Is this 2011 Phillies team destined to fall in the playoffs like the 2001 Mariners?
Not necessarily. But it’s a comparison recently made by Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News.
For those who don’t know the story of the 2001 Mariners, the team wound up finishing with a league-best 116-46 record but lost in the ALCS to the New York Yankees in what was one of the biggest surprises in all of baseball.
The Mariners were untouchable at the time. Bret Boone had a ridiculous season after knocking in 141 RBI’s and 37 HR’s , Ichiro Suzuki batted .350 and Mike Cameron delivered 25 RBI’s and 110 RBI’s. The pitching staff was impressive, led by two former Phillies: Jaime Moyer (20 wins) and Freddy Garcia (18 wins). Yet, when it came to the ALCS, their offense couldn’t produce, scoring 3 or fewer runs in all four losses.
There inability to finish the season with a World Series victory was viewed as a disappointment, despite their 116 wins.
Hagen goes on to say that if the Phillies don’t land a right-handed bat, they could wind up doing exactly what the ’01 Mariners did: finish with the best record in baseball but fall short of the World Series.
“…the Phillies have the best record in baseball. Which is fine as far as it goes,” said Hagen, “The trick is to avoid becoming the 2001 Seattle Mariners. That team, you might recall, won 116 games in the regular season even as manager Lou Piniella pleaded with the 
front office to get him another bat. No help was forthcoming and the M’s won just one series in the postseason. Instead of becoming world champions, they became a footnote.”
Is it really that important for the Phillies to land a right-handed bat?
The answer, without digging too deep into statistics, seems to be no. So far, the Phillies have overcome their lack of run support to own the league’s best record. They have the best rotation in baseball, and once their disabled list starts shrinking in size, they will return to their normal selves.
But, if you do look at the numbers, Hagen does have a point. Finishing with the best record in baseball is good… for some teams. However, the Phillies have made it somewhat routine to be atop the NL East in recent seasons. After losing to the San Francisco Giants in the NLCS last season, the Phillies need to find a way to get over that hump and return to the place they were in in 2008 and 2009: the World Series.
There’s certainly options out there for the Phillies. Carlos Beltran remains an interesting topic, while Juan Rivera also could find himself in the red and white pinstripes. Others, such as Josh Willingham and Carlos Quentin, could also be on the Phils’ radar for the right price.
Whether or not they acquire a right-handed bat (although, I do feel it would do wonders if they could land someone like Beltran or Quentin), I believe the Phils will go as far as Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins take them. They are the three leaders in this lineup. Aside from Howard, who leads the team in home runs and RBI’s, the duo of Utley and Rollins haven’t performed up their usual level this season.
If Utley and Rollins can figure things out in the second half of the season, and if Howard can keep on pace for his 30 homer, 120 RBI season, the Phillies will be fine come playoff time.
Rollins & Utley are cooked. Not one option that was mentioned in this article, except for Quenton helps this team. F^@K Beltran. Get it through your thick heads, unless a hard up team takes lesser prospects, & picks up significant salary, the Phillies do not have the money nor prospects to get a significant deal done. Platoon players are going to help this team. We are what we are & this team has to be rebuilt in the offseason. Amaro is an idiot, & will find a way to f^@k up again.
Also, are you kidding me!? If the Phillies had that Mariners lineup (Which all were in their primes or peaks), with this starting staff, we’d be almost unstoppable. 120+ wins & at least NLC. Boy O boy, are the media hacks in this city are really getting hard up for stories. Paul Hagen is one of the biggest butt slurping hacks, along with Hoffman & Domowich. Long lost are the days of the greatness & honesty of Conlin, Lyon, Hochman & Didenger. The media in this city now are worthless, boring, butt slurping, cowardly hacks.
