Everyone keeps talking about the need to resign Cole Hamels, which would solidify Philly’s rotation for the next five years but won’t help a lineup that has been no better than average as of late.
Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence have been trying to carry the load in this early season, but with a lineup missing two key elements, Utley and Howard, the team has had it struggles. Despite the slow start to the season, Victorino is off to a great start with an average above .300 and five stolen bases already racked up.
In centerfield his presence is evident and he has done a great job patrolling the outfield. He hasn’t made an error since 2010 and his fielding percentage every year seems to either be 1.000 or not too far behind.
The once one dimensional hitter has increased his home run totals every season and has already gone yard this year. His contract is up at the end of the season and I don’t see the Phillies cutting a deal with him before October when free agency begins.
He is asking for a five year extension, which some desperate team will do; I just don’t think the Phillies are going to be that desperate team. Victorino would be one of the top five centerfielders on the market, most of which will most likely sign extensions with their respective teams.
Michael Bourne will be a Brave again next season and the rest of this free agent class doesn’t have the ability to turn many heads, besides the Phil’s centerfielder.
This means that the Flying Hawaiian is Philly’s best option in centerfield. They have a few guys in the system who can step in over the next three to four years but for now Victorino is their one and only centerfielder.
Aaron Altherr had a setback last year which resulted in him dropping to the New York Penn league where he was able to rediscover his game. This pushes his progression back at least one season and he isn’t projected to get his chance at the show for another three years.
Jiwan James had to switch to the outfield after an arm injury, so he isn’t the most comfortable prospect out there. The 6’4” switch hitter has struggled at the plate and will need to cut down his strike outs in double A if he plans to keep climbing the latter to the show. He has played a lot of corner outfield, but has the speed to play center, if he must. He is sharing the outfield with highly touted Leandro Castro, who has the best chance at making a run for centerfield in the show.
Castro will be the next homegrown centerfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies. He showed signs of glimmer when he reached double digits in both homeruns and stolen bases during his single A stint and has jumped out to a great start to the year in Reading (AA). He can play both left and centerfield which would be a great transition towards the end of Victorino’s new contract.
Did I say Victorino’s NEW contract? Yes I did, the market is weak for centerfielders during the 2013 offseason and the Phils no better option than signing the versatile centerfielder. They will be able to talk him down from five years with some extra cash, but fact of the matter, they need the Flying Hawaiian out there until Castro is able to hold down the fort which shouldn’t be for another three seasons.
It’s been pretty quiet on the Phillie front from many posters here recently
I guess many of you still think the Nationals are a fluke..They are a pretty strong team with a mixture of veterans and hungry young players looking to prove themsevles with an aggressive capable manager in Davy Johnson..
I am standing by my predictions of the NAtionals winning the NL East with the Braves in 2nd and the Phils out of the Playoffs for the 1st time in 7-8 years… I believe the Window has closed and that it’s time to clean house after this Season, let Manuel go out and retire, Hire Ryane Sanberg to manage the team and begin to purge the Roster of older, over the hill players whose best seasons are behind them.. Lets get some excitement back, some thump in this line-up..
It’s been quiet because its a long season and there is no reason to get in an uproar in April.
As for Shane Victorino — for what? for who?
I think it’s been quiet for many fans are finally realizing how far this team has fallen in a relatively short period of time and how anemic this Offense will be to consistently put 4-5 Runs a Game.. They have scored 35 Runs in 11 Games which equates to 3.2 Runs per Game while allowing 33 Runs for a 3 Run average given up.. I expect that this is how it will be for most of the season which means most games will be close and come down to the last 2 ionnings of a ballgame on who wins and loses.. The Phils Bullpen and Situational Hitting with their over lack of power will be their achilles heel as I have stated for a while now..
Paul — shutup. You choosing the Nats this year is no different from you choosing the Braves last year.
You will be wrong the same way you were wrong last year. IF you are a phillies fan like you say you are, just enjoy the season and stop with the idiotic predictions.
