Victorino backs off demand
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The way Shane Victorino sees it, why shouldn't he want to shoot for the stars with his next contract?
Victorino backs off demand
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
(Yong Kim / Staff Photographer)
CLEARWATER, Fla. — The way Shane Victorino sees it, why shouldn't he want to shoot for the stars with his next contract?
A day after telling two reporters he was seeking a five-year deal, Victorino wanted to clarify his demands: Most paramount is a desire to remain in Philadelphia.
"I'd like to," the 31-year-old centerfielder said. "I'm not saying this will be my last one. It might be. Who knows? What I'm saying is, why not finish it here? I made it seem like I want a five-year deal, but I'd love to stay."
Of course, Victorino has said that all along. And while there is a certain amount of public posturing required for contract negotiations — see Jimmy Rollins' five-year proclamation last October — there is little doubt he would relinquish free agency if the right deal came soon.
"Basically, what I want, I'd like to get something done now rather than later," Victorino said. "That's what the basis of this whole thing is. I want to do something now, to see if we can come to terms on something. I'm not saying I don't want to hit free agency. Free agency is what every athlete dreams of, maximizing their value.
"So why would I want to avoid that chance? Why not maximize what I have now, what's laid out in front of me? An opportunity to play for a winning team that I've been a part of. That's what I'm trying to get at. I'm not saying I'm going to get a five-year deal. I mean, who knows? Who says I can't get a seven-year deal? I don't know."
Victorino would likely be the top centerfielder on the market this winter. B.J. Upton and Michael Bourn are also free agents.
He said his agents, Sam and Seth Levinson, have yet to formally engage in contract negotiations with the Phillies. The Levinsons have a strong relationship with Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., who has signed three of their clients (Raul Ibanez, Placido Polanco and Jonathan Papelbon) since becoming GM in 2009.
"My agent is going to reach out to them," Victorino said. "We'll talk about it openly and see if the two sides can try to figure something out."
Victorino said his agents have suggested Torii Hunter and Aaron Roward as comparables. Each centerfielder received a five-year deal in free agency. Hunter was 32 when he signed a five-year, $90 million contract and Rowand was 30 when he signed a five-year $60 million deal.
But the Phillies have prioritized a Cole Hamels extension this spring. They are well aware of what Victorino seeks even before formal negotiations have begun.
Victorino has sent mixed signals about accepting a discount to remain a Phillie as the budget expands. Five years may be the goal, but the way he talks, it sounds quite flexible.
"My whole thing, more than anything, I would like to get something done now," Victorino said. "I'd like to be a Phillie for the rest of my career. That's happy enough for me."
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5 years?!? No thanks. 3 max. I'd be willing to bet that BJ Upton out-performs Vic over the next 3 years.— willthethrill11- thats the funniest thing ive read in weeks — drdave
- curious as to why that's funny. BJ Upton clearly has superior skills to victorino offensively. i'd give victorino an egde defensively. upton's issue is mental. he is inconsistent. but saying upton will outperform vic this year isn't crazy at all. if upton can put it all together, he has more natural talent than vic. there's no question there.
- Upton may have more offensive talent than Victorino, but why would you rather swap a player who plays hard, loves playing here and wants to continue to play for the organization for a player who rarely seems to give it his all, seems distracted too often and frankly just does not perform? A case could possibly be made for Upton if he were playing for Kansas City (not a good one, and in fact one that makes him look even worse), but Tampa Bay has been one of the best teams in baseball the last few years.
Victorino is definitely not the problem the Phillies faced in the last few years. The problem has been Charlie Manuel and his stubbornness.— Eilex826 - Why is it clear that Upton's skills are superior? In the past three years, Upton has batted .241, .237 and .243. Victorino has batted .292, .259 and .279. Upton's OPS has been .686, .745 and .755. Victorino's has been .803, .756 and .847. Victorino has two Gold Gloves, two All Star appearances and two top-20 finishes in MVP voting. Upton has zero, zero and zero. Upton might have physical gifts, but what reason is there to believe they will suddenly affect his play on the field in his eighth big league season? The man is looking more and more like the next Corey Patterson. — phillyl0
- Wow really? Do some of you even follow baseball? Upton has only batted above .270 twice in his career Victorino has only batted below .279 once in his career and it was only a 36 game season for him. Upton steals a bit more (last year he blew vic away but made 9 more outs doing so), but he has 100 less games in his career than Victorino and has SO 400+ more times. He only makes up with that slightly in walks. Victorino has hit 40 more triples than him. Victorino has better OPS, SLG, and OBP too.