Right handed bat? How about letting Mayberry Jr play and get that stiff D Brown out of right field. Domenick Brown isnt good at 1 thing. He cant field and he cant hit. I dont care what he does in the minors. Mayberry gotta be saying to himself are you kidding me? All I do is produce when given the opportunity. There is you right handed bat. Put Mayberry in the 5 hole and give him a month, Ive seen enough of Brown.
Dag, I agree, give Mayberry a shot, but phils and baseball people in general don’t like the educated types like Mayberry, from Stanford, Mayberry can rake, let him play, please charley, let him play
The fact that Rollins isn’t nearly as injured as he was the last two years speaks volumes about his ability to get into a rythm by the end of the year. I’d like to see Dominick Brown in the 3-hole as it looks like he might have a base stealing itch to scratch. If Polanco can avoid surgery, and play the rest of the season well at the plate like he normally does. I would seriously consider putting Polanco in the clean-up spot. He won’t smash a lot of HRs but with 3 sprinters in front of him he wouldn’t need to. At that point I think you could effectively change the “Clean-Up” to the 5th spot where Ryan Howard would be. Then Chase Utley and then the rest of the order as it usually goes from 7 down.
Mayberry is a stiff too. He is a 27 year old career minor leaguer. The next offspeed pitch that he hits, will be his first. There is not one person in that outfield, other than Victorino, that is worth a f^@k. In the offseason, Amaro must invest heavily in the OF & BP.
Offseason must–
Do not resign Rollins. He is done. Lidge, Ibanez, bye bye. Madson too much $$$ for unproven closer. Pay some of Blantons contract, & get him the f^@ k out of here. If Oswalt doesn’t retire, don’t pick up his contract. Kendrick has to go. Resigning Hamel is top priority. Sign Heath Bell, JJ Hardy, Nick Swisher or Ryan Ludwick. Worley is 4th starter, Brody Colvin/ Jarred Cosart 5th starter. Valle backup Catcher, Bring up DeFratus. BP- Bell, DeFratus, Bastardo, Stutes, Contreras, sign long reliever.
Back to the original premise with on with the Seattle Mariners Team
#1) Seattle really came out of nowhere that Season and had a pretty young club that exceeded expectations and played well in a very weak AL West DIvision that Season
#2) The Phils have the 2nd Highest Payroll in the entire MLB (only behind the Yankees) and are expected to get to the World Series with many predicted that they should win it all on paper based on their Starting Pitching..So the Expectations starting out, and how the clubs were put together are night and day between the 2 Clubs
Bottom line to me, this Phils Batting Line-up is not good enough to win a World Series, I will state this for the record again, This current PHillies LIne-up is not consistently strong or productive enough to win a World Series which is a damn shame for the Strong Starting Pitching they have, But come playoff time and when playing good teams it comes down to the Bullpens and Situational HItting and this is what’s going to cost the PHils in the end ..
Agreed, 100%, Paul. This offense is absolutely pathetic, & unexceptable. When you only score 1 run, & it’s a HR by the pitcher, you have an alarming problem. If there is anyone out there, that still defends this crap, you need your head examined. The offense isn’t in a slump, & isn’t coming around. They are what they are. They are a bad offense, that is full of cooked ball players that are breaking down, with no power & bad situational hitting. They need too much help, & have zero chance to fix this, before the trade deadline is up.
Agreed. Actually the Phils had enough pitching last year without Lee to win a world series but their lineup failed them. Werth was just as bad last year but did provide occassional power. Washington is finding out what a mistake they made. D Brown(their prize minor leaguer) has set this org. back a few years with his lack of skills. DDC your right this isnt a slump this is who they are. You play in a tiny ball park and hit 77 hrs as a team? Howard(98) and Ibanez(66) have 164 strike outs between them.lol Utley (who gets a free pass)has been avg for years. Ruiz has taken 2 steps back at the plate. He was clutch last year. The Braves are loaded with young talent and there not going anywhere for years.
