Philadelphia Phillies: Grading Each of Their Moves at the MLB Trade Deadline

Until the final day before the trade deadline, nobody really knew if the Philadelphia Phillies were going to be buyers or sellers.

On one hand, the Phillies have become a very proud franchise that definitely did not want to admit defeat, but on the other hand, they were looking defeat right in the face for most of this season.

As you definitely know by now, the Phillies did make a lot of big decisions, but did they make good deals? That is what we’re going to look at right now.

I am giving “at the trade deadline” a very loose definition, meaning during July.

The only reason I am doing that is because those moves were inevitable anyway, but the right package came along before the actual deadline.

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Philadelphia Phillies’ 2012 MLB Trade Deadline: Shouldn’t Wait Too Long to Deal

The Philadelphia Phillies are still open to trading Shane Victorino and other pieces, but we might be waiting right up until the MLB trade deadline to see if anything actually happens, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.

Even though there has been a lot of speculation regarding what the Phillies would do before the deadline, it seems like they don’t have a definitive direction yet.

The Phillies have a lot of pieces that other teams might want, such as Shane Victorino, Hunter Pence or maybe even Cliff Lee; however, any of those trades would take a lot of work to pull off since they are big-name players.

If they wait right up until the trade deadline and decide to sell, you have to wonder how the market will look at that point.

For example, if the Phillies decide that they are looking to trade Cliff Lee, the Texas Rangers would be a very likely trade partner. Since the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim went big to grab Zack Greinke, the Rangers might want to do something to counter that.

Lee comes with a giant price tag that might scare many teams away. The Phillies could take on some of his salary, or a team like the Rangers could be willing to take it all on in hopes of making another World Series push.

Imagine, though, if the Rangers made a move for a big-time pitcher like Josh Johnson, for example. All of a sudden, one of the most attractive—and probably one of the only—trade partners for the Phillies in this situation would be off the market.

Waiting to find the right deal is great, but the Phillies need to make sure that they don’t wait too long and force other teams to consider and possibly accept other offers.

 

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MLB Trade Rumors: Philadelphia Phillies “Eager” to Trade Hunter Pence

The Philadelphia Phillies are “eager” to trade Hunter Pence, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

If Pence is truly going to be on the move, the Cole Hamels situation could end up being quite a bit more interesting.

On one hand, trading Pence would be indicative of an oncoming fire sale. The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t had much offense this year, but Pence does have 17 home runs on the year. Trading away a large piece of their offense so far this year would definitely not do very much to help the Phillies compete right now.

If this trade would really indicate a sale, it would make sense that Shane Victorino and Hamels would be on their way out as well. If you’re going to sell one important piece, why not go all the way and worry about dominating next season?

However, there is another reason the Phillies might be trying to trade Pence.

As almost everyone knows, the Phillies are trying desperately to keep Hamels in Philadelphia for quite a bit of time. In order to do that, they obviously need to pay him a ton of money, and they can free up a lot of money by trading Pence.

Again, this move wouldn’t necessarily help the Phillies win this year, but it would definitely help give them the financial flexibility to keep one of their star players in town.

Trading Pence would probably be an unpopular move, but if either one of the reasons I’ve mentioned is true, it does make a lot of sense.

In one week, it will be the trade deadline. A lot is surely going to happen before then.

 

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Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard Back for Philadelphia Phillies: Too Little, Too Late?

The Philadelphia Phillies are now almost entirely healthy.

Roy Halladay made his return Tuesday, while Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are getting back into the offense.

This is what Phillies fans have been waiting for all year, but you have to wonder whether this is simply too little, too late.

The Phillies seem to be playing better as of late, but four teams sit between them and the top of the division.

That is a difficult spot to be in right now for the simple reason that it is not enough for just the Washington Nationals or Atlanta Braves to lose.

If just the Nationals collapsed, unless the rest of the division collapsed as well, the Phillies would still be behind three opponents.

That is a tough path to travel, to say the least.

However, it would be foolish for me to say that all is absolutely, without a doubt lost. Weird things happen all the time, and they especially seem to happen on the baseball diamond.

The Phillies are playing better, as I already mentioned. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are two of the best hitters in all of baseball, and if they are able to dive right into midseason form, that would help quite a bit.

In fact the Phillies’ biggest weakness has been their bullpen, and if they decide to buy instead of sell, they would need to address this area.

So, it will be difficult for the Phillies if they decide that they want to make a run for the playoffs rather than sell and worry about winning next year

Any hope rests in strong returns from injury by key players as well as adding a piece or two to the bullpen.

Admittedly, that hope is slim.

The National League East is strong, and what are the odds of all four of their opponents simultaneously collapsing?

