All the right moves

Pat Gillick took a team that was good on paper, shook it up, and made something better.

If you listened to Aaron Rowand’s press conference, you heard Arthur Rhodes’ name mentioned as a new player having a positive influence behind the scenes.

If you subscribe to the theory that this team has overcome its identity crisis, you have Pat Gillick to thank for adding players like Rhodes and Rowand, all supposedly altering the stagnant dynamic of the Phillies.

When Gillick first made his rounds in November, I paid close attention to the newspapers and read every quote, hoping to get a feel for his thought process. Though his responses were measured, reading between the lines, one could surmise that competitive drive was very important to him, perhaps vital.

Gillick made Rowand, Rhodes and Tom Gordon his main additions, and also waived goodbye to players like Kenny Lofton, Vicente Padilla, Todd Pratt and Jason Michaels, all reported later to have had a negative influence in the locker room. One story attributed team officials as saying J-Mike was holding Pat Burrell back to some degree.

More than any Phillies team in recent memory, players are earning respect for things you can’t read in a box score. Rowand’s perfectly stated press conference is a good example. Sal Fasano, and his role on this team, is another good example.

Fasano was signed as a cheap replacement to Todd Pratt. The Phillies knew they had a good player waiting in Carlos Ruiz, but didn’t know if he was ready. Fasano was the answer, and as it turns out, is starting more games than most backups.

It seems now that Fasano was signed more for his positive influence than for his talent. His primary assignment became a significant task. His job was to make sure a basketcase like Gavin Floyd kept his head on straight and didn’t embarrass himself enough to shatter his confidence for good. If Floyd failed, there’s little doubt he would have been lost forever.

Today, Fasano has not only handled him, but Floyd appears to be improving with every start.

Each of Gillick’s primary additions, like Fasano, have made a positive difference, and it makes one wonder how committed he was to resigning Billy Wagner.

Conventional wisdom says Wagner played the Phillies and Mets to drive up his price, but what if Gillick was simply playing along to mollify fans still holding on to the belief the Phillies are too cheap and do not care about winning? Before the Mets series, Wagner admitted he was not well-liked by teammates. He wanted a long-term deal, something Gillick had to realize was beyond the Phillies’ means, and could also counter the Phillies good karma. Their final offer was said to come in at two-years, well under his final four-year, $40 million deal with New York.

Bobby
Bobby Abreu needs a change of scenery, and that's not taking anything away the outstanding career he's had with the Phillies.

Gillick shopped him all winter and he gets kicked around too much by his home fans and media. Since the all-star break of '05, he's been out of sorts. Rowand is such a captain out there, it wouldn't surprise me if Abreu is a little overwhelmed by it all.

I don't believe Gillick would hesitate in going the rest of the way with Shane Victorino/David Dellucci/Chris Roberson, just to clear Abreu's salary from the table and give himself more flexibility to make moves.

Abreu is slumping now, and I wouldn't count on it to stay that way, but it's pretty clear the team’s recent resurgence, and even their September playoff push, happened largely without him.

Abreu’s recent hitting slump and appearant declining health must be an untimely development for Gillick, who might have been hoping to move Abreu around the trade deadline. But I have a hard time believing any scout would endorse a trade for Bobby right now considering his high price tag. He hasn't made solid contact in two weeks.

Comments

[ae]

...which is a very good reason NOT to trade Bobby any time soon. getting 75 cents on the dollar for one of the best outfielders playing right now is not acceptable, to me.

[Carson Book]

Bobby has stuggled tremendously since the '05 All-Star break. His late season decline last year was blamed on injuries. Maybe this year it's on the pressure to perform and the angst of fans towards him. I love Bobby Abreu, always have, and will continue to despite declining production. He's not *really* a Gold-Glover, but he is a great athlete that the Phillies would sorely miss if traded. It'll be interesting to see how the Abreu situation pans out over the next 2 seasons. I'd hate to seem him traded, but it seems like Gillick has a plan, and if trading him is part of it, well than by all means...

