Baseball’s winter meetings have just about concluded, but there is still time for the Phillies to make moves. Which means it’s that time of year again to begin talking about the Phillies Hot Stove. This offseason is more important then ever for GM Ruben Amaro Jr. as he is on the hot seat after making the managerial change last season naming Ryan Sandberg the team’s new manager. Amaro Jr. also is aware that his Phillies have multiple needs he must address, and one big splash in the free agent market wont fix a thing. Amaro says that he has already made offers on numerous free agent players, but we have all heard this song and dance before.
WHO WILL THE PHILLIES BE LOSING:
• The Phillies have lost backup catcher Erik Kratz, who they traded away in order to acquire the services of reliever Brad Lincoln. Kratz had been a solid backup catcher, and the Phils will look to fill void with veteran Will Neives.
• Roy Hallday has decided to retire. Halladay had battled through injury problems during the last two years of his career, and he just couldn’t get back to being anything close to what he was in his prime.
WHO THE PHILLIES MIGHT ADD:
• As far as pitchers go possibilities of players tied to the Phillies wish list are Ubaldo Jimenez which could be a nice pick up as he had a decent year last season for Cleveland. Matt Garza has also been a name thrown out there. Also David Price has been named in a possible trade situation that would include Jesse Biddle & Maikel Franco but it is unlikely that will be enough to make the deal happen.
• Some position players on tied to the Phillies rumor mill are, outfielder Nelson Cruz that would be a great pick up, as another outfielder is a must. Carlos Beltran has also been another outfielder named but might be quite pricey.
No matter what the Phillies do this offseason it is going to take some great negotiating by Ruben Amaro, as the Phillies currently have 7 players under contract for 2014 for about 120$ million dollars. Almost all of that money is tied up in Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee,and Jonathan Papelbon. All of the money tied up is before any arbitration hearings that will be sure to raise the roster salary. The moral of the story is the Phillies have a lot of money tied up and not a lot of money to play with to get new players that will help them win, so Ruben Amaro Jr. will have to pull out every trick he has.
Reuben will get assassinated if he trades Franco and or biddle.
OF Beltran signed with the Yankees a week ago???
Maybe Phils should Trade 2B Utley to the Yankees for
OF Gardner and some Prospects
I don’t get what Amaro has been doing since the 2013 All-Star break. This team is neither getting younger, nor are they able to “win now.” IMO the arrow is pointing down with this team.
Big Time Everz, I read where 2 other GM’s stated during the Meetings this past week that Amaro appears to have no plan and is all over the Board on what strategy to use to move forward, sounds like no real-plan was in Pkace and why the mention of listening to a Offers for young Pkayers like Hamels & Brown is ridiculous to even understand
This Amaro needs to go after this Season
Nationals, Mets and even the Marlins have all improved while the Phils & Braves have taken a step back per most Observors around MLB
Too old, no prospects, Reuben has bet on the old nucleus playing like they did in 2008, and adds more age with Byrd, it’s bad
They are Stuck with Papelass also, no one wants the D-Bag
The only hope the 2014 Phils have is if
The Big 3 (Howard,Utley & Rollins) can play well
and reach 85% of their Career Stats which is probably a reach
And D Brown needs to duplicate on what he did last Season and get productive Seasons from Ruiz & Byrd while Hamels & Lee both have to have big Seasons.. Is this all possible, sure it is, is it very likely,
No it’s not, most likely looking at about 75-80 Wins again
Trade all prospect pitchers, biddle especially if you can get young position players that can rake, the ball park is a hitters park, the 2008 team was hitters team, pat Burrell, et al., reconfigure this team in the mold of gillick
The Game is a little different Pist Steroid era
The Days of having 3-4-5 Hitters hitting 25-30 HR’s are gone
It’s become much more a Defensive, small ball, situational hitting with of a course good solid Pitching but have to have a
a dominating Bullpen to close games out that seem to Win it or at least gave a chance of Winning it anymore..
These Top Teams of recent years all have 3 Pitchers who come out of Bullpen and bring the Heat and simply don’t rely on one closer to bail them out..
Papers tiff loses 2 MPH off his heater every year and just doesn’t gave the other Pitches to keep Batters guessing
His Fastball comes in on a flat-plane and easier to see and time than many other Closer’s who have 2-3 Pitches plus a lot of late movement
Papelbon’s ball doesn’t move much at all and if he’s off target or only throwing heat in the low 90’s, he will get tagged left and right:.
Phils need at 2 more Starters and 2 more in the Bullpen
What’s their Starting Rotation after Lee/Hamels..
