Clock ticking on Valdez, Francisco, Kendrick deals

Midnight marks the deadline to tender contracts to arbitration eligibles.

Here's the list of eligible Phillies: Cole Hamels (final year); Hunter Pence (arbitration-eligible through 2013); Kyle Kendrick (free agent after 2014); Ben Francisco (free agent after 2014); Wilson Valdez (first year of arbitration eligibility, earned $560K last season).

Beerleaguer: Hamels and Pence are formalities, although the Phillies are known to have interest in buying out some of Hamels' free agent years. Kendrick, who pitched in a career-high 34 games last season and went 8-6 with a 3.22 ERA, is a valuable insurance policy and will get a raise over his $2.45 million 2011 earnings. But is he a lock to stay? Not on this team. The Phils still haven't figured out shortstop, so the timing appears right to secure Valdez, their best back-up defender at three infield spots, but don't be shocked if the Phils throw a curveball and go a different direction here. Better back-up infield options could shake loose through this same process of non-tender attrition (someone like Ryan Theriot in St. Louis, maybe). Valdez earned $560K in 2011 and started in 162 games over the last two seasons, so it will be interesting to see what kind of bump he gets.

Division Series Game 3 hero Ben Francisco, who earned $1.175 million last season, rarely started in the second half and knocked in a whole three runs after the All-Star break. His status became even murkier when the Phils added Laynce Nix and Ty Wigginton, plus John Bowker is under team control and I know you’re excited about that. Francisco could be non-tendered and brought back on a lesser deal. If Ryan Howard starts the season on the disabled list, as expected, and if they resign Jimmy Rollins, as expected, there's still room on the bench for him as long as they don't use slot 25 for a super-utility man (Michael Martinez, Pete Orr).

Phillies re-sign left-hander: The Phillies agreed to a minor league deal with 26-year-old left-hander Ryan Feierabend, who spent last season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The former Mariner (2006-08) went 10-8 with a 5.39 ERA in 28 games (23 starts) for the IronPigs. The deal was reported by Baseball America.

Comments

[rauls grandpa]

Here's to the hope sometime in the New Year Bowker has a bad piss test too.

[lorecore]

I don't think the Phils will ever go into a season with Minimart on the mlb roster. Im sure there will be times when injuries build up and he ends up making a few cameo's in the bigs, but thats about it.

If there were ever a way a +$170M payroll team could waste $50k, it was when they Phils selected him in the Rule 5 and kept him along all season.

[Joe]

I hate to see "super" describe the type of utility player that Mini-Mart and Pete Orr... they are far from "super" anything.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Joe: Exactly right.

[Scotch Man]

With Dave Bush and Brian Sanches in the mix, I question if they fork over a raise for Kendrick.

[PaPa Bruce]

I think Michael Cuddyer is the missing part. A reasonably good hitter who can backup 3 infield positions. Let popup Jimmy go somewhere else!

[lorecore]

for what its worth - mlbtr predicts that valdez is a candidate to be non-tendered while kk and francsico are probably not.

Also predicts their arb values:

Kendrick: $3.2M
Francisco: $1.5M
Valdez: $900k

[lorecore]

papa: So signing a guy who can back up 3B, 2B, and 1B means we should dump our SS?

[PaPa Bruce]

If he wants 5 years and 14m!

[PaPa Bruce]

Valdez wasn't that bad. The infield is old. Cuddyer could play on a regular basis giving all 3 positions an extra day or 2 offf each week!

[lorecore]

well i agree that he doesnt deserve a 5yr/$70M deal, however I am much more optimistic than you that he will agree too considerably less - in the 4yr/$45M area.

Valdez wasn't that bad...as a backup. Your plan is to have him now become a starter where he would become the worst starting player in the entire major leagues - while actually not improving any position on your team in 2012, but just fortifying some Plan B's.

[PaPa Bruce]

For 2 years now offense has been the reason they didn't get to the world series. Sign Jiimmy, make no trades, same lineup, same result.
If Valdez is not the answer then look elsewhere, but the old guys need more rest and Cuddyer can provide that.

