Charlie Morton’s Contract Option Declined by Phillies: Latest Comments, Reaction

The Philadelphia Phillies announced Thursday that they have declined to pick up the mutual option on pitcher Charlie Morton. 

Morton was set to earn a $9.5 million salary in 2017, but the Phillies instead exercised a $1 million buyout, per SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo. 

Morton, 32, made just four starts in 2016, finishing 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 19 strikeouts in 17.1 innings pitched. He missed the majority of the season after tearing his hamstring in April. 

A major reason for the buyout was likely because it wouldn’t have been guaranteed that Morton would have made the starting rotation given the team’s bevy of young starters and prospects. Jerad Eickhoff, Aaron Nola and Vince Velasquez are locks to earn spots on the rotation, while Zach Eflin, Jake Thompson, Alec Asher and perhaps even Mark Appel will compete for spots in the rotation.

In other words, Morton would have needed to have a very strong spring to earn a spot in the rotation this season. Given that Morton has pitched 150 or more innings just three times in his career and has dipped below a 3.70 ERA just once, the Phillies weren’t willing to bet on his justifying a $9.5 million contract on the mound.

        

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Phillies Spring Training 2014: Daily Updates, Scores, News and Analysis

The Philadelphia Phillies certainly aren’t getting any younger. In fact, this offseason they managed to get older, adding 36-year-old Marlon Byrd and 37-year-old A.J. Burnett in free agency, giving them nine players expected to make regular contributions that are 33 or older.    

So how will one of baseball’s oldest teams fare against the younger and more talented contenders in the NL East, the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves? Can the Phillies return to the postseason with the aging core that led them to a 2008 World Series title, or will they miss the playoffs for the third straight season?

Below, you’ll find the team’s schedule for all of spring training, a brief recap from each game and a full prediction for how Philly will fare in 2014.

 

 

March 4: Phillies lose to Blue Jays, 5-3

In a battle of former Cy Young winners, Cliff Lee outdueled R.A. Dickey, but the Toronto Blue Jays got the last laugh, leaving with a 5-3 victory. 

Lee looked sharp in his Grapefruit League debut, striking out two in three innings of work while giving up three hits and one run. He faced 11 batters and didn’t walk anyone, leaving with a 3-1 advantage thanks to a Marlon Byrd two-run shot in the third.

“It went good,” he said after the game, via MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. “I’m pretty happy with it.” 

After B.J. Rosenberg worked two innings of one-run ball, however, 27-year-old Luis Garcia was blasted for two runs in the sixth inning. He gave up singles to Jose Reyes, Melky Cabrera and Moises Sierra and was saddled with the loss. 

There wasn’t much offense outside of Byrd, who had a single in addition to his homer, as veteran Bobby Abreu drew a bases loaded walk for Philly’s other run. 

 

March 3: Phillies lose to Rays, 6-1

When Michael Stutes entered the game in the seventh inning, he had a 1-0 lead. By the time he made it through the inning, he had sacrificed five runs and the Rays were on their way to earning a 6-1 victory.

Roberto Hernandez pitched well for the Phillies, opening the game with three scoreless innings on the mound. Jeff Manship and Phillippe Aumont then combined to throw another three scoreless frames. 

But Stutes and Justin De Fratus (1.0 innings pitched, one hit, one run in the eighth) couldn’t contain the Rays.

Maikel Franco led the Phillies with two hits, while  Leandro Castro scored the team’s lone run on Wil Nieves’ RBI single in the fourth.

 

March 2: Phillies lose to Pirates, 4-1

A.J. Burnett made his debut with the Phillies against his old team and worked just two innings before leaving the mound after allowing a single hit and run. He told reporters after the fact, via Rob Biertempfel of TribLive.com, that it was a sentimental moment:

Nah, I didn’t. It wasn’t weird. It’s just facing another team, and it just happened to be those guys today. It was definitely good to see them. I always have respect for everything and everyone in this game, no matter who you play against. Any team I’ve played on, you’re respectful to them. It was a good time.

