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Offseason In Review: Philadelphia Phillies

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The Phillies are next in our Offseason In Review series.

Major League Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Trades and Claims

Notable Losses

Summary

The Phillies pulled off the surprise of the offseason, righting a past wrong and adding Cliff Lee to an already-strong rotation.  GM Ruben Amaro Jr. stretched his payroll to accommodate Lee, so the signing sums up most of the team's offseason.  Given all of their recent success, the Phillies extended Amaro in March, just after he'd extended manager Charlie Manuel. 

The Phillies made an attempt to re-sign Werth, reportedly offering three years and $48MM plus a vesting option.  With Werth ultimately landing a seven-year, $126MM deal, the Phillies' offer appears half-hearted.  Still, plenty of people pegged Werth for something like four years and $65MM heading into the offseason, and with that in mind the player's biggest concession to the Phillies would have been accepting a fourth-year vesting option.

Lee

No one predicted the Phillies would sign Lee, and reports of a Mystery Team in the mix in December were initially scoffed at.  Technically Lee left a guaranteed $28MM on the table to sign with his preferred team, though this wasn't Andre Dawson giving the Cubs a blank check.  Lee's $24MM a year salary is higher than it would have been had he taken a seven-year offer from the Yankees or six years from the Rangers, and it's a record for pitchers. 

The Phillies checked the "bill me later" box on the Lee contract, designing it to pay him only $11MM in 2011 before his salary jumps past $20MM thereafter.  They also potentially left the biggest bill for 2016, the lefty's age 37 season.  A $27.5MM option for 2016 vests if Lee is not on the disabled list at end of 2015 season with injury to left elbow or left shoulder, and has 200 innings pitched in 2015 or 400 innings pitched in 2014-15.  If the option does not vest, the Phillies will presumably take the buyout, which at $12.5MM is the biggest I've even seen.  Hopefully those numbers won't look as scary entering the 2016 season.

Prior to the Lee deal, the Phillies re-signed Contreras to a two-year deal.  Even at his age the contract doesn't look bad now, in light of the ten eight-figure contracts given to free agent relievers later in the offseason.

The Phillies appear light at second base, right field, and the bullpen this point, though the injuries to Chase Utley, Domonic Brown, and Brad Lidge didn't happen until Spring Training.  I don't see much Amaro should have done differently during the offseason.  Adding a Jerry Hairston Jr. or Willie Bloomquist just to be safe wouldn't have made much difference.  Perhaps Amaro could've dabbled a little on the low end of the relief market, nabbing a Jon Rauch, Dan Wheeler, or Chad Qualls in the $3MM range.  I liked that Amaro held onto Joe Blanton rather than doing some kind of salary dump deal. 

Amaro put all his eggs in the Cliff Lee basket this offseason, and it's hard to find fault with that.  The Phillies' rotation appears historically good.  It's possible all the big salaries will limit flexibility this year and in the near future, though Amaro always seems to find a few million bucks in the couch cushions when needed.

Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.

Blue Jays Expect To Trade Purcey; Astros Interested

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10:10pm: The Astros are interested in Purcey, according to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun (on Twitter). Houston is one of the potentially interested teams I speculated on earlier tonight.

6:36pm: Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos told Barry Davis of Sportsnet that he expects to deal recently designated reliever David Purcey within the next ten days instead of allowing another team to claim the left-hander on waivers (Twitter link). The Blue Jays designated Purcey for assignment earlier today, which means they have ten days to trade him, release him or, if he clears waivers, assign him to the minor leagues.

It seems likely that Purcey will draw interest, since he posted a 3.71 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 34 innings last year. The former first rounder has a 92 mph fastball and is still just 28. Left-hander Garrett Olson, another first round selection, was snapped up off of waivers last month, after the Mariners made him available.

However, Purcey has an 11.57 ERA with three strikeouts and four walks in 2 1/3 innings over the course of five appearances so far this year. Worst of all, he allowed two hits and a walk to the four batters he faced in Seattle last night, allowing the Mariners to start an unlikely comeback.

A’s Have Team Control Without Extensions

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It’s no secret that the A’s have extended starting pitchers aggressively over the course of the past decade. Oakland GM Billy Beane says it’s a blueprint for success for teams with limited revenue and he has put that theory to the test. Tim Hudson, Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, Dan Haren, Rich Harden, Brett Anderson and, now, Trevor Cahill have all signed long-term deals early on in their MLB careers. 

Gio, Dallas

Naturally, fans, reporters and players themselves are wondering which starter is next in line for an extension. It could be Dallas Braden, author of a perfect game and many a memorable quote. It could be Gio Gonzalez, the promising left-hander who reached the 200 inning plateau last year, posting a 3.23 ERA with 171 strikeouts. Or, for a while at least, it could be no one at all.

