Amaro: Phillies probably done making moves
The reality increases daily of a Phillies outfield hodgepodge formed by Ben Revere, Domonic Brown, John Mayberry Jr., Darin Ruf and Laynce Nix. The man tasked with forming the 2013 roster was willing to admit as much Monday.
Amaro: Phillies probably done making moves
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
The reality increases daily of a Phillies outfield hodgepodge formed by Ben Revere, Domonic Brown, John Mayberry Jr., Darin Ruf and Laynce Nix. The man tasked with forming the 2013 roster was willing to admit as much Monday.
"We're likely going with what we've got," Ruben Amaro Jr. said.
Spring training begins Feb. 12 in Clearwater, Fla., and the Phillies will arrive with hopes pinned to an aging, expensive core. Youth is the choice in the outfield, for better or worse.
"There's some risk in going with a possible double platoon or letting the guys we have battle it out for playing time," Amaro said. "There are some advantages to that, as well. The best-man-wins type of scenario can be created and likely will be created in spring training. At the same time, a lot of these guys are not proven everyday major-league players. But that doesn't mean they cannot become them."
The GM did not eliminate the possibility of a veteran addition for the outfield, but admitted within his current constraints (both monetary and player-wise), there is not much more than a marginal upgrade available. He categorized his current pursuit as "looking around for some low-risk, high-reward type of players."
There is money to spend, if the Phillies maintain a similar payroll to 2012. The Phillies are an estimated $7 million shy of the $178 million luxury tax threshold. Amaro said he has "a little bit" to spend. He would not say if he has extended any formal offers to current free agents.
The Phillies have 39 players on their 40-man roster.
What Amaro and his lieutenants may have decided is those resources are best utilized later. The reported options in free agency and trades -- Scott Hairston, Vernon Wells, Alfonso Soriano -- are flawed. There could be a better fit come July. Should the Phillies enter 2013 with wiggle room, they could be well-positioned for the splash everyone expected this winter.
"If there is a player that is better who we feel could help us now, we'll utilize our resources to get him," Amaro said. "If there isn't, then we may be better served to hold on a see what we could do during the year."
Chances are the Phillies start 2013 with an unproven outfield. If anything, it should make for a fascinating spring training.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
since we are not going to win it all this year anyway, this seems like the move. Berkman got 10 million. Phils should not overpay for Hairston, instead they should wait until the trade deadline and see if they can pick up a better bat that will be dumped because the player is going into free agency next year. should be interesting. Ruf and Brown will get time to play and need to show something by the trade deadline.— high water- biggest imbecile in Philly sports in decades -- amazing that fans and writers tolerate this clueless incompetent moron, who makes Andy Reid a brilliant builder by comparison --the Clueless rube destroyed a championship caliber team and turned it into useless mediocre trash despite one of the highest budgets in baseball and a terrific farm system before he pi34ed it all way...worst team money can buy, worst g.m. in professional sports— warbiscuit
- Copper, why do you continually make a fool of yourself? Like you said, "fans are morons" and you are the leader of the pack. This team is far better than last year's and the additions that have been made will prove it. The only mystery is the health of the older players. The new young players in the outfield will prove that the decision to give them a chance was the correct one. We WILL win the division or at worst play for the wild card.— oakmontleo
- And - you are now officially a moron too. Seriously - they were pathetic last year. And they have done nothing to improve. What is different this year? I have my fingers crossed on Ruf too. Maybe they will get lucky and he will hit while not costing us too many runs in the field. Maybe Utley's knees have healed and he is ready to hit .300 w/ 25 HRs. Maybe Jimmy will stop strolling. Maybe Howard cares about baseball and has dedicated himself to improving at the plate and in the field. I know Doc has worked his hardest to bounce back. I have faith in Lee too. And Hamels is still great. Go Phillies!! — Copper34
- Listen people, we need our young players to play and produce, we need revere, brown and ruf to be everyday players, its imperative that happens, our core is old, we need youth, not some old marginal upgrades like hairston. veteran infield and young outfield, this seasons comes down to Halladay, Hamel and Lee, that is how we will win.— LOVEMYCITY
