Handicapping All 25 Philadelphia Phillies Odds of Being on the Roster in 2013

There are more than a few words in the English dictionary that don’t appeal to fans of the Philadelphia Phillies, but if you had to pick a single word that was venomous to the ears, how about turnover.

That’s a loaded baseball word if there ever was one, but Phillies fans know all about that. After more than 10,000 losses and five straight National League East crowns, it is a word that most fans never wanted to hear again.

But as the 2012 trade deadline rolls into focus, the Phillies are ready to party like it’s 1999. That’s not a good thing. A 1999 Phillies party involved selling off everyone of value at the trade deadline, as the club cashed in early on yet another season.

There were more than a few years like that for Phillies fans. That’s why they don’t want to hear that this team could have a major turnover, or that they could rebuild, or re-tool or have a fire-sale.

Enough is enough.

So as we approach yet another uncertain deadline for the Phillies, it’s about time we took stock of the future, not only after this season’s deadline, but after the off-season as well.

How many members of this current Phillies club will return in 2013? Time to find out.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Don’t Give Up on the Phightins Just Yet

As a Philadelphia fan, we all know disappointment.  As far as disappointments go, the 2012 Philadelphia Phillies have been about as disappointing as it gets.  

They entered the All-Star break at 37-50, 12.5 games out of the wild-card spot.  They endured injuries that further exposed holes in the roster, as well as a bullpen that imploded on an almost nightly basis.

Ryan Howard was out.  Chase Utley was out.  Roy Halladay went down.  Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino continued to annoy with first-pitch pop-ups.  Hunter Pence swung the bat with reckless abandon.  Cliff Lee couldn’t win a game.  Cole Hamels has been discussed all season as trade fodder.

It was a brutal first half that became almost impossible to watch.  I actually stopped watching because I got no joy out of it and too much misery.  

Then the All-Star break happened.

For whatever reason, I became rejuvenated during the break.  I calculated over and over that they’d need a .707 winning percentage in the second half to win 90 games.

It was almost impossible, but in the second half they would actually be the Phillies.  Our Phillies.  Chase and Howard would be back to ease the burden on role players like Shane and Pence.  Halladay would be back.  

There was still a chance.

When Lee blew the first game of the second half, it felt over, but the team didn’t allow that to be the end.  They won the next four games.  

After dropping three straight, they’ve now won the last three in improbable and exciting fashion.

You see, for those of us born between the late 1970s and early 80s, this group of Phillies gave us the only championship we know.  They’ve given us five consecutive postseasons.  

Yes they have failed to win another World Series since 2008, but the point is, they did win a World Series.  They gave us reason to believe they could win another one.

Well now is the time to still believe.  Even if the playoffs prove unattainable in 2012, the Phillies have become fun again.

The first half was a case of everything that could go wrong did go wrong.  The second half is playing out much differently.  There is life there now.  There is belief.  The joy is back.

In Philadelphia, when things are going well, these players become out extended family.  We get to know them.  We get to love them.  

When things go bad we get upset with them, especially when they disappoint us.  They are ready to turn it around and they are trying to pull us all back in.

They deserve us being on board.  These are our guys.  For the first time as Phillies fans, we have our own guys.  Don’t give up now.

Jimmy, Shane, Chase and Ryan.  Cole, Doc and Clifton Lee.  These guys have given us a lot.  They have more to give.

Some people are ready to blow the whole thing up and start anew, but there is still a window for this group.  It’s time to keep that window propped open.  If they don’t win another one together, it shouldn’t be us that closed the window on them.

Maybe Cole will be traded.  Maybe Shane and Pence will be as well.  Maybe they won’t.  Maybe this team is about to play .700 baseball the rest of the way en route to 89 wins and the second wild-card spot.

Either way, this group has given us a lot and the right thing to do is give them all we have as well.  They may not get it done, but they just might.

In their last 10 games, they are 7-3, which is a .700 winning percentage.  All they have to do is keep it up.  We owe it to them to believe that they can.

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MLB Trade Rumors: Philadelphia Phillies “Eager” to Trade Hunter Pence

The Philadelphia Phillies are “eager” to trade Hunter Pence, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

If Pence is truly going to be on the move, the Cole Hamels situation could end up being quite a bit more interesting.

