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Cole Hamels

Eight Phillies Eligible For Arbitration

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David Murphy notes the Phillies’ large group of arbitration-eligible players: Cole Hamels, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino, Ryan Madson, Joe Blanton, Chad Durbin, and Greg Dobbs.  Scott Lauber suggests their combined salaries could double in 2009 – from $19MM to $38MM.

Murphy says there’s not much of a precedent for Hamels, who will easily top Chien Ming Wang’s $4MM from last year.  Ryan Howard also stands to tack millions on to last year’s $10MM award.  Negotiations for a long-term deal are not active for either player, but the Phils will probably at least discuss it with Hamels’ agent.  Between these two players, the Phillies may add $10MM to the payroll.  Most of the others will also receive raises exceeding $1MM.

Phillies’ Offseason Agenda

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12:47pm: Scott Lauber has the latest from the Amaro press conference. 

  • Manny Ramirez seems unlikely as a left field solution.  Execs surveyed by Jerry Crasnick felt the same.
  • Burrell switched to a Philly-based agent, and talks will begin soon with the Phillies.
  • Pat Gillick will remain with the Phillies as a paid consultant.

11:13am: The Phillies locked up Ruben Amaro Jr. as their GM through 2011.  Items on his to-do list:

  • Left fielder Pat Burrell could be back if he accepts a two-year deal.  Otherwise, the Phils will kick the tires on Manny Ramirez, Matt Holliday, and Magglio Ordonez.  Jim Salisbury also notes that the Phillies have long liked Rocco Baldelli.  They’ve also been linked to Garrett Atkins.
  • Cole Hamels and Ryan Howard are in for large raises through arbitration; Amaro may attempt to sign them long-term.
  • Salisbury sees free agent lefties Jamie Moyer and Scott Eyre re-signing.  Scott Lauber suggests the Phils don’t want to go beyond one year for Moyer, though.
  • The team had a $104MM payroll in ’08, and that is expected to increase.
  • The Phillies (along with the Tigers and Nationals) have interest in free agent utility man Pete Orr.

Phillies Payroll Situation

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We’ll get into this more when we do an offseason outlook for the Phillies in a few weeks.  But Jim Salisbury’s column on the team’s ’09 payroll commitments deserves an early look.

Salisbury computes that the Phillies will have over $100MM committed just to retain current under-contract and arb-eligible players.  Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, and others will receive large raises. 

Jamie Moyer and Pat Burrell are free agents.  Moyer seems likely to re-sign for $8-10MM, but Burrell is a question mark.  The Phillies don’t like the idea of giving Burrell a third year, which he could easily find on the open market.

Burrell may leave, but Salisbury doesn’t see the Phillies bringing in Manny Ramirez, Matt Holliday, Raul Ibanez, or Milton Bradley to replace him for various reasons.  Magglio Ordonez might be available, but he’s basically under contract for three years at $48MM.  And the Phils would have to send useful players to Detroit.  More affordable options the Phillies can consider include Casey Blake and Juan Rivera.

Salisbury also says the Phillies need to add a setup man this winter.  With Brian Fuentes intent on closing, they’ll need to dig through a lesser tier of free agent relievers.

Odds and Ends: Kazmir, Thomas, Sweeney

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We’ll kick it off with a few links today and add more bullets periodically.

Stark’s Latest: Young Players, Giles, DeJesus

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Jayson Stark’s latest Rumblings and Grumblings column is chock full of information.

  • Stark rattles off Dan Uggla, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, B.J. Upton, Justin Upton, Russell Martin, Zack Greinke, Prince Fielder, Felix Hernandez, Jeff Francoeur, Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, and Dustin Pedroia as youngsters who do not have long-term deals in the works.  With Uggla and Greinke, the opposition seems more on the team’s side.  With Hamels and Howard neither side wants a long-term deal.  With the rest, the player is resisting.
  • The Padres’ top trading chip is probably Brian Giles, though a deal would further deplete a weak offense.
  • The A’s are willing to deal, with pitching considered the surplus.  Billy Beane might be able to snag one good prospect for Rich Harden.
  • There’s some doubt as to whether the Rockies will make Matt Holliday this year’s Mark Teixeira as we approach the deadline.
  • Teams other than the Royals are speculating that center fielder David DeJesus might be available.
  • The Marlins and Hanley Ramirez battled over a no-trade clause…and the Fish won.  He has none.

Phils Not Ready To Talk Extension With Hamels

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Phillies GM Pat Gillick isn’t talking about a contract extension with ace pitcher Cole Hamels at present.  It seems that he first wants to see more healthy work from Hamels; Gillick expects to talk to him "at some point."  Things could change, as this is Gillick’s last season as the team’s GM.

Hamels called the Phillies’ $500K renewal a "low blow" back in March.  Jayson Stark noted in April that Hamels’ agent, John Boggs, isn’t one to hand out club options for free agent years.

Hamels won’t be arbitration-eligible until the 2010 season.  Scott Kazmir may have raised the bar for the three arb years of a young ace.  Typically those three years were going for $13.75MM, but Kazmir will earn almost $18MM.