- Rube: "...see what we could do during the year" -imbecile prefers to trade away top prospects during the year to fill the holes that he can't figure out how to fill during the off-season .. imnbecile should be tarred and feathered and run out of town— warbiscuit
- Revere haters, please name the teams that have a middle-of-the-order centerfielder who covers as much ground as anyone in the game? Not every player is going to be a home run guy. And Copper, since when was Worley considered to have "great stuff"? I think the only great stuff is what you're smoking.— stefek23
- Soriano flawed??? Really!!!. Ruf should start in left until Charlie makes him a dead pull hitter and his batting average disappears, then he can platoon.— wvdon
- It's really amazing the number of posters that refer to "RAJ traded away all of the prospects" while failing to note that virtually none of them since the trades began in the "Halladay trade sequence" have done seat in the Majors. He has in essence proven the fact that prospects are just that.....prospects, until they perform on the big stage. I won't mention all of them but out of Drabeck, D'Arneau, Taylor, Gose, Marson, Donald, Happ (1 good year in the majors), Singleton, who of that group or any of the ones I didn't mention have performed any better than Dom Brown ( who basically has been pretty poor). My guess is Drabec did OK until blowing out his arm and Gose has bounced around playing a little defense while batting ~195-200. The supposed Stanford guy, Taylor who was by some considered about equal to Brown, still has no more than maybe 15 ML AB's. So where did all the high quality "prospects" go and what have they done to make everyone so mad they were traded away. I will say that maybe the best of the bunch (D'Arneau) makes his debut with the Mets this year and proves me wrong.....at least on 1 "prospect"!— streetrat
- @street - you make some good points. But, when you trade highly regarded prospects (all of whom have onle a certain chance of MLB success), you deal away not only the production that player may give you, but you deal away a chip for another deal. I understand the philosophy of trading prospects for guys that can put you over the top now (especially if those guys are not available via free agency). But, when you trade top prospects for the likes of Oswalt and Pence, you are stripping your system of talent. Nobody expected or currently expects any of those guys to be successful big-leaguers at this point. The question isn't how much have they done for the Astos as of Jan 7, 2013. They are top prospects. They have value - both in terms of helping their organizations in the future (like Mike Trout did this past year), and in terms of being trade chips. The Yankees come to mind as a team that has very successfully traded over-hyped prospects for players to complement the ML team. that is a sound strategy ... what Rube has done is dumb. — Copper34
- The free agent market was thin and of course players are getting over paid. There were 2 players on the market that would have excited the fans with Hamilton and Upton. Unfortunately that didn't happen so they have to hold tight for now unless they can steal Justin Upton before the trade deadline. If Utley and Howard can get back to form that will compensate for a soft hitting outfield but there is no way they compete in the NL East with the current outfield unless Ruf hits 30. Maybe we get lucky and other teams will endure a never ending injury plagued season like the Phils last season.— STOP and GLOW
- Settle down people...bottom line the season success never hindered on getting cody ross or nick swisher or not. Or any other mid level OF. It does and always depended on Utley and Howard being healthy and productive, Doc being Doc, and improved Bullpen. (if they all stink again it wouldnt matter who they signed - even if it was Josh Hamilton- they would be shot) They improved at third base, added a solid bat and some real speed in CF, and with Adams (hopefully Aumont etc step-up too) improved in the Pen. It's wait and see and hope with the other aforementioned guys and always was...and I think if givin the opp Ruf will add some power.— phillykid96
- Amaro is as believable as Osama WAS!— twpman
- Laynce Nix is hardly part of a "youthful OF". While I like Laynce for ihs late inning PH ability and his occasional fill in at 1st or in LF.....playing much every week is gonna be tough. If he suffers another "4 month long calf tear"......the team is really in trouble. Just like the Eagles O line there is little depth/talent.— Mark1npt
- This is just one more example of a front office that knows they are a third place team at best. Vernon Wells or Hairston or any of the other retreads being discussed aren't going to change the result. They are done. Time to move on.— jfdatl
