Don’t let Magglio Ordonez’s age (36) fool you, he can still play the game.
Before sustaining a season-ending right ankle injury 84 games into the 2010 season, Ordonez batted .303 with 12 home run’s and 59 RBI’s. Had he been able to finish the season out, he would have come close to 100 RBI’s, something he has done seven times before.
The Phillies, who lost Jayson Werth in free agency to a lucrative $126 million, seven-year deal, seem interested in adding a right-handed bat to be a platoon mate with Domonic Brown or Ben Francisco in right field.
Look no further than Ordonez.
In my opinion, he would be a great platoon mate to the young, but free-swinging Brown. Not only would he give the Phillies a great contact hitter, but he would also give veteran advice to the 21-year old Brown and who knows, maybe he could find a way to fix Brown’s over-exaggerated swing.
In 12 of his 14 seasons in which he has appeared in 80 or more games, Ordonez has averaged 65 strikeouts per season. The Phillies had three guys strike out more than 100 times, and five guys who struck out more than 60 times.
Adding Ordonez, who won’t hurt the team with costly strikeouts, would be a smarter move than relying on a platoon system between two players in-house.
One problem that could hurt his chances with the Phillies is his agent: Scott Boras. He has already landed a mega-million deal for one of his clients (Jayson Werth), and is searching for a two-year deal with at least $10 million per season.
Would the Phillies be willing to offer that type of contract to a platoon right fielder?
Prior to Wednesday, the Phillies appeared to be in the running for both Matt Diaz and Jeff Francouer. However, Diaz agreed to a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Francouer agreed to terms with the Kansas City Royals for a one-year deal.
With both players off the market, the Phillies will need to turn elsewhere.
They have already been linked to former Pirates outfielder Delwyn Young, who is coming off a dreadful 2010 campaign in which he hit .236 with a .286 on-base percentage.
The one thing that Young does bring to the table is the fact that he can play multiple positions in the outfield, as well as the infield.
Also, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Juan Rivera is reportedly drawing interest from the Phils as a potential platoon partner with Brown. Rivera is a career .280 hitter, but is coming off a season in which he hit .252 with 52 RBI’s and 15 home runs.
Whether it be Ordonez, Young, Rivera, or another player such as Xavier Nady or even Manny Ramirez, who does have a father-son bond with manager Charlie Manuel when Manuel coached him with the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, the Phillies appear interested in adding a veteran to team up with Brown in right field.
Too old, not a good fielder and injury prone ..
He’s a good fit for an American League team only where he can DH half the time
Matt Diaz would have been a great pick-up for his versatility, his power and being in his prime and
very reasonable salary wise.. I cannot understand why the Phils didn’t go after him hard
If Reuben Amaro had the you know what, they would go hard after 3B A Beltre and then move Polanco to the OF then they would have a championsship caliber line-up team.
This team will need another IF for I don’t see Utley,Rollins and Polanco himself playing 140 + Games a season as they are starting to get older and with rumored steroid use in the past, their bodies are starting to break down..
I would even prefer a Jeff Francouer or J WIllingham who are both off the board now and have signed with other teams. Also LHP Reliever G SHerrill just signed a 1 year deal with the Braves for $1.2 Million and the best the Phils can do is sign LHP D Reyes… Good grief..