Stock Up, Stock Down for Philadelphia Phillies’ Top 10 Prospects for Week 20

With regular seasons winding down in Minor League Baseball, including those of the Philadelphia Phillies’ minor league affiliates, a number of prospects should be trying to finish strong in their remaining games.

One such player is Phillies’ 2013 first-round selection J.P. Crawford, who was promoted from the Gulf Coast League to the South Atlantic League this past week.

As for the rest of the Phillies’ top 10 prospects, the next few weeks could determine whether they receive a September call-up to play for interim manager Ryne Sandberg, or help decide where they will begin next season.

How did the Phillies’ top 10 prospects according to mlb.com’s 2013 Prospect Watch fare this past week?

Let’s take a look at whose stock is up and whose is down following Week 20.

 

* Tommy Joseph (No. 5) is out for the remainder of the season due to injuries. Larry Greene, who is ranked No. 11 according to mlb.com’s 2013 Prospect Watch, will now be included in these rankings.

**All statistics courtesy of MiLB.com unless otherwise noted.

Begin Slideshow

Charlie Manuel Out as Philadelphia Phillies Manager

Sources tell Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly that the Philadelphia Phillies have scheduled a press conference at 2:30 to announce a manager change.

It has also been confirmed by Todd Zolecki, Phillies beat writer for MLB.com.

Manuel will leave Philadelphia after almost nine seasons with the club, leading them to seven winning seasons, not including 2012’s 81-81 season, but does include a 102-win season in 2011 and three additional seasons of at least 90 wins.

Manuel won five straight division titles from 2007-2011. The 2007 division title and playoff appearance were the first of each for the Phillies since their NL pennant-winning season of 1993.

The big season for Manuel and the Phillies came in 2008. After being swept by the Rockies in the 2007 NLDS, the Phillies won their second straight NL East title. Series wins over the Brewers in the NLDS and Dodgers in the NLCS put the Phillies in their first World Series since 1993.

Five games later, including a rain-filled Game 5 which took two days to finish, and the Phillies had defeated the Rays to win their first World Series since 1980 and only their second World Series in franchise history.

Manuel led the Phillies back to the World Series in 2009, only to fall in six games to the Yankees.

In fact, the Phillies would lose to the eventual world champions in both 2010 (Giants) and 2011 (Cardinals) in the NLCS and NLDS, respectively.

2012 turned out to be a rocky season for Manuel, going just 81-81, as mentioned above, though they did improve in the second half, going 44-31 after the All-Star break.

Manuel’s final game as Phillies manager will go down as a loss to the Braves on August 14. August 12, however, was Manuel’s 780th win as Phillies manager. But more importantly, his 1,000th career win as a manager, as he won 220 games with the Indians from 2000-02.

Update: Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Ryne Sandberg will be named the next manager of the Phillies.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Players Who Will Not Be Back in 2014

The Philadelphia Phillies cannot even make a columnist’s job easy these days.

This assignment, picking players who will not be back on the Phillies roster in 2014, would have been a snap two weeks ago.

Then Laynce Nix, one of the obvious candidates, got zipped by the club on August 6.

Adding insult to injury, the Phillies sloughed off more dead weight by releasing Delmon Young on Wednesday, per Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

This assignment began to feel like one of those games of eight ball where a better player agrees to spot you two balls, then immediately after the break spots you the two balls you had sitting on pocket edges.

Fortunately, the Phillies are so bereft of talent and mired in mediocrity that other candidates do in fact abound.

Begin Slideshow

Philadelphia Phillies: Latest Waiver Rumors on Jimmy Rollins, Michael Young

After standing pat at the trading deadline, which surprised most, the Philadelphia Phillies looked poised to turn to the waiver wire as a way to unload some of their aging veteran talent. Currently, the team has placed just Jimmy Rollins and Michael Young on waivers.

While both have cleared, no one has yet claimed the two veteran players.

It is unlikely Rollins and Young will be the only ones to go on waivers, however. Carlos Ruiz, a free agent at the end of the season, could be another name that joins the list. Cliff Lee, whom the LA Dodgers actually claimed off of waivers last year before the Phillies pulled him back, might also find himself back out there just to test the waters.

But currently it is just Young and Rollins, so here is a look at some of the waiver wire rumors concerning these two players.

 

The No-Trade Clause Killer

It is no secret that the Phillies would love to unload both Young and Rollins, but unfortunately it isn’t as easy as that. Sure, the team could release the two players, but then it would get nothing in return and would still be forced to pay salary. It wouldn’t be so bad for the free agent Young, but Philadelphia just re-inked Rollins last offseason, and he still has one year guaranteed left on his deal.