Could this be a blessing in disguise? In sure Amaro and the front office see the same things we see. I understand they have provided us with the 2nd highest payroll in MLB. But they have to understand we cant win with this lineup. So this may force their hand to make a move. Or maybe they say when Palonco and Victorino gget back things will be better.lol. Hopefully not. They have learned that if you spend alot of money you will get years of consecutive sellouts and if you continue to spend there is no end in sight.
I think I stated in another post that the Phillies are batting/playing who they really are.. I don’t see any players in a majro slump not do I see any palyer who will have a huge improvement in the Production #’s in the 2nd Half of the Season
(expcept for maybe Howard who always heats up in the 2nd Half, but the other Position players and batting line-up are performing/producing about what they are at their stages of their careers.. I don’t buy a team slump or anything, I just think 3-4 Everyday players have peaked and on the downside of the careers and are not going to put up #’s like they did when they were in their primes… I stated this back in the Off-Season and get labled a Phillie hater when I was spouting about a weak and light batting line-up and especially in the OF which has come true (by no surprise, I may add).. I really Hope this Phils team doesn’t become what the Braves Teams did in 90’s with their great Starters in MAddux/Smoltz/Glavine/Avery and went to the Playoffs like 13 years in the row only to win 1 WS Championship to show for it..
If I am a Playoff Opponent, I am looking to Pitch around Howard and throw him nothing but breaking ball pitches and let one of the other players try to beat me.. As Rollins/Victorino go, so goes this Phillie Offense and it hasn’t been going to well overall… Maybe a heatlhy Polanco/Victorino will have strong 2nd halves but Polanco’s elbow has been bothering him for 2 years now (even with off-season Surgery) and his batting average dropped to .320 to 270 and he is barely hittig the ball out of the infield anymore .. He’s just not the same player and is also getting up their in age as his body continues to break down
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Paul, I agree with ever point. Amaro had to see this coming. I think that’s why he tried to put together a once in a lifetime, dominant, starting staff. Because he’s trying to get away with this horrific lineup, until the end of the year, when he can hopefully rid us, of all of the garbage & useless slop, & bad contracts he signed.
I said a zillion times on here, Amaro did piss poor job, planning & putting together this lineup. He’s a bumbling dumbass, & he better make good decisions this offseason. He has $70M+ coming off the books, & has no excuse to resign Hamels, Heath Bell, & either trade for or sign a stud right handed OF. If your going to keep that stiff Brown, platoon him with Mayberry. If not, get them both the hell out of here, along with Carlton look alike Francisco. For the love of all that is holy, “Amaro get a real bench & backups!” I also think they should explore trades for Utley too. No one is untouchable, even Howard. They must get younger & reload, while the window is open with this staff
well how about 14 runs than
yall are annoying
wow, DDCar, Paulman, and daggolden might be the dumbest triumvirate of baseball fans ive ever seen in one place. where do i even start?
DDCar, should we go back to our argument about how much better Burrell and Werth are than Ibanez and Brown? all of a sudden Domonic Brown is hitting .252, and imagine that, a potential 5-tool player is getting better with more experience. and he STILL gives them some of the better at bats on the team. and look at that, Jayson Werth hitting .215 and making $20 million a year more than Brown. sure wish they would have spent all that money on him. meanwhile, while i still strongly dislike Ibanez, he is hitting .241 with 12 HR’s and 47 RBI to Pat Burrell’s .235, 7 HRs, and 21 RBI.
furthermore, wow are you ignorant about the phillies farm system. first of all, they absolutely have the prospects to get anyone they want. they have a top 10 system right now. secondly, LOL, if you think Cosart or Colvin are going to go from High-A, and not even dominating there yet, to the majors to start next year. are you high? the same goes for Valle. he will be in AA next year with Cosart, and Colvin might even be held back in Clearwater to start the season since the rumor is that he came into camp out of shape this year.
daggolden- what is it with you guys and thinking that Domonic Brown, a top 5 prospect in all of baseball, by every expert not just the phillies, should be given up on after less than 2 months of regular playing time? are you insane? i like Mayberry, but he is 27, and Domonic Brown is 23. Brown is going to grow alot more before he is even close to a finished product. Mayberry is pretty close to a finished product. again i like him, but to say that Mayberry produces is just ridiculous. when has he ever produced at a high level? at no point in the minors or majors has he proven that he can be even above average as a hitter.