Burnett did little to help the Phillies turn things around. The club has now lost four of five to start spring training with no reversal of fortunes in sight.

Tony Gwynn was the lone offensive bright spot for the Phillies thanks to his two hits to lead the team, but even he fanned at plate once and was stranded on base multiple times.

As has been the case all spring, Philadelphia fell behind early and failed to climb out of a 3-0 hole that was created by the end of the fourth inning. The team mustered seven hits but went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

 

March 1: Phillies lose to Yankees, 4-0

The Yankees put three members of their starting rotation on the mound in today’s matchup in CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda and Masahiro Tanaka, who made his hyped debut. The Phillies’ offense was no match in a 4-0 loss.

Philadelphia mustered just five hits and one walk. All six runners were left stranded. On the bright side, David Buchanan pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts as the starter. Miguel Gonzalez took the loss after giving up one run on two hits and four walks in 1.2 innings.

Ichiro Suzuki, Francisco Cervelli and Adonis Garcia provided the offense for the Yankees with a trio of RBI singles. Garcia’s plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh to cap the 4-0 win.

 

Feb. 28: Phillies beat the Tigers, 10-6

Led by an eight-run third inning highlighted by Jimmy Rollins’ three-run homer, the Phillies defeated the Tigers, 10-6.

Marlon Byrd went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Darin Ruf contributed two RBI. Kyle Kendrick wasn’t terribly sharp in the start, however, allowing two hits, three walks and three runs in his two innings of work.

Nick Castellanos led the way for Detroit, finishing 2-for-3 with four RBI.

 

Feb. 27: Phillies lose to Blue Jays, 7-5

The Phillies led 3-2 after three innings before five quick runs from the Blue Jays turned the game in their favor for the second straight day. They went on the win 7-5.

Jake Diekman gave up two runs on four hits before getting out of the fourth inning. That’s better than what can be said about Ethan Martin, though. He allowed three runs on three hits and a walk without registering a single out before he was pulled in the fifth.

Darin Ruf and John Mayberry both hit their first home runs of the spring in a losing effort for Philadelphia. Cliff Lee gave up one run in two innings while striking out three.

 

Feb. 26: Phillies lose to Blue Jays, 4-3

Despite scoring two runs in the bottom of the first on RBI singles from Howard and Byrd, the Phillies fell to the Blue Jays in seven innnings (the game was called due to rain), 4-3.

Roberto Hernandez started and pitched two innings for the Phillies, giving up two runs and a Jose Bautista home run. Reliever Phillippe Aumont gave up two runs in the top of the third, before Jeff Manship, Antonio Bastardo and Kevin Munson combined to pitch four scoreless innings for Philadelphia.

Shortstop Ronny Cedeno added an RBI double in the fifth inning for the Phillies.

 

Pre-Spring Training Prediction for 2014 Season

At first glance, its hard to imagine this team competing with the Braves and Nationals in the NL East. They’re simply too old.

Ryan Howard has played in a total of 151 games combined over the past two seasons. Chase Utley’s 131 games played last year was his most since 2009, as were his 135 hits, 18 home runs and 69 RBI. Jimmy Rollins continues to play a solid shortstop, but his .252 average, six home runs, 39 RBI and 65 runs scored were wildly disappointing. Carlos Ruiz followed up an excellent 2012 with a really mediocre 2013. 

But there are good things, too.

For starters, Howard is healthy and is feeling pretty good, as he told Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News:

I feel good. Last week was a hard week—definitely different than spring trainings of the past. But you can definitely see what they’re trying to do. Now it gets to where the games kind of become the easy part. You do all the work, put in all the work and your offseason training, and now the games begin and you can have fun.

A Howard that is having fun and producing equals a Phillies team that can compete. It’s really that simple for Philadelphia. But there are more positives than Howard’s health this spring.

