Philadelphia Phillies looking tough in NLCS

Anyone else feeling as though the Arizona Diamondbacks have run into a buzzsaw in the National League Championship Series?

The Diamondbacks have two quality starting pitchers in Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, and they had them lined up to pitch the first two games in Philadelphia against the Phillies.

The Phillies did not seem impressed. In Monday night's Game 1, Philadelphia hit three home runs in the first two innings off Gallen. Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Nick Castellanos all went deep, and Gallen walked off the mound after five innings with his team trailing, 5-0.

The Diamondbacks, as they have done throughout the season, fought back with two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh, but the Phillies walked away with a 5-3 win.

Game 2 on Tuesday? It was no contest. 

Kelly didn't pitch poorly. He gave up only three hits over 5.2 innings, but the hits were all homers. Schwarber went deep twice, and Trea Turner homered in the first inning. And once Kelly left the game, Philadelphia absolutely pounded the Arizona bullpen and went on to an easy 10-0 victory.

The Phillies have two pretty good starters as well. Zack Wheeler pitched six innings of two-run ball to get the win in Game 1. Aaron Nola tossed six shutout innings to win Game 2.

I was thinking all along that the winner of the Division Series between Philadelphia and the Atlanta Braves would end up as the NL champion. The Phillies won that series, and now they head to Arizona up 2-0 in the NLCS.

The only saving grace for the Diamondbacks is they get to play at home now. However, they've already lost with their two best pitchers on the mound. They face a tough climb against a Philadelphia team that looks awesome right now.

Name That Slash Line answer key

J.D. Martinez

In our last blog, I gave out seven slash lines belonging to assorted players -- some play for the White Sox, some do not. Here are your answers:

Player 1: .315/.367/.548

This is Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada, who not only had a breakout season, but he also had the best offensive season I've seen from a Sox third baseman in my lifetime. Sure, Robin Ventura might have provided more overall value in the 1990s because he was an elite defender at the position, but it's hard to top the .915 OPS posted by Moncada in 2019.

One big key to this Moncada breakout: As a switch-hitter, he's no longer a pushover from the right side of the plate. In 2018, Moncada slashed .209/.287/.297 as a right-handed hitter. But this season, his right-handed line jumped all the way up to .299/.345/.500.

Now, I still expect opposing managers to bring in left-handed relievers to force Moncada to bat right-handed. After all, Moncada hit 21 of his 25 homers in 2019 as a left-handed hitter. And his left-handed slash line was a robust .322/.377/.569.

All that being said, Moncada is now the guy Sox fans want to see to the plate in late-and-clutch situations, and even from his weaker side, he's capable of doing damage to the opposition.

Player 2: .311/.372/.503

This slash line belongs to Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley. There's been a lot of talk about the Sox needing a productive left-handed bat to play a corner outfield position, and I can't help but think the team missed on that opportunity last season when Brantley was available.

The best left-handed corner outfield bats available in free agency this offseason are Corey Dickerson and Kole Calhoun. Neither of them is as good as Brantley. Perhaps the Sox should have been more aggressive in their pursuit of Brantley when he could have been had.

Now, it is possible Brantley wasn't interested in the Sox. Who would you rather sign with? The Astros or the Sox? One of the problems the Sox face is that they are not a destination for free agents, and that is the fault of ownership and the front office. They deserve criticism for not being able to "convert" on their targets, and that inability is about more than not being willing to spend money.

Player 3: .284/.330/.503

This is Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, who is a free agent this offseason. It is assumed he will be back with the club, but I have heard some fans express reservations about Abreu going forward, because he will be 33 years old when we reach Opening Day 2020.

The low on-base percentages over the past two seasons -- .325 and .330 -- are concerning. Abreu's career OBP is .349. However, Abreu led the Sox with 33 home runs and led the American League with 123 RBIs. This is a Sox team that ranked 13th in the league in home runs, and I don't think they are in position to be parting with *any* hitter who is capable of slugging .500 or better.

This doesn't mean give Abreu a five-year deal. That would be a mistake. I'd say two years, $30 million with an option for a third year gets it done.

