Cliff Lee Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz, Speculation Surrounding Phillies Star

Updates from Tuesday, July 22

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN reports on the teams Cliff Lee could be traded to without his approval: 

Lee’s deal also includes a limited no-trade clause that allows him to block trades to 20 teams. According to a baseball source, Lee has listed Atlanta, Cleveland, Houston, Miami, Minnesota, the New York Mets, San Diego, Tampa Bay and Washington as the nine teams he can be traded to without his consent.

Updates from Monday, July 21

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN reported on teams taking a look at Cliff Lee after his return from the disabled list:

Fox Sports’ Jon Morosi reports how many teams are on Cliff Lee’s no-trade list: 

 

Original Text

On Friday night, the Philadelphia Phillies begin their second half in the National League East cellar with a 42-53 record. General manager Ruben Amaro has several assets who will be very valuable in trades, including left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee. 

According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, word around Philadelphia is the team would rather move Lee than Cole Hamels. 

“The strong belief, based on talks so far with the Phillies,” wrote Heyman, “is that the team would much prefer to trade Cliff Lee than Cole Hamels.”

However, another general manager quoted in Heyman‘s report wonders how you can possibly trade for Lee now, because he “isn’t pitching.”

Lee pitched in only 10 games this season before going on the disabled list May 20 with a left elbow strain. He was terrific in the games he did pitch, posting a 3.18 ERA with 61 strikeouts and nine walks in 68 innings. 

If you are asking teams to trade for Lee, who is 35 years old and will make $25 million in 2015 with a vesting option for $27.5 million in 2016, they need to see what he’s capable of doing and whether the financial investment is worth the cost. 

The 2008 American League Cy Young winner is on track to return July 21, according to manager Ryne Sandberg, per Marc Narducci of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

There is still no definitive word on what the Phillies plan to do at the deadline. Amaro did recently say the team would be “open to anything,” via another report from Heyman. That’s the first logical quote from Philadelphia’s general manager in almost two years. 

Given how expensive Lee will be the rest of this season and next season, it seems likely the Phillies will have to pick up some of that contract to get the package they want or settle for a lesser deal in order to get a team to take on all that money. 

Lee has been an impact starting pitcher for seven years, and there was little to suggest that was going to change before he got hurt, so a team in need of pitching help can elevate its standing dramatically if it acquires the lefty.

It’s still a steep price to pay for anyone, especially a pitcher coming off an arm injury who will turn 36 on August 30. 

 

If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter. 

 

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Matt Imhof: Prospect Profile for Philadelphia Phillies 2nd-Round Pick

Player: Matt Imhof

Drafted by: Philadelphia Phillies

Position: LHP

DOB: 10/26/1993 (Age: 20)

Height/Weight: 6’5″, 220 pounds 

Bats/Throws: L/L

School: Cal Poly

Previously Drafted: Never drafted

 

Background

If you want to know what the college experience can do for a player, Matt Imhof is the perfect example. The tall left-hander has grown into his frame the last three years after going undrafted in 2011, looking every bit the part of a workhorse starting pitcher. 

Even more encouraging is that he actually has room to fill out his body and add another mile or two to an above-average fastball. He’s taken to the role of Cal Poly’s Friday night starter—in college circles, the equivalent of a Game 1 starter—including a 3-1 ratio of strikeouts to walks this season. 

There’s always the concern that a pop-up prospect, which Imhof certainly is, without a long track record of success at the college level will fall on his face against professional hitters. But left-handers with his size and stuff don’t come along very often. 

 

Full Scouting Report

Note: Numerical scores are on the conventional 80-point scouting scale, with the current score first and projected score second.

Body/Mechanics

Imhof’s mechanics are unorthodox, which causes him problems with command and consistency with the secondary stuff; his right (lead) leg comes up, goes down and then moves forward as he comes to the plate, making it difficult to find the same release point from pitch to pitch; arm action is also a little long in the back, further hindering command. 

The good news is Imhof’s size allows him to pitch on a steep downhill plane with the fastball, making it difficult for hitters to get good elevation even when they make solid contact; has a great pitcher’s body and can at least log innings in a starting rotation. 

 

Fastball: 55/60

There are advantages to being left-handed, which Imhof capitalizes; fastball sits in the low 90s, touches 95 mph and moves in on left-handed hitters, giving it the illusion of being a cutter; gets excellent plane on the pitch and throws it for strikes with regularity; more velocity in the body coming, which leads to a plus projection for the heater. 

