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NL East Notes: McCann, Johnson, Manuel

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Tonight's look at the National League East..

  • In the wake of being eliminated from the playoffs, Braves catcher Brian McCann says that he's trying not to think about the possibility of playing elsewhere next year, writes Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.  The Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays, and Rangers should all have varying levels of interest and some say that it's a near guarantee that he's going to wind up leaving Atlanta.  Recently, our own Tim Dierkes profiled the highly-coveted catcher.
  • Juan C. Rodriguez of the Sun Sentinel (Twitter link) says there's no chance of the Marlins bringing Josh Johnson back on a one-year deal, even if he comes cheap after a down season that was ended prematurely by elbow surgery.
  • Charlie Manuel is mulling a return to the Phillies in an advisory position, writes Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Manuel has had a standing offer to rejoin the organization since being fired as manager, but the 69-year-old was hoping to land a desirable managerial gig.

Quick Hits: Ellsbury, Girardi, Schuerholz, Harvey

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ESPN's Jim Bowden offers up a list of players who could boost their values in free agency with strong postseason performances (Insider's subscription required). Jacoby Ellsbury, who checks in at No. 2 on our free agent power rankings, head's up Bowden's list. Most evaluators believe he's a superior player to both B.J. Upton and Michael Bourn, two center fielders who were payed handsomely last winter, Bowden says. Ellsbury's certainly made his case for a big contract so far this postseason: After going two for five last night with an RBI and a run, he already has three hits in three at-bats tonight, doubling in a run and scoring one himself. More Saturday night MLB links, as the Rays attempt to mount a comeback at Fenway…

  • The Yankees made an offer to Joe Girardi that is believed to be in the $4MM-$5MM per-year range, Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News report. The offer would reportedly make Girardi the second-highest paid manager in the game, trailing only Mike Scioscia of the Angels. However, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times says many in the Cubs organization are confident they'll have a chance to pry Girardi, their top managerial candidate, away from the Yankees.
  • Whoever ends up as the Cubs manager will find the task of nurturing young talent in a clubhouse of journeyman-type players a difficult one, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune writes. Many believe the Cubs are in line for another losing season in 2014, as several of their top young prospects aren't expected to arrive until 2015 at the earliest.
  • Shawn Windsor of the Detroit Free Press broke down the Tigers' rotation with the team's pitching coach, Jeff Jones.
  • Longtime Braves executive John Schuerholz discussed his career in an interview with Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com, including his decision to vacate the club's GM job following the 2007 season. "I believed in my heart it was time for someone else, someone more aggressive, more energetic. I always had those things, but I could feel it wasn't the same," Schuerholz said. "I went to my boss, the chairman of the team, Terry McGuirk, and said, 'Here's the keys. I'm done.'" McGuirk later convinced Schuerholz to take the team president job.
  • Matt Harvey's decision to undergo Tommy John surgery was the right one, teammate David Wright tells Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. "I told him numerous times, 'If it was me and I was in the same situation, I would have the surgery,''' Wright said. The Mets captain added that he expects GM Sandy Alderson to boost the club's payroll this offseason.
  • Turnover in the Padres' front office and ownership have hurt the team's chances to contend, Jeff Sanders of U-T San Diego writes. Padres fans have watched the club post losing seasons in five of the past six years even as teams in similarly sized markets, like the Rays and the A's, have consistently assembled winning rosters. However, things appear to be headed in the right direction under President Mike Dee and GM Josh Byrnes. “Right now, as far as having everyone on the same page, it’s as good as it’s ever been," Randy Smith, who oversees the club's player development and international scouting, says.

Tim Hudson To Be 100 Percent By Early November

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Tim Hudson suffered a gruesome ankle injury that required surgery and cut short what was shaping up to be another strong season. The right-hander hasn't thrown a pitch since July 24, but MLBTR has learned that he expects to be 100 percent in early to mid-November. Hudson will look to sign a Major League deal this offseason.

Prior to his injury, Hudson had posted a 3.97 ERA with 6.5 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 and a characteristically strong 55.8 percent ground-ball rate in 131 1/3 innings. He'd particularly picked things up from June 1, as he'd posted a 2.73 ERA over his past 10 starts (69 1/3 innings), lasting at least seven frames in eight of those contests. Advanced metrics like FIP (3.46), xFIP (3.56) and SIERA (3.75) all felt that his ERA could've been a bit lower.

