MLB Trade Rumors: Could Juan Pierre Be Headed out of Philadelphia?
July 7, 2012 by Zak Schmoll
Filed under Fan News
The Philadelphia Phillies have not yet indicated that they are going to be selling at the trade deadline, but according to Buster Olney of ESPN, if Juan Pierre became available, the Cincinnati Reds would be interested.
Pierre has been a pleasant surprise amidst an incredibly disappointing season in Philadelphia. He is hitting .317 and has stolen 20 bases in 23 attempts.
This is all coming from someone who was not even supposed to be an everyday player. He really only became a starter because John Mayberry Jr. was extremely ineffective for the duration of spring training.
This move obviously makes a lot of sense if the Phillies are going to indeed sell.
Pierre is 34 years old, so he would not be a piece of the distant future. Since his entire game is based around speed, as he gets older, age will catch up to him more quickly than others. When that happens, his trade value will obviously decline.
Therefore, it makes sense for the Phillies to trade him while his value is high.
Another good reason to trade away Pierre if a fire sale really does take place is because it would open up his roster slot. Perhaps John Mayberry Jr. could have another opportunity to regain his spot as the everyday left fielder. Perhaps Domonic Brown could even come up and take some of that playing time as well (I don’t think that that should happen, but that could easily be the topic of another article).
In either situation, they would have a potential part of their future gaining experience.
If the Phillies do decide to sell, it makes a lot of sense for Juan Pierre to be one of those pieces on the move. However, if they decide that they want to stick in until the end, it would be somewhat surprising to see Pierre going anywhere.
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MLB Trade Rumors: When Will Cole Hamels Be Dealt by Philadelphia Phillies?
July 3, 2012 by Zak Schmoll
Filed under Fan News
As we all know by now, the Philadelphia Phillies are gauging interest in left-handed pitcher Cole Hamels.
The Phillies are looking for quite a bit in return for the All-Star, as would be expected.
According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, it will take four or five prospects to reel in Hamels, with a particular emphasis on the outfield and, of course, third base.
Cole Hamels has shown that he is one of the top pitchers in baseball this season with a 10-4 record and 3.08 ERA. He is also averaging a strikeout per inning, with 111 of them in total.
Trading for Hamels would obviously be a big deal for any contender, and he could easily make an impact on any playoff race.
However that price tag is incredibly high.
That price tag is so high, in fact, that it could interfere with a deal getting done.
But with the Ubaldo Jimenez trade in somewhat recent memory, teams are willing to part with a lot of prospects for an ace.
However, are the Philadelphia Phillies really ready to admit defeat? The franchise has become very proud over the past few seasons, and it would be very hard to admit that it might be time to rebuild and worry about 2013 and beyond.
With the imminent return of both Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay, the Phillies should not and probably will not make a trade right away. Even though they are gauging interest right now, nothing will happen until the end of July.
There is no way that they admit defeat until all of their guns are firing.
If even that isn’t helping them turn the season around, Hamels could very well be on the move, with a boatload of prospects coming back.
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Philadelphia Phillies: Should the Philadelphia Phillies Pursue Ben Sheets?
June 14, 2012 by Zak Schmoll
Filed under Fan News
Ben Sheets might be trying to make a comeback again.
According to Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors, the 33-year-old right-handed pitcher threw for scouts from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Philadelphia Phillies are in need of some type of spark, and Ben Sheets might be able to provide that for a very low price.
The low price would come from the fact that he hasn’t pitched since 2010. He has been incredibly susceptible to injury throughout his career, and that has cost him a substantial portion of his career up until this point.
While it may seem risky to sign a pitcher with such a questionable past, the low cost would help mitigate that risk.
From the reward standpoint, Sheets has been a very effective pitcher when he has been healthy. Even though he has a sub.500 (90-92) career record, his career ERA is 3.97.
His record is less than ideal simply because he pitched most of his career for the Milwaukee Brewers when they were not very strong contenders.
It very well could be a good thing for the Philadelphia Phillies to take this risk. Quite frankly, they need to do something.
However, their hands are somewhat tied by their already high payroll. Therefore, they need to find someone who has the potential to make a large impact at a low price.
If Sheets is able to put together some of the strong ERAs he had channeled in the past, he would definitely be worth a look from the Philadelphia Phillies. If it doesn’t work out, then the financial loss would be relatively small. Why not take a risk?
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Should the Philadelphia Phillies Focus on Looking for Bullpen Help?
June 9, 2012 by Zak Schmoll
Filed under Fan News
The Philadelphia Phillies need reinforcements, and it seems as if they are going to start looking for bullpen help.
According to Jim Salisbury at Comcast Sports Network, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel “hinted” at looking for bullpen help.
However, the Phillies are struggling right now, and you have to wonder if the bullpen is really the biggest problem.
The Philadelphia bullpen does need help even though Jonathan Papelbon has been extraordinarily strong while Antonio Bastardo, Raul Valdes and Joe Savery are putting up solid campaigns.
The rest of the bullpen has been questionable, but in their defense, they have not always been handed the ball in the best situations.
