Examining the bottom of the 40-man roster
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Ah, the 40-man roster. The place that players crave to be as it means making either a full year’s salary by remaining on that roster all season, or a significant prorated portion for each day that player is on the 40-man roster. There might be hesitance from minor leaguers in regards to that particular part of the organization depending on the time of year as it means more money during the season, but a chance to be drafted by another team in the Rule 5 draft in the offseason, therefore offering a clearer path to playing time in a different organization if they are not on that 40-man roster.
Yet at this time of year, the bottom of the 40-man roster sometimes gets thrust into the spotlight. Teams are starting to jockey for position for the playoffs and that means they can no longer wait for the weaker part of their rosters to start to produce. Injuries are taking their toll. Teams are in need of fresh arms, fresh legs, players that can help those margins get a little more positive to maybe scratch out an extra win or two. So, with the Phillies possibly in need of making a few changes to their roster construction, let’s look at the (theoretical) bottom of the 40-man roster to see how they are performing and whether or not they deserve to continue to hang on to that coveted spot.
AdvertisementAdvertisementGarrett Stubbs
Stubbs started a game on Wednesday for the first time since June 2. In his time with the team, he has hit to the tune of a .417 OPS. He has been paraded as someone that can handle positions other than catcher and has at least stood at first base, third base and left field (besides being the position player pitching), yet his continued presence on the roster is baffling.
What purpose does he actually serve?
Sure, now with Adolis Garcia missing the rest of the season, someone is going to have ensnare the role of locker room DJ, but as far as actual on-field production, Stubbs is rather useless. Rafael Marchan has done next to nothing at the plate or at behind it, so if Stubbs is that badly needed, keep him as the backup catcher and move on from Marchan. Put that 26th roster spot to some good use, like maybe a different outfielder into the mix. But continuing to use a roster spot on Stubbs just makes no sense any longer.
AdvertisementAdvertisementBerroa was swinging a decent bat in Lehigh Valley before being called up to the Phillies….and playing almost not at all.
The team in the last few years have had this annoying habit of carrying a position player in the 13th spot on the roster and barely playing him at all. Many other teams have been successful at using players up and down their own rosters to wade through the slog of the 162 game schedule, but the Phillies rarely use that final spot. Berroa was the latest one to do so, Stubbs previously mentioned possibly taking that mantle at this point. He’s useful depth for the team to store in Lehigh Valley to call upon in case of emergency, but when called upon, they ignored him.
If that is going to continue to be the case, then what purpose does he actually serve that the team couldn’t simply rotate different freely available players into that spot over the next few weeks? If Berroa or currently Derek Hill are going to occupy a spot, it’s for the best the team finds a role to use, or else find someone else that can fill that spot with better potential results. In the end, Berroa is a AAAA-type player at best, but what exactly have the Phillies to lose by seeing if someone can get hot a few games or weeks at a time?
AdvertisementAdvertisementThese are the places where the Phillies can begin looking to play the game of player roulette. Hoffman has already been called up once to the majors to be an emergency fill in, then summarily sent back down within hours, yet his performance at the minor league level is worth discussing. He’s pitched good enough to the tune of striking 28.7% of batters he’s faced, not allowing a home run yet, walking a few too man batters and generally being an example of the term “fungible reliever”. Every bottom of a 40-man roster is populated with them and Hoffman is really no different. Were the team in need of making someone available to waivers in order to add to their major league team, Hoffman is as good a candidate as any.
Which brings us to Grant Holman. So far, in the year of our Lord 2026, Holman has been a name that can be seen buried on transaction wires that only the sickos look at with any regularity. He has been:
AdvertisementAdvertisementdesignated for assignment by the Athletics
claimed off waivers by the Diamondbacks
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designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks
claimed off waivers by the Dodgers
claimed off waivers by the Tigers
designated for assignment by the Tigers
claimed off waivers by the Phillies
Many have ridden this rollercoaster, few have succeeded at sticking with a team. He’s only appeared in a handful of games for the IronPigs, but also has an ERA that starts with a 7. Maybe there is something in underlying stuff that belies that resul— oh wait, his FIP starts with a 7 as well?
Yeah, this is probably the guy that gets moved off the 40-man when a spot is needed.
Jean Cabrera
Perhaps no minor leaguer in the Phillies’ minor league organization has been as disappointing this season than Cabrera. Ranked in the top ten of the team’s list by more than one online group of prospect writers, Cabrera has had a horrid year almost all the way around. Virtually everything has gone wrong for him this year – lowered velocity, striking out fewer hitters, allowing more balls in play. His performance at Lehigh Valley was so bad (9.32 ERA) that it necessitated his going even further down the minor league ladder to Reading, where he has somehow accumulated an even worse ERA.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIf push came to shove, with almost no trade value left, does the team cut bait with Cabrera and move on to someone else?
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