The early recovery date will impact the 2014 free agent market. That teams won't need to wait until after the New Year to gauge his health should make him a candidate for any club looking for short-term upgrades to its rotation. If he doesn't stay with the Braves, Hudson could be an attractive alternative to pitchers like Hiroki Kuroda and A.J. Burnett; all are solid veterans in the late stages of their career, but Hudson would likely come at a reduced rate on an incentive-laden deal due to his injury. He's also less likely to receive a qualifying offer than either Kuroda or Burnett.

Hudson didn't rank on Tim Dierkes' final edition of the 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings, but he figures to find a home on MLBTR's annual Top 50 Free Agents list following the postseason.

Free Agent Profile: Brian McCann

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If you're looking for a power-hitting catcher, there's no better choice than Brian McCann.  McCann has played eight full seasons in the Majors, ranking worse than third in home runs at the position only one time.  He's averaged 21 bombs per year, and he has 20 this year even though his season didn't begin until May.

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Strengths/Pros

McCann is a bona fide middle of the order bat, at a position for which a .246/.311/.390 line qualifies as average.  His career batting line is .277/.350/.474, which is not far from what he's accomplished in 2013.  Along with the big-time power, McCann can also draw a walk, with a career rate of 9.5%.

How many free agents will hit the market coming off a 20 home run campaign?  Assuming club options are picked up on Coco Crisp and Adam Lind, just 11 players including McCann will manage the feat.  Of those 11, only McCann and Robinson Cano play an up-the-middle position, if we don't consider Shin-Soo Choo a center fielder.  Like Cano, McCann provides offense at a position not known for it.

McCann won't turn 30 until February, so he's the youngest prominent free agent bat. 

Defensively, FanGraphs has numbers calculated by The Fielding Bible, as well as Hardball Times contributor Bojan Koprivica, suggesting McCann is about league average at throwing out potential base stealers and preventing them from trying, and he is above average at blocking pitches.  McCann appears to add significant value by virtue of his pitch framing ability.  In May, Ben Lindbergh of Baseball Prospectus wrote, "McCann’s framing skill has saved the Braves almost 125 runs over the past five seasons."  McCann's ability to handle a pitching staff is hard to quantify, but reports are positive.

Weaknesses/Cons

The big concern heading into this season was McCann's shoulder.  He played through shoulder pain in 2012, receiving cortisone shots in August and September.  McCann had surgery in October to repair a torn labrum, and the Braves had enough faith to pick up his $12MM option for 2013 a few days later.  He made his season debut on May 6th and would hit six home runs that month.  McCann's continued health and strong play seems to have quieted concerns about the shoulder, as he garnered his seventh All-Star nod this year.

A left-handed hitter, McCann hasn't done much against southpaws recently.  Since 2012, he's batting .234/.271/.379 against lefties.

McCann has caught over 8,800 regular season innings in his career, and caution is required when throwing big money at a catcher in his 30s.  Former Marlins catcher Charles Johnson rates high on McCann's list of Baseball Reference comparables, and Johnson also caught over 7,000 innings before age 30.  Once he reached 30, Johnson had only 300 games left in the Majors.  Johnson did not have the luxury of the designated hitter, as McCann might, but the offensive bar to be an above average DH or first baseman is higher than at catcher.  McCann's market won't be limited to American League teams, but he'll be a much easier sell if DH is an option in the latter part of the contract.

McCann is likely to receive and turn down a qualifying offer, in which case he will come with the added cost of a first or second round draft pick.

Personal

Brian married his high school sweetheart Ashley, and they reside in Suwanee, Georgia with their son and new baby girl.  Brian is known as a family man.  The family supports the Rally Foundation, which aims to find better treatments of childhood cancer.  Brian's older brother Brad reached Double-A in the Marlins organization, and their father, Howard, coached baseball at Marshall University.  In the clubhouse, Brian is a team leader who is beloved by teammates and fans.  