Pettibone, Cloyd ?? Resign Kendrick’s or J Lannan..
It’s the weakest Starting Staff in the last 8 Years for the Phils and no doubt in the NL East with a questionable Bullpen and age and injuries all over the Position players.. Reaching 80 Wins will be a credit for Manager Sandberg
To be honest with you
Maybe the will sign RF Nelson Cruz,
And Sign Relief Pitcher Balfour or Rodney
And swing a a Deal for Starter David Price or at least add a Ervin Santana Matt Garza to eat some innings..
The thing that burns me is that most Phillies fans could swallow a 70-80 win season if they could see a direction, or plan for the future of the team. For example, fielding predominantly a bunch of high ceiling rooks and 1st/2nd year players that were obtained by trading or not resigning your aging/underperforming/injured nucleus and by virtue, having a ton of money to spend on a better, future free agent crop. A rebuild, where were competitive in 2 or 3 seasons. Amaro’s actions in the last year and a half suggest he thinks (or hopes) this team can compete now and ironically the result is likely that same 70 or 80 win season with no empty salary space and a prolonged time frame for when the team will honestly be competitive again.
Phillies did add some youth to the roster acquiring a young 33 year old Roberto Hernandez to balance out the recent 36 year old free agents and 34 resigned vets
What are the Phils Plans for Darren Ruf??
Haven’t heard boo about him..
Play him in LF, can he Play 3B a little
His Bat and Production as a RH Batter is too Valuable not to be in the Line-up
5 games a Week in my opinion
They’ll should play him Once-Twice a week at 1B to spell Howard and when Lefties are Pitching, then have him in LF 2-3 Times a week out LF
He does not hit lefties well. They really have soured on him. As I’ve said all along Howard has to be Howard for them to have a chance he tore his Achilles and that has been the single biggest problem for them. He has consistently produced well over 200 runs per year (100 runs and 125 RBI) and that isn’t as easily replaced as you armchair GM’s seem to think. If he goes 35 and 115 the Phil’s are in the hunt… That simple
I don’t see Howard Playing 140 Games and putting up those type of Numbers do you…
I see about 140 and 32 and 115 yes… 34 year olds are expected to produce those numbers look at the recent FA signings around the league that is what is expected. To all the bashers you need to understand that take those numbers from any team and you will struggle… That horrific ground ball that ended 2011 season actually ended 2012 and 13
That’s why you are a know nothing, Ruin 2morrow loving dip$#!t!
BTW, what ended the 2012 & 2013, was your boys ineptness, stupidity, & noncreative, stupid brain!
You obviously don’t know baseball
No, & you do? GTFOH! I forgot more about Baseball, than you can ever hope to attain! For you to still come on here, not rip him, make excuses, & not rip his idiocy, makes you a stupid mother fucker! Period! He has this team stuck in purgatory, for at least 3 years, until these waste of contracts, either expire, or they retire! We have no trade chips! We have no farm system close to playing! And our Big club is the same garbage that we had last year! He fucking blew his chance to rebuild, after the 2012 season! But NOOOOO, resign Rollins! Resign Utley! Give Papelstiff an unwarranted contract, bidding against yourself! Resign Ruiz to 3 years! GTFOH, & you have the balls to say I don’t know Baseball??? Go stick your head back in Ruin 2morrows ass!!!!
Any team loses 35 and 120 will struggle.. Baseball knowledge would tell you that. But your vitriol won’t let you see that
My vitriol has nothing to do with the 5+ years of futile, incompetent, mindless, thoughtless transactions, that took a WS Champion, to a bottom dwelling contender, with open purse strings! Your Ruin 2morrow allegiance outweighs your Phillies allegiance! You are NOT a fan, so stop pretending! Your lack of anger, & excuses proves it every time! Just quit while you are behind. You are irrational, stupid, & don’t have the manhood to admit you’ve ben wrong about him! Just go the fuck away!
Damn you discount some really good years in those 5… Your idiocy is endless
This article is about 3 weeks too late! WTF, gives anyone, any inkling, that Amaro has a f^#@ing clue? He has made nothing but imbecilic moves AGAIN! Not 1 improvement, AGAIN! Byrd? Lincoln?? Roberto”Fausto Carmona” Hernandez??? Nieves???? Please! This team blows, is oldER again, injury inevitable, & they are no better than last years mess! Amaro is a condescending, arrogant, delusional, mindless, uncreative, inept POS, that has destroyed this franchise! Nobody wants any of our overpaid, ancient slop! We ain’t swallowing any salary neither! Thus, the non-moves at the winter meetings! Every other team, that’s a real contender, made moves, & improved, & were able to be creative enough to make moves! Anyone who disagrees, is a f^#@ing imbecile! David Price? BWAHAHAHAHA! Just what we need, another pitcher, with a team that can’t hit! GTFOH! We don’t have nearly enough to get him anyways. PLEASE!