It annoys the heck outta me these guys take 5 years to get to the pro’s andbe legit.Guess its just the game. But come on!!?3 seasons before he’s ready?
I dont need a explanation as to why it does btw.Move on.
The Phills need to stay playing small ball and try and get a bomb now and again and they’ll be fine. The Nats are a solid squad and i dont doubt there players. Lets see if they can sustain that all year.
Rhino WILL be back for this team. And when he returns it will be a boost. Get right and see ya soon.
paulman, the housecleaning should be at novacare, same old routine, add a player , here, there, draft bums here, there, same coach, same flawed philosophy,flawed quarterback, the phils have major pitching and can afford to give up a big arm for some bats, that will not come until allstar time, if they can tread some water until then they will win the east, still enjying my baseball paulman, and enjoying the foolish euphoria of the many here who think things will be different with the birds, talk to scramz, that’s some truth
Sometimes the Truth hurts Birdo….
Face it, the Phils run is over, time for the next generation of players..
It’s funny, the same fans who are satisfied with the Phils/Flyers being competitve but still lose in the Playoffs are the same fans that criticize the Eagles for not winning a Championship.. It’s a Super Bowl or Bust mentality for the Eagles but not so for the Phillies and Flyers.. and I always hear about the Flyers, well they have a young team.. I think the EAgles were the 2nd/3rd Youngest team in the NFL last year..
Paul, I gave you a chance but you are one stupid mfer if you don’t understand the dynamic, what a tool you are
Based on how the Phillies have brought players back and given players that have developed longer contracts…except Werth I suspect the Phillies will get the deal done with VIctorino and with him being so much younger than Rollins I don’t see the Phillies letting him test the market the same way they did with Rollins.
Nats with another extra-inning Victory 3-2 as they are the 1st Team in the NL to reach 10 Wins.. You guys keep laughing about them and cast them aside as a nobody and I will keep reminding you they are the deepest,most complete Team in the NL East with a pretty Manager at the helm too..
Phils lost 1-0 in 11 Innings and have fallen in last place in the NL East
Clifff Lee Pitches 10 Great Innings and Phils can’t get him a run or 2 to win it..
I count 4-5 Great Pitching performances wasted already this season in which the Phils scored 1 or Zero Runs for their Starting Pitchers.. Now do remember they have only played 12 games, so their lack of Offense has blown about 1/2 their games played so far.. This is getting ugly and fast….
85 Wins is max with this Batting Line-up as it is..
Paul, the major problem is, there is no next generation of players in this organization. We have ZERO high level minor league, position prospects. All our so-called good, high level prospects are pitchers. Unless you still think Brown, Gillies & James are high prospects? NOT!!! Our team is ancient, injury plagued/ prone & we have very little chance of rectifying our roster, unless Utley retires & we trade one of the big 3 starters. I don’t know what else Amaro can do. I’d see what he could get for a package of Blanton, Brown & ??? What other options are there? We will be blessed if we get anything out of Howard this year, & by that time we could be 10 games out of a playoff spot. ALSO, IMHO, Utley is a shot player & needs to retire, because between his lies, privacy, stubbornness & arrogance, he has cost this team 2 years in a row now, BIG TIME!!! There is no debating it. I don’t know what they are going to do. They have ZERO power, have ancient infielders, don’t walk, don’t situational hit, strike out way too much, strand a ton of BR’s & are now a bad DF team at the corners. Up the middle we are fine, but Nix, Wigginton, Thome are butchers. Mayberry looks lost again & we are playing a kid a 2b, out of his position. Lee pitched 10 shutout innings & we still lost. Absolutely disgraceful!! I don’t care how good Cain is! It’s disgraceful! It’s going to be a long, long summer! Go Flyboys, Go Birds draft!