Domonic Brown (.272, 27 home runs, 83 RBI) had a breakout season. The one-two punch of Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels atop the rotation is one of the best in the National League. Highly-touted Cuban rookie Miguel Gonzalez could turn this from a solid rotation to an excellent one if he lives up to the hype. Jonathan Papelbon wasn’t great last season, but he still has the goods to be a solid closer. Free-agent additions Burnett and Byrd are old, yes, but both are coming off excellent seasons. Ben Revere provides some speed on the basepaths and plays a tidy center field.

And there is the surprising development that Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs actually projected the Phillies as the second-most-improved team heading into the season:

The Phillies, in a sense, are a positive regression case. They also added A.J. Burnett, Roberto Hernandez, Miguel Gonzalez, and Marlon Byrd, so while they also don’t project very well, they should be in the hunt a little longer. It pains me to say that the Phillies should be better for no longer having Roy Halladay. It pains me less to say they should be better for no longer having Delmon Young.

Unfortunately, that analysis sounds like the Phillies should improve from last year’s 73-89 mark to something along the lines of 2012’s 81-81 campaign, not another trip to the postseason.

Keeping expectations in check when evaluating this Phillies team is important. If absolutely everything goes right, they might be able to sneak into the postseason.

More likely, however, they’ll hover right around the .500 mark and finally put an end to an era of Phillies baseball that brought a World Series title, several postseason runs but, eventually, ended with a whimper, not a bang.

They’ll finish third in the NL East and miss the playoffs once again.

 

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Josh Hamilton: Signing with Phillies Makes Most Sense for Slugger

Josh Hamilton may want to return to the familiar confines provided by the Texas Rangers, but the Rangers may not offer him the contract he wants. The Seattle Mariners will probably be willing to offer him the contract he wants, but he won’t be joining a winning team.

Suddenly, the Philadelphia Phillies seem like the most logical place for Hamilton to sign. 

Let’s get one thing straight—if the Rangers match the biggest offer he gets on the market, he’ll return to Texas. And with Zack Greinke off the market and a Justin Upton trade seeming less likely by the day, the Rangers may have no choice but to throw a ton of cash at Hamilton.

But let’s say they aren’t willing to do that—something that seems possible given Hamilton remains unsigned. If money and years weren’t a major consideration for the Rangers, Hamilton would already be re-signed. 

And its possible the Mariners or some other team will start throwing cash around or be willing to offer more years, driving the Rangers past their comfort zone in the negotiations. They’ll have a breaking point when it comes to offering Hamilton a contract, no doubt about that.

But one team that always seems to emerge from left field and make a big offer is the Phillies, a team that saved a lot of cash by trading Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino last season and desperately needs a big bat in the middle of the lineup. 

On Tuesday night, it was rumored the Phillies had entered the fray to sign Hamilton. Frankly, if true, it makes a lot of sense.

Hamilton may be risky, but the Phillies only have a few years left with the current core of aging players to be World Series contenders. If this team is serious about winning a World Series in the next two years, Hamilton is the biggest splash they can make.

Because of that, the Phillies may be willing to offer the superstar a huge contract.

If you were Hamilton and you were looking at two huge contracts from the Phillies and Mariners and a lesser contract with Texas, which route would you go?

The Phillies have quality people throughout the organization, a roster that would be capable of returning to the playoffs, a fanbase that would absolutely adore Hamilton and would be offering a big contract to land him.

How is that not appealing?

I understand why Hamilton would want to return to the Rangers. But when you look at how his market will shape up, more and more I believe the Phillies will represent the best option in terms of money and a chance to succeed.

Don’t be surprised if he’s raising a Phillies jersey at a press conference before the new year.

 

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets remain in high demand on the Twitter market. And yet I give them away for free…

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Phillies Trade Rumors: Philly Shouldn’t Give Up on Hunter Pence Just Yet

Unless the Philadelphia Phillies have several money trees at their disposal, the team is going to have to do some financial restructuring at some point following the six-year, $144 million extension Cole Hamels just signed with the team.

Next year, the team will owe nearly $104 million alone to Hamels, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay. Somewhere on the roster, it will need to trim some dollars.

