Scott Kingery Will Be A Culture Changer
This weekend in Philadelphia sports was easily the biggest attention grabber since the Birds won the Super Bowl. From the Sixers clinching a playoff spot, Villanova heading back to the Final Four and Michael Bennett already being a nuisance, the headlines were spicy. But, the most important Philly sports news that came from this weekend going forward was the eye popping, eyebrow raising Scott Kingery promotion to the big leagues as he will join the Phillies for opening day. Not only did Kingery make the opening day roster, the Phillies gave him a contract until 2023 with $24 million guaranteed and club options on Kingery in 2024, 2025, 2026. The deal the Phillies just got Scott Kingery on may be highway robbery and may just change the organization forever.
The Phillies did everything right here. First being that Kingery is on the opening day roster and he will not be withering away with the Iron Pigs to begin the year. Kingery, who is absolutely tearing apart spring ball, has a slash of (.392/.415/.725). His production is pretty par for the course compared to what he did in the minors last year where his line was .304/.359/.889. On top of that, he walked more times than he struck out (52 walks to 29 strikeouts) and stole 29 bases (only caught stealing on 5 times). That kind of plate discipline mixed with solid pop in his bat and speed that got him nicknamed “Scottie Jetpack” will make he and Odubel Herrera a lethal 1,2 combo at the top of the lineup.
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We have no idea what position will play yet but he will bring so much buzz back to Citizens Bank Park. The promotion for Kingery coupled with the signing of Jake Arrieta is like the baseball equivalent of the Sixers getting Markelle Fultz into the lineup while also adding Kawhi Leonard over the summer.
The contract is also insanely team friendly and the minimal risk involved in it would bring a tear to Howie Roseman’s eye. The $24 million guaranteed is spread out over six seasons so at no point are the Phillies and Matt Klentak going to be tied down by their commitment to Kingery. So, even if Kingery hits his head tomorrow and ends up being the real life equivalent of Pete Wheeler, the Phillies will still have free agency flexibility.
Plus, with Kingery’s ceiling, and it is a high one, the Phillies would be paying a player way below his potential value all the way until 2026. It’s like what Howie just did with Mike Wallace but on a larger scale. With a contract that also only goes up to $4 million, Wallace could pop both hammies tomorrow and the Eagles would not be decimated by it. But, if Wallace, who had eight plays of 50 plus yards the past two years, puts up numbers predicated on his past success (like Phillies fans expect Kingery to) then the acquisition is a steal. Low risk, HIGH reward.
Numbers aside, it’s just going to be a lot of fun to feel the juice Kingery brings to CBP on a nightly basis. A guy who didn’t have a scholarship offer out of high school and joined Arizona as a walk on and worked his ass off to get to this point sounds like the underdog story a city like this could truly appreciate. It’s the first year in a long time we are talking about the Phils winning some games and finally have pieces, like Kingery, to become enamored with.
Konecny, Simmons, Embiid, Wentz and now Kingery. The youth movement in Philadelphia sports continues…