Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Most Underpaid Players of the 2012 Season

As the the baseball world is currently in Winter Meetings frenzy down in Nashville, Tennessee, the Philadelphia Phillies remain quiet on the transaction front.

At this point in the offseason in prior years, Phillies fans are used to GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. having already signed a top-tier free agent to a lucrative contract that is either an overpay in years, dollars or both. However, this offseason Amaro has been steadfast in his unwillingness to overpay for lesser talent, and it’s certainly praiseworthy. But that’s a conversation for another article.

Last week, I touched on covering the Phillies’ most overpaid players of this past season, but as one of my commenters noticed, it wasn’t entirely accurate because I accidentally used the batting values for pitchers’ worth in addition to hitters.

In brief, pitchers’ worth was determined by how well they batted, not how well they pitched, and in the National League those results will ostensibly not be in the pitcher’s favor. I apologize for the discrepancy.

Having said that, this article will be much more accurate in its accuracy concerning the worth of Phillies players in 2012. As was the case with the last slideshow, I will be using FanGraphs’ WAR-based dollar value amounts that constitute how much a player should receive on the free-agent market should they have hit free agency following the 2012 season and subtracting the player’s actual 2012 salary to determine how much money the Phillies saved and didn’t have to pay.

That doesn’t apply to many of these players, though, because only a select few are actually free agents after the season’s end.

And as was also the case, only players who spent the full season on the Phillies roster will be eligible for inclusion on this list, meaning that midseason call-ups such as Erik Kratz and Kevin Frandsen will unfortunately be excluded from this slideshow.

I present to you a correct version of the Phillies’ five most underpaid players of the 2012 season.

*Salaries courtesy of Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

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Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Most Overpaid Players of the 2012 Season

Now that the Major League Baseball offseason has finally had its kick start thanks to free-agent center fielder B.J. Upton signing a five-year, $75.25 million contract with the Atlanta Braves, big-name signings should start to increase in frequency over the coming weeks.

Add that with the Winter Meetings next week, and you’ve got a frenzy on your hands, albeit one that’s fun to watch.

For the Philadelphia Phillies, the offseason will be focusing on improving three main positions: center field, third base and the bullpen.

With the bullpen seemingly taken care of in light of the Phillies’ acquisition of Wilton Lopez from the Houston Astros (who else?) as their new setup man, barring any other bullpen additions, that’s one item that can be crossed off on the checklist.

As for the outfield, Upton’s signing creates a new discussion concerning the Phillies’ center field preference, as he was rumored to be the Phillies’ top target.

And then there’s third base, but that doesn’t seem to be as high of a priority to general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

In the meantime, with players signing new deals left and right, it’s also important to take a look back on players from this past season and see how they fared in terms of worthiness on their contracts.

Some players, from Juan Pierre to Jimmy Rollins, were worth much more than their salaries indicated. Likewise, there are a few players who failed to live up to expectations, both on the field and contractually.

This slideshow will examine the Phillies’ top five most overpaid players for the 2012 season using FanGraphs’ dollar value statistic. A player’s overall value was determined by subtracting the player’s FanGraphs value from their 2012 actual salary.

In terms of eligibility for this list, I only chose players who spent the entirety of the 2012 season with the Phillies. Current free agents who were on the Phillies for all of last season are eligible, however.

Without further ado, I present to you the five most overpaid Phillies of the 2012 season (ranked in ascending order).

*Salaries courtesy of Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

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4 Reasons Philadelphia Phillies Fans Hate the Atlanta Braves

Expecting the New York Mets, were you? Not this time.

When the average Philadelphia Phillies fan thinks of the baseball team they despise the most, the team that usually comes to mind if the New York Mets, and rightfully so. They won two World Series before the Phillies won their first despite being a younger franchise. For years they were a better team, and in Philadelphia that does not resonate well with fans.

However, it’s been at least a good six or seven years since the Mets were competitive, and at least from what I’ve seen, some of that rivalry has died off. Well, from Philadelphia’s perspective, anyway. Chances are that Mets fans aren’t so high on the Phillies right now since they single-handedly prevented the Mets from making the playoffs in 2007 and 2008.

