PHILS PHACTS:
Filling Out The Rotation – If
nobody is traded and everybody is healthy, Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg
thinks four pitchers are locks to make the 2015 rotation. The foursome includes
Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Aaron Harang and Jerome Williams. That
leaves David Buchanan,
Chad Billingsley and
Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez
competing for the fifth spot. Buchanan is the favorite, based upon an
encouraging rookie season (6-8, 3.75 ERA in 20 starts). Billingsley missed most
of the past two seasons because of right elbow problems, so he probably will
not be ready to join the rotation until late April. Then there is Gonzalez. The
Phillies signed him to a three-year, $12 million contract in 2013 after he
originally agreed to a six-year, $48 million deal. Questions about Gonzalez's
health cost him $36 million, but the organization's concerns proved valid when
he battled injury issues last season as a starter. Gonzalez eventually moved to
the bullpen, where he pitched with some success. But he enters Spring Training
getting another shot to prove himself in the rotation. "Expectations are
for him to complete a full camp," Sandberg said, emphasizing Gonzalez's
health history. "Seeing what he can do and seeing how he progresses as
camp goes along. As of right now, we have him slated in the starting role,
allowing him to build up his arm strength a little bit. Work on pitches as a
starter. That's the goal right now." If Gonzalez can stay healthy and he
has a great camp, he could edge Buchanan for that fifth spot. But as Sandberg
said, Gonzalez has to stay healthy first.
Trade Talks – Cole Hamels is stuck in
the middle. Hamels has said for months he does not want to spend the remaining
prime years of his baseball career playing on a losing team. He sharpened his
words Wednesday, when he told USA Today he wants to win and "and I know
it's not going to happen here." He likely feels that way because the
Phillies have said they are rebuilding and unlikely to compete again until 2017
or '18. But Hamels also appreciates his time in Philadelphia. The Phillies
drafted him in 2002. He won a World Series in '08. He signed a six-year, $144
million contract extension in '12. He lives in the area. He appreciates the
fans. Hamels wants to be honest, but he also does not want to sound ungrateful.
He does not want to offend. So Hamels backed away from his harsh assessment in
a sometimes-uncomfortable 25-minute news conference Saturday afternoon at
Bright House Field. He answered questions about his desire to remain in
Philadelphia with members of the Phillies front office seated nearby, including
team chairman David Montgomery. Montgomery handed Hamels the $144 million
contract a few years ago. "You have to be accountable for what you
do," Hamels said. "You know, I can't, I guess, be liked by everybody.
You know, that's not the goal. You're not going to be politically correct any
time you ever say anything. I think everybody learns that. You're not going to
appease everybody. So this is who I am. "For what it's worth, I've always
tried to be very honest with people in general. I don't cue-card it. I don't
have my cue cards up here giving you the straight-laced answers that I know a
lot of people have been able to get away with." Cliff Lee, Jonathan Papelbon and
Hamels each addressed reporters this week. In the past, each has indicated or
said flatly they would like to play for a winner or play elsewhere. But the
trio followed the good teammate script. They said they are happy to be in
Philadelphia. They said they believe they can win here. "You can't count
us out," Hamels said. "We all have the opportunity to prove people
wrong." Hamels deflected questions about his desire to be traded, because
expressing those desires does not benefit one of the most popular and
successful pitchers in franchise history. "I've made my home in
Philadelphia since the very beginning," Hamels said, when asked if he
would welcome a trade. "This is where I'm fully committed." Hamels
said his comments in USA Today were a continuation from a conversation in
January. The latest comments came Tuesday. He said his feelings expressed in
the story followed stories from the winter about how the Phillies won't win in
the future. So are those his feelings today? "At this given moment, I'm a
Phillie," Hamels said. So does he want to go somewhere where he can win? "Right
now I know that as we start, I think we're 0-0," Hamels said. "I
think everybody's in first place. I don't think any one of you guys have
