MLB Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Players Who Must Be Kept Happy at All Costs

The Philadelphia Phillies are currently in the midst of the greatest era of baseball to ever be played in this city by a pro sports team. Five consecutive NL East Division titles, two National League pennants and one World Series title have led to happy times in the City of Brotherly Love.

Citizens Bank Park is filled beyond capacity night after night by the loudest and most loyal fans in America. Players like Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee came to Philadelphia to play in that type of atmosphere.

Here are five Philadelphia Phillies who must be kept happy at all costs.

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6 Moves the Philadelphia Phillies Must Make to Keep Up with the Miami Marlins

After committing $191 million to three players this offseason, the Miami Marlins sure made a big splash. Whether or not it is enough yet to overcome 30 games in the standings is another question.

I’m going to say no, it’s not.

I do believe the Marlins already had better talent than a typical 90-loss team. Their position players match up well with the Phillies, but their pitching is still too far behind, even with a healthy Josh Johnson. 

While the Phillies don’t necessarily have to make moves to keep up with the Marlins this year, if the Marlins do succeed in attracting consistent crowds to their new ballpark and continue increasing payroll, the Phillies must make better decisions and moves in the future. 

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MLB Free Agents 2012: Philadelphia Philles Sign Veteran Pitcher Dontrelle Willis

Those of a certain vintage or with access to television reruns may remember the catchphrase, “What’chu talkin’ ’bout, Willis?”

That line, spoken by Arnold (the late Gary Coleman) to his brother Willis (Todd Bridges), became the main reason to tune into a sitcom called Diff’rent Strokes, which ran from 1978 through 1986. Oh yeah, they liked their apostrophes on that show.

This brings us to the news that the Philadelphia Phillies came to terms Tuesday on a one-year deal with veteran left-handed pitcher Dontrelle Willis. Per a piece by Bob Gelb on Philly.com, his base salary will be less than $1 million, assuming he passes his physical.

So, what are we talkin’ ’bout?

At a time when the Phillies and veteran free-agent shortstop Jimmy Rollins have not been able to get together on a new contract, the club signed the former Rookie of the Year and NL Cy Young runner-up to what looks like very favorable terms.

So, is this a deal or a steal? At one time, it would have been grand larceny.

Willis exploded on the baseball landscape in 2003 as a tall, gangly, 21-year-old southpaw hurler for the Marlins. Placed in the starting rotation that May, he went 14-6 with a 3.30 ERA.

He made the All-Star team, won Rookie of the Year, and he was all the rage for his sheer energy and confounding, all-elbows-and-knees delivery. And yes, he pitched quite effectively, ripped the ball at the plate and was a terrific clubhouse presence.

After a bit of a sophomore slump, Willis rebounded brilliantly in 2005 (22-6, 2.63) and came close to wresting the Cy Young Award from the Cardinals‘ Chris Carpenter.

Through his first three seasons, the D-Train was a cumulative 46-27 with an earned run average around 3.30 and a respectable, if not stellar, WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) that averaged around 1.28.

 

The last six years have seen his once-promising career be derailed, if not wrecked. Willis’ won-loss record has been a miserable 26-42, and his inside numbers have shown that he has not out-pitched that mark. His ERA has been high, and his control has been, well, abominable.

So, what role do the Phillies envision for Dontrelle, who won’t turn 30 until next January? He is expected to pitch out of the bullpen, mostly as a lefty-to-lefty specialist.

On paper, given the fact that 202 of Willis’ 205 MLB appearances have been as a starter, the move looks a little suspect. Not as illogical as, say, turning a longtime offensive line coach into a defensive coordinator (ahem, sorry Andy Reid), but a little risky just the same.

But, how big of a risk is it? In this day and age, this contract is pocket change, and Willis has always been regarded as one of baseball’s good guys. Plus, as illustrated, he was a terrific pitcher at one time.

If Ryan Madson departs as expected, and Antonio Bastardo settles into the eighth-inning role, Willis could be quite effective in the type of duty that J.C. Romero once excelled in for the club, especially in that championship year of 2008.

Willis has some numbers that can be cause for optimism, if not wild celebration.

