Squire wrote:Perhaps I'm getting carried away but I am really excited about the future of the Phils. Step up ML performances from 5 rookies (Franco, Herrera, Nola, Eickhoff and Altherr). A farm system that looks likes it Top 5 right now and climbing after next draft. I'm oddly looking forward to the Rule 5 draft and stealing someone there again too. Most importantly Amaro and Monty gone. And Middleton, MacPhail and a new age GM in.

dont forget about internationals next year too!

lethal wrote:

ReadingPhilly wrote:

Shore wrote:

ReadingPhilly wrote:i have no desire to get rid of ruiz or howard. there really isn't a point to it at this stage. if someone came in and offered some premium prospects, great. i don't think that is going to happen.

Wait, what? Unless you get premium prospects, you're not interested in moving Howard or Ruiz?

they're both gone after this season anyway. why would i want to attach giles to one of them for someone to take them?

$9 mil for Ruiz or up to $35 mil for Howard can let you go over the foreign signing cap with relative ease.

No team is taking that money off of the Phillies' books though. Best case scenario is that you move Howard + a good player/prospect + $25-30M and get mediocrity in return. No thanks.

Jim Salisbury ‏@JSalisburyCSN
Pat Gillick: There was no trade interest in Ryan Howard in 2015 http://bit.ly/1ZIVwNa #PhilliesTalk

Can we just put an end to this charade and cut him?

Thoughts on Grienke's projected contract if he opts out?

joe table wrote:Thoughts on Grienke's projected contract if he opts out?

No. Greinke in Philly is a recipe for disaster in my opinion.

Doll Is Mine wrote:

Jim Salisbury ‏@JSalisburyCSN
Pat Gillick: There was no trade interest in Ryan Howard in 2015 http://bit.ly/1ZIVwNa #PhilliesTalk

Can we just put an end to this charade and cut him?

See I don’t see what the point is of public statements like this that can only humiliate a player, and doing it to one of the faces of the very greatest Era in the history of the franchise only makes twice as perplexing. No one wanted to trade for Howard, fine; issue some bullshit answer to the question like "we couldn't find the right deal," "we like what he brings to a clubhouse filled with young kids," whatever, but I don’t understand the impulse to essentially say "he's worthless" in public.

I'm still fine with a Ruf/Howard platoon. Howard against RHs exclusively is passable if not slightly above average and Ruf showed what he can do against LHs this year. Just gut it out but stick to the freakin' plan.

yeah, i think it's a nice and stable spot in the lineup to that have platoon for next season.

mozartpc27 wrote:

Doll Is Mine wrote:

Jim Salisbury ‏@JSalisburyCSN
Pat Gillick: There was no trade interest in Ryan Howard in 2015 http://bit.ly/1ZIVwNa #PhilliesTalk

Can we just put an end to this charade and cut him?

See I don’t see what the point is of public statements like this that can only humiliate a player, and doing it to one of the faces of the very greatest Era in the history of the franchise only makes twice as perplexing. No one wanted to trade for Howard, fine; issue some #$!&@ answer to the question like "we couldn't find the right deal," "we like what he brings to a clubhouse filled with young kids," whatever, but I don’t understand the impulse to essentially say "he's worthless" in public.

Agreed. They've spent years trying to challenge Ryan publicly to step up his production. It's not working, so just stop it.

To be fair, Gillick said he was surprised there were no offers. Not sure how it helps to say anything else.

some good news

Jerry Crasnick ‏@jcrasnick 3m3 minutes ago
Larry Beinfest interviewed for #Phillies GM job, as @clarkspencer reported. But he's since been told he's out of the running.

Oh thank God.

Trade Howard/Ruiz? Didn't we have to send money in the Hamels deal?

stevemc wrote:I'm still fine with a Ruf/Howard platoon. Howard against RHs exclusively is passable if not slightly above average and Ruf showed what he can do against LHs this year. Just gut it out but stick to the freakin' plan.

Howard had an .802 OPS vs. righties. That's O.K. For a 1Bman I guess. He is lousy in the field. He does work hard. I'm not opposed to putting up with him for another year.

joe table wrote:Thoughts on Grienke's projected contract if he opts out?

150/5

Grotewold wrote:To be fair, Gillick said he was surprised there were no offers. Not sure how it helps to say anything else.

Right. all gillick's statements were very positive about Howard. I don't see how that's publicly humiliating a player. Is the alternative to lie and say people made offers, but we rejected them? I'm sure that would go over well:

“I don’t think it’s an issue,” Gillick said of the Howard situation. “Ryan is a good person, a good teammate and a good guy to have around. Hopefully he can be a productive player in 2016.

...

There were no takers

No real interest.

“Not to my knowledge,” Gillick said. “And that surprises me at least from an American League standpoint. I think he could be productive in the American League. It surprises me there were no overtures.”

:

Heyman says we have interviewed Piccolo and Klentak.

The organizational meetings are next week. You'd think they'd want the new GM there.

That's what they've said from the beginning.

philliesphhan wrote:

joe table wrote:Thoughts on Grienke's projected contract if he opts out?

150/5

Hey, we've got a contract just like that coming off the books after 2016...