State of the Phillies: Third base
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State of the Phillies: Third base
David Murphy
Yesterday, we kicked off our week-long State of the Phillies series by breaking down the past, present and future of the first base and second base positions. Our mission over these next few days is to identify where, exactly, the Phillies can improve this roster. The lesson from yesterday was that any improvement won't come at first or second base. Or, for that matter, anywhere in the infield, a point that Ryan Lawrence expands upon in today's paper.
The Phillies do have a vacancy at third base, but they don't have much in the way of options for filling that vacancy. The free agent market is thin, as is the trade market (forget David Wright). In other words, it is business as usual for the organization.
The last time Phillies third basemen finished a season with better than a .697 OPS was 2004, when David Bell hit .289/.362/.455 to lead the position. The only similarity between the position then and the position now is that Placido Polanco played it. Of course, Polanco had as many home runs in 50 plate appearances that season as he had in 315 plate appearances this season: two.
2012: .672
2011: .665
2010: .697
2009: .686
2008: .695
2007: .688
2006: .684
2005: .692
2004: .828
I. 2012 production, Phillies third basemen (NL rank out of 16 teams in parentheses)
AVG: .272 (9)
OBP: .315 (11)
SLG: .357 (15)
OPS: .672 (15)
HR: 5 (16)
RBI: 42 (16)
RS: 50 (13)
BREAKDOWN: The above numbers pretty much tell the story. Placido Polanco was once again beset by injuries and is clearly winding down his career. In 78 games, he posted a .259/.301/.331 batting line. Ty Wigginton hit just .184 when playing the position and was not much better on defense. The one bright spot was Kevin Frandsen, who made the most of his opportunity, hitting .335/.377/.450 in 205 plate appearances at third base.
II. Future salary commitments (luxury tax threshold $178 million in 2013, increases to $189 million in 2014)
2012: $7.25 million, 3.37 percent of luxury tax threshold (Placido Polanco, 36 years old)
2013: None
FLEXIBILITY: The Phillies have plenty of flexibility to add personnel at the position. The $7.25 million salary listed above for Polanco include a $1 million buyout on a mutual option that is a formality at this point.
III. 2013 Organizational Depth Chart
- Freddy Galvis, 23, pre-Arb (1.000 service time) under club control through at least 2017.
- Kevin Frandsen, 31, arbitration eligible (est. 4.000 ST) under club control through at least 2014
- Cody Asche, 23, AA
BREAKDOWN: There are no easy answers at this position. Barring an unforeseen trade, Galvis figures to enter the season as the top defensive option at the position. The Phillies have yet to give an indication that they view Frandsen as an everyday player at the hot corner, talking about his prospects for 2013 more in the terms of a utility man or platoon player. The problem with a platoon is that Frandsen is a right-handed hitter who mashed lefties this year, and slick-fielding rookie Galvis was much better as a right-handed hitter. Galvis has never played third base, but he has shown he can play shortstop and second base and the Phillies are confident he would do the same at third. The big question is whether he can hit well enough to justify an everyday spot in a contending major league lineup. In 58 games before a back injury and PED suspension, Galvis hit just .226/.254/.363 with three home runs, 24 RBI and 14 runs. A repeat of those numbers would mean the Phillies actually got worse offensively at the position. Asche is the one hope for the future. He hit .324/.369/.481 with 12 home runs in 559 plate appearances at high-A Clearwater and Double-A Reading, but he will have to prove that he can field the position without being a glaring liability before he gets a shot in the majors. We should see him in big league spring training, but there is no way the Phillies can base their Opening Day plans for the position around Asche.
