Phillies can still finish first during the season
The Phillies may have finished third in the National League East last season and again this offseason, but that doesn't mean they have to finish anywhere other than first once the season begins.
Phillies can still finish first during the season
Bob Brookover, Inquirer Baseball Columnist
The Phillies may have finished third in the National League East last season and again this offseason, but that doesn't mean they have to finish anywhere other than first once the season begins.
At a dinner banquet in Allentown Thursday night, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. explained why this offseason has been different in terms of the team's moves.
Instead of one big splash -- a trade for Roy Halladay, the signing of free agents Cliff Lee and Jonathan Papelbon -- that grabs the attention of the entire baseball world, the Phillies have made a series of smaller moves, dealing for center fielder Ben Revere and third baseman Michael Young while signing setup man Mike Adams, fifth starter John Lannan and right fielder Delmon Young.
As detailed in Friday's newspaper column, the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves have made the sexiest moves among the National League East teams this offseason.
"We had a lot more to fill this offseason and a lot less dollars to play with," Amaro said. "Our big moves were made when we got Doc (Halladay) and we got Cliff and we signed Ryan (Howard) and we signed Chase (Utley) and also Jimmy (Rollins) as well. Those were our moves."
Therein lies the Phillies' hope and possibly despair.
Add Cole Hamels to Amaro's list and those are the six players that will determine whether the 2013 Phillies can contend with the Nationals and Braves in the National League East.
It is interesting to view the national perception of the Phillies. Richard Justice, a columnist for MLB.com, lauded Atlanta's trade acquisition of outfielder Justin Upton Thursday and declared that the Braves joined the Nationals, Giants, Dodgers, Cardinals and Reds in the discussion about the "Best Team in the NL."
The Phillies are only one season removed from putting up the best record in baseball for the second straight year and they did go 35-24 after dealing Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence at the all-star break.
"With Howard and Utley being back, we made up 14 games," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We were 14 under .500 and we played good in the second half as far as winning games and we can play a lot better."
Because of the way the Phillies have gone about their business, they should have payroll flexibility at the trade deadline if they're looking to upgrade in the outfield or at some other position.
"We're leaving ourselves a little flexibility ... in the hope that at some point if we need to, we can maybe add," Amaro said.
That will heavily depend on whether Howard, Halladay and Utley are better and, at this point, the Phillies are encouraged about all of them. Howard is among the regulars already working out down in Clearwater, Fla. and the medical reports on Halladay and Utley have been encouraging.
Amaro said Halladay, who missed nearly two months last season with a shoulder injury, threw off a mound for the first time Tuesday and was scheduled to do so again Friday. Utley has been sending Manuel e-mails that has the manager upbeat.
"He sent me a couple e-mails and the last one right at Christmas said, 'It looks like you're going to have a healthy second baseman,' " Manuel said. "The other day (trainer) Scott Sheridan had a DVD of him working out and he really looked good. He looked really strong in his legs. You can tell he's been doing something all winter."
A baseball scout was asked what he thought of the Phillies' offseason moves compared to what the Nationals and Braves have done.
"The Braves and Nats did better, but the Phillies did a nice job, too," he said. "The Phillies did well with adding the two Youngs and Revere and Lannan will be a solid fifth starter. Roy Halladay is far and away the most important player in the division this coming season. Which guy we see will determine the Phillies' fate."
- Garcia and Eaton were two absolutely awful pitchers.
Abreu was a guy you just wanted to get rid of -- the old "addition by subtraction" idea. Not a bad move.
You don't go into 2007 but Geoff Jenkins was another lousy move.
Gillick is a great GM. He's proven that. But he makes mistakes like anyone else and one of the big advantages he had in Philly was walking into a great young core group that you have to give Ed Wade credit for assembling.— s - The Phillies have a chance to win the NL East? Are you kidding? Look at their lineup and tell me that this is a pennant winning team. Howard and Utley are question marks because of their injuries. Young has not played 3rd base for 2 years and hit the grand total of 8 HR's----8 more than their centerfielder. Ruff may be good, Delmon can't field and is a nut job bigot while Brown is a .230 hitter. If Halliday can pitch OK, their pitching may carry them to 85 wins.— Drumgoole
Hey. I like Gillick. Just tryin to balance out some of the uproar around here everytime the Phils take a flyer on a guy.
