2012 - Philadelphia Phillies, At Least Cole is Staying

[Rome]

Phifer needs to shift his thinking.  You have to throw a ball once in a while.   He's just too locked in to throwing strike after strike.   Mix it up a little.

I'm not saying it would work miracles but he's not done by any stretch of the imagination.  Saying he is is just retarded.

[SunMo]

no one is saying he's done, only that he would be the best contract to trade

[Rome]

Pretty sure it would be the only one.  No one wants Howard's deal and Roy's is almost as bad.

[MDS]

Hes getting toward being done...certainly still good, but considering the years and money left on his deal and the massive holes in the of, 3b and pen, you gotta do it

[Rome]

And if you read this thread it sure seems like certain people are suggesting it.

[SunMo]

i suggested you are done...everyone agreed

[ice grillin you]

hes absolutely not done but hes headed there sooner rather than later...which is why he should be moved....and for the record halladay is in the same spot...actually this was noted before the season started by some one around here


but as sunny mentioned halladays contract is more friendly

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Pretty sure it would be the only one.  No one wants Howard's deal and Roy's is almost as bad.

Roy's deal is WAY friendlier than Lee's or Howard's, and it's not even close.

[SunMo]

yeah roy's deal is done next year assuming he doesn't hit the vesting option which i think is in jeopardy with the time on the DL he had this year

[Rome]

i suggested you are done...everyone agreed

You're right about that.

[SunMo]

grits mcgoo is having a great game today

[Rome]

Pretty sure it would be the only one.  No one wants Howard's deal and Roy's is almost as bad.

Roy's deal is WAY friendlier than Lee's or Howard's, and it's not even close.

Do you think any team would take Roy's contract right now considering what he's looked like this year?   I'm just curious.  I'm actually very concerned with him now because he hasn't looked close to alright all year whereas Cliff has been just been ridiculously unlucky most of the time. 

[ice grillin you]

whereas Cliff has been just been ridiculously unlucky most of the time.

not really.....he hasnt been horrendous but lets not act like he has a 2.05 era and we should all be like poor cliffy what terrible luck....

the guy has given up more hits than innings pitched

[Munson]

He's around the plate like he usually is, it's not like his skills have diminished.

The curve ball that went out of the park last night was in a good location, low...batter just went down and got it

[ice grillin you]

stark...

But even though the Phillies had ripped off seven wins in their last 10 games heading into their Wednesday afternoon date with Milwaukee, they're still a good bet to trade away someone like Shane Victorino. And here's the reason:

$$$$$$$.

Sources within the industry say the Phillies were already over the $178 million luxury-tax threshold for this season before this week. So the Hamels contract, which will be calculated at $24 million per year for luxury-tax purposes (no matter how it's backloaded), means the Phillies now have no choice but to unload money.

If they pick up Carlos Ruiz's $5 million option and hang on to Hunter Pence, Hamels' deal locks them into over $150 million in commitments to just 11 players next year. So they are looking at paying a 17.5 percent tax rate this year and 30 percent next year -- unless they can dip beneath the threshold in one of those years.

"My guess is that they'll look to move some guys this year so they'd only have to pay the lower rate next year," said one industry source familiar with their payroll challenges, "because it may be impossible now for them to get under the threshold next year."

So that means they're still likely to shop Victorino, who has about $3.5 million in salary coming for this year, and Joe Blanton, who has slightly over $3 million left and appears to have stirred a little interest with five quality starts in his last seven starts.

Then there's Pence. Other clubs say the Phillies continue to listen on Pence. But they're unlikely to move him unless they get multiple young, big league-ready players back who can fill potential holes at third base, the outfield and the bullpen who would enable them to contend next year and beyond. And good luck on that.