IV. Potential for personnel upgrades
TRADE POTENTIAL: There have been rumblings all season that the Padres are open to parting with veteran third baseman Chase Headley, whose plate approach and power potential would provide a perfect fit for this lineup. But the Padres also have a news ownership team that has locked up Carlos Quentin and Huston Street, and their strong finish to the season has tempered expectations that Headley will be traded. Houston's Jed Lowrie, who has 52 career starts at third base, is another player who you could at least envision being traded, given the Astros frequent activity in the trade market. That being said, the Astros probably wouldn't have much financial motivation to trade Lowrie, who made just $1.15 million 2012 as a first-time arbitration-eligible player. That means any team hoping to acquire him would likely have to overpay for a player who has never cracked 400 plate appearances in a season and whose career batting line is .250/.326/.417. Lowrie did hit 16 home runs in 387 plate appearances this season. There are no indications that the Mets are willing to trade David Wright. The Brewers made a late run at the postseason thanks in part to a .901 OPS and 27 home runs out of Aramis Ramirez, so it does not seem logical that they would trade the veteran. Plus, the Phillies could've signed Ramirez themselves last offseason if they viewed him as a solution at third base, although their philosophy was likely affected by the presence of Polanco.
FREE AGENT MARKET: Jeff Keppinger played third base for a playoff contender in Tampa Bay this season, posting an .806 OPS and .367 on base percentage. That being said, he had a .698 OPS in the four seasons prior. Kevin Youkilis, who had a solid run with the White Sox after Boston traded him away, could become a free agent if Chicago declines his $13 million extension. Eric Chavez had a solid season for the Yankees, but there is reason to doubt that he would hold up physically as an everyday third baseman. Same goes for Youkilis.
V. Third base, in conclusion
We'd have Galvis as our early favorite to enter the season as the regular third baseman, with Frandsen getting 300 to 400 at-bats, depending on whether he plays his way into more time. It would not be surprising to see the Phillies get creative at the position, but I have spent most of the season trying to figure out a creative way that they might fill the void and have failed to come up with a potential trade scenario. The likely scenario is rolling with Galvis and a low-cost veteran (perhaps Frandsen) and hoping they get lucky like the Rays did with Keppinger. With the rest of the holes that need to be filled, particularly in center field and perhaps one of the corner outfield spots. The Phillies can't afford to significantly overpay for the production they will receive, particularly if there are health concerns with the signee.
Comments (54)
Freddy at third should be fine. Let's at least get the defense right next year. Of course everyone wants more offense, but at third it's hard to get both (as you know David, you get a guy who gives you more runs, you often get a guy who gives up more runs). Some people think the number of runs a team scores is important. It really isn't. More is better than less, but unless the rules have changed you still only need to score one more than the opposition. The Phillies' have a problem adding a run or two in the late innings. In my view this is a problem of offensive philosophy and management as well as player skill (I'd like to see more speed and base stealing).— JayW- -JayW - good analysis of the analysis! Is there any way we can get Davey Lopes back?— dwp66
- "Hoping they get lucky" is not a good plan.— P Even
- It will be good having Freddy back next season, but not at third. The Phillies need hitting and they need to find it for third and the outfield. Has anyone suggested an opthomologist for Howard?— Gus L.
- Galvis at third......NO, No and No. Do we really need his
.226 average? The offense sputters a lot and having his BA
in the lineup doesn't help. Pitching and defense wins games
but .226?— associate - Polanco has been hurt, sign for something reasonable, and incentive laded, and see if he has one more year in him. If he gets injured or can't hack it, it wouldn't have cost much so no problem there. He is the best defensive option. A team trying to win with pitching needs a damn good glove at 3B, Polly has that.— Paul SoTX
- For the umpteeth time......aside from Chase Headley, whom the Phils won't get and would be pretty expensive going forward in an already expensive lineup.....Frandsen is your starter EVERYDAY, with Galvis as a late inning guy if need for D. Chavez is old and oft injured (do we need another Polly?), Lowrie is a downgrade in average but an upgrade in power, doubt Houston makes a trade. Youkalis old and oft injured (do we need another Polly, again?), Keppinger gives us versatility, but is he any upgrade over a cheap Frandsen down there? Not much, IMO. I have no problem starting the season with Frandsen even if people don't believe he can hit .338 again all season.— Mark1npt
- "With the rest of the holes that need to be filled, particularly in center field and perhaps one of the corner outfield spots."
