Philadelphia Phillies: 4 Reasons Why the Time Is Now to Call Up Domonic Brown

I used to collect football and baseball cards pretty religiously when I was a kid.  

I would scrap together whatever money I could, fishing between couch cushions and doing odd jobs for the neighbors, to buy a pack for a few bucks.  Every once in a while, I’d see an individual card that I felt like was a must have.

Usually, that card was either an Eagle, like Randall Cunningham, a Phillie, like Darren Daulton, or a rookie with promise, because they’re the ones that end up being worth money.

Before they ever play a game, those rookie cards have value.  I remember buying a Curtis Enis rookie card way back when, and it immediately became the crown jewel of my collection.  You remember Enis—Penn State guy, drafted by the Bears, and few months later we realized all that “muscle” was really fat? It was worth 10 dollars, which is a lot when you’re seven.

Then, Enis took the field.  The next year, that card was worth three bucks.  The following year, it was down to a dollar.  Today, I’d be surprised if it’s worth a dime.

The value peaked based on promise, not performance.  

Now, it would be really mean to compare Domonic Brown to Curtis Enis—by all accounts one of the biggest busts in NFL history.  Still, though, I have a suspicion that Ruben Amaro Jr. sees him that way, to a degree.

Amaro knows what Brown is today—a toolsy prospect who has yet to prove himself on the big stage. 

He knows that, today, he could use Brown to bring in an impact player should the Phillies decide to buy at the deadline.

He also knows that, if the team goes into rebuilding mode, selling Brown as a cornerstone of the future would be a pretty easy proposition to a fanbase force-fed tales of his impending greatness.

That is why Brown is not a Phillie on June 12, 2012.  The moment he takes the field in what may be his last shot to show he can play in Major League Baseball, he loses his identity as a sky-is-the-limit-prospect.  Instead, he will be judged as any other player—by his performance.  

That’s a scary idea for a team will so few sure things going forward, seemingly fewer everyday.

Nevertheless, Brown should be the Phillies left fielder soon.  Like tomorrow.  Even if it makes his rookie card lose value.  

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Philadelphia Phillies: How the Phillies Can Get to First by the All-Star Break

The good news?

We’re about a third into the season, and the Philadelphia Phillies are only four games out of first.  A few breaks here or there, and we’re talking about a first-place club. 

They are in the top half of the National League in batting average, slugging percentage, ERA and fielding percentage.  The pitchers have struck out the third-most batters in the league, and the hitters strike out less frequently than those of any other team.  Carlos Ruiz is in the MVP discussion, like Cole Hamels is with the Cy Young. 

Now, forget everything you just read.

A look at the stat sheet doesn’t begin to tell the story of the 2012 Phillies.  This team has been one of the most painful to watch in recent memory (save for the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles, but that’s another article).  It has been a constant, collective letdown—seemingly night after night. 

The worst part of watching a team that won 102 games last season mosey along to a 28-28 record has been the inconsistency of the units. 

For the first month, the pitching was outstanding, and the Phillies couldn’t score any runs. 

Then, for a while, the offense picked it up, and the bullpen starting blowing leads.

Once the bullpen got it together, a combination of ineffectiveness and injury seemed to dismantle the once daunting rotation.

As the calendar turned to June, we appeared to be back to square one.  This is a club with no identity, and that’s something that can mitigate the success of even the most talented teams.

The only thing that will restore the Phillies to the game’s elite are the healthy, productive returns of Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay.  Anything short of what those three All-Stars gave in 2011, and this is an 84-78 team. 

Luckily for them, the National League East, while stronger than it has been in years past, might be full of a lot of 84-78 teams when all is said and done.  It’s about finishing ahead of the other clubs in the running, and a few quick fixes might give them a leg up in the short term to do just that.

First and foremost, they need to figure out a way to win close games.  They are 0-22 in games in which they trailed at the start of the eighth inning, the only team yet to win one of those contests.  They are also 1-6 when they go to the ninth inning tied with the opponent. 

This points to two problems—one, the thinness in the bullpen, and two, the ineffectiveness of the hitters against late-inning relievers. 

The first can only be solved one way—trade for a reliever.  Baseball writers have discussed the options, should the Phillies be buyers at some point before July 31, of adding a bat at either third base or left field. 

