PHILS PHACTS:
Young Core Commitment – General manager
Matt Klentak has spent his first 10 days with the Phillies meeting as many
people as possible and learning as much as he can about the organization he
hopes to return to World Series contention. Klentak said he feels pretty good
about things heading into next week's GM Meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. "It
has been a very busy 10 days, but it has been a super, super valuable 10
days," Klentak said Thursday. So what's the plan? "We really want to
raise the floor and add some depth," Klentak said. "Kind of at every
turn, that's what we're going to be focused on. And in the pitching department,
I think we really need to work on just -- again, I say raise the floor -- but
kind of establish sort of a firm foundation of pitching. That's not going to
end when we break camp at the end of Spring Training. That's something we're
going to be committed to for a long time." How it happens remains to be
seen, but do not expect the Phillies to be the "mystery team" that
swoops in to sign an ace to a $100 million contract at the last minute.
Phillies president Andy MacPhail said in September that the club does not plan
to pursue the biggest names in free agency this offseason. "There is some
talent that we think is viable talent, but it needs to come percolate and
demonstrate that it's real," MacPhail said of the young players in the
organization. "And after that period, you might go forward. But do you really
want to commit after you've just been in that pool and suffered from it? Do you
really want to commit at this stage?" Phillies part-owner John Middleton
reiterated that point during Klentak's introductory news conference Oct. 26. "I
don't think you can buy a winner," Middleton said. "I think this will
not come as any great shock, I don't view free agency as the way to build your
club," Klentak added Thursday. "Good clubs, we just saw it in the
playoffs this year, in the World Series this year. The core of the best clubs
are built internally through the Draft, through savvy international signings,
through signing key players to contract extensions and extending the club
control. "Free agency is very useful to augment or supplement that core,
but you know that is not where you're going to get the best bang for your buck
from a value perspective. Sometimes circumstances dictate that's where you're
going to go to get your players. Sometimes that will dictate where you want to
shy away from. But if you want to fish in the deep end of the pond in free
agency, you know that there's going to be more risk there. The burn factor is
going to be higher. So you have to enter into free agency knowing that. It
doesn't mean you shouldn't play in free agency or you should shy away from it
at all times. You just have to go in knowing the realities." Klentak
prefers not to trade any of the Phillies' young core to take a larger step
forward in a couple years -- closer Ken Giles could fetch some talent, for example -- but
he also will not completely dismiss the idea, either. "I try not to
operate in absolutes if at all possible, because you never know," Klentak
said. But first, Klentak has to know what he has. That is why he is asking a
lot of questions and listening. That is why he is reading through player
reports on his weekend cross-country flights from Philadelphia to Los Angeles,
where his family lives at the moment. "We all have to know about our
players," Klentak said. "It's really an important thing as we embark
on trade discussions and free-agent discussions. We have to know what we have
first, before we know what we need."
Haunted By 2008 – The
Phillies admittedly turned the page too slowly on 2008, but the turnover is
nearly complete. The only players remaining from their World Series
championship team are Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz. Howard will make $25 million next
season, which does not include a $10 million buyout on a 2017 club option. Ruiz
will make $8.5 million, which does not include a $500,000 buyout on a 2017 club
option. But will Howard and Ruiz be back, just because they are under contract?
The Phillies have tried to trade Howard, but found no takers despite agreeing
to pay almost the entirety of his contract. "They definitely fit into our
plans for '16," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said Thursday.
"That's not a concern for me. But I never say never. I'm open to anything.
I have so much respect for what Ryan and Chooch have done, and what they have
meant to this city and franchise. At some point, frankly it could be next week,
I'm going to sit down with their agents and talk to them. I don't know them as
people. I want to understand sort of what their motivations are. But the
question about, 'Can they exist on our roster next year?' Absolutely." Phillies
manager Pete Mackanin turned Howard into a platoon player this past season,
splitting his time at first base with Darin Ruf. Howard hit .229 with 29 doubles, one
triple, 23 home runs, 77 RBIs and a .720 OPS in 129 games. He posted an .802
OPS against right-handed pitchers, which ranked 55th out of 140 qualified
hitters in baseball. Howard posted a .418 OPS against left-handers, which is
the ninth-lowest mark in baseball in the past 20 seasons (minimum 100 plate
appearances against lefties). Ruf's 1.107 OPS against left-handers tied Nelson Cruz for the best in baseball (minimum 100
plate appearances against lefties). "I spent quite a bit of time with Pete
last week [at the organizational meetings], and we talked about that among many
other things," Klentak said about a Howard-Ruf platoon. "We will seek
the best combination of players to find results. The strengths and the skill
sets of the players will dictate how we utilize them." Klentak said he
believes Howard can still hit effectively in the middle of the Phillies'
lineup. He said Howard has earned the benefit of the doubt. "I'm a big
believer in providing opportunities for players," Klentak said. "The
players will let us know. We're not going to draw a conclusion over a couple of
games or an at-bat, but if the circumstances of the performance dictate we make
an adjustment, we will. I go into this with some degree of optimism ... and
let's give players opportunities and if they fail to achieve, we'll adjust. But
let's not adjust before we have to." But Klentak also has to prepare for
the possibility that those players don't perform, or that they are unhappy in
their future roles. Ruiz said late in the season he still views himself as the
No. 1 catcher, although he acknowledged Cameron Rupp outplayed him. "If we're doing our
jobs and communicating with players throughout the process, I think that goes a
long way towards minimizing issues," Klentak said. "If everybody
understands where each party is coming from -- that doesn't mean everybody has
to agree with it -- but as long as people understand and are open and honest
about it, I think that is probably the biggest thing I've learned over time. "You
can't fool the players -- they know. You can't fool the media -- they know. You
can't fool the fans. So being open and honest with the plans and what the
intentions are, I think, is often the best medicine."
