TODAY: There is a deal in place, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link).
YESTERDAY: The Phillies are closing in on a minor league contract with veteran catcher Nick Hundley, Roster Roundup reports (Twitter link).
With J.T. Realmuto holding down everyday duties, Hundley gives the Phils more backup depth beyond Andrew Knapp, who has only a .191/.315/.266 slash line through 113 plate appearances. Knapp hit decently well in his 2017 rookie season, but has since posted very subpar offensive numbers, plus unimpressive framing and blocking statistics.
Hundley’s own defensive metrics, not to mention his caught-stealing numbers, have also been in decline, though the 35-year-old has traditionally been able to deliver a bit more at the plate, his lackluster 2019 slash line notwithstanding. Hundley was a career .248/.300/.406 hitter heading into this season, though back and knee problems limited him to just 73 PA with the Athletics this season. Oakland released Hundley two weeks ago.
Could be a quick call up and the end of Andrew Knapp’s super subpar performance. Too bad its another too little, too late move for this team. Ready for 2020……
Phillies are signing everyone. Little late though they are fighting for a wild card one game playoff at this point.
I don’t think that what the Phillies have been doing lately could be termed “fighting”. More like rolling over and playing dead.
Best moves they could make for ‘20 would be cutting loose Klentak and Gabe. Injuries and player subpar performances notwithstanding, these two geniuses bear lot of responsibility for a season gone bad. One doesn’t know what hes doing off the field; the other couldn’t manage his way out of a wet paper bag. Wasted season.
I’m a Giants Fan. So haven’t seen much of Kapler. . . He looks like he says the right things. Tells you want you wanna hear. In a forceful way. He has the look of chief. Captain. By being big and strong in his look. . . But he cuts off interviews pretty fast. Like wanting to get out of there. I think he’s more interested in showing he’s great. Again the looks. But using Only Metrics to gain momentum in the standings. I think this will be his downfall.
There is way more to managing than metrics. And I think his knowledge of them Helped his hiring. But also is holding him back in moments that need more instinct. But that takes years to learn. And nowadays, Managers aren’t cutting their teeth in the minors. It’s Majors or Bust. Ala Matt Williams. Who was in way over his head. With a very talented team that carried him. And Mike Matheny Too.
I’d say Kapler needs time to develop as a manager. But at this level. It might be a little too much for him too soon. Looks. Metrics. Not much versatility when stuff happens…
Reminds me a little bit of Mike Matheny as a manager.
From what I’ve seen it’s actually kind of the opposite. Kapler tries way to hard to min/max every situation with shifts or bullpen switches and what have you, just doesn’t quite have the roster to make it work but keeps trying anyway
Matheny just never tried anything new until it was far to late
“Doesn’t know what he’s doing off the field”. You wouldn’t be saying that if the Phillies were winning
He pushed all his chips in on young arms he thought would develop. He was wrong.
You don’t can Klentak after this year
I don’t think Kapler is the guy. It’s not even about the injuries. Can’t make that excuse anymore. Every team deals with injuries. Ask the Yankees. It’s about the culture.
“…the end of Andrew Knapp’s super subpar performance.”
If that’s the case, they’re just trading one sub-par performer for another. Hundley has always been a bat-first catcher, not ideal, but really bad if the bat fails to produce as it has now. At 35 I don’t see a big turnaround either.
I don’t know much about Knapp, but he must have been horrendous if Hundley is an upgrade.
Close too … yallzin’ be riding them donkrerys fer 5 miles to get em an that be close enughin for them new fangled “auto mo beetles”
Is that English that you’re speaking?
….think it’s a combination of early 20th century deep south and modern day ebonics….
It’s really too little to late, slim chance at the WC looking forward to Football
Here here.
Rumor has it the Giants would be interested in gk,let them have him!
Zaidi already gambled and lost badly in not trading Bumgarner … if he wants Kap for 2020, he really shows he learns nothing from working in LA. BTW, anyone notice that the Dodgers are doing better since he left?
Zaidi turned a dumpster fire into a .500 team.
Rob Brantly hitting near .300 in AAA… bullpen blowing up .. starting pitching only out of the fifth in one out of the last 7 ..but let’s sign another backup catcher….
Amazing that Hundley has been around so long.
No doubt, good for him. He’s a great guy in the clubhouse and on the field too. I liked him in SD, I hope that he can stick in the majors and have a good end to his career. He deserves it. Good on him!
better yet release Knapp and bring up Grullon from LHV. Hitting for avg and power. Also Hoskins is not a 2 hole hitter. He cant go the right side. He should be batting 5th. He hasnt hit since May.
Another Filene’s Basement signing by Klentak. Can’t hurt, but doesn’t figure to help much if reports about his defensive decline is accurate. Still, the 80-year-old security guard at your local Rite-Aid catches more people stealing than Andrew Knapp.
As for all the comments about Klentak and Kapler, I’d send them both packing. Klentak clearly can’t judge talent. All the veteran relievers he’s signed the past two years either stunk or got hurt. He hugely overrated the likes of Eflin, Pivetta and Velasquez. And one of his first moves as GM was giving Hellickson a qualifying offer (About $17 million) and letting Charlie Morton walk!
Kapler? He ought to get into politics. He’d fit right in with those say-everything but do-nothing critters in D.C. Frankly, his post-game interviews put me to sleep. Ryne Sandberg was more interesting and he was a total bore.
Maybe they can sign Tommy LaSorda to a minors contract and then quickly call him up..Gabe Kapler has got to be the dumbest manager in the game.
I think the Phillies analytics department simply finds struggling players with the thought that they have to snap out of it.