The Phillies have acquired infielder Taylor Featherston from the Angels in exchange for cash or a player to be named later, Philadelphia has announced. He was recently designated for assignment by Los Angeles to clear roster space for the claim of lefty Christian Friedrich.
New Philly GM Matt Klentak was with the Halos when the organization acquired Featherston’s Rule 5 rights and carried him on the active roster for all of 2015 to obtain control. For the Phillies, Featherston could provide a near-term MLB option. After all, Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez, and Andres Blanco hardly constitute the most inspiring up-the-middle unit. More likely, though, he’ll go back for his first crack at Triple-A after skipping the level in the Rule 5 process.
Featherston is viewed as a high-quality defender, and advanced fielding metrics backed that up in his limited action last year. But he’s still got some work to do at the plate. Over his first 169 MLB plate appearances, Featherston carried a lowly .162/.212/.247 triple slash. He has shown some pop and speed previously in the minors, however, and the Phils’ new-look front office obviously feels there’s some upside to take a crack at developing.
Well, at least we got something for Featherstone instead of him just going through waivers. That at least kind of justifies having him on the 25 man roster all year last year.
Featherston*
Hardly lol
it was very hard to watch him play last year
Actually, the Cubs claimed him and flipped him to the Angels for cash considerations, but it’s all the same.
Fair enough! I’ll add mention.
Yeah I thought about posting the fact that Chicago took him, but it was a move set-up far in advance of the draft so blahhh. Maybe this trade offset the cost of buying him from Chicago. Since Chicago had to spend 50k to get him, I’d imagine we gave a little extra on top of that. Since a waiver price is 20k, anything over 30k is alright I guess. Still a nothing trade.
The Featherston saga will go down as one of the most bizarre personnel decisions of recent vintage. Why the Angels kept the dude all season long, just so they didn’t lose this 150 hitting, decent fielding second basemen, is quite beyond me.
Not really. Remember Featherston was acquired under Dipoto not Eppler.
Lol, yep, we probably got a few baseballs back for him and maybe some used pine. Wonder if Klentak was the one who wanted him to begin with. Could have been a decent compromise in order to have a solid relationship with Philly, although the return is… Nothing and a roster spot
Or maybe cash or a player to be named later
YEAH! Maybe some dirty stacks of cash shoved in a manilla envelope.
Do you even know how much money these trades normally involve? 20k is the cost for a waiver claim. It’s not like the Angels are getting enough money to make it anything of value. And if it’s a PTBNL, it’s not going to be Dansby Swanson. It’s going to be an A-baller who has no potential. If we got more than 25k, I’d be surprised.
Would really love if Bourjos was the PTBNL… I know he’s not but it would be awesome to have him back and would solve the LF situation.
I was thinking that too. I wouldn’t say he solves our LF problem though, he has been a mess since we traded him. The chances of him being a solid LF again though are better if he comes back with us.
Maybe Ache as the PTBNL?
No way Asche is the PTBNL, much higher ceiling and not worth giving up for a fringe player like Featherston
No
I’m really excited to watch the Phillies as they keep acquiring young talent.
The future looks very bright for them.
Okay, so Featherson didn’t play much or given an opportunity with the Angels, but I looked at his 2014 season and his stats were:
146 Games – 565 AB / 84 R / 149 H / 17 HR / 67 RBI / 18 SB / .264 AVG
We acquired Sweeney from the Dodgers last year and he won the AAA Gold Glove at 2B.
His stats: 153 Games – 557 AB / 78 R / 143 H / 12 HR / 60 RBI / 32 SB / .257 AVG
(2B) Featherson is 26 years old / (2B/OF) Sweeney is 25.
Frankly, I’ll let them both pay and see what they can do.
(OF) Goedell is this year’s Rule 5 draft pick. He’s 23 and his stats last year were:
123 Games – 473 AB / 68 R / 132 H / 12 HR / 72 RBI / 28 SB / .279 AVG
(RF) Altherr’s combined stats last year (age 25)
150 Games – 570 AB / 90 R / 160 H / 19 HR / 79 RBI / 22 SB / .281 AVG
(RF) Cozens is 21
111 Games – 420 AB / 59 R / 120 H / 8 HR / 59 RBI / 20 SB / .286 AVG
(3B) Franco is 23
113 Games – 445 AB / 60 R / 135 H / 18 HR / 74 RBI / 3 SB / .303 AVG
(LF) Williams is 22
119 Games – 475 AB / 77 R / 145 H / 17 HR / 55 RBI / 13 SB / .305 AVG
(LF/3B) Asche is 25
144 Games – 486 AB / 48 R / 122 H / 13 HR / 42 RBI / 1 SB / .251 AVG
(CF) O. Herrera is 24
147 Games – 495 AB / 64 R / 147 H / 8 HR / 41 RBI / 16 SB / .297 AVG
(CF) R. Quinn is 22
58 Games – 232 AB / 44 R / 71 H / 4 HR / 15 RBI / 29 SB / .306 AVG
(C) Knapp is 24
133 Games – 509 AB / 82 R / 153 H / 13 HR / 94 RBI / 2 SB / .301 AVG
(1B) Stassi is 26
133 Games – 466 AB / 76 R / 140 H / 15 HR / 90 RBI / 3 SB / .300 AVG
(1B) Hoskins is 22
135 Games – 497 AB / 86 R / 159 H / 17 HR / 90 RBI / 4 SB / .320 AVG
and that doesn’t even include the Pitchers…. and the #1 overall pick this year and
Or such prospects as (2B) Kingery / (C) Alfaro / (1B) Joseph
Joseph was DFA’d a few months ago
He’s not on the DFA tracker anywhere… look it up.
I think that getting him was a great move last year. Now this move makes no sense. His glove is already good. He can play SS 2B 3B. He Has plenty of options left and is cheap. He has some speed and his previous hitting in the lower levels of the minors showed promise with some power such as double digit home runs and over 30 doubles. He was over matched most of the year as you might expect someone making that big jump. And is probably the reason they could get him if they kept him in mlb all year. He seemed better when he returned from that injury late in the year. Now they could let him develop or until they got rid of him.