Ryan Howard’s Contract Option Declined by Phillies: Latest Comments and Reaction

The Philadelphia Phillies made a long-expected move Thursday, as they announced they have declined the 2017 club option on first baseman Ryan Howard‘s contract, making him a free agent.

According to Spotrac, the Phils would have had to pay Howard $23 million next season had they exercised their club option, but they instead decided to buy him out for $10 million.

The Phillies honored the 36-year-old veteran prior to their final game of the 2016 regular season in a move that signaled the end of his time with the organization.

Despite that, Howard made it clear he wanted to continue playing elsewhere, according to ESPN.com: “I know there’s more in the tank. I’ll know when it’s time.”

Howard hit a career-low .196 last season, and his 56 RBI were the fewest of his career in a season that saw him play 100 or more games.

The 2001 fifth-round draft pick of the Phillies did club 25 homers, however, which was his highest total since hitting 33 in 2011.

Howard finished in the top 10 of MVP voting every year from 2006 through 2011 and won the award in 2006, when he hit .313 with 58 home runs and 149 RBI. He was named to three All-Star teams during that six-year run and averaged a .274/44/133 line per season while also leading the Phillies to a World Series championship.

The five years since then have illustrated a significant fall from grace, as Howard averaged a greatly reduced .226/19/66 line during that time frame.

With Howard’s skills eroding at the plate and his already mediocre defense getting even worse, turning the page on him was an obvious move for the Phillies.

Also, 25-year-old Tommy Joseph emerged as a power threat at first base last season, hitting .247 with 21 home runs and 47 RBI.

There was no longer any room for Howard on the team with Philly fully embracing a youth movement, and keeping him for $23 million as a part-time player and pinch hitter wouldn’t have been a smart economical decision.

Howard could still have some value, potentially as a designated hitter in the American League, but his best days are undoubtedly behind him.

If he can be had at a bargain price in free agency, then Howard’s contributions in 2017 may be viewed far more favorably than they were when he underperformed while making over $20 million per season with the Phillies.

    

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Phillies Rule 5 LHP Daniel Stumpf Suspended 80 Games for Positive Test

Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Daniel Stumpf was suspended 80 games Thursday for his first violation of Major League Baseball’s policy against performance-enhancing drugs.

The Phillies released a statement following the suspension and made a corresponding roster move:

According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, Stumpf tested positive for the anabolic steroid dehydrochlormethyltestosterone.

The 25-year-old lefty was a Rule 5 draft pick of the Phils from the Kansas City Royals, which means he must remain on Philadelphia’s 25-man roster for the entire season or else the Royals will have the opportunity to reclaim his rights.

Stumpf has allowed three earned runs over 0.2 innings in three appearances so far this season for an ERA of 40.50.

The Humble, Texas, native is a former ninth-round pick of the Royals, and he was among the Phillies’ only left-handed options in the bullpen.

While the Phillies are off to a surprisingly decent start at 4-5, they are expected to be among the league’s worst teams in 2016, which somewhat softens the blow of losing a player of Stumpf’s ilk.

Even if Philadelphia manages to exceed expectations and remain in the race, though, Stumpf isn’t a significant piece of the puzzle to lose for 80 games.

He is extremely inexperienced at the major league level, and while he has just three appearances to his credit, he has been battered by opposing hitters thus far.

Most importantly, Stumpf’s suspension could put his spot on the Phillies’ roster in jeopardy, as there is no guarantee the Phils will have a place for him when he returns to action in a few months.

 

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Phillies Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Michael Young, Cliff Lee and More

Perhaps no team in baseball is stuck in the middle more than the Philadelphia Phillies. The Fightin‘ Phils have plenty of high-quality veteran players, but they find themselves fading fast as their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. With that in mind, the Phillies have to decide whether they’re buyers or sellers.

That decision could be a defining one in terms of where the franchise goes from here, as it is built to win now. If Philadelphia engages in a fire sale, though, it could enter into a rebuilding phase. Considering the high-quality players that they could deal, however, a rebuild may not take very long as some great youngsters would be coming back the other day.

Here is the latest buzz surrounding third baseman Michael Young, starting pitcher Cliff Lee and the Phillies’ top bargaining chip as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches.

 

Michael Young

After a disappointing 2012 season, the Phillies went out and made a deal that they believed would get them back to the playoffs, as they acquired Michael Young from the Texas Rangers. Young was a seven-time All-Star at multiple positions for the Rangers, and he helped them reach the World Series twice. The Phillies’ front office hoped he could help do the same in Philadelphia.

Unfortunately, that seems highly unlikely at this point. The Phillies are nine games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East and 9.5 out in the wild card race, so they would need to make an improbable comeback. If Philly decides that it won’t be able to make it happen, Young is a top trade candidate, as his contract expires at the end of the season. According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, there has been discussion about trading Young back to Texas.

Although the Rangers are more in the market for a right-handed hitting outfielder, they are very familiar with Young and could use him both at first base and designated hitter. The Phillies probably wouldn’t get a ton out of the Rangers for him, since he is 36 years of age and his skills are eroding to some degree, but it would be better to get something for him than to let him leave via free agency.

