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."
go head complainers... WAHbiscuit— WFChamps- the Clueless imbeciles "speak" (rube and wfcchamps)— warbiscuit
- WB: a belated thanks for considering me in a class with D'biscuit...it is a nice compliment...but I am not worthy of being compared to such an exalted one as your alter-ego, the most famous heel-nipper of them all...bless you for the thought anyway... — stan the man too
- Well I sure do hope that Chase "puts himself into position" to go out of the chute this spring. That would be something a good clubhouse guy would do.— Sam Crow
- CluelessRube: how was I supposed to know last year that neither Qualls nor Dontrelle Willis would constitute a quality 8th inning set-up reliever ... how was I supposed to know in 2011 that Ben Francisco wouldn't replace Werth's lost production?...how was I supposed to know Lindblom was awful and that's why the Dodgers were giving him away ..how was I supposed to know that Wigginton couldn't play defense and wouldn't replace Howard, Utley and Ibanez's offense? how was I supposed to know that Thome didn't have a glove any more? how was I supposed to know that a declining player with a torn achiles would be injured for much of the season and unable to hit 58 hrs.. how am I supposed to know that Young --who hasn't played 3rd in 2 yrs --can't play 3rd... maybe he can ..why not.. who says... who says Lannan isn't a decent starter, who says, maybe he can, oh yes he can .. blah blah ... not my fault if players like Willis, Francisco, Lindblom, Wigginton, Thome and Young "underperform" and Howard doesn't hit 58 hrs like I'm paying him to do...— warbiscuit
- El Moronic Dopey how was I supposed to know that I won more games in 4 yrs than any other team? Tool — DogBiscuitthedope
- Yeah no credit for back to back W Series thanks to getting Cliff Lee for nothing I might add (even you can agree what he gave up now = 0) No Cliff Lee, no WS simple.
102 wins and playoff loss to WS champs that year, that was a fun season, you can't enjoy that? That's sad.
You focus on the bad, not the good it is pathetic and actually hard to believe.
Got the best set up man in the game, a young CF under control who SHOULD lead off, Young is as good as could be upgraded at a barren FA and trade postion, and gave nothing up for him. Asche ready for next year.
Off season was very good, add Hairston and were set.
only legit criticism is not having Sandberg take over this year.
Instead of pointing out every error, which all GMs make, let's here your off season plan right now. Lay it out with your wisdom. CF, RF, 3b, 8th inn RP were holes. How would you fill them. Answer— WFChamps - And when Howard comes back healthy, we hope he will return to the non-productive, strikeout producing, unreliable hitter we are all used to here in Philadelphia. Let's hope he hasn't worked too hard in learning how to adjust his stance at the plate or how to hit a curve from a left handed pitcher. I mean after all, he is a "professional" baseball player. I'm sorry...he's a busy man running around with his new wife now. Hey Ryan, LEARN HOW TO BE A PRODUCTIVE HITTER AND NOT SLUMPING IN THE STATS FOR THE PAST 4 YEARS!!— trifecta65
- 116 rbi's two years ago. the guy collects 5 rbi's falling out of bed. he is 33 years old. all you trying to talk yourself into "the phils are too old" should look at the numbers mike schmidt put up in his thirties. the oldest player is Halladay at 36. if he's done, the phils have the money to pick someone up during the season. if utley's done, we have future gold golver freddy galvis. one more right handed bat and we're good.
- I think FA (not free agent, Fat Andy) would be good at putting Chase in position to (make) play(s).— kissamiazz
- Pathetic fans always finding fault and never giving up their opinions. Wonder what their personal lives are like since they seem to demand perfection of everyone else.— hankhammer2
- Swisher's value is slipping as we whine. Giving up a draft choice is no big deal.After all, Rube sent some of the best for....well you know Paul Revere and his midnight run and....Yikes. Nah, I say, get Nick when he finally realizes Cleve. is his destination and in the ball park he will have a good year with the Young and Revere. And if Rube could now get another starter, yes, a 6th guy , because you know one of the starters is going to crash. What about that guy Oswalt who owes the Phils plenty. Keep him ready with one inning performances.— Koons
- The biggest void in this team is 1st base. Forget about 3rd, LF or RF.
Rub: "I don’t know how close he’ll be when spring starts" - Translation, "I am going to milk the injury excuse as long as I can to cover up for the worst contract in the history of MLB, if not all pro sports."— Campatent - how Cluless Rube turned a championship team into a bad one with one of the highest budgets in baseball and never won in post-season:
1. signed an over-the-hill Ibanez for 3 yrs, $36 mil, 2. re-signed Moyer 2 yrs, 3. re-signed Bruntlett, 4. traded valuable backup catcher for nothing (Tashner), 5.did nothing to improve Phils bullpen in 2009 thus relying on a closer with an era over 7.0, 6. relied on an aged Pedro to be no. 2 starter in 2009 post-season, costing Phils World Series, 7. traded away Cliff Lee for peanuts, 8. traded away 3 top prospects for Halladay when could have kept Lee for same price, 9. signed Blanton to inexplicable $24 mil extension, 10. signed useless over-the-hill non-hitting Polanco (3 yrs, $18 mil wasted --no offense at 3rd base for 3 yrs), 11. signed Baez (2 yrs), 12. acquired Herndon and kept him on roster for all of 2010 so as not to "lose" him, 13. signed Schneider to 2 yr deal, then re-signed him, 14. failed to add a starter after losing Lee for peanuts thus requiring loss of 3 prospects to acquire Oswalt who provided only a half-season of half-decent pitching, 15. signed Gload and other worthless bench garbage, 16. gave Howard a $125 million extension almost 2 years before his current contract was due to expire--the worst extension in baseball history, 17. did nothing to improve worst bench in baseball in 2010, 18. did nothing to assist fading offense in 2010, thus costing Phils chances in 2010 post-season, 19. did nothing to replace Werth after 2010 thus having to trade 3 top prospects in July to acquire overrated Pence, 20. went into 2011 post-season with still suspect offense and bench, costing Phils chance in 2011, (that's just 2009-2011 so far)...— warbiscuit