Technically speaking, Braden and Gonzalez (both pictured) aren’t under contract beyond 2011. The urge to extend them and solidify the rotation for the foreseeable future is understandable. In a way, the Athletics’ current rotation is a successor to the big three of Hudson, Zito and Mulder. Locking a number of starters up before free agency seems like the logical course of action for a team like the A’s, which embraces these extensions. 

But in practice, Braden and Gonzalez are A’s property through at least 2013 even though they don’t have formal extensions. Braden is under control for 2012-13 (estimated $14.5MM total cost through arbitration) and Gonzalez is under control for 2012-15 (estimated $26MM total cost through arbitration). 

Essentially the A’s have two club options for Braden and four club options for Gonzalez without guaranteeing either pitcher a dime beyond 2011. Beane can release or non-tender either starter at his convenience if he determines they’re no longer worth what they’d make through arbitration. As is usually the case with players who have yet to hit free agency, the team has most of the power.

There are potential advantages to signing Braden or Gonzalez to an extension. Long-term deals cap arbitration earnings, often provide the team with extremely valuable options for free agent years and allow the players to focus on performing, rather than earning. 

At some point, however the risks associated with extensions outweigh those advantages. Extensions usually provide players with guaranteed money through their arbitration years, instead of rewarding them according to their performance. As a result, the deals can backfire when players get injured or perform poorly.

The A’s could emerge with more team-friendly contracts by signing Braden or Gonzalez to the right long-term deal. But they are no doubt aware that there’s no pressing need for extensions, since their rotation is already under long-term control.

Photo courtesy Icon SMI.

Possible Destinations: David Purcey

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The Blue Jays expect to trade David Purcey within the next ten days, and while not every team has interest in adding a struggling reliever, some clubs may be intrigued by Purcey's successful 2010 season and wonder if he can repeat it.

The first ten days of the 2011 season have been disappointing for Purcey, and Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos designated him for assignment today. However, the former first rounder pitched well a year ago, posting a 3.71 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 33 appearances for the Blue Jays.

Teams like the Mariners (one), Royals (one), Astros (one) and Tigers (two, including the struggling Brad Thomas) have limited left-handed relievers at the big league level, but they aren't necessarily the clubs that could use Purcey most. The left-hander has a reverse platoon split in parts of four Major League seasons, meaning he does better against right-handers (8.4 K/9, 4.3 BB/9 vs. RHB career, 8.0 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 vs. RHB last year) than left-handers (6.9 K/9, 5.6 BB/9 vs. RHB career, 9.2 K/9, 7.1 BB/9 vs. LHB last year).

Overall, Purcey induces more fly balls (48.5%) than ground balls (31.3%), so he could be a fit in a big ballpark like Citi Field or Petco Park. Both the Mets and the Padres are carrying a single left-handed reliever at the moment and could be intrigued by Purcey (though he is not your typical left-hander).

Mets executive J.P. Ricciardi selected Purcey 16th overall in the 2004 draft when he was Toronto's GM. A lot has changed in seven years, so the hard-throwing 28-year-old may no longer appeal to Ricciardi. But Purcey carries more upside than, say, Ron Mahay, so it won't be surprising if the Mets or some other club takes a chance on him.

Quick Hits: Votto, Davis, Matsuzaka, Indians

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Links for Tuesday, as the Rangers announce that Josh Hamilton will miss six to eight weeks with a non-displaced fracture of his right shoulder…

  • The other MVP from last year, Joey Votto, continues to adjust and improve his game, as Dave Cameron points out at FanGraphs. Votto appears to be chasing fewer pitches outside of the strike zone.
  • Trackman, a Danish technology company, is using 3D Doppler radar ball flight measurement to scout pitchers and pitches with hard data, as Tom Verducci reports at SI.com.
  • Doug Davis can opt out of his minor league deal with the Cubs on May 30th, according to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com (on Twitter).
  • The Red Sox are, of course, unlikely to trade Daisuke Matsuzaka, despite his awful start yesterday. However, they are considering skipping his next start, according to the Boston Herald.
  • Yahoo's Tim Brown examines the Indians' hot start and says it provides us with the "opportunity to discover what is right in an organization that has been forced into hard decisions" since they took a 3-1 lead over the Red Sox in the 2007 ALCS.

Revisiting Ryan Zimmerman’s Extension

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The Nationals and GM Mike Rizzo have taken their share of criticism for bidding aggressively on Jayson Werth and signing him to a free agent contract worth $126MM. Back in 2009, six weeks after taking over in Washington, Rizzo, then the interim GM, signed an equally important player to a long-term contract that's now looking like a fantastic deal for the team.

Ryan Zimmerman signed a five-year, $45MM deal two years ago this month and though his reasons for accepting the deal – guaranteed money, an extended stay with an organization he likes – are understandable, the Nationals are set to save $14MM or more in 2012-13, Zimmerman's age 27 and 28 seasons.

