Philadelphia Phillies: Pitching Prospect Tyler Cloyd Having Season for the Ages

The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t had too much to be happy about this season, but down in the minor leagues, Triple-A starting pitching prospect Tyler Cloyd is having one of the best minor league seasons in Phillies’ history. Adding another win to his season on Thursday night, Cloyd threw seven innings of three-hit ball, allowing just one run. His ERA dwindled to 1.91, and his record between Double-A and Triple-A is now an unbelievable 14-1, with 11 of those wins coming for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. 

Tyler Cloyd from Bellevue, Neb., was selected in the 18th round of the 2008 first-year player draft. Going into this season, Cloyd did not break the top twenty in any of the Phillies’ best prospects lists. Now, Cloyd is having the best season out of any other pitcher in all the minor leagues. 

So far in 2012, Tyler was an Eastern League (Double-A) and International League (Triple-A) player of the week, and he has also pitched in the International League All-Star Game. Cloyd currently leads the International League in ERA, wins and shutouts, and he is second in WHIP.

Tyler has made everyone in the Phillies’ organization turn their heads, and they’re not looking away. With Joe Blanton entering free agency, Cloyd has pitched himself into being one of the leading candidates to assume Blanton’s role in the 2013 Phillies’ starting rotation. If Cloyd can keep up this kind of production, we will see him in Philadelphia before the season ends. 

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Re-Ranking Philadelphia Phillies’ Top 25 Prospects Post-Trade Deadline

We knew that the Philadelphia Phillies weren’t going to be quiet heading into the July 31 trade deadline.

After arguably the most disappointing season in all of baseball, the Phillies were positioned to be the game’s most surprising sellers, and contending teams were on their most valuable players like white on rice.

In a way, however, it was surprising that the club only moved Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence. Victorino was a likely candidate as a free agent at season’s end with no visible future in Philadelphia. Pence was a bit more surprising, but there were rumblings, and the Phillies definitely needed to free up some space under the luxury tax.

It’s surprising because of the players who didn’t move. Placido Polanco’s stint on the disabled list probably saved him. The Phillies discussed Joe Blanton with the Baltimore Orioles, but never moved him. Ditto for Juan Pierre and the Cincinnati Reds, which is even more surprising because the Phillies acquired a controllable, left-handed outfielder in Nate Schierholtz.

They even discussed moving Cliff Lee in a blockbuster but never did. If nothing more, the trade deadline was interesting for the Phillies.

But we’re here to discuss the future. The Phillies acquired a few prospects at the trade deadline in Tommy Joseph, Ethan Martin and Seth Rosin. Each of the three will slide into the Phillies’ top 25.

We’ll also be updating the ranking of the prospects already in the Phillies’ system, and to apply a proper trade-deadline term, I’m making “wholesale changes.” Here we go.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Why Carlos Ruiz Deserves MVP Consideration

Before the season, nobody would have thought that Carlos Ruiz would be among the most productive offensive players in baseball.

After what he has done so far this season, it would not be surprising at all to hear his name even in MVP discussions.

Right now, Ruiz is hitting .340, which is the fifth best in the National League to go along with 14 home runs and 58 RBI. That is the highest batting average among catchers as well.

On top of what he provides on the offensive side of the ball, Ruiz is one of the elite defenders in baseball.

However, on top of simply his individual performance, it is hard to think about where the Philadelphia Phillies would be without him this season. They have not had very much offense to speak of outside of Ruiz.

He has definitely been the most valuable player for the Phillies, but it is going to be interesting to see if the voters shy away from voting for a player on a disappointing team. There is always a debate as to whether or not the MVP needs to be on a team that is actually doing well.

Even though there are plenty of other choices in the MVP race, if the season ended right now, Carlos Ruiz undoubtedly deserves to be considered for the honor. With guys like Joey Votto and Andrew McCutchen having good seasons for highly successful teams, there will undoubtedly be in the discussion as well.

I haven’t done this for a while, but let me open it up to all of you readers. Who is your National League MVP right now?

 

Whether you think I know everything or nothing about Major League Baseball, you should follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook and keep in touch. I love hearing what you all have to say!

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Why the Phillies Were Mistakenly Caught Halfway Between Much-Needed Fire Sale

How long has it been since the Philadelphia Phillies were in the position of selling off talent at the trade deadline, rather than adding players? 