Perhaps one of the corner outfield spots? How about perhaps two of the corner outfield spots? You're going to count on Brown to fill one of those spots? Mayberry? Ruf? Schwineholtz? Give the Tonner a break. Rube the robber barren has taken the keys and wrecked this fine automobile. You start 2013 with an outfield of two of the above names and a FA in CF and all of us fans will be watching other teams in the playoffs again next year. You can make book on that missy.
— hunglikeaton - Frandsen showed he can perform. Give him a shot, with Galvis in the mix as well. No need to throw money at a thin market.— seanpcarr
- No easy solutions for 3B. Frandsen performed well but career says hes 250 hitter with little power. Dont see any sense in moving Rollins to 3B. He's a plus SS defensively who you would like to see play within his talents it would likely weaken 2 spots.. Youkalis, Rolen good to very good but age and health issues. You might get lucky with either and always loved Rolen's defense. Wright may have been traded but Mets financial problems have eased unlikely to happen. Asche looks like a possiblity.— Don w
- Given what's out there, we need two impact outfielders more than we need to sign a third baseman. I'm OK with Frandsen/Galvis at 3B, in large part because both can back up Utley and Rollins (Galvis) as well.— eman
- frandsen had one of the highest OBP on a team desperate for offense and they view him as a utility player in 2013? not surprising when you have a gm who owes his career to monty's need to demonstrate racial diversity in the front office... if monty had hired a proven baseball lifer like mike arbuckle to succeed pat gillick instead of a pliable obedient flunkie like amaro, we would probably have a couple of more WS appearances in the last five years... winning WS has never been monty's goal, though.. consecutive sellouts were his goal and he achieved it by stringing along fans with visions of WS dynasty in their heads since 2008.. ill bet monty and the silent owners have been laughing at all of the fan anger this year.— zwarte piet
- Galvis needs at bats. He's a switch hitter who had about 30 games of AAA under his belt before getting called up. It's going to take some time for his bat to develop. People keep quoting his .226 batting average over only 200 at bats as if it's set in stone. Play Brown, Ruf, and Galvis. See what they can give you and let them get ML experience. If you look at the Nationals and Braves, while we were competing for championships, they were seasoning their young players. It's time for the Phillies to recognize where they're at and do the same.— hayndude
- I'm fine with Frandsen more than I'm fine with Galvis. Frandsen had every chance to regress as the season went along and kept improving instead. He impressed me and, in my opinion, has earned the right to the Spring Training 3rd base position. Galvis will probably take Mini Mart's utility spot and get some reps at third, too. After that, we'll see how it plays out. Can't wait for one of the dolts to hijack the comments with a Ramirez or Beltre rant.— vafan
- You need Frandsen as your everyday 3B. He earned the spot, and you cannot discount his power production because of his broken leg...kinda hard t drive or pivot on a broken leg. He means more to the team than Galvis, who took imself out of the game for 50 days. Frandsen starts rallies, gets timely extra base hits, and played a more than respectable game at third. He has character. Look at what he's been through and how he performed when given a full chance. And Galvis took himself out of the game for 50 games.
Freddy is a dynamite player on the field. In the batters box he's a question mark, who's numbers are inflated by his speed. That is not a negative until he either injures himself, or gets older. JR is still too young to think about replacement, and that leaves Galvis as a player who COULD [along with the failed project that is Dom Brown] fetch a decent power hitting right fielder, and a good 2B/SS prospect in a trade. Throw in most of the bull pen acquired over the summer via trades and get some good arms to go along with Bastardo.— ngfs66 - I'm with most of the posters here, specifically @Mark1npt, @zwarte and @eman, in asserting that Kevin Frandsen in combo with Galvis is the best bet for 2013. Frandsen gave us muich needed energy and a head for the game, and was as responsible for the Phils' awakening in August and early September as was anyone else on the team. Galvis is more than a plus defender, he can be one of the best glove men around and is needed on this club for more than just backing up 3B.
