Philly Front Office

You may be wondering why we are shoehorning the loveable smile of Jean Segura into a post about the Diamondbacks. That’s fair. As we all know, the biggest move between these franchises is without question the July 26, 2000 trade that sent Curt Schilling to Arizona for Omar Daal, Nelson Figueroa, Travis Lee, and Vincente Padilla. The problem is that it isn’t fun talking about Curt Schilling or anyone we received in that trade. Schilling is objectively an a-hole who purposely antagonized his way out of the Hall of Fame seemingly just so he could complain about it. Do you know who isn’t an a-hole AND played 1 year for Arizona? Jean Segura.

Friday, Sept. 19 at 9:40p – Taijuan Walker vs Ryne Nelson (R)
Saturday, Sept. 20 at 8:10p – Aaron Nola vs Zac Gallen (R) Sunday, Sept. 21 at 4:10p – Ranger Suarez vs Eduardo Rodriguez (L)

3 Game Series at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ

Before we get to Arizona, we have to trace Jean’s winding road to the desert:

• Segura signed with the Angels out of the Dominican Republic as a 16 year old
• 5 years later, he made his debut with the Angels on July 24th going 0-3…ending his Angels career
• 3 days later Anaheim traded him to Milwaukee for Zack Greinke
• After 3.5 years with the Brewers, he was sent to Arizona for Chase Anderson

At this point, he was basically a post-hype prospect who hadn’t don’t much other than show promise years earlier. Something finally clicked with the Diamondbacks though because he broke out big that year. In his lone season in Arizona, 2016, Segura led the league in hits including 41 doubles, batted .319 with an .867 OPS, and finished 2nd in the NL in WAR with 6.6. After getting him for nothing, Arizona pounced on the idea of trading him before they had to pay him.

Seattle put in the top bid that offseason by sending current star Ketel Marte and current not-star Taijuan Walker to Arizona. Segura didn’t put up quite the same numbers with the Mariners (no one does), but he still hit .300 with 30 doubles. Seattle found this good enough to give him a 5/$70m contract. After another similar season, the Mariners and their trade happy GM decided to move him again.

The Phillies had a post-hype prospect of their own in JP Crawford. The former jewel of the Phillies system hadn’t developed as fast as the team had hoped, so he was sent along with resident clubhouse old man Carlos Santana to Philly for the 2nd baseman we’d been missing since Chase Utley (sorry Cesar Hernandez). Along with new right fielder Bryce Harper, the Phillies were back in business.

…just not at first. As we all remember, the Phillies went through more than their share of disappointments from 2019-2021 and did not make the playoffs. Crazy thing about Segura, he had NEVER made the playoffs. Even during that great Arizona season, the team was horrible finishing 69-93. Segura was seen as a key piece for the Phillies to make the postseason, but maybe his brand of low strikeout, low walk, low power baseball wasn’t really conducive to winning?

Preposterous, not our Jimmy Cigarettes!!! People forget that the 2022 Phillies were basically a dead fish in September and early October. The only reason we made the playoffs that year was because the Brewers simply wanted it less than we did. By the end, it was almost funny how much their losing was saving our asses. It continued in the playoffs too…for 8 innings.

With only 3 hits by the 9th, the Phillies were facing the Cardinals’ all-everything flamethrower Ryan Helsley down 2-0. This one was basically a wrap. He struck out Rhys Hoskins to start the inning, but then JT Realmuto singled and Helsley got wild. Harper and then Castellanos walked to load the bases. 3 pitches later, Helsley dropped Alec Bohm with a 102 mph heater, JT scored, and the score was 2-1.

Enter Jean Segura.

On a 2-2 pitch with the bases still loaded, Segura reached out on a ball that looked a foot low AND a foot outside, but, as he is one to do, made contact and punched the ball between 1st and 2nd and under the glove of the diving Tommy Edman. Segura did an excited hop running to first as Harper and Castellanos scored and the Phillies took the lead. The Phillies would improbably add 3 more runs on several misplayed balls and took the momentum of Segura’s hit all the way to the World Series.

I don’t remember what the Jean Segura opinion was from the Philly masses up to that point, but that one hit and his little hop to first changed everything forever. He was immediately our guy from then on. You just knew he cared and was so happy to make his mark on his first ever playoff game. Plus, he had that great smile.

I was lucky enough to meet Segura very briefly this year before a Little League game. We were walking in separate directions and made eye contact. I said hello but then pointed to my Liberty Bell emblazoned Phillies hat and said Philly. A huge smile went on his face and he said “thank you” to me. I waived him off and said, “no…thank YOU.” He gave me a solid appreciative nod. Jean Segura is the best.