Offseason Retrospective: Where Are They Now?

During the trade deadline the Washington Nationals designated Jimmy Cordero for assignment, which made me look back on the Phillies’ moves this offseason to check in on where some of their castoffs are now. This is not hard hitting analysis, honestly I am just looking through the transaction log.

Phillies Trade Darin Ruf and Darnell Sweeney for Howie Kendrick

The first move of the offseason saw the Phillies clear an already outrighted player and a non-tender candidate for 2B/LF depth. Kendrick was good when healthy for the Phillies, he was then shipped to the

Darin Ruf 

  • Released by the Dodgers on February 18, 2017
  • Signed with the Samsung Lions of the KBO
  • Hitting .311/.403/.538 with 20 home runs in 100 games for Samsung

Darin Ruf is too good for AAA and not good enough for the majors. He is probably in an ideal spot now, he can be a star in Korea.

Darnell Sweeney

  • Hit .227/.290/.412 for Oklahoma City (PCL)
  • Traded to the Cincinnati Reds for cash
  • Hitting .282/.348/.412 for Louisville (IL)

Sweeney is playing all over the field for Louisville, but he has not recaptured his 2014 season that made him an interesting prospect. He probably will bounce around AAA over the next few seasons.

Phillies Designate David Buchanan for Assignment

  • Released by the Phillies on November 23
  • Signed with the Yakult Swallows of the NPB
  • 20 GS 3.45 ERA 130.1 IP 41 BB 96 K

Buchanan is doing Buchanan things in Japan. He has been a workhorse for his Yakult team and has nearly 30 more innings pitched that the second pitched on his team.

Marlins Claim Elvis Araujo off Waivers

  • December 23, 2016 Marlins designate Elvis Araujo for Assignment
  • January 5, 2017 Marlins release Elvis Araujo
  • Elvis Araujo signed with the Chunichi Dragons of the NPB
  • 3 G 3.1 IP 10.80 ERA

There was a brief moment in time where Araujo looked like a solid MLB reliever, but then his stuff regressed and he hasn’t been the same since.

Phillies Trade Jimmy Cordero for a PTBNL (Mario Sanchez)

  • Nationals outright Jimmy Cordero to AA Harrisburg
  • 35 G 44.2 IP 6.65 ERA 35 BB 32 K

In the winter of 2015 there were stories about Cordero hitting 104, but the following spring he hurt his arm. Cordero would return by the end of the year, but he was 95-97, touching 99 and not 98-100, touching 101-102. His slider got worse and his control evaporated. Sometimes pitchers get hurt, always it is sad.

Phillies designate Cody Asche for Assignment

  • MLB: 19 G .105/.177/.175 White Sox
  • AAA: .308/.417/.518 Charlotto

Asche is just destroying AAA, the problem is he did that back in 2013, and then wasn’t very good after that.

Phillies Designate David Rollins for Assignment

  • November 18, 2016 Cubs Claim David Rollins off Waivers
  • November 22, 2016 Rangers Claim David Rollins off Waivers
  • December 2, 2016 Phillies Claim David Rollins off Waivers
  • December 21, 2016 Rangers Claim David Rollins off Waivers
  • December 23, 2016 Cubs Claim David Rollins off Waivers
  • February 13, 2017 Cubs outright David Rollins to AAA
  • August 4, 2017 Cubs release David Rollins

Why does no one want David Rollins?

Reds Claim Richie Shaffer off waivers

  • January 26, 2017 Indians claim Shaffer off of waivers
  • February 2, 2017 Indians outright Shaffer to AAA
  • Hitting 114 G .238/.346/.476 26 HR 160 K for Akron (IL-AAA)

Shaffer probably replaces Cameron Perkins for the Phillies, but they are the same age (26) and likely just as replaceable.

Phillies Trade Josh Tobias for Clay Buchholz

  • Hit 21 G .345/.412/.494 for Salem(Car Lg-A+)
  • Hitting 75 G .264/.321/.344 for Portland (EL-AA)

I would rather have Tobias than Buchholz, but that isn’t high praise. Tobias is 24 in AA and has not shown power or speed, and he is probably a left fielder long term.

Phillies Trade Severino Gonzalez to the Marlins

  • 31 G 5 GS 61.0 IP 4.28 ERA 12 BB 38 K for Jacksonville (SL-AA)
  • 7 G 2 GS 12.2 IP 6.39 ERA 3 BB 10 K for New Orleans (PCL-AAA)

Gonzalez is still on the Marlins 40 man roster, this is only the second most puzzling thing behind his usage between the bullpen and rotation.

Joey Curletta Traded to the Mariners for Pat Venditte

  • Hitting 104 G .256/.341/.430 for Modesto (Cal League-A+)

Curletta was one part of the Carlos Ruiz trade, he is currently repeating the Cal League at age 23.

Reds Claim Tyler Goeddel off Waivers

  • April 7, 2017 Reds outright Goeddel to AAA
  • Hit 62 G .243/.367/.393 (AA) for Pensacola (SL-AA)
  • Hitting 35 G .246/.338/.316 for Louisville (IL-AAA)

In May of 2016, in the majors, Tyler Goeddel hit .288/.342/.452 in 79 plate appearances. I get why he struggled last year, but I also don’t understand how he has been this bad.

This whole thing was more depressing than interesting. It seems the Phillies were smart to keep Luis Garcia and Adam Morgan, so there is that?