The MacPhaillies - 2015 Show Phillies - philliesfan136's Dynasty

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The MacPhaillies - 2015 Show Phillies

Posted on June 30, 2015 at 11:29 AM.

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Franchise strategy and differences
Part 3

Things are different now in terms of Phillies franchise mode. They're an intriuging pick to play as for different reasons then they used to be. Back then you were in the heat of pennant races with stars at nearly every spot, and you didn't need to supplant them for a while. The original championship leaders were still in their early 30s with years to go on their contracts that would probably end up extended. The starting five were at their finest and the batters could pack a punch, so only a few moves to boost them all-around would be required (i.e. Pence).

When you look back at the 2008 team in, say 2k8 or MLB Power Pros '08, I kinda wonder how that team pulled it off. Names like Scott Eyre, Geoff Jenkins, Bruntlett, Durbin, So Taguchi, Brad Harman. They don't exactly seem like long-lasting 25-man pieces. Then it comes back to me that it was really about players such as Madson, the Bridge to Lidge. Heroics from Brett Myers, Joe Blanton, and Matt Stairs: taking that long walk versus C.C., hitting homers into the Dodger Stadium night. Lights Out shutting down everyone in sight. Youngsters like J.A. Happ (12-4, wow) and Kyle Kendrick (traded to Japan for PTBNL/Iwamura) filling in at the back end. That's when Cole Hamels' Hollywood star shined first, becoming the Series MVP. Veteran leadership with Pat the Bat, Pedro, Jamie. More importantly, it was the culmination of the breakout of Jayson Werth and the Flyin' Hawaiian into permanent fixtures. The whole collaboration of the up-and-coming core started around '07. That determined mentality to take back the division and deliver a championship to a city that hadn't had one after 1983 with the Sixers. They had enough magic to make it work.

It's a proud feeling as a fan that they were mostly developed within our system. They were primarily good finds procured in the draft, who took years to come together collectively and climb to greatness. Aside from that, risks that every team takes worked out tremendously - Shane in the Rule 5, Werth signed for $850k coming off wrist injuries, Chooch picked up as an amateur FA from Panama. I consider it in total to be Carlos, Ryan, Chase, JRoll, Cole, Vic and JWerth. With the exception of Werth, all of them joined up with the new acquistions of Polanco, Cliff, Doc, Oswalt (plus tractor), Raul, and HP3 by 2011. It really was a fantasy team in retrospect, similar to Miami's Big 3 but with a better supporting cast.

A majority of them have aged, left, or retired, and the urgency to terminate that era is now conclusive. There isn't waiting to maybe see if they could compete like there has been before. In 2015 they're ready to stop the facade and trade some of the veterans away to help replenish the farm system. The system was drained by the push those years to obtain the All-Star caliber pitching the ilk of Halladay and Lee. At least, I hope that's the direction Ruben and company are gonna head. It's been quiet deadlines with rumors swirling around Papelbon and Cole, but continued records in the cellar should be plenty basis to start the rebuild for real.

That's why it's interesting to choose the Phillies this time around. You had that amusing championship fervor with the 2011 team but they broke apart and you're picking up the pieces. You have to wait out Howard's big deal, bide your time as Chase retires a Phillie, opt to build around Cole or send him away for a package of prospects. Try to get what you can from reclamation projects like Harang, Billingsley, Francoeur, etc. You'll be making up the difference with younger parts: Dom Brown, Asche, Ben Revere, Cesar Hernandez, Babe Ruf. Much akin to the Sixers you can afford to give chances to rookies i.e. Odubel Herrera/David Buchanan, without pressure for them to be substantial to the effort right away.

It's somewhat unlike other rebuilding teams because the Phillies are a large-market team. They were crowned champions once and kept full-stop on that objective, using all their resources (prospects/money) without concern for consequences. It might not take as long to make a resurgence, because of the funds that come with success in an important sports landmark like Philly. The front office can take on salary or pay to rid themselves of certain salaries to receive a better return in trades. The Phillies could easily invest back into free agency and land a top player in line with promotions of their budding prospects. The fans here want to see a winner and balancing the attitude of rebuilding while having the money to reinvigorate quickly.. elite clubs don't always end up this way. They might do a firesale like the Marlins or proceed with spending to stockpile talent like the Yankees. The A's unorthodox Moneyball style has only slightly been rewarded since their berths in the 2000s. I root for them after watching the movie, and they used to be a Philly team anyway. A mix of veterans with integrated prospects has been effective for the Red Sox, Giants, and Cardinals in recent years. The Cubs, in particular, have gone the opposite route, favoring a strong farm system first. Theo Epstein will bring the frontline players on later (i.e. Lester, Price?) when they feel closer to competitiveness.

