2011 Philadelphia Phillies Season Thread (choking awful pos team, DIAF)

[PhillyPhreak54]

Phillies Could Face Luxury Tax With Deadline Moves
By Mark Polishuk [May 21, 2011 at 8:36pm CST]

Much has been written about the Phillies' need for offense, especially if Chase Utley doesn't return to form when he returns from the disabled list.  While fans expect the Phils to pick up another bat (be they role players or perhaps even a star like Hunter Pence), the club could face a stiff financial penalty with a major addition.

Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com notes that Philadelphia may be forced to pay the Competitive Balance Tax for the first time, which would happen if the Phillies' season-ending payroll (counting bonuses, incentive clauses, etc.) reaches the $178MM plateau.  As it stands, Salisbury calculates the Phillies currently have a $175MM payroll.  Cot's Baseball Contracts has a $165MM payroll figure for the Phils, but Salisbury notes that the $11MM the Phillies received from the Astros in the Roy Oswalt trade doesn't count for luxury tax purposes.

Only four teams have had to pay the luxury tax  -- the Angels (2004), Tigers (2008), Red Sox (2004-07, and last season) and Yankees, who have paid every season since the CBT was instituted in 2003.  Teams are taxed 22.5% for every dollar they spent past $178MM, so the fine isn't a light one.  The Yankees paid $18MM in luxury tax last season for surpassing the 2010 CBT threshold of $170MM.

Philadelphia GM Ruben Amaro said he "doesn't know" if he has payroll flexibility to make a deadline move that would put the Phils in position to pay the CBT.  As Salisbury notes, it will be hard for the Phils to find a taker for such big contracts as Raul Ibanez or Joe Blanton, and while someone like Jimmy Rollins (a free agent after this season) would draw interest, moving Rollins would create another hole in the club's lineup.

If I had to guess, though, I'd say the Phillies have enough already invested in this season as a World Series-or-bust campaign that if they have the chance to acquire a talent like Pence, they'll make that move and worry about the financial consequences in the winter.  Winning a championship would definitely take the sting out of an offseason luxury tax payment.

Hmmm...Hunter Pence looks retarded but is pretty good. I doubt the Astros would deal him though.

[Don Ho]

He is the goofiest looking dude in baseball next to Corey Hart in Milwaukee but I'd take him in a heart beat.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Corey Hart looks like he belonged on the set of Deliverance.

Walk into the clubhouse and you'll probably see him in a wife-beater and trucker hat swilling 'shine talking about his '78 Camaro.

[MDS]

hunter pence is signed through 2014 and probably isnt a logical trade option. why would the astros want to give him up? the catch is hes arbitration eligible the next few years so maybe they are scared of that, but with a new owner coming in i would doubt hed want to give up his best player for whatever long term prospects the phillies have.

carlos lee will certainly be out there but hes fat and he sucks and i dont want him.

wed all better for it if we didnt talk to the lil guy for the rest of the year

before you go into shun mode just make sure you up our bet from 25 to 100. but i mean if you need to wait to see how they hit homer bailey i suppose this is how its gonna be.

[Geowhizzer]

Pence would be practically a dream scenario.  Can't believe it would actually happen, though I also believed that about signing Lee in the offseason.

[Rome]

No chance they get Hunter Pence.

(crosses fingers)

[ice grillin you]

12 wins would be a good benchmark number...whats everone else think they should get?

atl - L
atl - W
atl - L

at fla - W
at fla - L
at fla - W

at atl - W
at atl - L
at atl - L

at stl - L
at stl - L

col - W
col - L

tex - W
tex - W
tex

cinn
cinn
cinn
cinn

currently 7-8
record needed to get to 12 wins = 5-0
record this year against teams .500 or above = 10-10


also...

on pace for 100 wins

[ice grillin you]

before you go into shun mode just make sure you up our bet from 25 to 100. but i mean if you need to wait to see how they hit homer bailey i suppose this is how its gonna be.

ive got a crapload of loot already on the division....lets do world series

i get a 100 bucks if they dont win it
you get 200 bucks if they do

[PhillyPhreak54]

Grit is back from Clearwater and likely to play tomorrow.

[mpmcgraw]

before you go into shun mode just make sure you up our bet from 25 to 100. but i mean if you need to wait to see how they hit homer bailey i suppose this is how its gonna be.

ive got a crapload of loot already on the division....lets do world series

i get a 100 bucks if they dont win it
you get 200 bucks if they do

I love how you always give yourself great odds and then try to make the other person look like a Hoyda if they don't take it, good business strategy. 

[MDS]

before you go into shun mode just make sure you up our bet from 25 to 100. but i mean if you need to wait to see how they hit homer bailey i suppose this is how its gonna be.

ive got a crapload of loot already on the division....lets do world series

i get a 100 bucks if they dont win it
you get 200 bucks if they do

why on earth would anyone take that bet? 2-1 odds on them winning the world series? are you kidding me.

if youre having money troubles just say so.

[Sgt PSN]

He spent his fortune on mouse traps. 

[Geowhizzer]

Contreras going to LV for rehab.

[Sgt PSN]

For a brief moment I was thinking LV stood for Las Vegas, which made me wonder who the hell goes to Vegas for any type of rehab?  Then common sense caught up with me. 

[ice grillin you]

before you go into shun mode just make sure you up our bet from 25 to 100. but i mean if you need to wait to see how they hit homer bailey i suppose this is how its gonna be.

ive got a crapload of loot already on the division....lets do world series

i get a 100 bucks if they dont win it
you get 200 bucks if they do

why on earth would anyone take that bet?

because you are a homer and they sometimes take bets like that...and sometimes they dont....just seeing if i could reel one of you in