Paulman- you haven’t said anything completely assinine in this thread, however to say that there offense won’t get better as the season goes along is a bit pessimistic. Utley looks fine to me, hitting in the .280’s and running really really well. Rollins is really heating up now, and as you said Howard typically explodes in the 2nd half. and i see absolutely no reason that Domonic Brown isn’t going to CONTINUE to grow as a hitter. he has good at bats, very nice K/BB ratio, and gets plenty of hits the other way. all are strong signs of a bright future. if they go after a player at the deadline, they need to look into a guy like Ryan Ludwick, who shouldn’t cost alot in terms of salary and prospects. but they still have time to see how the offense goes in the start of the 2nd half of the season.
Dominick Brown stinks.Name me 1 thing Brown does better than Mayberry? He looks like he has never played the outfield in his life. You would think those skills translate on any level.Mayberry is a better outfielder by far, Brown has sucked in the summer, fall, winter and spring. I dont care how high he is rated. Im just going by what I have seen. Thats all I can go by. On the other hand all I have ever seen is Mayberry CRUSH the ball time after time. He cant hit a curve? He joins Howard, Utley, Ibanez, Ruiz and Brown in that club.
are you serious? Brown has absolutely crushed the ball throughout his minor league career. Mayberry has been average throughout his minor league career. if Mayberry “crushed” the ball time after time, why is his career major league average .240? and you are missing the fact that he is 27. do you understand that everyone in baseball uses “projection”. they look at Domonic Brown, who has absolutely raked at every level in the minors, with plus power, plus speed, and a plus plus arm and is only 23 years old. HE IS GOING TO GET BETTER.
this isn’t that hard. i’ll say it again, i like mayberry, he has plus defense, plus arm, and plus speed. if he can learn to make contact he will be a solid starter. but when your 27, without great minor league numbers, your not viewed as a future star. on the other hand, when your 23 and have slaughtered minor league pitching at every level, you are viewed as a top prospect.
as far as things that Brown does better than Mayberry: better arm, better contact skills at the plate, better SO/BB ratio (better strike zone recognition), and can get hits the other way on outside pitches much better. i will say they’re speed and power is basically equivalent, and Mayberry is a far superior defender except for his arm which is good but not on the same level as Brown’s.
safe to say phils r the gold standard of philadelphia
Great offensive explosion late in the game verus the Braves 2nd Tier Relievers to put away the Braves…Ibanez now with 47 RBi’s and on Pace for 20 HR’s & 90 RBI’s which is a pretty darn good turnaround from his very slow start…Hamels ptiched very well to finish his 1/2 of the Season very strong … It was a positive for Phils to win 2 of 3 and to get contributions from lots of bench players today in Mayberry/Martinez
I see R Halladay Starting the All-Star Game and maybe C Leff going 1 Inning and Hamels not at all since he pitched today…
Hey, hot97x, you already lost this argument weeks ago. Now your putting words in my mouth again. I never said Burrell & Werth were better than Ibanez & Brown. I said Amaro did not replace them with good alternatives. WOW!! Brown is hitting 252. Put him in the HOF. Big f^@king deal. Minor league stats don’t mean ba!!$. We will see at the end of the year who knows what they’re talking about. Don’t come out of the woodwork when they win one big game, by a blood bath & then disappear all other times. Stop acting like a petulant child, calling people names & get your pom poms & go back under your rock, TROLL. Your comments are meaningless to me. Have a nice day.
GO PHILS!!!
