Amaro talks free agents, Utley, Howard and more
With less than two months until spring training, Phils GM Ruben Amaro Jr. updates status of Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.
Amaro talks free agents, Utley, Howard and more
Ryan Lawrence
The Phillies introduced two new players on Tuesday - third baseman Michael Young and starting pitcher John Lannan.
Afterward, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. answered several questions that would make the gathering kind of qualify as his "State of the Offseason" as Christmas nears.
Here is some of what Amaro had to say:
His thoughts on Michael Young, third baseman: "As far as Mike playing third base, we had enough historical information. It wasn’t that long ago when we had these kinds of questions about Placido Polanco. He had been playing second base at a very high level. I know Michael at various parts of his career has been a Gold Glove caliber defender. For him to go back to third base, its not a great concern of ours. We feel like that he’s going to be able to do that and handle it fine.
On the state of finding another outfielder this winter: "We’re still trolling through the possibility of adding another piece there. And we’re also considering the possibility with a double platoon. That’s a possibility as well. We’ve done some things that have helped our club at a couple of different levels. I don’t think the process of trying to help improve our club stops until the end of the season."
On using the phrase "cautiously optimistic" regarding Chase Utley, and what that means: "When a guy is down for two years and doesn’t play full seasons in the two years prior you have to be a little concerned. But we think Chase has learned and we have learned to manage whatever he’s got going on in his knees pretty well. I think he has a pretty good understanding of it, we have a pretty good understanding of it and I think he’s going to be fine. But you just never know. Obviously he’s got knee issues. Hopefully he’ll be able to put himself in the position – we think he’s put himself in the position to be ready to go out of the chute this spring. But that remains to be seen. We’ll see what happens."
On Ryan Howard's progression from the Achilles injury: "I think Ryan right now, he’s been in the process of still getting 100 percent strength, he was never really at 100 percent, I don’t know how close he’ll be when spring starts. But typically it takes a full year to gain your full strength capacity with an injury like that, and I think he’s getting closer to that. From what Ryan was doing prior to his wedding and his honeymoon, he was doing well. I think he continued that program when he went on his honeymoon. We’ve been monitoring him and he’s seemed to be doing well. We’ll find out more once he gets back."
On whether draft pick compensation is a concern when scouring free agent market, as Phils hold 16th overall pick: "If we think it s the right guy to sign we ll sign him. I mean, a lot of it depends. First-round picks are important, but at the same time if we feel like short term, long term we should go that route we re still trying to figure it out."
- Please make your posts longer, nobody reads your moronic babble you pathetic tool
— DogBiscuitthedope - How are all of those top prospects doing now you moronic donkey? — DogBiscuitthedope
- further Amaro awful moves/non-moves 2011-2012:
21. kept Mike Martinez, 22. did nothing to replace Howard's lost production at 1b for 2011, 23. did nothing to replace Utley's lost production at 2b, 24. did nothing to replace Polanco's non-existent offense at 3b, 25. signed closer Papelbum for absurd price that could have acquired legitimate offense (Ramirez, Beltran, many other options) or more depth in bullpen, 26. wasted $50 mil on a closer who had been and remains awful in big spots; 27. signed over-the-hill d.h. Thome for NL team with no DH, 28. did nothing to add a lefty reliever pre-season other than sign a consistently awful Willis, 29. did nothing else to help bullpen other than awful Qualls, 30. acquired Wigginton, 31. acquired Nix, 32. let Moss go for nothing, 32. let Grilli go for nothing, 33. let Vogelsong go for nothing, 34. traded Pence away for useless trash, 35. traded Victorino fro awful Lindblom and trash, 36. traded Blanton for nothing, 37. did nothing to strengthen 2013 outfield other than a slap hitter in cf, 38. did nothing to strengthen 3rd base except an over-the-hill awful fielding Young, 39 did nothing to improve starting pitching other than awful Lannan, 40. kept Manuel as manager, etc.... I could go on, and every day that Rube is g.m. there will be many more to— warbiscuit - Yeah I remember your outrage when they released Grilli, just like the other 12 organizations he played for you moronic stool sample — DogBiscuitthedope
- EL Idiot you loved the Qualls signing remember? Dope — DogBiscuitthedope
- Hey mr. hammer if you see that players are not performing and continue to slide as mr. howard has it would be prudent to look elsewhere . The fact that clueless rube as most call him seem to have a solid grip on his abilities as a gm . You must be a yes man and drink the cool-aid so your view is tainted here.— d1955h
- utley and howard are washed up. history. no more "cautious optimism" about them. amaro should be doing whatever possible to unload their huge salaries. give them away to teams like LAD NYY BOS who love spending money... if BOS is willing to give Victorino $16 million per year for 3 years, theyve got to be willing to take howard and/or utley. no more bs from the front office please. it is time to blow this team up because the front office took a world series champ and drove it into the ground with stupid personnel moves. the stupidest being hiring amaro as gm.— zwarte piet
- list of clear good moves by Rube in 4 years:
1. acquired Lee from Cleveland
2. signed Hamels to long-term contract so as to not lose him...
that's 2 good moves vs. over 40 bad ones listed above— warbiscuit - See,I told everybody you were really just a softie at heart...It's nice to see you can be open minded...just don't get any closer to that Xmas kool-aid... — stan the man too
- the only quality free agent Rube has EVER signed is Lee (perhaps Adams if he works out; Papelbon was worst signing of last year)--and that was to try to rectify his egregious mistake in giving him away for peanuts in the first place, and was instigated by Lee's wife, not by Rube ... instead of getting elite players, Clueless Rube wasted money on over-the-hill declining and/or bad players (Howard, Ibanez, Moyer, Polanco, Contreras, Blanton, Baez, etc), then traded top prospects in mid-season for overrated quick fixes becuase he failed to do his job in off-season (Oswalt, Pence) and then tries to save money by getting usless trash (most of everyone else who Cluless Rube gets) ...that's how he turned a once championship level team into mediocre trash with no present or future— warbiscuit
- Howard's an albatross. His days are numbered. Grossly overpaid.— dogman5
- Utley should play 365 days a year so he doesn't get hurt from sitting around. He better be ready for 2013 in April, not June. Howard may not be the same but he's like any good hitter who needs protection around him in the lineup. The Phillies have lost so may RH bats in the lineup since 2008.— Phillies2008WSChamps
- an intelligent g.m. like Sabean --who can evaluate talent and team needs -- puts together a roster with 25 contributing players --and even with some bad contracts (Zito) and some injuries and some bombs from his big stars (Lincecum) he has enough balance and depth and bullpen and bench capable of winning in the post-season ..by contrast an imbecile like Clueless Rube puts his whole budget into about 6 highly paid big "names" (half of them washed up) and the rest of his roster is worthless bargain basement garbage --players who wouldn't make the rosters of the Indians or Astros or Royals... then when some of the big "names" are injured or underperform --as they are most certain to do given their age and declining abilities-- he just points to "injuries" and "underperformance" as excuses for the worst roster money can buy— warbiscuit
- Moronic Tool — DogBiscuitthedope
- Hey moronic tool if Sabean is so great why did he trade for Pence? Dose that mean he didn't do is job in the off-season as you claim RAJ does with stretch drive trades? Well dopey explain away with one of your moronic explanations? Dope idiot moron loser tool — DogBiscuitthedope