Also echoing all the posters who (correctly) pointed out that at least two OF positions need to be the GM's priority. Mayberry is lazy in the OF and brings almost nothing to the offense and Brown is a guaranteed two-hopper to second base at least twice per night and is hysterical in the outfield (ill-timed jumps, over-running flyballs, etc.). I believe all of us have seen enough of both of them to believe that they should platoon at best, although I wish that Mayberry would be sent packing.
The track record of Rubens A Moron Jr. is that he will do exactly the opposite of what most fans believe he should do, so prepare for Frandsen and Ruf to not be part of this team in 2013, and definitely do hold a spot on the opening-day roster for organizational darling Michael Martinez.
— advantasux - Polonco will retire. If the Phils want to go for it, they should
step up and make a play for David Wright at 3rd. They can still
dump a few more guys on the current payroll to offset that cost.
Their are a few vet outfielders they can also pick up that won't
cost a fortune. Galis will be a backup infielder along with
Frandsen. Both are not starting players on a playoff team.— mdcasino - In my opinion:
Platoon Galvis and Frandsen for next year while fixing the outfield and maybe another bullpen arm. Granted if something good comes up go for it but there is no need to force anything here. Frandsen has been good at the plate this season and even without hitting for much power, having a guy that can get on base and knock a double here and there is important. Sure Galvis has hit only .226 but he is a 22 year old rookie and the offensive should improve with time. Regardless if it is at 3rd, SS or 2nd he is the future of the Phils infield somewhere so getting him major league at bats is important. Also I will note that while hitting only 3 HRs he did have 15 doubles and 24 RBIs so even if he doesn't hit the ball over the fence he still has enough power and speed to get extra bases. If Utley, Howard and Halladay can come back healthy (even if they are not the stars they once were) this will be a dangerous team next year if they can find a solid centerfielder. Brown has shown flashes and I think goes into next season as a starting rightfielder but this is the last chance they should give him. Ruf and Schierholtz can split leftfield and Mayberry on the bench as he should be (his ability to play all 3 outfield positions as well as first base is nice). That leaves centerfield as the first issue to be fixed. Also even if some of the young arms in the pen came on late in the season I think picking up a solid vet is needed. After those two are fixed then we can talk 3rd base again (and a big part of this is lack of options in free agency and a poor farm system when thinking about trades).— MadChemist13 - The hesitation with Frandsen is he played in 55 games and that was the second most games he's ever managed to play in a major league season. He should get a shot to show he can continue that level of play but banking on it happening would be irresponsible. He also lacks some of the defense I would want at 3B. Asche has never showed up on anyone's top 3B prospects list. Franco gets ranked higher but he's further away. So rather than assume a year bridge to Asche they could also try trading for a top 3B prospect who could start in 2013. That idea was floating around out there at the trade deadline.— s
- Having Galvis learn and play some 3B is good regardless of what they do at 3B. It makes him more valuable as a utility guy. I'd like to see how he does defensively there. My guess is he would not disappoint. On a related note, if Hernandez is viewed as a Galvis with a better bat, why not see if he can play some 3B? Even if they're targeting him to replace Chase at 2B in 2014 I still think it couldn't hurt. Having these young guys try new positions is better than trying to convert veterans to new positions in my opinion. Hernandez is on the 40 man. They could have played him in some September games without any roster moves. Why not?— s