So the only option the Phillies have is to trade the former MVP, All-Star and Gold Glove shortstop.

The only problem is that Rollins has said in so many words that he isn’t going anywhere.

Back in July, Rollins told David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News that he has no intention of waiving his full no-trade clause, saying, “There are still a couple things I would like to be number one on the lists of in this organization, so until those things are done, I’m not going anywhere.”

While people have questioned Rollins’ apparent selfishness in making this decision, it doesn’t change the fact that it is entirely within his rights to deny a trade. It doesn’t matter what his reasons are—if Rollins wants to stay in Philly, he has the power to make that happen.

The same goes for Young, who seemed a surefire trade target back at the July trade deadline.

Young had suitors in the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, but the state of his own no-trade clause was always in question. It was first reported that he was willing to waive to go to any contender, but as the deadline drew nearer, it seemed Young would only waive to go back to the Texas Rangers.

The status of Young’s no-trade clause was never fully clear because at the last minute, it was reported by numerous sources that he had changed his mind and was willing to waive for Boston or New York (via MLB Trade Rumors).

But by that time, it seemed both teams have moved in another direction and maybe for the better. With Alex Rodriguez appealing his suspension, the Yankees no longer need a fill-in third baseman.

Boston perhaps still remains a possible destination for Young, and once again it is being reported by MLB Trade Rumors that he will waive to go to any contender. 

 

Michael Young to the Atlanta Braves?

With New York no longer a suitor and Boston possibly uninterested as well, might Young end up with the Braves?

One writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution seems to think so. With Dan Uggla going to the 15-day disabled list for eye surgery and not expected back until September, Mark Bradley thinks the Braves and Young are a perfect match.

And he isn’t wrong. Young gives the Braves a much better backup option than Paul Janish, who just got his first hit in 26 at-bats this season. Young also has postseason experience, has played second base for a significant number of innings, and is hitting well enough this season.

It wasn’t the most expected destination for Young, but with how things are shaking out, this is certainly going to be one to watch.

 

Is There a Market for Jonathan Papelbon, Carlos Ruiz?

As of right now, there is no indication that either Papelbon or Ruiz will be moved at the waiver trade deadline. The Yankees did show interest in Ruiz according to Brian Cashman and MLB Trade Rumors, but the report says that Ruben Amaro told him Ruiz was unavailable.

Ruiz is going to be a free agent at the end of the season, but because of the recent catching situation, it looks more likely the Phillies will consider re-signing him.

Of course, the catching market will feature a pretty strong crop of guys and there are teams that could use Ruiz’s defensive and game-calling abilities, but overall there seems to be no rush to move him. He hasn’t even been placed on waivers.

The same goes for Papelbon. The only real suitor Papelbon had was the Detroit Tigers, but nothing materialized.

Papelbon is not having the best season, and his salary is astronomical. Even if the Phillies were to place him on waivers, which seems unlikely considering the state of their bullpen, it does not appear that any team wants to take on that kind of money for a closer.

The waiver deadline, in order for players to be eligible to be included on postseason rosters, is August 31. It will be interesting to follow the storylines of Rollins, Young, Ruiz, Papelbon and any other players the Phillies might put on the waivers.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Defining Charlie Manuel’s Managerial Legacy After Win No. 1,000

Thanks to the backing of a brilliant Cole Hamels performance and flashy, game-ending defensive play from rookie third baseman Cody Asche, the Philadelphia Phillies cooled down the red-hot Atlanta Braves on Monday night.

What would have normally passed for an innocuous August victory for a Phillies club destined for a losing season instead became a celebration of manager Charlie Manuel.

Philadelphia’s 53rd victory of 2013 wasn’t just another notch in the win column for an aging team, but rather the 1,000th career victory for Manuel as a skipper.

After the game, Manuel, speaking to Comcast Sports Net’s Jim Salisbury, was reflective of his career, especially the winning achieved in Philadelphia.

“It’s definitely quite an achievement,” Manuel said. “Like I told my players, they’re the ones that make it happen. They play. The two organizations I’ve been with, they’re the ones that get the players for me. That just goes to show you just how good they are. It’s hard for me to stand there and say I accept all of my accolades because the other people are definitely achieving those for you. That’s kind of how I look at it. I’m sure later on it probably means a lot more to me than right now. We’re still trying to win some games.”

The last sentence of that quote is unfortunately the story in Philadelphia now, as Manuel’s tenure could be coming to a close at the conclusion of the 2013 season.