Since the Atlanta Braves have made a resurgence a few years back, they have competed neck-and-neck with the Phillies for the NL East crown. Granted, the Phillies did not create that opportunity for themselves in 2013, but in the two or three seasons before that, it’s been the Braves who have caused problems for the Phillies.

Here’s four reasons why Phillies fans hate the Braves.

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Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Team Areas That Most Need to Be Addressed

This offseason should be an intriguing one for the Philadelphia Phillies. They head into free agency following their first non-playoff season since 2006. With no remarkable free agents thanks to the Cole Hamels extension and Shane Victorino and Joe Blanton trades, the Phillies really have no departures to worry ,but nonetheless have many a hole to fill.

Among the Phillies’ biggest weaknesses this past season were the bullpen, outfield, third base, and despite offseason additions to prevent it, the bench.

Acquisitions such as Chad Qualls and Ty Wigginton blew up in the Phillies’ faces, and while Jim Thome was a nice clubhouse presence to have back, he really doesn’t belong on an NL team at this stage in his career. Laynce Nix was also average when he played, but he spent a good portion of the season on the DL with a calf injury.

Additionally, players such as Placido Polanco and Jose Contreras were signed for one year too many on their contracts, and with both of their options bought out, the two have become free agents. Midseason acquisitions Josh Lindblom and Nate Schierholtz struggled out of the gate as Phillies, the latter even possibly a non-tender candidate. And with Qualls failing to deliver as a veteran presence, the relatively young bullpen, on the whole, was atrocious, save for Jonathan Papelbon and Jeremy Horst.

Keeping that in mind, the Phillies have many positions in need of an upgrade. Here’s five that stand out.

 

All projected Opening Day lineups courtesy MLBDepthCharts.com

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Philadelphia Phillies: Could Another Trade with Toronto Blue Jays Be Lurking?

Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. and Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos have followed two very similar career paths. Both held the position of assistant general manager with their respective teams before being promoted to their current GM roles. Both dealt together in making the Roy Halladay trade become a reality before 2010. And both of them, though with some slight variations, are nifty in their dealings—Amaro in acquiring top-tier talent, and Anthopoulos in successfully dealing with a low budget.

Okay, maybe the comparison is a stretch, but it’s no secret that these two men have dealt with one another many a time in transactions.

The aforementioned Halladay trade saw Doc come to Philadelphia and Phillies prospects Kyle Drabek, Travis d’Arnaud and Michael Taylor get sent north (though Taylor was then flipped to Oakland for Brett Wallace). Even though this was indirect, when the Phillies acquired Roy Oswalt at the 2010 non-waiver trade deadline, Phillies prospect Anthony Gose was swapped for Wallace with the Houston Astros.

Since then, no trades of major significance have occurred between the Phillies and Blue Jays. Ben Francisco was sent to Toronto before the 2012 season. September call-up Tyson Brummett was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays almost two weeks ago, only to see that he would be outrighted off the 40-man roster and sent to Triple-A in favor of the Phillies’ 2010 Rule 5 draft pick, David Herndon, who is currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.

Additionally, the Houston Astros have had a great relationship with both teams as well. Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett were traded to Philadelphia for a package headlined by now-free agent Michael Bourn. Oswalt came to Philadelphia in 2010 for a package centered around J.A. Happ. And now Happ is a Blue Jay and Francisco is an Astro after a 10-player trade that was among the first major trades to occur at this past year’s trade deadline.

Lastly, there was of course Hunter Pence, whom the Phillies acquired at the 2011 trade deadline in exchange for four prospects, three considered to be among the Phillies’ top 10 at the time. Pence has since been dealt to the now-World Series champion San Francisco Giants.

Aside from this past year, though, it was former Phillies GM Ed Wade at the helm in Houston. Since he’s not there any longer, a relationship between the Phillies and Astros may not be as strong as it once was. But with both GMs in Philadelphia and Toronto still intact, maybe another trade could be in the works?

Toronto has a strong need for pitching. Their bullpen, though decent in 2012, needs some work. And after the collapse of Ricky Romero and an overwhelmingly strong injury bug, their starting rotation could use some reinforcements as well.

