Results tagged ‘ Ruben Amaro Jr. ’
Phillies Sign Qualls (Chad, Not DJ)
The Phillies believe they made a low-risk move today when they signed Chad Qualls to a one-year, $1.15 million contract.
“Chad was one of those guys that was available to us at a reasonable price for what he can do,” Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “He has the ability to pitch in the seventh and the eighth. We’ll see where he fits. Charlie (Manuel) and (Rich) Dubee and Chad will decide that, but he’s certainly a guy with a power-sinker and power-slider combination. He was throwing very well at the end of the year. He’s had some battles with consistency, but he clearly has ability and some durability. And those are pretty important elements.”
Qualls, 33, went 6-8 with a 3.51 ERA in 77 appearances last season with the San Diego Padres. He had a 1.96 ERA in his final 19 appearances, but also went 4-5 with a 5.05 ERA in 38 appearances on the road compared to 2-3 with a 2.09 ERA in 39 appearances in pitcher-friendly PETCO Park.
Can he pitch outside PETCO?
“We looked at it. We saw it,” Amaro said. “We took a look at some of that data and information, but at the end of the day when we discussed it with our scouts we just felt like this type of a risk on a guy was not all that big of a risk. We kind of know what we’re going to get out of him.”
Right-handers hit just .218 with a .537 OPS against him last season, while left-handers had much better success, hitting .320 with an .881 OPS.
“If he’s throwing strikes regularly he’ll do some damage for us,” Amaro said.
*
Amaro offered some other updates last night at the Philadelphia Sports Writers’ Association dinner, including an injury update on Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell possibly retiring a Phillie. Click here for more.
Hamels’ Next Deal: Think Lee, Not Weaver
The Phillies and Cole Hamels today agreed to a one-year, $15 million contract, which allowed them to avoid salary arbitration.
Next up? The Phillies and Hamels’ agent John Boggs will talk about a multiyear extension.
“We can negotiate with Cole from today through the end of November, and then beyond that to get a multiyear deal done,” Ruben Amaro Jr. said. ”Just because we have a one-year deal in place doesn’t mean we can’t do something long term. As far as Cole beyond 2012, that’s something that’s still very much open for discussion.”
Hamels is line for a major payday, but how large remains to be seen.
But think Cliff Lee more than Jered Weaver.
Weaver signed a five-year, $85 million contract extension last summer with the Angels, but Weaver bypassed free agency partly because he wanted to stay in Southern California and play for his hometown team. Weaver and Hamels have remarkably similar career statistics, so it is easy to think Hamels might be paid in that range: Hamels is 77-54 with a 3.39 ERA in 181 career appearances. He has a 1.141 WHIP and averages 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Weaver is 82-47 with a 3.31 ERA in 171 career appearances. He has a 1.165 WHIP and averages 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings.
But Boggs said this afternoon the Weaver deal is a “non-starter” in negotiations, which I assume the Phillies already know.
“It would be natural to look at that as a comparison,” he said. “Jered signed for his own personal reasons – and I applaud him for that – but it doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to follow the same standard. Everybody is different. For Jered to sign there it doesn’t mean that’s the template we’re going to follow.”
Lee signed a five-year, $120 million contract with the Phillies in Dec. 2010. That certainly seems to be a better measuring stick for Hamels, right?
“Absolutely,” Boggs said. “If you’re this close to free agency, you start to make comparables of what you have the potential of making as a free agent.”
Lee signed his deal at 32. Hamels is 28. It stands to reason Hamels will be looking for a contract worth $20 million or more per season.
Reason to be nervous if you’re a Phillies fan? Not yet. There seems to be genuine interest on both sides to reach an agreement. Finalizing Hamels’ 2012 contract could have been the first step.
“The goal was to get that out of the way,” Boggs said. “I’m sure down the road we’ll have a conversation about moving forward. We plan on keeping the discussions open. It’s a process.”
Boggs said he hasn’t talked to Hamels about setting any potential deadline regarding negotiations, which some players have done in the past.
“At the end of the day we really don’t have any concrete game plan as far as how long we are going to plan on discussing this,” Boggs said. “That will be decided at some point shortly, or as we get into the process. But there’s definitely a desire to stay. At the end of the day it really depends on the value we place on Cole, and hopefully it coincides with the value the Phillies place on Cole. That’s the reason you have a negotiation. From a basic desire, yes, he’d be more than happy to stay there. He knows the Phillies. He’s homegrown. That’s what we’ll attempt to do, but sometimes things don’t work out if we can’t agree on the value.”