[NEPP]

If we dont keep Valdez, we likely have Martinez as the primary SS backup. That's an unnacceptable decision for a Top payroll team. Pay the extra $400 K to keep a proven backup. Dump BenFran to make up the difference. He's not worth what he'll get anyway.

KK should be kept too as he's a proven 5th starter/swingman and we need pitching depth.

[lorecore]

We traded for Hunter Pence in 2011 to improve our offense. How'd that go in the NLDS?

How about a .211/.286/.211 stat line? Yes...thats a .211 SLG% meaning he hit 4 singles the entire series, and thats it.

Pence upgraded our offense immensely, but during that particular 5 game series, he sucked. So why will trading for Cuddyer(or anyone else) make you think that the same could happen in another 5 game series in 2012?

[rauls grandpa]

I can't take another week of this. PaPa don't preach.

[PhillyRhetoric]

Really surprised that some consider Kendrick a non-tender candidate. Given Blanton's health issues of the past few seasons and the prevalence of sophomore slumping with Worley--who the league now has a year of film on--I would not at all be surprised if Kendrick found himself the number 4 starter on this team by ASB. And if he continues finding a way to keep the ball down (yeah, sometimes that's a struggle) and stay healthy (he's got that going for him, right?) then I think he's still a valuable piece that's not going to break the bank. One way or another, this guy ends up at the bottom of the rotation depth chart every spring and then seems to end up starting 20 games or more every year. Maybe somebody offers him a cheap multi-year deal down the road, but for now I think we'd be wise to keep him around on the arbitration clock.

[mm]

Are we really concerned about a sophmore slump from a guy who has a ridiculous knack to get strike 3 looking. Don't think so. I think Worley's for real.

[bay_area_phan]

"If we dont keep Valdez, we likely have Martinez as the primary SS backup"

If we don't keep Valdez, that preposterous Omar Vizquel rumor gains considerable traction.

[SLO Phan]

"Plus John Bowker", JW? I don't think the word "plus" should go anywhere near Bowker. That implies he's an asset. Right now he's only dead weight.

[Lake Fred]

Bowker drives me Bonkers! Why do we still have this zero?

[PhillyRhetoric]

Yes, I'm really concerned about a sophomore slump from any young MLB pitcher who hitters have not had time to adjust to. Maybe he continues to get lots of called thirds looking this year, maybe hitters start to protect better against him and make him throw their pitch. I'm encouraged to hear he's working out and building stamina. If I remember correctly, he ran some very high pitch counts last year and had to be bailed out quite a few times. We've said more than a few times that the reality of a full season is the need for 7 or maybe 8 starters. What hot prospects are going to be burning it up in AAA this year, knocking at the door in the event that Blanton can't go, hitters catch on to Worley, or, heaven forbid, one of the top 3 goes down? I'll take Kendrick's consistency in a heartbeat as insurance or, at worst, as a swing-man. He's pricey in that role, but I'm arguing it's more likely he ends up in the rotation than as swing-man.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

I think you tender Kendrick. He has utility and he seems to be harnessing the sinker and developing a change. He provides depth, experience and some durability. I would tender Valdez to avoid dumpster diving for a backup. I like his ability to cover the left side of the infield with the age/ health of the guys there. Francisco has been pushed to the margins and his arb. nos. probably will reflect that. If you don't tender him, I have every confidence that you can pick up a guy like him on the back end. If it's not here, though, he'll find a home somewhere as a 4th outfielder.

[MG]

I understand the Phils need to pinch pennies here and there to round out the rest of the roster but trying to say $400k on Valdez over Mini Mart seems penny-wise, pound-foolish.

This is the line that Valdez has hit the last 3 years:

.254/.304/.350

Not get but a ~.650 OPS isn't that bad for a backup utility infielder. Mini Mart certainly won't give you that kind of production if you give him 200+ ABs. I would be surprised if he gave them even higher than a .600 OPS.

Only reason you don't tender Valdez is if you think you can get someone better. Not Mini Mart and certainly not $700k for a 45-year old Vizquel.

[mm]

A tender to kendrick is pretty much a lock. Same with valdez. It's been nice knowing ya ben.

