Free Agents Hit the Market

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Several Phillies minor leaguers are now open for the “bidding”, as they have been declared free agents.  The list goes like this: Pitchers: Scott Elarton, Matt Wright, Pat Misch, Drew Naylor, Tom Cochran, David Purcey, INF Jake Fox, C John Suomi, 2B Harold Garcia, INF Tug Hulett, SS Miguel Abreu, OF Kyle Hoppy, Kyle Hudson, D’Arby Myers, Brandon Tripp, Mike SPidale, INF Jake Opitz.

The top three names I would most like to see back: Cochran, Garcia, Myers.

54 thoughts on “Free Agents Hit the Market”

  1. I’m surprised Harold Garcia is on the list but this tells me that he’s not the same player. He was playing 3B in the winter league the last time I checked so I’m wondering if he just isn’t the same player he was. its a shame because I thought he had a chance to contribute. DArby surprised me also but I only thought he would be a 4th or 5th OF if he came back again so maybe its time to release him. The others don’t surprise me.

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  3. Phillies also have resigned Derrick Mitchell (OF), TIm Kennelly (RHP), Steve Lerud (C) and Pete Orr (INF)

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  5. I believe shortstop Brandon Wood (Angels frmr #1) became a free-agent. Could make for an interesting minor league signing

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  6. I like the 4 signees. Seems like good guys.
    Mitchell still shows some talent, Kennelly continues the pitching experiment, Lerud is vet filler,and
    Orr retains his usefullness as an emergency utility guy. Please no Martinez!

    Garcia seemed worth giving another shot at 2B or 3B in AA or AAA but I am fine if Philles can find a better veteran to put there.

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  7. I noticed that the Venezuelan league goes on until the end of the year. Do the Phillies intend to keep Ruf, Galvis, and others down there that long? You would think these young players would need a decent break before spring training begins.

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    1. Ruf is coming home for Thanksgiving from what was mentioned earlier in the week. Galvis I don’t know.

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      1. Galvis doesn’t need a break – he already got that. The man needs at bats and he needs to continue to get stronger without the aid of chemical enhancements. In all seriousness, my thinking on Galvis has continued to evolve. Not only do I think he’s likely to become a starter in the near future, he might even have some star potential and doggone it, the man is entertaining to watch. Fortunately for me, I am convinced that Amaro and Manuel are as bullish on Galvis as I am – he’s going to get a lot of playing time next year and I think they will bend over backwards not to trade him.

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        1. I am not as bullish on Galvis as you are but I agree that his defense alone makes him playable and the fact that the bat looks like there some life in it could make him a really good player going forward.

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          1. Not to go all devil’s advocate on you here Matt, but what about a .226/.254/.363 line (64 OPS+) in 200 major league plate appearances indicates a bat that is coming to life?

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            1. No saying that was good at all. He had a terrible March/April, his May splits though were .255/.283/.422 91 OPS+ which is still bad but improving, he is only 22 (turns 23 in a week), he has hit well in winter ball (not saying he will carry over those numbers but he is starting to square balls up more). I am also reading into his 2010->2011 improvement at the plate. By coming to life I mean that he could peak at a 2 offensiveWAR or so. A year and a half ago we thought he wouldn’t hit at all, I see a guy who could hit enough to provide some value. He did have a BABIP was .253 with a line drive rate of 18% so he could regress up. His walk rate is still really low compared to his K%, so that isn’t in his favor.

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            2. Yeah, but Freddy Galvis is an elite fielder. If he hits at 2 WAR (quite possible in a few years) and he fields at a 2.5-3 WAR (this appears likely), you are looking at 4-5 WAR player, a borderline star and a very good regular. Even if he is a say, .5 offensive WAR player, he’s a decent starter.

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            3. Fair enough. I am just aware of so few examples of players who ever had the “great fielder, but will he hit?” label actually become somewhat competent hitters. Hopefully Galvis will buck the trend.

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            4. One old time Philly I remember had that label…Larry Bowa. Unfortunately his second-base partner, Denny Doyle, didn’t buck the trend.

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            5. It happens all the time and most frequently with middle infielders and catchers.

              Nobody throught that Ozzie Smith or Omar Vizquel would hit, but they did. Similarly, Dave Concepcion came up as an all-glove, no hit shortstop and, at one one point, he was the Reds clean up hitters (yes, that says more about that Reds team than Concepcion, but even still . . . .).

              I think the reason you see a lot of these guys come on is that they really do have very good hand-eye coordination, but they lack strength when they are younger. That’s Freddy Galvis in a nutshell.

              I think Galvis is going to hit enough to at least develop into a starter. The real question for me is whether he will get on base enough to develop beyond that point. Frankly, I have no idea.

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            6. Those players are fine examples, albeit a bit dated. My problem with that is it took them all many years to get to the point where they were acceptable hitters. For instance, Concepcion it took four seasons (age 25), Vizquel 8 seasons (age 29), Ozzie Smith 5 seasons (age 27), and Larry Bowa…well lets not go there because he isn’t nearly as good as he is remembered. I’m worried about 2013. The offense was terrible this year and will be again next year if Galvis is a regular.