Phillies Interested in Ramirez
The Phillies are preparing for life without Jimmy Rollins.
Sources confirmed Monday they are seriously pursuing free agent third baseman Aramis Ramirez.
Ruben Amaro Jr. has said the “shortstop situation” is his top remaining priority this offseason, but Rollins is seeking a five-year contract, while the Phillies want him on a three-year deal. Talks between the parties have not progressed and Amaro does not want to be caught flatfooted should they reach a stalemate and Rollins signs elsewhere. That would be especially problematic if the uncertainty surrounding Rollins lingers a couple more weeks and suitable alternatives fall off the board.
The Phillies have a history of not waiting forever in free agency, so they might reach a point where they feel they must move on from Rollins. They signed Jonathan Papelbon before they could reach an agreement with Ryan Madson and have moved quickly with others in the past. But it certainly would be interesting to see what would happen if they reach an agreement with Ramirez before Rollins, who is the face of the Phillies franchise.
It does not seem like an easy decision to make.
Ramirez would play third base, which is why the Phillies have been shopping Placido Polanco, according to FOXSports.com. Ramirez would replace Rollins’ bat in the lineup. Rollins offers more speed, but Ramirez offers more power. He hit .306 with 26 home runs, 93 RBIs and an .871 on-base-plus-slugging percentage last season with the Chicago Cubs. He also has a career .342 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging percentage. <p>
So who would play shortstop for the Phillies, if Rollins is not back? It could be Freddy Galvis, who was the organization’s Minor League player of the year. He is hitting .238 with 14 RBIs in 122 at-bats in Venezuelan Winter Ball. Another possibility would be free agent shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who hit .241 with 15 home runs and 56 RBIs last season with the Atlanta Braves.
They would be clear downgrades from Rollins, who hit .268 with 16 homers and 63 RBIs last season and plays Gold Glove-caliber shortstop. But Ramirez’s bat would make up for the lost offense. The Phillies also believe Galvis is ready to play shortstop in the big leagues, although his bat likely would be a liability.
But this is a case of one or the other: the Phillies will sign one of them, not both.
Of course, everything can change quickly. The deals for Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee in recent offseasons each died on several occasions before becoming official. The same could happen with Rollins. They might seem far apart Monday, but things could close quickly with a productive phone call later in the week.
*
Check out my Facebook page. Follow me on Twitter. Pick up a copy of my book.
Phils Reach Agreement with Papelbon
The Phillies have their closer for 2012 and beyond.
Sources confirmed the Phillies reached an agreement on a four-year contract with free agent right-hander Jonathan Papelbon, who has spent his first seven seasons in the big leagues with the Boston Red Sox. The Phillies and Papelbon’s agents, Sam and Seth Levinson, are still finalizing the details of the contract, which is pending a physical.
The deal includes a fifth-year vesting option. CSNPhilly.com reports the deal approaches $50 million.
The agreement caps an interesting week. Talks between the Phillies and Ryan Madson’s agent Scott Boras ratcheted up Monday. There were multiple reports Tuesday the sides had reached an agreement on a four-year, $44 million deal, which Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. denied.
Talks between the Phillies and Madson fell apart and the Phillies finalized their deal for Papelbon.
Thome’s First Job: Recruiter
It sure sounds like Jim Thome would love Michael Cuddyer to sign with the Phillies, huh?
Thome signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the Phillies yesterday, and he was asked if he had spoken with his good friend Cuddyer, whom the Phillies are pursuing in free agency.
“We’ve texted a little bit,” Thome said. “We’ve talked. All I can say about Michael is he’s a great player. He’s a winner. He’s a stand-up guy. I know he’s done a lot of great things on and off the field in Minnesota. Anybody that plays in that organization for a long time, their credibility is instantly high. Any team that gets him is going to gain. He’s a great teammate. I would put Michael as one of my top-five, all-time favorite teammates. No question. He’s up there. He’s a winner.”
Did Cuddyer express any interest in coming to Philly?
“I can’t answer that,” Thome said. “Look, every player that
sees the way the Phillies have done things over the last seven or eight years, they’ve set the bar very, very high. Guys around baseball would love to come here. When you win, you create a lot of good things.”
Did Thome encourage his former teammate to join him?
“I could, yes,” he said. “Absolutely. I’m sure we will talk
going forward.”