BTW, hot97x, I have close ties to a scout in the Phillies org, & he said Cosart, Colvan & Valle are being promoted to Reading very soon after their AllStar game. The Phils scouts are very high on them, because they are progressing quickly & word through the grapevine is they will be given every opportunity to make the team in Spring training, because after this year the Phils are going to have to make many moves. So you my friend, do not have a clue, & do not know what you are talking about.
paulman crawls out to give weak praise for phils when they win, but waitin for them to falter so he can be right on his ridic predics that phils win only 92 games, behind braves in nl east, bullpen stinks, “lite” bats, blah, blah, blah, take your tomahawk like the pillow biter you are
The Phils will likely take another long look at Mayberry, and although they’ll stick with the outfield of Victorino, Ibanez(hopefully he has a second half like last year), and Brown will be the a valuable man off the bench. It looks like since being recalled he’s having a better time hitting RHP’ers off-speed pitches. His value is going to be in the playoffs where teams are going to try and stack lefties against the Phils lineup. How well he hits LHP as the season moves along will be key on whether they need a right-handed bat before the deadline. Mayberry was about 2 weeks to prove he can be the bat the Phils are looking for.
No weak praise Jakedog
The Phils are the Class of the NL and have MLB’s Best Overall Record, but I am concerned that their Batting line-up is not strong or consistent enough to get back to and win the World Series and with this Starting Pitching Staff, that would be a real shame and disappoinment for the Phils should contend for the next 2-3 Seasons to win Championships on Paper, but they will have a difficult time with this “light-hitting” line-up (even though they scored 10 runes in the final 2 Innings off of Braves Tomato-Cans relievers once the game was already decided)
Paulman, you’re an effin idiot. Of course the Phils have the lineup to win the World Series, they ALREADY did it.
Would you say they had the PITCHING to win the World Series in 2008? HELL F’N NO. So now, with Halladay, Lee and Hamels — Oswalt will come back strong to finish out the year and get his ring before riding off into the sunset — we are the best team in the league. Hands down. Our record says it and we’re proving it as we continue to win with all the injuries we have encountered.
You are an idiot my friend and I do NOT consider you a Phils fan. Period. Phils fans don’t look to dissect wins, they enjoy them — something you obviously do not do.
So take the Braves tomahawk and stick it up your ass you damn hillbilly.
To Rocket Scientist wanna-be Birdo
Obviously the Phils have the Starting Rotation to be WS Champs, that has never been questioned by anybody, as far as I know. But I do believe the Phillies Batting Line-up/Bench are not strong enough to win a World Series, and I have been consistent with this since the off-season and spring camp..
If you or anyone think that Rollins,Utley and some of the older players like Ibanez/Polanco are they the same players they were back in 2008 & 2009, and if you think the Bench/overall depth of the position players is better in 2011 then in 2008 , then I have some cheap Blue Ridge Mountain Land to sell you..
2008, the Phils were hungrier,had more heart and emotion and riding on the coattails of Pitcher C Hamles and Close B Lidge who were amazing and it also helped that they were playing a very young,inexperienced team in the Tampa Bay Rays who came out of nowhere that season to topple the Yanks/Red Sox en route to their 1st World Series appearance..