 

Cliff Lee

It can be argued that starting pitcher Cliff Lee is now the biggest name on the market as the Phillies’ current state could prompt them to entertain offers. According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, Lee was scratched from his start on Saturday due to neck stiffness. With the trade deadline just days away, it is certainly a suspicious move, as it feels like the Phillies are protecting their asset rather than making a routine decision.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. didn’t elaborate on what type of interest there is in Lee, according to Crasnick, but he didn’t rule out anyone on the roster. Crasnick listed a number of teams who could potentially make a run at Lee, including the Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Lee has been one of the few bright spots for Philly this season, as he sports a 10-4 record with a 3.05 ERA and 1.01 WHIP. The southpaw doesn’t appear to be far off from his 2008 Cy Young form, which is why so many contenders would love to get their hands on him. His showings in the 2009 and 2010 playoffs are still the stuff of legend, and there is no question that the Phillies could demand and receive a huge package of players and prospects for him.

 

Chase Utley

Second baseman Chase Utley has been a fan favorite in Philadelphia since his debut in 2003, but his tenure could soon be coming to an end. Utley has really struggled with injuries for the past four seasons, and with his contract set to run out, it’s possible that the Phillies won’t want to invest in a 34-year-old player with a long injury history. Even so, Utley is discussing an extension with the Phillies currently, according to Jon Morosi of FOX Sports.

Utley’s statement is quite telling, as he seems as uncertain as anyone about his status. When Utley has been on the field this season, he has produced to the tune of a .279 average with 13 home runs and 36 RBI. At his peak, Utley was putting up more than 30 home runs and 100 RBI per season. It is difficult to imagine him getting back to that level, but he is still one of the game’s better power-hitting second basemen when healthy.

According to Morosi, the Oakland Athletics are a team to watch if the Phillies choose to move Utley. The A’s aren’t known for going after big-ticket players, but if they believe that they are close to competing for a World Series title, it would make sense to go out and get a rental at a position of need. Of all the players the Phillies could potentially trade, Utley may end up being the toughest decision. He has been a huge part of the team’s success in recent years, but maybe it is time to move on.

 

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Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez Signing Is Worth Risk for Philadelphia Phillies

It isn’t often that a potential All-Star-caliber starting pitcher becomes available on the free-agent market during the regular season, but due to the special case of Cuban righty Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, the Philadelphia Phillies suddenly have yet another strong arm to add to their already impressive stable.

According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, the Phillies signed the 26-year-old phenom to a six-year deal worth in excess of $50 million.

In fact, ESPN.com is reporting that the contract could potentially be worth as much as $60 million, so there is no question that the Phillies are taking a bit of a risk with an unproven commodity.

With that said, the Phillies are better off getting a pitcher with immense potential such as Gonzalez than waiting for the offseason. Fairly average major league starters tend to get $10 million-per-year contracts in free agency due to the simple fact that teams don’t let their elite starters hit the market.

It remains to be seen if Gonzalez will become elite, but he clearly has a better chance of reaching that level than the likes of Phil Hughes, A.J. Burnett or countless other middle-of-the-road guys. Also, with Philadelphia’s starting pitching situation in flux, it makes perfect sense for the team to bring in another rising star at the position.

Just a couple years ago, there was talk about the Phillies having the greatest rotation of all time as it sported Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt. While that quartet had some success, the Phillies were unable to reach the World Series, and their time frame of dominance really only lasted for one year.

Halladay has been on the shelf for the bulk of the season, and he has been absolutely awful when he has pitched, so it seems pretty unlikely that the Phillies will re-sign him.

Lee has had a fantastic season, but there are rumors swirling around him with the trade deadline approaching and Philly tumbling in the standings. According to Mike Axisa of CBS Sports, Lee has been scratched from Saturday’s start with a stiff neck. While Lee may actually be banged up, there is plenty of speculation that the Phillies could be protecting their asset in the event of a trade.

As for Hamels, he has really struggled this season after signing a monster, seven-year contract extension. His awful record of 4-13 is a bit misleading as his ERA is 4.09 and his WHIP is 1.25, but he has thrown significantly worse than he has over the past three years.

Since it’s unclear if or when Hamels will return to ace form, Gonzalez is essentially an insurance policy. If Hamels is able to bounce back, then the Phillies could have a formidable one-two punch at the top of the rotation. Even if he continues to fall off, though, Gonzalez will be the ace in waiting.

The general consensus is that Gonzalez is major league-ready right now, so the Phillies should get an opportunity to work him into the rotation late in the season. He’ll probably need a couple starts in the minors, but with Philadelphia falling out of the playoff race quickly, it makes perfect sense to give Gonzalez a taste of the big leagues in September.

The best historical comparison that can be made to Gonzalez’s case is that of Jose Contreras. The Cuban veteran was signed by the Yankees at the age of 23 in 2003, and he showed flashes of brilliance early as he went 7-2 with a 3.30 ERA in his first season. Contreras quickly fell off after that, though, and he has bounced around ever since.

Although Contreras never became the ace that the Yankees hoped, he pitched out of a major league bullpen as recently as this season with the Pittsburgh Pirates at 41 years of age. With that said, the Phillies can’t base Gonzalez’s situation off Contreras’ because they are totally different pitchers.

Aroldis Chapman was in the same situation a couple years ago, and he has happened to develop into one of the best closers in the game. Simply put, every case is different, so Gonzalez can’t be judged until he takes the mound and either sinks or swims.

Teams that take risks tend to excel, so the Phillies should be applauded for thinking outside the box and going for the big score with Gonzalez.

 

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