On one hand, trading Pence would be indicative of an oncoming fire sale. The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t had much offense this year, but Pence does have 17 home runs on the year. Trading away a large piece of their offense so far this year would definitely not do very much to help the Phillies compete right now.

If this trade would really indicate a sale, it would make sense that Shane Victorino and Hamels would be on their way out as well. If you’re going to sell one important piece, why not go all the way and worry about dominating next season?

However, there is another reason the Phillies might be trying to trade Pence.

As almost everyone knows, the Phillies are trying desperately to keep Hamels in Philadelphia for quite a bit of time. In order to do that, they obviously need to pay him a ton of money, and they can free up a lot of money by trading Pence.

Again, this move wouldn’t necessarily help the Phillies win this year, but it would definitely help give them the financial flexibility to keep one of their star players in town.

Trading Pence would probably be an unpopular move, but if either one of the reasons I’ve mentioned is true, it does make a lot of sense.

In one week, it will be the trade deadline. A lot is surely going to happen before then.

 

Whether you think I know everything or nothing about Major League Baseball, you should follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook and keep in touch. I love hearing what you all have to say!

Follow Zak Schmoll on Twitter.

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MiLB: Philadelphia Philles Extend PDC with Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs

The Philadelphia Phillies have recently announced that they will extend their Player Development Contract with their Triple-A affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

This extension is for four more seasons, keeping the IronPigs and Phillies together until the 2016 season.

The four years is the most that a minor league team and a major league franchise can hook up. For example, the Everett AquaSox of the Seattle Mariners extended their PDC earlier this month for only two years.

So why four years between the Phillies and IronPigs?

“This has been an exciting run for us here in the Lehigh Valley. The Phillies and IronPigs have a great relationship and we think it’s something that is going to be special for a long, long time,” said Steve Noworyta (via MiLB.com), the Phillies assistant director of player development.

The relationship between the two has been strong since the IronPigs joined the minor leagues in 2008. Ten current players that are on the Phillies roster have played for the IronPigs, and they are among 50 former IronPigs who have gone on to play in the bigs. 

The IronPigs have everything going for them other than extending their relationship with the Phillies.

Lehigh Valley, who plays in the International League, has the lead in its division with a record of 54-43, good for third best in the IL.

Lehigh Valley also leads the International League in attendance even though they are based in the third smallest city in Triple-A. Its ballpark, Coca-Cola Park, has received honors from Ballpark Digest as “Best New Ballpark.”

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Phillies Rumors: Phils Must Find a Way to Sign Cole Hamels Before Trade Deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies have lost a lot of games this season. The one thing they can’t afford to lose, however, is Cole Hamels this offseason.

All indications are that the team and Hamels are in the midst of heavy contract negotiations, though if the Phillies don’t feel they can re-sign him, they will look to trade him.

A source has told ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick that the talks have reached a “sensitive” stage and that Hamels could be line to earn a six-year contract in the vicinity of the $127.5 million Matt Cain deal, while Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com notes that the Phillies are desperately trying to retain Hamels:

“They’re trying—actively trying,” a person with knowledge of the situation told CSNPhilly.com on Monday afternoon. “They’re making offers.”

Hamels will be eligible for free agency at the end of the season. If the Phillies are unable to sign him to an extension before next Tuesday’s trade deadline, they will likely look to trade him for a package of young talent.

Hamels reportedly remains conflicted about whether to sign an extension now or test the free-agent waters this offseason, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:

The Hamels talks will accelerate this week; the non-waiver trade deadline is a week from Tuesday, and the Phillies need an answer. But the club, by taking this sudden pivot, has put Hamels in an awkward position. Not surprisingly, he is said to be “conflicted” about how to proceed.

Cole Hamels is a Philadelphia hero, namely after his epic 2008 postseason performance that saw him win the NLCS and World Series MVP en route to a world championship for the Phillies. He’s spent his entire career in Philadelphia, so trading him away—or worse, losing him via free agency after the season—would absolutely crush this fan base.

And what would it say of Philadelphia’s own opinion of its future?

