Tag Archives: MLB

Hamels Signs Six-Year $144 Million Deal

25 Jul

Multiple sources have confirmed that the Phillies will announce that Cole Hamels has agreed in principal to a six-year, $144 million dollar deal.  A deal that will make Hamels the richest player in team history.

Hamels’ deal includes an option for a seventh year,according to MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes. It’s a club option at $20MM or a vesting option at $24MM. The option vests if three conditions are met: Hamels is not on the disabled list with a left shoulder or elbow injury at the end of the 2018 season, and he pitches 200 innings in 2018, and he pitches 400 innings in 2017-2018 combined.

Hamels’ extension will be the second-largest contract ever for a pitcher, trailing only C.C. Sabathia‘s seven-year, $161MM agreement with the Yankees. Hamels obtains the largest extension for any pitcher in history, surpassing Johan Santana‘s $137.5MM deal with the Mets. Hamels obtains the same AAV as teammate Cliff Lee, who signed a five-year, $120MM contract with Philadelphia two offseason ago.

If the club exercises its option, Hamels will earn $158MM over seven years. If the option vests, he’ll earn $162MM over seven years ($1MM more than Sabathia).

This deal keeps Hamels under Phillies control until he’s 34.

In total, the Phillies are committed to $133 million in 2013 payroll for only nine players. That does not include a $5 million team option for catcher Carlos Ruiz which will surely be exercised, and a possible $15 million payment through arbitration for outfielder Hunter Pence.

You have to give it to the Phillies, they have done some crazy things in years past, but their commitment to their fans, and winning are really something special.

Sorry Texas, Hamels is a Phillie.

The Phillies will announce the deal today, during a Noon press conference.

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Vic Feeling Better

24 Jul

Let’s hope he is.

Last night in the first inning Shane Victorino took a Randy Wolf pitch to the elbow, and was called out after umpire Brian O’Nora blinked and blew the call, saying that Shane offered at the pitch.

Victorino left the game with numbness in his arm, but after Monday’s game Shane said that he was feeling better.

I sure hope that’s true.

If the Phillies find a way to make a run, Victorino is going to be very important to the cause.  At the same time, if things fall apart in the next few days, Victorino does have some value, and the Phillies won’t be able to trade him if he’s hurt.

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Another Walk Off!

24 Jul

A little bit of timely hitting can go a long way.  Just ask a team like the Phillies, that hadn’t had 9th inning comeback all year.

That is, until last night when they tagged Francisco Rodriguez for four runs in the bottom of the 9th.  K-Rod had no control, and the Phillies took advantage.

They had previously been 0-42 in those situations.

Ryan Howard had a big night at the plate, going with a homer, double, and a 2-run single. Chase Utley reached base four times and scored two runs. He and Howard had back-to-back homers in the first inning.

Roy Halladay wasn’t exactly the Halladay that we’ve grown accustomed to over the last few seasons, but he thinks he’s on the right track, and insists that he feels healthy.

“I understand I haven’t had a lot of time back on the mound,” Halladay said. “But I expect more. I feel like I should be getting better results. I expect to be better than that.  As good as I feel, I believe I can compete,” he said. “Sure, there’s some rust. But ultimately, I feel I can compete.”
What does it all mean?
I’m not really sure.  Probably nothing, but if anything is going to change the Phillies fortunes, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay need to get hot.  Scorching hot  But until this team is mathematically eliminated, expect them to keep trying.
Cliff Lee takes to the mound Tuesday night as the Phillies try for a third straight win. He faces another former American League Cy Young winner in Zack Greinke.

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Joey B Makes it Three

17 Jul

Wins-in-a-row that is.

Its the first time they’ve done that since May 26th.

The Phillies got a great great pitching performance from Joe Blanton on Monday night against the Dodgers.  Blanton went 8 innings, surrendering two runs, on eight hits with zero walks.  Not allowing a walk is huge for a starter like Joe that pitches to contact like Joe, but what might be an even bigger statistical accomplishment for Joe tonight was that he didn’t allow a home run.  Blanton has allowed a homer in each outing he’s had dating all the way back to May 8th.

