Phillies outfield options dwindling
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Phillies outfield options dwindling
Ryan Lawrence, Daily News Staff Writer
On Saturday, Cody Ross found a new home. The well-traveled, useful, righthanded-hitting outfielder signed a 3-year, $26 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Less than 24 hours later, fellow free agent Nick Swisher also came off the market.
The Cleveland Indians signed Swisher, a switch hitter with power and a strong plate discipline, to a 4-year, $56 million deal. The contract includes a vesting option that can push the contract to 5-years, $70 million.
Michael Bourn is the only high-profile free agent bat that remains unsigned. He is not a fit for the Phillies.
So where do the Phils go from here? Are they really going to run out an outfield platoon of Domonic Brown and John Mayberry Jr. in rightfield and Darin Ruf and Laynce Nix in left?
I still have serious doubts about that, considering the Phils have been burned in each of the last two years by having too much faith in uncertain commodities in the corner spots (rightfield in 2011, left in 2012).
But here’s what we do know: the price of outfielders is sky high.
Here’s a sampling of the (guaranteed) dollars committed to free agent outfielders this winter:
Swisher: 4 years, $56 million
Ross: 3 years, $26 million
Josh Hamilton: 5 years, $123 million (Angels)
B.J. Upton: 5 years, $75.25 million (Braves)
Shane Victorino: 3 years, $39 million (Red Sox)
Angel Pagan: 4 years, $40 million (Giants)
Melky Cabrera: 2 years, $16 million (Blue Jays)
Torii Hunter: 2 years, $26 million (Tigers)
Ryan Ludwick: 2 years, $15 million (Reds)
The Phils obviously did not feel comfortable with most or all of those numbers. (They were reportedly outbid by $20 million by the Braves for Upton).
In an offseason that began with the Phils without a single, everyday outfielder, they’ve added one in the first seven weeks of the offseason: center fielder Ben Revere.
Revere, of course, was acquired in a trade. Since all of the above players are free agents, it’s worth remembering that just because that market has dried up, the Phils can still trade for an impact, outfield bat.
But before you begin dreaming up an idea of Justin Upton – he really is the perfect candidate, young, righthanded with power and speed, team-friendly contract – let’s remember the price the Phils had to pay for Revere.
The Phils dealt their two big trade chips for Revere: Vance Worley and Trevor May.
Revere was probably no higher than fourth or fifth in the Phils’ list of preferable center field options. So let’s assume they offered a similar package to Colorado for Dexter Fowler and were turned down; it’s a reasonable assumption since Fowler can be had in a trade and the Rockies want pitching back.
If a package centered around May and Worley wouldn’t get you Fowler, how much would a guy like Upton cost? A lot.
Not only are free agents cashing in this winter, but so are teams that are selling off proven parts.
The Mets traded 38-year-old pitcher R.A. Dickey, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, to Toronto for a lucrative package led by former Phils prospect Travis D’Arnaud, baseball’s top catching prospect, and righthanded pitcher Noah Syndergaard. They were ranked the No.1 and No.2 prospects in the Jays’ system by Baseball Prospectus earlier this month.
The Rays traded pitchers James Shields and Wade Davis for an ever more lucrative package, headlined by outfielder Wil Myers, one of if not the top hitting prospects in all of baseball.
So if a team wants to swing a deal for the 25-year-old Upton, who is owed $38.5 million in the next three seasons, they better be prepared to unload the farm. After signing Ross, there has been speculation that Upton, the on-again, off-again human trade rumor, could be had in a trade; ditto his teammate, lefthanded hitting Jason Kubel.
It’s all about supply and demand; since more than a handful of teams would love to add Upton (Texas has both a bounty of top prospects and the need for an impact outfielder), the Diamondbacks could probably name their price and get it, too.
Would you deal Jesse Biddle for Upton? How about Biddle and Tommy Joseph? I imagine you're not as excited about the idea of Upton now.
Even a deal for the lesser bats on the trade market would be costly.
If the Rockies are asking the world for Fowler, you’d imagine they’re not going to unload his teammate, Michael Cuddyer, for middling prospects or Triple-A arms. Ditto the D-backs and Kubel.
Add the fact that the Phils have already depleted some of their trade chips in making two deals this month (for Revere and Michael Young) and it’s difficult to imagine them swinging a deal for a high-profile bat. Then again, it’s never a good idea to bet against Ruben Amaro Jr.
But given the cost of outfielders this winter – both on the free agent and trade markets – it might be a good idea to set yourself up for another low-risk, high-reward-type addition.
The Phils have already gone that route a few times this winter.
Here’s a name like that I might consider, so long as he can still play 7 innings a game in the outfield: Lance Berkman.
Yes his health has been a serious issue recently, but he did hit .301 with a .412 OBP, .959 OPS, 31 home runs and 94 RBI in 145 games with St. Louis in 2011 as an outfielder. He would surely come cheap.
No, Berkman, who turns 37 in February, is nowhere near the perfect solution in the outfield. But there are no perfect solutions remaining and, if he’s healthy, he’s an upgrade over what your current corner outfielders.
But that’s just a random name I’m throwing out there. Because at this point in the winter, that’s really all that’s left on the outfield market.
Ruben will come through!— tomficara- What a wonderful Christmas present for the Phillies. Neither Ross or Swisher is worth that much money. While they would have added some pop to the lineup--the cost ($'s and length of contract) was too high.— Smoothellc
- Right ... Merry Christmas, Phillies fans!! Enjoy the worst OF in baseball. Enjoy one of the most over-paid group of duds ever assembled in Philadelphia (J-Stroll, Pap, Howard). At least Chooch is still a bright spot ... Oh wait ... — Copper34
- Another whiner with no solutions. If the Phils gave Swisher $56 million you'd be whining about him, too.
