Philadelphia Phillies: Predicting Leader in Every Major Statistical Category

If the arrival of pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training in Clearwater, Florida doesn’t get you excited, then maybe Roy Halladay arriving in a 1932 Roadster will. Phillies Nation will instinctively flock south in a few weeks to watch the five-time defending NL East champions.

Over 3.1 million tickets have already been sold for the 2012 season, including 70,000 single-game tickets which were sold on February 17, 2012 (the first day single games were available) at Citizens Bank Park. While there are many questions that we will look to have answered before Opening Day, there is no question that the Phillies still are the favorites in the National League.

After all, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels (Nos. 1, 2, 3) are as good as it gets. Philadelphia, enjoy the ride of a 162-game season. Let’s try to not look ahead to the postseason.

We will worry about the postseason later, so here is a prediction of the Philadelphia Phillies leaders in every major statistical category.

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Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Reasons to Be Excited About Trevor May

ESPN’s Keith Law recently released his top 100 prospects in baseball and former fourth-round pick Trevor May was the lone Phillie to appear on the list. May appeared on this well-regarded list last year at No. 93 and jumped to No. 76 this year.

I would suggest that other Philadelphia Phillies fans steer clear of the list as it features a number of former Phillies that were traded away to acquire the likes of Halladay, Lee, Oswalt and Pence. Travis D’Arnaud came in at No. 6, while Jon Singleton was in the top 50,

Anthony Gose and Jarred Cosart also made the cut. With the Phillies getting older, it becomes imperative that they continue to groom younger (cheaper) players who can make an impact at the major league level.

Vance Worley, Michael Schwimer, Phillippe Aumont, Michael Stutes and Domonic Brown all are reasons to remain optimistic, but Trevor May has top of the rotation potential, and that doesn’t come around often.

May is only 22 and here are just five reasons to be excited about the young righty.

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Ryan Howard and the 5 Most Overpaid Players in the NL East

The National League East is loaded with more star-studded players than ever, with teams like the Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals opening their checkbooks to land some of the top free agents in MLB.

The Philadelphia Phillies are once again the Vegas favorites to win the NL East and the National League, but don’t be surprised if the Phightin’s have to sweat a bit more in 2012 once September rolls around.

The Phillies’ path to another NL title may conceivably be easier in 2012 with the departures of Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder and pending 50-game suspension of reigning NL MVP Ryan Braun.

With teams in the AL throwing mind-boggling wads of cash to players, it may leave outsiders thinking that the NL East is cheap. There are some huge contracts in this division and leave fans shouting, “He’s overpaid!”

Here is a list of the top five overpaid players in the National League East.

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5 Most Versatile Philadelphia Phillies Prospects

The Philadelphia Phillies are already the consensus pick to win the National League in 2012, as they return the best pitching staff in baseball and an improved bullpen. It doesn’t hurt that sluggers Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols are playing in the mighty American League, either.

While Ruben Amaro Jr. made a huge splash in free agency at the Winter Meetings with the free-agent signing of Jonathan Papelbon, it seems clear at this point what the GM set out to do to improve this club.

Improve the bench with versatile players that can play a myriad of positions and have some pop in their bat. Charlie Manuel now has much more flexibility in the later innings with the acquisitions of Ty Wigginton, Laynce Nix and Jim Thome.

A prospect that can play more than one position has a better chance of playing in the big leagues. They can fill different needs that a team may have over a grueling 162-game season.

Here are the Philadelphia Phillies’ most versatile prospects.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Can Cliff Lee Pass Roy Halladay as Staff’s ‘Ace’?

Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay may currently be the two biggest superstars in the city of Philadelphia. There is a good chance that you will see a Halladay or Lee jersey if you walk around the city, and that’s even during the offseason.

That’s also in a city that features the likes of Michael Vick, Jaromir Jagr, Claude Giroux Hunter Pence, and to a lesser extent the first-place baby Sixers with Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner and Co.

Who would’ve thought that Philadelphia would have even half of those names a decade ago? Anyone?

Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee form the most dominant one-two punch in MLB, and even third starter Cole Hamels would be a starter on almost any other in team in the league. Both Lee and Halladay have won a Cy Young in the American League, and Halladay won it for the second time in 2010 while pitching in the NL for the Phils.