And before the trade deadline, the Phillies may look to do so by trading Hunter Pence, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:

The Phillies continue to signal to clubs that they are eager to move right fielder Hunter Pence, who could earn $13 million to $14 million next season in his final year of arbitration.

Pence, 29, is batting .268 with a .789 OPS, 17 homers and 57 RBI. His value could be enhanced by the signings of the San Diego Padres’ Carlos Quentin and Toronto Blue Jays’ Edwin Encarnacion and their respective removals from the trade market. But few teams are willing to assume high salaries and part with significant prospects.

Financially, moving Pence makes sense. But that’s the only reason trading him away should even be considered.

For one, there is no way the team will get anywhere close to the price it paid to get him just a year ago, when it traded four prospects—including first baseman Jonathan Singleton and pitcher Jarred Cosart, two of the team’s top prospects at the time—to the Houston Astros for Pence.

The Phillies might get half of the value back that it cost them to acquire Pence in the first place. That won’t sit well with savvy fans.

But the Phillies aren’t exactly baseball’s most daunting offensive team, either, nor its youngest. While many of the team’s offensive woes can be traced to time missed by Howard and Utley, this team is no longer led by the explosive offense that led it to a 2008 world championship and 2009 World Series appearance.

Pence leads the team in home runs, RBI and hits, and, at age 29, is one of the few regulars younger than 30. His absence would have short- and long-term implications.

Sure, the Phillies—currently 14 games out of first in the NL East and 9.5 games back for the last Wild Card spot—probably won’t make the postseason this year. But with a clean bill of health, the squad should once again be considered a favorite in the National League next year.

With Pence, that is. Without him, I don’t like the look of this lineup.

I understand there are financial situations to consider. But the window for the Phillies to win another World Series ring has become very slim and trading away Pence might be just enough to shut it.

So spend the money, Philadelphia. Another ring will make you forget about that bank statement.

 

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets bring it home like Big Easy.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Phillies Rumors: Phils Must Find a Way to Sign Cole Hamels Before Trade Deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies have lost a lot of games this season. The one thing they can’t afford to lose, however, is Cole Hamels this offseason.

All indications are that the team and Hamels are in the midst of heavy contract negotiations, though if the Phillies don’t feel they can re-sign him, they will look to trade him.

A source has told ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick that the talks have reached a “sensitive” stage and that Hamels could be line to earn a six-year contract in the vicinity of the $127.5 million Matt Cain deal, while Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com notes that the Phillies are desperately trying to retain Hamels:

“They’re trying—actively trying,” a person with knowledge of the situation told CSNPhilly.com on Monday afternoon. “They’re making offers.”

Hamels will be eligible for free agency at the end of the season. If the Phillies are unable to sign him to an extension before next Tuesday’s trade deadline, they will likely look to trade him for a package of young talent.

Hamels reportedly remains conflicted about whether to sign an extension now or test the free-agent waters this offseason, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:

The Hamels talks will accelerate this week; the non-waiver trade deadline is a week from Tuesday, and the Phillies need an answer. But the club, by taking this sudden pivot, has put Hamels in an awkward position. Not surprisingly, he is said to be “conflicted” about how to proceed.

Cole Hamels is a Philadelphia hero, namely after his epic 2008 postseason performance that saw him win the NLCS and World Series MVP en route to a world championship for the Phillies. He’s spent his entire career in Philadelphia, so trading him away—or worse, losing him via free agency after the season—would absolutely crush this fan base.

And what would it say of Philadelphia’s own opinion of its future?

No, the core of this team is not young. But there are players that will still be very effective next year, and even those who have many good years of ball still in front of them. You can’t tell me a team with a healthy Hamels, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay wouldn’t compete next year.

The Phillies absolutely have to find a way to get a deal with Hamels done. Elite left-handed pitchers don’t just grow on trees—or more accurately, in farm systems—and neither do pitchers who have proven to be incredibly valuable in the postseason.