As the Phillies chug along to a second consecutive season without postseason baseball, the Charlie Manuel Era can’t properly be broken down and evaluated based on the end, but rather must be reflective upon the totality of accomplishments in Philadelphia under his watch.

From the day he arrived until now, the Phillies have been one of the National League’s better teams. Starting in 2007, the team reeled off five consecutive National League East titles, advanced to three National League Championship Series, two World Series, and, of course, brought a World Series championship to Philadelphia in 2008.

When the roster was flush with prime-aged talent (think Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jayson Werth before age and attrition), Manuel, the former hitting guru in Cleveland, presided over a relentless and punishing offensive attack.

Every night under Manuel’s watch, the Phillies were going to bring two attributes to the paying customers: Hard-hitting and inspired play.

From 2007-2011, the Phillies offense ranked second, seventh, sixth, 11th and 15th, respectively, in all of MLB in team OPS. Considering their place in the National League, without the luxury of a designated hitter, finishing in the top half of the sport in on-base plus slugging for five straight years is quite the accomplishment.

As the roster, specifically the offensive firepower, has taken a downturn over the years, the hard-hitting expectations have fallen precipitously, but the players have always respected and played hard for a manager that earned his keep in a city that can be notoriously tough on coaches.

It’s likely that Manuel’s last days in the Phillies dugout become uncomfortable for both the franchise and fanbase. Despite his accolades as a hitting coach and accountability from his 25-man roster, Manuel’s age (69) and in-game shortcomings make it highly unlikely that a rebuilding team keeps him in the fold to oversee the next era of Phillies baseball.

However, years from now, when the dust settles on the last era of Phillies baseball, Manuel should be recognized alongside the players, executives and coaches that made the 2007-2011 teams so dominant.

Charlie Manuel was the perfect manager for those teams. In a city that has been starved for professional championships, Manuel delivered what so few others couldn’t.

His place on the Phillies Wall of Fame should be secured.

Comment below, follow me on Twitter or “like” my Facebook page to talk all things baseball.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Charlie Manuel’s 4 Most Boneheaded Moves of the 2013 Season

Since his tenure as Philadelphia Phillies manager commenced in 2005, Charlie Manuel has seen his share of ups and downs. Fortunately for him and the Phillies, the majority of Manuel’s experiences have been positive, though as of late the opposite couldn’t be truer.

Over the last two seasons, Manuel and the Phillies have slid from being the best in baseball to the laughing stock of the league. In 2012, most of the Phillies’ woes could be attributed to the injuries of cornerstone players such as Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. While all three of those players have spent some amount of time on the disabled list in 2013 as well, that alone cannot be blamed for the lack of success this season.

Last year, multiple unlucky events led to the Phillies’ first non-winning season in over a decade. This year, however, there are two obvious names to take the hit. One is Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. for his mismanagement of the team’s roster, both in the offseason and at this year’s trade deadline. The other is Manuel himself.

From playing hitters in the wrong spots of the lineup to simply allowing players to go about their own business unmanaged, Manuel has gone from franchise hero to lame duck in a short period of time.

He’s made some mistakes that have cost the Phillies any remaining chances they’ve had in 2013 following Amaro’s inactivity. While not everything the players do should be blamed on Manuel, it is the manager’s job to provide an explanation for his team’s errors. And Manuel has not done that.

Don’t get me wrong, Manuel should be revered by all Phillies fans for leading the team in all-time managerial wins and to its second World Series title in 2008. I’m not suggesting he should be criticized solely for his miscues this season. Nevertheless, there have been miscues, perhaps too many to identify them all.

In light of that, let’s take a look at Manuel’s top four mistakes managing the Phillies this season.

Begin Slideshow

Does Roy Halladay Have Anything Left for 2013 and Beyond?

Roy Halladay was once the best pitcher in baseball.

Over the past two years, Halladay is 13-12 with a 5.24 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 32 starts. For those who remember Halladay when he was at his best, it’s disappointing to see those numbers.

Halladay has been out since mid-May after shoulder surgery and is looking like he’s ready to return.

Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports Halladay will make a minor league rehab start Thursday for the Phillies’ Gulf Coast League team with another rehab start coming five days later if all goes well.

Some may ask why the Phillies would bring Halladay back since they’re all but out of the playoff race. The reason is that both parties involved, Halladay and the Phillies, need to know whether the righthander has anything left in the tank.

 

Inside the Numbers

When looking at Halladay, it’s important to look at his pre-injury numbers.

When you break it down by velocity, the only pitch that has had relatively no change since the 2011 season was his curveball. With the other three pitches, he lost more than two mph on his sinker and cutter, and 1.66 mph on his splitter.

