Philadelphia Phillies: 8 Reasons Why Ben Revere Is Exactly the CF the Team Needs

Ben Revere may not have been the center fielder that many Phillies fans wanted this offseason, but once you learn a little bit about him, it is clear that he is exactly the center fielder that this team needs. Before I get into detail as to why that is, let’s first address the question I can guess has been on many minds since the trade was announced: “Ben, who?”

You were not alone if this was your response to the Philadelphia Phillies trade with the Minnesota Twins. Leaving to go to Minnesota: Vance Worley, a former 11-game winner from 2011 and Trevor May, a top prospect in the organization who fell off a bit after a 10-13 season in 2012 at Reading. Returning to Philadelphia was the 24-year-old native from the state of Georgia, Ben Revere.

When the offseason began, Revere was a name that wasn’t even on the Phillies’ radar. BJ Upton was considered the team’s major target and top goal, but he chose to sign with the rival Atlanta Braves. San Francisco‘s Angel Pagan was another option, but he too went elsewhere. Free agency seemed to be the direction the Phils were heading in, but the Colorado Rockies‘ Dexter Fowler came up as a possibility as well. The Phillies did have remote interest in a Twins’ center fielder, but his name was Denard Span, and like Upton, he ended up with an NL East rival in the Washington Nationals.

When it was announced that the Phillies had found their center fielder, the expectation was that Michael Bourn would be making his return to the team. I don’t think many expected however, that taking Shane Victorino’s spot next year would be a second-year player who has a .278 batting average, 33 extra base hits and 74 stolen bases in his career.

To be honest, “Ben, who?” was exactly the question I asked when I first heard the trade. Being the baseball enthusiast I am however, I wasn’t content with that question. So I asked around and I did my research, and came to the conclusion I stated above.

While Revere may not be Upton or Bourn or really anybody that many would have wanted to see in Phillies pinstripes, he fills a need perfectly for this team. And for those of you still questioning how, hopefully I can clear some of that up.

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Jimmy Rollins vs. Larry Bowa: Who Is the Best Shortstop in Phillies’ History?

In his 12 years in the majors, the entirety of which has been spent with the Philadelphia Phillies, shortstop Jimmy Rollins has put together a respectable and successful career. Among his many accolades, the 34-year-old shortstop from Oakland has been named to three All-Star teams, has four times been awarded the Gold Glove, is one of just four members of the 20-20-20-20 club and of course, is a World Series Champion.

While Rollins’ marks with the Phillies are significant, there is another shortstop that too has been named to All-Star teams (5x), that also has won Gold Glove awards (2x) and additionally, is the only other starting shortstop in franchise history that can boast being a World Series Champion.

That man, who spent 12 of his 16 years in the majors, is Larry Bowa, who for the longest time was considered the best shortstop in Phillies history.

Last season, Rollins passed Bowa‘s record of most games played at the position for the Phillies. Now, this mark speaks more of longevity than it does of skills, but nevertheless, it could signal a changing of the guard. While the debate is still out as to which shortstop is better, Rollins looks to have pulled ahead, albeit just slightly.

What is going for Jimmy, however, is that his time is not yet up. Prior to last season, Rollins signed a three-year deal to remain with the Phillies. In short, this means three more years to solidify his standing and to finish his career as the best shortstop in Phillies history

So before coming to a snap decision, in order to really determine who is the best of the best, let’s take a look at the stats and then, of course, the intangibles. That way, once and for all, we will be able to put an end to the debate of the best shortstop in Phillies history.

The Case for Larry Bowa

While the initial edge seems to lean toward Rollins, in comparing the two greats, I would be remiss not to talk about the ever-shrinking argument favoring Bowa.

Some of the major points include:

• In terms of career numbers, Bowa still leads Rollins by nearly 200 hits. He piled up 1,798 in his 12 years with the Phillies, which compares to the 2,024 Rollins has with the team. So while Bowa has the lead in totals, keep in mind, he played four years more than Rollins. If Rollins continues at the pace he has been on, averaging 155.7 hits a season, he will pass Bowa by 2014.

• Bowa was the first great Phillies shortstop and set the mold for Rollins. From 2000-03 when Bowa coached third for the team, he served as a mentor for Rollins. Needless to say, the latter learned a lot from his instructor.

• Bowa is one of few guys that can call Rollins out on his lack of hustle because when he was a player, there was no one that worked as hard and fought for each base as Bowa did. As a coach, he had two rules: hustle, and be on time.

Where the Bowa argument falls short, however, is in the very essence of what makes one a better baseball player. In looking at just Bowa‘s 12 years with the Phillies compared to Rollins’ career, Rollins has the statistical edge in nearly every offensive category including runs, RBI, home runs, at-bats and extra base hits. The differences aren’t slim either. In some categories, such as home runs, Rollins leads with 193 to just 15 for Bowa.

The Case for Jimmy Rollins

As such, the case for Rollins presents itself as being stronger. In statistical numbers, Rollins blows Bowa away. On defense, while the argument is closer, Rollins has more defensive accolades and boasts a slightly higher .983 fielding percentage to Bowa‘s .98 flat.

While Bowa was consistent throughout his career, he never had one really standout season. While with the Phillies, Bowa‘s best season came in 1975-76. His peak career batting average reached .305 and he maxed out with 13 triples one season. As previously mentioned, Bowa was not a power hitter and hit a max of four home runs once, in 1977.