The team has overpaid to bring in outside players before. Now it is time they overpay to steal Hamels’ attention away from any excitement he might feel about hitting free agency this offseason.

Changes will need to come in Philadelphia after this season. Shane Victorino likely won’t be retained. The bullpen will need to be improved. Adding a young position player or two would certainly be nice.

But one change doesn’t need to occur, and that is not seeing Hamels take the hill every five days. He’s a huge part of the Phillies’ present; he must remain an even bigger part of the team’s future.

Get this deal done, Ruben Amaro—anything less, and you’ll be dealing with a very cranky fanbase.

 

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets bring it home like Big Easy.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

MLB Trade Rumors: Phillies Reportedly Shopping Cole Hamels

The day that Philadelphia Phillies fans have been dreading all season long is upon them: The team has begun shopping All-Star pitcher Cole Hamels.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports was the bearer of bad news on his Baseball Insider blog:

The Phillies dropped a bomb on the trade market when they recently began making calls to see about trade interest in Cole Hamels, CBSSports.com has learned.

Hamels is a free agent after the year, and a source with knowledge of his contractual situation, said there has been no progress made in contract talks.

The Phillies are struggling through an injury-riddled first half. They traded Jim Thome on Saturday to the Orioles, but the Phillies suggested that didn’t mark the beginning of the selloff.

Oh, the horror!

Of course, nothing is set in stone at this point. But with Hamels set to become a free agent after this season and no contract extension in place, it was always a possibility that the team—with one of the biggest payrolls in baseball—would look to deal the lefty ace.

And Hamels’ contract expectations probably became more expensive after Matt Cain signed his whopping six-year, $127.5 million contract extension with the San Francisco Giants.

Hamels is having another excellent season for the Phillies, currently 10-4 with 111 strikeouts, a 3.08 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. In a year full of disappointment, Hamels—alongside catcher Carlos Ruiz—has been a bright spot.

He’s also become one of baseball’s elite left-handed pitchers in the past three years, and he’ll long be a hero in Philadelphia after winning the NLCS and World Series MVP awards in the Phillies’ 2008 championship season.

It’s possible that the Phillies are simply doing due diligence and testing the market to see if a team will absolutely blow them away with a deal. But the possibility that Hamels will depart Philadelphia is now very real.

 

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets want Dwight Howard to just get traded already too.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Phillies Trade Rumors: Landing Kevin Youkilis Would Be Perfect Move for Philly

Even when Chase Utley and Ryan Howard return to the lineup, there is no question that the Philadelphia Phillies could use some more pop in the batting order.

Kevin Youkilis from the Boston Red Sox would provide some. And according to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, the team has put eyes on him:

#Indians and #Phillies are among the teams monitoring Kevin Youkilis in his minor league rehab, says a BB source. #RedSox

— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) May 20, 2012

It isn’t so crazy to think that the Red Sox could move Youkilis. He was already publicly called out by manager Bobby Valentine earlier in this season, which didn’t play well in the locker room. He’ll be a free agent after this season. Rookie Will Middlebrooks has played well (.297, five home runs, 16 RBI) this season.

A move wouldn’t be shocking.

Sure, the Phillies already have the aging Placido Polanco at third. But Youkilis could come in and play at both third and first base, and Polanco could play a bit of second base for the team as well. Youkilis could also provide relief for the Phillies’ first base platoon. If the Phillies have another playoff run in them, they’ll need to keep their veterans fresh.

Question number two: Would it make any sense for the Phillies to give up what little young talent they have left in the farm system for a potential rental?

It could if the Red Sox have interest in a player like pitcher Joe Blanton, as David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News pointed out:

What if the Red Sox proposed a straight Blanton-for-Youkilis swap? Two guys with similar salaries who will be free agents at the end of the season, both of whom fill holes for the other side (similar is relative, of course – Youkilis actually makes $4.5 million more than Blanton, along with a $1 million buyout next year). Just something to think about. 

