Wha' Happened?
The Phillies Zone tries to make sense of everything that happened yesterday.
Wha' Happened?
Todd Zolecki
I've had a few hours to digest everything that happened yesterday.
Let's review:
- Chase Utley is scheduled for surgery on his right hip next week in New York. He is expected to need four to six months to recover.
- Pedro Feliz had lower back surgery and is expected to need eight to 12 weeks to recover.
- The Phillies traded outfielder Greg Golson to the Texas Rangers for outfielder John Mayberry.
- The Phillies put righthanders Carlos Carrasco and Drew Naylor, lefthander Sergio Escalona and catcher Joel Naughton on the 40-man roster.
Other than that, a pretty quiet day.
But what does it all mean? In terms of how it changes Ruben Amaro Jr.'s off-season plans, not much. The Phillies' top priority remains re-signing Jamie Moyer, which I believe will happen. Their other priorities include finding a solution in left field (Rocco Baldelli, Raul Ibanez and Pat Burrell remain possibilities) and adding another reliever to their bullpen (they have interest in righthander Juan Cruz). But Amaro made it pretty clear yesterday they are optimistic any time Utley misses will be minimal. So don't expect the Phillies to call up free agent second baseman Orlando Hudson's agent today. The Phillies are going to go with short-term solutions to their second base problem.
Eric Bruntlett filled in for shortstop Jimmy Rollins early this season when Rollins spent time on the disabled list with a sprained left ankle. He could do the same at second base. Jason Donald, one of the organization’s top prospects, is hitting .407 in the Arizona Fall League and also could see time there. The Phillies had kicked around the idea of adding a utility infielder before they scheduled Utley for surgery. Free agents like Nick Punto, who played for the Phillies from 2001-03, and Damion Easley could make sense.
“I think we have coverage with Bruntlett and with the emergence of Donald,” Amaro said. “That does not mean that we won’t look to add, but I think if were to open the season today without Chase … we’re covered fairly well.
"You don’t necessarily replace an Utley, but at the same time we really feel … he’s going to be fairly close to ready, if not ready, by opening day. A lot of it depends on how the rehab goes, how the surgery goes. This is not an exact science. But we fully expect to have Chase Utley with us for the bulk of the season, so I’d have to say frankly as far as how we go about our business with our club, it probably won’t change significantly.”
Same goes for Feliz. The Phillies expect him back before Utley, so they think third base is even less of an issue than second base. Plus, if something with Feliz lingers, they have Greg Dobbs, Bruntlett and Donald to help out.
Mayberry is not the team's 2009 solution for left field. The Phillies acquired him because they have very little power in their minor-league system, and his power eventually could play big at cozy Citizens Bank Park -- if not in 2009, then in the future. But why trade Golson? Wasn't he an everyday outfielder of the future? Not necessarily. I had heard rumblings during the season that the Phillies projected Golson to be a fourth or fifth outfielder. Golson, the Phillies’ first round pick in 2004, hit .282 with 13 homers, 60 RBIs and 23 stolen based for double-A Reading, but also struck out an alarming 130 times. Maybe because the Phillies have Shane Victorino signed through 2011, they feel they could use a righthanded power bat more than a speed/defense guy.
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Expect the Phillies to announce today the final coach for Charlie Manuel's staff. The Phillies had interviewed Rich Donnelly, Tim Bogar and Pete Mackanin.
Update (11:42 a.m.): The Phillies announced that Mackanin will be Manuel's new bench coach. That means Sam Perlozzo is the team's new third base coach.