Player 4: .335/.357/.508

Here is the slash line for Sox shortstop Tim Anderson. He walked 15 times all season and still won the batting title. I don't know if we'll ever see something like that again.

I'm guessing this was a career year for Anderson, but this was a significant step forward from the .240/.281/.406 line he posted in 2018. Regression is probably inevitable, but let's say Anderson finds a medium between his past two seasons and hits .290 with a .320 on-base percentage in 2020. If he does that, can we live it?

I think so, especially if he bats toward the bottom of the batting order and continues to supply some extra-base pop. Anderson had 18 home runs and 32 doubles this season, which is just fine for a shortstop.

Player 5: .256/.334/.462

This is San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado, who decided to take San Diego's millions over the millions the Sox offered last offseason.

Some have pushed the narrative that the Sox are fortunate that they didn't sign Machado, because he had a down season in his first year with the Padres. I don't know. I think the Sox would have been a better team with Machado at third base and Moncada at second -- and light-hitting Yolmer Sanchez in the bench role where he belongs.

I don't subscribe to the theory that Moncada's offensive breakout has anything to do with his position change -- I think he was going to break out anyway. I will acknowledge that Moncada is better defensively at third base than he was at second.

The bottom line on the whole Machado saga is this: The Sox had a chance to prove that they are willing to spend in free agency last season, and they declined to do so. They have another chance this offseason. That doesn't mean they have to sign Gerrit Cole, but it does mean they have to spend the money this time. Finishing second for free agents isn't going to be acceptable anymore.

Player 6: .304/.383/.557

Speaking of free agents the Sox need to sign, the slash line above belongs to J.D. Martinez, who is likely to opt out of his contract with the Boston Red Sox. Let me go on the record as saying Martinez is the free agent I most want the Sox to sign.

The numbers above are still pretty damn good, even in an age-32 season. And need I remind anybody that Sox DHs posted a .205/.286/.356 slash line in 2019? I think Martinez will age well, much like Nelson Cruz and Edwin Encarnacion. For years, the Sox have tried to force a square peg into a round hole at DH. They've signed National League hitters (Adam Dunn and Adam LaRoche) and watched them fail in the role, and it's clear Yonder Alonso had no idea how to adjust to the position.

So, why not bring in somebody who already has proven that he can DH? As we can see from these slash lines, Martinez will provide more offensive value than Machado, and he won't cost as much because of his lack of defensive value.

In fact, Martinez will have no National League suitors whatsoever. And the Astros, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, and Los Angeles Angels do not have an opening at DH. If Martinez opts out of Boston, where's he going to land? The way I see it, the most logical landing places are the Sox, Texas Rangers or Toronto Blue Jays.

I'm thinking four years, $100 million with a player opt-out after two years gets it done. Hey, that same contract lured Martinez to Boston, right?

Player 7: .260/.372/.510

This is Bryce Harper. He'd still look pretty good in right field for the Sox, you know. Much like Brantley, he was a lefty corner outfield bat that was available last offseason, and Sox brass just wasn't aggressive enough.

Granted, Harper was much more expensive than Brantley, and Brantley is arguably better, depending on what you value in a hitter. In that regard, a case can be made that Harper wasn't worth the money and years of commitment.

The main reason I'm putting him here, in fact, is to build my case for the Sox to sign Martinez. Martinez was a better hitter than Machado this past season. He was a better hitter than Harper, too. Just look at the slash lines.

If you sign Martinez, you've got the big bat you need for the center of your order, and you don't have to pay $330 million over 13 years. Then, if you want to sign a lesser hitter -- such as Dickerson -- as a secondary offseason free agent piece to fill right field, that suddenly becomes much more palatable.

You see, the Sox have multiple holes. As much as we'd all love to see a player such as Cole in the starting rotation, would you rather sign four or five good players to fill all these holes, or just sign one stud to play once every five days?

I'd like to sign the four or five good players. Depth and layers of depth looks far more appealing to me than a stars-and-scrubs approach.

Time to read the season previews ...