No, the core of this team is not young. But there are players that will still be very effective next year, and even those who have many good years of ball still in front of them. You can’t tell me a team with a healthy Hamels, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay wouldn’t compete next year.

The Phillies absolutely have to find a way to get a deal with Hamels done. Elite left-handed pitchers don’t just grow on trees—or more accurately, in farm systems—and neither do pitchers who have proven to be incredibly valuable in the postseason.

The team has overpaid to bring in outside players before. Now it is time they overpay to steal Hamels’ attention away from any excitement he might feel about hitting free agency this offseason.

Changes will need to come in Philadelphia after this season. Shane Victorino likely won’t be retained. The bullpen will need to be improved. Adding a young position player or two would certainly be nice.

But one change doesn’t need to occur, and that is not seeing Hamels take the hill every five days. He’s a huge part of the Phillies’ present; he must remain an even bigger part of the team’s future.

Get this deal done, Ruben Amaro—anything less, and you’ll be dealing with a very cranky fanbase.

 

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets bring it home like Big Easy.

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Cliff Lee Trade Rumors: 10 Possible Deals Phillies Could Pull Off by July 31

We’ve been hearing the trade rumors for weeks now; the Philadelphia Phillies will trade Cole Hamels.  The Phillies will trade Shane Victorino.  The Phillies will trade their entire roster and rebuild completely from scratch.

Okay, so that last one was a bit of an exaggeration, but the point is that the Phillies are in a position to be sellers at the trade deadline.

One name that hasn’t been thrown around that much is Cliff Lee.  The 33-year-old former Cy Young Award winner would be a great addition for any of the 20-plus teams that have a legitimate chance of making the postseason.

Lee is owed $25 million in each of the next three years which may scare some teams away from trading for him, but he could be the difference between a team missing the playoffs and winning the World Series.

 

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10 Fire-Sale Trades the Philadelphia Phillies Could Make at the Deadline

If you haven’t yet come to terms with the Philadelphia Phillies‘ 2012 season, it’s time to face the facts. Barring any unforeseen five-game (or more) winning streak, the Phillies will almost surely be sellers by next week’s July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

The Phillies sit in the basement of the NL East at 43-54, 14 games behind the division-leading Washington Nationals and 10 games out of the second NL Wild Card spot. Almost all hope to win a sixth consecutive NL East title has been lost, and their chances of even making the postseason are bleak, though possible, as I outlined last week.

If the Phillies continue what has become the status quo this year, then they are bound to sell off at least some of their team this season. Rumors have started to come about concerning many of the team’s players, ranging from Placido Polanco and Juan Pierre to Shane Victorino and Cole Hamels. Whether or not a deal for each of the team’s rumored players will materialize between now and next Tuesday will remain to be seen, but when the deadline comes to pass, what has been solely rumors to this point will or will not be reality.

Last year, when I was a bit less knowledgeable about the state of affairs of the trade deadline, I wrote a slideshow that talked about potential deals should the Phillies buy or sell. None of the deals in that piece made sense, but this year, I promise that the trades in this slideshow will all be at least a little more practical should they have to occur.

Each of the 10 trades in this slideshow will be about one individual player and will give the team he will be traded to as well as the return for him (prospects and/or cash considerations), whether from rumors or just my speculation. Any prospect rankings are from the 2012 Baseball America Prospect Handbook, which ranked teams’ top 30 prospects before the season.

Without further ado, I bring you this year’s new-and-improved version of trades the Phillies could make at the deadline, fire-sale style.

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Cole Hamels Can Look at Cliff Lee and See His Future

Cole Hamels is apparently considering a long-term, long dollars offer from the Philadelphia Phillies. 

If the fan base’s treatment of Cliff Lee is a barometer, Hamels might want to think on it some more.

When the Phillies signed Cliff Lee to his five-year, $120 million deal two offseasons ago, the prevailing narrative was that the fans never wanted Lee to leave Philadelphia in the first place.  It was also pretty apparent that Lee never wanted to leave Philadelphia, either, as he moped publicly about being traded away from Philadelphia.

Prominent athletes almost never do that.

