Before you get too excited, the Phillies will not be trading Joe Blanton to the Toronto Blue Jays for Roy Halladay. However, that does not mean that the Phillies couldn't use Blanton to try to acquire Halladay.
Recent reports have indicated that the Phillies are open to the possibility of trading Blanton. These seems odd as the Phillies' only needs are pitching (since they signed Placido Polanco to play third base and addressed their bench needs by signing Juan Castro, Brian Schneider and Ross Gload). The back end of the Phillies' starting rotation is already uncertain, so trading Blanton would create an unnecessary hole. It would seem odd for the Phillies to trade Blanton for another pitcher. Blanton is going to be due an arbitration raise on his $5.5 million salary this year, but certainly the Phillies can afford that raise. So with so no non-pitching needs and an affordable salary, why are the Phillies considering trading Joe Blanton?
Perhaps, the Phillies are looking to obtain prospects. The Phillies are in anything but a rebuilding mode right now but they could flip some of these prospects to Toronto in a trade to acquire Halladay while keeping their farm system in tact. Trading Blanton would also allow the Phillies to free payroll space to afford Halladay's $15 million salary in 2010.
Read more!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
The top of the Lineup
It is being reported that the Phillies are close to signing free agent Placido Polanco to a three-year contract to play third base. The signing would give the Phillies three players (Polanco, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino) who could hit in the first two spots of the lineup. Therefore, the Phillies will need to move one of the three down in the lineup, most likely to the 7th spot.
Looking at the three players, it is obvious that one player definitely belongs at the top of the lineup:
Player #1: .292/.355/.446, 24 HR, 61/80 SB
Player #2: .295/.340/.407, 18 HR, 14/17 SB
Player #3: .262/.320/.429, 32 HR, 78/89 SB
Player #1 has been the best hitter of the three and the highest on-base percentage. Along with that, he is also a good baserunner having stolen sixty-one bases in the past two years and has only been thrown out nineteen times. He belongs at the top of the lineup.
Player #2 has the fewest stolen bases of the group but does have a higher on-base percentage than Player #3 which is a key to hitting at the top of the lineup.
The identities of these players are: 1) Victorino 2) Polanco 3) Rollins.
The Phillies should resist all temptations to move Victorino down in the lineup as he is much better suited as a leadoff hitter. It would make the most sense for the Phillies to move Rollins down in the lineup as he has more power than Polanco and he could be used to drive in runs. Polanco's superior on base percentage would allow him to get on base for the Phillies' offensive core to drive him in. An ideal Phillies' lineup for 2010 would look as follows:
CF Victorino
3B Polanco
2B Chase Utley
1B Ryan Howard
RF Jayson Werth
LF Raul Ibanez
SS Rollins
C Carlos Ruiz Read more!
Looking at the three players, it is obvious that one player definitely belongs at the top of the lineup:
Player #1: .292/.355/.446, 24 HR, 61/80 SB
Player #2: .295/.340/.407, 18 HR, 14/17 SB
Player #3: .262/.320/.429, 32 HR, 78/89 SB
Player #1 has been the best hitter of the three and the highest on-base percentage. Along with that, he is also a good baserunner having stolen sixty-one bases in the past two years and has only been thrown out nineteen times. He belongs at the top of the lineup.
Player #2 has the fewest stolen bases of the group but does have a higher on-base percentage than Player #3 which is a key to hitting at the top of the lineup.
The identities of these players are: 1) Victorino 2) Polanco 3) Rollins.
The Phillies should resist all temptations to move Victorino down in the lineup as he is much better suited as a leadoff hitter. It would make the most sense for the Phillies to move Rollins down in the lineup as he has more power than Polanco and he could be used to drive in runs. Polanco's superior on base percentage would allow him to get on base for the Phillies' offensive core to drive him in. An ideal Phillies' lineup for 2010 would look as follows:
CF Victorino
3B Polanco
2B Chase Utley
1B Ryan Howard
RF Jayson Werth
LF Raul Ibanez
SS Rollins
C Carlos Ruiz Read more!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Phillies Trip?
I'll take a break from the hot stove to ask if anyone would be interested in taking a weekend trip at some point for a Phillies series in 2010. I have found five intriguing weekends on the schedule schedule:
May 28-30 at Florida Marlins: May 31 is also Memorial Day and the Phillies will be in Atlanta. That game could also be worked into the trip.
June 11-13 at Boston Red Sox
July 15-18 at Chicago Cubs: This is a Thursday-Sunday series right after the All-Star Game.
August 13-15 at New York Mets
August 27-29 at San Diego Padres: This series could also connected to a series with the Los Angeles Dodgers from August 30 (Monday) through September 1 (Wednesday).
If anyone is interested in any of these trips, let me know! Read more!
May 28-30 at Florida Marlins: May 31 is also Memorial Day and the Phillies will be in Atlanta. That game could also be worked into the trip.
June 11-13 at Boston Red Sox
July 15-18 at Chicago Cubs: This is a Thursday-Sunday series right after the All-Star Game.
August 13-15 at New York Mets
August 27-29 at San Diego Padres: This series could also connected to a series with the Los Angeles Dodgers from August 30 (Monday) through September 1 (Wednesday).
If anyone is interested in any of these trips, let me know! Read more!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