Was it 2006, when Bobby Abreu was dumped to the New York Yankees for four nondescript minor leaguers with little to no hope of reaching the majors? 

After that season, Philadelphia began its run of five consecutive division titles. The team went on to win a World Series championship in 2008. Ruben Amaro Jr. then replaced Pat Gillick as general manager. The Phillies followed up with another trip to the World Series, but lost to the Yankees. Winning the NL East and making a deep playoff run had become a formality.

So for the Phillies to play far below expectations and become sellers at the trade deadline to salvage a lost season was a position Amaro was completely unfamiliar with as an executive. Perhaps that’s why he couldn’t manage the extensive sell-off that the team needed to retool and reload for a return to success next season. 

 

Fire Sale? What Fire Sale?

To be fair, Amaro was never going to hold an outright fire sale.

The Phillies were expected to contend for yet another NL East title or make the playoffs as a wild card, at the very least. Unfortunately, many things went wrong at the same time, resulting in a horribly disappointing season. Injuries, poor performance, misguided roster construction and bad managing all contributed to the downfall. 

But winning was always the expectation. The Phillies had the second-highest payroll in baseball. Philadelphia fans packed Citizens Bank Park, providing the Phillies with the highest average attendance this season. (The Phillies led MLB in average attendance last year as well.) 

With that kind of support, along with the high-priced veteran talent on the roster, a complete dismantling of the team was never going to happen. 

Anyone thinking the Phillies were going to break up the band surely felt otherwise after Amaro signed free-agent-to-be Cole Hamels to a six-year, $144 million contract extension that made him the second-highest paid pitcher in baseball.

A team looking to rebuild doesn’t hand out a contract like that. And Hamels wouldn’t have re-signed with the Phillies if he thought the team was going to undergo a reconstruction centered around an ace starting pitcher. 

 

Avoid That Luxury Tax

However, trimming payroll was definitely a consideration for Amaro. From all accounts (including this one from CSN Philly’s Jim Salisbury), Amaro’s priority was getting the Phillies under the $178 million threshold that would trigger a luxury tax.

That would have cost Philadelphia a 20 percent tax for every dollar over $178 million. The tax would go up to 30 percent if the Phillies exceed the $178 million threshold again next season. 

If the Phillies were on their way to another division title and looked like a contender to win the National League pennant, perhaps Amaro and team ownership would have been willing to pay that luxury tax. But suffering that kind of penalty for a last-place team with no shot at contention was unacceptable. 

To get the payroll under $178 million, Amaro had to get rid of some money. However, he didn’t have to slice a drastic amount from the team’s player budget. 

 

Not Far Enough?

But did Amaro take the sell-off effort as far as he could have? Should he have tried to trim even more money from the Phillies’ payroll? 

Trading Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence accomplished the objective of getting payroll under the luxury tax threshold. Pence was particularly important because the salary he would have gotten through the arbitration process was projected to be $14 million (based on his $10.4 million salary this year).

That money could be used to either fill multiple holes on the roster or sign a better player. The Philadelphia Daily News‘ David Murphy points to Carlos Beltran as an example of a highly productive player who was signed for less money per year. Beltran signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals before this season.

However, if that’s the philosophy, how many other holes could be filled with the more than $100 million owed to Cliff Lee over the remaining four years (including a club option) of his contract?

Signing a center field upgrade over Victorino (such as Michael Bourn) and a lower-cost starting pitcher to replace Lee could be accomplished with that money.

That’s presumably why rumors of Lee being traded were buzzing right up until Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.

The Phillies spoke publicly of fielding a playoff contender with a rotation led by Roy Halladay, Lee and Hamels. But if another team like the Texas Rangers was willing to make a deal for Lee—especially if a coveted third base prospect like Mike Olt was involved—the Phillies surely considered making a move. 

But even without dealing Lee, Amaro could have sold off other pieces to pare more payroll.

Joe Blanton was almost traded to the Baltimore Orioles, though the O’s supposedly balked at having to pay the $3 million he still has to be paid this season. Without that, what would be the point of trading Blanton? 

How about trading Ty Wigginton and the $4 million option on his contract for next season? Teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates needed infield help.

Juan Pierre doesn’t make an excessive amount of money ($800,000 this season), but what role could he play for the rest of the season? The Phillies need to give Domonic Brown as much playing time as possible, in order to see if he has a future in Philadelphia or can be traded elsewhere. Pierre would be of far more use to a team like the Cincinnati Reds, who need a leadoff hitter. 