Market

There is sentiment among baseball executives and agents that McCann will be best served going to the American League, allowing him to spend an increasing number of games at designated hitter as the contract progresses.  On the other hand, free agent signings are about short-term gain, and McCann is a capable backstop at present.  For NL teams, there's always the option of McCann learning first base if catching becomes untenable.  I imagine an NL team would seek a shorter term at a higher average annual value.

The Rangers have tried to acquire McCann via trade in the past, and they're the early speculative favorite.  The Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Tigers, Phillies, and Dodgers also seem like viable options.

What are the odds McCann signs a new deal with his hometown Braves, the only organization he's ever known?  If the slugger tells agent B.B. Abbott to get him the best possible contract, I think he's likely to move on.

In terms of other starting catchers on the free agent market, there's Saltalamacchia, A.J. Pierzynski, Carlos Ruiz, and maybe Dioner Navarro.  That's actually a better selection than in recent years.  As far as power bats in general, there's Cano, Nelson Cruz, Mike Napoli, Marlon Byrd, Raul Ibanez, Hunter Pence, Carlos Beltran, Curtis Granderson, Kendrys Morales, and Choo.

Expected Contract

It's difficult to determine whether McCann will get a fifth guaranteed year.  In recent offseasons, position players B.J. Upton, Josh Hamilton, Jose Reyes, Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols, Adrian Beltre, Jayson Werth, and Carl Crawford managed the feat.  None of those players are catchers, nor is McCann a superstar like some of them were.  A team could plan to move him off catcher at the tail end of the deal, but the wear of nearly 9,000 innings behind the dish has already been exacted on McCann's body, and raises durability questions for the future. 

The Werth contract aside, I think a fair average annual value for a very good player who is not a superstar is around $16-17MM.  Ultimately I expect McCann to sign a five-year, $80MM deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NL East Notes: Braves, Amaro, Choo, Marlins

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The Braves officially clinched the NL East on Sunday, and MLB.com's Mark Bowman lists 10 reasons that they were able to take their first division title since 2005. Bowman credits the play of Freddie Freeman and Andrelton Simmons, among others, but also takes the time to praise some of the under-the-radar moves made by GM Frank Wren this offseason. While the acquisition of both Upton brothers made the headlines (one of which obviously worked out better than the other), Wren also claimed Jordan Schafer and David Carpenter off waivers, inked Ramiro Pena to a small one-year deal, and acquired Jordan Walden for Tommy Hanson just hours before Hanson was to be non-tendered.

Here's more from the NL East…

  • Andy Martino of the New York Daily News asked Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. if the team's $170MM payroll, the presence of Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and numerous veterans under contract would prevent him from making big moves this winter, and Amaro replied with a simple, "Nope." Martino replied by asking if that meant Amaro was going to be his "usual creative self" and explore "crazy possibilities," and received another one-word answer in response: "Yep." Martino runs through some of Amaro's most recent blockbusters, including the Roy Halladay trade as well as two separate Cliff Lee trades and the signing of Lee as a free agent.
  • Shin-Soo Choo has been rumored to be atop the Mets' wishlist this offseason, and ESPN's Mark Simon runs down the pros and cons of the team's reported interest. Choo will likely be linked to draft pick compensation, as the Reds figure to make a qualifying offer, and Simon notes that it's not yet certain if the Mets will have a protected pick. New York, of course, missed out on Michael Bourn last offseason due to their unwillingness to part with a first-rounder.
  • Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said on FM 104.3's Hochman and Zaslow Show that the rumors of his impending dismissal have begun to impact his family (h/t: Craig Davis of the Miami Sun-Sentinel). Beinfest reportedly confronted owner Jeffrey Loria recently asking for a firm answer on his job status.

Free Agent Profile: Paul Maholm

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April seems like ages ago.  Braves lefty Paul Maholm was unscored upon in his first three starts that month to kick off the season, at which point I noted that a 3.90 ERA moving forward would put him at 3.50 overall, and position him for a three-year deal even after declining a qualifying offer.  Maholm, however, posted a 5.16 ERA over his next 22 starts, suppressing optimism for his first big free agent payday.