- The right move is to slide Jimmy over. Freddy has more range (youth) and Jimmy can extend his value - slide down to $5 or 6 in the lineup, and handle the hot corner. It worked for Cal, it worked for A-Roid, and gives fantastic Freddy a chance to shine where he'll do the most good defensively. Freddy's offense will come along.— kearnjo
- This is why it's tough to get too fired up about the Phillies winning. I'm not a Rollins fan, but he would be a perfect fir for 3B batting 6th. He would field the position well, and can't field SS as well as Galvis, and he likes to hit HRs. That's all you need. But the Phillies aren't going anywhere while a cancer like Rollins a) refuses to do what's best for the team, and b) isn't held accountable for being selfish. Meanwhile, Ryan Howard's probably putting on the pounds while he broken toe heals. Spending that $20 million is a good way to keep his mind off the fact that most big guys are short for this league as injuries accumulate to their legs. — jtj06
Frandsen and Galvis sounds like the ANSWER... johnnyu- They need a one year fix. It's not my money so I would gamble on Eric Chavez. He played over 100 games for the Yankees this season and could do the same for the Phils. Rest him two games a week and have Frandsen play the other games. If Chavez breaks down, the Phils are no worse off than they were this season, didn't give a out a stupid contract and bought some time for Asche. There are no long term solutions available via free agency this year and the Phillies have a prospect who may be a year away. If Ruben feels the need to spend money, spend it on an outfield. They don't have one player on the roster who is a legitimate starting outfielder. That's the priority.— syddan26
- Thanks for the reminder that Ramirez' .901 OPS would have made the difference for the Phils in 2012. Instead, we had the pleasure of witnessing the carcasses of Thome, Qualls, Nix and Wigginton all year. Ruin Tomorrow, please go away.— PhillyPhans10
- I thought it was interesting that folks think moving Utley to third and hyaving Galvis at second would improve things? What? Leave Utley at second, sit twice week especially early in the year. Galvis plays those two dates, plus Give Frandesen a spell once a week or two and that would give all three players 4 or 5 games a week. Saving some dimes. Since available power hitting third basement are as frequent as a blue moon these days, Frandsen is really an acceptable alternative( as long as he continues hitting) There isn't a lot to do except wait for the seasoning and maturation of Cody Asche...(I say here, If Asche shows Harper/trout like abilities next spring, start him!) We do need to develop our players. This includes Ruf who should start 4 games in outfield, one or two games at first against Ryan Howard's achilles heel pitchers. I think Ruf has shown he isn't a terrible slouch at the plate, if he plays and Ryan plays perhaps 2 guys with 100+ rbis... a lot more than we had this year. So Ruf isn't a natural outfielder who cares! The Bat (2008) and the Bull(1980) say it isn't completely necessary. One new position player, 2 new bullpen pieces, and maybe .,just maybe a 6th starter. We'd be competitive barring injuries.— Prausch
- I posted something similar before: Make Galvis the new Wilson Valdez and have him learn 3B as part of that. Give Utley some regular rest and even Rollins once in a while and let Galvis be Frandsen's defensive replacement at 3B with some starts there as well. That way he gets enough ABs to gauge his offense. But that would be my plan B. If I believed the team could win another World Series in 2013 my plan A would be to try trading for a 3B upgrade. For plan B to work I think they have to compensate by getting at least one top notch hitting outfielder. Either one may require a trade to get the player you really want. — s
- Two points:
1) I'm A:WAYS hoping I get Lucky. That is the only plan!!!
