Power Pros Forum

OOTP 8: The 2007 Phillies

Let's give this a try. I'll add pictures later when the post isn't being iffy.
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9 year-old me takes over Philly and already my plan is to make huge changes. This team is getting closer to a championship with a good young core but I'm looking to ensure we've got multiple title runs under our belts during my reign. So I'm going with an approach that costly vets are out the door and I'm taking a chance on prospects with untapped potential filling in their spots.

We're at January 2007, finishing up the offseason. I'll catch us up on transactions as we near spring training when I'll announce the full rosters.

2007 Offseason Transactions

32 year-old MR Jim Crowell was traded to the Texas Rangers for 23 year-old SP Scott Feldman.

21 year-old SP Fabio Castro was traded to the Detroit Tigers for 23 year-old SP Justin Verlander plus 20 year-old SP Jair Jurrjens.

27 year-old OF Jayson Werth was shipped to the Arizona Diamondbacks for 19 year-old OF Justin Upton.

SP Kyle Kendrick's contract was purchased from the AAA Ottawa Lynx.

The Yankees signed SP Luke Hochevar to a minor-league deal. Anaheim picked up SP Micah Owings off the free agent market. San Diego got a possible steal with 22 year-old SP John Danks.

The Cubs exchanged 26 year-old 2B Mike Fontenot and 24 year-old SP Randy Wells with Philadelphia for 30 year-old SP Brian Mazone.

Kansas City acquired 31 year-old MR Clay Condrey and 30 year-old SS Abraham Nunez from Philly for 22 year-old SU Joakim Soria.

Washington received 30 year-old 3B Wes Helms and 28 year-old 3B Greg Dobbs from the Phillies for 22 year-old 3B Ryan Zimmerman and 20 year-old SP Collin Balester.

33 year-old C Chris Coste was plucked on waivers by Colorado. 37 year-old SP Jon Lieber has not been claimed yet. 31 year-old SP Freddy Garcia has also been placed on irrevocable waivers. Arizona took 27 year-old OF Chris Roberson. Philadelphia claimed OF Roger Bernadina, 2B Jarrett Hoffpauir, and SS Jonathan Herrera, who will likely be optioned to the minors.

Oakland swapped 29 year-old 2B Mark Ellis with 34 year-old OF Cliff Floyd from the Cubs.

The Dodgers traded 36 year-old 3B Olmedo Saenz and 21 year-old 3B Russ Mitchell across the state to the Angels for 25 year-old CF Reggie Willits and 20 year-old 1B Mark Trumbo.

Minnesota dealt 35 year-old C Mark Redmond and 20 year-old SS Paul Kelly for 25 year-old SP Joe Saunders and 23 year-old C Jeff Mathis.

The Astros switched 27 year-old SP Wandy Rodriguez for 28 year-old C Yorvit Torrealba of the Rockies, adding 23 year-old C Louis Santangelo as a bonus.

The Marlins swooped in on All-Star SP Roger Clemens, breaking the bank for the 45 year-old on a 2 year, $20,520,000 deal.

The Royals signed GM Pat Gillick to a 3-year, $610,000 per year contract.

Chicago (NL) signed free agent SP Ryan Vogelsong to a 1-year deal, worth $1,400,000.

The White Sox signed 34 year-old C Todd Greene to a $350,000 deal at a length of 1 year.

Colorado acquired 30 year-old CL Geoff Geary and prospects (22 year-old RP Yoel Hernandez, 22 year-old RP Brett Harker, 21 year-old RP Yen-Feng Lin) from the Phillies for 24 year-old SU Manny Corpas.

Philadelphia pulled off another blockbuster, trading away 28 year-old SP Joe Brito, previously mentioned SP Randy Wells, 23 year-old SP Zac Stott, 21 year-old OF Greg Golson, and the main piece - 26 year-old SP Brett Myers - to the Giants. They collected a pair of 22 year-old SP in Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum. Lincecum will be demoted to the AAA Lynx while Cain will be an active member of the rotation.

OF Aaron Rowand, OF Pat Burrell, MR Brian Sanches, MR Tom Gordon, 2B Joe Thurston, SP Jamie Moyer, MR Adam Eaton, and C Rod Barajas were placed on the trade block. MR Alfredo Alfonseca, the aforementioned Adam Eaton and Rod Barajas, and other assorted fringe minor leaguers were designated for assignment.

1/7/07

Here's the state of the team after all the moves:

We have $12,347,280 in projected budget room and are continuously looking for free agent, waiver claim, and trade possibilities. Pat Burrell and Freddy Garcia are the highest-paid players at $13 and $10 million this year. Injured veteran Jon Lieber will make $7.5 MM, and Adam Eaton is owed almost $23 million if we release him.

Balester, Cain, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Jaramillo, Kyle Drabek, J.A. Happ, Mike Costanzo, Edgar Garcia, Josh Outman, Lou Marson, Adrian Cardenas, Jason Donald, D'Arby Myers, and Brian Burgamy were added to the 40-man roster. This is the same for the recently acquired players.

2B Cardenas (*/*****) and OF Justin Upton (*/*****) are our top hitting prospects, while Carrasco (*/*****) and Tim Lincecum represent (*/*****) the pitching side.

(stars are potential from 1 to 5, as I'm sure you can tell)

Garcia, Lieber, and C Ryan Budde all have 9 days left on the DL, while RP Scott Mathieson will sit out with a torn rotator cuff for 54 more days.