In terms of runs scored, the Phillies are slightly above average with the 12th most in all of baseball. However, if you look at the results on game-by-game basis, there have been 14 games where the Phillies have scored one run or fewer.
That is not ideal production. They do well when they score at least a few runs, but if you can’t rely on that run production, winning becomes that much harder.
So what should Phillies do in this situation?
Ryan Howard and Chase Utley will be returning eventually, but until then, the Phillies need to worry about the hole in their lineup rather than the perceived hole in their bullpen. Having a strong bullpen is great, but the offense needs to be able to generate a lead that the bullpen can then hold on to.
The Phillies will almost definitely be active throughout the trading season since they are currently sitting six games out of first place, so keep your eyes on their movements. Maybe something huge will develop as it often does when Ruben Amaro Jr. is in control.
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Philadelphia Phillies MLB Draft 2012: Why Shane Watson Was a Great Selection
June 7, 2012 by Zak Schmoll
Filed under Fan News
The Philadelphia Phillies made a good decision by going after right-handed pitcher Shane Watson with the 40th pick of the 2012 MLB draft.
Mark Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer asked Watson what his best pitch was:
“My curveball is my best pitch,” Watson said. “It is kind of like my Visa Express card, I can use it whenever I want.”
Obviously he has a sense of humor, but the main point in this quote is that he has a highly developed curveball. According to River Ave. Blues (the Yankees also had some interest in drafting Watson), that curveball sits in the upper 70s and low 80s.
He complements that with a fastball in the low 90s although since he is a large person (6’4″, 200 pounds) there is definitely the potential for more velocity. That being said, in the same article from River Ave. Blues, it was reported that he has hit 96 and 97 at showcase events, so that velocity might already be there.
The Philadelphia Phillies are definitely an aging team, and Watson will not make it to the major leagues for a little while. However, the Phillies do have an exciting crop of young starting pitchers coming through the minor leagues.
Watson will only add to that strength. All he really needs to do is add a changeup to remain in the starting rotation. His fastball would be all right, and he already has that strong curveball.
Compared to many high school pitchers, Watson is in a good place, and the Phillies made a good decision.
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Philadelphia Phillies: The Risks and Rewards of Pursuing Kevin Youkilis
May 20, 2012 by Zak Schmoll
Filed under Fan News
Kevin Youkilis is almost definitely going to be out of Boston by the trade deadline.
Will Middlebrooks has been proving himself as the third baseman of the future at Fenway Park, and that leaves very little room for the man who was once deemed “The Greek God of Walks.”
These rumors have been circulating for a few weeks, but today Jerry Crasnick of ESPN reported on Twitter that the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cleveland Indians are among the teams keeping track of Youkilis on his minor league rehab.
My only thought in this situation is confusion about the potential risks and rewards.
In one sense, I appreciate the fact that the Phillies might be looking for a more powerful right-handed bat than Placido Polanco. Youkilis has hit at least 15 home runs the past five seasons while Polanco has only hit 10 home runs one time in the last five years. This could be a very high potential reward for a team that needs to generate some type of offense.
However, if there really could be potential competition in the market for Youkilis from the Indians for others, his price tag might become disproportionately inflated in relation to the risk that his new team would be absorbing.
Youkilis has hit .219 with two home runs and nine RBI with the Boston Red Sox this season. On top of that, while he has always been known for his high on-base percentage, he has struck out four times more than he has walked in 2012 (20 versus five).
2011 saw Youkilis start to fade, and he has not done very much to turn it around in 2012.
I am not saying that Youkilis has no hope and should hang up his spikes. He might rebound. Players have had worse seasons and continued their careers with great success.
Rather, if the Phillies are thinking about making this trade, they need to be very careful that they do not overpay for his potential reward. There would be a lot of risk, and the Phillies are not necessarily in a position to take more than they should.
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Philadelphia Phillies: Why They Shouldn’t Even Think About Selling Yet
May 18, 2012 by Zak Schmoll
Filed under Fan News
According to one rival official, Philadelphia Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has “zero” interest in trading either Cole Hamels or Shane Victorino.
Jayson Stark of ESPN reported this earlier today in a statement that seems contrary to all of the rumors that have been swirling around the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies are in last place and all last-place teams need to sell.
Right now, the Phillies are sitting four games behind the division-leading Atlanta Braves with approximately three quarters of the season remaining. They are obviously not living up to the high standard that they have set over the past several seasons.
Apparently, many people think that this is a cause to panic and that the Phillies should immediately start selling.
After all, if the Phillies aren’t going to do anything this season, why not try to cut your losses and bring in some talent before Hamels and Victorino might depart on the open market with limited compensation?
However, there is a problem with this line of argument. Who exactly says that the Phillies aren’t going to do anything this season?
A four-game deficit is really not that much when you look at the entire season in perspective and the fact that it is only a quarter complete. Bigger deficits have been overcome in shorter periods of time.
The bigger concern is probably rooted in the fact that the Phillies are not playing that well. The bullpen has not been able to hold on to leads, and, outside of Carlos Ruiz, the offense has not been nearly as productive as it has been in the past.