It will be tough, but if they don’t sell, they must at least think a comeback for at least a wild-card position is possible.

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Report: Los Angeles Dodgers Have Interest in Jimmy Rollins at Short

The Los Angeles Dodgers have some interest in Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, “sources said Monday,” Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reports.

The topic is surely going to generate some controversy among Phillies fans.

On one hand, Rollins is the emotional leader of the club. He has always shown confidence and swagger. He began his career when the Phillies were just beginning to get their act together, and he has been a part of all the success since then.

Since Rollins is a homegrown talent, it would obviously be difficult to imagine the shortstop hole filled by anyone else at Citizens Bank Park. However, Rollins is not without critics. Most of this negativity stems from his contract, which many people feel is far too high for what he has produced.

This past winter, Rollins signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the club. For a team with such a huge payroll already, this move was somewhat controversial, as many believed the money would be better spent elsewhere (particularly, getting younger).

In exchange for this contract, Rollins has hit .261 with eight home runs, 33 RBI and 14 stolen bases thus far in 2012. Those aren’t bad numbers, but for an average of $11 million a season, Philadelphia was hoping for a little more production.

Now, keep in mind that the only thing that we have heard is that the Dodgers have “interest” in the shortstop. The Philadelphia Phillies have not addressed this story or situation, and Rollins has been absent in the rumor-mill flurry thus far.

However, if there is legitimate interest from Los Angeles and the Phillies decide to become sellers, these rumors will surely intensify. Currently locked in a battle with the San Francisco Giants for the NL West crown, the Dodgers need offense, and the Phillies may want to cut payroll and begin building anew with younger talent.

 

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MLB Trade Rumors: What Is Going to Happen with Shane Victorino?

Shane Victorino is in a precarious position right now with the Philadelphia Phillies.

According to Buster Olney of ESPN, the Phillies have put an extremely high price tag on the switch-hitting center fielder. Since he is not having an amazing year, that high price might very well scare away potential suitors.

However, on the flip side, according to a report by Jon Heyman from CBSSports on July 8, the Phillies have not been very aggressive about bringing back the “Flyin’ Hawaiian” next season.

Therefore, what is going to happen to him?

The Phillies’ trade demands will probably drop as the deadline draws nearer. This type of thing happens every year, and teams finally realize that if they want to get a trade done, compromises have to be made.

For Victorino, a trade might be the better scenario. He needs to go somewhere else and have a strong second half. If the Phillies are truly not interested in bringing him back after this season, perhaps another team would be able to offer him an extension before he enters the free-agent market.

That is why I feel his position is precarious. There are a lot of major league outfielders who will be on the market this winter, including Josh Hamilton, Michael Bourn, B.J. Upton and Torii Hunter.

With a plethora of strong options, Victorino will obviously not be coming off as strong of a year as some of these others. Any team that will want to sign an outfielder will have plenty of choices, and that could drive down everyone’s paycheck.

I like Shane Victorino a lot, and I really don’t want him to leave Philadelphia. However, from a career perspective, it may be better for him to find some place where he might be able to stick long term with a nice extension and not have to mess around in such a busy market this winter.

 

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Philadelphia Phillies: Why They Shouldn’t Be Scared of Hamels’ Contract Length

While the Philadelphia Phillies are making one last push to try to keep the Cole Hamels in Philadelphia, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN, the length of the contract very well might be the issue right now.

The Phillies seem to follow an organizational policy that dictates that they will not sign pitchers to contracts longer than five years.

If the Phillies are ever going to make an exception, now is the time to do that.

First of all, Hamels is 28 years old. Even if he signs a six-year contract, it isn’t like he is going to be old when the contract is over.

When they signed Roy Halladay to his three-year contract with a fourth-year option, they knew that that deal would not be complete until he was 36 or 37.

Similarly, with Cliff Lee, his contract won’t be expired until he’s either 37 or 38 if his option is exercised.

Hamels would only be 34 at the end of a six-year contract. While it is a pretty big risk to sign anybody long-term, a six-year would essentially keep him in Philadelphia through what should be his prime.

Another reason to make an important exception here for Hamels is because he could easily be part of the future.

If the Phillies are actually trying to rebuild the team, why would you trade away one of the best pitchers in all of baseball? He has been their best pitcher throughout the season, and he seems to be getting better every season.

While Hamels has said that he would love to come back to Philadelphia as a free agent even if he is traded at the deadline, once he hits the market, his value is going to skyrocket.

If the Phillies want to bring back Hamels long-term, they really should do it right now.

While a long contract is definitely a risk, when you look at the actual breakdown of what a six-year contract would look like, it is definitely possible and likely that Hamels will be highly effective for the next six years.

He will simply be pitching through the middle of his career, and the Philadelphia Phillies should make sure that that happens in the City of Brotherly Love.

