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."
Would someone tell me who would be the right handed power for this team if they decide to let Werth go??? Dom Brown is a lefty. You can't have a lineup so left handed dominate, without right handed power. Burrell for all he was did a decent job of at least threatening to hit a HR every time up to bat. Same with having all lefty's in your rotation. If we kept Lee and traded Blanton which some have cried for then we would basically be a Lefty rotation and get pounded by years end. More right handed hitters in the league. I for one will miss Werth if he is the odd man out.— bathead- If Domonic Brown is really supposed to be anything remotely like Darryl Strawberry with his head screwed on straight maybe we can look forward to rebuilding from within.— frankenslade
- If the Phils traded Lee because they could not sign him, why no trade of Werth. Taylor could have stepped in for him this year and maybe the Phils could have gotten some prospects and maybe kept Lee. As it stands now they Phils have no replacement for Werth. Brown is lefthanded Taylor was righthanded and the Phils have a strong need for a Big righthanded.— borncynic
- workinwestphilly....you're nuts! Werth = terrible arm?? I agree that Werth has the bat and legs, but his arm is NOT terrible! How many right fielders have you seen gun down a man at home. Any fan who knows Werth's abilities will agree that he has a VERY powerful throw from right field...— JustaTXjock
- Can't they bring up some AAA talent? Also, is Raul more valuable?— psuwelsh
- The difficult decisions Ruben will have to address are not limited to Werth by any means. The big problems are after 2011, with Rollins, Howard, Hamels, Lidge, Ibanez all finishing their contract. JRol has been a huge bargain at 8 mil per year, and he is going to want to be paid. Who else do we have to replace him? Howard? He will want Something in between what Puljols gets and Texeira has, which will be more than 25 and less than 35 mil per. Forget about it. If Hamels has two decent years he will want 15 mil plus to reup and he will want more than the Phillies standard 3 year deal for pitchers. That ain't happening, especially after his fit of pique in Spring Training last year over his one year contract that he took as an insult, and if the fans rough him up, which could happen, he will walk. So, if I am Ruben, I lock up Werth now, who will be the easiest to sign of all of them, because on one hand, we can't pay everyone 15-20 million, but on the other, we can't have our entire core group go to the Yankees or Red Sox (or God forbid the Mets) leaving us with nothing.— laser5
- I'd rather keep Jayson over Shane. I like both, but Jayson has more skills and the minor leagues has players similiar to Shane coming up. Hope they trade Shane.— 76er
- Does anyone else feel like there is a good possibility that Amaro is going to ruin what Gillick started and run the Phillies into the ground? Then we will be back to the days of the mid to late 90s when they we terrible— PhilliesPhan86
- You simply can't cut Ibanez to save money (Will.i.Am's posting). I'm sure his contract is guaranteed through the 2011 season. Anyway, why would you cut a player who'll hit 30 homers?— Bill from Delaware
- The yankees can have 20 mil contracts for all their people. I'm still waiting for someone to say that. Happens everytime— bumblebee_4tuna
- Why can't you have a team full of $15 million players? The Yanks, do. The Red Sox, do. The Dodgers would like to. The Cubs are trying to. The Mets think they do. The owners need to open up the purse to compete with that. Jayson Werth's value can be seen in 30+ home runs, a walk, steal second, steal third, steal home, score from first on a ball down either foul line, long one hop throws to Ruiz for a putout at the plate, and allowing Shane to shift toward left field to close that gap between Ibanez and Center Field. If you don't think that's worth $15 million a year, wait untiul he's gone. Open the purse owners! The 2009 world series should have shown you that you need to do that to compete.— vnvets
Comment removed.- I am encouraged and consoled we have a GM that is this honest with the fan base.— Ed3
- Comment removed.
- Ben Francisco is your starting RF in 2011. You heard it here first.— UncleEddie