What moves would YOU have made? Please enlighten us.
And another thing...after Howard and Utley returned the Phils had the 2nd best record in the NL. With an outfield of Brown, Mayberry, Pierre, and for a short time Ruf.
But we can't win with these outfielders?
I will never get these fans. You constantly whine about Howard and Rollins, but don't touch Frandsen or Chooch or Galvis.
Seriously, if Howard, J-Roll and Pap are the biggest duds ever assembled in Phila, well, seek professional help is all I can offer.— smfree31 - Another moron wearing blinders. Rube-the-Boob has driven this franchise into the ground. Yes - Howard is over-paid. RAJ paid a premium to sign him two years before his contract was up. Not a team in the NL would touch him - and I'm not sure an AL team would either. RAJ bid against himself for Rollins. So - yes - JStroll is overpaid too. RAJ jumped at the opportunity to over-pay Pap - at a time when waiting would have saved us a draft pick (or was it two?) Frandsen, Chooch, Galvis??? What is your point? How would you like "these fans" to "touch" those guys? Are you talking about drug suspensions? RAJ has not replaced Werth in this line-up. He knew or should have known he needed to do so after he signed w/ Nats. What did he do? Wait until the deadline to get hosed by Ed Wade and the Astros in the Pence deal. It's embarrassing how bad Smug Ruben is. Here we are, a couple years later, and he still hasn't replaced Werth (a very good defensive player who actually worked opposing pitchers). Instead of the $$$ wasted on Francisco, Wigginton, Nix, Thome, etc -- I would have replaced Werth in the lineup. Consider yourself enlightened. — Copper34
- news alert to morons and Cluless Rube: If you sign a half-decent outfielder or starter in off-season, it's a lot cheaper and better for building a team than giving away 3 or 4 top prospects at the trade deadline to fill the same need that you failed to address in the off-season (see, e.g., franchise-destroying trades for 1/2 yr of decent Oswalt, 1/2 yr of decent Pence, etc)...Rube lucked out in 2009 when he traded for Lee and thinks that he invented a new way of being a g..m --just keep trading your best prospects to get players --no, it doesn't work, you deplete all your talent and are left with an aging talentless roster and a lot of mediocre garbage left in the farm system -this team has no present or future— warbiscuit
- generally I’m just ahead of many of you… whereas the destruction of what had been a terrific team I’ve rooted for a long time was initially met by “denial” then “anger”, I’m now getting closer to “acceptance” (much like where most fans are with Eagles debacle)… some of you still lash out at me ‘cause you’re still in denial, some are squarely in the “anger” stage and at some point you’ll be at my stage too… this team is done --for many year --until they get a competent g.m.— warbiscuit
- as Schoenfield says, ranking Phils 15th out of 30 teams, "want to say we're all underestimating a team ..., but then I see an outfield of Darin Ruf, Ben Revere and Domonic Brown, and an infield defense that includes Michael Young and Ryan Howard and 30-somethings Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley"... what Rube improvements? where did the savings from salary dumps of Pence, Victorino and Blanton go?— warbiscuit
- I do understand your confusion, fans: I too thought Rube must be some kind of genius in 2009 after the Lee trade from Cleveland, and then the Philly media (but not the national smart guys) kept on spitting out how “great” the franchise-destroying trades for Oswalt and Pence were, but facts are facts, and there are 4 awful years of them, culminating in 2011 81-81 17 GB; and now for 2012 you've got Revere and Young?, Lannan and Kendrick as starters? It’s over folks…— warbiscuit
- as one moron posted: "Maybe the trade deadline will bring us another more decent SP? "...unfortunately he nailed it -- this is the root of how Rube's 'methods' have destroyed the franchise...instead of getting another starter before 2010 (when losing Lee, Myers and Pedro and adding only Halladay) he traded 3 prospects for 1/2 decent year of Oswalt at trade deadline,. . instead of getting an outfielder to replace Werth, as the whole baseball world assumeds he would do (and assumed now he would do), he did nothing, then overpaid with 4 prospects for overrated Pence at trade deadline ..now the response of morons for Rube not doing his job at getting a reliable starter (with 3 huge question marks) or a corner outfielder, or improving the pathetic offense one iota, is that he'll likely trade more prospects ...alas they're running out of anything of value to offer— warbiscuit
- Not one prospect RJ traded away has done anything.— FightinPhil
- yes fightin phil -you imbecile -- throw away all the cash in your wallet too becuase you can't eat it or wear it— warbiscuit
- You need help — Stephen45
- morons like fightinphil and Clueless Rue don't understand that young talent is the lifeblood of a team -- even if all the players do not fully develop some of them do and they become the players to repalce aging declining pieces and/ or to trade for other quality pieces that you're missing --blowing all your prospects for 1/2 year of Oswalt who was awful in post-season and in 2011, and then he's gone, or for 1 year of Pence and then give him for useless trash, is how an imbecile turned a once-talented team into trash— warbiscuit
- phils had signed hamilton and you would have curbed all this barking. you gotta lose this absolutist attitude. there are just too many variables when it comes to fixing a team. such as expensive players that can be bought off waivers at trade deadline. phils will have money in the future so weaknesses of farm system can be addressed. remember nats have such a good farm because they were so bad for so long. i'm not a big ruben fan, but who would you replace him with?
see how well we do this year and spend big next off season and phils will be competitive for a world series.