 

Where’s the Future?

Some of these failed trade connections can be revisited before the Aug. 31 waiver trade deadline. And a bigger deal involving Lee could be made during the offseason. 

Amaro has to renew those efforts because he didn’t get enough in the deals he made.

The Phillies got a couple of pitching prospects as well as a pair of major league contributors who could help the team next season. They may have also gotten their catcher of the future.

But Amaro didn’t get the young center fielder or third baseman, each ideally close to ready for the majors, that he wanted from such trades. 

Maybe those players won’t be available until after the season. If they are, however, Amaro has to do what he can to fill those needs on his roster. Otherwise, he may get to try another fire sale at next year’s trade deadline.

 

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An Evaluation of Philadelphia Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr.

The 2012 MLB trade deadline has come and gone.

Just like each of the last three years, Philadelphia Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. has made moves involving a few valuable players.

The only difference this year? He was a seller.

This past Tuesday, Amaro traded outfielders Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence, two moves that have been met with mixed reviews.

Since then, the idea of firing Amaro has been a more prevalent issue raised in the world of Philadelphia Phillies fandom.

Could this be a logical solution to the Phillies’ 2012 woes?

In order to determine whether or not Ruben Amaro, Jr. should or should not keep his job, let’s examine the most prominent moves in his body of work since taking over following the team’s 2008 World Series championship.

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Philadelphia Phillies’ Biggest Letdowns in Past 30 Years

With the trades yesterday of Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence, the Phillies effectively waved the white flag on the 2012 season, and for all intents and purposes they closed the book on arguably the greatest era of baseball in the franchise’s storied 129-year history.

Whereas Victorino was a Rule 5 guy who blossomed into an All-Star in Philadelphia, along the way being a major factor in the Phillies’ 2008 World Series, Hunter Pence’s short tenure as a Phillie can only be described as a disappointment.

The only other era in the franchise’s history that was comparable to this one was the time between 1976 and 1983. Next season will mark 30 seasons between the two greatest periods in Phillies’ baseball.

In that time, the Phillies won one of their three trips to the World Series and also won six divisional titles. For all the great moments and players, there were some big letdowns.

Here is a look at the 10 biggest disappointments over the past 30 years in Phillies baseball.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Could Cliff Lee Clear Waivers, Be Traded by August 31?

Just because Cliff Lee is a Phillie today does not mean he will still be in Philadelphia when the season is over.

Even a week ago, the narrative was “the Phillies will try to win a bunch of games in a row and climb back in this thing.”

Then they got swept out of Atlanta, and the narrative became “Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence got traded for a bunch of guys you never heard of.”  So even though Lee did not go at the trade deadline, he should probably keep a panic bag packed just in case.

The “trade deadline” has passed, but teams are still able to make deals.  The complication for the Phillies in trading Lee now (and for any trading partner) would be that Lee must clear waivers.  Explanations of the waiver trade process are abundant—a good one was provided recently by FoxSports.com.

Analyzing where Lee might go after the trade deadline means presuming that he would clear waivers.  That is not a wild hypothesis, since Lee is still owed a ton of money and the Phillies have shown scant enthusiasm about eating much of it.

This exercise also means suspending disbelief as to whether Lee would block a proposed deal with his no-trade clause.  Information about this is incomplete—Lee’s contract says he can block trades to 21 teams, but we do not know which 21 they are. 

It may not matter, though, since Lee’s no-trade clause is his to waive.  Presented with a chance to win now rather than risk a rebuild (or at least a retool) with the Phillies, Lee may well choose to go.

The following teams would figure to have no interest in Lee, for financial or competitive reasons (in a lot of cases, both, actually):

• National League East:  Miami Marlins, New York Mets
• National League Central:  Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers
• National League West:  Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres
• American League East:  Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays
• American League Central:  Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins
• American League West:  Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (nowhere to put him!), Oakland A’s, Seattle Mariners

So where might he go?

Lee is highly unlikely to end up in the National League East via trade. 

The Washington Nationals, it can be argued, do not really need him, as strong as their pitching has been. 

The Atlanta Braves could use Lee, especially after Brandon Beachy was lost for the year.  But the Phillies probably would not trade Lee to a division rival unless the rival overpaid significantly.

The National League Central is an intriguing potential destination, as the Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals all have postseason aspirations. 

