The Philadelphia Phillies’ have officially embraced their youth
It’s been another disappointing season for the Philadelphia Phillies as the team limped their way to a 22-29 record before firing their manager Joe Girardi.
After the additions of Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos, and Corey Knebel, expectations were as high as they have been in some time, and yet the team had stumbled out of the game once again. The Philadelphia Phillies look like a new team, however, under interim manager Rob Thomson.
One key reason is the team’s commitment to trusting their youth.
The Philadelphia Phillies are finally embracing their youth.
In the two games since Thomson has taken over, the team has shown a desire that wasn’t there under Girardi to invest in their young players. Former top prospect Alec Bohm, 2019 first-round pick Bryson Stott, and 2016 first overall pick Mickey Moniak were all given a spot in the lineup in both games Thomson has managed. All three look to have a role with this team moving forward as well.
While Alec Bohm was the everyday third baseman before Girardi was fired, it’s still of note that he holds his starting job. Bohm is still in the midst of a serious slump – just three hits in his last 37 plate appearances – the decision to let him try to swing his way out is admittedly bold, but it’s the right decision.
Bohm has shown to be a player whose emotions and confidence significantly impact his production. A decision to bench Bohm would only be counterproductive and shake the young infielder’s confidence even more. Rob Thomson’s decision to play it out shows that the team values Bohm working through his struggles over a temporary hot hand batting in the seven-hole.
Bryson Stott, meanwhile, has thrived over the past couple of games. Since Thomson took over, Stott boasts a .333 batting average, a .500 OBP, and an OBPS of 1.333. Along with that stellar slash line, Stott has racked up three runs, three RBIs, and his first home run to boot. While it’s obviously a small sample size, it’s an encouraging start after his early-season struggles.
Finally, former number one overall pick, Moniak, has started in center field for the fourth consecutive game. Moniak’s impact has mostly been defensive, but his bat may finally be coming around as well. After racking up his first RBI of the 2022 season on Saturday night, Moniak might just be ready to build on something.
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It’s still going to be a long journey for all of these young players, as is frankly the case with the team as a whole, but the decision to trust the youth and let them build confidence will pay off heavily for the Philadelphia Phillies in the future.