Hey, guess what I'm doing this weekend? Time to read some season preview magazines and see what the "experts" think of the upcoming season.

One thing I'm thinking: The folks who produce these magazines must not have been too happy about the slow free agency period this offseason.

They probably had to go to press before Manny Machado signed with the San Diego Padres and before Bryce Harper signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Heck, Craig Kimbrel and Dallas Keuchel still don't have contracts, and both could be difference-makers in the pennant race. If someone ever signs them ...

Hysterical White Sox prediction from some guy at yardbarker.com

Check this out.

Am I reading that right? The author predicts the White Sox will go 91-71.

That would be a 29-win improvement over last season. Did this person step into an alternative universe where the Sox signed *both* Manny Machado and Bryce Harper?

Because that's what it probably would have took for me to believe that sort of improvement would be in the cards for the Sox. As we all know, the Sox signed *neither.*

Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease are cited as reasons for optimism. I, too, have high hopes for Jimenez and Cease, but even if that hope becomes reality, those guys are rookies. Even in the best-case scenario, I can't seem them boosting the Sox's win total by more than four or five wins.

I'm thinking 71-91 is going to be much closer to the reality, even in the weak American League Central.

Well, I guess I give the prognosticator credit for going out on a limb.

White Sox remind everyone that they are cheap, timid and stupid

Manny Machado

Remember when White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said the team and its fans are allowed to have nice things?

Turns out we're not, surprise surprise. As expected on this blog, the Sox failed to sign Manny Machado. The superstar infielder agreed to terms Tuesday on a 10-year, $300 million deal with the San Diego Padres, according to reports.

That's right, the Padres. Not the New York Yankees. Not the Los Angeles Dodgers. Not the Boston Red Sox. Not the Philadelphia Phillies. Not the Cubs.

The Padres, who haven't had a winning season since 2010 and are one of the few clubs with a longer postseason drought than the Sox. (San Diego last made the playoffs in 2006.)

According to reports, the Sox weren't willing to go above eight years and $250 million in guaranteed money. In fact, senior vice president Ken Williams said the Sox weren't willing to go to the $300 million mark to sign this player.

"That level wasn't feasible to us because we still have to project putting together a total winning roster and keeping the young players that will ultimately earn into greater dollars themselves," Williams said, according to a tweet from MLB.com's Scott Merkin.

Here's the big problem with that: This free agency sweepstakes was ALWAYS going to end with Machado getting $300 million in guaranteed money. If the Sox weren't willing to go to that point, why did they waste the past three months in this fruitless pursuit?

The Sox have spent the past two seasons losing games and dumping payroll, all to achieve precious "flexibility" to pursue marquee free agents this offseason. Thus far, they have done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING with that payroll flexibility, and there's no indication they will.

Once again, this regime came this far, only to pull up two years and $50 million short.

Only the White Sox would spend 90-plus days chasing a free agent that they never were willing to go the extra mile for to sign. Only the White Sox would tell fans at SoxFest that they would be "disappointed" if they didn't "convert" on Machado and then get outbid by another also-ran team.

And, oh yeah, the Sox brought in two players who don't fit their roster in an attempt to lure Machado to the team. Fans, you don't get Machado himself, but you do get Machado's brother-in-law (Yonder Alonso) and his BFF (Jon Jay). I'm sure the at-bats from those two unneeded veterans will sell tickets this summer, won't they?

I dare the Sox to shut me up by using the Machado money to sign Bryce Harper. That's the only thing that could lessen my anger at this point.

Until then it's the same ol' Sox: cheap, timid and stupid.

Catcher Yasmani Grandal (shockingly) gets only a one-year deal

Yasmani Grandal

Was I wrong for thinking Yasmani Grandal was the best free agent catcher on the market this offseason?

He's durable, having appeared in 115 games or more in each of the past five seasons. He's a switch-hitter with power, having hit 27, 22 and 24 home runs, respectively, in the past three seasons.

According to Baseball Prospectus' blocking and framing stats, he's been the best defensive catcher in the game over the past four seasons. And, he's not that old; 2019 will be his age 30 season.