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Strengths/Pros

At times, Maholm has shown the ability to rack up around 190 innings with an ERA under 4.00.  That has real value, and aside from handedness, Maholm's profile isn't drastically different from that of Scott Feldman.  And if certain teams are focused on southpaw starters this winter, Maholm is right near the top of the free agent list.  

One of Maholm's greatest attributes is his ability to generate groundballs.  His 51.8% groundball rate this year ranks sixth among free agent starters with at least 100 innings.  On a related note, the lefty has been respectable at keeping the ball in the yard, with a 0.81 HR/9 since 2008 and nothing higher than this year's 0.99 in that span.

Maholm has been very good against left-handed hitters, holding them to a .219/.287/.317 line in his career.  His peripherals against them are sparkling: 8.2 K/9, 2.3 BB/9, 0.51 HR/9, and a 3.21 xFIP.

A qualifying offer from the Braves is not expected, so Maholm should not come with draft pick compensation attached.

Weaknesses/Cons

Maholm is a pitch-to-contact type, with a career strikeout rate of 5.7 per nine innings.  He's allowed ten hits or more per nine innings in numerous seasons, including this one.  SIERA suggests an ERA in the low to mid-4.00s is a reasonable expectation.  Perhaps due to the vagaries of batting average on balls in play, Maholm has three seasons with an ERA under 4.00 and two with an ERA over 5.00, out of eight total.  Putting a good defense behind him is key.

Upside is limited with Maholm.  If all goes well, you'll get 190 innings with an ERA a touch under 4.00, but there is some downside on the other end.  Maholm's ERA is up to 4.44 at the moment, but perhaps some of his July struggles can be attributed to trying to pitch through a seemingly minor injury.

Can Maholm be considered an innings guy?  He'll finish with around 152 this year, and had an abbreviated contract year in 2011 as well with 162 1/3.  Other times, Maholm has reached the 180-200 range expected of a starter signed to eat innings, including 189 in 2012.  This year, a left wrist injury suffered on a swing cost him a month, and he also missed one start in September with elbow soreness.  The elbow MRI showed no structural damage, but agent Bo McKinnis will still have to explain that to interested parties this winter.  Back in '11, Maholm's season ended on August 17th due to a shoulder strain, limiting free agent interest.  This year's injuries have been more minor, plus Maholm has the opportunity to finish the regular season on a healthy note on Wednesday against the Brewers.

Personal

Maholm lives with his wife Jessica and son Wyatt in Hattiesburg, Mississippi during the offseason, according to the Braves media guide, and he grew up a Braves fan.  Paul was in the prestigious PGA Golf Management Program at Mississippi State University, the only major that requires a certain golf handicap.

Market

Perhaps Maholm will first explore the idea of remaining with the Braves, who also have Tim Hudson eligible for free agency.  The Braves have the pitchers to fill out a young rotation without either veteran, but with uncertainty around Brandon Beachy's elbow, it would be wise to sign at least one veteran hurler.  Given Hudson's tenure with the Braves, it seems likely they would address his situation first.  The two contracts Maholm has signed have been with Midwest teams, the Pirates and Cubs,  so perhaps he'll turn to the NL Central again if the Braves don't work out.

Expected Contract

After the 2011 season, I considered Maholm the ninth-best free agent starter, and expected him to land a multiyear deal despite his season ending early due to a shoulder strain.  His first free agent experience lasted until January 10th, however, and he received just a one-year, $4.75MM guarantee from the Cubs, with a club option.  A club option is never ideal for the player, and the Braves picked up Maholm's for 2013 after he finished one of his finest seasons.  Even though the 2011 shoulder injury didn't linger for Maholm beyond that season, finishing on the DL really hurts a pitcher's market, and he won't have to deal with that this time.  

While I once thought Maholm was a good bet for three guaranteed years, that seems unlikely now.  As I've mentioned before, the bar for a two-year contract for a starting pitcher is pretty low, with recent examples like Brandon McCarthy, Joe Blanton, Carlos Villanueva, and Kevin Correia.  MLBTR's Steve Adams has pointed out the importance of timing, as the two-year offers tend to dry up come January.  Last offseason, Joe Saunders, Shaun Marcum, and Brett Myers were left standing without a multiyear chair, as Maholm was two winters ago.  Though the top end of the free agent market for starters is weak this offseason, there are plenty of hurlers in Maholm's class, such as Feldman, Jason Vargas, Roberto Hernandez, Phil Hughes, Chris Capuano, Jason Hammel, and Saunders.