2007 and beyond
Pete Laforest was selected off waivers from San Diego Padres (remember him)
Traded Matt Maloney for Kyle Lohse midseason
Signed Chad Durbin three years $4.6 Million
Released Kyle Lohse after season
Signed JC Romero three years $12 Million
Signed 41 year old Jose Mesa
Traded Costanzo, Bourn and Geary for Brad Lidge (who had just recently lost his closer job in Houston) and Eric Bruntlett
Signed So Taguchi one year $900K
(Extended Lidge to three years and 36 Million dollars mid season 08)
(Extended Utley two years before necessary adding 5 years and $15 million per)
Signed Greg Dobbs
Released Rod Barajas
Signed Antonio Alfonseca
Traded Mike Dubee for Tadahito Iguchi
Released Tadahito Iguchi
Did not re sign Rowand
Offered $750,000 to Jayson Werth who was injured in 2005 and did not play at all in 2006.
(low risk high reward)
Signed 33 year old Geoff Jenkins one year $5 Million
— zubzub- How can anyone say this team will finish below .500? With what evidence? A worse team finished at .500 last season. With health, and a stronger bullpen, they'll win at least 90 games.— vvvmetallicavvv
- I think the skepticism is justified: Name one of the starting 9 who are in their prime. As much as I like this bunch, the infield is probably past their prime, the outfield hasn't approached it. The starters? Hamels, I guess. That's reason for concern.— trillotobowatorose
Hey Brookover. Lining up for the buffet this early? All I have to say, after wasting my time reading this sh*t is are you high? If so, save some of that Philly bud for me.- I am trying to figure out why people would think this team is going to be worse than last year. Let's revisit 2012, a year that they managed to win 81 games. 1) Howard and Utley missed significant chunks of the season recovering from injuries and Howard was never 100% at any point last year.) Halladay was not Halladay last season and it appeared that he was never 100% healthy as early as spring training 3) They did not have a relief pitcher who could pitch a scoreless eighth inning 4) Placido Polanco missed a significant portion of the season and when he did play, he was awful. 5) Victorino was terrible and Pence was nothing close to what was expected until they were both ditched in July. The 2013 Phillies by accident will have to be better. Howard, Utley and Halladay are expected to be ready to roll next month. Michael Young has to be better than Polanco; it is almost impossible for him not to be. Mike Adams may actually pitch scoreless eighth innings. If Ben Revere can slap his way to.290, play a solid centerfield and steal some bases, how is that not better than Victorino? Obviously, the corner outfielders present questions but is there one team in baseball without flaws or issues? Did we forget the dead carcasses of the Marlins and Mets that the Phillies play 36 times this season? Is Gio Gonzalez really a 20 game winner? Do the Upton brothers really make up for the losses of Chipper Jones,Prado and Bourn? Is Strasberg going to stay healthy for an entire season? The continuing criticism of the Phillies by the Amaro bashers and people who just like throwing out the negative is boring. This team does have a shot to be very good this year no matter what gets posted here.— syddan26
- YES, everything is possible at this point....the word "IF" makes it all right....but to think we improved over last year or the Nationals or the Braves only shows the drinking of the red koolade.....and as long as Reuben is in charge our only direction is down.....sorry guys, I will root also....but the die is cast.....and RA is just the guy who took us from a WS Winner to 3rd place and made no improvements this year and is hanging his hat on Ryan being healthy, Chase not lying about his condition, Roy not getting older, Lee being half of what he used to be and Brown actually being able to catch a fly ball......sad— nuggett
- The question marks on this team are not the new guys. I believe the new guys will do fine and hold their own. Will our Shortstop continue to be J-Pop? Will the worst contract in baseball (now that A-Rod's is covered by insurance) at first base continue to waive at any slider thrown out of the strike zone by any lefty pitcher? Will Utley be the player he has been? Will Halladay slow down a little and stop grooving pitches because he's going to fast? Those four will determine what happens this year.— Relocator
- Baseball is all about pitching and health. If Doc is OK, or even 80% and our bullpen is healthy (Adam's had a rib removed for comfort, yikes!) Utley, Howard bounce back, we are good. This lineup can score 4 runs a game, right?— jet2012
Really, it's all about their health. Nothing more. Utley, Howard, Halladay, D. young, and Adams are coming off injuries. And M. Young is an old player trying to get back to playing an extremely demanding position he hasn't played in two years. If they can stay on the field, they are the best team!!!— John621- Yes, and Mitt Romney could still win the Presidential election. Look, being realistic does not mean being negative. The Phillies now remind me of the patched together teams I got used to as a Phillies fan. I will always root for them to win, but that does not mean I can't face reality. The Washington Nationals are a far better team right now and are the new Phillies in the NL East.— Marie Elena
- yeah, when hell freezes over— eddiot
- "East"ern League perhaps.— bobcitydoc
- Sure, the Phillies have some Ifs. But so does every other team in the division, and the biggest If for every team is "If we stay healthy." A couple of key injuries to the Braves and/or Nats, and finally a season where the Phillies' infield and starting pitchers stay healthy, and we could see another NL East title here in our town. I can hardly wait for the games to start!— Dave Clemens
