Amaro raises interesting questions about Werth's future
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Amaro raises interesting questions about Werth's future
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
After the news conference to announce Shane Victorino's three-year, $22-million contract, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. provided a frank assessment of the outfield's future.
His deduction? There will be some difficult decisions to make.
No reporter had even mentioned Jayson Werth's name before Amaro did. With nearly $130 million committed to just 14 players for 2011, the Phillies could be priced out of re-signing Werth, especially after the contract they gave Victorino today.
Here's a chunk of what Amaro said:
"You start adding all-star caliber players, that is obviously going to increase your core group. I guess the next question you would have is, where do we stand with Jayson? Jayson is under contract through this year. We’ve had very, very preliminary discussions about what his future might be like here. There will be some difficult decisions down the road. We’ll have to weigh where we want to fit in all the dollars and how we want to fit the puzzle together. We can not operate with nothing but $15- to $20-million players. And if there’s any indication, how much the [Matt] Holliday and [Jason] Bay signings have on direct impact on where Werth may be at the end of this year, we’re going to have to sift through it and figure out what’s best for the organization.
"That’s one of the pitfalls of locking guys up. It’s great to have these guys as stability. But there is risk here. We’re hopeful we put the risk into the right people. That’s the bottom line. Will we have made mistakes along the way? It’s very possible."
lock em up!— JohnV NEP- lock em up!— JohnV NEP
- The skids are being greased, the carpet leading to the "Exit" door is being laid. If the Phils disappoint this season and don't contend, we'll be talking about the Jayson Werth Firesale.— HazmatCorntail
Comment removed.- He has a point, you can't have a team full of 15million dollar players.— johnnysanz3
- I have to agree with you Hazmat. I think RAJ said this on purpose to fire Werth up for the up coming season knowing he might be a FA after the season. And for RAJ to compair him to Holliday and Bay is putting the expectation on Werth to perform up to thier standards. RAJ is being very sneeky about this whole thing. He just setting up the fans for it now so that when it does happen there will be less barking because we all knew ahead of time.— engineeringagr8tdrive
- "The Moyer deal cost them Lee." KEEPING LEE WAS NOT ABOUT MONEY. IT WAS ABOUT THE FARM SYSTEM. Good Lord some of you are so thick. Get over it and complain about something else.— poopfeast
- Dom Brown will replace Jayson Werth or Ibanez--who could go in a trade deadline deal--- next year. Then there is Gose in 2/3 years for Victorino. It is the re-cycling and evolution of professional athletics and risk is always involved.— Romus
- Letting Jayson Werth go at the end of this season would be a HUGGEEE mistake!! Werth is one of, if not THE most, under-rated player in MLB. He has a rocket for an arm....he can steal bases like few others can and he comes up with key plays/at bats when needed.— JustaTXjock
- Interesting unsolicited comments from Rube.... I agree you can't field a team of all $10-15 million players, but he is your only protection against LH pitchers. They better have a plan, and Domonic Brown is a lefty, more likely to be Raul's heir. Need another RH bat!— twalesi
- Comment removed.
- You can have a team of all $15 million dollar players if your ownership wants to pay for them. The $$$$$ pour into that stadium, with playoffs over 90 times a year. The money is there, the Phils so called ownership just doesn't want to spend it!— Glen71
- This is where I see a problem.....let's say you signed Cliff Lee for a 3-4 year extension - and assumed Werth becomes unaffordable after this year. You could have traded away Hamels and Werth to a team like the Angels who really need pitching and a power bat. Your rotation would be righty (Halladay) Lefty (Lee), righty (Blanton), Lefty (Happ), 5th starter between Moyer and Kendrick. Would have gotten rid of Hamels salary and his crappy attitude and gotten even better propsect in return because Hamels would have been locked up (assuming Angels have decent prospects). Werth could have gotten you back a young positional player, prospects, or both. Or alternatively they could just keep Werth, have a great year, and get the prospects if you can't resign him.— SidGM
- Isn't Raul coming off in two years? Couldn't we just eat a year of both salaries and/or save money in other areas to afford this?— hugh
- Id say as good as Ibanez was for us this past year, hes replaceable. Also, hes not great in the outfield. Bring up a prospect for the outfield to take Ibanez maybe we can cut him save some $$, and keep Werth, if we dont lock up Werth itll come back to bite em in the a**.— Will.i.Am