The prospect pool in Lehigh Valley and Reading read like this in 2011:
1) Dom Brown, OF - A
2) Jon Singleton, 1B - B+
3) Brody Colvin, SP - B+
4) Jarred Cosart, SP - B
5) Trevor May, SP - B
6) Jesse Biddle, SP - B
7) Sebastian Valle, C - C+
8) Domingo Santana, OF - C+
9) Vance Worley, SP - C+
10) Julio Rodriguez, SP - C+

Listed further down are current Phils Justin DeFratus, Hernandez, Aaron Altherr and Jiwan James. Freddy Galvis, Kelly Dugan, Mario Hollands, and Cameron Rupp were also noted and three of them have played for the big club in '15. They selected one too many toolsy, raw outfielders and the pitchers often ended up elsewhere, to varying degrees of success. May and Worley were swapped for Ben Revere, the latter of the two having created a nice resume here as the Vanimal. He's gone on to be a worthy back-of-the-rotation starter for Pittsburgh. I thought 1B Matt Rizzotti was gonna be the Howard replacement but that ended up being Darin Ruf instead (well, not really). Jarred Cosart is a regrettable loss too, but he is not invincible to trades, having been part of one where he went to the division rival Marlins from Houston.

Also want to mention that draft picks before this barely amounted to much, besides trade fodder. Carlos Carrasco was the alpha of the Cliff Lee package that Cleveland bit on, and he is probably the best prospect they've given up on. That does not include great lefty Gio Gonzalez, who we got from Chicago originally for Jim Thome - only to regift him to them for Freddy Garcia. Carrasco has settled in, after some rough seasons and a suspension, to be a capable part of the Indians rotation. They've dropped off Anthony Gose, Michael Taylor, Travis D'Arnaud, Josh Outman, Santana, Singleton, Kyle Drabek, Happ, and Jonathan Villar. Drabek and Taylor flopped, D'Arnaud and Gose hold MLB jobs with some faults, Outman is an okay reliever, Santana has some strikeout issues, and Happ topped out at a #5 SP at best. Singleton and Villar are in the Astros minors with Santana and they show promise, but they aren't as crucial as batting title winner Jose Altuve, George Springer, or recent Astros draft picks.

As far as draft strategy goes in 2015, they've improved exponentially. When you're a team drafting at the bottom every year, you can yield to potential because you don't need help directly. That's reversed in the past three summers with the Phillies drafting top 10. They're going for instant support, college players ready and able to press through the minors quickly. It has paid off huge in the case of Aaron Nola and J.P. Crawford, the cream of the crop on their respective sides.

That will be important to sustain when you play as the Phils, drafting players who can make it to the majors in short order, so as to not slow the rebuilding process. If there's anything to say about this team versus the 2008/2011 groups, it's that it is a fresh perspective to watch a team build from the ground up again. I'll have my own manner of going about the looming rebuild.

Maikel Franco is lighting it up right now and he's the middle-of-the-order bat needed to kickstart the lineup. Ken Giles has the persona and the heater to ignite the Papelbon fuse, because he's going to end up closing. Rupp looks sound behind the plate as the heir to Chooch. Finding a Howard successor will not be easy, but Tommy Joseph is a candidate. There's no clear answer for Chase besides some new rookie. Cesar and Galvis will battle for stopgap duties at short until J.P. is ready, maybe the other will shift to 2nd. Revere is a stirring speedster but he could find himself on the block by Year 2. A free agent will likely jump into the outfield mix because only Dom Brown is assured a position in my opinion. You're almost assured to keep Hamels and Lee for a year, just to stabilize the rotation until young starters round it out. Cole will lead them as a 31 year-old vet and Cliff will attempt to rebuild his value in a comeback. Nola will have to toil in AAA so we'll be collecting middle-of-the-pack guys in the vein of Billingsley and Harang. I thought RAJ did admirably to stack up the minor league pitching with the acquistions of Lively, Eflin, and Windle to be alongside Biddle and Nola. I plan on replicating that strategy but then focusing on deepening the class of hitting prospects, which is more of a weakness.
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That's my train of thought with the 2015 Phillies which I will have fun with in the Show. They're different from what they used to be, and different from other teams I've tried in 2K.

I'm going all in like our boy Andy MacPhail.