Maybe It's Freddy's Team Now, Guys

Freddy Galvis should be a popular player for these down-and-inept Phillies.

He makes flashy plays from shortstop and gets big hits at the plate. He is continually improving and is well respected by coaches and teammates.

More than anyone, Galvis is the guy who keeps getting knocked down, and keeps getting back up to play. He loves the game and wants to play 162.

Galvis should be a popular player. But he isn't.

I'm struck by the number (seemingly all) of Phils fans who have long considered Galvis a bench player starting by default. And now that he's a proven starter, a guy who will be moving on as soon as feasible.

That would be 2019, when Freddy is a free agent. Most fans have him playing out a final year as a utility player, then moving on.

I would not be so sure about that.

I've written about this before, but it's worth repeating: players love Freddy. Coaches love Freddy. He brings an elite-level play (defense) to a club that has almost no elite-level play anywhere on the diamond.

"The guy is unbelievable, man," Aaron Nola said. "I wouldn't want anybody to be at shortstop other than that guy. He's been great for us. He's our leader."

I think there's a good deal of evidence the Phillies are at least open to the idea of committing to Freddy long-term. You have to read between the lines, but the signs are there:

* The Play: Freddy's OPS the past three years steadily climbed from .546 to .645 to .673. and .711 this year. That's the improvement you want to see. 

He has backed up 20 homers and 17 steals last year with 11 and 13 to date this season. More importantly, the K/W ratio improved from 136/25 to a more palatable 93/35.

The defense is electric. Galvis' defensive WAR number is baffling, but he matches Andrelton Simmons stat for stat. And Simmons is acknowledged as perhaps the best defensive SS ever.

Overall, Galvis ranks as the 13th best SS by Fangraphs WAR.

* The Faith: Why are the Phillies so committed to letting Galvis meet his goal of playing 162? A sop to a young veteran? Seems unlikely.

Manager Mackanin and Lt. Bowa are hardly the sentimental types. This certainly looks like a deferential nod to a player who is part of the future.

Mack has issued many challenges to these young Phils, and nobody has met his more than Freddy. Since installed in the second spot in the batting order June 22, Freddy has hit .280 with a .745 OPS in 57 games.

* The Leader: This is a team desperate for a leader and Galvis has filled the role. The comments from guys like Nola and Tommy Joseph and others are sincere.

Some deride the "leader" angle as an old-school idea, but it's not. Baseball clubhouses are no different from Fortune 500 companies. Leadership is a crucial part of success.

The Phillies under Mack/Klentak have shown a consistent willingness to reward those who meet challenges and perform (see Odubal's big contract). Conversely, failure to give effort and perform is met with tough love (Nick Williams, circa 2016).

I think management values Freddy a whole lot more than fans realize.

* The Minors: The final clue comes from Lehigh Valley, where prospects JP Crawford and Scott Kingery are playing different infield positions.

For different reasons it might appear. At second base, Cesar Hernandez has already been discussed in trades. But he's missed a chunk of the season and needs to remain in the lineup batting leadoff to enhance his value.

That's not the case with Freddy. So the Phillies are moving a top prospect to another position just so Galvis can meet a personal goal of starting all 162 at shortstop? I'm not sure that makes sense.

I think the Phils love Galvis for his defense, the stability he brings and the way he relates to his teammates. Most of all, they can hold him up as an example in the clubhouse. Work hard, commit to the team and good things will come to you.

I don't know what the future holds, but I wouldn't be so quick to write Freddy out of the script.