You can be certain Thome will be talking to Cuddyer, Charlie Manuel and anybody else who will listen (I’m sure Thome can shoot Ruben Amaro Jr. a few texts). Cuddyer makes sense for a few reasons. He is a right-handed bat that can play the corner infield and outfield positions, although my understanding is he isn’t much of a defensive third baseman. He has a career .343 on-base percentage. His .346 on-base percentage this season would have tied for fourth on the team with Ryan Howard. And one would think his offensive numbers would improve moving from pitcher-friendly Target Field to hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park. He also is a high-character, high-energy guy, which the Phillies value.
Of course, Thome can talk until he is blue in the face. If the money isn’t right it won’t happen. But if the money is close maybe Thome can push Cuddyer toward Philly.
Moyer to Rehab in Clearwater
Jamie Moyer is giving baseball one more shot.
He is going to be continuing his rehab from Tommy John surgery at the Phillies’ Bright House Field in Clearwater, Fla. The Phillies have not signed Moyer to a contract, so he remains a free agent, but he asked the Phillies if he could use their facilities.
“We’re providing him our space in Clearwater and our expertise,” Ruben Amaro Jr. said.
Moyer, 48, went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA in 19 starts in 2010 before he injured his left elbow in July. He tried to rehab the injury without surgery, but it did not go as planned. He had Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in December.
*
Check out my Facebook page. Follow me on Twitter. Pick up a copy of my book.
Polanco Has Sports Hernia; Could Require Surgery
Ruben Amaro Jr. certainly could have been bluffing this evening at Dodger Stadium.
He said if Placido Polanco’s sports hernia injury requires surgery and he misses a significant period of time, the Phillies will not look outside the organization for help at third base. He said Michael Martinez and Wilson Valdez will man the position through the remainder of the season, even if it includes a deep run into October.
“They will be the ones who will play,” he said.
Polanco left Saturday’s game in San Francisco because of soreness in his left hip. He flew to Philadelphia yesterday for a MRI exam today. The results revealed a chronic sports hernia injury. He will receive an injection tomorrow and be evaluated Friday.
If the shot does not relieve Polanco of his discomfort he probably will have surgery. Amaro said surgery would not necessarily end his season.
“Our doctors tell us it could be somewhere between three weeks and a month,” Amaro said. “I think we can manage him through it, but we’ll find out more Friday.”
Amaro said he is hopeful Polanco can play through the injury, much like Raul Ibanez played through it in 2009. Amaro added Polanco’s injury does not seem to be nearly as severe as Ibanez’s. Ibanez’s required offseason surgery.
“It’s not an uncommon set of circumstances,” Amaro said. “He actually felt much, much better even before he flew out.”
*
Check out my Facebook page. Follow me on Twitter. Pick up a copy of my book.
Pence, Pence, Pence
Here’s my story on the Hunter Pence trade.
And here’s a few quotes from a few of the people we heard from last night:
RUBEN AMARO JR.
On why they wanted Pence:
“We tried to address a need we felt was a missing piece. We believe in our offense as it stands. It has been a little inconsistent … not as consistent as it has been in the past. I think this give us a little bit more balance with a hitter from the right side for Charlie’s lineup. But not only that I think we acquired in a lot of ways somebody that is extremely well rounded, the type of player that we’d like to have here in Philadelphia. There are a lot of elements that are involved here, but clearly the way this guy plays, the way he goes about his business, the effort, the kind of teammate he is and the fact we have him under control for not only the end of this year, but for two more years. Those are very big factors for us. His defense is important for us. The fact that he runs well. He’s got speed. He’s a very, very good athlete. There’s a lot of things that factored onto this one.”
On Domonic Brown’s future with the Phillies:
“We believe Domonic Brown is going to be an outstanding Major League Baseball player. He’s kind of learning on the job as we’ve talked about before. He’s done a nice job for us here. It’s not a knock on Domonic Brown by any stretch of the imagination. We believe and hope he’s going to be a Phillie for a long time. I think for us, again, it’s one of those moves we made for the present, but for the future. Certainly, Dom is part of that.”
On having Pence under their control through 2013 being a big factor in this trade:
“It’s a huge element in it. I think control is a good part. If you know the way we operate … I don’t like rentals. I don’t believe in those. I guess there is a time and place to go that route. In this case as in most case, if you look at the trades we’ve made, very few of them were your classic rental. Certainly that’s a huge element for us in that transaction.”
On chances they make another move before Sunday’s deadline:
“We’ll keep our minds open, but right now I’m very comfortable with our ballclub.”
CHASE UTLEY
On adding a bat like Pence when they already have the best record in baseball:
“I think our front office knows we’re in a special time here in Philadelphia. We have a good team and if they feel like there’s some room for improvement they’re going to make that move. … Prior to the trade we had a pretty good team. I think adding him, a power right-handed bat can definitely help us.”
