Philadelphia Phillies Trade Scenarios: 5 Power Hitters They Should Pursue
March 13, 2012 by Alec Snyder
Filed under Fan News
As spring training enters its eleventh day of games for the Philadelphia Phillies, one thing has become very clear: the Phils have nothing to worry about when it comes to starting pitching depth and speed options off the bench. While Phillies hitters have been hitting for average (Freddy Galvis, Hector Luna, and Scott Podsednik are all looking pretty good) and the bullpen is shaping up behind Jonathan Papelbon (who has been a stud), there is one thing that the team still desperately needs: power.
Granted, the team signed Jim Thome and brought in Laynce Nix and Ty Wigginton over the course of the offseason, and all three are known primarily for their power bats. However, it’s just not cutting it right now. The team’s current leader in home runs is the aforementioned Luna, who likely won’t even make the 25-man roster unless the front office pulls out a trump card. And while Hunter Pence is tied with Luna in that department—both have hit two dingers over the last ten or so games—Pence hasn’t hit one out since the second game of the spring. Without Ryan Howard in the fold, the Phillies don’t have that true slugger on their team, and until Howard returns, they need someone to fill the void.
Yes, six other players are tied for second place with a home run each, including Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Ruiz, but the team currently lacks a true power hitter, a guy who can just step up to the plate and smack a home run. Thome is that in essence, but he has yet to hit a homer this spring and his health is always a question. The team needs someone who can both fill a positional hole and come as a threat to hit one out of the park in every at bat. Right now, the team doesn’t have anyone. But there’s always the trade market…
In this piece, we’ll go in depth on a few potential power bats the team could pursue via trade. Whether someone as simple as a pinch hitter-type or an everyday player in the last year of his deal, we’ll explore all possible avenues, whether or not they’re necessarily 100 percent realistic.
If you don’t agree with some of the decisions (which you likely won’t), share your thoughts on who the Phillies should go after. And off we go…