But there Lee was, when the Texas Rangers landed him in the World Series in October 2010, and the Phillies were facing the San Francisco Giants in the other semifinal. Lee made it known he would love to pitch against the Phillies and beat them.  It still bothered him.  It was like hearing a buddy grouse just a little too much about his ex-girlfriend—if he was really over her, she would never come up again.

At Lee’s December 2010 press conference announcing his return to Philadelphia, Lee said things that Phillies fans always wanted to hear. 

“I don’t know what the fans do to create that much more volume and excitement in the stadium, but it’s definitely something extra here,” Lee said. “They’re passionate fans. They understand what’s going on. They don’t need a teleprompter to tell them to get up and cheer.”

Smash cut to July 2012, though, and look at Phillies fans now.  Lee is 1-6 with an earned run average of 3.72. 

Granted, his WHIP is 1.16 and he has 106 strikeouts in 111.1 innings pitched. Comparing those numbers against his career to date, he is more or less in line: career ERA of 3.65, WHIP of 1.22, 1429 strikeouts in 1753 innings pitched.  

And, it’s not enough.

Lee is one of the first names mentioned these days when the fans call “WIP” or “The Fanatic” to propose trades as they bail out on this season. Trade Lee back to Texas, he was there before. Trade Lee to the Yankees, they wanted him when he was a free agent and they can afford his contract. 

Just get rid of him for whatever you can get, they say.

That didn’t take long.

So, here is Cole Hamels, 2008 World Series Most Valuable Player, a Phillie right from the start whose time has come to take the Phillies’ offer to stay, or to finish out the season and wait for the rest of the league to back up armored trucks to his front door.

Of all the ridiculous things that fans say about players in Hamels’ situation, No. 1 on the list is the idea of the “hometown discount.”  And, No. 2 on the list is the idea that a player should want to stay with “his team.”

Cole Hamels cannot be thinking about giving anyone a discount. Cole Hamels has one chance to sign this deal—and by “this deal” it must be understood as the contract that sets him up for life (unless he goes all Curt Schilling on us.)  Leaving even $5 million on the table in this circumstance is just silly.  Make the Phillies, or whoever, pay every cent they can.

As for staying in Philadelphia because he began here, well, so what? Steve Carlton was the greatest Phillie pitcher of the modern era. Where did he pitch for the first seven seasons of his career? 

St. Louis, that’s where.

This is Cole Hamels’ seventh season in Philadelphia.

The Phillies fans’ hue and cry to retain Hamels today is real and constant. But, he should not hear any of it.

Because, if he starts 2015 off 1-6 with an ERA of 3.72, a WHIP of 1.16 and 106 strikeouts in 111.1 innings pitched, the response will be “do you think the Dodgers are still interested?”

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Philadelphia Phillies Offer Six-Year Extension to Cole Hamels

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Philadelphia Phillies have offered ace Cole Hamels a six-year, $135 million contract extension with the Phillies.  

Hamels, currently on a one-year, $15 million deal, is reportedly deciding between whether to take the contract or wait for free agency and risk being traded.  If Hamels decides to test the market, he will likely be traded so the Phillies can receive prospects instead of draft picks in return.

Hamels, 28, is 11-4 with a 3.07 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 18 starts.  Since making his major league debut in 2006, Hamels is a career 85-58 with a 3.38 ERA.  Highlights of his career include three All-Star selections (including in both of the last two years), the 2008 NLCS MVP Award, and the 2008 World Series MVP Award.

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Phillies Trade Rumors: Latest on Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels and the ‘Phils

The MLB Trade Deadline is in a mere eight days, and rumors are swirling around Philadelphia stars Jimmy Rollins and Cole Hamels, among others.

The Phillies sit in the cellar of the NL East and sit 10.5 games back of the first place Washington Nationals.

Their five-year postseason streak looks to be coming to an end, and with the second highest payroll in baseball, the Phillies could be sellers at the deadline.

Scouts are streaming into Citizens Bank Park to scout the team’s top talent, as potential contenders around the league are looking for the missing piece to add their roster.

Some of the Phillies’ cornerstones are being tossed around into the hot stove. So, let’s take a look at the latest trade rumors for the ‘Phils.

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