These needs are infinitely less pressing than the need to have an arm ready to go in a tight game in the eighth or ninth.  We’ve seen the scenario far too many times this season—tie game on the road, Bastardo already used up, and Chad Qualls or Joe Savery or some other schmuck comes in and gets banged around. 

There needs to be another reliable arm in the bullpen, period.

The second problem can be solved by—gasp!—being more aggressive at the plate late in the game.  The whole world knows that the best pitchers in baseball, both starters and relievers, beat you by getting ahead in the count and then finishing you off on junk. 

Much like the way hitters have adjusted to Halladay over the years and learned to swing early in the count, a swing a 0-0 might put a guy on second to start the inning.  Move the runner over, then a ball to the outfield, and “Let’s Go Eat.”

The other way the Phillies get themselves back to the top of the standings in the short term sounds crazy, but hang in there—stop challenging good hitters.

The Phillies have allowed hitters to homer (3.1 percent of the time) more than other team in the NL.  The have surrendered extra-base hits more frequently (8.8 percent) than any club below 5,000 feet.

Now, that sounds like the fix would be just to keep the ball down.  But they are doing that—sometimes.  Opposing hitters have hit into a Major League-leading 50 double plays against the club, and they are converting them at a higher rate than anyone.    

So, that means they are going soft and away with men on base and fewer than two outs, but leaving balls up or in the rest of the time.   Why not just pitch cautiously to everyone?  Just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

Ok, the last quick fix might be the most painful of all. 

Jimmy Rollins need to get off of the field.

The 2007 NL MVP has been a train wreck since signing his new deal last offseason.  He is hitting .237 and slugging .312.  Twenty-two percent of his at bats have resulted in infield flies.  Another 13 percent have been strikeouts.  

That means that over a third of the time, he is an absolutely wasted at-bat.  His defense, while not to the excruciating extent of his offense, has declined a bit too.  Plus, he’s lost a step.

Tell me this: What happens to Freddy Galvis when Chase Utley returns from the disabled list?

Galvis was groomed to be a shortstop.  He is better than Rollins defensively (if you don’t agree with that, than you haven’t been paying attention), but that isn’t really a shock.  He has hit for considerably more power than the artist formerly known as J Roll in 2012.

The 22-year-old is slugging .068 points higher than Rollins, banging out 19 extra-base hits to Rollins’ 12, in 34 fewer at-bats. 

Rollins trails Galvis in every major statistical category except average, OBP and runs.  His average and OBP are still laughable for a leadoff hitter, though. 

And Rollins would struggle to score too if he was batting in front of a pitcher and the worst offensive player on the team.  (The thought of Rollins trying to drive himself in might rediscover the dead-ball era, so I’ll stop there).

While it wouldn’t be perfect, if the Phillies can do these simple things—acquire a late-inning reliever, be aggressive against good pitchers, stop challenging good hitters, forget Jimmy Rollins at the airport—then they might be able to get back to the top of the division by July.

If they are in that position when the cavalry arrives, we might be in for another great summer.  Let’s just hope the fall is better this time.

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MLB Free Agency: Re-Signing Roy Oswalt Has No Downside for Philadelphia Phillies

Roy Oswalt will have his say in baseball’s pennant race soon. 

The free-agent starter is being pursued most vigilantly by the Cardinals, Red Sox, Rangers, Orioles, and his former team, the Phillies, according to reports.  While the fortunes of these clubs would be affected by his addition to varying degrees, the fact remains that he is a sought after commodity who will play a role down the stretch for a contender.

While GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has downplayed his team’s need—and subsequently, their interest—the fact remains that starting pitching depth could develop into an issue in Philadelphia.  When a 3-time All-Star says he is interested, it’s tough not to consider.

With Vance Worley sidelined, Kyle Kendrick has stepped in as a spot starter for the second time this season.  While a complete game shutout on Saturday may have quelled concerns about his ability to start in a pinch, he is still Kyle Kendrick. 

And if another starter were to go down, who’s next in line?

Amaro doesn’t even know. 

It might be Tyler Cloyd, but he’s made only six starts above Double-A.  Dave Bush and Scott Elarton are both pitching well in Lehigh Valley, but between the two, they’ve made only three Major League starts since 2010.