Rollins, on the other hand, had a stellar season in 2007. In addition to winning the MVP, Rollins’ recorded over 200 hits for the only time in his career, with his 212 besting Bowa‘s high of 193. Rollins also hit 38 doubles, 20 triples, 30 home runs and had 41 stolen bases, cracking both the 30-30 club and 20-20-20-20 club for the first time in his career.

While both Bowa and Rollins have World Series Championships, Rollins led the team to its most successful run, winning five-straight division titles from 2007-12. Bowa has a slightly better postseason batting average, but overall, Rollins played a bigger postseason role.

Bowa was a leader on and off the field, but even his enthusiasm during the 1980 Phillies postseason run, hecan’t compare to Rollins’ now well-known proclamation and then accomplishment of the Phillies as the “team to beat.”

And the Winner Is…

The debate will probably rage on, but at this point, it seems pretty definitive to conclude that Rollins will go down as the best shortstop in Phillies history by the time his career is said and done. 

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Philadelphia Phillies Rumors: Pros and Cons of Acquiring Each Top Winter Target

Ever since before the final pitch of the 2012 World Series was thrown, the hot stove of the Philadelphia Phillies has been burning brightly. Before the regular season even ended, the team had already been connected to top-notch free agents. The rumor mill began to swirl as it always does in the offseason. This year, however, the presence of the big and available names provide quite a large free-agent pool.

The question then is not if, but when, Amaro will eventually jump in and make a splash.

Before we all wake up one morning to find out that Amaro did in fact make the big splash that, let’s face it, has become his and the Phillies’ calling card as of late, let’s take a look at the names MLB Trade Rumors have connected the Phillies to and why they either would or wouldn’t be a good fit with the team.

Here are the pros and cons of each of the top 16 free agent/trade targets the Phillies have been connected to since the start of the offseason.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Why Catcher Tommy Joseph Is the Most Valuable Trade Asset

After making so many blockbuster deals in the past few years, it is to no one’s surprise that the Phillies minor league system has lost some of its depth and talent. Of these remaining prospects, it is the young pitching studs mostly located in Class-A that represent some of the team’s best future talents.

In addition to the pitching prowess, there is really just one player that stands out as a potential major league star. His name is Tommy Joseph and although the Phils would love to keep him, he is their best trade chip. Plus, with the way Amaro has been almost mesmerized into mortgaging the future to win in the present, he may very well be traded before the 2013 season even starts.

Since the Ruben Amaro era began in Philadelphia, fans of the team as well as media personnel in the city have been accustomed not only to a winning tradition but also to a big-time deal that typically happens right around this time of year. What fans haven’t really considered though is that in order to make some of these deals, Amaro had to trade away some of the players that could soon be major league talents and that represent the future of the franchise.

Every year, the organization’s top prospect seems to be in danger of being traded. This year that prospect is Joseph and the situation is no different. Not only does he give the team great leverage in making a trade but also, his path to the majors could right now be blocked by the Phils former number one catching prospect, Sebastian Valle.

Valle, who last year played at Triple-A Lehigh Valley and is now on the Phillies 40-Man Roster, could be in place to serve as the Phillies back-up catcher next season. Although his plate discipline still needs some work, major league experience will show the Phillies if they have a future talent in Valle. If that turns out to be the case, Joseph, who would yield a better trade return, will likely find himself elsewhere next season.

Before getting into why Joseph is so valuable to the team as a trade piece, let’s briefly look at Amaro‘s big trades/free agent signings over the past three years and how these moves left the Phillies with not much to offer when it comes to making trades. Looking at the other available trade pieces (or the lack thereof) is important in understanding just why the young catcher is likely to be the starter for any trade talks the Phils engage in. 

 

Three Years and Three Monster Deals Later…

Late November signings brought All-Star and likely future Hall of Fame pitcher Roy Halladay to the Phillies. It was also around the holiday season, the year after the Halladay deal, that fans were granted the ultimate Christmas present. In a shocking move that no one really saw coming, Amaro returned fellow All-Star and Cy Young award-winning pitcher Cliff Lee to Philadelphia.

With two of the top starting pitchers in baseball, Amaro pulled the trigger on yet another big offseason signing after the 2012 Winter Meetings. In what many consider to be a generous contract, Amaro paid closer Jonathon Papelbon to occupy that same role with the Phillies.

Three years and three big deals later, the most important number in all of this is zero. As in, no more World Championship trophies to add to the Phillies’ collection.

Needless to say, the Phillies have really lived and died on this propensity to pull the trigger on the big deals at opportune times. As a result of these deals, Amaro has brought big names—and with them, big wins—to the team. But all of the acquisitions have failed to accomplish and many have failed to even reach the ultimate pinnacle of baseball.

On paper, the team the Phillies boasted with Halladay, Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels in the rotation, and Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Hunter Pence in the field, should have put together the production to win several World Series Championships.

But they didn’t.

They didn’t even come close.

Trading the Future for the Present

 

So with the high-paid players failing to bring back that championship glory, you have to look more at what the Phillies have lost as opposed to what they have gained as a result of these trades.

Kyle Drabek, Travis D’Arnaud, Jason Donald, Lou Marson, Michael Taylor, Jonathan Singleton and Jarred Cosart.