So why is he settling for a one-year deal?

The Milwaukee Brewers reportedly have agreed to terms on an $18.25 million contract with Grandal for the upcoming season.

What a steal for Milwaukee, which had the combination of Manny Pina and Erik Kratz behind the plate last season. It was a minor miracle that 38-year-old Kratz batted .236 for the Brewers in 2018. That team needed to upgrade its catching situation, and even if Grandal can't duplicate his numbers from the previous three years, he's better than both Pina or Kratz.

What I can't figure out is how Grandal didn't get a two- or three-year deal. Grandal turned down the $17.9 million qualifying offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers, and who can blame him? It would have been totally reasonable for him to believe he could get, say, three years and $40 million on the open market.

Hell, it was only four offseasons ago that the Toronto Blue Jays gave 31-year-old Russell Martin five years and $82 million.

Times have changed. Not even the best free agents can make a deal. We're almost to mid-January and two dynamic superstars in their prime have yet to sign free-agent contracts. And, very few teams seem to be in the hunt for Bryce Harper (Nationals, Phillies, White Sox) and Manny Machado (Yankees, Phillies, White Sox).

You can't help but wonder if we might seem some labor strife in MLB when the collective bargaining agreement expires. Even good players who are age 30 and younger are having to wait it out in this marketplace.

Report: White Sox make formal offer to Manny Machado

Manny Machado

As of 9:40 p.m. Thursday, the lead headline on mlb.com reads, "Report: White Sox make formal offer to Machado."

For this blog, I've tweaked that headline a little bit, just in case anyone out there believes the Sox are trying to sign Dixon Machado. (You can never have enough utility infielders, right?) Or maybe the Sox are trying to bring back Robert Machado as a roving catching instructor or something.

Nah, this article actually talks about the Sox's interest in superstar free agent Manny Machado. I believe the report because it comes from USA Today's Bob Nightengale, who has more credible Sox information that most national reporters.

Nightengale reported the long-term offer is serious, but closer in value to $200 million over the life of the deal than $300 million. If that's the case, then maybe Bruce Levine's report that the Sox want to give neither Machado nor Bryce Harper more than seven years is accurate.

Personally, I still think it's going to take a 10-year offer worth $300 million to lure Machado to the South Side, and I won't believe that the Sox are willing to do that until I see it. If the Sox are going to offer only seven years, then they will finish third in the pursuit of these high-end talents.

Robertson to Philadelphia

Former Sox closer David Robertson has signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. The deal is worth $23 million and contains a club option for $12 million for 2021 with a $2 million buyout.

Robertson probably becomes Philadelphia's closer at this point, unless the Phillies decide to add either Craig Kimbrel or Zach Britton. Of course, Philadelphia also is in the running for both Machado and Harper, so I'd be surprised if the Phillies do anything else significant before they get an answer from the two superstars on the market.

Sources: White Sox send Jim Thome to meet with Bryce Harper

Bryce Harper

Are the White Sox competent enough to land one of the offseason's biggest free agents, outfielder Bryce Harper?

As a Sox fan who does not believe in the current owner and front office, the guess here is no. Harper already has turned down $300 million over 10 years from his current team, the Washington Nationals. So, what makes us believe that the Sox -- a team that has never signed a player to a nine-figure contract -- are going to go the extra mile and offer Harper, say, $400 million over 10 years?

I expect Harper to sign somewhere else, and come SoxFest, we will hear general manager Rick Hahn talking about how the Sox didn't value Harper at the same level as Harper's agent did. Sox brass will say, "Hey, we tried," and expect fans to give them points for making the effort.

To me, making an effort isn't good enough. I'm sick of losing, and I want this front office to get the team into contention now, this offseason, not in 2021.

Of course, there's a real possibility that Harper would not come to the South Side of Chicago even if ownership meets his high price. Other clubs such as the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly are in the mix, and all can offer something that the Sox cannot: proof of recent success and the presence of a win-now roster.