Bob Gelb cited these stats in his aforementioned piece on Philly.com:

His career numbers against lefties are outstanding, holding them to a career .200 average and .562 OPS against. In 2011, those numbers were even better, as lefties hit .127 with a .369 OPS against. Control is what always held Willis back, but in the small sample size of 60 plate appearances against lefties in 2011, he struck out 20 with only two walks.

 

Is this a questionable deal or a steal? That remains to be seen, but the risk-reward appears to be in the Phillies’ favor.

And now, the hot stove league will soon reveal whether Willis’ old Bay Area buddy, Jimmy Rollins, will stay in Philly and be his teammate.

It is certainly somethin’ to talk ’bout.

 

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Philadelphia Phillies to Sign Dontrelle Willis: Are They Going for a New Look?

According to espn.com’s Jerry Crasnick, the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to terms on a one-year, $1 million deal with pitcher Dontrelle Willis. The deal also contains incentives for performance bonuses.

The 30-year-old Willis, who pitched for the Cincinnati Reds last year, went 1-6 with a 5.00 ERA, a 1.52 WHIP and fanned just 57 batters in 13 starts consisting of 75.2 IP, his highest total since 2007, when he pitched for the Detroit Tigers.

Having struggled since his trade from the then-Florida Marlins along with Miguel Cabrera to the Tigers, Willis has bounced back a bit, though he is nowhere close to putting up numbers comparable to those of his NL Rookie of the Year season in 2003.

This is an interesting move, as the Phillies currently don’t have a vacant spot in their starting rotation.

Headed by Roy “Doc” Halladay, the rotation is rounded out by Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Vance Worley and either Joe Blanton or Kyle Kendrick.

Had the Phillies non-tendered Kendrick by last night’s midnight non-tender deadline, this deal could make more sense, but unless a separate trade is in the works involving Worley, Blanton or Kendrick, or if Willis is pitching in the bullpen, there is little sense made in signing the D-Train.

If Willis is going to be used in the bullpen, it could spell the demotion of Justin De Fratus or Michael Schwimer back to the minors for now. Then again, this deal could have been the reason why Ben Francisco was shipped off to Toronto.

 

While all of the above could be tangible reasons for signing Willis, my thinking is that the Phillies could be attempting to go as small-market as the can in an effort to rekindle their 2008 success.

They’ve made small signings and trades that have seen the likes of Laynce Nix, Ty Wigginton and Jim Thome come to Philadelphia. While all three are valuable bench pieces and will strengthen the backup corps significantly, they aren’t necessarily difference-making players.

In 2008, the Phillies won the World Series with a starting rotation led by Cole Hamels and followed by Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton and Adam Eaton (ugh).

Their offensive roster consisted of many of the same players today, but players like Pedro Feliz and (at the time) Carlos Ruiz were far from impacting the team.

Their bullpen was led by a closer by the name of Brad Lidge, who had a remarkable 41-for-41 save season, but the rest of the bullpen behind Ryan Madson as the set-up man was nothing special.

Since Ruben Amaro, Jr. took over as Phillies GM after the 2008 season, the team has made higher-profile moves. 

He began by signing outfielder Raul Ibanez to a three-year, $31.5 million deal, but his desire quickly rose, and at the trade deadline that year, they acquired Cliff Lee for prospects.

Then, in the 2009 offseason, they traded Lee and acquired Roy Halladay, and received Roy Oswalt at the 2010 trade deadline. They then re-signed Lee after the 2010 season and acquired Hunter Pence at the 2011 deadline.

I could see Amaro shipping off one of Blanton or Kendrick for a prospect or two, or Worley in a blockbuster deal along with Domonic Brown for an All-Star-caliber player, like David Wright or maybe even Hanley Ramirez if Rollins negotiations somehow don’t work out. But the way I see things, Amaro’s trying to go small-ball like in 2008 and win a championship with a balanced team led by a few significant All-Stars, but the remainder being inexpensive yet clutch players. Maybe I’m crazy (likely the right answer), but who knows.

How do you see this deal turning out? Is it smart or stupid? Are the Phillies indeed trying to emulate their 2008 success? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

UPDATE: Willis will indeed pitch out of the bullpen, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer‘s Matt Gelb.

