The Good Phil of the Week 7/1-7/7

In one of our biggest celebrations of the Philadelphia Phillies, every week the members of The Good Phight will be issuing one of baseball’s greatest achievements to date: The Good Phil of the Week Award. One MLB player and one MiLB player will receive the award each week and will be able to boast to their teammates that they are, in fact, a Good Phil.

Major League Good Phil of the Week: Aaron Nola and Jay Bruce

This week’s debate between Aaron Nola and Jay Bruce just couldn’t be settled, so for the first time at the Major League level, we have a tie.

Aaron Nola’s two-win week started with eight shutout innings over the Braves and ended with a two-run (one earned) effort in the Phillies’ rubber-match win against the Mets. He collected a combined fourteen strikeouts over the two starts and has looked every bit of the ace that he is.

Jay Bruce was electric in the series against the Mets, collecting five hits including three home runs against his former team. His two-dinger game in the series finale was his third multi-homer game of the season and his second with the Phillies.

What TGP Says:

Nola: “The ace of the staff has been exactly that. At a time when the pitching needed someone, anyone, to step up and deliver good to great performances on the mound, Nola has shown why he was a Cy Young candidate in 2018.”

Bruce: “Just because beating the Mets the way Bruce has done, all while still having them pay a portion of his paycheck, that makes him a worthy candidate.”

Other Good Phils receiving votes:

JT Realmuto, Rhys Hoskins, Bryce Harper

Minor League Good Phil of the Week: Alec Bohm

With his third-straight Good Phil win, I think we’ve established by now that The Good Phight dot com is pro-Alec Bohm. We just can’t get enough of this kid. But since we’re clearly biased in our assessment, here’s some of what Baseball Prospectus had to say about him in their recently-released Midseason Top 50 prospects list, where he ranks 41:

“The overall profile is tantalizing, with an above-average or even plus hit tool paired with plus-plus raw power, an advanced plate approach, and a shot to stay at third base. That’s the type of profile that if it all comes together ends up making a bunch of All-Star teams.”

The Good Phight would also like to recognize Spencer Howard this week, who was listed as part of the ten prospects who just missed the Top 50 list. Here’s some of what Matt Winkelman had to say about Howard:

“The start of the 2019 season dispelled all questions about the raw stuff. For Clearwater, Howard was consistently 94 to 97, touching 99 with his fastball, and he can hold that velocity deep into starts. His mid-to-high-80s slider is probably his best secondary pitch, but his changeup shows at least above-average to plus potential as well. His curveball is a solid pitch, but is a bit more loopy than the rest of his arsenal.”

Season Totals

Major League:

Bryce Harper: 5/27-6/2

Jay Bruce: 6/3-6/9, 7/1-7/7

Scott Kingery: 6/10-6/16

Chase Utley: 6/17-6/23

Aaron Nola: 6/24-6/30, 7/1-7/7

Minor League:

Adam Haseley: 5/27-6/2

Kyle Glogoski: 6/3-6/9, 6/17-6/23

Damon Jones: 6/10-6/16

Alec Bohm: 6/17-6/23, 6/24-6/30, 7/1-7/7