The Phillies announced today that they have selected the contract of recently acquired infielder Brad Miller. In a corresponding move, Phil Gosselin was designated for assignment.
Just added in a low-cost trade, the 29-year-old Miller will take his next crack at the majors as a Philadelphia reserve. The versatile performer has experience all over the field, though he hasn’t always graded well with the glove. He’ll help to balance an otherwise all-righty infield mix while also bringing much more potential pop than the man he’ll replace.
Miller produced at a just-below-league-average rate (.250/.325/.417) in forty plate appearances to open the year with the Indians. He was bumped from the roster when the Cleveland organization got back to full health and landed with the Yankees’ top affiliate. In 163 plate appearances at Triple-A, Miller carries a .294/.399/.596 batting line with ten long balls.
It’s best to temper expectations, but Miller could certainly be a useful part of the roster. He has typically produced at around a league-average rate in the big leagues, occasionally showing more power or more on-base ability but rarely putting it all together. The Phillies can hope to squeeze out some added value by utilizing Miller almost exclusively against right-handed pitching; he has a career 108-71 wRC+ spread.
Gosselin, 30, has only a .245/.260/.306 slash in fifty plate appearances this year and has never rarely done much damage at the plate in 629 career trips to the MLB dish. The former fifth-round pick does keep receiving opportunities, so teams obviously trust his glove and feel he provides competitive at-bats. Having previously been outrighted, Gosselin will have the right to elect free agency if he isn’t traded or claimed.
Miller >>> Franco
What happened to Franco? He looked like he was going to be a stud.
Franco reverted to a lot of old habits including lack of selectivity, poor pitch recognition, stepping in the bucket, and pulling his head out. Hopefully he can correct again because he is awesome when he has it together.
He’s had like two hot streaks in his crappy career
He’s a slob.
Remember when the Indians kept Kipnis over Miller? How is that paying off?
Not like it had anything to do with a huge contract they’re stuck paying over a minimal contract for a LH batter with ability to play anywhere else and isn’t as liked in the clubhouse. Like it or not they had no choice to keep Kipnis over him.
Kipnis has been horrible ever since signing that extension. Every aspect of his game has declined considerably except his penchant for getting injured. Now that he truly sucks in every sense of the word, he’s fit as a fiddle. If they aren’t gonna eat the rest of his contract and get him off the roster, the best place for him the rest of year is the IL.
Miller, Kratz, a blunt. Whos passed around more?
Oliver Drake
David Rollins that one year.
idk how he even made it to the big leagues
Edwin Jackson
The Pirates should make a move for Gosselin (again). That way Huntington doesn’t have to bring Tucker up and jeopardize his Super 2 status in case Newman! gets hurt. There’s no dumpster Neal won’t dive into.
Gosselin just isn’t worth it. He’s terrible at shortstop for one thing, and hasn’t hit in a few years.
That was my poor attempt at sarcasm. I would almost rather have S-Rod taking a spot on the 25 man roster than Gosselin.
Seems like Franco is about to join the list of can’t miss Phillies prospects like Brown, Taylor, Drabek, Donald, Marson, and on and on…
Yeah, unfortunately quite a few of their position players have really crapped the bag…Man, if Franco, and a couple of their other position prospects would have really lived up to their prospect pedigree…The Phils would be just DOWNRIGHT nasty right now!!
Kingery’s emergence this year has been an absolute saving grace for the Phillies, but Cozens has absolutely been a complete disaster!!
Either way, it is going to be an absolute brawl for 1st place in the East this year, but I just hope both teams are at full strength, and can stay as healthy as possible, to really slug it out until the end!!
It’s definitely going to be one of the best division races, and it is gearing up to truly go down to the wire!!
As a Phillies fan I respect the hell out of that opinion. Both teams have a lot of crazy talent and both are making the playoffs this year just depends on who comes out as division champ or WC. Regardless I love good baseball and this battle definitely makes for a crap ton of that. May the best team win.