Around the same time that the Phils were unloading their centerfielder, they were also shopping both corner outfielders, as well. It looks like the one they settled on moving was rightfielder, Hunter Pence. Pence was traded to the Giants for a box of balls disguised as journeyman OF Nate Schierholtz, AA C Tommy Joseph, and HiA RHP Seth Rosin.
As you can tell, while I liked and understood the Victorino deal, this one stinks of a team giving away an asset for salary relief. And, I have always said that the minute they do that is the minute we are allowed to complain about the contracts they have handed out.
It’s not like Pence was expiring (like Victorino or Pierre – who’s still on the team). And, it’s not like they are using this to replenish their farm system (as they tried – and failed – with the Cliff Lee to Seattle deal). This one stinks of a salary dump. And, I understand that they don’t want to be over the luxury tax, but they have plenty of other bodies to move (Pierre, Joe Blanton, even Ty Wigginton). So, they could have avoided it this year. And, I understand that Pence will make $14-15 million next year, but don’t you think you could get a better deal in the offseason when EVERY team is in the market for a solid outfielder? This makes no sense, on the surface. Schierholtz is a fill in. Rosin is a 23-year old mediocre A-ball pitcher, who is a longshot to even make the bigs. So, essentially, they moved Pence for Joseph, who isn’t a bad prospect (drafted for his bat, but has become a really, really good defensive) but doesn’t seem like a difference-maker and probably isn’t anywhere near worth a player the caliber of Hunter Pence.
I don’t get this one…
Gonna have to agree. You probably know, but didn’t mention here, that there are extra penalties for being over the luxury tax two years in a row. So, in theory, getting under for this year makes it easier to swallow going over next year. But….so what? We traded two guys that are sitting in the Top 50 prospects in baseball for Pence a year ago. Now we move him with a season+ still on his deal and all we get is this Joseph guy? Who, by the way, I don’t see his name anywhere in the Top 100 prospect lists. Which I’d be much more willing to forgive if he was a 3B or corner OF that was about to be ML ready. But no, he’s a catcher, when we already have Chooch, AND arguably the best prospect in the system (Valle) is a catcher.
Also, trading Pence now seems to be Amaro saying, “I’m not very high on Pence and I don’t see him being an overly-valuable piece to our title chances in 2013”. Well, what did you learn about Pence in the past year that you didn’t already know about him when you gave up Singleton and Cosart?
Like I said the other day, if you’re trading Pence this year, you better have a plan for who’s filling that line-up spot next year. If Dom Brown doesn’t show us something in these next two months, we’re going into the offseason with HALF of our line-up to construct via free agency or trades, and a bullpen that needs to be virtually entirely rebuilt around Papelbon. Yikes.
…and no real money with which to do it. This is just a mistake, from what it seems on the surface. The only thing that might salvage it is that there is something else cooking, like maybe they are going to flip Joseph for a COF or 3B, but short of that, it’s just a flat-out bad trade
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