 

Slider: 45/55

Imhof’s breaking ball flashes above average at times, showing hard tilt down in the zone; can be the swing-and-miss pitch he needs to be a mid-rotation starter, though there are times when he will short arm the pitch, causing it to break with less tilt and staying in the zone long enough to find a barrel; good velocity, often in the high 70s, and the shape often suggests an MLB-quality pitch. 

 

Changeup: 45/50

A pitcher with Imhof’s size, natural fastball movement and quality slider doesn’t leave a lot of room for a third pitch; has some feel for the changeup, but throwing it for strikes is still a problem; needs to keep it around the zone for hitters to respect it; arm speed is solid with good velocity separation from the fastball. 

 

Control: 45/55

Imhof has no problems throwing the fastball for strikes; knows how to sequence well, working primarily off the heater while continuing to develop the secondary stuff; feel for the slider and changeup are still coming along; long arm action can lead to erratic moments, but he usually finds himself quickly. 

 

Command: 40/50

Best thing that can be said about Imhof is that he knows how to use the fastball; young pitchers can get lost while trying to pile up their stats that throwing off-speed stuff in fastball counts, which leads to speeding up the bats of a player who wouldn’t be able to catch the heater; needs better placement of all his pitches in the zone, especially the off-speed stuff; as long as fastball is around the zone, he will be solid.

 

MLB Player Comparison: Mike Minor

Atlanta drafted Mike Minor out of Vanderbilt in 2009 when he had average pitches and a good command profile. The tall left-hander added some extra giddyup on the fastball and refined his off-speed stuff, notably the slider and changeup, to become a very good starter in a deep rotation. 

Imhof has that kind of ceiling, though he will need more development time in the minors than Minor did. 

 

Projection: No. 3 starter on a first-division team

 

MLB ETA: 2017

 

Chances of Signing: 85 percent

Imhof is going to get a lot of money from this draft, if for no other reason than he’s a 6’5″ left-handed starter who can touch 95 mph with flashes of two average-or-better off-speed pitches. Every system in baseball wants one of those arms, but so few of them are able to get it. There’s always the chance he could take the Mark Appel route and bet on himself to jump into the top 10 next year, especially since he’s a young college junior, though it would be a huge gamble that could just as easily result in disaster. 

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Potential Michael Young Suitors, Trade Packages After He Cleared Waivers

The Philadelphia Phillies have been given a second chance to trade Michael Young before the end of the season after the third baseman cleared waivers, as reported by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

In doing so, any team can make an offer to the Phillies for Young and, assuming he will agree to a move, he’ll be dealt between now and the August 31 waiver trade deadline. This doesn’t mean that a deal is imminent or even likely, but there are avenues open to both parties. 

There was some chatter early Thursday when Young was initially in the Phillies’ lineup for an afternoon game against the Chicago Cubs then got scratched soon after. But it turns out a sore hamstring was the culprit, according to Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia. 

With the trade winds possibly swirling around Young and the Phillies once again, we wanted to look at teams that might have an interest in acquiring his services for the stretch run and what they could give up to make it happen.

 

Begin Slideshow

MLB Rumors: Examining the Hottest Potential Deals as Deadline Nears

Rumors and speculation are at the forefront of the Major League Baseball world this week, as the July 31,  non-waiver trade deadline approaches on 4 p.m. ET Wednesday. 

Every team, good or bad, has a specific plan that they want to execute this time of year. If you are a bad or disappointing team, you want to look toward 2014 and beyond by trading aging players and expiring contracts to replenish your system. 

On the flip side, the teams that really drive the deadline are contenders. Those that have identified their flaws, carried out plenty of scouting, and preparing offers they hope will satisfy the other general managers. 

If only things were that simple. Right now, what we get is a lot of whispers from around the league that will end up being nothing more than that. Bringing in a second wild-card team to each league has given more hope to franchises that otherwise would be planning their offseason moves. 

As we look at all the latest news and rumors coming out, here are our thoughts on what is being said. 

Begin Slideshow

Jan Hernandez: Prospect Profile for Philadelphia Phillies’ 3rd-Round Pick

Player: Jan Hernandez

Drafted by: Philadelphia Phillies (No. 96 overall)

Position: 3B

DOB: 1/3/1995 (Age: 18)

Height/Weight: 6’3″/195 lbs

Bats/Throws: R/R

School: Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy (Puerto Rico)

College Commitment: None

 

Background

Like last year’s top pick, Carlos Correa, Jan Hernandez has drawn a lot of interest coming out of a Puerto Rico baseball academy. While he won’t be taken as high as his fellow countryman, Hernandez does offer a good package of tools that make him a second-round talent. 