Halladay became only the fifth pitcher ever to win the award as a member of both leagues and almost won it again in 2011. This article by Fangraphs does a great job proving why Halladay and Lee were both more deserving of the Cy Young than Clayton Kershaw last season.

Halladay is the consensus best pitcher in baseball, but could Cliff Lee be better in 2012?

Let’s take a further look as to why Lee could outshine the “Doc” this season.

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Would Letting Cole Hamels Walk Be Bigger Mistake Than Trading Cliff Lee?

People across the city took to the streets, airwaves and television to voice their displeasure, sickness and flat-out anger when the Philadelphia Phillies announced that they traded away man-crush Cliff Lee. Lee had seemingly just finished dominating the team that everyone loves to hate most (New York Yankees) when GM Ruben Amaro was finally able to land his main target in Roy Halladay.

Lee was traded on the same day in a move that was intended to “replenish the farm system.” The city of Philadelphia is much too smart to accept such an explanation for a move that was clearly financially motivated.

The Phillies knew that Lee was expecting a huge payday via free agency (ironically from the Phillies, but that’s another story), and they made the decision to get prospects for a guy that they would be unable to re-sign.

Lee is a Cy Young-caliber pitcher, but when he was shipped to the Seattle Mariners the city took it personally.

How dare our beloved Phillies trade away a guy that embodies everything that is great about our city? Blue collared and tenacious, he was a guy that just seemed to “get it” when it came to being an athlete in the greatest sports town in the world. 

Credit to Ruben Amaro and the rest of the Phillies ownership in swallowing their pride and re-signing the player that they never should’ve traded in the first place to a monster deal. Now the clock is ticking on Ruben Amaro to re-sign his youngest and brightest star, King Cole Hamels.

Cliff Lee has already etched his name into the minds and hearts of Philadelphia for his great postseason, but Cole Hamels delivered a World Series to a championship-starved city. Hamels is reportedly seeking a Cliff Lee-type deal, and many around MLB are questioning whether the Phillies will pony up another $20-25 million a year for a starting pitcher.

 

News check, Ruben—pay the man!

Hamels will be 28 this season and may not even have entered his prime yet. Pretty scary to think about considering he is 74-54 with a 3.39 ERA and 1.14  WHIP over his young career.

Not to mention, he is 7-4 in the postseason. Hamels has everything that you would want in a starting pitcher. He throws in the mid-90s, has a great cutter and one of the best changeups in MLB.

Again, he will only be 28 this season; an age when many pitchers just start tapping into how great they can truly be.

The New York Yankees are salivating at this point with the opportunity to sign one of the game’s best in Cole Hamels. Ruben Amaro was able to ink Hamels to a one-year, $15 million deal to avoid arbitration, but his work is just beginning.

Citizens Bank Park sells out every night, and the Phillies led MLB again in attendance in 2011. Popcorn, ice cream, cheese steaks, adult beverages and merchandise for the Phightins sell as soon as they hit the shelf.

Cole Hamels must be re-signed by the Philadelphia Phillies to a long-term extension. Ruben Amaro’s legacy and the future of this franchise depend on it.

Follow me on Twitter @jiann481

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies: Does Cole Hamels’ 1-Year Deal Mean It’s Time to Panic?

The Philadelphia Phillies signed former World Series MVP Cole Hamels to a one-year, $15 million deal avoiding arbitration. The deal was initially reported by Jon Heyman over Twitter.

The team coming to terms with a player before arbitration is not uncommon, as the process can become nasty and potentially lead to a player leaving town. The Phillies clearly did not want to disrespect Hamels with a low-ball offer and gave him a nice pay increase from his 2011 salary.

Hamels has already made two All-Star nods by the age of 28, and it’s not insane to think that Hamels hasn’t even tapped his potential yet. Pitchers often post their best numbers after 30, as they learn how to handle hitters better and control all of their pitches.

Hamels has a mid-90s fastball and a top-five changeup in MLB. Those things don’t come around often from a lefty. GM Ruben Amaro gave fan-favorite Cliff Lee a monstrous five-year deal worth $120 million, so would a guy that is obsessed with pitching really allow his most valuable piece to walk via free agency?