Give me vic any day. Can't believe anyone would take a guy who batted .243 last year over a guy .279. Of course, Upton hasn't batted over .243 since 2008!
As of last year, Victorino was either right behind, or ahead of B.J. in nearly everything.
B.J. is one of those guys that people just think are good because people have heard of Justin.— MFPhils 
Comment removed.- I can't see then keeping him when they have Mayberry, Brown and Jiwan James ready to step up. They have to watch "Where" they spend and reload when they have too. Just like Ruiz in a few years. He's 33 and won't be a Free Agent till he's 35. Why would they try to sign him when the have Seb Valle down on the farm????— DocPhillyfan
- Jiwan James? James played at single A last year. When he was exposed in the Rule 5 draft this winter, no team took a shot at him. He is nowhere near "ready to step up." He's never even had a minor league season as good as the big league seasons Victorino has every year. James might turn out to be a player, but there is nothing in his pedigree to suggest he's the kind of guy you just cast off all-star to make room for.
— phillyl0 - Vic has a lot of good baseball left, 3 years makes sense, maybe with an option on 4th. But gotta get Hamels done first.— Z-Force
- Not much love for Victorino among phils fans, but he is a tremendous center fielder - he's among the best defensive CFs in baseball, he solid offensively with an ability to carry the lineup when he's hot, and most importantly he's clutch. 4 years/$40 million.— CosmoK
- Its not that there is no love for Shaney Vic, its just that having Cole is more important. He is young, has great stuff and pretty much Won the world series for us, not that our offense didn't put up serious numbers, but the Rays had/have a very potent offense and Cole shut them down
- victorino is the heart of the phillies, without him the phillies are a bunch of serious, boring players. what he adds to the team is not on the scorecard and is not a statititic. who else will give shaving cream pies in the face to players being interviewed?— wildgreenman
- Shaving creams are geting old. — ALJ
- Victorino & Ruiz are in there final year as Phillies. They are both good guys & have been good players for this franchise. But when you look at other needs there is no explanation to dump big money on either. If Victorino is will to take a contract similar to Rollins, maybe.— FetchDixon
- Chooch is signed through 2013, so don't get ahead of yourself. I personally see the Phils giving Valle a back-up roll in 2013 with the hopes that he'll impress enough to take full-time duties in 2014. We shall see...but either way, we have at least two more years of Chooch. — The Pack Leader
- 4 years @ 40 mil i think is not enough, either 3 years at 40 0r 4 years @ 50. ibanez got 40 mil for 3, think he is or was better than the flyin hawaiain?— wildgreenman
- Ibanez did not get 40 mil, I think his contract was for 31.5 million.....and they got three great months out of it at the beginning and one good playoff series. — iceman77
- Yes, that's what it was for Ibanez: 3 years, 31.5 million total (6.5, 11.5, 11.5).
I like Shane but he's probably expendable to try and stay under the luxury tax.— s - That math adds up to 29.5 million. — ALJ
- I don't expect him to be back. At some point, the team is going to transition into a younger model, and it has to start somewhere. Utley, Howard and Rollins contracts makes them here for the long haul. The starting pitching will remain intact, because it keeps them competitive while they make the transition. Eventually, teams and players have to move on.— beegal99
- It really depends on how Mayberry and Brown develope. If both are ready to be major league starters next year, Shane is gone. If not, maybe they'll be able to work out a 3 or 4 year deal.— avak4
- Why are we talking about how Mayberry will develop? He's 28 years old. — phillyl0
- Whether he gets 5 years here will depend on the development of the young kids we have but don't kid yourself Phillie fans teams will think he is worth 5 years. He has flown under the radar and been over shadowed by other guys on this team but he has been one of the most clutch and dependable guys on this team. Again the years will be a problem. I think either Pence or Vic will be extended, not both. Lots of if's on Jr and Brown. Ideally both become everyday players and we have a young infield that we don't have to worry about for another 4 or 5 years. I agree 10 million for Shane is an insult. 3 for 40 would be ideal for the organization but not for Shane. Look what a 35 year old guy with bad knees is getting in rf. Beltran— pattymac3
- This is no longer the "Steroid Era". Players will not get better in their late 30's anymore. Prior to 'roids, MLB players historically declined sharply past the age of 32-33. And Shane is not playing a corner position - he needs to move out there to make plays. And the Phillies should laugh at the Rowand/Hunter comparisons - how did those two perform after signing their big contracts?— bobwool
- Negotiating contracts through the media is never a good move. Shane needs to learn to deflect these questions and not say anything that the local media can twist out of context to create some sort of imaginary "controversy".— JimG
- RAJ, call me and I will convince you that 3 yrs is sufficient. IF he gets a 10 on the Wonderlic, you may wish to consider a 4th yr option.— NewMick314
- Victorino was the non-pitching MVP of this team last year with no one else even close. Losing him would be a huge hit to this team and theres no one available in free agency or the minors who could come close to filling his void.— drdave
- Hawaii is ranked 50th in education...— sn11
- And both the Hunter deal and the Rowand 5 year deals were laughed at by other GMs....and theyboth haven't lived up to even 3 years of the deal. Vic is not gonna get 5....besides I'd take Bourn in a heartbeat in FA anyway if it comes down to it....way better threat to leadoff, way better defensively, just not the arm...wayyyy better base stealer and baserunner.— Mark1npt
- Best position player last year, lock him up. No idea why so many people dump on him.— Sidewinder7
- My gut says to sign Shane to three with an option for a fourth. It's true that the younger guys showing promise today will come into their own this year or next. But I feel the odds are slim of BOTH Mayberry and Brown reaching the caliber of play the Flyin' Hawaiian gives us. And if I'm wrong and they both play like all-stars; we've got top notch trade material.