Even though Hernandez has played shortstop throughout his amateur career, it is obvious from his huge frame and eventual weight gain that he is going to be pushed over to third base. Fortunately, he has a solid profile for the position and could turn into a quality big leaguer down the line. 

 

Full Scouting Report

Note: Numerical scores are on the conventional 80-point scouting scale, with the current score first and projected score second.

Hitting: 40/50

Good swing with some polish already; bat speed is very good, though not elite; will have some contact issues, even against average velocity, with big leg kick and uppercut finish; must prove he can adjust to pitches down in the zone to hit for average. 

 

Power: 40/50

Still growing into power, despite large frame already; swing is geared more for power than contact, but potential for strikeouts limit home run ceiling; if he adjusts to professional pitching, power could end up being better than average. 

 

Plate Discipline: 35/50

Capable of driving a fastball over the fence with ease; doesn’t get great reads on off-speed stuff; shows a tendency to chase pitches down in the zone; pitch recognition is below average; won’t walk a lot, but shows enough to get on base at a decent clip. 

 

Speed: 45/40

Already a fringe-average runner; not going to beat out a lot of infield hits, but should do better than just station to station in pros; speed will decrease as he ages and adds more weight; won’t be big part of his game in three years. 

 

Defense: 50/50

Shows solid footwork at shortstop right now; limited range now and in the future will push him to third base; good glove and soft hands will play well at third base; must learn to react to the hitter rather than the ball when he moves to hot corner. 

 

Arm: 60/60

Best present and future tool; can make all the throws from shortstop; very good moving deep into the hole on his right side; accuracy is very good; will have one of the better third base arms in the future. 

 

MLB Player Comparison: Will Middlebrooks

 

Projection: Average third baseman on first-division team with good power potential. 

 

MLB ETA: 2017

 

Chances of Signing: 90%

While it is dangerous to put such a high number on a high school-aged player, when you really break Hernandez down, it seems clear that he is almost a lock to sign on the dotted line as soon as he is selected. 

The biggest clue is that Hernandez has yet to commit to a college, though he is reportedly considering the University of Miami. By not committing yet, he is giving teams every indication that he is ready to start his pro career right away. 

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Phillies Spring Training 2013: Daily Updates, Scores, News and Analysis

The times are changing in Philadelphia, though whether or not that is a good thing for the Phillies remains to be seen. 

It is no secret that this team is getting old, fragile and is betting a lot on some players who have never been very good or haven’t been good in a long time.

Adding Michael Young and Delmon Young as the starting third baseman and right fielder, respectively, has disaster written all over it. Acquiring Ben Revere from Minnesota will help the outfield defense, but he will have so much ground to cover on his own with Young and either Domonic Brown or Darin Ruf in the corner spots. 

The Phillies do still have a quality rotation, especially at the top with Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee. Getting Roy Halladay back and pitching close to the level he was at pre-2012 will be crucial. 

Spring training is huge for this team, because it has to keep all of its core players healthy if it wants to compete in the National League East. Chase Utley is as close to full strength as he is ever going to get, which is a huge boost to the middle of that lineup. 

But other than Utley, the batting order looks suspect. Ryan Howard can’t hit left-handed pitching; Carlos Ruiz is coming off the best year of his career at age 34 but is suspended for the first 25 games of the season for a failed drug test; and Jimmy Rollins had a .316 on-base percentage out of the leadoff spot last year. 

There is also no significant help coming from the minors. The Legend of Darin Ruf will get a wake-up call in the big leagues this season, as his tear through Double-A last season came at the age of 26, and he is miscast in the outfield. 

This is a fascinating team to watch, though not for a lot of reasons Philadelphia fans would like. Here is a closer look at what we expect the 25-man roster to look like, the projected starting lineup and daily results and news from spring training games.

Begin Slideshow

Philadelphia Phillies: Overview of Phillies’ Farm System and Prospects for 2013

The times are changing in Philadelphia. When it once seemed like the Phillies‘ window to compete would stay open for at least a few more years after putting together that rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels, this franchise is finding out that age can catch up to you in a hurry. 