That very question has all of Phillies Nation shaking in their boots at this moment.

The good news is that the New York Yankees (whom many believe to be Hamels’ top suitor) added two pitchers in Hiroki Kuroda and Michael Pineda this past week. The bad news is that Kuroda was only given a one-year deal and the Yankees have a seemingly limitless bankroll. 

Not to mention they’d like to pull a fast one on the team that stole Cliff Lee from them a year ago.

The Phillies have a ton of money invested already into this team with the massive deals given to Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Cliff Lee. It was reported that Hamels will seek a Cliff Lee-type deal, instead of the once thought Jared Weaver contract standard.

Hamels has every right to ask for such a contract. He is younger than Lee and has won a World Series for a team (as their ace) that has sold out more than 200 consecutive games.

Hamels understands how valuable he is to this team and this city, but don’t expect him to take a huge hometown discount to stay in the City of Brotherly Love.

Hamels will be as coveted a free agent as we’ve seen to hit the market in the last decade. He’s that good.

If the Cliff Lee contract will prevent the Phillies from re-signing Cole Hamels, does the Lee signing become a travesty in the minds of the Philly Phaithful? Probably not, as Lee is often compared to mystical creatures like “unicorn” and “titan” in this city. 

He was given a standing ovation (myself included) when he blew Game 2 of the NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals, after all. Not too many players have that kind of pull in Philadelphia.

In conclusion, I find it hard to imagine that Cole Hamels will be in any other uniform than Phillies pinstripes for the remainder of his career. Let’s not deny the fact, however, that as each day goes by without King Cole locked up long-term, the anxiety level goes up.

Would a team that has relied so heavily on their pitching let their youngest and brightest star walk? Maybe, maybe not, but even with the ink on Hamels’ new one-year contract still wet, it’s officially time to panic.

In this writer’s eyes anyway.

Make sure to follow Joe Iannello on Twitter! @jiann481

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Domonic Brown and 5 Young NL East Players Ready to Explode

The NL East is starting to look like their American League counterparts, as it is loaded with talent from top to bottom.

The Philadelphia Phillies will again be the odds-on favorite to win the World Series in 2012. The Miami Marlins added some of the top free agents available in Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle, and the Atlanta Braves have a great pitching staff and some of the top prospects in baseball. Don’t sleep on the Washington Nationals either, who will have a healthy Stephen Strasburg and have been linked to Prince Fielder.

Which prospects are ready to break out in 2012? Here are five NL East prospects who are ready to explode this season.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Craziest Rumors of the Offseason

The Philadelphia Phillies have had an interesting offseason thus far, acquiring the top closer on the market in Jonathan Papelbon, power bats in Laynce Nix, Jim Thome and Ty Wigginton, and re-signing Jimmy Rollins.

We have seen teams like the Miami Marlins and Los Angeles Angels spend with reckless abandon on some of the top free agents available.

The Phillies had the most wins in team history (and MLB) in 2011 with 102, but were shocked by the eventual World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of the playoffs. Has GM Ruben Amaro done enough tinkering with this still-powerhouse team to prevent such a heartbreak in 2012?

It’s great to play GM with your buddies and family and toss around the idea of acquiring certain players, but you have to realize when the talk goes from fun to ridiculous.

Rumors are a big part of the game, but we have heard some crazy ones this offseason.

Here are the best of the best thus far.

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Grading Each of the Philadelphia Phillies’ Offseason Moves so Far

The Philadelphia Phillies pitched their way to new heights in 2011 and won the most games in team history with 102. Pundits across the country smiled as this pitching-heavy team constructed by GM Ruben Amaro crumbled once again on the biggest of stages.

You couldn’t score one run against Chris Carpenter in a series-clinching game? Really, one run?

Have the Phillies done enough this offseason to fill in the gaps that were missing from this team? Power off the bench, pop from the right side of the plate to replace Jayson Werth, Ryan Howard not stinking up the joint.

Big Poker Ruben Amaro may still have some tricks up his sleeve, but let’s grade each of the offseason moves so far.

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