadline.  But they're not going to give up on the season, nor do I think they should give up on the season.

Where do the Phillies even start fixing what's wrong with the team?
~James

If I were to make a July 31 shopping list it might include the following:

• A right-handed bullpen arm (Jake Bird?)
• A left-handed bullpen arm (Garrett Cleavinger?)
• A right-handed outfield bat who can platoon or start (Andrew McCutchen? Rob Refsnyder?)
• Quality bench left-handed bat (Michael Conforto?)

I would also call up Justin Crawford and give him long enough of a look before the trade deadline to see if he can be the answer in center field.  They're getting a similar look now from Otto Kemp.

That is a lot of heavy lifting indeed, but the Phillies will not want to waste what could be the window closing for some of their aging core players.