We don’t know for sure if Halladay’s injured shoulder was the cause of the drop in his velocity, but if he has indeed fixed whatever ailed the joint, then his return should definitely give us an indication if his lack of arm strength is a long term issue or the product of an injury that needed to be addressed.

 

Free Agent after the Year

More than anything, Halladay wants to get back on the field because he is a free agent after this season.

The Phillies likely want to see if he has anything left. If he does, there will be an interest in re-signing him.

However, even if that doesn’t happen, Halladay is playing for his career.

Just as some September call-ups will audition for 2014 jobs, Halladay will be auditioning for a job as well, whether it’s with the Phillies or some other team.

At 36, Halladay doesn’t have too many years left in him. He’ll be able to prove he can still be effective at the MLB level, thereby allowing him to go out on his own term.

Regardless of how he performs, he won’t get $20 million a season again.

 

Predictions

Halladay will see the field this year, making a few starts in September for the Phillies.

However, with guys like Ethan Martin and Jesse Biddle ready to make a difference at the MLB level, I don’t see the Phillies bringing him back next.

Where Halladay could make the biggest difference is in a rotation that is chock-full of youngsters. Whether it’s a team like the Baltimore Orioles or the Oakland Athletics, Halladay will still be able to help a team in 2014.

But will it be more from a leadership standpoint or because of his performance on the field?

That’s the question he’ll begin to answer when he makes it back to the big leagues this year.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies Should Take a Chance on Roy Halladay This Offseason

Roy Halladay will be a free agent after the 2013 season, and the Philadelphia Phillies should do everything in their power to keep him in Philly.

It’s no surprise that the two-time Cy Young Award winner is progressing quickly after undergoing surgery to repair his severely damaged pitching shoulder:

Past performance may be the best predictor of what to expect in the future, but the last two years of Halladay’s career (a 4.49 ERA in 2012 and an 8.65 ERA in 2013 pre-surgery) are moot. While Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee denied profusely that anything was wrong with the right-hander, Halladay was clearly hurt long before landing on the DL. At times it looked like he was laboring through every pitch.

Doc is 36 so it’s unlikely he’ll have Cy Young stuff again, but considering the doctors’ message that Halladay relayed to David Murphy of The Philadelphia Daily News—specifically that his surgery would “turn back the clock two or three years”—Halladay will have much to offer Philadelphia.

Philadelphia should sign Halladay to a one-year, incentive-laden contract possibly with a vesting option for 2015. Something like Andy Pettitte’s, which includes bonuses for innings pitched and days on the active roster. According to Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Doc wants to stay. 

Halladay has been to the All-Star Game eight times and has finished in the top five in Cy Young voting seven times. Oh, and don’t forget this (and this):

Apart from Doc’s clear talent, he’s an unbelievable influence on the rest of Philly’s staff. His work ethic is unparalleled. Seeing as the Phillies have a competent (though painfully inconsistent) group of younger pitchers in Kyle Kendrick, Jonathan Pettibone and Ethan Martin—and top prospect Jesse Biddle waiting in the wings—Philadelphia would be wise to keep the workhorse around so these arms can learn from the best.

Kendrick’s trajectory is a perfect example of what Halladay’s clubhouse presence can mean to the team. While Kendrick has been struggling of late, his gradual improvement in the latter half of his career is noticeable.

In an interview with Bob Brookover of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Kendrick noted that Halladay’s 2009 arrival in Philadelphia had the biggest impact on the young right-hander’s pitching career.

As a teammate and a friend, Roy has had the biggest impact on my career, Kendrick said. I feel like there is a respect thing there. I feel like he has a respect for me, and I have a world of respect for him.

No one can see the stuff behind the scenes that I get to see, but I’ve learned to respect how he goes about his business.

This is a guy you want on your team. While Ruben Amaro Jr. should get rid of free agents-to-be Carlos Ruiz and Michael Young sooner rather than later (frankly it’s baffling why he hasn’t yet, but that’s par for the course with Amaro), Halladay is one Phillie he should keep. Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports wrote a fantastic long-form piece about the “legend” that is Doc Halladay. If someone unanimously deemed a legend who has new life wants to be on your team, you take him.  

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Stock Up, Stock Down for Philadelphia Phillies’ Top 10 Prospects for Week 19

The Philadelphia Phillies made another move this past week to give their minor league talent more opportunities to earn a spot on the 2014 Opening Day roster.

By designating outfielder Delmon Young for assignment, the Phillies opened a spot for Darin Ruf to see regular playing time and try to make a case for the 2014 roster.

