The Phillies Are Clueless!

[Phila26Flyers]

Anyone see this little incident in Lehigh Valley a couple months ago? I just found out about it. Kevin Frandsen, Dom Brown, and Erik Kratz are central players. This is the attitude I wish the big league Phillies had more of.

Domonic Brown Homerun, Bat Flip, Bench Clearer...

[Phila26Flyers]

This is why trading Pence and Victorino was the tough but correct thing to do. Now we've got at least four position players (Frandsen, Kratz, Brown, Mayberry) playing their asses off for roster spots next year. This team has looked totally different this month and has shown a lot more fight.

[Phila26Flyers]

Cloyd makes his major league debut tonight! It was only a matter of time at this point. Stoked to see this guy pitch.

[Phila26Flyers]

Christmas has me preoccupied right now but I really wish baseball season could start on the 26th. With the Birds in the tank and with way too many problems to be competitive any time soon, and my interest in the NHL almost nil if/when it comes back, I can't wait for the Phillies to start. They made a solid trade for a centerfielder today.

Vance Worley and pitching prospect Trevor May were traded to Minnesota for Ben Revere. I think Revere is a lot like Victorino when Vic was up-and-coming with the Phillies. Revere has great range in CF, speed, and is a contact hitter. He has less power than Victorino did, but makes contact more. I don't think Revere has ever hit a home run in the major leagues actually. That's not what you want out of your 1-2 hitter anyway, which is where I hope Revere will be. I like Worley and I wish him the best going forward, but pitchers like him are replaceable. I'm just glad the Phillies stayed out of the Upton/Bourn/Hamiltion sweepstakes. That would have been a disaster.

There is also reportedly a deal in place between the Texas Rangers and the Phillies that would send 3B Michael Young in exchange for at least a left-handed relief pitcher like Schwimer, Rosenberg, or Lindblom. Texas would also pay $10 million of his $16 million contract. It's up to Young to waive his no-trade clause.

I would rather see Frandsen given a real chance to be our starting third baseman, but I certainly won't complain about having Young for a year if we're only paying him $6 million. That said, a big part of me is hoping Young refuses to waive his NTC.

[chilly666]

the trade with texas went thru today...nice pickup

[Phila26Flyers]

Originally Posted by chilly666

the trade with texas went thru today...nice pickup

Yes it did and it is a definite win for the Phillies. I would have had no issue with Frandsen starting at 3rd, but he'll get his fair share of playing time since Young will certainly need days off. And even if Young puts up his lowly .277 again this year (he won't), it's still better than the other in-house option Freddy Galvis. Of course, Galvis is also much better defensively, but you can't complain about picking up Young for $6 million.

I'm looking for .290, 20 home runs (left field is shallow in Philly) and 70 RBIs. Most importantly he bats righty.

[chilly666]

if he gets the playing time (utley/rollins injuries) he could put up 90 rbi's...i think last season he was so affected by the playing time situation and possible trade last season that it made him disinterested while playing for the rangers. just a hunch on my part though.

[Flyers2001]

Its a good pick up. Heres why; The Phils are only paying him 6 million, combined with the 500k they are paying Revere, they have a nice lump of money they will use some where else.

Young will start, but Fransen will get some time on each corner. Galvis will get time spelling Utley and Rollins. Fransen and Galvis are both more than servicable back ups.

Money can now be applied to another big bat corner outfielder. I wouldn't mind Swisher, but the goal should be Hamilton.

[chilly666]

Hamilton, really? i know philly has money but why would they even think about giving out another contract worth $25 million/season to an aging player.

[Phila26Flyers]

Signing Hamilton would undo both great moves Amaro has made so far. He traded a solid pitcher, but a replaceable one, for a young, up-and-coming CF whose current contract takes him beyond his prime. He traded rosin bags for a big right-handed bat that will only cost $6 million for the year. Very cost-effective and smart moves...

Now, here's why signing Hamilton (5 years, $120 million is one recently rumored number) would take the Phillies backward: past his prime, already showing some signs of injury trouble, bats left-handed, takes playing time away from young outfielders Dom Brown and Darin Ruf, and costs too much money on a team that will pay nearly $100 million to five players. Wasn't the big outcry from Phillies fans last year that the team needs to get younger and stop massively inflating its payroll when there are more cost-effective solutions? Now those same fans want Josh Hamilton... As a lifelong Philly fan, I just don't get this city sometimes.

[smashem]

Phillies turned down Lee for Ellsbury as would have i. Hamilton would have a chance to hit 60 with that wall in right by the way. Tell me the drinking is screwing someone from already signing him.

[Phila26Flyers]

Good signings by Ruben Amaro, picking up John Lannan and Mike Adams. Too bad the Phils won't be able to beat up on Lannan anymore, but he is a decent 4th starter. Not a marquee signing by any means, but a cheap and necessary one. I'm more excited about Adams. The Phillies desperately needed to find a reliable setup man, and Adams can be that guy. The only team that blew more 8th inning leads last year was the Houston Astros!

So far, I like the moves Amaro has made. He got away from the spend-big strategy he's employed the last few years that filled one hole but opened up another or ignored obvious problems. The team has gotten younger by avoiding high-priced free agents, and it looks like Ruf and Brown are going to get legitimate chances to prove themselves. I think that actually puts LESS pressure on Dom Brown because he won't have to fight to stay in the league by battling against players like Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, and Jayson Werth. He can do his thing now, and I expect good things from him!

I would do:

1. Ben Revere - L
2. Michael Young - R
3. Utley - L
4. Howard - L
5. Darin Ruf - R
6. Dom Brown - L
7. Jimmy Rollins - S
8. Eric Kratz (Carlos Ruiz suspended 25 games for Adderall) - R

But there's no way Charlie drops his boy Jimmy from the leadoff spot like he should. Revere appears to be the better contact hitter and just as fast, and I wouldn't keep Jimmy at 1 and put Revere at 2 because that leaves 4 lefties at the top of the order against a right-handed starter.

[Broons66]

Hopefully the Phils are inept enough to trade Cliff Lee to the Sox! I know that Ellsbury/Lee deal Is most likely off the table, but I'd still try to aquire Lee, prospects, whatever...

[Phila26Flyers]

Where are the Phillies fans at? We really gonna let the Twins thread get bumped with no response?

I'm pumped for this season as I always am. But I'm more excited now than I was either of the last two years because we have some young, unproven players on the team, Dom Brown is stroking, and Utley and Howard are healthy. This beats the nonchalant, we're-the-best-team-in-the-NL attitude we've gone into the last couple seasons with. It became almost a formality instead of a competition. Let's get it done this year!

[Phila26Flyers]