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Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Realistic Offseason Moves the Phils Need to Make

The Phillies have often followed up Winter Meetings with substantial moves the following week. They use the meetings to set groundwork for moves, and they finalize them once they return home.

With this being the week on the calendar which saw moves such as the Raul Ibanez signing, Roy Halladay trade and Cliff Lee signing, there is reason to believe Ruben Amaro will be active this week. We already have seen him move Ben Francisco as part of his reconstruction of the bench.

Monday night will also see the team tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players. Matt Gelb reports that a source says the Phillies expect to tender contracts to Wilson Valdez and Kyle Kendrick.

Fans of Cole Hamels, as well as those who enjoy “Pence’s Proverb,” should have no reason to worry about Hamels and Pence being non-tendered. They’ll be back.

So what could be next? Having already been active, the Phillies have addressed several spots on the roster. However, there are still five types of moves the Phillies will look into making during the remainder of the offseason, ranked in order of when you should expect to see them occur.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Signing Jimmy Rollins Just a Matter of Time

With news breaking that Rafael Furcal has just signed a two-year, $14 million deal that will bring him back to the St. Louis Cardinals, Jimmy Rollins‘ options on where he will land continue to diminish. It was believed the Cardinals had an interest in Jimmy Rollins, after losing their star player, Albert Pujols, who just signed a 10-year, $254 million blockbuster deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

With many of the big-name free agents being locked up, Jimmy Rollins is running out of options. He has been reportedly seeking a five-year deal, but so far, the Phillies have not met his demands. It has been said the Phillies have already offered Rollins a three-year deal and a four-year deal with an option, but so far, the Rollins’ camp has not committed to anything.

Charlie Manuel seems to think Rollins will end up with Philadelphia once the dust settles.

“I think what it’s going to boil down to is that Jimmy knows we want him back and also knows he wants to come back. It’s just a matter of the two sides becoming one and happy with what’s going on, and then Jimmy is going to be with the Phillies next year.” To read more comments from Charlie, click here.

I fully believe it’s just a matter of time before Jimmy signs on the dotted line. Jimmy has played here his whole career, and he’s beloved in Philly. His family is here, and he’s won a World Series with the team. While it’s understandable that Rollins is seeking a five-year deal, he knows that he will have to bend a bit if he wants to return with Philadelphia.

Right now, it’s just a waiting game. Both Rollins and his agent Dan Lozano are most likely awaiting another offer from Ruben Amaro Jr., unless they already have come to some sort of agreement. In the event that Jimmy Rollins does decide to part ways with Philadelphia, the Phillies have already begun a Plan B. With the Phillies unsure if their shortstop will return next season, the Phillies have inquired about Aramis Ramirez. 

I’m sure Ruben would much rather sign Jimmy Rollins, as he’s probably more willing to come at a more reasonable price, but the Phillies may not have a choice. Ramirez made $14.6 million last season. He’s still got plenty of life left in him at 33, so he will most likely be seeking a deal similar to Jimmy’s, as far as length. Signing Ramirez could be just as hard as signing Rollins.

I’m sure by now the Phillies have explored other options beyond Aramis Ramirez, but it remains to be seen what will happen. It’s also worthy to note that the Phillies have been actively shopping third baseman Placido Polanco in an attempt to clear some salary, but so far, have not been able to do so due to his $7.25 million price tag. Not only that, but Polanco is not a sure bet, coming off a surgery he underwent to repair a double sports hernia.

Ruben Amaro Jr. has stated time and time again that retaining Jimmy Rollins is the Phillies’ “top priority,” but are the Phillies Jimmy Rollin’s top priority?

Only time will tell.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Domonic Brown and 25 Creative Ways to Get Younger

Contrary to popular belief, reducing the age of a Major League roster while maintaining its competitive nature is not a simple task, but it is a challenge that the Philadelphia Phillies have faced over the last couple of seasons and will face with growing importance over the coming seasons.

The question is an obvious one with difficult answers: How can a team locked into veteran contracts create an influx of young talent while remaining on top of a division growing in talent?

It’s not going to be easy.

