In the decision-maker’s eyes, an in-progress evaluation will reveal the fate of Michael Young and the Philadelphia Phillies. Will another club part with something of possible value to vie for serious October baseball?
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This article represents the thinking of a baseball man in my opinion. Most fans do not consider the budget, prospects on the radar, the organization’s weaknesses, the track record, the competition and the other intangibles.
There will be a published storyline or two per week.
Check out: Storyline: Front Office Decisions for the Philadelphia Phillies
NITECAP INSIGHT
Behind the Scenes:
If you watch closely enough, you will eventually notice a questionable situation nobody can answer.
On July 6, Young attempted to field two hot shots early during the second inning: The rulings were an error and a hit. Long before the frame ended, the official scorer at the Bank changed the boot to a single, which was unusually quick for this type of switch. This is not an appraisal of the third baseman’s range; however, he should have recorded both as outs. He fields like a shortstop, who has more time and does not bend lower to the ground.
According to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com, Young will get regular at-bats if he is still with the franchise during August. The release of Delmon Young is an indication that Michael isn’t on the next flight to another city. However, if a realistic offer comes his way, Ruben Amaro Jr. may be doing more than talking to other general managers. That’s where the game on July 6 factors into the equation.
Usually, when a determination is wrong, someone calls up to the booth to have the mistake corrected. You can eliminate the visiting team looking for a single without an obvious argument. Also, the home pitching coach would not want Kyle Kendrick’s ERA to increase either. After hitting and pitching, fielding would be the remaining claim, which is a rare basis for a reversal.
The speculation here is that Amaro influenced that fast change, but there is no way to prove that suspicion. He would not have wanted that blemish on Michael’s record to diminish his negotiating capacity before July 31. This explains why the revised ruling on defense stumped the broadcasters.
Amaro’s vague language is another example of hiding in plain sight. He defended his no-deal position on the veteran by stating that the club did not need payroll relief, which is basically true. However, the point of swapping away the remaining $2 million on Michael’s contract is to increase the annual bottom line and receive a minor leaguer with some potential.
The decision-maker’s deadline trades have confused many local writers for the most part, but he has an obvious method. He dealt Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino and Joe Blanton a year ago because he could not financially re-sign them for this campaign: The organization would only have exceeded the competitive-balance threshold of $178 million for a difference-maker. The head honcho can, however, easily bring back Carlos Ruiz, as he did with Chase Utley.
While many fans have lost interest in the red pinstripes or want to see Cody Asche and Darin Ruf, management is evaluating the 2014 roster during this time.
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