Red Sox fans may think that is crazy, but the team needs pitching help and Blanton is having an excellent year (he’s 4-4 with 39 strikeouts, a 3.74 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP). It would be a quick and easy way for the team to get a bump in the rotation.

Obviously, all of this is a long shot at this point. But it’s an intriguing long shot, and one that could make each team better.

I know this much—the Phillies would be better off with Kevin Youkilis than they are without him. His bat would perfectly fit in the lineup, and could be just the spark this team needs to win its sixth-straight NL East title.

 

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets will gladly have another as well.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

MLB Rumors: Philadelphia Phillies Must Do What It Takes to Keep Cole Hamels

If you were the Philadelphia Phillies, to what lengths would you go to keep Cole Hamels?

Would you give him a seven-year contract, for example?

Because that’s what it might take, at least according to NBC’s Howard Eskin:

Just reported on Sports Final @NBCPhiladelphia that I’m told cole hamels agent has told Phillies they r looking for “7” year deal.

— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) May 14, 2012

In my opinion, if that’s what it takes to keep him, then that’s what you give him. Here’s why.

 

Hamels is Needed Now

The Phillies aren’t getting any younger, with the core of the team—Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Jonathan Papelbon—mostly over the age of 30.

Only Hunter Pence (29) and Hamels (28) are below 30, and not by much.

The window for this team to win a World Series is shrinking rapidly—some might say that after the team’s slow start, it has already past, though I don’t subscribe to that theory just yet—and losing a pitcher of Hamels caliber would be devastating.

Hamels is on pace to have his finest season to date. He’s 5-1 with a 2.28 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 49 strikeouts and looks like he’ll once again be a viable Cy Young candidate. The Phillies can’t afford to lose that level of production any time soon.

 

Hamels Will Be Needed Later

I know what you’re thinking:

But Tim, giving him a seven-year contract is ridiculous. It will come at such a high price—there’s no way he’ll settle for less than Matt Cain money—and he’ll be 36 when the deal runs out. That’s crazy talk!

But is it really crazy talk?

I don’t think so. I actually think Hamels’ pitching style will remain effective as he ages. He’s a crafty, cerebral pitcher even now, not an overpowering one. His reliance on an excellent change-up along with a solid cutter will compensate for any velocity he loses off his fastball.

It’s risky, I agree. But I also think Hamels will be a very effective pitcher well into his 30s, and the Phillies should keep that in mind as they negotiate a new deal.

 

He’s a Philly Favorite

In 2008, Cole Hamels was the World Series MVP when the team won its first championship since 1980. He came up through the team’s minor league system. He was the best left-handed pitcher this organization had seen since Steve Carlton.

His departure would be an extremely unpopular move with the fans. Philadelphia fans are loyal to their teams, but don’t get it twisted—they will turn on a front office. As amazing a job as general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. has done, a few poor decisions and his popularity will take a plunge quickly.

For the past five years, Philly has gone from being a city traditionally owned by the Philadelphia Eagles to a Phillies town. But if they lose Hamels—and they don’t transition gracefully from this current core of players to the next generation of Phillies—the city will turn primarily green once again.

Eagles green, that is. And all of that green that the Phillies have basically printed in the past five years will become more scarce, too.

If they know what is good for them, they’ll find a way to bring Hamels back, even if the terms are steep. He’s not just a key piece now but also an important part of this organization’s future.

 

Hit me up on Twitter—my tweets never give up in stoppage time.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Erin Andrews and the 15 Sexiest MLB Reporters

Baseball and basketball are well-known for the many sideline reporters that pepper their broadcasts. Hockey utilizes an ice-level reporter found in-between the benches.

And baseball?

Well, baseball is getting there.

But when ESPN utilizes Erin Andrews as a field reporter during baseball broadcasts, you know there is hope that gorgeous field reporters will soon be gracing baseball games on a more regular basis.

So in that spirit, we’ve compiled 15 of the most beautiful women ever to cover America’s Pastime, either on the field or in the studio.

Play ball!

Begin Slideshow