The Phillies, on the other hand, have some pitching to spare. Their bullpen depth, both at the major league level and in the high minors, is excellent. And if there’s any prospect department the Phillies have some depth in, it’s starting pitching.

That’s good news.

Perhaps I’m overshooting this in light of recent minor activity, but if Toronto has been looking at Brummett and Herndon, two relatively insignificant players, who else could they be eyeing on Philadelphia’s roster?

With a need for starting pitching evident, the Blue Jays could very well be taking a look at Vance Worley, Kyle Kendrick, Tyler Cloyd or even top pitching prospects Jonathan Pettibone and Trevor May. Jesse Biddle is also a hot commodity, but I have a hard time seeing him traded unless it’s for a superstar.

 

 

Worley, though highly regarded as a Phillie and admired by fans, is not nearly as untouchable as he was in 2011. Coming off of an ill-fated 2012 season that saw him struggle through bone chips in his elbow, Worley was ultimately shut down at the end of August to correct the problem. The potential still exists, though, and Worley could make a nice three or four starter over the border.

Kendrick, who’s under contract in 2013 for $4.5 million, will have one additional year of arbitration eligibility in 2014 before he hits the market after that season. He’s been a solid option to have as a long man out of the bullpen and as an occasional fifth starter, but the issue in Philadelphia is that there’s no obvious role for him between the two. Although he’s slated to have the fifth starter role as of now, perhaps a Cloyd or Pettibone could spell him from it in spring training.

To avoid any complications, one of Worley or Kendrick could appeal to Toronto. In Worley‘s case, the Blue Jays would receive a starter who’s under team control through the 2018 season, and in Kendrick’s case, a versatile pitcher who’s under contract for two more seasons. Neither player would be a terrible acquisition, though Worley obviously has higher value on the trade market.

So who would appeal to the Phillies on Toronto’s roster? Well, they share an issue with the Phillies in that they don’t have a cemented left fielder, as Rajai Davis has had his struggles in left field. Even center fielder Colby Rasmus has shown a lack of consistency. The outfield isn’t a match, unless the Blue Jays want Phillies center field prospect, Canadian Tyson Gillies. No way Jose Bautista changes hands, either.

Unless third baseman Brett Lawrie becomes available, he’s off the table, as are Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind. Yunel Escober has had his fair share of off the field issues, and the Phillies don’t exactly have a need at shortstop, either. And then there’s J.P. Arencibia, who’s got the catcher’s job under his belt, but again, that’s not a need for the Phillies, who have Carlos Ruiz.

With no apparent major league fits, who do the Blue Jays have in the minors? Since they have an incredibly strong farm system, it would not be surprising to see Toronto possibly delve within their organization to make a deal happen. After all, the Phillies do need prospects.

Among the most desired prospects of all is former Phillies prospect, catcher Travis d’Arnaud. d’Arnaud, a former supplemental first-round pick, was traded for Roy Halladay before the 2010 season. Since then, he’s emerged as one of the best catching prospects in the minors, and even won his league MVP in 2011. As for 2012, d’Arnaud started off strong, though he ended the season on the disabled list with a torn PCL.

Since Toronto has Arencibia entrenched as the starting catcher for the foreseeable future, what sense does it make for them to keep d’Arnaud in the minors? If they’re not going to use him as a full-time catcher, the best option would be to deal him while his value is high, and it certainly is just that.

With d’Arnaud coveted by the Phillies and considered to be Toronto’s top prospect, maybe a Worley-d’Arnaud straight-up swap  would be all that it takes.

My guess is that Worley holds slightly more value than that, however. Having said that, perhaps Christian Lopes would be a viable option to include.

Lopes, the 29th-best prospect in the Jays’ system according to Baseball America‘s 2012 Prospect Handbook, has both second base and shortstop potential. However, with the huge trade with Houston in addition to the 2012 season having ended, MLB‘s Prospect Watch now has Lopes as the Jays’ 17th-best prospect. He’s still in the low minors, though he’s got great bat speed.

If it took more than Worley to make a d’Arnaud/Lopes return possible, maybe one of the Phillies’ bullpen pitchers would be attractive to Toronto.