However, that concern is also somewhat suspect.
The bullpen needs to be fixed, but at the same time, there are some bright spots. Jonathan Papelbon has pitched very well when he has been given the opportunity, and Antonio Bastardo hasn’t missed a beat since his breakout in 2011.
In terms of the lineup, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are coming.
I know that many people doubt whether or not they will make an immediate impact since recovery does take time. Nevertheless, given their previous track record, it is hard to believe that their returns would not bring about an overall increase in run production.
The degree of that increase is harder to quantify, but Howard and Utley should make a positive change in the lineup.
When looking at these two major concerns of being in last place right now as well as some poor performances by the Phillies themselves, it is easy to think that the Phillies should sell.
However, at this point in the season, that discussion should not be happening whatsoever. Ruben Amaro Jr. is absolutely right to not be thinking about selling right now.
The season is too young and the Phillies are still too close to start waving the white flag yet.
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Philadelphia Phillies: Ryan Howard to Start His Rehab Journey
April 28, 2012 by Zak Schmoll
Filed under Fan News
According to Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Ryan Howard is starting to get back into the swing of things both literally and figuratively.
The power-hitting first baseman has been cleared for baseball activities and will be heading to Florida on Sunday.
Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said that Howard will begin simply by fielding some ground balls and building up his strength.
“He probably won’t start hitting for at least a few days because he wants to get his legs under him and doesn’t want to get in any bad habits.”
Nevertheless, this is an incredibly encouraging sign.
Last season, Howard hit 33 home runs and drove in 116 runs. Over the six complete seasons that he has played in the City of Brotherly Love, he has averaged almost 133 RBI a year.
Even though his batting average is not the greatest and he strikes out far too much, no one can deny that he’s one of the best run producers in baseball today.
The Philadelphia Phillies have been struggling to produce any offense this season, so his return will be especially vital. In fact, only the Miami Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates had scored fewer runs than Philadelphia in all of Major League Baseball.
Howard is not expected to be back in Philadelphia for quite a while yet, and Amaro would not even commit to a timeline, but progress is definitely a good thing and a sign of encouragement for a team that is underachieving at the moment.
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Philadelphia Phillies: Signing Brandon Inge Would Be a Good Investment
April 27, 2012 by Zak Schmoll
Filed under Fan News
It is no secret the Philadelphia Phillies need all the offense they can get, and an interesting option has just presented itself.
As many of you may have heard, Brandon Inge was released by the Detroit Tigers. He should now be brought to Philadelphia to try to add a spark to a stagnant offense.
However, Inge is a 34-year-old utility man who had a very difficult 2011. He only hit .197 with three home runs and 23 RBI in 102 games. Why would the Phillies even care about someone who ended up on the wrong side of the Mendoza line last season?
Quite frankly, the contract price is not going to be very high because of that difficult 2011 and his slow start this season. Inge does not have a lot to bargain with.
He does have a lot to offer his new team, though. If you consider his entire career, he has averaged 16 home runs per 162 games and has hit 27 home runs in two different seasons, so he has shown he has the potential to rise above this average.
The Phillies will be able to acquire Inge and his potential at probably the lowest value of his career given his recent struggles. Therefore, they need to consider this signing like an investment. There is a high potential reward to signing him. Paying a low price for a stock that is quite possibly going to rise is almost always considered a very good investment because you normally have to pay a lot for that strong return.
The Philadelphia Phillies need a spark in their offense that will not cost very much but will help drive in the runs until Ryan Howard and Chase Utley make their returns. Brandon Inge would be a great choice to fill that gap.
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Philadelphia Phillies: The Left Field Position Battle
April 3, 2012 by Zak Schmoll
Filed under Fan News
The Philadelphia Phillies have an interesting position battle developing in left field. Juan Pierre has had an amazing spring training and has started in left field frequently. On the other hand, John Mayberry Jr. busted out in 2011 and should hopefully continue to improve and develop into an even stronger power hitter.
According to a report by Jay Greenberg on Phillies.com, Charlie Manuel seems to be favoring Mayberry as the eventual everyday left fielder. However, Pierre should receive substantial playing time as well right off the bat. Manuel told Greenberg:
“He [Mayberry] may not be an everyday starter starting out, but he’s going to play a lot and he’ll be given every chance in the world to be an everyday player.”
The reason this is such an interesting battle, however, is because both of these players are talented, but they definitely bring different offerings to the table.
Last season, Mayberry demonstrated some major power as he hit 15 home runs in 267 at-bats. Also, he had a pretty decent .273 batting average with eight stolen bases. Power will be at a premium for the Philadelphia Phillies given the absences of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. Mayberry has a decent all-around set of tools highlighted by his power.
On the other hand, Pierre is all about speed. In his career, he has stolen 554 stolen bases. His batting average normally hovers around .280 and he puts the ball in play. He barely draws any walks, but he also barely strikes out. Overall, he has had a strong major league career, and he will add an element of speed alongside Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins.
Therefore, even though it does appear that Mayberry has the upper hand in this battle, the Phillies have two strong yet different options. This might be valuable and allows for some flexibility that many other teams might not have.
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