What should the priority be?
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What should the priority be?
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
What floored me the most in the moments following the Phillies' exit from postseason baseball was the sheer amount of issues this franchise now faces. This winter already promised to be a busy one with several free agents hitting the market, but the early defeat only raised more questions.
There could be massive philosophical shifts in how the team operates. What those could entail, we do not know. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has yet to offer his postscript to a disappointing season. (He is expected to do so sometime this week.)
In the meantime, what would you consider to be the most important move for the Phillies this offseason?
Here are some of the pressing options (presented in no particular order) with the theoretical arguments for why each move should happen:
- Re-sign Jimmy Rollins: He's the heart and soul of the franchise. He's still an above-average shortstop. He's the best option the Phillies have there.
- Re-sign Ryan Madson: A staff of aces is worthless without a trusted closer. He proved he can pitch in the ninth inning. He's a homegrown guy with plenty of good years left.
- Exercise Roy Oswalt's option: The pitching is what carried this team. No one can be sure what Joe Blanton offers. Oswalt is expensive at $16 million, but that's the cost of doing business.
- Lock up Cole Hamels: It's time to make sure the youngest of the aces doesn't go anywhere. A long-term deal now prevents a nasty arbitration case. And he's only starting to enter his prime.
- Upgrade third base: Placido Polanco is owed $6.5 million in 2012, but is he an everyday player still? Third base is a power position and the Phillies need more production there. By the end, Polanco was a black hole.
- Overhaul the entire bench: The Phillies have the oldest team in baseball and getting younger is easier said than done. So improve the depth behind the aging starters. Spend a chunk of money on reserves.
- None of the above: I have the secret plan that will make them all fall.
Tell us in the comments section.
(NOTE: I don't agree with everything written above. It's simply the possible argument to make in favor of said move.)
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
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What do you think about Brad Lidge and Raul Ibanez? I think they should let Raul go. I mean he has become a fan-favorite (as has almost every Phillie), but he is too streaky and he does not put up great enough numbers. It's Mayberry's time to shine, the kid can hit and if he gets a starting role, he can definitely help the offense. With Lidge, don't even consider resigning. The guy was a savior in 2008, but he doesn't have now what he had back then. We need to revamp our bullpen, get a couple of lefties up there and not stock it full of rookies.— Erik Seybold- The priority should be to leave your best pitchers off the lineup card.
Giants killed 'em last year, and this year they got killed again.
And once again, Ryan Howard is the last out, but this year he faked an injury because he was so embarrassed.
Phillies stink.— MisterMaul - Lock up Cole Hamels for sure (young, lefthanded aces don't grow on trees) and upgrade 3rd base for sure (I like Polanco, his defense is among the league's best, but he's an offensive sieve). Re-signing Rollins and Madson would be a plus, but that's conditional based on how much they want (predicting the success of a closer is almost impossible, Ryan Madson's great but closers fall in and out of greatness so quickly these days, they're usually not worth the financial risk. In Rollins' case he's a Phillies all-time great but if he wants 5 years let him spend those years somewhere else). I like Roy Oswalt, but at $16 mil let him walk. I'm not terribly worried about the bench, I thought they were fine. To that list I'd add getting another lefthanded arm for the bullpen (give Bastardo a bit of a break).— Phanthom32
- I agree with all of your points except Oswalt -- let him walk, he's way too expensive. We have Worley waiting again if Blanton fails. Better yet, find a way to trade Blanton in the off season if we can.— phiami11
Comment removed.- With Rollins I'd draw the line at 4 years, if he can live with that I say welcome him back with open arms.— Phanthom32
- How come no one is talking about the prospect of signing Jose Reyes in place of JRoll? He might be a clubhouse cancer, but he can hit and field when healthy.— sanpedrodemacoris
- you answered your own question---he needs his wheels to be effective and he cant stay healthy — cliff1954
- I think hot dogs can be tamed if they are in the right club house. However, he's got hamstring and other leg injuries just like Rollins. Was the batting championship that Reyes won this year just as much as a fluke as Rollins' MVP year?
- He's a disable list lifer waiting to happen. — DPL
- Re-sign Rollins. There's nobody better in FA available, and his defense is superb. Let Lidge walk. Would love to have Madson back, but doubt we can afford him. Let Oswalt walk - we have good, young pitching that we can use in his stead, and we already won without him. Upgrade 3B, if possible - Polly is a great guy, but he KILLED us this year. Ibanez is a great guy, but we can't take that streakiness anymore. Need a Gload replacement, a backup catcher who can maybe hit a little, and get some young players playing time!
IS GALVIS READY TO PLAY YET???— Philth - Um, Reyes is defeinitely better than Rollins but he'll be too expensive. — sickoflosing
- @sanpedrodemacoris: We canNOT do Reyes. The guy rips apart clubhouses, and all we need is another guy who can't complete a season before breaking down.— Philth
- I think we may need to let Oswalt go. :( Pitching alone cannot win it and, frankly, it's no fun. This season was extremely stressful because we relied so heavily on pitching. Unlike most, I don't consider this season to have been bad. Sure, doing well in the post season is lots and lots of fun. But we had one hell of a run. Sports is supposed to be entertaining. And that they were. For nearly all 162 regular season games. Let's get some more hitting, which means letting Oswalt go and Polanco too. Probably have to let go of Raul as well. Keep Rollins if we can sign him for 3-4 years. Like the idea of a backup catcher who can hit. May need to let Worley go. We may not be able to afford more than 3 star starters.— Maria Wells
- let oswalt go--bring vance worley into the rotation use the extra $$ to lock up hammels, i want to see what j-rol is going to get on FA before I make an opinion raul is a great fit for a DH role--he can spell someone in the outfield once a week lidge goes, great career in in philly but time for a fresh start madson needs to be resigned, polanco --see how the off-season surgery goes but he probably goes too — cliff1954