Needless to say, the in-house options are inferior to the addition of the 2005 World Series MVP. 

But if it’s depth were talking about, what would they do with the starters when everyone’s healthy?  A six-man rotation doesn’t make sense when you have the power and durability at the front of the rotation that Philadelphia does.

With Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Vance Worley, and Roy Oswalt as the starting five, Joe Blanton would become expendable, as he has seemingly been for three seasons.  He could become the long man in the bullpen—bumping Kendrick to Lehigh Valley, perhaps—or he could become trade bait.

Blanton has pitched well enough this season to regain some of the value he lost through the injury-plagued 2011 campaign.  Teams like Boston and Baltimore could absolutely have interest in the former first round pick—he could even be the piece that brings in Kevin Youkilis.

Besides adding depth to the starting pitching, and perhaps other areas if Blanton ceases to have a use on the club, Oswalt is also a proven down-the-stretch performer.  His presence on the team will do nothing but help the team’s playoff chances.

You don’t have to think too far to remember the impact Oswalt had the last time the Phillies acquired him mid-season (he went 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA in 12 starts after the 2010 trading deadline, in case you forgot).

The owner of 159 wins and a 3.21 ERA, The Wizard of Os saves his best baseball for the playoff race.  From August to October, he is 68-20 with a 2.72 ERA.  Finding guys with late-season numbers that good are really hard to find. 

All of this is why Amaro’s comments perplex me.  When you’re courting a top-flight free agent—like Oswalt—what possible good could downplaying your interest have? 

His asking price isn’t going to go down because he is questioning his own value.  Boston, Baltimore, Texas, and St. Louis won’t stop driving up the number.  In the end, while opening up the checkbook won’t necessarily secure the vet, you’re still going to have to pay him.

If healthy, Oswalt has the chance to be a big factor in deciding the way the standings look after 162 games.  If the Phils can find the cash in their bankroll, it could go a long way towards getting them back to where they want to be.

 

Follow Ben on Twitter for more Phillies stuff @Ben_Larivee

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MLB Trade Deadline: One Trade to Fix the Philadelphia Phillies

In trying to stretch the consecutive division titles streak to six, the Phillies will likely be looking for a deadline upgrade. 

Among other problems, the glaring issues with this team are in mid-to-late relief and power hitting. 

As of right now, the only reliable relievers appear to be Jonathan Papelbon and Antonio Bastardo, with guys like Chad Qualls and Jose Contreras becoming more and more obsolete in late innings of close games.  A quality eighth-inning guy could allow Bastardo to go back to a lefty specialist role and go a long way toward preserving leads.

The only two positions which could see an upgrade, really, are third base and left field, as all other positions have guys already entrenched. 

Placido Polanco is still a great defensive player, and the lack of a market for good every day third baseman–Chase Headley is probably the best option available–probably crosses third base off the list.

Left field, on the other hand, is being occupied on most nights by Juan Pierre or John Mayberry Jr.  Pierre is a nightmare defensively, mostly because of his laughable arm strength. On offense, he lacks any semblance of power.  A role as a pinch hitter or runner is more suitable for his talents. 

Mayberry Jr., meanwhile, is an average-fielding power guy who hasn’t hit for power this season (.324 SLG 1 HR).  He has shown the skills in the past to be a quality right-handed bat, but with no options left to send him to the minors, he has little chance of getting the playing time to figure it out if it still exists. 

While improvements appear more pressing than in years past, one call to a familiar foe—along with the eventual returns of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard—might be enough to get the club back to the playoffs.

That foe, of course, is the Houston Astros. 

While Ed Wade—the former Phillies general manager turned Astros GM and architect of the previous deals—is no longer employed by the club, the pieces still fit. 

When Ruben Amaro Jr. calls current Astros GM Jeff Luhnow, the two names that should be discussed from Houston’s end are Carlos Lee and former Phillie Brett Myers, both of whom are scheduled to be free agents at season’s end.

Lee is an accomplished power hitting left fielder. He had 60 extra-base hits last season and is hitting .296 with 11 extra base hits so far in 2012.  Even as a rental, acquiring the 35-year-old slugger would go a long way toward increasing run production for the Phillies up and down offense. 

