After falling short in the playoffs for the third consecutive year, a loaded free agency class brings hopes of change for Phillies fans. The Phillies lost to the New York Mets in the NLDS three games to one.
Many fans are upset after another promising year gone down the drain and in most fans eyes, it was in predictable fashion.
Technology education teacher Brian Ruth said he had little hope of the Phillies going far into the playoffs this year when he knew who their opponents were.
“Baseball has always proven, over the history that it is the hot team, it is the group of players bonding really well together, that you never want to play against,” Ruth said. “The Mets had the fans backing them. After the Brewers lost to the Mets that night, I knew the Phillies didn’t have a fighting chance.”
Not only were the playoffs disappointing, but most of the second half of the season was as well for the Phillies, as injuries and bad play made them struggle.
Social studies teacher David Klein believes as the Mets were getting hot, the Phillies pitching staff and offense were “just so cold.”
“We started the year so strong and it was almost like a slow burn the last couple of months of the season with their performances,” Klein said. “The pitching and hitting were not good, our hitting was just god awful and pitching was not much better.”
Some Phillies fans believe that they almost did too good in the regular season and it came back to bite them.
Technology education teacher Ken Meyers believes that the Phillies were promising going into the postseason, as their last season success rode off their pitching staff, but the week off they got as the two seed hurt them more than it helped.
“I figured not playing in the wild card, and having a week off caused the cooling off and was probably going to be bad for them,” Meyers said. “I did not see them going past the Mets because the Mets were too hot.”
After the disastrous postseason for the Phillies fans turn their attention to next year with free agency coming up. The Phillies lost two key relievers in Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez in free agency, but superstar Juan Soto has also become a free agent and the Phillies have been linked to him as well.
Klein is in favor of going all out in free agency, bringing back some relievers despite their disappointing postseason performance, and going for one final hitter that can bring more consistency.
“I feel like there is no harm in bringing Hoffman and Estévez back.
I think it was just a thing where you went to your best guys and they did not perform,” Klein said. “I do not know where they are going to put the money, if it is going to be on a bat or a reliever or not. If they can afford Soto, you have to try.
Ruth believes that it might be more beneficial to the Phillies to let Hoffman and Estévez walk and spend money on a more important need than reliever.
“I think if you get them for a good price, you resign them,” Ruth said. “I feel like there are so many good pitchers out there that that is something that you do not have to pay for.”
Pitching was considered the Phillies strong suit for most of the season, but Meyers believes that if the Phillies can get another elite starting pitcher, it would bring more success than a better bat or more relievers.
“Bring somebody that can be a solid third in and maybe they already have somebody that could be a decent third,” Meyers said. “If they do not do something with the pitching, I do not see next season being a whole lot better for us.”
The Phillies have not only been linked to Juan Soto, but also Japanese superstar pitcher Roki Sasaki and third basemen Alex Bregman. Sasaki has been considered the best pitcher in japan for the past several years.
Sasaki not only has the awards, but he also have the advantage of father time on his side. Sasaki would be 23 years old by the time the next MLB season starts, and the biggest upside to Sasaki is his price. Due to Sasaki being 23 and Japan’s rules of allowing players to pitch in America, Sasaki can only sign up to a $5 million contract.
Third baseman Alex Bregman also was linked to the Phillies.