While Maholm could reach as high as two years and $14MM, ultimately I think the southpaw will sign a one-year, $7MM deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Quick Hits: Rangers, A’s, Jeter, Nationals, Phillies

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In an attempt to compensate for the looming loss of Nelson Cruz to his 50-game suspension, the Rangers tried to swing a big trade for Justin Upton at the July trade deadline, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. The Braves refused a package of Matt Garza, Joe Nathan and David Murphy. If those are the only three players the Rangers offered, it's not a surprise that the Braves passed — Garza and Murphy are eligible for free agency after the season, while Upton is a good young player who is under contract through 2015. Eventually, of course, the Rangers acquired Alex Rios in August. Here are more notes from around the Majors.

  • The Athletics clinched their second AL West title in a row with an 11-7 win over the Twins on Sunday, and GM Billy Beane says the team's depth has been the key to their smooth season, John Hickey of InsideBayArea.com reports. "We knew going in this was the deepest roster we’d ever had here," says Beane. "We needed that depth, and it paid for itself." As Hickey points out, the Athletics hardly missed a beat all season, even though Brett Anderson, Josh Reddick, John Jaso and Derek Norris all missed significant time. Here are more notes from around the Majors. A quietly brilliant season from Josh Donaldson surely helped, but the A's got solid offensive and defensive performances from most of their hitters, and other than Anderson, their starting rotation mostly stayed healthy.
  • After taking in the ceremony for Mariano Rivera and the applause for Andy Pettitte on Sunday, it dawned on injured Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter that he had played his final game with his two retiring teammates, Andy McCullough of the Star Ledger reports. "I’m going to miss them a lot," says Jeter. "These guys have been brothers to me. We’ve been through quite a bit together. Pretty much everything you can experience on a field. In my whole professional career, I’ve been playing with at least one of them." The three had their rookie seasons together with the 1995 Yankees, and Jeter and Pettitte also played on many of the same minor-league teams, including Class A Greensboro in 1992 and and Triple-A Columbus in 1994 and 1995.
  • Pitcher Dan Haren thinks the Nationals should aim to keep their team together, writes MLB.com's Andrew Simon. "Last year they had a great year and this year we’ve shown a lot of fight here the last few months. I think as close as things could stay to the guys in this room, I think the better," Haren says. He also appears to support bench coach Randy Knorr for the Nationals' managerial position, which will be open when Davey Johnson retires after the season. Haren himself is a free agent, of course, and he seems aware that he might not be part of the 2014 Nationals, even if they ultimately go with a similar roster: "I know there’ll be some subtle changes, me probably being one of them."
  • Now that the Phillies have settled on Ryne Sandberg as their manager, they'll now turn their attention to their coaching staff, MLB.com's Todd Zolecki reports. With a new manager, it's typical to have at least some change in the rest of the coaching staff. Zolecki mentions that one potential change might be re-hiring former manager Larry Bowa in some capacity.
  • A "winter of discontent" is on the way for Phillies fans, writes Bob Ford of the Inquirer. After a recent streak of successful seasons, Ford says, a team elsewhere might "get a standing ovation and then be allowed to attempt its rebuilding with patient if not fervent support. That might be the case here as well, if only the team would get on with the rebuilding." Instead, the Phils will head into the offseason expecting to keep aging veterans Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Cliff Lee. They might also go into 2014 with Carlos Ruiz still at catcher, and perhaps also with Roy Halladay in the rotation. Ford compares the Phillies to a rock band who are still touring long past the point where they've lost relevance, "dyeing their hair and wearing hearing aids."