If he hadn't signed the exension two years ago, Zimmerman would have hit free agency after the 2011 season as a 27-year-old. He’s now on the disabled list (for just the second time in his career) with a left abdominal strain, but that wouldn’t have stopped teams from bidding on him if he had hit the open market after the season. Zimmerman and Prince Fielder would have been the best free agent position players available other than Albert Pujols. 

A $20MM annual salary on a long-term deal would have been possible for the third baseman and his agents at CAA. Instead, the Nationals will pay Zimmerman $12MM in 2012 and $14MM in 2013. They have always been aggressive with Zimmerman, promoting him to the majors just 85 days and 269 minor league plate appearances after being drafted. It paid off with a sizzling cameo in 2005, a productive rookie season in 2006 and a shrewd contract extension in 2009.

The only players with more wins above replacement than Zimmerman since he became an everyday player in 2006 are perennial All-Stars and, in many cases, Hall of Fame candidates: Pujols, Chase Utley, Matt Holliday, David Wright, Alex Rodriguez, Hanley Ramirez, Miguel Cabrera and Joe Mauer.  Zimmerman, a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner, has a career mark of 13.1 UZR/150 and a .289/.356/.485 batting line, testaments to his well-rounded game.

He said last month that he would like to stay in Washington and is open to extending his stay in D.C. once again. This time, the Nationals might not be able to secure free agent years for south of $20MM, but that doesn't change the fact that his current deal has been a success for them so far and promises to be even better in 2012-13.

Blue Jays Designate David Purcey For Assignment

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The Blue Jays designated David Purcey for assignment, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca (on Twitter). Toronto recalled Casey Janssen and Brad Mills and officially placed Rajai Davis on the disabled list in related moves.

Purcey faced four batters in last night's ugly loss to the Mariners, allowing two hits and a walk. Though Purcey entered the game with the Blue Jays leading 7-1, the Mariners scored five runs in the eighth because of his poor performance and bases loaded walks by Octavio Dotel and Marc Rzepczynski. The Mariners completed the improbable comeback to win 8-7.

In five outings this year, Purcey has an 11.57 ERA with three strikeouts and four walks in 2 1/3 innings. The left-hander was considerably more effective in 2010, when he posted a 3.71 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 34 innings. The 28-year-old went 16th overall in the 2004 draft.

Dodgers Notes: Carroll, Eckstein, Dye

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The Dodgers have only scored 34 runs in their first ten games, but they're 6-4 in the early goings of the 2011 season. Here’s the latest on the club, which just lost its starting shortstop, probably for a month or more…

  • Rafael Furcal’s broken thumb leaves the Dodgers weakened in the middle infield, and they’re preparing to fill the void by playing Jamey Carroll at shortstop and Ivan DeJesus at second base, according to MLBTR's Tim Dierkes (Twitter link).
  • Furcal is not retiring, though he's frustrated by his latest injury.
  • The Dodgers expressed some interest in David Eckstein this offseason, but backed off when they heard he was asking for $2MM, according to Yahoo’s Tim Brown (on Twitter).
  • Recently retired slugger Jermaine Dye tells Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times that the Dodgers showed interest in him this offseason, before they signed Marcus Thames. The Blue Jays and Brewers showed interest after the 2009 season, according to Dye.

Lastings Milledge Clears Waivers

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TUESDAY: Milledge cleared waivers and accepted a Triple-A assignment, tweets Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.

THURSDAY: The White Sox designated Lastings Milledge for assignment to create roster space for Jeff Gray, the team announced (on Twitter). Milledge broke camp with the team after signing a minor league deal and appeared in two games (he went 1/4 with a double), but the White Sox needed relief, particularly after consecutive extra innings contests against the Royals.

Ozzie Guillen's relievers have combined for 11 1/3 innings of work since Tuesday, so Gray gets the call. The former Cubs reliever has a 4.91 ERA with 6.0 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 40 1/3 innings at the Major League level. The White Sox signed him last November, after the Cubs granted him free agency.

Carlos Delgado To Announce Retirement

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Carlos Delgado will announce his retirement tomorrow, tweets Noel Pineiro of El Nuevo Día.

Back in February, Delgado told MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez he did not want to retire, which is why he went through multiple hip surgeries.  He last played in the Majors in May of 2009.

Delgado finishes with a strong .280/.383/.546 line with 473 home runs across 17 seasons with the Blue Jays, Marlins, and Mets.  His OBP ranks 149th all-time, while his slugging percentage ranks 28th.  We know him as a first baseman, though Delgado caught in the minors and played left field early in his big league career. 

He earned almost $150MM in his career, according to Baseball Reference.  Alex Rodriguez has been the highest paid player in baseball since December of 2000, but Delgado is the most recent player besides Rodriguez to have had that distinction.  The David Sloane client signed a four-year, $68MM deal that briefly made him the highest paid player in the game after the 2000 season.

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