Phillies Bunts: You buyin or sellin?

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

You buyin or sellin?

It’s pretty pathetic when the highlight of your season so far is watching Chad Qualls fall on his ass trying to make a pickoff throw to first. Sad but true. A lot of people have been saying “don’t panic” “it’ll be ok” “Utley and Howard are coming back.” Fuck it, I’m panicking. I know the Phillies were 7 back with 17 to play and still won the division in 2007. But realize this: They had to pass ONE team. Right now they’re 9.5 back and they have to pass the whole fucking division.

But there’s two Wild Cards this year, right? Still 5.5 back and have to pass SEVEN teams. Amaro said they aren’t going to rush to do something either way, which is somewhat understandable. But at some point a decision has to be made. Are the Phillies going to be buyers or sellers? The Phillies haven’t been sellers since they unloaded Bobby Hustle in 2006. In each season since, they have added to their roster before the trade deadline. Some major deals like for Pence and Lee and some minor deals like Blanton and Lohse. If we are to believe RAJ and the Phillies aren’t going over the Luxury Tax, the Phillies can’t make much of a blockbuster move. They can only take on roughly 4 million in salary. So how much can you bolster this team that needs fielding, bullpen and offensive help?

With the additional WC spot, teams probably will wait longer to make moves, holding hope they can make a playoff run. This means help for the Phillies is further away except for injured players returning to the club. And ultimately, in my opinion, the Phillies will be sellers rather than buyers. They have loads of tradable pieces with expiring contracts: Polly, Blanton, Victorino, even Pence who will be arbitration eligible for the final time, and of course, the mother load, Cole Hamels.

I have said time and time again that if Cole wasn’t signed before the team headed north from Clearwater, he was gone. Can the team take a chance that they don’t trade him and get the king’s ransom he will garner and not make the playoffs and he walks? It would be disastrous. Cole has said time and time again he wants to win. This team seems like its trying to force him out of town.

Best case scenario is Amaro sits down with Cole makes his best and final offer, not after the season, not next month, NOW! If Cole rejects it, he’s gotta go. But Amaro should still be up front with Cole and tell him even if they trade him; they still like to see him in a Phillies uniform next year.