ROY HALLADAY
On getting Pence when they have the best record in baseball:
“It’s a good feeling, even just knowing they’re out there and they’re trying. Especially being in the position we are. We’re five, six games up and they’re still trying to make us a better team. I think that’s one of the biggest reasons I was adamant on trying to come here. You want to be on the team that’s always trying to get better. … I’m really excited. To be on a team that is trying to give you the best chance to win that they can it’s a lot of fun. Even if they didn’t you know Ruben is going to do everything he can to make us better. Just that in itself means a lot. I can’t wait. We’ve got a good team here and when you’re able to add good players to a good team it makes it a lot of fun.”
DOMONIC BROWN
On any relief he wasn’t traded:
“Uh, I mean, yeah, but anything can still happen. We’ve still got until Sunday. I don’t know. I just hope I’m here. I just hope I’m here and not in Triple-A, but if that was to happen, just go out and play. It’s all I can do.”
On his concern going back to Triple-A:
“Not really concerned, but I would like to be here. That’s the goal.”
So Pence Costs How Much?
If you had asked me a couple of weeks ago if Domonic Brown, Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton would not be enough to acquire Hunter Pence from the Houston Astros, I would have thought you were crazy.
The Astros would jump on that deal in a heartbeat.
Or not.
Here’s what we know: The Phillies are furiously trying to acquire Pence before Sunday’s 4 p.m. trade deadline. They have dangled Cosart and Singleton, their top pitching and player prospect, respectively. The Phillies are willing to include Brown in a deal … but there are multiple reports the Astros would prefer to spin him to another team for more prospects.
In other words, Brown, Cosart and Singleton are not enough to get Pence.
Wow.
Pence certainly is an immediate upgrade to the Phillies lineup, but that is a major haul to send to Houston. Pence has never had more than 25 homers, 91 RBIs, 93 runs scored, 173 hits or 58 walks in a season. His .828 OPS this season is the best of his career. His .802 OPS from 2008-11 ranks 36th out of 91 qualifying outfielders in baseball. He is a very good player, but he is more of a complimentary piece, like Jayson Werth. This tells me one thing: Ruben Amaro Jr. wants to win NOW. I don’t disagree with that thinking. You don’t know what the future holds. Sure, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels will be in the rotation next season. But will they be healthy? Will they be as good? I think the Phillies should strike while they can, but that still seems like a ton of talent to give up for Pence.
Of course, nobody will care if the Phillies win the World Series. That’s what the Phillies are trying to do. They’ll worry about the future later.
*
Check out my Facebook page. Follow me on Twitter. Pick up a copy of my book.
Manuel: Giants Aren’t In Our Heads
This series certainly had a familiar feel to it.
The Phillies managed just two runs and 10 hits in two losses to the Giants this week. It was the first time the Phillies lost back-to-back games since losing four-straight games May 31-June 4 to Washington and Pittsburgh. It was the first series they lost since June 17-19 in Seattle.
And it happened against the team that beat them in last year’s NLCS.
“I think we can get ‘em, if you want to know the truth,” Charlie Manuel said. “I know we can get ‘em. It’s just a matter of us putting it together and for us to play the right way. And that’s pitch, hit and play good defense. Yeah, I think we can get ‘em. They’ve been playing us tough. They’ve got a good team. They’ve got good pitching. So do we. It’s just a matter of us outplaying them. Basically, the last two nights they took it to us.”
Manuel might have been trying to pump up his hitters when a reporter asked him how the Phillies can turn around things against a couple great pitchers like Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain.
“You say they’re great pitchers,” Manuel said. “To me, I don’t know how great they are. I think as they move on into their careers, there’s the longevity part and things like that. I think that’s when the greatness might come by. This is a consistent game. When you say somebody is great … tonight I saw 90 fastball, 92 at the best. I saw a good changeup. I saw a breaking ball. I saw a cutter. Good pitching, but at the same time we can beat that. I’ve seen us do that.”
But they haven’t. And while it is just July, you just know Phillies fans watched these last two games and wondered what might happen if these teams meet again in the postseason. Because so far the Giants have found ways to win while the Phillies have not.
“They’re not in our heads,” Manuel said. “I don’t think so. Really, I don’t think so at all. It’s just the fact we’ve got to get after them.”
*
Paging Hunter Pence. You’ve got to think Ruben Amaro Jr. really wants a bat after watching his team struggle this week against the Giants, right?
*
Check out my Facebook page. Follow me on Twitter. Pick up a copy of my book.
Todd Zolecki
Recent Comments