Stark’s Latest: Stanton, Hamels

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ESPN’s Jayson Stark has a new Rumblings and Grumblings column up.

  • The Rays may have a pitching surplus when Scott Kazmir and Matt Garza return in May.  Teams will probably be eyeing Edwin Jackson, Jason Hammel, and Andy Sonnanstine – not that the Rays are anxious to give them up.  Jackson seems least likely to go.  If I had to pick a team deficiency perhaps it would be their middle infielders.
  • The Phillies have "mild interest" in Mike Stanton, who would like to play for them.  The Phils already inked Steve Kline to a minor league deal though.
  • The Braves are looking for relief help, as you might expect.  Here’s my available relievers list from April 7th; one addition might be Derrick Turnbow. 
  • Stark sees little chance of the Phillies signing Cole Hamels to an extension.  He notes that Hamels’ agent has demonstrated an aversion to club options for free agent years.  If the Phils just want to buy out the three arbitration years, the going rate is $13.75MM for young starters.
  • For the first time this year, top-rated amateur players will be tested for drugs prior to the draft.  It will be nice to nip the problem in the bud with some guys. 

Odds and Ends: Rivera, Hamels, Sherrill

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Here’s today’s gathering of links.

  • John Shea examines the Giants’ roster crunch, which would be greatly relieved by trading Dave Roberts and Steve Kline.
  • Adam Rubin implies that the Angels want too much from the Mets for Juan Rivera – Jon Niese or Bobby Parnell.  A deal seems unlikely.
  • Cole Hamels, accused by a heckler of being a cross between Casey Fossum and Shawn Camp.  BURNED!
  • Buster Olney is hearing from other teams that the Orioles may shop 30 year-old newly anointed closer George Sherrill this summer.
  • Joe Christensen believes that we’ll learn about Joe Nathan’s future with the Twins by week’s end.
  • Brock For Broglio posted an interesting interview with Voros McCracken.  This quote from McCracken caught my eye: "One of the things that kind of bugged me with the Red Sox was a somewhat implied expectation that I’d come up with something like DIPS on a regular basis."

Odds and Ends: Thames, Sosa, Inge, Crisp

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Here’s today’s link roundup.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Papelbon, Fielder, Hamels

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Last year, in his final year prior to arbitration eligibility, Ryan Howard was renewed for $900K. This was about twice what the Phillies were required to pay Howard, but significantly less than the reigning MVP thought he deserved. Of course, this year that number has been used as a measuring stick by several young stars that have yet to reach arbitration and are subject to automatic renewals from their clubs. It seems that this year, more than years past, players are voicing their displeasure about the automatic renewals. Prince Fielder is displeased at being renewed for $670K, or about 50% more than what the Brewers were required to pay.  Jonathan Papelbon has stated that he wants the same $900K that the Phillies gave Howard, and said he would not agree to anything less.  Cole Hamels called the $500K that the Phillies gave him a "low blow" compared to the $750K he was asking for. At the other end of the spectrum is B.J. Upton, who was automatically renewed at $10K less than what he made in 2007, despite hitting .300-24-82 with 22 steals last year. Upton made it clear that it was a "non-issue" and it will not impact future negotiations. The stances made by these players has many fans up in arms on both sides of the issue. Lets take a look at what is being written in the blogospere.

If there is a topic you would like to see covered in "Baseball Blogs Weigh In" please let me know HERE.

  • Red Sox News understands why Papelbon is frustrated but notes there is no real incentive for the Red Sox to give him a long-term deal at this point noting that Papelbon is only one year removed from a season-ending shoulder ailment.
  • Sox and Pinstripes urges the Red Sox to follow the lead of the Rockies and sign Papelbon to a long-term contract.
  • Matt Watson of AOL Fanhouse notes that Papelbon may actually be costing himself money down the road if the Red Sox, one of the richest teams in baseball, decide not to give him a long-term deal and let him bolt when he becomes a free agent.
  • Beer Leaguer is irked by the recent comments of Hamels, but is not surprised as this seems to be par for the course with the young pitcher. They wonder if being a member of the Phillies is important to Hamels.
  • The 700 Level notes in the case of Hamels that it is easy for the fans to side with the players in these situations when it is not their money and they are worried about losing talent down the road, but feels this is the status quo in baseball.
  • Bugs & Cranks feels the extra $250K for Hamels would have been a small price to pay just to keep this story out of the papers.
  • Brewers Bar is worried that Fielder is just the latest puppet for Scott Boras but also thinks the Brewers could have avoided future headaches by giving Fielder the same deal ($900K) that Howard received last year.
  • The Brewer Nation wonders if Fielder should really be upset over being renewed automoatically.
  • Baseball Musings warns the Brewers that upsetting Fielder could end up the same way Barry Bonds did in Pittsburgh.
  • Swing And A Miss feels that this increase in recent bitterness towards automatic renewals is less about money and more about players feeling they deserve "respect."

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.

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