You probably remember at least some of these names. These are just a handful of what at the time were considered the best prospects Philly had to offer. All of them were traded away in efforts to acquire either Lee (the first time), Pence or Halladay. 

Essentially, the Phillies went from having one of the best farm systems with some of the strongest depth in all of the majors to one of the worst in just three years. In return for the trades, they received stellar players,

But after 2013, Philly could see a roster that includes none of them.

Their philosophy was to mortgage the future in order to win in the present. Unfortunately, the Phillies have pretty badly mortgaged that future, and yet have nothing more than a franchise record in wins and a few more NL East titles to show for it. 

Rebuilding and Regrouping

Having made so many big deals, the Phillies found that their farm system had become something it hadn’t been in years: barren.

So in an effort to rebuild their developmental program for future prospects, the Phillies, which fell out of the playoff race in 2012, traded both Pence and Shane Victorino. They also focused on the player draft and acquired a handful of stellar pitching prospects over the past few years.

The Pence and Victorino deals brought some pretty solid prospects. Nate Schierholtz and Josh Lindblom landed almost immediately in the majors, while Ethan Martin and Joseph joined the Reading Phillies team that reached the playoffs in 2012.

Martin, a pitching prospect who came over from the Los Angeles Dodgers, supplants a very strong core of pitching talent in the Phillies’ farm system. The pitching depth, by far, is the strongest of any position this team has in the developmental stages.

The Importance of Tommy Joseph

Trade Value

And then there is Joseph. Other than the pitching stars and possibly third baseman Cody Asche, Joseph is a player that the Phillies can afford to trade away.

It may seem curious that I am talking about the team trading Joseph, especially after they are just starting to rebuild. But Valle is ahead of Joseph in terms of experience and although Joseph has a higher ceiling, Valle is a little more polished and closer to being major league ready. As a result, if or more likely when Ruiz departs, Valle is the guy who will likely fill the spot. For that reason, Joseph and his path to the majors seems to be blocked.

Meanwhile, other teams, such as the New York Mets, have a need for a catcher. They also have players that the Phillies would really like to have.

In speaking of a potential trade of David Wright to the Phillies, it is important to note that Joseph fills one of the Mets’ needs. Without the inclusion of Joseph in a trade, the Phils would likely not stand a chance to acquire Wright, even though he is a third baseman—and a perfect solution for the team’s needs.

Other than Joseph and the aforementioned pitching prospects, the Phillies really don’t have much that other teams would likely be interested in. It is for that reason that Joseph is the most important trade asset the Phillies have that’s not currently in the majors.

Upside

I hate using the word upside. Any player can, and likely does, have an upside. They wouldn’t have been drafted if they didn’t.

That said, Joseph has upside and has shown this by gradual improvement at each level of the minors.

When Joseph first played in the Giants‘ minor league system, there was a question.  It wasn’t about his bat, but instead about his durability. Joseph had below average skills as a defensive catcher behind the plate, giving some worry to scouts in terms of a possible major league career. According to Baseball Prospectus, who ranked Joseph as the Giants 4th best prospect, the biggest factor determining Joseph’s progression was going to be his defense behind the plate. Since reaching the Double-A level however, Joseph has performed much better defensively posting a career best 99 fielding percentage with just four errors. Joseph also saw his raw power develop a little more at Double-A and that adds to his value as a top prospect. 

Having the ability to play well and play for a long time is something that really plays on the mind of a general manager when he considers trading for a prospect. With Joseph now looking like he can be that everyday guy, his trade value goes up.

Catchers Are at a Premium

With the exception of pitchers, good major league catchers are really at a premium. 

This plays perfectly into the hands of the Phillies, which have a top 15 catching prospect in Joseph and leverage when it comes to trading with a good number of teams in the National League. Also, with Valle already being listed as “untouchable,” the Phillies get to keep their top catching prospect and at the same time are able to make a trade to make their major league club better.

When the Phillies traded for Halladay, the Blue Jays would not have made the trade if Travis D’Arnaud had not been included in the deal. The same was true for the Cleveland Indians, which insisted on getting Double-A catcher Lou Marson as the centerpiece of the Cliff Lee trade in 2009. Ultimately, the Phillies parted with their then-best catchers as well as a pretty good pitching prospect in each deal.

A similar situation could work in the Phillies favor as they now have a top catching and top pitching prospect that affords them the freedom to be in the driver’s seat. If they want Wright of the Mets or a player such as Peter Bourjos of the Los Angeles Angels or Justin Upton of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Joseph and one of the “baby aces” are no doubt going to be front and center in a deal.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

5 Reasons the Philadelphia Phillies Would Be Wise to Go After BJ Upton

After a long and disappointing season, the Philadelphia Phillies, are anxious to start 2013 off on a different note. In order to do so, however, a lot will be said of what the Phillies are able to accomplish in the free agent market this off season.

According to Tim Dierkes of mlbtraderumors.com, three of the top 50 free agents are projected to land with the Phillies. Included in this list is a player that Dierkes ranks as the fifth best available free agent in BJ Upton. 

“Upton’s best offensive season was 2007, when the Rays employed Steve Henderson as their hitting coach. Henderson now fills that role for the Phillies, which has to be a plus for the center fielder.Playing on the East Coast might also appeal to Upton, who hails from Norfolk.