Upon the returns of “Chyan Howtley”—writing both of their names every time has grown tiresome—the lineup would go Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, Pence, Lee, Ruiz, Polanco and pitcher. 

That looks pretty forceful.

It would also allot additional time for Domonic Brown to get ready in Triple-A.  The floundering offense from left fielders has increased pressure on Amaro to call up Brown from Lehigh Valley, but that is something he clearly isn’t ready for. 

With El Caballo entrenched and producing, the former top prospect could improve at his own pace and then—hopefully—take over for Opening Day 2013.

Adding the man who closed the game that clinched the first division title in this streak (and starting Opening Day the next season) might do more to help the team.

Myers has become a pretty lights-out closer in Houston, with 11 saves and a 1.80 ERA.  He could immediately become the primary setup man for the Phillies, a position currently being juggled by Bastardo and Qualls. 

While Qualls was strong in April, he has fallen apart to a degree in May, when opponents have hit .400 against him.  With Myers on board, the journeyman could go back to a role of pitching in lower leverage situations—a role which he has shown to be more comfortable with throughout his career.

The package the Phillies would have to put together for these two soon-to-be free agents wouldn’t need to be crippling to the farm system for that reason. 

The Astros seem to be a team on the rise with the hope to compete for a wild card as early as 2013 perhaps. 

Two Major League ready guys—like Mayberry Jr. and Phillippe Aumont, who could take the roster spots vacated by Lee and Myers—and a project with upside like Harold Martinez would almost certainly get the trade done.

The trade of Lee and Myers for Mayberry Jr., Aumont and Martinez would seem to be mutually beneficial. 

For the Astros, it would allow them to get pretty good compensation for two players they will likely lose at the end of the season anyway. 

For the Phillies, acquiring Lee and Myers would keep their window open with this core just a bit longer, while not depleting the system the way they’ve done in the past. 

Trade talks are about to heat up real quick, and talented players on the block won’t last long. 

Good thing Amaro has the Astros front office on speed dial.

 

Follow Ben on Twitter for more on all things Phillies @Ben_Larivee

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MLB Trade Deadline: Best Non-Kevin Youkilis Options for the Phillies at 3B

Third base is not a position of strength or the Philadelphia Phillies.  Placido Polanco is an adequate-to-excellent defensive third baseman, but as father time has taken his toll, his lack of power and consistency with the bat have made him an offensive liability. 

If the Phillies find themselves in contention upon the returns of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard—a huge “if” given the current landscape of the National League East—then an upgrade at third base is probably on the short wish list for GM Ruben Amaro Jr.

While that’s all well and good in theory, though, a pretty bare market coupled with an exhausted farm system might make the task significantly more difficult. 

The first name I’m crossing off the list is Kevin Youkilis, a name that’s been discussed a lot.  That’s not necessarily to mean that I don’t think it could happen, but despite his struggles offensively this season, he will no doubt be the target of many teams if things continue the way they’re going.  So this piece is written from the standpoint that he is no longer available. 

All of the stars at third—guys like Chipper Jones, Evan Longoria, Miguel Cabrera, Adrian Beltre, and Alex Rodriguez—find themselves on contenders.  They won’t be going anywhere before July 31. 

Other bigger names—David Wright, Ryan Zimmerman, and Hanley Ramirez, to name a few—are on teams playing above expectations, with chances to be buyers at the deadline for the first time in a while.  Don’t expect them to sell off cornerstones (pun intended) without crumbling first.

Then there’s the young guys—Will Middlebrooks, Mike Moustakas, Kyle Seager, Pedro Alvarez—that would demand far too much in return, and are more building blocks than trading chips.

So what’s left?

A mix of journeymen and poor defensive fits is what this market will consist of.  While some may be upgrades over Polanco in terms of power, they might be inferior on defense, or might not be as good at getting on base.  But for a team that’s fourth in the NL in hitting and second in fielding, it might be a trade-off worth taking.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Why It Was a Mistake to Treat Jimmy Rollins Like Jeter

Following the 2010 season, Derek Jeter made headlines when he and his agent, Casey Close, gave little ground in contract negotiations, in a move perceived to be as much about his career achievements as his future contributions. Close thought Jeter should be treated “like Babe Ruth,” while the Yankees thought his best years were behind him, and he should be paid accordingly.