Shane doesn't have the power, but he has the versatility - both at the plate and in the field(s). And he has the speed. But most of all, he has the heart and soul to play this game at full throttle. That's worth consideration.— PeteInPhilly - He will not be resigned. Trust me. This is his last year as a Philly.— pritter
- No way this cat is worth 12-15 million per year.— scootch
- The Rowand deal might be a good comparison in one respect - he'll likely have to leave to get it. Love Shane (except on Hawaii 5-0) but he's had some leg injuries and is on the wrong side of 30. Me, I think the Phils will let him play the year out and then see.— PhillySubsMac
- Vic is a pretty talented player. Does a lot of things well. 31 is not super old even in baseball. He has speed,pop,hits well, defense is good, arm is pretty strong and fairly accurate, except to home plate. I like Vic. I would go 3yrs, maybe 4, but prioritize Hamels. If Dom can start coming on, maybe Mayberry can move to center? idk— gmo709
- Sign him, Danno!— dasher
- Do a 3 yr/36 million deal w/a 4th year vesting option at $14 million...refreshing that he, like Hamels, is so candid about wanting to be here for the long haul, and if he really wants to be here that should get it done. $50 million for the 50th state he should eat that up haha!
Pence is under team control until 2014, so they have the option to do 2 more 1-yr deals before signing him to a long term deal. Heard some people suggesting they let him walk, but the fact he's been a consistent w/his production throughout his career, is a RH stick and they gave up some top guys to get him, he'll be a Phillie for a while.— Colonel Angus - I like Shane Victorino. He has been one of the "core" group of guys during this amazing run since 2006. Reality has to set in with management while priorities are set. This team simply cannot have $10 million salaries at every position. Choices will be made as Pence vs Victorino. Hamels is the number one priority at this point in time. Polanco is probably in his last season unless he plays lights out and the Phils excercise his 2013 option. Mayberry Jr can play center very well and if progresses with the bat well enough, Shane won't be resigned. An outfield of Brown, Mayberry Jr., and Pense is what you will probably see in 2013 and beyond. Ruiz can be held in check until after 2013. After so many years with so much consistancy, the winds of change are coming to this group. Age/production have a lot to do with whats coming next offseason.— drhoffman
- I like Polly but there will be absolutely zero reasons to keep him after this year regardless of how he plays. He'll be 37 next year. The chances of him putting together injury-free seasons where he plays to earlier levels (assuming he can start with one season this year) are not good. His contract expiring is the opening to get one younger body in the infield. Also maybe some traditional 3B power. — s
- I wouldn't be surprised if Victorino is resigned and Hunter Pence is let go next year.— Bruno Sammartino
- The day we sign Victorino is the day we've given up on Hamels. Amaro is taking these things in order. 1. Re-sign Rollins to a fair-market deal. Check. 2. Extend Hamels. Discussed but not checked. 3. After Hamels, see if we can extend Victorino. Not even discussed. Amaro will be all-in on pitching if he signs Hamels to a big deal; with Lee, Hamels, Halladay and Papelbon. If Hamels signs, Amaro has to be thinking about Mayberry in CF, Brown in LF or we sign an outfielder cheaper than Victorino -- say, a Juan Pierre -- next year as a stop gap until Brown comes through or someone else cheap comes along. There's not much chance we extends Hamels, Victorino and keep our well-paid pitchers, Howard, Utley, etc.