Joe threw 110 pitches, 80 for strikes.

Blanton finished his in style retiring Jerry Hairston, Mark Ellis, and Matt Kemp in order.

Jimmy Rollins, and Ryan Howard both homerd in the win.  For Howard it was his first home run of 2012. Shane Victorino went 3-4 with a triple.  It was his third triple in as many days.

Maybe all this trade talk is making a difference.

You never know what the Phillies may do. They’re starting to gel a little bit, but they’re still making those periodic bone-headed errors.  The Nationals lost tonight, and the Phillies are playing a team that’s just not all together there right now.  The errors that the Dodgers committed in the game were pretty bad.

Roy Halladay makes his long awaited return to the mound on Tuesday.  No starter has been announced for the Dodgers.

Boy these late games are annoying… Especially when you have to listen to Chris Wheeler.

They’re much better after a win like this.

Sleep tight.

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Must See: Catch

16 Jul

Unbelievable catch by Phillies prospect Jiwan James.

This may be the catch of the year.

While you watch, notice that Jiwan lost his glove and managed to transfer the ball to his other hand while in the air.

Craziness.

James is currently batting .253 with 6 HR, and 26 RBI with the Reading Phillies.

Oh… He’s on Twitter, too. I must warn you though, he’s really into LeBron James which lead me to unfollow him during the NBA Finals.

I made him a shirt to commemorate.

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Hamels on Trade Possibilities

16 Jul

Cole Hamels spoke candidly about trade implications following a stellar performance in Denver on Sunday.

“I’m not thinking about it,” Hamels said after beating the Rockies 5-1 on Sunday. “I get to control my own destiny. That’s the least of my worries. If I stay healthy and I’m able to pitch, I know I’ll be able to do well and I’ll do it for a really long time, and everything else will eventually fall into place.”

Hamels should feel confident.  His 11-4 record and 3.07 ERA is one of the few good things about the Phillies 2012 season.

“Ever since you get drafted, when you’re that kind of top prospect and you have that sort of profile put on you, you learn to play with the attention and the positives and negatives that come with it,” Hamels explained. “You just go out and play. I’ve had quite a few years of learning how to do that.”

The Phillies have two weeks to figure it all out, but the decision may have already been made.

The Angels, Dodgers, Rangers, Pirates, Tigers, Marlins, and Giants were reportedly among the teams with scouts in attendance for Cole Hamels’ start against the Rockies Sunday.

Sheesh.

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Latest: Cole Hamels Talks and Trade Rumors

15 Jul

Photo: US Presswire

Here’s the latest chatter on Cole Hamels from around the web:

According to multiple reports the Angels, Dodgers, and Rangers had scouts in attendance to watch Cole Hamels’ start against the Rockies this afternoon.  The lefty didn’t disappoint, dealing eight innings of one-run ball at Coors Field.

Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com tweeted that The Rangers sent Don Welke, the senior special assistant to GM Jon Daniels, to Denver to watch Hamels pitch, and he hinted that Texas wants Hamels bad. Salisbury says that a source told him The Phillies are still “trying like heck” to sign the left-hander.

I hope he’s right.

The Phillies’ offer to Hamels is “expected to be in the ballpark that they know the left-hander will want, this close to free agency,” tweets ESPN’s Buster Olney.

Brian Coulter from PhilaPhans  tweeted ”My only guess on the offer to Hamels: 6 years for $150 Million. 7th year is a vesting option at $30M. Buyout at $15M. Final total: 6/$165M.” 

I think he’s pretty spot on.