In the end, the Yankees came to the realization that their captain meant enough to them to pay him like a player he might not be, as his contributions extend beyond the box score.  He was signed in December of that year for 51 million dollars over three years.

Jimmy Rollins hit free agency in the next offseason, following last year.  Similarly, the Phillies found themselves dealing with a player, few would argue, was past his prime, but there still seemed plenty of reason to give him the big money he craved. 

Thus, he was signed, after pretty calm negotiations, for three years and 33 million dollars It was the biggest contract, in terms of payout, of his career.

Both contracts appeared to be as much of a lifetime achievement award as anything else, but they were also expect to contribute.  A quarter of the way through the 2012 season, the Jeter contract looks exponentially better than the Rollins contract. 

Jeter is having one of the best seasons of his career, hitting .366 and slugging .523, while leading the American League in hits, with 56.  All of this came after notching his 3,000th hit last season, something the Yankees couldn’t let happen in another uniform, and certainly benefited from financially.

Rollins, on the other hand, is having a historically bad season.  His slugging percentage of .293 and OBP of .278 are both atrocious, and his WAR is negative for the first time of his career. 

He isn’t a good leadoff hitter, as he doesn’t take pitches or get on base.  He isn’t a good fielder anymore,  as his fielding percentage is the lowest of his career, and his range factor per nine is well below the league average for shortstops (3.78 to 4.27)

The worst part of this, though, is that we should have seen it coming. 

Rollins has never been the player that Jeter is on the stat sheet.  His MVP season in 2007 was great, but it appears to be an outlier in the course of his career.  He has made only three All-Star games and finished in the top 10 of MVP voting just twice. 

While Rollins has never hit .300 in a season, Jeter is a career .314 hitter. 

The Yankee captain has appeared in 12 All-Star games and finished in the top 10 of MVP voting seven times.  Of all active players, only Alex Rodriiguez, Albert Pujols, and Chipper Jones have higher career WARs than Jeter. 

Clearly, any attempt at a favorable comparison of Rollins to Jeter will be one made in vain.  But this wasn’t just about numbers. They were treated so similarly when it came to contract negotiations and, eventually, terms, for different reasons than their direct contributions on the field.

Beyond the box score, Jeter and Rollins are both seen as leaders, as well as big-time performers who crave the spotlight and show up most when the lights come on. 

While the reasons for this perception of Jeter are obvious – because they’re true – Rollins has gained these attributes by talking a lot and being on some pretty good teams.

In 2007, Rollins declared the Phillies the “team to beat” in an ongoing war of words with then-Mets‘ outfielder Carlos Beltran.  As his predictions turned to prophecy, with Rollins as the catalyst, he began to be recognized as the unofficial team spokesman, because the national media craves things like rivalries and guarantees. 

Over time, Rollins became viewed as the leader of the Phillies.  While the microphones and cameras seemed to gravitate towards him – and for good reason, because he always had something to say – the other members of the team just went bout their business, following the lead of guys like Chase Utley.

Some things a leader would never do, though, are things like taking plays off, like Rollins did in 2008, or showing up forty minutes late to a game, like he did a month later.  Both instances resulted in benchings, and really didn’t scream leader. 

J-Roll also doesn’t really show up any bigger in the big moments, as evidenced by his postseason batting average of .250 and his World Series slugging percentage of .267. 

Jeter, on the other hand, has hit .307 in the playoffs and slugged .449 in the World Series.  Again, he has earned the “big game” persona.

My final thought on the subject is about the legacy of these two players.

Derek Jeter is a needed piece of Yankees lore, which is impressive considering the team’s proud and accomplished tradition.  He is one of the six greatest Yankees of all-time, with Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Joe Dimaggio and Mariano Rivera.  To let him walk in free agency and watch him finish his career in another uniform would have been unacceptable, and was set from the start to be avoided, no matter the cost. 

Jimmy Rollins might not be on the Mount Rushmore of the Phillies from the 2000s, let alone the history of the club.  Seeing him in a different uniform would not be any more strange than seeing Pat Burrell in a Giants uniform, or Cole Hamels in Dodger blue.  Resigning the declining shortstop for so much money not only could have been avoided, but should’ve been viewed as hysterical. 