2) Sign Keppinger. For one thing, his name reminds me of Don Kessinger of olden days. And let's do the Cardinals thing and have a bunch of interchangeable parts. We need a Mark McLemore/Lenny Randle. Alan Bannister type but I don't know if decent utility players exist anymore.— Horst Muhlman lives on in all of us - @kearnjo...if Galvis was even a .250-.260 hitter I'd be tempted try what you are suggesting but to take a guy hitting .335 with a nearly .400 obp out of this already anemic lineup and replace him by moving your .250 hitting SS into his position and adding a .220-.230 hitter back in makes no sense. Amaro has talked for two years about changing the approach at the plate. People keep doubting Frandsen claiming he's really a .250 hitter and will regress. You sound like Obamonites reciting whatever stats makes you feel superior. Fact of the matter is, Frandsen is a career .300 hitter in AAA who hasn't gotten many opportunities at the ML level. In nearly every ab he had this year he displayed grit, a good eye and the ability to work a pitcher by fouling off tough pitches and then going with the pitch wherever it was to make good solid contact and line a single or double somewhere. IMO, if we had more guys like Frandsen and Pierre in the lineup working counts and frustrating pitchers, just like Chase usually does, the boppers (or whoever used to be boppers) would feast due to all the "pitcher agita" from dealing with these guys. Don't get mne wrong, I love the 3 run homer, but too often the last 2 years most HRs we hit have been solo jobs because nobody's on base. I want guys with a high obp in my lineup wherever I can get them. If I don't hit any 3 run HRs but I get 12-15 hits every night, we're still gonna score runs and win lots of games. How many times have we seen this cast of characters (Rollins, Vic, Howard, Ruiz, MMart, Mayberry, and yes Utley, too....come up with only 2-3 hits a game? Way too many.— Mark1npt
- I hope you see the contradiction here: Frandsen, with 228 major league games over 5 seasons before this year, "hasn't gotten many opportunities." But with 58 games under his belt we have the book on Galvis.
I like Frandsen and I'm all for giving him every shot to make the roster in 2013. But it's unwise (in my opinion) to assume too much about his great 55 games this year.
Galvis also has more upside than Frandsen given his age and great defense.
I think there's room for both unless they trade for a 3B upgrade, in which case Frandsen could be the odd man out.— s - It's funny how some posters blast Freddy's bat, but he did have 24 RBIs in about the same number of ABs as it took Frandsen to produce 14 RBIs. I say we keep them both, but Freddy's glove gets the nod and Frandsen is our utility IF.— Phront_Runner
- Youkilis on a one year deal is the answer. Galvis is NOT a 3b. Youk at 3rd and batting 3rd would give a high OBP guy in front of Howard , Chooch and Dom Brown. We should get at least enough out of Youk before he gets hurt to see if Asche could be the guy in 2014...— cdedrick05
- Youkilis on a one year deal is the answer. Galvis is NOT a 3b. Youk at 3rd and batting 3rd would give a high OBP guy in front of Howard , Chooch and Dom Brown. We should get at least enough out of Youk before he gets hurt to see if Asche could be the guy in 2014...— cdedrick05
- Hear that sizzling sound? That's Youklis ... or maybe Polanco. It's hard to distinguish between the two. — s
- @s....I hear you. The significant difference is that Frandsen is a career .300 hitter in AAA whereas Galvis has never sniffed that at any level, even the lower levels. I doubt that you'll find anybody in the Phils organization who thinks Galvis will ever approach being a .300 hitter. Yes frandsen's sample is small but he showed no signs of letting up the longer he played whereas Kratz fell right back to about where he has always hit (.240-.250), after his hot start filling in for Chooch.....
@cdedrick....I don't think Youkalis can be had for a one year deal....he'll probably get atleast 2 just like Nix was given.
@phront......the opportunity for Frandsen and Galvis to drive in rbi's was not equal. Where you hit in the lineup makes a huge difference in your opportunity to drive in runs. Galvis for the most part hit 8th with usually a runner or two on base and every pitcher went after him trying to end the inning and leadoff with the pitcher the next. A big strategy in the NL with no DH. This combined with seeing a lot of fastballs early in the year when nobody knew him accounted for the vast majority of his rbi's. Frandsen on the other hand, hit leadoff, 2 spot and just about everywhere else but cleanup. Galvis regressed in his numbers the more he played just like Kratz while Frandsen did not. I like Galvis, I am a big supporter of his but not to the tune of taking a guy who hustles, plays a very decent 3rd base, hit .335 and with nearly a .400 obp out of this lineup. So he doesn't hit many HRs, big deal.— Mark1npt - It's hard to compare the two in large part due to the age difference. Frandsen was 22 when he hit the minors. Galvis was 17. At the age of 21, in AAA by that point, Galvis was hitting .298 (in 2011). His offense picked up a lot his last year in the minors. A lot of that could be an age/maturity factor. I'm not sure a minor league numbers comparison is a fair one given the age difference.