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            7. I hear you, but, first, I think Galvis is going to be a better offensive player than some of those guys and, second, those guys were such good fielders that they were (and deserved to be) starters before they hit their offensive peaks. Galvis need not be an above average, or even average, hitter to justify him assuming a starting role. As a .5 offensive WAR (well below average, slight above a AAA player), Galvis’s value as a fielder should be more than enough to justify him assuming a starting role. Still, your concerns about the team’s offense are valid – they are going to have to bolster the offense in other ways. In any event, it’s a moot point this year – Galvis won’t be an every day starter this year absent an injury to another fielder or an extraordinary improvement in Galvis’s offense (that actually could happen, but is still unlikely).

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  9. Also Josh Bell the former Orioles 3B top prospect is a minor league free agent, i think he would be worth a shot

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      1. Bell’s AAA stats come from Reno. His .311 batting average was actually sixth on the team. So I take that with a bit of salt. Bell’s plate discipline has been beyond awful in the majors, and it looks like he may not stick at third base, With Asche coming up, it’s probably not worth the trouble.

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      1. Never. Anthony Hewitt will be a superstar in red pinstripes…

        But seriously, we’re lucky to have this site.

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    2. They like that Morillo’s arm. He hasn’t produced results yet though and that staff will be pretty full so I’m a little surprised. MM and Blanco are simply depth at this point. Hanzawa is better defensively than both of them and I assume he’ll be given a chance to start at LHV.

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      1. Apparently, Morillo throws about 100 MPH. That will earn you a lot of second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth chances in baseball.

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  13. Not a huge deal either way, but I wonder if this ends Spidale’s run with the Phils. Was a good fill in for many years.

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    1. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Spidale back. His strength is that he’s content to sit on the AA bench while prospects play, and can start when needed. That kind of flexibility is great for a minor league organization.

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      1. The Phillies have offered him a contract, but he will not make a decision until after the Nov 17th rebranding announcement from the Reading organization. He is apparently not happy about the renaming.

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  14. Looks like Jason bay could be had for a cheap price with few years. Anyone think the Phils should be interested as a low-risk, potentially high reward?

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    1. If you mean minor league deal with a spring training invite, then yes I am interested. I think he is only a platoon bat at best if some of the skills have returned, but he is worse both offensively and defensively to Mayberry, so there is no reason to give him anything guaranteed. There really is no bad minor league deal (unless the front office is bad with their evaluation in spring training)

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  15. I heard Frandsen got a 1 Year $800K deal from RAJ….isn’t that the contract Valdez got last year right before they sent him to the Reds?

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  16. On another note the exchange between RAJ and Bowa last night on Hot Stove was fantastic. He was asked about 2 players BJ and Bourn. The tap dance was incredible but if you read the body language he’s not in on either.

    Was also asked about Madsen and another reliever but said if you listened he really liked what Justin and Aumont did down the stretch along with Horst. Interestingly absent was Bastardo’s name.

    I’ll give him this he rarely tips his pitches and he’s good at misdirection.

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  17. I really love the trade market. Some of the things are so nuts, quote we might be tempeted to trade our young shortstop,if the return is right, Okay lets bid on zack cozart, 246 average, 2 hr, 288 obs, what do you expect to get for him and he is 26 yr old rookie. I really think the phillies will go trade market, over fa, but its hard to judge who they have to trade. to get center fielder. or third basemen.As far as untouchables, there are none.imo

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  18. Matt Gelb reports this morning:
    The contingency plan for third base had already been activated before Ruben Amaro Jr. recently placed a call to his father in Venezuela. There are few answers through free agency and a high-priced trade market. If nothing materializes, the Phillies are left with a platoon between Freddy Galvis and Kevin Frandsen. So Amaro was pleased to hear from his dad, a front office official for Aguilas del Zulia, that Galvis has started workouts at third during winter ball. Former Phillie and longtime major-league infielder Manny Trillo is assisting Galvis’ instruction. “They’re going to try to have him play some games there,” Amaro said.
    …so third base question may be answered with Galvis/Frandsen

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      1. While Galvis has proven to be a wizard with the glove so far, 3rd base really is a totally different animal than SS/2B. To say it’s a “no doubt” move, is a little questionable.

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      2. But it’s a stupid idea to put him in a pure platoon with Frandsen. Galvis hits far better from the right hand side than the left – so much so that you have to wonder if he should stop switch hitting.

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  20. Phillies Target Bourn. Blech!!!

    Not that I hate M. Bourn, mind you, but he will almost certainly give the team the least bang for their buck given his age, skills and the ridiculous contract Boras will undoubtedly negotiate. I hope this is just interference the Phillies are running to bring down Upton’s price (either Upton would be fine).

    http://philliesnation.com/

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