 

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MLB Trade Rumors: Could Hunter Pence Be on the Move?

Many people assume that the Philadelphia Phillies are going to start selling off their players relatively soon. Shane Victorino has almost always been mentioned as probably one of the first to go given the fact that he is going to be a free agent at the end of the season.

However, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer poses an interesting question: Should the Phillies be more willing to trade Victorino or Hunter Pence?

On one hand, trading Pence makes more sense. Gelb notes that Pence only has one more year of arbitration before he will demand a huge raise.

He has been having a solid year with a .285 batting average, 16 home runs and 50 RBI. Given the Philadelphia Phillies’ offensive struggles all year, it would be difficult to trade away one offensive piece that is actually working.

He has had defensive struggles this season, but he has been a solid fielder throughout his career, so hopefully this year is just a fluke.

Victorino will receive his raise this winter, but given his difficult season and a huge outfield free-agent class, he could easily become much more affordable.

He is hitting .245 with eight home runs, 37 RBI and 19 stolen bases. Obviously his speed is all right, but because of his low average, he hasn’t been able to utilize it enough.

There are also the intangibles. I’m not saying that Hunter Pence is not a leader, but when it comes down to it, we all know that the Flyin’ Hawaiian is one of the main emotional leaders in the clubhouse. Losing him would make a big impact on the team dynamic.

However, at the same time, any type of sale involving Pence, Victorino or even Cole Hamels would damage team morale. The Phillies are obviously a determined team, and they want to play this out until the end.

The Phillies have not been in this type of situation for a few years, and it is going to be a difficult decision for Ruben Amaro Jr. Is he willing to risk damaging the team dynamic this season by admitting defeat? He has 19 days until the trade deadline to make up his mind.

 

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MLB Trade Rumors: Cole Hamels Open to Re-Signing with Phillies Even If Traded

Cole Hamels recently told Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly that even if the Philadelphia Phillies trade him, he will give them every chance to sign him back in the offseason.

“I’ll always give them the first choice,” Hamels said. “If there are multiple teams I’m always going to put them at the top of my list.”

He cites the fact that he grew up watching Tony Gwynn play for the San Diego Padres his entire career, and that has always been appealing to him.

With this new piece of information, is a trade more likely to happen?

After all, maybe the Phillies could pull off something like they did with Cliff Lee. They would get prospects in the trade but then be able to bring back Hamels this winter.

There seems to be no downside to this deal assuming that Hamels is truly sincere about giving Philadelphia priority.

However, Hamels is an intelligent player and businessperson, and if he hits the open market, his value will surely skyrocket. If teams begin bidding against each other, the Phillies would most likely have to match the top offer to bring Hamels back.

Right now—at least, according to Salisbury’s impressions—the two sides agree that Hamels is worth about $24 million per year. The Phillies don’t have a problem with that, but they can’t agree to the length of the contract.

While Hamels will probably not get more than $24 million per season on the market, what if he did? If the Phillies truly want him long-term, which I think they should, they should get this deal done now. They shouldn’t trust the open market to bring down his price or demands whatsoever.

Many people criticize the Phillies for not thinking about the future and being in a “win now” mindset, but bringing back Hamels would be investing in one of the best pitchers in baseball through his prime. That seems to be an excellent move.

 

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MLB Trade Rumors: Texas Rangers Favorites to Trade for Cole Hamels If Available

If the Philadelphia Phillies decide that they’re going to trade Cole Hamels, Buster Olney of ESPN reported that many baseball officials believe the Texas Rangers will be the favorite for his services.

What would this type of deal look like?

While the price tag will surely be high, you have to assume that third base prospect Mike Olt will be the centerpiece of the package coming to the Phillies.

MLB.com ranked Olt as the third-best prospect in the Texas system, 34th-best prospect overall in Major League Baseball and the fourth-best prospect at third base at the beginning of the season.

He has been living up to all that praise so far this year. In AA, he is hitting .294 with 22 home runs, 63 RBI and a very impressive .404 on-base percentage.

He seems to be developing into a very well-rounded hitter. As an example, he is hitting .293 against lefties and .295 against righties. His home run production has also been roughly similar with eight against left-handers and 14 against right-handers.

He started showing some of his power last season when he hit 14 home runs in the Carolina league, but given that he already surpassed that total in just the first half of this season, it seems as if he is still developing.

Physically, he seems to be filled out pretty well at 6’2″ and 210 pounds. Even though he is larger, his MLB.com prospect profile does report that he is a good defender at third base.

It is much harder to determine what the rest of the package might look like, but this is a great place to start if the Texas Rangers are trying to figure out how they can grab Cole Hamels if the Phillies make him available.

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