truth-a fragile man? Based on what? The fact that he played most of the year injured? Average? Hardly. Perhaps you played second base in some previous life and are jealous? I can't think of a better 2nd baseman in the game today.— Bignas- Basically Amaro traded a center field prospect with speed, who only stole 23 bases last year at AA to go with 100 Ks, for a corner outfield prospect with power that is hitting 20 hrs in the minors. I'll take that trade anytime. Golson is blocked by Vitorino in CF, while Mayberry could be our leftfielder of the future. And krispy, Golson will never be Beltran. I think at Golson’s age Beltran was already the AL Rookie of the Year. Golson will be lucky to be a bench player next year. For Utley, I think 3b is the best position later on in his career. 1B will be ok with me, but I think he has too much talent to be wasted at 1B.— EL Zorro
- Moving Chase to left doesn't make much sense to me, either. His hip injury obviously affected his swing. But he played great defense, at 2nd, through the entire season. Still think he was robbed of a Gold Glove!— Norma
- Zo.....How stoked were you, that your article on Chase's surgery made the FRONT page of the Inky?! Not just the front page of the sports section. Impressive! LOL!— Norma
- Zorro - Agree with you totally about Golson. The guy simply has not appeared to take any steps offensively. He is not maturing. He doesn't have the power to justify striking out so much, and speed, a strong arm, and defense will only buy you a bench spot (or starting CF and lead-off job for Ed Wade). As for Utley, I am not in favor of moving him anywhere. His greatest value is at 2B, and until we have reason to believe he cannot continue to play there, it makes no sense to me to move him. It is alot easier to find a power hitting 1B or LF than it is to find a 2B who can hit near-.300 with 30+ HR, 100+ RBI, and 100+ runs scored, and play quality defense. BUT, if he does move from 2B, my feeling is the Phillies would move him to first, and I think that IF you move him, that makes the most sense. I don't really think he has a strong enough arm to justify a move to third.— RollinsWasRight
- My point was that if Golson ever learned plate discipline and pitch recogonition he could easily hit .310. He had 13 homers last year, Mayberry only had 16 homers. thats not a big boost in power considering you're dropping 20 points off batting average for this guy. The best case for this guy is 4th or 5th corner outfield. Even if Golson turns out to be 4th or 5th outfielder, he's fast so he could play any of the OF positions, not just left or right.— kr1spy
- Honestly, what is it with Utley to first? PLEASE explain (taking Howard/Donald out of the equation) why Utley is seen as a 1b?— Truth
- Truth - Utley is seen there because he's played at times and he is capable. Currently his biggest defensive liability is probably his range - which you don't really need at first base. The bloggers didn't invent Utley to first, I think its been mentioned many times by reporters, etc. Your other comment about Utley doesn't even warrant a response.— Gary Varsho
- Chase has a problem with his "range"???? The main issue I've always had with moving Chase to 1st, is breaking up him and J.Roll. One of the best double play combos in ALL of baseball!— Norma
- The fielding bible has Chase Utley as the far leader of defense for 2nd base. The reasoning was that it'd be easier to find a 2nd baseman to take his place if he has to move to 1st (assuming Howard eventually leaves Philly). Scouts look at as 2nd base shouldnt have much power, and Utley could put up the same kind of numbers as a normal 1st baseman.— kr1spy
- Gary...I'LL reply to Truth's comment about Chase being "fragile"! What a joke!!!! LOL!!! The man throws his body ALL over the field! Not to mention, when he's healthy, he's led the team in BA the last few years. He's also led the majors the last two years, in HBP's. And the ONLY time he's landed on the DL, is when his hand was hit by one of those pitches! "Fragile"! Right!— Norma
- I still stand by my range comment. Chase has turned into a good fielder, but he isn't naturally good at it, he works really hard to be a good fielder. Kudos to him, but he has always been looked at for his bat, not his glove. Like most 1B.— Gary Varsho
- obviously the phil's see the left-right power imbalance especially if burrell is gone.no r-h power on bench either. i thought that golson would be a fixture in c-f for years to come if victorino was moved.phils should quietly pursue a pujols-howard trade. reuben?? reuben?? are you there REUBEN???donald should be your 3rd baseman of the future. see you on broad street again next year. john machuzick— machuzick
- obviously the phil's see the left-right power imbalance especially if burrell is gone.no r-h power on bench either. i thought that golson would be a fixture in c-f for years to come if victorino was moved.phils should quietly pursue a pujols-howard trade. reuben?? reuben?? are you there REUBEN??? donald should be your 3rd baseman of the future. see you on broad street again next year. john machuzick— machuzick
- It still seems to me that all the reasons being given for moving Utley to first are exactly the reasons why he is INVALUABLE at second. Yes, he has a first baseman's bat, but he plays SECOND. And he plays it well. Therefore, if you put corner IFs and corner OFs around him that hit the way corner IFs and corner OFs are supposed to, Utley and Rollins give you a HUGE advantage over every other team you would face. Chase Utley, hitting around .300, 30 HR, 100 RBI, 100 R, 15 SB is a GREAT second baseman...put those numbers a first base, though, and he becomes slightly above average. Still failing to see the logic of moving him...move him simply because he is better than everyone else? What's wrong with being the best?— RollinsWasRight