From the Phillies’ point of view, Upton could add some balance and power to their lineup as well as strong center field defense. At 28 there’s room for growth with Upton, but the status quo would probably give a team their money’s worth. The Nationals and Rangers could be other contenders for his services” – Tim Dierkes courtesy of mlbtraderumors.com

Dierkes makes some very good points in his short analysis of why he believes Upton will don the red and white pinstripes. The 28-year-old is far from perfect, but he is a polished player and one that gives the Phillies a nice replacement for Shane Victorino in center field. He also provides the team with a more reliable option than John Mayberry.

Although there is a bit of risk with Upton such as inconsistent performance, overall he is a player that would make the Phillies a better team and he also would be a cheaper option than Josh Hamilton.

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Why Did It Take so Long for the Philadelphia Phillies to Take off This Year?

The Philadelphia Phillies are by no means out of the playoff picture but for the team that waited until the second half of the season to really heat up, time is certainly not on their side.

Sure the team may finally be on the winning side of things posting 40 wins in 68 games during the second half of the season. Sure the bullpen has found some semblance as of late. Sure the offense has begun to click beyond just the stellar performances all season from Carlos Ruiz and Juan Pierre.

It looks like the 2012 Phillies season will come down to a simple saying: too little, too late.

With the exception of the Houston Astros debacle earlier in the month of September and the recent series loss to the Atlanta Braves, everything really was working for the Phillies in the second half of the season. Pitching, hitting, defense all came together in a winning formula that assured the Phils at least a shot to fight for a wildcard spot.

With just nine games remaining and the Phillies currently sitting back five behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the final wildcard spot, anything short of a miracle will have this team missing October baseball for the first time since 2006.

Their fight will likely come up short as this season didn’t particularly go as planned.

Why?

That is the question that fans have been puzzled with, scratching their heads, agonizing over all season.

Why was the bullpen completely deplorable?

 

Why did Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence have to get traded?

Why did the Phillies sign Chad Qualls?

Why did the team take a chance on Laynce Nix and Ty Wigginton?

Why did Chase Utley have to get injured?

Why did Freddy Galvis use steroids?

Why was the team forced to sell at the trade deadline?

Why did the sellout streak end?

Why did it take the Phillies so long to finally start putting together wins?

That is really the question that will stick with most fans, people in the media and personnel in the front office. How and why did the team fail so badly so early in the season? Just four short seasons ago, the Phillies were raising the second World Series trophy ever won in franchise history. This year they likely won’t even make the playoffs.

There is no doubt that everyone is questioning the whys and hows of how the Phillies went from postseason giants to once again National League East doormats. In a way, there is no real answer to this while at the same time, there are possible explanations.

Bitten by the Injury Bug

I’m probably not the only Phillies fan that found it slightly amusing when the NY Mets went through a time a few seasons ago that saw nearly all of their regular starters spend time on the DL. The media even got in on this frenzy as everyone watched the NY Mets be replaced by their Double-A affiliate, the Binghamton Mets. 

 

While the Phillies didn’t endure such a harsh injury riddle season, the team did see their two most important contributors miss nearly the entire first half of the season and their star pitcher suffer a shoulder injury that left him but a shell of himself for most of the year.

Losing Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay dealt the Phillies a pretty big blow. Not only did they lose a significant source of power and all-star pitching from their line-up, but they were also forced to attempt to replace these players. For the most part, the replacement efforts didn’t pan out as hoped.

Enter Ty Wigginton, Laynce Nix, Michael Martinez and Jim Thome.

These four guys were brought in, or re-signed in the case of Martinez, with hopes that they could account for some of the missing power and pop Howard and Utley provided.

Wigginton never really panned out. He provided a nice ability to be a utility player, but his numbers didn’t exactly fill the need the Phils were hoping for at first. Laynce Nix and John Mayberry also spent time at first base, but Nix too was on the DL and Mayberry didn’t start to heat up until the second half of the season.

Martinez missed time on the DL and really didn’t do much for the Phils on offense hitting just .172 with seven RBI in 99 at-bats.

And then there was Thome. At first, he provided a nice story—former Phil, one of the original big names to sign with this team reunites with his first manager back in Philly. It was nice and I don’t think there was anyone out there that didn’t want Thome to succeed. The problem was it was the National League and at 42 years old, Thome can’t play the field anymore.

 

Give the team and Thome credit because they tried the experiment. It failed, which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise and I don’t think I’d be going out on a limb to say the back injuries Thome suffered from trying the field again may have put a soon-to-be expired expiration date on his career.

Essentially, the Phillies offense struggled in the first half of the season. They were missing two of their best run producers and the various different line-ups they put in place to replace the missing production never worked out. For this reason, the first half of the season really was lost in mediocrity and bad decision making on the part of Ruben Amaro and Charlie Manuel.

Finding the Missing Spark

With Howard and Utley gone, the team really was missing a huge part of why it’s been successful over the years. Besides that though, they were missing spark, energy and a sense of urgency.

In the past, each game used to matter for this team but this season, the year just didn’t seem to have that same feeling to it. Shane Victorino struggled mightily early on, and he and Jimmy Rollins really seemed to miss that swagger they possessed back in 2008. 

Those two weren’t the only ones that seemed down on their luck. The entire team just didn’t appear to realize what they were playing for. It was as if they expected to win the division again and to do so with relative ease. They underestimated the Washington Nationals for sure and overestimated what they could do without Howard and Utley.