written anything about how we're going to compete and win our division. So it's
something for us to take as a group and to go out there and prove to people the
type of players that we are." So how did he react when Phillies president
Pat Gillick said it would take a few years to complete the rebuilding process? "I
have no control over a certain direction," Hamels said. "An
organization, they have a bigger picture that they have to worry about. As a
player, we really have to take the straight-and-narrow approach. We have a job
to do, people are counting on us, and I think that's kind of what an
organization, an upper management, has to worry about, is what players are
going to be accountable, what direction can we go with what we have. I'm just
one piece of the puzzle, and as long as I can go out and do what they expect,
then I'm fulfilling my end of the bargain." Trading Hamels would speed up
the rebuilding process, because he is the only Phillies veteran relatively
young and still in his prime. Theoretically, the club could get a load of
talent in return. But it will not be easy. Philadelphia still has the unsuccessful
2009 Cliff Lee trade with Seattle on its mind, so it must get something it
loves in return. The Phillies can't miss. Hamels also is owed $96 million,
which includes $22.5 million in salary each of the next four seasons, plus a $6
million buyout on a '19 club option worth $20 million. They want Hamels' new
team to pay the entire contract, or most of it. Teams might balk if they plan
to give the Phillies the prospects they want. Asked if he would require the
club option to be picked up to waive his limited no-trade clause, Hamels said,
"That's a family decision." Hamels is in a tough spot. He wants to
play for a winner, but at the moment, he does not want to upset or alienate the
organization or fan base. "I'm very fortunate to be in the position that I
am," Hamels said. "To be that player that's been able to win a World
Series for a very historical franchise, and to make my home in Philly and see
what sports really do mean to Philly fans, it's been nice. And being able to go
out and represent not only the organization, but the city of Philadelphia, has
been an honor. And I think I'll remain to do so until I'm told that I
can't."
Hamels Reaffirms Commitment – What
is Cole Hamels
supposed to say? That he doesn't want to be here? Zero chance of that. Hamels'
feelings for the Phillies run too deep. For the City of Philadelphia, too. He
has come to love the place. "I've made my home in Philadelphia since the
very beginning," Hamels said. "This is where I'm fully
committed." Hamels is sensitive to his teammates, too, and he wants to
make sure they know he's all in with them as long as he's still here. "My
job is to be accountable for what the expectations that are put on me,"
Hamels said. "I only have one direction and one position, and that's to be
able to go pitch and go win ballgames. That's all I can really do." So he
will dance around the questions about the future, say what he's supposed to say
and allow the thing to play itself out. Hamels already knows. He just has to.
At some point this season, the Phillies almost certainly are going to trade him
to a contender for some young talent. When that happens, both sides will be
better off. The Phillies, in a full rebuilding move, will replenish their stock
of young players. And Hamels will have another shot at the postseason. In a
perfect world, it would have happened months ago, and both Hamels and
Philadelphia would have a clearer picture of the future. So far, though,
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. hasn't gotten an offer he's
comfortable taking. Amaro sees Hamels as the definition of a No. 1 starter. In
the last five seasons, Hamels has averaged 213 innings and 204 strikeouts.
Among all National League starters, only Clayton Kershaw has
more innings, strikeouts and quality starts. Hamels is also only 31 years old,
and he is under contract for four more seasons at the relatively reasonable
price of $23.5 million a year. Because of those factors, some have wondered if
Amaro is asking too high a price for Hamels. "The perception is that we're
overreaching," Phillies president Pat Gillick said. "I don't think we
are. I think we're trying to be fair." Amaro is piecing together a
complicated puzzle. He has already acquired pitching by trading Jimmy Rollins, Marlon Byrd and Antonio Bastardo. "We
feel better than we did three months ago," Amaro said. "But you can
never be satisfied. That's a constant battle." And he will listen on
Hamels, Jonathan
Papelbon, Ryan
Howard and Cliff Lee.
