Grotewold wrote:Rangers have interest in MYoung, per Heyman

Bucky wrote:

Grotewold wrote:Rangers have interest in MYoung, per Heyman

anybody else automatically start singing "suffragette city" when they see that writer's name

Bucky wrote:

Grotewold wrote:Rangers have interest in MYoung, per Heyman

anybody else automatically start singing "suffragette city" when they see that writer's name

Ruben Amaro, Philadelphia Phillies

Amaro has been both a buyer and a seller at the deadline in recent seasons; this year, he’s still unsure whether he’s buying or selling, but one thing fans can count on is him being a trader.

Among Amaro's deadline highlights is his 2009 trade that saw him acquire Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco for Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Lou Marson and Jason Knapp, which helped get the Phillies back to the World Series. Last year, of course, Amaro was a seller, sending Hunter Pence to the Giants and Shane Victorino to the Dodgers in separate deals.

This year he’s been trying to acquire a bat and relief help while at the same time preparing to sell by listening to offers for Michael Young and Chase Utley.

Although the Phillies are in second place in the NL East, they are also seven games out of the wild card, and for that reason I think they will end up being sellers. Amaro is looking to follow the blueprint the Red Sox laid out last summer -- trading away some high-priced pieces over the summer and adding some moderately priced free agents in the offseason.

The one thing that could throw a wrench in those plans is manager Charlie Manuel, who is in the last year of his contract. He is almost certainly pushing Amaro to be a buyer and telling him that their seven-game deficit can be made up with one good winning streak.

Trade pieces: Michael Young, Chase Utley and Carlos Ruiz

Bill McNeal wrote:Bowden on ESPN.com

but one thing fans can count on is him being a trader.

Should the Phillies be worried? Perhaps. Sports Business Journal (subscriber only) reported last week that ratings for Phillies games on CSN Philadelphia through the first half of the season have dropped 36% from 2012. And while Philadelphia is the fourth-largest TV market in the country (after New York Los Angeles, and Chicago), the Phillies sit outside the Top 5 MLB teams in average TV ratings and average audience size. (Top 5 in ratings are the Tigers, Cardinals, Reds, Red Sox, and Pirates. Top 5 in audience size are the Yankees, Tigers, Red Sox, Mets, and Dodgers).

bleh wrote:I prefer to blame Tom McCarthy

Napalm wrote:

bleh wrote:I prefer to blame Tom McCarthy

we're never going to win again as long as this clown is in our booth. get somebody that will smoke and drink with the players ffs