Look at the 2009 Phils, who were the better team on paper and should have beaten the Yanks but they failed to do so, In fact it was Hamels inability to hold a lead in Game 3 which turned the momentum and series around in which the Phils could never regain…
There are probably 4-5 legitimate teams in the NL who are WS Worthy based on their Pitching and or Hitting and I think the Braves,Cardinals,Giants and even the Brewers are right there with the Phils are far as being able to win a WS. I think St Louis and Milwaukee have the best Hitting line-ups with Atlanta/Philly/Giants having the best Pitching so it’s wide open as far as a WS appearance for any of these teams.. I rank the Braves,Giants with the better Bullpens and the Brewers/Cardinals the weakest Bullpens of the Group.. Cardinals/Brewers have the most Offensive Firepower while the GIants/Braves & Phils have the least Offensive Firepower
A couple of teams to play spoilers for the 2nd half ogf the season
The Mets/Pirates/Rockies and even the Nats will not be easy outs for anyone
Paulman you sound like a beat writer for the braves than a phillies fan, man if you can’t enjoy this season you need help
Birdo, 2008 & now are lifetimes ago. 2008 had a well balanced lineup, with much more power, with everyone at their career peaks. Lidge & Madson were healthy & dominated. Romero, Durbin, Eyre & Park were a very good BP. Hamels was dominant. Moyer, Myers & Blanton were decent. Dobbs, Stairs, Coste, Jenkins & Bruntlett were a very good bench. It’s been 3 aging, injury plague filled seasons since, for the entire core of this team. Also, as I mentioned many times, that team was Gillick & Wade’s baby, & Amaro has done a piss poor job since, putting together & bettering that lineup & bench. With the $$$ this ownership has given Amaro, mostly all of his moves have been bad signings, over payments & band aids. Hey I can’t argue with Halladay & Lee, but I would take that lineup & bullpen, as it was constituted then, 99 out of 100 times, than this team. No one can argue that. I really hope we can pull this off, with this lineup.
GO PHILS!!! 😀
Disregarding the fact that they won the World Series — anyone that can look at the 2008 Phillies team and say that team is better than the 2011 Phillies team needs to find the highest bridge they can find and jump off.
Birdo, if you can sit here & honestly say that this lineup, bench & bullpen is half as good, as the 2008, you are nuts & delusional. This teams starters are far & above better than 2008 & If you can’t see this team is solely winning off of that phenomenal starting pitching, with all due respect, your insane. I admire your fandom, but dude, be realistic, & stop looking through pin stripe color glasses. I refuse to overlook the truth.
BTW, don’t be a troll like some other people on here. It is un called for & classless to tell someone to jump off a bridge. Just because you don’t agree with guys like Paul, Dags & myself, doesn’t give you the right to name call like a preschooler. Dude, grow up. We’re just giving our opinions & sometimes fun facts.
BTW, Birdo, for you to say “Disregarding the fact that they won the World series”, kills all credibility you have. This season is at the mid season mark. All kinds of s#!t can happen. So what your trying to say is, this team is better than 2008, even though they haven’t won s#!t yet? WROOOONG!!!! Your delusional, my brother.
Plus Paulman doesn’t have any bridges up here in these Mtns of NC… ha
Dd the season is half over the phillies have the best record in baseball and all you and the pied piper of negativity aka paulman want to do is criticize, man you are one downer you would find fault if hope silo found her way into your bunk
DDCar, you can claim you have friends anywhere. but trust me, you don’t follow the phillies minor leagues half as serious as i do, and none of those guys will be making the team next year, period. that’s not how the phillies operate. they are not going to rush guys and get to there arbitration years faster. you have no clue what you are talking about.
Colvin will absolutely NOT be promoted this year. if i am wrong i will come back and admit it. he has struggled badly, and came into camp out of shape. the phillies routinely hold guys back for coming in out of shape as punishment. and i highly doubt Cosart gets promoted since he has been only above average so far this year. if you are wrong and they don’t get promoted will you come back here and admit it?
and i never lost any argument with you. you said the phillies would be better off with Werth and Burrell. you were wrong then and you are wrong now. you want to shoot down Domonic Brown because you are just as ignorant as daggolden when it comes to the development of a player. yet the guy you have repeatedly said the phillies should have re-signed, is playing far worse than Brown and making 36 times as much money. you keep telling yourself that my comments are meaningless to you, i don’t really care if they are or not. ill continue making you look foolish either way.
