Is it time to turn attention to corners?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Baseball convened Monday at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, and soon thereafter another centerfield option fell off the board. With Angel Pagan's four-year, $40 million reunion in San Francisco, the Phillies have fewer answers to a lingering dilemma.
Is it time to turn attention to corners?
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Baseball convened Monday at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, and soon thereafter another centerfield option fell off the board. With Angel Pagan's four-year, $40 million reunion in San Francisco, the Phillies have fewer answers to a lingering dilemma.
But what if they have been asking the wrong question?
Centerfield has been Ruben Amaro Jr.'s priority from the beginning of this winter. He first courted B.J. Upton and, sources say, offered five years and $55 million. Atlanta signed him to a five-year, $75.5 million contract. Pagan was a fallback option, and the Phillies would not match San Francisco's terms.
With only Michael Bourn and Shane Victorino as the remaining free-agent options, what if the Phillies instead focused on obtaining a corner outfielder?
The appeal with Upton was his power potential. Josh Hamilton, probably a corner outfielder at this point in his career, has tantalizing talent with obvious risk. Nick Swisher, 32, has averaged 26 home runs and an .850 OPS during the previous four seasons. Ryan Ludwick, 34, bashed 26 home runs for Cincinnati in 2012.
Signing Bourn, Hamilton or Swisher would require forfeiture of the Phillies' first-round pick (No. 16 overall).
Acquiring a corner outfielder does not solve the centerfield quandary because there are no real internal options. The Phillies would ultimately have to find someone for center, but if they upgraded the corners, there is less needed in center. Ideally, the Phillies find someone who at least is above-average defensively.
The Phillies are yet not willing to meet Bourn's contract demands. He is believed to be seeking a deal richer than Upton's, and the Phillies offered Upton significantly less than what Atlanta did. A reunion with Victorino is viewed unlikely by multiple baseball sources because it would be a lateral move. Colorado is said to be asking a ton for Dexter Fowler, whose road numbers make him look like a product of Coors Field.
Again, there are few answers to this lingering question. Maybe it's time to think differently.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
If Fowler is a product of Coors Field, then Ludwick is a product of Great American Ball Park. Neither can duplicate last years success. Best thing for Phillies to do is try to seek a trade with Angels for Bourjos.— WPSN- So lets hear some viable options for the corner OF spots that won't cost a 1st Rd draft pick...............— beefbre
- Ichiro for a corner spot. Ruf/Brown platoon in the other corner. Mayberry as a bench player. Cf=?— hawk18
- Every day yields another indication that Philly is no longer considered a prime destination for free agents.— jfdatl
- Victorino would be more than adequate, and his defense would make it easier to put Ruf in left field (assuming Ruf is ready for prime time). If not, we (a) focus on pitching or (b) open up the minors again to get an impact outfielder or Chase Headley--whose presence in the lineup would make up for a lot.— The K Man
- Looks like Mayberry unless the Phils can engineer a trade. You know things aren't great when Victorino in a lateral move looks like a reasonable option.— jerseyshorefan
- jfdatl, what are you talking about? Of course if the Braves offer $20 million more, the obvious choice is Atlanta. The Giants offered, from what I read, the same as the Phils, of course he's going to go to the place he was. Just because they haven't gotten anything doesn't really mean anything. It's obvious that the Phils just haven't really put their chips on the table. That means, either they don't view the market as strong, or they have other things they might do. We'll see, but because 2 FA didn't choose to go hear doesn't mean anything as much as it means the Phils didn't really go all out on them.— cjh136
- Amaro, sucking hind t*t, once again. Goodwill, here we come.— ghost of callison
- What's up with Gilles? Give him a shot in spring training. If he cannot cut it, trade for someone or platoon Mayberry and ???. Do we really think they are a World Series contender?— johnny eagle
- Rent Jacoby Ellsbury for a year to play CF and get a power guy for RF. Platoon Ruf/Brown, Ruf/Howard and get Mike Young for 3B. Get a strong backup for Utley to takeover 2B in 2014 whose name is not Galvis.— fafink
- Quite frankly, I am completely comfortable starting Darin Ruf in LF every day and starting Domonic Brown in RF every day! Now, if they go out and sign a guy like Josh Hamilton that's cool. He does play some CF, as does Brown.— Roll Tide!
- I see many of the football geniuses also share their "wisdom" on baseball personnel moves. They are equally pathetic here as with the Eagles except they are not as angry yet.— hankhammer2
- 40 mill for Pagan is crazy. No power and doesn't hit 300. Victorino is said to be looking for the same kind of money. Also crazy. I don't care what they spend because they make enough but can't blame them for not doing either deal— Ssteve115
- Amaro's big miss last off-season was Josh Willingham, a power-hitting left fielder with a swing built for CBP. He would have solidified the middle of our order for 3-4 years. I doubt the Twins would trade him now, after a strong season, however.
The only way Victorino comes back is with the addition of a power hitting bat -- like Alfonso Soriano, Willingham or possibly Hamilton in right. Victorino alone accomplishes nothing other than bringing decent defense in center.
Please, please don't root for an OF of Ruf, Mayberry and Brown. Mayberry's a proven bench player and Brown and Ruf are gambles. You don't sign an uber-expensive starting rotation like ours and then enter a season with question marks -- including Utley and Howard -- up and down the lineup. Criticize Amaro if you want, but he won't let that happen.
— eman - You have to sit Howard against tough lefties! Hamilton would be nice in Right! Ruf in LF everyday. Worley for Bourjos. Frandsen doesn't hurt you for he makes contact. Bourjos, Utley, Rollins, Hamilton, Howard, Ruf, Frandsen, Kratz. Bench: Brown, Mayberry, Valle, Galvis, (?).— ginzo