The passion wasn’t there, the desire to win wasn’t there. In a way, I think it hurt this team that so many of their players were left over from the 2008 team. Having already won one, the drive to get the ring wasn’t as present as it was in the past.

 

Now when Howard and Utley came back, a little bit of the spark and style of Phillies baseball fans became accustomed to returned. After all, Utley hit a HR in his first at-bat back and even though the Phils lost this game, it seemed to energize the fans and the players.

The rest of the energy came back in force when the Phillies rid themselves of dead weight. After the Pence/Victorino trades, Rollins began to heat up and eventually Howard began to get some of his power numbers back.

On top of this, new players had come in including Kevin Frandsen, Erik Kratz, Domonic Brown, Steven Lerud, Philippe Aumont and Nate Schierholtz. Bringing youth and enthusiasm to the Phillies, these players appeared to energize the rest of the squad. They brought a new feeling of hope to this team similar to the way Utley, Howard, Rollins, Victorino and Cole Hamels did in 2008.

The Pitching Got Better

Probably the simplest explanation as to why the Phils got hot in the second half of the season is the fact that their pitching drastically improved.

When the season began, the Phils boasted three pitchers that finished in the top five of the 2011 NL Cy Young voting. After about the first month however, only one of these three was able to remain worthy to be in the Cy Young conservation in 2012.

Cole Hamels led the team when Halladay went down with an injury and when Cliff Lee struggled to get run support and wins. He blazed out to a strong start and never really had a period of prolonged struggle during the season.

Even though Hamels and closer Jonathan Papelbon were good all season, they were really the only two pitchers that could say that.

 

When the second half began however, some of this started to change.

Even though Halladay continued to struggle with his mysterious and only recently revealed shoulder injury, Lee began to pitch better. He lowered his ERA and brought his win total from two to six. It still isn’t what you expect from a former Cy Young winner but it was an improvement.

The bullpen got some help when September call-ups promoted Philippe Aumont and Justin DeFratus to the team. Both have pitched well in their roles and the bullpen as a whole, even though it still isn’t perfectly, certainly improved in the second half of the season.

The most notable improvement however came in Kyle Kendrick.

At times this season, Phillies fans and media were clamoring for the trade of Kendrick. It wasn’t unwarranted though. Kendrick once again was struggling.

Having bounced from bullpen to spot starter to full time starter, Kendrick was unable to handle the pressure and the uncertainty of his situation. He didn’t get his first win until a masterful seven hit shutout at the end of the May. He limped his way to the All Star break with a record of 4-8.

After two bad back-to-back starts to begin the month of August, Manuel sat down with Kendrick to hammer out his struggles in the season. He assured him the starting job was his and with the help of pitching coach Rich Dubee, stressed confidence.

It clicked for Kendrick because in the second half of the season and while the Phillies were on this improbable playoff run, the young righty was their best pitcher. He won four in a row in August and is currently 2-2 in September. He has gotten his record to 10-11 and has lowered his ERA to 3.89.

The Final Verdict

While there really is no concrete way to explain just how the Phillies were so slow in April, May and June, the above explanations provide part of the picture that summed up the Phillies season. Although they put forth the effort late in the season, their bad start will probably end up costing them that shot at the playoffs.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies:8 Reasons Fans Should Look Forward to Next Wave of Players

One of the hardest things for a fan to accept is when their team’s winning ways seem to be coming to an end. For the Phillies, as their players age and begin to reach the twilight of their careers, this winning could be coming to an end. As some have already said, the window to win another World Series could be closing and could be closing in as soon as a few years.

With recent successes maybe coming to an end, fans, just like the team, will be going through a transitional period. As new players make their marks with the club, fans will have to adjust to a new style, a new dynamic and a new set of names worth learning.

Change is coming and fans can breathe a sigh of relief because this change will no doubt bring a great deal of excitement to a team and a fanbase that seems to have dwindled. 

The nearly 300 game sellout streak may have ended when the losing began, but the future is bright and will bring a new sellout and winning tradition along with it.

It may not come right away, but it will be in the future. This team is built to make another run in five-ten years and if the prospects coming up are as good as advertised that run could mean championship glory once again.

So sit back, relax and enjoy the future of Phillies baseball.

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Can Phillies ‘Big Three’ Still Win a World Series Together in Philadelphia?

When the Phillies made the blockbuster signing of one of the best righties in baseball, their rotation got better. When they made yet another blockbuster and jaw-dropping signing of one of the craftiest pitchers currently in the game the next year, their rotation improved that much more.

Finally, when the team sat by and watched their homegrown star develop into a full-blown ace and one of the best lefties in the game, well, that was when they knew they had something special.

Roy Halladay. Cliff Lee. Cole Hamels.

Just hearing those three names in unison, knowing that during any given series you could face not one or two but all three of them, is certainly something that would strike fear into any opponent.

The Big Three, as they are frequently called, proved to be exactly as advertised last year as all of them, on strong pitching performances all season long, finished in the top five of the NL Cy Young voting. Not surprisingly on the heels of the great years by these three, the Phillies finished the season with a franchise-best 102 wins and won their fourth consecutive division title.

