Rays Scouting Jayson Werth

Care to speculate on how these two buyers would team up to make a trade that consists of the Phillies trading their starting RFer?

Phils trade Werth to Rays, then get Manny?

They would be set up to win this year, but would have a bare cupboard of outfielders next year (just Victorino and Jenkins)

Unless Geoff Jenkins has a tiem machine, I dont see how the Phils can give up Werth. And getting Manny to play right field would be a disaster. Burrell and Manny would have to hit 10HRs a game just to offset the outfield defense of them in each corner

Werth is their platoon RFer, not their starting RFer. Although, jenkins has been pretty bad.

It'd just be Jenkins/Victornio next year if they don't take Manny's(if they got him) option and/or don't offer a deal to Burrell, who likes it in Philly.

I wouldn't say Burrell's a good fielder, by any means, but he's not as bad people say, either. Compared to Manny, he's a gold glover.

(in a soothing voice)

You do not want Brian Fuentes...

...You want George Sherrill...

...You want to give Reid Brignac for George Sherrill...

...You will quack like a duck every time I snap my fingers...

gotta agree with lorecore. burrell and ramirez are a huge liability in the outfield. theyd have to put two center fielders out there or something. they would still have jenkins in right if they traded away werth but theyd lack somebody to platoon vs lefties. only way this works is if they think dobbs can take over where werth left off. i think the manny idea should be put to rest. burrells the better player at this point and the only way to pull it off is dealing him away.

Werth is the starter at this point, they throw Jenkins the occasional start, but Werth ultimate replaces him at some point in that game. Also worth noting that Werth also plays CF for Victorino to get days off.

Dobbs = butcher in the OF. He's not even very good defensively at his actual position and he's so bad against lefties that he only has 4 abs this year

Werth is the starter, but if the Phils were, for whatever reason, to get Manny, this would make some sense. Trade Werth for pitching, a catching prospect, or an OF prospect, start Burrell-Vic-Manny this year, with Taguchi and Jenkins off the bench, and next year, the OF would consist of Vic, Jenkins, Greg Golson, a veteran OF, be it Burrell, Manny, or someone else, and either the prospect we'd acquire or one of TJ Bohn or Chris Snelling.

I wouldn't worry about 2009's outfield if the Phillies traded Werth. Burrell loves it in Philly and wants to re-sign, The Phillies will resign him if the price is right...

Also, if the Phillies don't resign Burrell, There will be plenty of good OF's in the Free Agent Market to fill both corners I am sure, plus Golson will be given a serious look come Spring of 2009, maybe he starts his audition come September.

Losing Burrell would net us 2 picks plus free up what, 15 million?

One thing is certain... The Phillies will never lack for offensive knowing Howard, Utley and Rollins are there.

Golson is improving but not ready. The phillies already have a top flight catching prospect. Burrell + Manny as your corner OFers does not work. What do you do in big OFs like Colorado or Florida? Burrell is a decent defensive LFer, he'd be awful in RF. Manny is awful in LF, and I'm not sure Victorino wants to be catching confused Manny throws.

The same situation would occur with Holliday that occurs with Manny. I know you can slap whoever you want in whatever OF spot you want in your video games, but it doesn't work like that. Burrell is not a natural OFer he had to work hard just to be able to play LF.

The thought of Victorino, Werth and Jenkins scares me as an OF if you can't resign Burrell. You want to give away any leverage you might have in negotiations (Burrell really wants to stay) and be sitting with a Victorino, Golson, Jenkins OF when you start talking to him?

The Phillies were just trying to add an extra OF (Nady) and now they're ready to essentially swap the flexibility of Werth (RF and CF) for Manny?

You want to know what OF trade the Phillies will make? They'll be adding Jason Michaels (as a part of a grabbow deal). No Manny, No Holliday. No complete and utter ridiculousness. Just a RH bat off the bench who provides some additional flexibility.

Like people are saying Werth is cheap, productive and controllable next year. My guess is the Rays called the Phillies on him, not the other way around.

Werth is an important piece of PHI's team, but if the Rays want to give up Niemann, McGee or Davis I'd thank Jayson for his fine efforts and wish him luck