Over the next two-plus seasons, the Phillies will be forced to pay eight figures to a poor player with a big ego.  Rollins has joined Howard in the “Contracts that make me wish I had a time machine” club.  You could never say that about Jeter.

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Philadelphia Phillies: 10 Phillies with Something to Prove

Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels are going to keep racking up quality starts.  Carlos Ruiz, Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence will hit the ball hard and drive in runs.  And Jonathan Papelbon will continue to shorten games when the Phillies get ahead.

Winning baseball, though, is about more than your stars showing up.

Unlike in basketball, where a dominant big man and talented two-way wing player can seemingly win titles alone, or in football, when a top-tier quarterback can will a flawed supporting cast to a deep playoff run on the strength of his arm, baseball requires players to understand and execute their roles if success is to come.

The lineup has to get on base and score runs, the fourth and fifth starters need to contribute six and seven-inning starts and the bullpen needs to be able to bridge the gap to the closer if the team is ahead, or give the offense a chance if they are down, by keeping the opponent within striking distance. 

The Phillies’ problems this season have been more about the role-players than the stars. Plenty of contributors have something to prove as the calendar moves toward the summer and we start to separate contenders from pretenders, and buyers from sellers.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Cole Hamels’ Next Contract Will Have Plenty of 0’s

Cole Hamels is one of the top five pitchers in the National League, and he is one of the top four left-handed starters in the game today (with Clayton Kershaw, Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia). 

With a World Series MVP award and an expiring contract, Hamels is doing everything right to make his next paycheck as big as it can be.

When the San Diego native becomes a free agent this offseason, teams will line up to bid for his services.  He will be smart to test the waters, as the Dodgers, Cubs and others will have the resources and aggressiveness to drive up his price.

And other teams will be able to drive the price far beyond what he would get if he had extended with Philadelphia,  especially if that extension had come during Spring Training when negotiations seemed to have the most momentum.

Every time Hamels has toed the rubber this season, he has shown why he will likely be made the highest paid lefty in baseball history.  A pitcher who finished fifth in Cy Young voting last season, he looks much improved, and the numbers back it up.

He is 4-1 with a career best 2.45 ERA.  He leads the National League with 44 strikeouts, and he has walked just six batters in 40.1 innings.  His 7.33 SO/BB ratio is, also, the best in baseball, and his strikeout percentage (27.7 percent) and walk percentage (3.8 percent) are both career bests.

For a guy with an already accomplished career, posting career numbers is a big deal.

Sunday night, on national television, Hamels befuddled the division leading Washington Nationals, surrendering one run on five hits and striking out eight in eight innings.  

But you had to look at the “HBP” part of the box score to see where Hamels made the biggest statement—a statement, I think, answered as many questions as his dominant performance.

Nationals’ GM Mike Rizzo can say whatever he wants.  So, too, can Curt Schilling, and Stephen A. Smith and whoever else wants to pick on Hamels for drilling Bryce Harper. 

Hamels—not only throwing at the phenom, but doing it as brashly and matter-of-factly as he did—was a welcome sight to fans sick of hearing about the Nationals and their young star.

It goes even beyond that, though, for people who have been around this team and paid close attention to them since Hamels joined the big club. 

He has earned labels of aloof and nonchalant in this city, for his relaxed attitude on the mound, his off-field demeanor and some of the questionable things which he has said in the past.

Following Game 3 of the 2009 World Series, Hamels had one of those questionable slips of the tongue.

“I can’t wait for [the season] to end,” he said after he was pounded by the New York Yankees.

Things like that can really irritate fans.  What’s more, it can give a guy a label that might not be fair, as it’s based on a quote uttered out of frustration. 

Channeling your inner Bob Gibson is a good way to convince the baseball world that you are committed to both competing and winning.  For someone like Hamels—who, at times, looks to just be going through the motions—making a statement of a competitor means a lot to the perception about him.

To me, throwing at the former top overall pick and claiming it the way he did just screams, “I don’t care who you think you are, but this is my division.  And when you’re in the box against me, you’re in my world, kid.” 

That kind of action is important in making a name for yourself as a force on the mound—someone to be feared.  It’s something Hamels has never had.