The problem however was that this regular season success did not translate into the playoffs. While Cliff Lee did struggle a bit in his start, the loss by the Phillies in the NLDS was clearly not to blame all on the pitchers.

With a shaky offense effectively ending their 2011 playoff run, it is a wonder if their top three aces will be enough. Also, with just Hamels locked up long-term, Halladay’s injury keeping him from qualifying for his vesting option and the team willing to consider trading Lee by placing him on waivers, it is only a matter of time before this triumvirate of aces is broken up.

The only question remaining then, is can the aces can still win a World Series while they are together in Philadelphia?

You Have to Score Runs to Win Games

As Cliff Lee learned earlier this year, even when you pitch your absolute best and even when you give up zero runs in 10 innings, it is still possible to see your team lose the game.

For pitchers, recording a performance like Lee’s which truly was one of near perfection and downright dominance, is the goal of every outing. The problem is however that even if the pitcher goes the distance it doesn’t get them anywhere if the offense is lulled to sleep.

For Lee, this was not the first nor the last time this season that one of his pitching gems was wasted. In fact, it is part of the reason why he has just four wins and enough no decisions to count on one hand that definitely should have gone into the win column.

Lee is not the only one, however, who has seen pitching gems wasted by a lack of scoring. All of the members of the starting staff have and all of their records have been affected by it as well.

Now records don’t mean anything but individual awards are something all three of these aces have won. Hamels has a World Series MVP, Lee has a Cy Young and Halladay has two, one in each league. What these great records haven’t given these players however is a World Series ring as a team.

If the Phillies hope to get another World Series, they are going to have to help out their aces. Yes, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley missed significant time this year and yes, they are a big part of their team’s offensive run production but still, the Phils need to get themselves another power bat.

With Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino gone, the Phils lost two skill players who could provide both power and speed. Both also hit righty, with Victorino also being able to switch-hit.

Missing that right-handed bat in the middle of the line-up is something that the Phillies need to address and something they could fix with a free-agent signing.

In addition to another power bat, the Phillies just need guys who can score runs consistently. Too many times this season have there been players left on base and in scoring position with less than two outs. Plain and simple, they need to score these runs.

They have the starting staff to win division titles and playoff games, but they need to give them some run support if they hope to get that done.

What About the Bullpen?

Ah, the bullpen, something that fans and the starters alike have found themselves shuddering at the thought most times this season.

Once a point of consistency, filled with guys from top to bottom, long man to closer, that could and more often than not did get the job done, the pen is now a huge and glaring source of concern. With a handful of rookies and disappointing players, the not-well-assembled pen has cost this team games.

Don’t believe me?

Ask Cole Hamels, who saw a sure-fire win slip through his hands when the most sure thing in the bullpen, Jonathan Papelbon, blew a ninth-inning save to cost him the win, not once but twice.

Ask Cliff Lee, who attempted to stay in games as long as possible so that he would have a chance to get wins, which have come at a premium for him this year.

Ask Roy Halladay, who like Hamels’ has seen leads vanquish when the bullpen enters the game.

Heck, even ask Kyle Kendrick, who despite a successful season watched yet another solid performance turn to dust as Antonio Bastardo gave up a grand slam after Kendrick pitched to a 0-0 tie.

All of the guys that have started this season, from Halladay to Joe Blanton, had to at least once watch the bullpen blow a win for them. The Phillies as a team also had to watch the bullpen time and time again turn a win into a loss.

Take, for example, the last game of a very pivotal series full of playoff implications against the Atlanta Braves. Once again, Hamels pitched a great game. He worked his way in and out of trouble but ultimately only gave up one run in seven innings.

The Phillies had a 7-1 lead with just two innings remaining. They put in Jeremy Horst who has probably been one of the slight bright spots for the pen this year. He gave up a walk and then 3B Kevin Frandsen committed a costly error.

Still, when Horst was pulled and Papelbon put in, the Phils still had a lead and one that their highly-paid closer should have been able to hold down.

He didn’t.

As Chipper Jones hit a walk-off home run, the Phillies could only wonder “what if” as the Braves celebrated the improbable comeback win.

Mark my words, if the Phillies do not complete their gargantuan quest to reach a .500 mark and even more likely to make the playoffs, they will remember this game as a key reason as to why.

The Team is Rebuilding

Unfortunately for the three aces, their assembling has not brought about the glory and postseason success that many hoped for. Because of this and because of the offensive struggles, Ruben Amaro was forced to sell this season, further breaking up a core that had already lost some of its key players.

With this, tons of no-names and second level players have filled out the roster all season. Names like Erik Kratz, Kevin Frandsen and recently Tyler Cloyd have gone from Ironpigs to Phillies, the Domonic Brown experiment has continued and to mixed results, and of course, major league veterans Ty Wigginton, Laynce Nix and Juan Pierre have been used frequently throughout the season.

It isn’t the fault of the pitching that so many offensive players got injured or just didn’t come through in the clutch but it is something that has affected them. With young guys and new names on the team, this is not a roster that is built for a World Series run. It is one that although Amaro won’t say it, is rebuilding.

Can the Aces Still Win a World Series in Philadelphia?

There are a lot of things in place working against the potential for the Phillies’ aces to win another World Series within a five year window.

First off, they are running out of time.