Everything fell apart in 2012, thanks in large part to injuries. Roy Halladay had his worst season in nearly a decade. Cliff Lee got no run support. The offense sputtered for a long time trying to find itself. 

Despite all those problems at the big league level, the Phillies still managed to finish a respectable 81-81. However, that was not what they had envisioned just one year after winning 102 games. 

Things aren’t going so well down on the farm either, as years of trades and a lack of spending in the draft have left the farm system with a lot more questions than answers right now. The margin for error with the big league team is so small because there doesn’t appear to be any impact talent coming. 

Add to that some baffling moves this offseason (acquiring Michael Young to play third base and Delmon Young to play right field), and the Phillies could be looking at their first season under .500 since 2002. 

Here is a look at what the farm system has in place heading into 2013, potential breakout candidates and players who could make an impact this season, as well as what the team needs to see down on the farm. 

Note: All ages and stats courtesy of MiLB.com unless otherwise noted

Begin Slideshow

Hunter Pence: Trading Star Outfielder Should Be Phillies’ Top Deadline Priority

Hunter Pence was the acquisition who was supposed to put the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series last season. This year, the outfielder should be the piece that is used to help replenish the franchise’s lackluster farm system. 

Jim Salisbury of Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia wrote on Monday morning that the Phillies have at least explored the idea of trading Pence, who is under club control through 2013. 

Most interest is on Vic, Blanton. Phils have pushed Pence but want big return. Phils still have more than 24 hours to max return.

— Jim Salisbury (@JSalisburyCSN) July 30, 2012

According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, the Phillies have been pushing Pence more than Shane Victorino, who is two years older than Pence and will become a free agent at the end of the year, making him less valuable to a team trying to acquire him. 

Victorino joins Dempster and Broxton as a must-go free agent, though executives say the Phillies haven’t shopped him nearly as aggressively as Pence, who could make upward of $14 million through arbitration next season.

Pence may not be worth as much as the Phillies gave up to acquire him last year—namely, Jonathan Singleton and Jarred Cosart—but he should, at least in theory, fetch one top-level prospect. 

For the Phillies, trying to get younger and save money wherever they can should be their goal right now. At 45-57, 16.5 games back in the National League East and 12.5 back in the Wild Card, they aren’t going to the playoffs. 

But, looking towards the future, things could get worse before they get better in Philadelphia. The Phillies’ farm system used to be a strength, with homegrown talents Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels being key cogs for the 2008 World Series team. 

Plus, they were able to use their prospects to acquire Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence at various times between 2009 and 2011. 

Now, those impact players in the minors just aren’t there. Dominic Brown is still an interesting prospect, but his stock is not close to what it was two years ago.

Entering the year, Trevor May was the top prospect in the system. Now, he has given up 19 home runs in 110 innings and has an ERA of 5.15 in Double-A. They have a lot of problems in the upper levels of the minor leagues, which means all of their older players have to stay healthy for 162 games to give them a chance to win. 

With the team having no real signs of hope for the rest of 2012 or any time after that, keeping Pence to see his trade value go down the closer he gets to free agency doesn’t make much sense. 

It is time for the Phillies to face the reality of the situation—they are a sinking ship in desperate need of a life preserver. Trading Pence won’t turn everything around right away, but it would be a start. They just have to find the right deal to make it happen. 

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Phillies vs. Mets: Live Stream, Injuries, Pitching Matchups and Fantasy Preview

Before the 2012 Major League Baseball season started, if someone told you the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets would be playing a series in July with one of them in second place and the other in last place in the National League East, most people would have believed you. 

No one would have told you that the Mets would be in second place and the Phillies would be in last place, however. 

The Phillies are doing all they can to stay afloat right now. Injuries, age and poor performances from a lot of their stars have done a number on this team. They need some kind of return to normalcy soon if they want to stay in the race. 

The Mets are in the midst of a rebuilding process, though they have so many players firing on all cylinders right now that they look a lot better than they really are. 