I like Frandsen and would like to see him continue what he showed this year.— s - None of the players listed will be the Phils starting 3b in 2013. Look for the Phils to sift through names like Michael Young, Headley, Beltre, Lowrie, Rendon and Ramirez.
Texas is looking for a stud 1b and pitching and names like Lee, Howard, Utley, Beltre and Young will be discussed. Young will not spend another season in Texas at 16 million to be a utility player. Not sure if anything will come of it but Hamilton is almost assuredly moving on and the Rangers will need to replace his numbers either at 1b or DH as no CF replacement with generate his numbers. They also have Olt to take over at 3b if they want to move Beltre's salary for multiple pieces.
RAJ knows he's got to do something major at 3b and corner OF, I believe he will make a trade to solve those positions and let CF play out with the internal candidates (Gillies, Mayberry, possibly Brown if the corners get filled).— LJ14 - I've always felt a big trade is likely to solve a number of the Phillies problems. That includes getting rid of more salary. I think this year was a wake up call and they now realize that tweaking around the edges won't get it done if they want to win another World Series. There's no guarantee that Amaro can make a trade happen but I think he'll be working that angle hard. He floated Lee's name out there at the trade deadline for a reason. And he dumped Victorino and Pence and the team played better. People may like to call him names but he's got two eyes like the rest of us. — s
Comment removed.- Headley solves several weaknesses (offense and defense). I'd give the Padres whatever they want.— Seegs
- Freddy Galvis does not offer the production offensively of even an average second baseman. Now, the plan is to move him to a position of power, third base? Mindless.— PhightinPhil
- Galvis is nothing but a utility player; if that. When will the philly media stop selling us that a .180 hitter is an everyday MLB player? He's a good glove; nothing else.— JBinPA
- Frandsen was just about the best player on the team in 2012 and displayed a winning attitude, grit, and determination while playing through injuries. He should be the starter until Asche wins the job from him. Galvis is a great example of how the Phillies ruin their young players. He is a shortstop and should be their regular shortstop. Nothing like developing your talent by jerking them around and having them play a new position every year.— jtj06
- I can't figure out if LJ14 is serious or not. Please tell me he is not. Beltre is signed through 2015 and posted a WAR of 6.9. Ramriez through 2015 a WAR of 5.1. Why would these teams deal this players? Headley is highly coveted and the Phillies simply don't have the players necessary to make that deal. Michael Young is perhaps the least valuable player in all of baseball and would be a downgrade over current 3B options on the roster. Seriously, have you watched him "play" defense. It is terrifying. Lastly, and what should be obvious...Howard is untradeable. Nobody is going to eat his contract for the production he brings. He had the worst contract in baseball before it even began. Add in the achilles issue and his trade value is next to nothing. The 3B next season will either be an oft injured stop gap or a combo of Fransden/Galvis. Not other solution is plausible.— Armyofthe15Monkies
- If the Rangers have both Olt and Beltre you have to think they have some flexibility in trading one of them to get other pieces they need. Like the Phillies, their list of big names isn't getting it done for them.
I don't agree with some of the specifics LJ14 alludes to but I do think trades are always possible. A lot of the projections we read assume trades are all but impossible. Amaro has shown before that he'll do the unexpected. Not that this is always a good thing ...— s - Play Galvis at 3rd, not because he's the 3rd baseman of the future but to see if he can hit well enough to play a middle infield position once Utley leaves. Our window has closed folks, it's time to retool and the sooner management realizes that, the shorter the retooling period will last. If Ruben is smart, he'll mix the lineup with the veterans and young, home-grown talent to see if he has anything to build the next dynasty with. The best thing that could happen (aside from everyone having career years and the Phils winning it all) is a sub par first half, allowing them to trade Chooch at the deadline along with Utley, if you can get past his no trade clause. I would also fire Manuel or make sure he knows to play his young guys consistently. Charlie's "win each game at all costs" mantra is not conducive to young player development and has no place in a rebuilding organization.— hayndude
- Can everyone please stop with inserting Galvis into the everyday lineup? Hitting .220 is going to cut it. Bring him back as the utility infielder until he can prove he can hit better than that.
