What is left to spend?
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
What is left to spend?
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
After a busy Saturday, the Phillies have filled two holes, a setup man (Mike Adams) and fifth starter (John Lannan). The biggest need, a corner outfielder, remains.
The top available players are Nick Swisher and Cody Ross. Both are reportedly seeking at least three-year contracts, with Swisher probably looking for four years. A part-time player like Scott Hairston is said to be demanding two guaranteed years.
There is still money for Ruben Amaro Jr. to spend on an outfield upgrade. Amaro said at the winter meetings he expects a payroll similar to that of 2012, which at opening day was near or above $178 million.
Here is a (rough) budget worksheet that accounts for 24 players, leaving one spot for a corner outfielder obtained through free agency:
| 2013 PAYROLL (IN MILLIONS) | |
| PLAYER | AAV |
| HOWARD, Ryan | $25.00 |
| LEE, Cliff | $24.00 |
| HAMELS, Cole | $24.00 |
| HALLADAY, Roy | $20.00 |
| PAPELBON, Jonathan | $12.50 |
| UTLEY, Chase | $12.14 |
| ROLLINS, Jimmy | $9.50 |
| YOUNG, Michael | $6.00 |
| ADAMS, Mike | $6.00 |
| RUIZ, Carlos | $4.50 |
| KENDRICK, Kyle | $3.75 |
| LANNAN, John | $2.50 |
| NIX, Laynce | $1.25 |
| FRANDSEN, Kevin | $0.85 |
| BASTARDO, Antonio | ARB 1 ($1.00) |
| PRE-ARB (9) | $4.50 |
| BENEFITS | $10.80 |
| 40-MAN ROSTER | $1.50 |
| BONUSES | $2.00 |
| TOTAL | $171.80 |
Remember, this does not account for possible in-season moves, like any recalls should a player go on the disabled list. Payroll, for luxury tax purposes, include average annual values of contracts for players on 40-man rosters, benefits and bonuses.
Time spent on the major-league disabled list counts toward payroll. Phillies players while on the disabled list in 2012 earned $34.96 million.
The Associated Press reported Friday the Phillies finished the season with a $174.5 million payroll, as computed for luxury tax purposes. Payroll is not computed until the end of the season, and the Phillies sneaked under the luxury tax limit by saving money through trades of Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino and Joe Blanton.
The luxury tax limit is again $178 million in 2013, and the Phillies have previously prioritized being under that. They could surpass that number in 2013 because the limit increases to $189 million in 2014, and it would be easier to stay below that figure.
If the Phillies do hold at $178 million, as Amaro said earlier this month, they could sign an outfielder with an average annual salary of approximately $7 million and be right up against the tax threshold.
Whether they view any of the available options as that valuable remains to be seen.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
- Delmon Young is a name I was thinking about when free agency started. He's 27 -- 4-5 years younger than Swisher or Ross. He hits LH pitchers well (over .300 this year). I like it even better if Young is now waiting due to his surgery. Instead of rushing into a Ross or Swisher signing, work any trade angles and have Young as your fallback.
The big knock on Young is he's not a good fielder and was used almost exclusively as a DH by Detroit this year.— s - No thanks on overpaying for Ross or Swisher. Need to get creative via trade and bring in a real impact bat. If only we had the front office to make it happen— stikolaboloni
- Jon Heyman reports that Lannan could also get an additional 2.5 MM in bonus. I'll go w/ DrHoffman and 93phils2008. Yeah I'd like to see Swisher for both sides of the plate, but if ownership and mgmt refuse to exceed the 178 MM level, then sign a D. Young or a G. Sizemore, and let's give Ruf the shot. I'm happy with Rube's moves thus far w/ Revere, M. Young, Adams, and Lannan. Let's be happy also Dickey is leaving the NL East, lol.— ExiledinFla
- Love what Rube's done. Setup man. Check. Third baseman. Check. Defensive centerfielder. Check. Fifth starter. Check. Get one more outfield bat and we're done. Josh Hamilton was the sexy pick, but we wouldn't have been able to fill other holes -- and would have been praying that Hamilton maintains his sobriety -- if we signed him.— iceman
- Please no Ross. Since when did this guy become a star? Only hit over .280 once for god's sake. I'd rather go with Ruff than over pay for an overrated Ross.— twpman
- 7 million a year is not going to get Ross or Swisher. If they do not bring in a proven power bat for next year, you are looking at 3rd place at best.— jicook
- The more I read about options for the Phillies the more I believe they do not have players in their system to make a trade for a power hitting corner outfielder. I do not want the team to give up the 16 pick in the draft for Swisher and I will pass on Ross unless it's a one year deal. With that said let's go get Delmon Young, sign him to a two year deal with incentives and options. We could bat Delmon Young behind Howard and Michael Young in front of Howard.......moving Utley into the 6st spot in the batting order.— rhendzel
- Are any of the FA options sure to give you more production than platooning Nix, Ruf, Brown and Mayberry? Possibly, but unlikely. We need to see what we have with Brown and Ruf at some point and Mayberry can rake if only hitting left handlers.— scottd327
- I'd be okay starting the season as-is and seeing what we need at the trade deadline. I don't think a Cody Ross or Nick Swisher is going to make a huge difference in first half wins. Maybe bolster the bullpen with one more move since Adams is coming off surgery. The bullpen lost more games in the first half of this year than the outfield.— s
- Villaneuva is a interesting name. He was a bullpen guy before being used as a starter this year. So he's one of those guys who can probably start if needed (he was better in the bullpen). Not sure what sort of contract he's looking for. He's also only 29 years old. He's had years where he's been a strikeout thrower, just not consistent there. — s
Wow. Takin a chance on Adams. But if healthy, it the best setup man in the game. Lannan is a #6 pitcher when facing Phils. Easily a #4 against everyone else. Good move.
Re: another OF. Here are John Mayberrys stats as a starter per 600 at bats ...
76R, 154H, 37 Doubles, 29 HR, 89 BI 46W, 141K, .253/.310/.462/.772 ...plus, he's a very good outfielder.
If we're gonna spend any more money or promise someone the OF job, then I at least hope they will significantly have better stats than this. Ross or Hairston are OK. But as platoon guys at most. IMO.— zubzub- The other reason for going with what we have is it eliminates the bench issue. If we sign another outfielder we have one too many guys for the bench unless they carry 11 pitchers, move a guy or send one of the few guys with minor league options left down.
Right now we'd have Frandsen, Galvis, Nix, and one of the platooning outfielders on the bench (Mayberry/Ruf/Brown). Nix has a year left on his contract. Ruf and Galvis are the guys with options. Unless they can unload Nix I don't like any of the other moves needed to clear a spot. But it's also not unusual to go with 11 pitchers for a while (not forever though).— s - after a dismal offseason like this one, I'd rather they just stick with Darin Ruf and give him a legit shot to make the team and start, at least as part of a platoon, but maybe every day.
Which means they they will absolutely NOT do this.— advantasux - I thought stealing money was illegal????? Ryan Howard should be arrested. Probably the number one most stupidest signing is this cities history. Followed by Bryzgalov and Toast Asomugha.
— power808