Will a major free agent want to join the Sox, knowing they are coming off a 100-loss season and have lost 195 games over the past two years? Not sure. If I'm Bryce Harper, and obviously I am not, why would I take a leap of faith that all these Sox prospects are going to pan out? Would I be willing to wait until 2021 to have a legitimate chance to win the World Series? I doubt it.

The Sox, for their part, sent Hall of Famer Jim Thome to Las Vegas to meet in person with Harper, and to try to sell him on coming to the South Side, according to a report from Yahoo's Jeff Passan.

Thome is, of course, one of the nicest men in the game of baseball, and if there is anyone who could pitch a player on the Sox, it probably would be Thome. But I'm not convinced that even he can woo Harper to the Sox.

White Sox trade outfielder Adam Eaton to Nationals for 3 pitching prospects

Jason Bauman (left) and Adam Eaton at SoxFest 2016.

A day after the White Sox traded their ace pitcher, they dealt the guy who was their best position player in 2016 for three pitching prospects.

Adam Eaton is now the center fielder for the Washington Nationals. In exchange, the Sox have acquired right-handed pitchers Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning.

It's no secret that I did not care for the Chris Sale trade that was made Tuesday, but now that the Sox have committed to a rebuild, they have to go all in on it. You can't just trade Sale and keep the rest of the band together, because that is a path to certain failure. So, against that backdrop, it makes sense to deal Eaton, although it's difficult to see him leave after the fine 2016 season he produced.

Eaton hit .284/.362/.428 in 2016, with 29 doubles, nine triples, 14 home runs, 14 stolen bases, 91 runs scored and 18 outfield assists in 157 games. He was a American League Gold Glove finalist in right field, even though deficiencies with the Sox roster forced him to play 48 games in center field.

There's no question Eaton is a good fit for the Nationals. He's an established leadoff hitter. His presence in center field will allow Washington to move Trea Turner back to his natural position at shortstop, and he helps balance out the lineup. The Nationals have two elite left-handed hitters in Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy. While Eaton is not at the level of those two, he's another quality lefty bat.

Not to mention, Eaton has a team-friendly contract -- five years remaining at the bargain rate of $38 million over the life of the deal. Maybe that's why the Sox were able to get Washington's top three pitching prospects in this trade.

Giolito, 22, is the top-ranked pitching prospect in the game, and the No. 3-rated prospect overall. The former first-round draft pick pitched at three levels in the minors last year, recording 116 strikeouts in 115.1 innings to go along with a 2.97 ERA. He received a late-season promotion to Washington, where he appeared in six games (four starts). He went 0-1 with 6.75 ERA in 21.1 innings.

Lopez, 22, is the No. 38-ranked prospect in baseball, and the No. 3-rated prospect in the Nationals' system. He worked in 11 games (six starts) for Washington last season, going 5-3 with a 4.91 ERA. He was good enough to make the Nationals' postseason roster, and from a White Sox perspective, hey, he's probably already better than James Shields.

Dunning, 21, is a little bit more of a project. He was the Nationals' first-round draft pick and No. 29 overall in 2016. He was the No. 6-rated prospect in the Washington system. He got seven starts in at Low-A Auburn and went 3-2 with a 2.14 ERA.

I never get excited about trading established players for prospects because prospect rankings are just that -- rankings. They mean nothing on the field, and we don't know what these guys are going to do until they get an opportunity.

That said, I somehow feel as if the Sox got a better deal for Eaton than they got for Sale. Maybe it's just because I'm looking at Giolito and Lopez and seeing two guys who could potentially contribute from Day 1 in 2017, whereas the four guys in the Sale deal all look as if they are going to need some more minor-league time.

I doubt Rick Hahn is done dealing yet. There are rumors that Jose Quintana and Todd Frazier could be on the move soon, too. We shall see ...

Who closes in Toronto: Roberto Osuna or Drew Storen?

Drew Storen

There was one interesting deal made over the weekend, with the Washington Nationals trading former closer Drew Storen to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for outfielder Ben Revere.