Until then, I am fine with Fransden or even a Galvis - Fransden platoon.— staup640 - @staup640, I'm with you. Galvis projects to be a long-term, and good, utility infielder and late-game defensive replacement for his career. That's it. The same dopes who project him to be an everyday hitter were convinced that a mid-career guy like Mayberry had finally found his hitting stroke, and could play every day and slide into the cleanup slot while Howard was healing. Uh, no. Guys eventually to their career averages and Galvis' offensive numbers have been consistently weak -- even while on PEDs and before he broke his back trying to play every day.
— eman - Asche is probably the best option at 3rd but Ruin Tomorrow Jr, would never risk putting a rookie who may not be a completely finished product at 3rd. His MO is to put a washed up 35 or older FA at a position where the Phils to need help, so expect to see that guy here next year. Which brings me to my next point: I was able to get over having a pitcher that knocks around his wife and even root for a guy that killed dogs as a hobby. But I cannot under any circumstances root for Scott Rolen. Know it sounds crazy but I just can't do it, so I hope they don't sign that particular washed up player.— drbob1
- Unfortunatly, the FA 3B market is terribad. This lineup can't afford any more sub .250 hitters in it. You can't seriously consider starting Galvis at 3B. I don't think for a minute Frandsen is going to hit .330 again, but I'd take .280 with adequate defense and use Galvis as a late inning defensive sub. Galvis can also get his ABs giving Chase, Jimmy, and Frandsen days off and subbing for them during their inevitable DL trips.— Only in Philly...
- freddie needs to be here in some capacity He was very much missed the whole 2nd half defense wise. I think those predicting he will hit 200 for his career might want to see just a little bit more of him then 2 months and hardly anytime in AAA. There was a big difference in his ability to make contact from April until he got hurt .At the very least he needs to be the super utility guy. Every team need a guy that can play the infield position better then the regulars. He shows a lot of baseball skills so I expect that to carryover offensively also.He played 2nd like he was the general of the infield always at the right place at the right time.— pattymac3
- BTW, for those who said Galvis project as a utility guy like Valdez, I have some news for you. Valdez was never a prospect and not even close to be the defensive wizard Galvis is.— EL Zorro
- My thought is until you get a good read on his bat, if you can at least get him him most games even as a late inning defensive replacement, it gives the Phillies a way to gauge his bat. Plus, in 2013 it's hard to see where he fits as an everyday starter. If Utley has found the solution to his knees and isn't missing another half a season that only leaves third base. I don't think they're going to be able to or even try to trade Utley or Rollins. So would your solution be to pencil Galvis in at 3B? Seems too risky to me.
I'm not as pessimistic about his offense as some are. But I'd only have him as a 2013 starter if either SS or 2B were open and even then I'd probably be looking for other options as a fallback.
In other words: Valdez-dom isn't the end goal for Galvis but the starting point.— s - Because of the dearth of free agents and trade possibilities at 3B, and the lack of an every day 3B on the current roster, I would sign Youkilis if he becomes available, as a one-year stop gap, even though you'd probably need to sign him to two years with an option. Frandsen stays as a backup and pinch hitter, and to give Youk time off. No way Galvis plays 3B for me. He does not hit well enough to start at any position other than SS or 2B, and those positions are filled. He is a utility player who is valuable because he can spell Rollins and Utley, both of whom need rest during the season. He can get250-300 ABs next year in that role. Polanco is finished and should be bought out. in 2013, if Cody Asche is not ready, look at the market for 3B then and make another decision based on it. People will laugh at the Youkilis move, but he can still hit, is a leader, and with a viable backup (Frandsen) could have a productive year. The Red Sox totally went belly-up after trading him...— topwonk
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