 

Where: Citi Field in Queens, NY

When: July 3-5

Watch: Comcast SportsNet (Philadelphia); SNY TV (New York)

Live Stream: MLB.tv

 

Injury Report (via CBS Sports)

Philadelphia Phillies

60-day DL: RP Jose Contreras (Elbow), RP Justin De Fratus (Elbow)

15-day DL: RP David Herndon (Elbow), 1B Ryan Howard (Achilles), C Brian Schneider (Ankle), RP Michael Stutes (Elbow), SP Roy Halladay (Shoulder), 1B Laynce Nix (Calf)

 

New York Mets

7-day DL: OF Jason Bay (Concussion)

15-day DL: OF Mike Baxter (Shoulder), RP Frank Francisco (Oblique)

60-day DL: SP Mike Pelfrey (Elbow)

 

Pitching Matchups

Tuesday: Vance Worley (4-4, 2.92 ERA) vs. Jonathon Niese (6-3, 3.55 ERA)

Wednesday: Cliff Lee (0-5, 4.13 ERA) vs. Chris Young (2-1, 3.30 ERA)

Thursday: Cole Hamels (10-4, 3.08 ERA) vs. R.A. Dickey (12-1, 2.15 ERA)

 

Fantasy Studs

Cole Hamels, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

I am going with a pitching-heavy fantasy list for you, because I don’t trust either offense to produce a lot in this series. Plus, it helps when you have some of the arms going in this series that these two teams do. 

Hamels has been the most consistent pitcher for the Phillies all season. The team is reportedly exploring trade options for the 28-year-old lefty, so he will have even more eyes on him than usual. 

Going against a weak Mets lineup, don’t be shocked to see Hamels approach double-digit strikeout numbers in Thursday’s game. 

 

R.A. Dickey, SP, New York Mets

Who better to challenge Hamels for best pitcher in this series than the knuckleballer who will be going against him?

Dickey has excelled this season despite no one really being able to pinpoint how he is doing it. We know he throws a knuckleball and somehow seems to command the pitch like no one in history. Beyond that, his season has been bafflingly beautiful to watch. 

Considering the Phillies lineup isn’t much better than the Mets’, Dickey should have one of his patented seven-inning, 10-strikeout performances. 

 

Prediction

The Phillies are a sinking ship right now. This could be the series where everything completely blows up for them, though I don’t see it coming to that as they will steal a game in New York. 

Mets win series, 2-1

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Bryce Harper vs. Cole Hamels: What to Expect After Controversial Beanball

Just 17 days after Cole Hamels tried to make a statement by hitting Bryce Harper in the back with a pitch, they will be reunited on Wednesday night as the Philadelphia Phillies host the Washington Nationals. 

Hamels said after he plunked Harper that he was doing it to “continue the old baseball” that he grew up watching. 

Now that a little time has passed, it is time to look ahead to what Hamels, Harper and the other 48 players on the field and in the dugout will have in store for each other tonight. 

 

Hamels vs. Harper

While there will likely be a lot made about Harper’s first appearance in the batter’s box tonight against the Phillies lefty, don’t expect too many fireworks unless a breaking ball gets away from Hamels or Harper crushes a pitch 450 feet. 

Everything that happened in that Sunday night game is in the past. Harper didn’t have any issue with it, and it’s not like he suffered an injury, besides maybe a little bruise on his back. 

It is a fun story to talk about, but this is not the matchup that you need to be paying attention to when the first pitch is thrown. 

 

Edwin Jackson vs. the Phillies’ Lineup

Here is where you might see something brewing. Jackson has never been the best control pitcher in baseball, though that hasn’t been the case this year. In 51.2 innings pitched, Jackson has walked just 10 batters. 

If Jackson decides that he wants to get some semblance of revenge for Hamels hitting one of his teammates, don’t be surprised if it happens in the first or second inning against one of the Phillies’ best hitters. 

Names that immediately come to mind for Jackson to plunk are Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino and Carlos Ruiz. 

Victorino is likely going to be hitting third, so he will be the first of the three Phillies players to bat. He could get a fastball somewhat close to his body right away. 

 

Aftermath

Once the first two innings are over, I would say we will have our answer about what, if anything, the Nationals and Jackson are looking to do. I don’t want to see either team do anything, because it would just come off as childish. Hamels plunking Harper was idiotic, and trying to get “revenge” would be even more so. 

But on the off-chance something does go down, I imagine that the umpire will warn both benches, and that will be the end of it. These two teams have strong personalities in the dugout, led by managers Charlie Manuel and Davey Johnson. They aren’t going to do anything that will jeopardize the outcome of the game, which is really all that matters. 

 

Final Predictions For Hamels and Harper

Hamels: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 9 K, 1 BB (W)

Harper: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB, SB

Phillies win, 4-2

For more analysis on the Battle of the Century and other great mysteries of baseball, be sure to check me out on Twitter. 

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