NL East Notes: Pierre, Polanco, Braves, Nationals

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Marlins outfielder Juan Pierre just passed Joe DiMaggio for the 175th slot on MLB's all-time hit list with his 2,215th base knock, a milestone brought to my attention at least by the Sun Sentinel's Juan C. Rodriguez. Though DiMaggio missed three prime years due to military service, it remains an impressive accomplishment for the speedy Pierre, who will become a free agent at the end of the year. Elsewhere in the National League East …

  • Fellow Marlins veteran Placido Polanco wouldn't commit one way or another when asked by Rodriguez if he would return for a 17th Major League season next year. The thrd baseman, who resides in Miami, did seem to hint that this could be his final season with his answer: "It depends," Polanco said. "It has to be close to home. I have to see what's out there, but the kids, the wife and family is probably ready for me to be home now."
  • Only two players — Tim Hudson and Brian McCann — on the current Braves roster were with the club when it last won a division title, writes David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscription required). Neither veteran is guaranteed to be back with Atlanta in 2014, however, as each is set to hit free agency. McCann declined to talk about his future, instead commenting that he's focused on making a deep playoff run and adding some banners to Turner Field.
  • The Nationals have opted to sign free agents like Edwin Jackson and Dan Haren to one-year deals to fill out their rotation in each of the past two offseasons, but James Wagner of the Washington Post writes that the development of Taylor Jordan and Tanner Roark might not make that a necessity. The development of that pair, plus the continued maturation of arms like A.J. Cole and Sammy Solis, gives the Nats the option to stick with internal options, sign a free agent or make a trade. GM Mike Rizzo wouldn't rule out any of the three.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

NL East Notes: Sandberg, Bowa, McCann, Tejada

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It seems to be a fait accompli that Ryne Sandberg will have his interim tag removed and be named full-time manager of the Phillies sometime in the next week or so, writes Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.  Whether the announcement happens in a matter of days, after the season finale against the Braves on September 29th, or shortly thereafter, the smart money is on Sandberg taking the full-time gig.  Here's more on the Phillies and the latest out of the NL East..

  • More from Salisbury, who wonders if Larry Bowa could be joining Sandberg on his staff for next season.  Bowa was in the Phillies’ dugout before Wednesday’s game and the idea of adding the 67-year-old has been discussed within the organization.
  • Braves catcher Brian McCann may not be back in Atlanta next season, but his focus is on the team's current run as they near the postseason, writes MLB.com's Mark Bowman.  Many have speculated that McCann will find a big payday elsewhere this winter.
  • Mets skipper Terry Collins wants to see Ruben Tejada take control of the shortstop position in 2014.  "My message is real simple: this job is his," Collins said of next year's starting shortstop role. "But he's got to show everybody that he wants it desperately."  Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com recently wrote that the Mets could look out-of-house for their next shortstop and may even consider trading Tejada.
  • Peter Gammons of MLB.com (on Twitter) notes that Ed Lucas, who belted his fourth homer of the year for the Marlins last night, was a Winter Meetings job seeker last season.  The Dartmouth grad spent nine seasons in the minor leagues before getting called up by Miami in late May. 

NL East Notes: Harvey, Collins, Johnson, Valencia

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The plan of action could change later this offseason, but for now, Matt Harvey has decided to try and avoid undergoing Tommy John surgery, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The young Mets ace will try to rehab his right elbow for a month or two and then throw to see if he bounces back well from the partially torn ulnar collateral ligament. Here's more on the Mets and the rest of the NL East…

  • Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog isn't on board with the Mets bringing Terry Collins back for next season and beyond.  The Mets have stopped short of officially saying that Collins will manage the team in 2014, but all indications are that he will be back in the dugout.
  • Look for Elliot Johnson to be back with the Braves in a super-utility role next season, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com within his latest column.  Atlanta is quite pleased with their August waiver claim on the 29-year-old as he has done a capable job of filling in for second baseman Dan Uggla.
  • More from Rosenthal's piece, as he writes that Danny Valencia’s strong play with the Orioles could make him an appealing option for the Marlins, who will be looking for help at third base this winter.  It doesn't hurt that Valencia has strong ties to the area as he was born in Miami, grew up in nearby Boca Raton, and attended the University of Miami.
  • The Phillies are a prime example of how fortunes can change quickly in the game of baseball, writes MLB.com's Paul Hagen.  The Phillies opted to keep their aging core in tact this season despite being bogged down by injuries.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

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