Injuries and/or salary make Papelbon, Howard and Lee less appealing than
Hamels. It's Hamels who could bring the kind of young talent that could help
the Phillies turn a corner. That said, the club doesn't intend to completely
blow up the roster. As it deals away veterans, it wants enough talent in return
to help remain respectable. "We want to rebuild, but we don't want to be
embarrassing," Gillick said. "I don't think we want to embarrass the
fans. We don't want to be embarrassed when we go on the field. Consequently, we
have to put as good a product as we can on the field, and at the same time try
to do what we have to do to get back to being competitive." On Saturday,
Hamels met with reporters and essentially said he's fully committed to the
Phillies as long as he's here. "I think you guys have seen how I play, the
type of character that I have when I step out onto the field," Hamels
said. "Go out there and be the best that you can, because at some point it's
all going to end. So you at least want to know that you left everything out on
the field." Rather than dwell on the possibility of being traded, Hamels
said he will attempt to focus on preparing for his 10th big league season and
nothing more. He's proud of what he has been part of, including five straight
division championships, two NL pennants and especially being part of the team
that won the World Series in 2008. Hamels was quoted by USA Today this week as
saying the Phillies had no chance of winning in the near future. He would not
deny those quotes on Saturday. Nor would he repeat them. "At this given
moment, I'm a Phillie," Hamels said. "All I can do is get ready for
the season. No matter ... the name on my chest, I have a job to do and I have
to be accountable for it." As for the larger direction of the
organization, Hamels understands. "An organization, they have a bigger
picture that they have to worry about," Hamels said. "As a player, we
really have to take the straight-and-narrow approach. We have a job to do,
people are counting on us. I'm just one piece of the puzzle, and as long as I
can go out and do what they expect, then I'm fulfilling my end of the
bargain."
Hollands Looking To Improve – Mario Hollands is no
longer one of the relative unknowns entering Phillies camp. Hollands is a
favorite to win a bullpen job following a mostly successful rookie season, when
the 26-year-old left-hander surprised people and made the Opening Day roster.
He went 2-2 with a 4.40 ERA in 50 appearances, but he finished the season on
the disabled list with an injured left elbow. An offseason of rest has him back
on track and ready to compete. Left-hander Jake Diekman is a lock
to make the bullpen. Rule 5 Draft pick Andy Oliver also is in
camp, but other lefties in Spring Training seem destined to open the season in
the Minor Leagues. "I'm not assuming anything," Hollands said
Saturday morning at Bright House Field. "I'm pretending like it's last
year and I'm trying to make the team out of camp. Nothing has been given to me.
Nothing was given to me last year, and I don't assume a spot is going to be
given to me this year." Hollands entered Spring Training last year in
midseason form following a lengthy stint in winter ball in Venezuela. "If
I wasn't season-ready coming from Venezuela, I don't think I would have made
the team," Hollands said. Hollands went 1-1 with a 2.10 ERA in 32
appearances through June 28. He got hit in his right knee by a line drive on
July 2, which forced him to leave the game. He had a 15.26 ERA in eight
appearances that month before posting a 2.89 ERA in his final 10 appearances. Hollands'
elbow injury forced him to miss the last month of the season. "I wasn't
happy with that rough stretch where I was getting hit around a little
bit," Hollands said. "I doubted some of my stuff a little bit. But I
think I did OK. I could definitely improve. I learned a lot." The learning
never stops for Hollands. He earned an associate of arts degree in merchandise
marketing at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles
in December. He previously earned a bachelor's in sociology from UC-Santa
Barbara. Hollands hopes to intern in the offseason, perhaps in New York, Los
Angeles, San Francisco or Philadelphia. "I might be the only person in
here with two degrees," Hollands said. "It gave me something to do in
the fall, because I couldn't golf or really do any upper-body workouts because
of the elbow." Hollands said the elbow feels fine. He has thrown about a
half-dozen bullpen sessions already. "A little nervous," Hollands
said about entering camp, "just because I haven't seen a batter in a
while. Besides that, it's nice getting to throw a little bit more."
ON THE RECORD:
The
Phillies will look to rebound this season from a 73-89 record last year. While
uncertainty abounds, there is little question that the franchise is in rebuild
mode based on the moves and statements that have been made during the
offseason. The only question that remains is whether or not the young and
veteran talent on the team can work together to disprove Gillick’s predictions
either this year or next.
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