Yes, they did just take two of them off the Phillies’ hands, though neither one has as high a ceiling as a, say, Josh Lindblom, Michael Schwimer or even Michael Stutes. It would certainly free up a bullpen spot for the Phillies, and would make the inevitable spring training bullpen fight a little less challenging for management to decide. Even if it also took Tyler Cloyd, that wouldn’t be the worst thing, either.

If I had to make a guess, I’d say that such a trade would involve Worley and Schwimer being sent to Toronto for d’Arnaud and Lopes. I would guess Schwimer only because of Stutes‘s uncertainty after coming off shoulder surgery, though Stutes probably has the higher ceiling of the two.

It’s anyone’s guess as to what sort of package the Phillies could receive in a Worley trade, especially with Toronto. And keeping in mind that this is also all speculation, who knows if a trade’s going to occur at all?

Regardless, this offseason will be a creative one for the Phillies, one that could involve trading Vance Worley, And if the Blue Jays want to get a decent, controllable pitcher, Worley‘s a fantastic option for them. Though not nearly close to the blockbuster involving Halladay almost three years ago, this trade would be a nice deal for both sides, as it fills their needs. The Blue Jays get pitching, and the Phillies, though now possessing Tommy Joseph, get one of the best catching and overall prospects in the minor leagues back in their system.

What do you think? Share your thoughts, predictions and suggestions in the comments below.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Predicting the Philadelphia Phillies’ Lineup in 2 Years

Entering an offseason with many question marks ahead, the Philadelphia Phillies have some holes to fill. They have a major outfield vacancy, specifically in center field. Their third base situation is also sketchy. And a veteran reliever or two certainly wouldn’t hurt after the younger relievers showed this past year that they can’t handle the workload by themselves.

All those holes will be filled in a matter of weeks. But what about two years from now? Where will the Phillies stand heading into…say, 2015?

Perhaps that’s a bit to far away to judge. Trades, free agency signings and the like are bound to happen, so what will be predicted in this slideshow and what will realistically occur are probably going to be very different from one another.

Some of the current Phillies under contract will still be around for 2015. Others will have moved on to other teams, while some may have even retired. There’s also prospects who could be promoted by then. Since both the players and even the manager could be different by 2015, who bats where, per se, will not be predicted; rather, who is playing where is what will be determined.

So, without further ado, here is the projected 2015 Opening Day lineup for the Philadelphia Phillies.

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Why the Phillies Will Find Their Way Back to the Top of the NL East in 2013

It’s been a year now since the Philadelphia Phillies have won their fifth consecutive NL East division title. And next year, should they win it again, the count starts over.

2012 was a year of change for the Phillies. It signified that if they weren’t at full strength, they no longer possessed what it takes to win. In the past, losing players such as Chase Utley for a few months or Jimmy Rollins for half the season may have knocked a couple of wins off the board for the Phillies, but now it’s clear that missing more than one of these guys at a time is detrimental.

However, as is the case with each new season, 2013 will be a fresh start, a new leaf turned over. Players such as Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Roy Halladay and Vance Worley are all expected to be at full strength heading into next season. That, along with a revamped coaching staff that has Hall of Fame second baseman and former Triple-A Lehigh Valley coach Ryne Sandberg as the third base coach, should bring not only hope for Phillies fans, but excitement as well.

The offseason is only beginning. The Phillies could make a move to sign an outfielder, trade for a third baseman, ink a bullpen arm. While some of these are more likely than others, who knows what will happen?

Phillies fans, there’s a lot of reason to think that the Phillies will win the NL East once again in 2013. And here’s why.

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Free Agents the Philadelphia Phillies Should Pursue in the Offseason

It’s been a season of flux for the Philadelphia Phillies this year, to say the least. Last year, though eliminated in the NLDS by the St. Louis Cardinals, the Phillies were the best team in baseball with a 102-60 record. This year, the tides have changed.

After having posted nine consecutive winning seasons, the Phillies are in jeopardy of not achieving their tenth straight season with a record above .500. If they plan on doing so, they have to win two of three in their upcoming series in Washington against the Nationals. Anything less, and it’s either .500 or a losing record, and either of the two ends the streak, which is the third-longest (second-longest if it persists) of its kind in the majors.