As I mentioned earlier, only Hamels has a contract that will keep in him in Phillies pinstripes for another five years. He is locked up until 2018 with a team option for 2019. The move to sign him to this deal showed what his role would be in the Phillies’ plan. They want him as their ace, even if it means moving on from the other two stellar pitchers on the team.

Halladay’s contract is up in 2013 but when it was first signed, the vesting option for 2014 seemed all but a foregone conclusion. With his injury, however, it does appear that it will be very difficult for him to meet the innings requirements for him to get the extra year.

That said, he isn’t getting any younger and even if this season is just a fluke, the Phillies would not be making a smart move by inking Halladay to another long-term deal.

Unless Halladay is so determined to finish his career as a Phillie that he will sign for less money and fewer years, then it is very likely the team could be saying goodbye to him at the end of next season.

The Phillies have Lee until at least 2015 but if they repeat their performance from this year, he could be gone in a move to get solid trade pieces in return.

Assuming Halladay does not in fact qualify for his option that would mean the aces would have to win the World Series this or next year, neither of which seems particular likely.

In addition to the time running down, there are also the elements of placing a team capable of playing solid offense behind them.

Part of the problem with this, however, is that these three pitchers are occupying quite a large sum of available contract money the Phillies have to work with.

Add to this the monster salaries due to Utley, Howard and Papelbon and the money they are likely now going to have to pay Carlos Ruiz to keep him a Phillie, then it doesn’t leave the Phils too many options in the free-agent market.

They did cut money by trading Pence, Victorino and Blanton and could save even more money by giving entry-level contracts to Kratz and Frandsen next season.

Still, it is going to be tough to get another star on the available money they have to spend and the vast amount of positions, especially in the bullpen, they need to fill.

Then, of course, there are the other teams that need to be considered.

For the most part, the Phils have remained stagnant since 2008. Sure they have had incredible regular seasons but in terms of the playoffs, they have gotten worse by the round with each year.

On the inverse, teams like Washington and Atlanta have gotten much better and that is just to speak for two of the teams in the Phillies’ own division.

Over the next couple of years it is going to become increasingly difficult for the Phils just to win the NL East not to mention deal with the rest of the National and American league.

The Yankees are still there, the Orioles, Rangers, Tigers, Angels and Athletics just to name a few have improved vastly and then there are the Dodgers, Reds, Cardinals and Giants among others that the Phils would have to deal with to get out of the NLCS.

Essentially, it is not going to be easy.

So looking at all of these factors, it does not seem that the aces will all be smiling in a picture taken as the three of them lift the World Series trophy. While I do think it is possible for the Phils to go on a bit of a miracle run in 2013, to close out their five-year window with another title, I just don’t know if it is probable.

Still, the team has always had fight and these three pitchers are some of the most determined players in all of baseball. Lee and Halladay want that World Series Championship more than anyone and Hamels no doubt wants to etch his name as part of one of the best rotations of all-time.

If all of the pieces fall into place, it could happen. But then again in baseball, anything can happen. 

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Philadelphia Phillies: Could Tonight Be the Beginning of the Tyler Cloyd Era?

The International League’s (AAA) Most Valuable Pitcher of the Year, Tyler Cloyd, will finally get his chance to prove to all of those in the baseball world that his insane minor league numbers are more than just a fluke.

It was reported earlier this morning by several sources including Matt Gelb and Bob Brookover at Philly.com that the Phillies have pushed back the scheduled start for Cole Hamels tonight because of an illness. In scratching Hamels, the team has finally decided to give the start to Cloyd, who in this past year has done nothing but prove he is ready for the chance.

The 25-year-old righty has been an interesting story to follow this past year, starting with the fact that he practically came out of nowhere.

 

There’s the Baby Aces, the Baby, Baby Aces and Then There’s Tyler Cloyd

It is no surprise to anyone that closely follows the organization that the Phils best pitching prospects are currently in the Gulf Coast and Class A teams of their farm system. This was the design as the expectation is that when Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay are done, some of these guys can step right in. So far, this has worked out to plan as the baby, baby aces of the future in Jesse Biddle, Austin Wright and the recently promoted Adam Morgan, all shined as part of a fearsome threesome with the Clearwater Threshers. With Morgan already in AA, it would be surprising if these two didn’t join him.

That said, the Phils also have the baby aces to think about. Trevor May was expected to make his major league debut sometime around 2013-14. He pitched well at the beginning of the season for Reading but stumbled recently, giving some reasons to be nervous if he is major league ready. He has yet to be promoted to Lehigh Valley.

Then there is Cloyd, who at 25 years old, was not ranked among the best in the Phillies organization. In fact, seen as just a marginal prospect, he was not protected last season during the Rule Five Draft. Still under the radar, Cloyd put together a 2012 season that has him and not May or Jonathan Pettibone making the major league start in place of Hamels. 

 

The Early Years in Clearwater

Cloyd was drafted in the 18th round of the 2008 MLB Amateur Player Draft. He began his career in the Gulf Coast League and then was moved to the NY/Penn League for further development. Here he struggled a bit posting an ERA over 4.00 and a K/BB ratio of just under 3.00.

It was really at this stage that people following the organization could pinpoint Cloyd’s strengths and weaknesses. He wasn’t going to be a power pitcher. His velocity wouldn’t break 90 MPH and at the time he had control issues.

