Health updates on Polanco, Blanton and Contreras
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Health updates on Polanco, Blanton and Contreras
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
MILWAUKEE — Placido Polanco has begun running after his double hernia surgery in October and Ruben Amaro Jr. said there is no upgrade necessary at third base.
"Polly is our third baseman," Amaro said. "I'm looking forward to him being healthy. If he's healthy, he's exactly what we're trying to have as far as our offense is concerned. If he's healthy, he's our best hitter.
What if he isn't healthy?
"Then we'll deal with it," Amaro said. "We'll have [Wilson] Valdez or [Michael] Martinez or somebody else cover for him."
Amaro hinted that Polanco's health problems began sometime in May, shortly after he hit .398 in April. Polanco hit .243 the rest of the way and was 2 for 19 in the National League division series.
- Joe Blanton made two starts after the Phillies were eliminated in the postseason. Blanton pitched in the Florida instructional league to further test his balky elbow that cost him much of the 2011 season but never required surgery.
Amaro said Blanton threw 70 pitches in his final outing and never experienced health issues. He threw all of his pitches, including breaking balls, and the Phillies are confident he'll slide into the 2012 rotation.
"He showed us he's pretty healthy," Amaro said. "As far as we're concerned, he'll be either our fourth or fifth starter."
Blanton is due $8.5 million in 2012.
- Jose Contreras will begin throwing in January and Amaro said he expects the Cuban righthander to be ready for the start of spring training. Contreras had surgery in September on his elbow.
- Jonathan Papelbon will actually take a pay cut from 2011 to 2012. He made $12.5 million with Boston in 2011 and will earn $11 million with the Phillies in 2012. Of course, Papelbon won't mind that because he's owed $13 million per season from 2013-15.
The Phillies have committed $119.2 million to 11 players for 2012. That does not include their five arbitration-eligible players, who are all expected to be tendered contracts. Figure the Phillies have about $60 million to fill those other 14 spots.
- The Phillies acquired righthanded pitcher Adam Worthington from the Arizona Diamondbacks as the player to be named later in the Mike Zagurski trade. Worthington, 24, has never pitched above single A. He's a reliever and posted a 4.48 ERA in 62 1/3 innings in 2011.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
Polanco is a Gold Glover, and when healthy this year, he was batting over .300 and was an All Star. Why pile on Polly? Why does Utley get a pass? He was terribly unproductive and was supposedly at least semi-healthy. Odds are Polanco will be good, not great this year and then his contract is over. Rube is too excited about buying a left fielder or SS.— Barneyboy
Comment removed.- For all of you Polly haters...one question.
What was the award he won about a week ago.
Yeah, thats right, your a dummy.— rpr333 - Polanco is a dependable fielder and has an accurate arm to first...He was also a good fielding second baseman...His range is not great and it's getting worse, although it's not yet an issue..But the Gold Glove Award is a purely subjective award....It's not about hate, it's about what you'll get out of him for 2012 on this Phillies team. — bearsfriend
- Difficult to decide on Polanco because of the health issues and age. He started the year great, and is a career .300 hitter and a gold glove defender. It is easy to say he is not as good as others looking at last year, but for a career neither Pence nor Victorino have averages over 300. The issue is which Polly are we going to get, 2011 version or 2010 when he batted .298 and was extremely difficult to strike out? Blanton as a fifth starter is fine. The big question is really at shortstop. Should we keep Rollins whose numbers have slid since 2007 (average, power, stealing, RBIs), or do we keep him because he is better than any alternative? Until we settle shortstop any other tweaks are of a lesser priority.— JohnFC
- Poly was one of the best acquisitions the Phillies ever made. He deserves a gold glove. His hitting tailed off because of his injury, as did Utley's. Many of the fans fail to realize Utley was hit intentionally o many occasions because pitchers would sooner pitch to the automatic out instead of Utley. the biggest problems facing the Phillies is left field, 1st base,a second catcher and a short stop. This division is going to be stronger next season. Washington should be greatly improved, the Braves won't sit pat, The Marlins are waving big bucks front of Pujols, and the Mets aren't as bad off as others believe.
It's a jungle out there !— phineas - When he's healthy which is rare...........no confidence in Polly - team is too weak offensively to care a part timer at 3B.— Northcountry
- Prediction: Polanco will start the season on fire (like the past 2 years), then he will get some fluke injury that will linger the entire season, and his numbers will continue to plummet the rest of the season.— Penfold18
- That's been his MO the past few years. Great guy and great defense but at his age playing every day is a bad idea.
Maybe statistics are in our favor and 2012 is his year to be healthy. I can't believe I wrote that but I wanted to see what it felt to put a GM line out there.
— s - Nice to have some more depth under Polanco. Greg Dobbs or Eric Chavez would be good targets. Another good left-handed stick off the bench with either guy and Chavez has won multiple gold gloves with Oakland in his career.— Seeing Red
- Utley to 1B while Howard out. Polanco to 2nd. Sign Aramis Ramirez to 3 year deal (Ibanez got $30 mil for 3 years at age 36, Ramirez is 33). Polanco becomes super-sub when and if Howard comes back(can spell Ramirez and Utley)and great bat off the bench late in games. Utley destined to play first with this weak, erratic arm and inability to turn 2 quickly. Might save his knees a bit too. I doubt that RAB going to invest in 3rd base. If a trade could be worked out for D. Wright without gutting the farm, I'd do that preferably to Ramirez as he is younger and plays better defense.— wilcowaits
- I don't understand any of this? Ruben is still being Ruben always seeking that veteran player over youth. I thought initially the problem with the Phillies during the playoffs showed that they were worn out and getting older thereby needing more rest and maybe more youth inserted into our team? I have not seen any youth movement here at all. Ruben has created his model to WIN NOW at whatever the cost and sell off whatever young talent we have elsewhere in the league as long as it fits his World Series Win Now Model! We have good young talent and we need to get our players into the Bigs so they get experience. I suppose we will somehow get Jimmy into the fold and not develop Galvis or any of our younger players? If you look at the Braves model, they are an up and coming young blended team to look at. They will become great and probably stay great for years like they used to be many years ago with Glavin, Maddux and the rest of that group. Go Phils!!!— linkster
- Continue to put all of your eggs in old, broken-down and getting more broken-down by the minute baskets and you will lose.— MrPhillie
- This team would be just fine if Utley and Howard would hit like the Utley and Howard of old. They are the real problem. Everyone else is just role players.— ronin32
- Rube - better not get too confident. Polanco (and also Utley) are no longer able to last a full season. It would be better to alternate them at 2B, so they'll be around to contribute in the post-season. The fact that they are both earning starters' money is just the risk you took in signing them to long-term contracts. Get Cuddyer, Wright, etc to play 3rd, and don't rely on Utley & Polanco for 140 games each in the field. Otherwise they will surely break down.— jman