Here’s the rest of the chatter courtesy of MLBTraderumors.com -

  • The Dodgers and Phillies have had discussions about Hamels, but the Phillies aren’t thrilled with the players they would receive in return, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com. The Dodgers could become more aggressive in their pursuit with news that Chad Billingsley is suffering from elbow issues.
  • The Phillies have a scout attending the Angels-Yankees game fueling speculation the Halos could be in on Hamels, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Heyman lists 10 teams that could be interested in Hamels, as well as the Brewers‘ Zack Greinke.
  • In the same piece, Heyman quotes one official who says there’s a 30% chance the Phillies sign Hamels to a long-term extension.
  • Outside executives believe the Phillies will work feverishly to extend Hamels rather than trade him, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman provides three reasons for such a theory, including that it’s harder than ever to land a commensurate package for a star in his walk year given the rule changes in the new collective bargaining agreement.

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Phils Shopping Shane

14 Jul

According to a report from ESPN’s Buster Olney the Phillies are indeed shopping outfileder Shane Victorino.

Rival teams are saing that the Phillies‘ asking price for Shane Victorino is sky high right now.  Last week, people familiar with the club’s thinking told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that whether he is dealt before the deadline or plays out the year in Philadelphia, he doesn’t appear to be long for the organization.  Victorino was looking for a 5-year deal at the beginning of the season, and the Phillies most certainly won’t go there.

Victorino has looked lost at the plate, and a change of scenery might just be what he needs to turn it around.

Shane is said to be a fit for many teams including the Indians, Pirates, and maybe the Yankees, but it’s not clear if anyone would give them value equal to the draft pick they would receive as compensation, tweets Olney.

One other fit for Victorino could be the Reds.  They’re currently looking for a lead-off hitter, but their outfield is pretty full with Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs, and Ryan Ludwick.

Last night’s loss wis the Phillies 11th, in 12 games.  If the Phillies are going to turn things around, they need to start doing it yesterday.

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Dude Pleads Guilty

13 Jul

From the Associated Press-

LOS ANGELES — Former Phillies outfielder Lenny Dykstra has pleaded guilty to three counts stemming from a bankruptcy fraud case in Los Angeles.

Dykstra entered his plea Friday in federal court to one count each of bankruptcy fraud, concealment of assets and money laundering. He faces up to 20 years in prison when he’s sentenced Dec. 3.

Prosecutors said that after filing for bankruptcy, Dykstra hid, sold or destroyed more than $400,000 worth of items without permission of a bankruptcy trustee.

Dykstra is currently serving a three-year prison sentence after pleading no contest to grand theft auto and providing a false financial statement. He also was sentenced this year to nine months in jail after pleading no contest to charges he exposed himself to women he met on Craigslist.

The 49-year-old spent his final eight major-league seasons with the Phillies (1989-1996). He enjoyed the best season of his career in 1993, when he hit 19 home runs and led the Phillies to the World Series, where they lost to the Toronto Blue Jays.

The “Dude” is a loser.  No bones about it.

 

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O you Bastard

7 Jul

Antonio Bastardo did a pretty nice job blowing up Kyle Kendrick’s great pitching performance, and the return of Ryan Howard.

However, you have to question why he was even out there.

Charlie Manual must have gotten some false sense of security from Bastardo’s performance the night before in New York.  I get the lefty vs. lefty thing, but in this case Charlie just out-managed himself.  With a bullpen as bad as the one that we have, sometimes you have to ride a hot hand, and when your pitcher is at 89 pitches, and he’s pitching a shutout… You let him go.

Kyle Kendrick had thrown 7 great innings, possibly the best 7 innings of his career. He threw seven shutout innings, allowed four hits, one walk and struck out five. Kendrick was yanked for Bastardo after 89 pitches with the game knotted at nil.

“My fastball is my best weapon,” Bastardo said, post-game. “I’m not commanding it.”

One would have seen that if he had been watching Bastardo’s warm-up.  He was all over the place.

Bastardo faced seven batters and gave up five singles, three walks and a big homer.  This just one night after Jonathan Papelbon was rocked by the Mets.

Though the offense never scored, this game was lost by Charlie Manual and the bullpen.

Welcome back Ryan Howard, in case you missed it, we stink.  The Phillies are 1-8 since Chase Utley’s return. They’re 0-1 with Ryan Howard


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