Storen was put in a difficult situation in July. He had 29 saves and a 1.73 ERA to that point in the season, but he lost his closer's job when the Nationals acquired Jonathan Papelbon from the Philadelphia Phillies in a midseason trade. Storen was shifted to an eighth-inning role, where he struggled the rest of the year. His ERA ballooned to 3.44, and he did not record a save the rest of the season.

It was clear one of Storen or Papelbon would be dealt this offseason, and it appears the Nationals have chosen to keep Papelbon -- despite his late-season dugout altercation with NL MVP Bryce Harper.

Now Storen heads to Toronto, where he's once again in an interesting position. The Blue Jays are the defending AL East champs, and they won the division last year with 20-year-old Roberto Osuna closing games. Osuna's 20 saves, 2.58 ERA and 0.919 WHIP are solid, if not impressive, for any reliever who toils in the AL East. That performance is especially good considering Osuna's age and relative inexperience.

Does Osuna deserved to be replaced as closer? I would say not. There's no question the Blue Jays needed to acquire another reliever. Aaron Sanchez's high ceiling was being wasted as a short reliever last year. It's time for Toronto to move Sanchez into the starting rotation and see what he can bring. So, from that perspective, it's a good move for the Jays to add Storen.

But can Storen deal with an eighth-inning role if Osuna pitches better than him and keeps the closer's job? Or will he fall apart mentally like he did in Washington?

Either way, I'm not sold on Storen closing big games. His postseason meltdowns in Game 5 of the 2012 NLDS against St. Louis and Game 2 of the 2014 NLDS against San Francisco are part of the reason the Nationals have never fulfilled their potential. I suspect that's why the Nationals chose to keep Papelbon, despite the potential clubhouse problem he creates. Even though it's been a while, Papelbon has proven he can close in the postseason. The right-hander is unscored upon in 17 of his 18 career playoff appearances.

As for Revere, he takes the spot in the Washington lineup vacated by Denard Span, who signed with San Francisco last week. The Nationals had been players in the Jason Heyward sweepstakes earlier this offseason, but they were beaten out by the Chicago Cubs.

It didn't seem as though Washington was interested in any of the right-handed power-hitting outfielders on the free-agent market. The Nationals wanted to add a left-handed hitter who can cover center field, and they obviously feel Revere is a more cost-effective option than Span would have been.

Yes, Bryce Harper needs to change his game

Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper had surgery Tuesday to reconnect a torn ulnar ligament in his left thumb. The 21-year-old is expected to be out of the lineup until July, which is unfortunate news for the Nationals and unfortunate news for baseball as a whole.

Harper, a two-time All-Star at a very young age, is a five-tool talent and one of the most exciting players in the game. He's one of those guys who gets your attention when he comes to the plate. You aren't going to take a bathroom break when it's Harper's turn to hit.

But now fans won't see Harper for two months, and it's because of his own recklessness. He was hurt sliding headfirst into third base, stretching a double into a triple with his team already ahead 5-0. Were those extra 90 feet worth two months on the disabled list? I don't think so, and I think the Nationals would agree.

Last year, Harper injured himself crashing into a wall at Dodger Stadium, trying to make a catch while his team was leading 6-0. On Opening Day this season, Harper had to undergo tests for a concussion after an over-aggressive takeout slide at second base. This is a young man who needs to tone his game down a notch.

Some will say they love Harper's aggressive style, and that they don't want him to change. I like the way the guy plays, too, but you know what else I also like? Players who stay on the field.

I know "games played" isn't an advanced metric or even an interesting statistic to most, but I think it's a very important one. If I'm a GM or a manager, I like guys who I can count on for 140 or 150 games every single season. In particular, I want my star player on the field. In Washington's case, Harper is their best player.

Last season, injuries limited Harper to 118 games. Now, he's limited by an injury this year as well. That's not what you want. Someone needs to sit Harper down and tell him sometimes it just isn't worth it to crash into a wall, or to gamble to try to grab that extra 90 feet on the bases.

Sometimes, it pays to pull up at second base with a double. Sometimes, it pays to play the carom off the wall and concede a hit to the opposition. It's a long season, and a player is useless to his team if he's spending a lot of time on the DL.