Since Cloyd didn’t have the speed, he needed that command if he hoped to have any sort of major league career. When he received the promotion to Reading at the end of the 2010 season, it began to show that his command was improving. He was starting to throw his fastball with more accuracy even if it only topped out at 88 MPH.

 

The 2011 Breakthrough

The Phillies decided to keep Cloyd at Reading for the 2011 season and finally Cloyd’s career began to take off. The man who pitched to a 9-4 record with a 2.77 ERA was a different pitcher than the guy the team saw in the developmental stages. In almost all areas of his pitching, Cloyd improved.

Typically, to see a player have career best numbers at AA such as Cloyd did is exactly what an organization wants to see. Because Cloyd’s numbers improved when he reached the AA level, it showed that his time in the developmental stages were working. Upside was discovered and Cloyd really began to pinpoint his strengths and pitch to them. He was becoming a better pitcher right under the still-not-so-watchful eyes of the Phillies organization.

 

2012: An Unforgettable Season for the Ages

In 2012, Cloyd was slated to begin the year with Reading. All of that changed, however, when a day before the Lehigh Valley IronPigs’ season was about to start, Cloyd got the call. Dave Bush was on suspension and the team needed Cloyd to step in.

It was just expected to be a spot start. When Bush came back from suspension, Cloyd would go back to Reading. That is unless he proved he had a reason to stay, which as it turns out, is exactly what he did.

With a perfect 3-0 record and 1.80 ERA in four starts at Reading sandwiched in between, Cloyd has gone on to have one of the best seasons for a minor league pitcher. His numbers are incredibly impressive as he posted a 15-1 record, 12-1 at AAA and has an ERA of 2.26.

On top of this, Cloyd was named the International League’s Most Valuable Pitcher, the equivalent to a minor league Cy Young. In a sign of his continued improvement, he also was voted to have the Best Control in the same league.

With numbers this monstrous and control issues left in the past, Cloyd finally forced the organization to watch and to put him on the radar.

 

Is He Major League Ready?

Despite the numbers, the progress and the way he has improved at every level, the question still has to be asked if Cloyd is in fact major league ready.

Obviously before today, the Phillies didn’t think so. If they had, they would have opted to start Cloyd instead of pitch a bullpen game earlier this season, knowing that the bullpen has been nothing but terrible. If they had, Cloyd could have gotten a chance to start when Kyle Kendrick was struggling or when Vance Worley was on the DL.

For whatever reason, the organization was not sold on Cloyd, possibly because they believed his success wouldn’t translate at a major league level.

With Hamels sick, however, the team is finally wising up. Coupled with his age and level of improvement if Cloyd isn’t major league ready now, it is unlikely he will ever be. It only makes sense then for the Phillies who have nothing to lose to see what exactly he can bring to the table.

Now is also the best time for the Phils to tryout the Cloyd experiment. With Kendrick pitching well as of late, it seems like once again he will get a shot to earn the job in spring training. If he does, that only leaves one opening that will likely go to Worley. The thing about that, however, is that Worley has to get offseason surgery and may not be ready to start at the beginning of 2013. In this case, Cloyd, if he pitches well tonight, could get the nod to take over.

 

The Cloyd Era Begins

Regardless of whether he sticks or not, though, he at least deserves the chance. Who knows, maybe the Phils will have found a diamond in the rough? Maybe Cloyd will go on to be a solid major league pitcher. Maybe he could even win a spot on next year’s starting rotation.

The Phils will never know unless they try.

His potential may have been delayed if Bush never got suspended. Cloyd may have spent most of the season in Reading instead of being put on the fast track to the majors by going to Lehigh Valley. If Worley does in fact miss time or any of the other pitchers goes down to an injury, Cloyd could likely be the benficiary. And maybe just like when he received the promotion from Reading to Lehigh, he will make it stick.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Predicting the Team’s September Call-Ups

For the Philadelphia Phillies, this year’s September call-ups will likely take on a different meaning.

In the past, the Phillies used their September call-ups to bolster the team with needs they believed had to be filled before penciling in the final playoff roster. This year however playoffs are not on the radar and as a result, the way Ruben Amaro and company view their roster additions will be much different.

It is unlikely Amaro and the Phils will make many call-ups based on the fact that so many of their position spots for next year already have guys auditioning for the roles. There are several players such as Eric Kratz (back-up catcher) and Kevin Frandsen (starting 3B) that have shown they at least deserve a chance to fight to earn these roles in spring training. There are others still such as Domonic Brown who has shown improvement and who the organization really hopes can be the starting left fielder.

Essentially, the team has a lot on its plate when it comes to talent evaluation and as Amaro has said and demonstrated in the past, he will not bring up players if the team does not have plans to get them significant playing time.

For the Phillies this really does not leave many spots open for September auditions. Just like last season when just five players got called up to the major league roster, a similar situation could occur this year.

While it is necessary that Amaro looks at what he currently has in the farm system, the patterns of the team in the past have shown that there isn’t always willingness to call-up some of their prospects because being added to the 40-man roster officially starts their major league clock in terms of arbitration dues.

That said there are a few players already on the 40-man roster that the Phillies would benefit from giving a second look. There are also two other notable names that would certainly be worth adding to the 40-man roster just so the team can see if their minor league success can translate to the major league level.

Going off of last year’s model of just five call-ups, here are the five September call-ups the Phillies are likely to make in 2012.

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