Fall Star Game Preview – On any
given day this fall, fans can head to an Arizona Fall League game and see some
of the best talent Minor League Baseball has to offer. On Saturday, the AFL
gives everyone the chance to do some one-stop shopping, courtesy of the 10th
annual Fall Stars Game. The game, which starts at 8 p.m. ET and will be
broadcast on MLB Network and streamed live on MLB.com, features the best of the
best in the prospect world. With seven members of MLBPipeline.com's
Top 100 Prospects list
and a total of 37 players on their team's Top 30 lists, it's the Fall League
version of the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game. "It'll be a whole lot of
fun," said Mets first baseman Dominic Smith, the Mets' No. 5 prospect (No. 92 overall) who
was one of two first basemen named on Monday to the East Division squad.
"This league is so good. Every day I step on the field, it's like an
All-Star Game. You see the most elite Minor Leaguers every game. I feel like
the Fall Stars Game will be a lot of fun. I'm excited to play in it."
Mariners’ first baseman D.J. Peterson, who is on the West Division team, will
be playing in his second straight Fall Stars Game. The M's No. 3 prospect is very much looking
forward to another chance to show what he can do on a national stage. "I'm
very excited to represent the Mariners," said Peterson, who went 0-for-2
in last year's contest. "Doing it two years in a row, I'm hoping I can get
something more out of it. It's great to get to interact with all the guys from
other teams." Cardinals right-hander Alex Reyes is the highest-ranked
player in this year's game, and the No. 16 prospect has peformed well, striking
out 14 batters over 15 innings, despite a shaky outing that pushed his ERA on
the season to 3.60 over four starts. Pirates outfielder Austin Meadows is the
highest-ranked hitter (No. 22) in the game, followed by fellow Georgia high
school 2013 first-round pick Clint Frazier (No. 35) of the Indians. Smith,
Daniel Robertson of the Rays (No. 79) and the Rockies' Raimel Tapia (No. 99)
round out the Top 100 representatives. As part of the Arizona Fall League's Final Two Fan Vote,
Cubs No. 20 prospect
Jeimer Candelario and Brewers No. 18 prospect Yadiel Rivera were added to the rosters. For the
first time, fans were able to select a 26th player for each Fall Stars team.
This year's rosters are chock full of former first-round picks, with eight
taken in the opening round of the Draft. The list, which doesn't include
supplemental first-rounders or those taken under the new rules in the
Competitive Balance Rounds, is led by six selections from the first round of
the 2013 Draft. Last year's game not only featured top-level talent, but it
served as a crystal ball into who some of the impact rookies in the big leagues
this past season would be. The Dodgers' Corey Seager, the Indians' Francisco Lindor, the Braves' Jace Peterson, the Twins' Eddie Rosario, the Yankees' Greg Bird (the AFL MVP a year ago), the D-backs'
Archie Bradley and the Cubs' C.J. Edwards all played in the 2014
edition of the Fall Stars and all made contributions -- some larger than others
-- to their parent club during this past regular season. "I'm sure this
year's roster will have guys who'll make that jump and play in the big leagues
next year," Smith said. "It tells me what's possible. If you keep
playing hard, anything is possible." Smith has been one of the better
performers in the AFL this season, hitting .400/.542/.571 over his first 35
at-bats. While Smith won't be one of those guys who jumps from the Fall Stars
Game right to the big leagues, this experience is clearly getting him ready for
the jump out of Class A ball to the upper levels. "I'm just trying to keep
it pretty simple," Smith said. "Work counts, swing at good pitches.
When you swing at good pitches, good things happen. I'm trying to show I can
perform at this level. "This experience is definitely preparing me for
Double-A and beyond. A lot of guys in this league will be in the big leagues
next year and beyond. I'll be facing these guys in the future for sure. Playing
against the competition of the future, getting to compete with them now, it's
making me a lot more comfortable going into next season." D.J. Peterson
also feels more comfortable, especially compared to a year ago, when he
struggled in the AFL. More energized this fall, Peterson has rediscovered his
joy for the game. Like Smith, he's trying to keep things simple -- something he
hopes will help him in the Fall Stars Game, when the natural inclination might
be to try to do something special. "I feel like this year, the mindset is
completely different," Peterson said. "I just want to go out and have
fun. That's what I've been doing every day here. "I think you keep your
same approach in the Fall Stars Game -- try to see something [over the] middle
part of the plate and put a good swing on it and do some damage. The guys in
this game are really good, so if you miss that pitch, they're going to get
you."
THE BEGINNING:
The
Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL
East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and
bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in
franchise history! However, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.
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