Grading Each of the Philadelphia Phillies’ Offseason Moves so Far

The Philadelphia Phillies pitched their way to new heights in 2011 and won the most games in team history with 102. Pundits across the country smiled as this pitching-heavy team constructed by GM Ruben Amaro crumbled once again on the biggest of stages.

You couldn’t score one run against Chris Carpenter in a series-clinching game? Really, one run?

Have the Phillies done enough this offseason to fill in the gaps that were missing from this team? Power off the bench, pop from the right side of the plate to replace Jayson Werth, Ryan Howard not stinking up the joint.

Big Poker Ruben Amaro may still have some tricks up his sleeve, but let’s grade each of the offseason moves so far.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Grading the Depth of Prospects at Each Position

There may only be 25 men on the active MLB roster, but the number of important players in the Phillies organization is much higher.

At each position, there are prospects in the minor leagues who can be just as impactful as the guys playing at the highest level.

The Phillies have made a handful of huge trades in the past few years—the Halladay, Lee and Pence trades are some examples—and the common theme in these trades is the movement of prospects out of the Phillies’ farm system.

In the deal that brought Hunter Pence to Philadelphia, for example, the Phillies had to give up top prospects Jonathan Singleton and Jarred Cosart, as well as outfielder Domingo Santana.

But that doesn’t mean that the farm system is completely depleted; at some positions the Phillies show great depth, while at others there are few players who could make the majors. 

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Philadelphia Phillies: 25 Reasons 2012 Will Be Different Than 2011

As the new year rolls around and people across the world toss their 2011 calendars in the garbage, fans of the Philadelphia Phillies might as well do the same. 2011 was a year full of promises and high expectations, neither of which were met on the field, leaving the city of Philadelphia with a bitter taste in its mouth for the third consecutive season.

But there’s a bright side. 2012 is shaping up to be an interesting year in a number of different ways, and its baseball season will be no different. While at a glance the Phillies appear to be a team very similar to the squad run out on the field last season, a lot has changed.

Fans are becoming tired of the same old song and dance, the same old promises. Each and every season since 2008, the Phillies have been a team that was expected to win the World Series—nothing less, and over each of those seasons, they have failed.

Will 2012 be a different story? Well, I’m not ready to dust off my crystal ball just yet, but there’s hope. The Phillies are a much different team heading into the 2012 season, and a promising team that should give fans something to be excited about once again.

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