Wha’ts the Organization been doing for the last 4-5 Years with the relatively stable Corp of everyday Phillie players remaining the same since about 2007, where has the Scouting, Minor League Coaching and grooming been.. What a disaster to have the 2nd Highest Payroll in all of Baseball and then have to go out and sign a Thome,J Pierre,L Nix, S Posednick,T Wigginton, B Schneider to fill out a Roster… We will look back as this 5-6-7 Golden Years Period of PhIllie Baseball just like a lot fans do at those Braves Team’s from late 90’s.. All this Pitching and Talent and only 1 Championship to show for it was a wasted opportunity for the Club and many of it’s Players and Coaches to really make History…
I don’t want to go around saying I told you so, but I have been critical of this Front Office for the last 2 Off-Seasons for many of the reasons that Dcar mentions above (What’s Plan B for Utley, Who is everyday 3B and LF, where is the pop in the line-up going to come from) and for the lack of long-range planning to keep this PHillie Franchise at or near the Top and you don’t do that with a bunch 35 year old Players no matter how good they used to be..
Bad evening/news for the Phils
Halladay loses to the worst Team in Baseball (Padres)
Phils only get 3 Hits (1 came from Halladay), Stutes gets lite up in the 8th
and now the Phils place LHP Cliff Lee on the 15 Day Disabled-List for a muscle strain on his left side abd again I blame Manager Manuel for having to keep his starters in longer due to the inept Offensive Team that GM Amaro has given Manuel to work with.. Lee went 10 innings the other night in San Francisco where it’s cool,windy and in the 3rd Week of the Season because Manuel s has already hit the panic button…
I expect most of the Starters to spend a trip or 2 to the DL this year by the way that Manuel will utilize them (besides Halladay who is workhorse)
Nationals won with another walk-off win and the Braves won again too..
Some of you wishful fans need to wake-up, This Phils team is not very good and is bring managed by an old-time on his least legs.. Check the decision-making so far this year and it’s gotten worse, He runs his top 2-3 Started into the ground by August, it’s all over… This Team will not make the Playoffs in 2012unless some new blood comes in for the Line-up (3B & LF Production has been brutal)
Phils will win national league east, nationals will fade by july
Phils will be lucky to win 85 Games this year with their Offense which won’t be good enough.. NL Playoff Teams like Cardinals,Dodgers, Brewers,Nationals,Braves all have better all-around clubs..
jake, not this year brother. I hope I’m wrong, but the hits to them keep coming. I hate to agree with Paul’s predictions, but he might be spot on. They’re a shot team right now, & are completely lost & clueless at the plate. The blame goes no further, than the so-called golden boy, Ruben Amaro. He did the horrid, piss poor job, of planning & putting this team together. I also blame Utley for killing this team, the last 2 years. Because of his lies, ego, stubbornness & delusions, has cost us bigtime. I have little confidence, nor good feeling, that this team can overcome their deficiencies, like they have in the past. They are too old, too injury prone & have too many ifs & ???
Just saying.
agreed about utley, damn, he’s thirty something but playing like an old man, he is shot, and f his california cool, in the voice of harry, outttta here
I think Utley is adamant and afraid to having surgery knowing that his career would be completely be over and could also reveal that he was taking PED’s/HGH/Steroids which I believe he was was 4-5-6 years ago like many players were . So instead, he rehabs and will attempt to play 80-100 games or so so that he can extend his career for another year or two or 3 which is exactly what he did last year and will attempt to do this year..
When I see a Professional Athlete’s body break down so quick and in many areas (back,Hip,Knees, Oblique muscles, etc,etc, TO me its pretty godo sign that that player was a user and then once stopping, has all these issues come to the table .. Classic example is Orioles CF Brady Anderson, a 175lbs guy who comes out of nowhere and hits 30/35 + HR’s a Season for 3 Year s and then MLB Cracks down and players stop using, then he has various injuries (Muscle Strains,,Hip and Back Issues) and once he stopped using he was not only never the same player, he was never healthy enough to be a full-time player again…