***Philes Trade Alert****
Phils Trade OF Dom Brown, 1B Darren Ruf
and Pitching Prospect Biddle to the Toronto Blue Jays
For OF Juan Bautisto and RHP Drabeck Jr
Phils Starting 2013 OF
LF – Bautisto
CF – Revere
RF – Byrd
Damn you pail!
Hey negative nitwit in 5 years 3 division titles with loses to the playoff hot team and eventual champion. Lose your 35 125 man and don’t win the division. You really don’t understand sports in general. You need to be angry or you are not happy
2 years in a Row, missed Playoffs
Have fallen to the 4th Pkace in the NL East with still one of the Highest Payrolls in all of MLB
A Front Office and Fan Base that’s steered too much
by Sentimental Reasons which gets you nowhere in Sports
Look at the SL Cardinals who continue to make improvements
Let Puljos walk, don’t resign an aging Beltran,
Trade hometown WS MVP Freese to make other upgrade their steam and help them to remain competitive each and every Season
Phils extend J-Ro, extend Chase surely, stick with Ryan Howard
As the rest of the and makes moved and upgrades
This 2014 Version are going nowhere
Paul what team can lose a 35 120 guy and win…
The SL Cardinals let Puljol’s walk and replaced his production
The Texas Rangers let Josh Hamilton walk and replaced his production
Are 2 very recent examples
Yankee stayed closelast year though they had no A-Rod or Texieea for most of the Season
Let’s see how the Tiger’s fare without Fielder
Lose to injury! The Yankees did not win with their big run producers on the shelf? Or did I miss that?
Take 37 year old poppi 35 and 110 from the sox and they don’t win the pennant…
Take 33 year old holidays 22 94 and 36 year old beltrans 24 84 from the cardinals and they don’t make the series… Please be consisten with your lunacy
You just like GM Amaro with your continued wishful that these “Wheeze Kids” Core of Howard,Utley & J-Ro are going to be anywhere close to the Players they were 3-4-5 years ago..
When I looked up the term “Insanity” on Wikipedia
I saw the names and Pictures of “Joe Banner, Rueben Amaro Jr and Haceacigar” listed…
Paul why can’t 34 year old Howard who is a better run producer to begin with produce like Beltran at 36 or Holliday? It’s baseball not football
Because he cannot play every game anymore HAC
Were you on Vacation the last 2 Years..
That Foot and Achilles will plagued him for the rest of his playing days, his plant foot/Achilles which generates and stabilized his core and swing .. Without he’s a .230-.240 Hitter with 20-25 Hr’s and
only 110 Game a year Player at most ..
Since you always approach things as the antagonist I see your point. As protagonist I say it’s healed.
Finally why is the man that signed him to a 5 year deal a terrible gm… If they let him play his contract out and he would have been a fA with incredible stats and gotten 10 years 250… At 31 instead we got him 5 for 125… Amaro did not slice his Achilles… Just because something doesn’t work out does not mean it was wrong
What’s done is done regarding Howard’s Contract,
But I am a realist and there is no sense on holding onto false hope of years or Pkayers. From the past, Sports doesn’t work this way..
So the Phils & GM Amaro should wait until Howard’s Deal is up in 2017 to do something about it… What’s the Plan here to be competitive,
Field one of the worst Defensive Teams, with a shaky Bulloen with a bunch of Position Players in their mid 30’s who were past their primes 2-3 years ago and have injury issues.. Do you just stand pat and hope they all stay healthy and return to their 2007-2010 Stats.. This is wishful thinking, don’t you think..
There is no time for sentiments for players who were once very good MLB
Pkayers but now are simply average.. This has always been the problem with Philky Soorts and why they can ‘t sustain long-term success
dans,Nedia and the area chides themselves become too emotionally attached to their PlAyers, they build them up, put them on a led astral and it clouds the Franchises better judgement of simply moving ahead..
You just don’t understand professional sports
No nobody but you does! GTFO you nitwit! You are the only one left in this fan-base, that still doesn’t get it! Everybody else knows nothing, but you? Everybody isn’t a fan but you? If we ain’t waving pom-poms, & sucking front offices asses like you, we ain’t fans? GTFOH you condescending, know nothing loser! You are the delusional, know nothing nitwit, not us!