[That Dude]

Bobby strikes me as a follower in terms of personality. If the rest of the team picks it up "mentallY" Bobby will as well. Now, will he become a Larry Bowa firecracker? No, but he doesn't have to be.

[Brian]

Abreu can be selfish, lackadaisical, sloppy, etc. But he has a good eye, can go on a tear and is definitely still considered a threat by some measure to opposing pitchers.

That he ran out that nubber the other day vs. the Mets to win it shows me that maybe the Rowand-Utley hustle is infectious. I'm not certain last year's Abreu would have run that out.

[zach]

I get the impression, though, that Victorino, Dellucci and Roberson all would have run out that ball. Maybe a little faster, too.

Abreu will pick up his production after the team as a whole cools off. My theory is, he likes the attention, and when other players are stealing the spotlight, it gets to him. This of course comes from my close and personal friendship with Bobby.

[Tim]

$28,000,000 invested in Burrell and Bobby next year. One will not be on the team next year. It's just of matter of who goes and what we get back. Your corner outfield cannot be 1/3 of your payroll.

[Stick]

You're gonna have to take 75 cents on the dollar for a player that will be making as much as Abreu does.

[That Dude]

"$28,000,000 invested in Burrell and Bobby next year. One will not be on the team next year. It's just of matter of who goes and what we get back. Your corner outfield cannot be 1/3 of your payroll.?

You're probably correct, however, I don't think that means you have (or should) pull the trigger this year.

[agwynne]

Abreu's 38 walks so far this season has translated into 27 runs, tied for most on the team with Rollins and one ahead of Utley. He's also a career .302, so the current .257 he's rocking will turn around.

What would Gillick be looking for in exchange for the player several opposing announcers call the most underrated player in baseball?

[Adam]

Bobby can definitely be streaky, and unlike many other players, when he's cooled off he still draws walks and works counts and doesn't get stressed. We definitely should wait for him to pick it up before trading him, or wait until the offseason.

[John Salmon]

I'd trade Bobby-I'm amazed to see myself type this-if they get real value in return and dump all of his salary. I'd like the flexibility come July this would bring.

Branch Rickey said it best: You trade your players, even your stars, one year too soon, rather than one too late. I don't think Bobby's recent slumps have depressed his value, though this may not be true in a couple months. Let alone next year winter.

He looks like an awfully good fit in NYY-land, and not because of current OF woes. Torree likes patient hitters, and Bobby's the prototype of those. Let's grab 23 year old Robinson Cano and a pitcher or two.

[That Dude]

Exactly who is NYY going to give you to even get 75cents on the dollar?

[RickSchuBlues]

Abreu will get hot again, and his numbers will probably approximate last year's. Which will be just fine, but after that it might be time to change right fielders. For now, it's a good thing the Phils still have him.

[Tim]

i agree THATDUDE they don't have to do it this year. i also agree with you that that yankees to not have the bigleague talent to make any trade for bobby work. san fran makes sense to me becuase their whole team is gone next year. the red sox will always make sense becuase of the type of player he is.

[Billy Mac]

Will we please stop this Abreu for Cano nonsense. Besides Cano not having 1/2 value of Abreu, he is strictly a 2B. The Phils have no spot for him. Utley is the Phils 2B for forseeable future; Phils abandoned any thoughts of coverting Utley to a 3B in the minors.

[MG]

I wonder if Abreu is starting to show a little wear and tear. He is 33 next year and has played nearly every game the past 8 seasons. Still a valuable player but don't know if he is worth $14-$15 million/year for the next 2 years.

Trading Abreu, even to the Yankees, will be difficult due to his salary. If the Phils trade Abreu, I hope that they would be able to get a young 3b or catcher who would really solidify the position for the next 3-5 years. Additionally, I would love for the Phils to get another couple of highly -rated pitching prospects.

Plus, if the Phils trade Abreu this season, they would free up about $40 million next year (Wolf, Lieberthal, Bell, Cormier are in last years of their deals). It would give Gillick the flexibility to really remold this team.

[Carson Book]

They would have to rebuild via trades, because the free agent market isn't great this upcoming offseason. Zito and Mora are the hilights.