Of the three, the Reds have the greatest need for pitching, but after committing to Joey Votto for a decade, the middle-market Reds may not be able to afford him. 

The Pirates have the same problem, though they would certainly prefer starting Lee over, say, James McDonald in a must-win game. 

The Cardinals are the least likely of the three to make this move, particularly if they fall much further back in the wild-card chase (four games out as of August 1).

Lee might actually favor a trade to the National League West, as both the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants play in pitchers’ parks and are poised to contend for a few seasons yet to come. 

But it probably will not happen.  Both the Dodgers (Shane Victorino) and Giants (Hunter Pence) just dealt with the Phillies and presumably could have added value to either deal to acquire Lee, but they did not do so.

Only one team in the American League East makes sense as a suitor for Cliff Lee. 

The New York Yankees were in the bidding for Lee when he signed the mega-deal with the Phillies.  The Yankees no doubt still remember how Lee stifled them in both the 2009 and 2010 postseasons.  And the Yankees have dealt with a series of starting pitching setbacks this season. 

The Yankees have the money and, as always, the need to win right now.  If a waiver trade deal is to happen, the Yankees are at or near the top of the list.

The American League Central has the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers battling for the division lead. Both teams have solid wild-card chances as well. 

Lee is probably not going to this division, for different monetary reasons: The White Sox probably cannot afford Lee because they traditionally do not spend that kind of money, whereas the Tigers have it but have already spent it on the likes of Justin Verlander, Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera.

That leaves one more team to consider. 

The Texas Rangers are going to have all they can handle from the Angels in the race for the division crown, and certainly the Rangers could see the Angels again in the postseason.  Could the Rangers open their heart (and their wallet) to Lee again?  Do not rule it out.

The Yankees and the Rangers are probably the favorites to acquire Lee if he is moved before August 31.  But if you have to bet on anything, bet on Lee being a Phillie in 2013. 

At least until July 31.

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July Grades for All 25 Philadelphia Phillies’ Players

Any month that ends in a wholesale free-for-all for a team that had World Series aspirations before the season started probably wasn’t a good one. It definitely wasn’t a good month for the Philadelphia Phillies.

It has been a long time since the Phillies were out of the postseason race this early in the season. Sure, they had their reasons: Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay missed a good portion of the first half of the season.

You try and win a division as tough as the National League East without the middle of your order and one of the best pitchers in baseball. That’s not a simple task.

But the Phillies aren’t the type of club to make excuses. Instead, they’ll have to stand before the executioner (I think he goes by Ruben Amaro Jr. nowadays) and take their lumps. Necks are on the chopping block, and it is no one’s fault but their own.

For Phillies fans, this could be a depressing month. This is the end of the road. The team that won the World Series in 2008 is going to be effectively eulogized through a mass sell-off.

Here’s where each player went wrong (and the very few who went right.)

*All statistics are through Monday, July 30.

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MLB Trade Deadline 2012: Post-Deadline Expectations for Philadelphia Phillies

The MLB trade deadline has come and gone, and the Philadelphia Phillies are already looking toward 2013.

After buying big in recent years, Ruben Amaro Jr. and the Phillies were forced to sell this summer. That’s the cost of doing business when your $173 million roster sits in last place in the NL East with a 45-57 record.

Going into the last two months of the regular season, the Phillies have many more questions than answers. With some familiar faces out the door and the organization searching for some signs of life moving forward, there is much to watch in Philadelphia even if the playoffs are out of the picture.

As the Phillies prepare for next season, here are the team’s expectations for the remainder of 2012.

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10 Prospects the Phillies Will Be Very Happy Not to Have Traded at the Deadline

Recent non-waiver trade deadline deals by the Philadelphia Phillies have consisted of a big name acquisition coming to the team in exchange for multiple prospects, including some that were considered to be among the best in the Phils minor league system.

Yesterday’s trade deadline deals, however, were certainly a break from what had become typical mid-season trades for the Phillies.

Rather than sending three or four prospects in exchange for an addition to the starting rotation or a missing lineup piece, the Phils were on the other end of big moves.

Acquiring minor league talent may help the Phillies long-term, but what could help the team more is their decision not to trade any of their current prospects in another mid-season trade.

Whether they provide optimism for the team’s chances in future seasons, or whether they become trade chips in offseason deals, the Phils’ prospects can have a large role with the team going forward.

Here are 10 prospects the Phillies will be very happy not to have traded at the deadline.

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