While the Phillies have young talent they can rely on, they are certainly not the Tampa Bay Rays or Oakland Athletics. The Phillies are a big-market team that will have to spend money to draw fans, but in the near future, they’ll have to realize that you can’t build a team of 30-something players heading for a decline.

With that being said, however, the Phillies also realize that there aren’t many obvious methods of reducing the age of their roster.

In this slideshow, we’ll take a look at how the Phillies can “get younger,” but remain a National League East powerhouse in the process.

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10 Most Estranged Players in Phillies History

Throughout the history of the Philadelphia Phillies, a handful of players have enshrined themselves both in the Phillies’ team record books and fans’ hearts. Then again, there are also those who have done the exact opposite and completely made it known that they hold a hatred for the Phillies in their hearts, which has resulted in a mutual hatred towards them by the fans.

Whether about a refusal to sign, a request to be traded, or simply a bad performance, there have been some Phillies over the years who—they themselves or the fans—wish to have no previous association with the team. Granted, this existed more when the team was terrible, especially in between the team’s World Series championships, but there have been other cases of players who have made it known that they want out during the team’s success. We’re going to take a look at all cases.

Here we go.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Why Re-Signing Jimmy Rollins Looks More Probable

The Milwaukee Brewers signed Alex Gonzalez, and the St. Louis Cardinals are in the process of re-signing Rafael Furcal. There go two more of the potential suitors for Jimmy Rollins.

What does that mean for the Phillies?

With more teams off the board, obviously this situation becomes much more favorable for them. There will be less competition and a lower probability of a bidding war. Also, they might not have to give him the five-year deal that he wants. Again, with less competition, Rollins will not necessarily have the leverage that he had before.

Originally, according to Jayson Stark, Rollins could have had six teams in the running for his services. One of them was obviously the Phillies, and two of the others were most likely the Brewers and Cardinals. Although Stark only guessed five of the six, the two that still remained in the running were the San Francisco Giants and the Atlanta Braves.

Of course, either these two teams are still possible. However, the Giants have young prospect Brandon Crawford already in San Francisco, and the Atlanta Braves have Tyler Pastornicky apparently ready. Why I think that this is significant is because I do not think that either team will necessarily want to block either of these two young men with the long-term contract that Rollins would require.

Therefore, I think that the Phillies are in a very strong position right now to try to re-sign Rollins. The market has taken some different turns this winter, and I hope that the Phillies take advantage of it and bring Rollins back to Philadelphia.

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Omar Vizquel a Possibility at Short for Philadelphia Phillies?

With the future of free-agent shortstop Jimmy Rollins up in the air, here is an interesting rumor for you all to consider as a shortstop:

Omar Vizquel has been rumored to be working with the Phillies on some type of contract.

I first read about it on MLB Trade Rumors, but the original rumor broke with Enrique Rojas with ESPN on Twitter.

I really cannot imagine Vizquel being the top option for the Phillies. For a team widely considered to be far too old already, a 44-year-old shortstop doesn’t exactly help fix the situation. However, as much as it pains me to say this, I wonder if this means that the Phillies are planning on letting Rollins walk this offseason.

With Jose Reyes now off the market with his massive six-year deal with the Miami Marlins, it now affords the veteran shortstop a bit more leverage over the Phils. Talks between the two sides are reportedly not going well, however, as Rollins continues to insist on a five-year deal, while the Phillies won’t budge past three.

Please follow my logic on this one.

If Rollins does not return, the everyday shortstop could very well be 22-year-old Freddy Galvis. He had an excellent year in the minor leagues last year with a .278 average, eight home runs, 43 RBI and 23 stolen bases. However, Galvis still has some things to work on and it still trying to obviously reach his potential.

Who would possibly be a better mentor than a shortstop with the second-best fielding percentage of all time at the position? Vizquel has played more games at shortstop than anyone in history with a .272 career average. Could there possibly be a better mentor for a player who might possibly develop a similar skill set?

I know that is one very well could be purely speculation because the Phillies already have Michael Martinez and Wilson Valdez, with both capable of playing the position. It may not even come to more than this one article. For anyone who has read some of my previous articles, you know that I do not think that Rollins should go anywhere.

However, you have to admit that this is a pretty creative thought that I would have never even thought about speculating if the Phillies do not re-sign Rollins.

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