If True...This Changes EVERYTHING | Massive Phillies News

We have our biggest update out of spring training down in Clearwater, Florida, so far since the team started back on Wednesday. And this is a big one involving JT Realmuto and Rob Thompson. Obviously, JT Realmuto is heading into a contract year this season, and the Phillies are going to have some options to make. Will they re-sign him? Are they thinking extension? Realistically, right now, the biggest thing for Realmuto, though, is how they're going to manage his workload. Before we get into all this and what went down as far as JT, I do want to remind you guys to subscribe to the channel. 76% of you that are watching our videos have not subscribed yet, so if you have not already, please do so. But our first big update is the possibility of JT Realmuto maybe trying out the outfield. Yes, you heard me correct. Maybe we're going to see JT a little bit in the outfield this upcoming season. Rob Thompson was asked about it the other day. the originality of the question was asked basically as far as how will you guys manage JT's workload and they obviously don't want JT out there for 140 games behind the plate next season he's caught a lot of games for the Phillies the last five years how can they start to get him off of his knees maybe once or twice a week and this is what Rob Thompson had to say this is from Tim Kelly of On Pattison he said yeah maybe play a position i've talked to him about maybe taking some fly balls in the outfield because he's really athletic and see how he is with that so you know we're just going to try some different things so he's playing a position likely left field something that could happen this spring from Tim Kelly once again and then he would go on to say i think we're going to try and get him some work said Rob Thompson you know we don't want to wear him out either but we want to see what it feels like see if he's comfortable with it would this be in a workout or a game he said well we'll see but they would work him out at first I think we all know that JT is one heck of an athlete JT Realmuto was actually the the starting quarterback for his high school team all the way back in high school I mean look at these football stats for JT 45 total touchdowns his senior season, over 3,300 total yards, two games of 40 carries, state champ. JT was an absolute warrior in high school, and he still is out on the baseball field. We've seen how many games JT has played over this time, and I mean 380 at-bats, even in a year where he didn't necessarily play all of the games that he would in past years. He's been hurt in the past, or specifically last year, he dealt with the injury after he got the surgery. But the years before that, it's really been the JT show behind the plate. There hasn't really been a need for the Phillies backup catcher. Last year was the first time we really saw a consistent need for the backup catcher. I think we obviously know right now one of the bigger decisions heading into camp. This was mentioned in my last video, if you guys do want to check this out. But one of the biggest sort of things going into camp is who will take that backup catcher spot. Will it be Rafael Marchand or will it be Garrett Stubbs? So really right now, I don't know how I feel about the whole JT thing. I want to keep JT off of his feet. I don't want JT to be catching six games a week behind the plate, but I don't know if left field is the best way to do that. The issue is the Phillies don't have a hole at first base and they don't have a hole at the DH spot. Matter of fact, if there's two spots that they absolutely don't have a hole, these other two places that would make the most sense for JT are the two best hitters on the team in your first baseman in Bryce Harper and your DH in Kyle Schwarber so it's kind of an issue right now as far as what they could possibly do but i will say we did hear from Real Muto after that and JT really had some pretty good things to say um he said at the end of the day it's just going to come down to Rob and i communicating uh real real muto said friday morning just being an open door of communication i have to be honest with him about how i'm feeling to try to keep me as healthy as possible for the long haul this is in regards to how they can sort of manage his workload once again this is from NBC Sports Philadelphia Real Muto said I don't have a specific number of games that I want to catch there's no perfect answer there's no way to know how my body is going to feel where I stand right now there's no reason I shouldn't be able to catch 100, 120 games, he says my body feels as good right now as it has ever, and then this is from Corey Simon. Excluding the shortened 2020 season, J.T. Realmuto started 130, 112, 130, and 130 games behind the plate in his first four years as a Philly. That dropped last year to 99 starts when he underwent meniscus surgery in June and missed about six weeks. But granted, he was on pace to catch probably around 130 games again. It's been a wild workload for JT over the last five years, but the biggest reason for that is because how good of a catcher he is. Yes, he may not be as good right now as he was back in 2019, 2020, 2021, but he's still one of the most durable catchers in the league. He's a veteran. He's still really, really good behind the plate. The bat, I would say has fallen off a little bit since you know those early Phillies years of JT but I will say J.T. Realmuto does sound like he's willing to do whatever he wants, he spoke to reporters and said at the end of the day I'll do whatever it takes for this team to win so if he, meaning Rob Thompson, wants me to go out there and stand on my head I will try to do that, and this is, this is how JT's always been. JT is all about winning. JT wants to win. You've seen, you know, these guys after they dropped these playoff series and yeah, they're hurt. Um, but JT Realmuto has been the guy who, who always speaks about winning and he has been durable for us and they have some options here. I think, um, obviously I think JT is still going to catch probably 120, 130 games. Um, I'm a little lenient on the left field but I do think it's worth a try, um I think if JT can do it and is willing to do it and I think it is worth a shot um especially if you have, if, if your backup catcher is Rafael Marchand, I think there is a good chance there to give that a look, um if you can maybe run Marchand behind the plate one day a week have JT out in left field maybe it's something you try. I don't know. I don't know if it's necessarily the best case scenario, but I think it's better than having JT Realmuto catch 140 games because I think we've seen with JT that when he gets time off and his legs are fresh, that he's a better baseball player. It's hard for catchers. This is why catchers don't necessarily last long in baseball. You don't see catchers play for 20, 25 years like some pitchers and some infielders do because it's such a wear and tear on their knees most catchers when they start off playing the position early in their life and in in high school and in college they end up catching maybe five six years in the pros and then they have to go to first base or they have to go to DH this is rare that JT Realmuto Realmuto is still catching um he is probably the most durable catcher in the league and it seems like this team may be trying to switch some things up so i do want to hear from you guys what are your thoughts would you move JT Realmuto to the outfield how do you feel about a potential contract extension with with JT obviously I think we all know once again that JT isn't the player that he was five years ago but how many more better catchers in baseball right now that are free agents you know next season or options are you going to get that would be a better overall fit as far as behind the plate as far as clubhouse because you know taking into consideration when you have to get a catcher your catcher has to build relationships with your pitchers if your catcher doesn't have a relationship with your pitchers it's not going to work there's an awesome relationship obviously with all of these starting pitchers and JT Realmuto if it was right now for the right price I would probably give JT some sort of extension obviously I think it depends on this upcoming season there were some talks from Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer that Both sides are interested in a possible extension. But right now, I don't think that's anything to necessarily worry about. I think JT is focused on winning a World Series. And once again, doing whatever he has to do. He said one more time, at the end of the day, I'll do whatever it takes for this team to win. So if Rob Thompson wants me to go out there and stand on my head, I will try to do that. This has been another episode of Phillies Digest. My name is Luke Arcani, and I will see you guys next time.