For Phillies general manager
Ruben Amaro the 2013
offseason has proven to be a
much different playing
ground compared to prior
years.
After striking out on free
agents at the Winter Meetings
last week Amaro switched
gears and dealth for Minnesota
Twins centerfielder
Ben Revere and Texas
Rangers veteran Michael
Young.
With the team’s escalating
payroll nearing the $178 million
tax penalty threshold,
Amaro has had to pinch pennies
in trying to fill holes at
centerfield, right field, third
base, and in the bullpen. This
is a far cry from previous
years, which saw the team
splurge on veterans like Raul
Ibanez, Roy Halladay, Cliff
Lee and Jonathon Papelbon.
Yet, the Dec. 6 trade for
Twins centerfielder Ben Revere
signaled a new direction
for the club, which acquired a
cost controllable player
through the year 2016. Although,
the price for Revere
was steep as Amaro wa
forced
to deal starter Vance Worley
and Double-A prospect
Trevor May.
According to Dave
Cameron of fangraphs.com,
Amaro essentially robbed
Peter to pay Paul with filling
the team’s centerfield vacancy
by creating a hole in
their rotation. Amaro hadn’t
seemed too concerned at the
time of the trade, wasting to
time to shower praise for Revere
“Ben is an outstanding,
young, controllable center
fielder who fits nicely with
our club,” Amaro said.
With B.J. Upton signing with
Atlanta, Angel Pagan signing
in San Francisco, and with
Michael Bourn’s exorbinate
asking price, the team had to
find an alternative to fill the
gap left by Shane Victorino’s
departure.
Now with the loss of Worley
the team is now in search
of a veteran starter, according
to Phillies beat writer Todd
Zolecki. As of now the
Phillies have yet to been
linked to any free agent
pitchers.
Yet the team was able to
sure up third base for at least
2013
with the acquisition of Young
from the Texas Rangers for
25-year-old reliever Josh
Lindbolm and Double-A
pitching prospects Lisalverto
Bonilla. The Rangers will
cover about half of Young’s
$16 million salary for 2013,
with Young also receiving
$1.2 million in “benefits” in
exchange for waiving his notrade
clause, a source confirmed
to ESPN.
With less than $7 million
spent on two positions Amaro
has possibility found a way
back into the free agent market.
Time will tell if the money
saved from these two deals
will allow Amaro to acquire a
big name free agent the
Phillies fathful has grown accustumed
to.
2013 Phillies payroll commitments
with average annual
value of contracts
Ryan Howard — $25 million
Cliff Lee — $24 million
Cole Hamels — $24 million
Roy Halladay — $20 million
Jonathan Papelbon — $12.5 million
Chase Utley — $12.14 million
Jimmy Rollins — $11 million
Michal Young — $8 million **
Carlos Ruiz — $5 million
Kyle Kendrick — $3.75 million
Laynce Nix — $1.25 million
Antonio Bastardo – $1 million
(arbitration eligible)
Kevin Frandsen — $850,000
John Mayberry Jr. – $600,000 *
Ben Revere – $600,000 *
Phillippe Aumont – $490,000 *
Domonic Brown — $490,000 *
Justin De Fratus – $490,000 *
Freddy Galvis – $490,000 *
Erik Kratz — $490,000 *
Darin Ruf — $490,000 *
Michael Stutes – $490,000 *
Total: 22 players, $153.12 million
*Projections based on league
minimum for 2013
**Projections based on Texas
covering $8 million of contract
(Source: csnphilly.com)