[mm]

Depending on how things go with worley this year, i think you can can count on them extending both kendrick and worley next year when blantons deal is up. Solid enough 4& 5 behind halladay and lee. If they let hamels walk or trade him, they'll likely go for a solid #2/3 then say someone as pricey as hamels, or they keep him and you have halladay, lee, hamels, worley, kendrick. Decent enough back end considering the front end.

[lorecore]

mm: clarify "extending". If you mean tender and keep under team control - then yes of course. If you mean extending a contract offer to buy out additional years - then i disagree.

[MG]

mm - Yeah it is interesting to see if they will try to sign KK to say a 2 yr deal at say $7M with the idea that he will be a 5th starter next year.

[DH Phils]

I'm sure Kendrick would love to be non-tendered - if he is, he'll have more than one multi-year contract offer to choose from.

I don't think the Phillies are dumb enough to do that.

[mm]

lorecore: no, i don't see them extending KK this year. I can see them doing it next year though if he sustains respectable backend #'s . And if Worley has a good year again this year, him as well. In fact if worley repeats, they'd be sort of dumb not to lock him up cheap. I'm not saying that means he'll be roy halladay one day. But you need average guys too. And there's nothing worse than having your hands tied and having to overpay for a 5th starter, when your team is built around pitching.

[lorecore]

rhetoric: "I'll take Kendrick's consistency in a heartbeat"

KK ERA+
2007: 118
2008: 80
2009: 125
2010: 86
2011: 120

Im hoping against consistency, since that trends would say his ERA+ will be in the 80s next season.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

I don't know if it'd be Valdez vs. Martinez, but more like Valdez Vs. someone else's non tender...

[BobbyD]

BenFran traded.

[Scotch Man]

See ya Benny Stale

[lorecore]

Raom Hernandez went to the rockies for 2yr/$6.5M - anyone else think thats kind of a steal? He has a great arm and is one of the better hitting catchers in the majors.

I guess his age makes him a liability in terms of playing time, but his OPS+ and CS% are among the top-half for all catchers.

[RedBurb]

Brewers to sign A Ram also.

[PhillyJoe]

They'd be stupid not to offer Kendrick arbitration... he's a solid pitcher and absolutely worth 3-4 million on a one year deal.

If anything, I feel a little bad for Kendrick. Seems like a nice guy, never complains about getting jerked around in the rotation/bullpen.. If they let him go he'd probably get a 3 yr deal for around 12 million...

[mm]

Lorecore: Last year is better indicator of where he's likely to be used. His Games Started were low, so he was used as more of a 6ht man long reliever, and he was at 118. Plus that's at 26, so he's now entering his prime. I think that's a better indicator of where he's at going forward. again, not saying he's roy halladay, but when you have 2, and possibly 3 next season, 20mm front line starters, you need a cheap backend. I think he fits that role well. I don't think they could do much better in FA. Maybe in a trade sure.

[baseballcoach]

As for Worley, think Pat Combs, Dave Downs, Tyler Greene, lots of pitchers that were going to be stars, don't pan out, so Kendrick has proven over a 4 year period to be more than adequate as a #4 or #5 if needed, and his swing ability makes him more valuable

[ColonelTom]

"Only reason you don't tender Valdez is if you think you can get someone better. Not Mini Mart and certainly not $700k for a 45-year old Vizquel."

Vizquel's probably only in the picture if they can't sign Rollins and go with Galvis as the starter. Galvis grew up idolizing Vizquel, a fellow Venezuelan. He'd make an excellent mentor and serviceable tag-team partner at SS as Galvis settles in at the MLB level.

[Cheap Nike Shox]

concerned about a sophomore slump from any young MLB pitcher who hitters have not had time to adjust to. Maybe he continues to get lots of called thirds looking this year, maybe hitters start to protect better against him and make him throw their pitch. I'm encouraged to hear he's working out and building stamina. If I remember correctly, he ran some very high pitch counts last year and had to be bailed out quite a few times. We've said more than a few times that the reality of a full season is the need for 7 or maybe 8 starters. What hot prospects are going to be burning it up in AAA this year, knocking at the door in the event that Blanton can't go, hitters catch on to Worley, or, heaven forbid, one of the top 3 goes down? I'll take Kendrick's