The attitude around Philadelphia concerning the Phillies has ostensibly changed. Last year, it was win the most games in franchise history and then the World Series. Now, it’s just to finish the season with a winning record.

However, there is one thing about the Phillies that has remained constant from last year to this one: they’re still a big market team. The Phillies have recent winning seasons on their side and their lack of a playoff appearance this year can at least somewhat be attributed to injuries to Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. Whether or not any baseball fans can be led to such persuasion is one thing, but perhaps baseball players looking to sign somewhere, such as Philadelphia, will feel the same as I’ve mentioned.

The Phillies’ free agency shopping list is no doubt comprised of the following: center fielder (possibly a corner outfielder as well), third baseman, and potentially a relief pitcher. A starting pitcher could also see his way into the fold, though that’s less likely given the Phillies’ internal options of Kyle Kendrick, Tyler Cloyd and possibly even Jonathan Pettibone. This list will focus on some options at those positions who will be free agents this offseason and could be a fit for the Phillies.

Let’s get to it.

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How Charlie Manuel Can Get the Most Out of the Young Phillies

After losing two of three this past weekend to the Atlanta Braves, it’s almost safe to say that the Philadelphia Phillies are out of the playoff picture. Despite a 6-3 victory over the division-leading Washington Nationals Tuesday night, the Phillies remain 5.5 games out of the second wild-card spot.

With only eight games left, let’s just say the odds aren’t in the Phillies’ favor.

So it may behoove Charlie Manuel to give the team’s younger players a shot to see if they can fill any of the team’s many needs. With the offseason looming, the Phils figure to be in the market for a third baseman, center fielder and a veteran bullpen arm. Possibly a starting pitcher, too.

Although seemingly adamant about not doing so, Manuel finally gave Eastern League MVP Darin Ruf his first major league start Tuesday night. It was a breath of fresh air, and though it might have signified that the end of the Phils’ playoff chances is near, that start created hope, both for this year but primarily for next.

Since Ruf could be fighting for a major league job next year, it’s important for the front office to get a good look at him, both offensively and defensively. If they feel he’s ready, the Phils won’t have to shop for a left fielder. Likewise, if they don’t like what they see, you can add a left fielder to the offseason shopping list.

Along with Ruf, many of the Phillies’ relief pitchers are young guys who will be competing for major league jobs in spring training. The outfield has a fight brewing as well. Aside from Ruf, Domonic Brown, John Mayberry, Jr. and Nate Schierholtz will be competing for starting jobs.

To give all the players a shot, especially the younger ones, Manuel will have to mix things up a bit. Here’s how he can do just that.

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5 Keys to the Philadelphia Phillies’ Insane Resurgence

Maybe their chances are a bit slimmer after their four-game series loss against the Houston Astros this past weekend, but the Philadelphia Phillies—that series aside—have been as hot as anyone in baseball in the past month.

Since August 17, the Phils have gone 19-6, and before their deadly series against Houston, they had gone 19-3. That’s incredible.

Coming off a seven-game winning streak, the Phillies dropped three games to Houston this past weekend, and after climbing back over .500 on Wednesday for the first time since June 4, the Phils have dropped back under just as quickly.

Sitting at 73-74 before play against the New York Mets, the Phils absolutely have a chance to get back over .500, and they certainly have a chance to nab the second NL Wild Card spot—though that will be a much more daunting task.

It’s taken a lot for the Phillies to get back to where they sit now. Even though they are still four games shy of a playoff spot and are statistically unable to win their sixth straight NL East division title, the Phils are far from out of anything.

Had you asked me on August 17 when the Phillies were 54-65, I would’ve still thrown out any hopes for the Fightins’. But that’s why they’re the Fightins’—they simply don’t give up, even when the fans may have done so already.

Whether it’s because the offense has turned it on, the pitching has gathered itself, the bullpen is no longer a liability or a mix of the three, the Phils have turned it on at just the right time. Here’s five reasons why their sudden turnaround has come to fruition.

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