Do you think Theo Epstein and Brain Cashman would get in a bidding war over a guy with questions about his competitiveness?  Or would the Dodgers and Red Sox shell out big bucks for a man who doesn’t always stand his ground?

Hamels has done a lot this year to maximize his value as a pitcher.  But what he did Sunday maximized his value as a baseball player. 

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Philadelphia Phillies: 2012 MLB All-Star Game Chances for Each Phillie

The Phillies have star power. Whether they are in first place or last, the names in that lineup are recognizable throughout the baseball world.

While some (most) of the 11 former All-Stars boasted by the club are on the downward slopes of their respective careers, being voted to the All-Star Game is often as much about popularity as it is about performance.

Of the 34 players on the National League roster, though, only the eight starting position players are voted by the fans. The next 16, including five starting pitchers, three relievers and eight backup position players, are voted in by their peers.

The roster is then filled out by the manager—who this season will be none other than Tony La Russa—leaving one spot open for the final fan vote.

While the Phillies haven’t been as dominating as fans would’ve hoped or expected before the season began, they have still had some standout performers who will undoubtedly garner consideration for inclusion in the Midsummer Classic. 

Albeit with a good amount of baseball between now and then, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to think the Phillies can match last year’s total of five All Stars, despite the sluggish start.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Jim Thome’s Return Doing More Harm Than Good

The Jim Thome experiment isn’t going the way the Phillies had hoped.

In a perfect world, a 41-year-old designated hitter, who played first base once upon a time, could field his old position one or twice a week.  In between, he could pinch hit in big spots, and mash right handers like big Matt Stairs used to do.

Then again, in a perfect world, Ryan Howard’s Achilles tendon would be intact, and power from the left side would be far less pressing an issue in the early part of the season.

But baseball is a world of imperfections.  And as Howard begins his rehab assignment in Single-A Clearwater, the Phillies have a difficult choice to make with the man he replaced way back in 2005.

Thome left Saturday’s game with tightness in his lower back — an injury about which there is no update as of this writing.  It was the fourth game he had started at first base this season, and while his ability on defense may have been a welcome surprise thus far, the durability questions cannot come as a shock.

After all, it’s the end of April, and Thome has already played more games at first than he had in any season since he left the Phils for the American League six years ago. 

From this point forward, it would be optimistic to think the five-time All-Star could play in the field at all, and Philadelphia fans may be content if he can fill the “bat off the bench” role as well as Stairs did in his days in red.

Pinch hitting, though, isn’t a flip of a switch.  You have to have the ability to come in cold, take a few practice swings, and be immediately mentally prepared to hit.  It’s a skill that some have, and others don’t.  Ross Gload had it, as did Stairs.  Thome, as great as he has been for 21-plus seasons, just isn’t a pinch hitter.

In his career as a starter, Thome has hit .278, slugged .558, and homered about once every 13 at-bats.

As a pinch hitter, he has hit .219, slugged .383, and hit a home run every 42 at-bats, or exactly as frequently as Julio Lugo homered in 2000.  That doesn’t sound like the slugger off the bench we are looking for.

(In case you’re curious, Stairs hit .355, slugged .581, and homered every 15.5 at-bats as a sub in 2008.) 

So this begs the question — If he can’t start at first, and he isn’t a good pinch hitter, what in the world do you do with him? 

Well, in the short term, it has to be considered that the Phillies play nine straight games in American League parks in the middle of June.  Even if The Big Piece is back and slugging by that time, there is no reason to believe Thome couldn’t DH those games with Howard playing first.

Between now and then, sending the owner of 604 career homers to the disabled list makes sense, or even to Lehigh Valley to work on coming off the bench to hit. It is not as if the team would suffer without the fan favorite, or his .111 batting average through 21 plate appearances.

After that, the issue becomes more interesting.  Would they release him?  It bears considering — he is occupying a valuable roster spot that could be claimed by any number of more capable contributors, especially Howard or Chase Utley when they return. 

One thing is for sure — it isn’t 2005 anymore, and as much as well all loved the big guy, he isn’t the player he used to be.  Sentimentalism cannot get in the way of winning baseball games.  I know that, you know that, Charlie Manuel knows that, and Thome knows that.

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