— eman - Can't believe his agents put Rowand's deal up as a comparative. Its the poster child for not giving Vic 5 yrs.— DPL
- Shane WANTS to stay in Philly. If memory serves correctly, he already changed agents before his last contract to ensure he'd remain a Philly. While I admit that signing Cole is the priority, I truly hope Shane has an excellent season and that the Phillies can keep him in red pinstripes for the remainder of his career. Classy guy who has done so much for his adopted "hometown"! Thanks for the Boys & Girls club, Shane!
- Wouldn't be surprised to see Vic moved to the an AL contending team who needs a center fielder to get them over the top in return for a third base prospect before the trading deadline.— Dull
- I've been thinking/saying the same basic thing since last season ended. With his contract almost up and with him still being relatively young and a very good player, he's a prime trade piece to get something back before he leaves. I thought they might trade him over the winter. — s
- A lot more contracts to work on.
They'd better pass GO and collect that extra $200.00 bucks
He's the best CF in the organization; tart right there.
The phillies wanted to get a good team and bought too much and its catching up with them now.
Wes— wes - Let's hope is "OUT A HERE" relatively soon.— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- Shane is a very important player for this team. I would hate to see him go.— Phillycb21
- Wow really? Do some of you even follow baseball? Upton has only batted above .270 twice in his career Victorino has only batted below .279 once in his career and it was only a 36 game season for him. Upton steals a bit more (last year he blew vic away but made 9 more outs doing so), but he has 100 less games in his career than Victorino and has SO 400+ more times. He only makes up with that slightly in walks. Victorino has hit 40 more triples than him. Victorino has better OPS, SLG, and OBP too.
Give me vic any day. Can't believe anyone would take a guy who batted .243 last year over a guy .279. Of course, Upton hasn't batted over .243 since 2008!— MFPhils - How did SF make out with that Rowand deal??— wilron
- The Phils overpaid for crybaby R. Howard so why not overpay for Victorio? At least he adds character to the team and he can act too!(i.e. Hawaii 5-0)— Borkey
- Do you get the sense that Sam & Seth Levinson were maybe slightly perturbed when Victorino, never the brightest bulb in the box, proclaimed, "“My agents say I can get a five-year deal on the market. Why not trust them?”
— PhightinPhil - If Vic doesn't get re-signed it won't be because the Phils don't like him or that he isn't worth 12 million per. It's just that you can't have a 15 million dollar player at every position, and outfield is one of the spots that can be filled capably by a cheaper player. Vic himself was a Rule 5 guy.— blaqjaq
- when ed wade saw the writing on houston's wall last year and was sucking up to raj for a job here ('hey, rube, who ya want, huh? huh? anybody, take anybody!'), i was hoping we'd get bourn. put him in center, shane back in right; hell, with those two covering ground i could play left! plus you'd have the best 1-2 leadoff duo in mlb. but rube wanted a werth-clone (though without 3 of the tools). rube'll probably trade shane off, bring him back when he's 36 or 37, then give the 5 yeas deal.— bubba church & granny hamner
- Victorino might make out better getting a bigger deal (more money per year) for three years rather than to accept a discounted one for five years. If he's as good as he thinks he is, he can get Jason Werth money as a free agent in three years either here in Philly or elsewhere.— Boru
- Victorino might be one of the few players who's actually gotten better since 2008 but he's still not good enough to carry a franchise. I'd like to see the Phillies sign a marquee OFer like a Bourn who can steal bases or someone with good power or hit for a high average. This person would either play LF or CF. If not CF, sign Victorino for 10-15 million a year for 5 years.— AvoidSundanceVacations
- Did Victorino actually make a "demand"? Sounds like this is being trumped up into something way more than it is just to create a headline.— JimG
- hookie lockie wockie— stoky
- I can't see this Phils team without #8 in CF. I also can't see this Phils team w/o Hamels on the mound every fifth day. But I also accept -- we're getting very near the point where ownership can no longer afford what we fans can or want to see or accept. There's still no better defensive AND OBP CF-er out there than # 8. Jayson Werth is never going to play up to the Jayson Werth contract $$$ level. Gotta hope Shane will take a 'hometown-discount.'
- Upton is a head case. He will never fulfill his potential. We need Victorino's defense. Pitching and defense wins championships. What was the score of the last game? 1-0— altekakker
- Every now and then a reporter writes about the Phils getting rid of pence. Or a fan will say the same thing. RAJ didn't give up all those
prospects only to have Pence for a couple of years. Besides Pence is
really a great player and we for sure need him in right field. Pence is not going anywhere. If Mayberry and Brown can become good players then we would have a superior outfield with really good pop in their bats.— associate
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