With Young gone and Michael Young at first base, the Phillies can play Cody Asche and Ruf regularly as they formulate their offseason plan.

Players such as Jonathan Pettibone and Ethan Martin have also been given opportunities to audition for spots for next season while Cesar Hernandez could become a September call-up and audition for a bench role.

The Phillies also made an international signing this past week by signing 16-year-old third baseman Luis Encarnacion to a deal worth $1 million, according to Tom Schad of the team’s website.

While Encarnacion gets set to begin his minor league progression, how did the Phillies’ top 10 prospects (according to mlb.com’s 2013 Prospect Watch) fare this past week?

Let’s take a look at whose stock is up and whose is down following Week 19.

 

* Tommy Joseph (No. 5) is out for the remainder of the season due to injuries, via Matt Gelb of Philly.com. Larry Greene, who is ranked No. 11 according to mlb.com’s 2013 Prospect Watch, will be included in these rankings.

**All statistics courtesy of MiLB.com unless otherwise noted.

Begin Slideshow

Ranking Potential Landing Spots for Jimmy Rollins

Jimmy Rollins has cleared waivers, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. While he did give a clear reason for his no-trade clause to David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News, saying, “There are still a couple things I would like to be number one on the lists of in this organization … so until those things are done, I’m not going anywhere,” the shortstop would be better suited in a new uniform.

While teams like the San Diego Padres could really use Rollins, the only way he’d conceivably waive his no-trade clause is if he could go to a contender. Here are three teams, in ascending order, that could vie for the veteran shortstop:

 

No. 3: New York Yankees

I know it’s silly to call the Yankees a contender at this point, but they’re never out of the race.

After a long career devoid of significant DL stints, Derek Jeter now can’t stay healthy, and the Yankees continue putting nobodies or has-beens out on the field.

Rollins would certainly fit New York’s mold. He’d be an overpaid, past-peak, once-All-Star veteran and would likely be one of the more productive hitters in a lineup that has the fourth-lowest team average and has scored the fourth-fewest runs in baseball.  

In 2013, New York shortstops are batting .216 with an OPS of .578. While Rollins isn’t even close to the player he used to be, he’s still batting .255 and with a .660 OPS, so he would be an upgrade.

 

No. 2: Cleveland Indians

The Indians are fighting for any edge they can get in their quest to make it to October. Detroit’s latest winning streak makes it unlikely that the Indians will take the AL Central, but Cleveland’s wild-card hopes are very much alive.

Currently, Cleveland has Asdrubal Cabrera at short, and he’s been abysmal. He sports a .243/.297/.397 line with seven stolen bases and a .694 OPS. While Rollins’ power numbers are a little below Cabrera’s, he’s got nearly twice as many steals and gets on base more.

Defensively is where Cleveland could really use Rollins. In terms of UZR, by all accounts the most comprehensive advanced defensive metric, Cabrera is the worst shortstop in baseball. Rollins’ UZR (supplied by FanGraphs) of minus-1.9 isn’t 2012’s 8.7, but it’s nowhere near as cellar-dwelling as Cabrera’s minus-19.

A colleague of mine actually tweeted at me today inquiring about Rollins:

Well, Rollins certainly hasn’t been good. He’s been a disappointment and a pain in Philadelphia’s side. However, he’d be an improvement over Cabrera in the average, OBP and speed departments, and his defense—while it has declined since last year’s Gold Glove performance—would be a huge help.

 

No. 1: St. Louis Cardinals

Pittsburgh is soaring and St. Louis is scuffling. And the Cardinals are getting no help from their shortstop.

Yes, he is a defensive wizard at times and is better at fielding his position than most in the game, but his brilliance stops there.

If Cabrera is abysmal, then there must be such a thing as sub-abysmal, and it is reserved for Pete Kozma.

Maybe that’s a little harsh, but his numbers warrant that kind of criticism. His cool .232/.279/.294 line and .573 OPS slot him as the worst in all offense categories on the Cardinals, and he sports the worst average, slugging percentage and OPS of any starting shortstop in baseball. Jimmy Rollins isn’t a premier shortstop anymore, but he’s also not Kozma.

If there’s talk about Rollins potentially going anywhere, most of the chatter has been concentrated in the St. Louis fanbase:

St. Louis needs to pull itself out of its current funk if it wants to take the division over the do-no-wrong Pirates. It certainly has a wealth of young talent to offer Philly’s barren farm system, so if Rollins will entertain a deal, so should Ruben Amaro Jr.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

« Previous Page — Next Page »