Storyline: It’s inherently fixable, but roster issues continue to plague the Phillies. Why isn’t Ruben Amaro doing his job?
What can you say about the Philadelphia Phillies that hasn’t already been said? They’ve sat on ancient talent hoping things would get better. They’ve signed players to massive contracts — players who were on the downside of their careers.
Courtesy: baseballreflections.com
Why didn’t they deal any of the veteran core when they had a sliver of value? Instead, they sat on a couple of key pieces trying to maximize what they’d get in return–risking injury and the ire of an impatient city.
One thing about the city of Philadelphia is this: people aren’t stupid. Philly has extremely smart sports fans. They understand this team needs to go through a complete rebuild. The fans knew it 3 years ago … when the trades should have started.
Ruben Amaro thought he could band-aid the roster around a few veteran starters, say, by bringing in A.J. Burnett and Marlon Byrd last year. This year, Amaro knew a rebuild was necessary. But what has he done? Nothing!
There’re are some immovable objects in Philly, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, in particular. Howard’s contract, which was signed in 2013 and runs through 2017, has an annual salary of $25 million. Last year, Chase Utley signed a 2-year contract for $27 million. The most trouble thing about these contracts is the time when they were signed: both players, injured constantly, look like shells of their former selves.
Courtesy: rantsports.com
We then have Jonathan Papelbon and Cole Hamels. Both players have some value left. Papelbon can be a dominating closer and Hamels is an ace. But Amaro has sat on these two players for close to two years, trying to maximize the return. There’s nothing worse for an organization than going through a rebuild with the same nucleus that has had all sorts of success as a winning franchise — when players were a bit younger and healthier. So what happens if Hamels or Papelbon goes on the DL? Or has Tommy John surgery? You then lose the only pieces you have to infuse this club with some youth.
Have you looked at the Phillies lineup? It’s full of veteran guys, aka, “spare parts thrown away from other teams.” Jeff Franceour, Aaron Harang, and Sean O’Sullivan are all important pieces to this club. How does this help the club at all? These veteran players don’t help the Phillies grow. There should be youth all over the baseball field instead. It’s like putting a piece of bubble gum over a leak.
Magically, Harang and O’Sullivan are pitching fairly well. But they both have mediocre career numbers. If anything, Amaro needs to deal the two now while they’re pitching over their heads. But what are we witnessing? Amaro is sitting on his hands. He’s willing to deal: he has said that over and over again. But it creates an awful clubhouse atmosphere when you tell teams that you’re willing to eat $50 million of Ryan Howard’s salary. It’s fine to say those things, but Amaro said it a couple of months ago. Howard is still part of this team.
Courtesy: The Sports Column
This is a terrible situation for everybody involved in the Phillies organization right now. The veterans want a fresh start and the kids want to play. Instead, you have a stubborn GM who’s creating a terrible situation in a once well-regarded franchise.
Who wants to go to the Phillies right now?
Becoming a laughing stock is something that Philadelphia fans don’t respond to well. Once fans stop showing up will that be the time to deal your only pieces? Or will you just sit there?