Hot97x, how many times do I have to friggen tell you to stop putting words in my mouth. I did not ever say they should have resigned Werth at that $$$. I said the Phillies did not even offer him a contract in the offseason, & that Amaro did a piss poor job replacing him & Burrell. I have zero problems with signing instead. It the entire outfield that is the problem. I’m tired of beating the same old dead horse with you. BTW, I worked for the Phillies from 87-03, & I’m friends with many still in the Phillies organization, including two scouts, who I recently had dinner with. So for you to say you know more than me about their minors, is BS. You don’t know s#!t. You know what you read in articles. You do not know s#!t about organizational knowledge & the way the scouts/ Management feel about & envision this team.
Jake, you are correct I can be negative & sometimes a downer. But in the end I love the Phillies, & desperately want another WS. But i’m not going to be a stepford & wave pom poms either. I’m just stating my displeasure with the construct of this team because the offense is not that good, & it is wasting this great starting staff. I’m thankful they’re in first. But they need to be much better the 2nd half offensively or a WS ain’t happening.
how am i putting words into your mouth? you expressed that you would rather have Burrell and Werth than Ibanez and Brown. yet the latter pair is clearly outplaying the former, at a cheaper price. i dislike Ibanez just as much as you do, i am not a fan of his for many reasons. but he hasn’t been a downgrade from Burrell.
i don’t care if you worked for the phillies. clearly in that time you didn’t learn how they treat prospects. they phillies will NEVER start the season with a guy that at most will spend less than half of a season above A ball. it’s not going to happen. you are in fantasy land if you think Cosart, Colvin, or Valle have ANY chance of being on the big club next year. would you like me to run down the reasons why on each player? all you need to do is recognize that the phillies as an organization don’t like starting guys service time until they are absolutely ready to step in. Cosart is the best prospect of those 3 right now, and he doesn’t have the innings, or proven his durability to start in the majors. the feeling among many scouts is that there is a chance he ends up as a closer instead of a front line starter. right now he has no consistency in his delivery over the course of several innings, which is why his SO/9 innings is way down this year. and that’s in high A ball. he won’t even be considered for the big club until 2013.
hot97x, I am not beating the dead horse again that is the OF’s. In reference to Cosart, Colvin & Valle, I was just giving possibilities for next year, with the inside information that was given to me, by a Phillies scout. I admire your knowledge & research of the minors & I also agree with you that, I don’t think any of the 3 will be ready at the beginning of the year. But just stating what I was told by a person who is in the know.
I do believe DeFratus & May have a excellent chances to make the squad. Especially if Oswalt, Blanton, & Madson aren’t back. Who knows what really is going to happen. I am spoiled & just want them to win. Amaro will have zero excuses in the off season, to make this entire team better. There is approximately $70M, coming off the books, & another $8.5M, if they can unload Fat Joe’s a$$. We’ll see.
GO PHILS!!
i do agree that given the contract situations of our veterans, that unless the HIGHLY unlikely scenario of Mayberry becoming Jayson Werth of 2 years ago occurs over the 2nd half of this season they need to bring in a legit right handed LF bat this offseason. they will be able to go extremely cheap in the bullpen, with Contreras and possibly Madsen as the only veterans. Stutes, Bastardo, DeFratus, Schwimer, and Herndon or Kendrick (long man), will be the rest of the bullpen or most of it. those young guys will all be making the minimum except Kendrick who i believe will only be making 2 mil or so. Phillippe Aumont will not be far behind next year either. and he has the stuff to be a closer, period. those are alot of young, cheap, big bullpen arms.
they have 4 guaranteed starter already with Roy, Cliff, Cole, and Worley. Blanton may or may not be tradeable. Oswalt’s option will not be picked up. Rollins may or may not be back. honestly, if they can get an all-star caliber RH OF bat, i would have no problem just signing someone like omar infante for a cheap price. or even bringing up Galvis who all of a sudden has added some strength and looks like he might be a decent hitter. i believe he is only 21 though. but from all reports for the last 3 years, he has always had a major league glove at SS. that way they could even have the money to sign another bat, preferably 3B after 2012 to get a power guy to replace Polanco. that’s just my opinion.