This is a good read, I'm following.

1/8/07

RP Steve Karsay and RP Ryan Trytten have denied minor league deals. A major league offer is sent out to Trytten for $900,000 but he will likely be demoted to the minors since there isn't room in the bullpen for him. We have claimed RP Logan Kensing from Florida, and SS Chin-Lung Hu from the Dodgers. Both will join AAA Ottawa, along with Nick Green, Herrera, Bernadina, and the others signed. C Jason Jaramillo has been promoted to be Carlos Ruiz's backup.

1/9/07

2B Euvi Solano (**1/2, ****1/2) signed with the Giants after we offered a minor league deal. OF Jeffrey Van Houten (*,**1/2) has been signed and added to AA Reading. 2B Angel Gonzalez (*, ****1/2) has requested a major league contract for 940,000 but I'm trying 850,000. RP Clay Rapada, OF Nate Schierholtz, RP Bobby Keppel, and RP David Quinowski have been claimed off waivers. Our scouts tell me they all have decent potential. I've also been looking at a trade for prospect Joba Chamberlain but it isn't working out so far.

1/10/07

The Reds completed a trade with the Braves, sending 30 year-old utility player Ryan Freel and 22 year-old OF Drew Stubbs for 28 year-old RP Mike Gonzalez, 23 year-old 2B Martin Prado, and $650,000 in cash. In a more minor trade, 26 year-old OF Jeff Salazar went from Arizona to Seattle for 24 year-old catching prospect Phil Avlas and 29 year-old RP Juan Mateo.

In the meantime, I'm shortlisting players that we'll look at for trades later on.

I shopped Aaron Rowand, hoping to lower the payroll even further and get a bit younger in the process. An interesting offer was put in by LA - reliever Jonathan Broxton. I've chipped in OF Matt Kemp, hoping it won't scare them away.

1/11/07

25 year-old reliever Ryan Trytten has been signed for 900k. He reportedly has 56 (81) stuff, 39 (55) movement, and 57 (81) control. Right now, his velocity is around 84-86 MPH but his potential is 4 1/2 stars. In 17 games with Mobile in 2006, at the Double-A level, he went 1-0 with a 5.83 ERA (29 IP). We're attempting to sneak him down to the minors but he is now on the 40-man roster.

Conversely, SP Jesse Carraballa has denied a MiLB deal; we're less worried about missing out on him.

Also, 2B Jamey Carroll was traded from the Rockies to the Padres for SP Chris Young.

Lastly, we've parted ways with OF Aaron Rowand and recently-acquired SP prospect Collin Balester. They're sent packing to the Dodgers for RP Jonathan Broxton, OF Matt Kemp, and SP Clayton Kershaw. The deal frees up around $3MM in cap room and we've picked up a nice set-up man in Broxton along with Rowand's outfield replacement. Kershaw will likely head to AA Reading where he will hopefully be groomed to be the next Cole Hamels.

The fans were apparently shocked that we did not keep Rowand on the team. Says the higher-ups: "The fan overall interest almost crashed!" This isn't the first time I've pissed them off or surprised them, nor will it be the last. I know what's best for the team.

Dang, you make a ton of moves, be it trades or free agent pick ups!

1/12/07

To make room for Kershaw and Trytten on the 40-man roster, OF Brian Burgamy and RP Ryan Madson were DFAed. We will be able to pull Madson back if claimed, but Trytten must be sneaked through waivers. Burgamy and Madson have been demoted to the Lynx (AAA) while we wait.

RP Brandon Villafuerte nor RP Edward Mujica will not accept minor league contracts, according to their agents. Carraballa ended up signing with Colorado - he has *** potential.

25 year-old 2B Angel Gonzalez has been inked to a 1 year, 850k contract. Scout Hoffman says he has 45 (59) contact, 63 (80) gap power, 21 (26) home run power, 38 spd, and 68 infield range. His potential is quite high, however. Gonzalez can also play shortstop in a pinch which might be valuable enough for him to earn a spot on the 25-man roster. 44 year-old Jamie Moyer has been designated for assignment to open up a spot, but we hope to keep him around as a good clubhouse presence and he still has some control left.

We were finally able to force Adam Eaton into a AAA demotion. This way, we don't have to lose almost $23 million by releasing him.

1/13/07

RP Taylor Tankersley, SP Sandy Nin, C Mike Rabelo, RP Travis Harper, 2B Robert Andino, and RP Travis Minix did not accept our offers. However, 2B Eugenio Velez and SS Aaron Hornostaj have agreed to minor league deals. Minix signed a contract with Cincinnati. We also claimed 2B Jorge Cantu, OF Drew Stubbs, RP Jared Burton, and 2B Emilio Bonifacio on waivers.

Velez is mostly known for speed right now but he has the chance to grow some contact and gap power. Hornsostaj might have solid contact in the future, but he will not be great speed-wise. He may develop great defensively though, and he can play first, second, and third base. I've decided his flexibility will land him on the 25-man for now, so Jason Donald has been waived - we will pull him back if claimed.

1/15/07

The Cubs finalized a deal for SP Brandon Duckworth, giving C Henry Blanco to the Royals.

P J.A. Happ has been called up after P Jamie Moyer was outrighted off the the 40-man. Ryan Trytten has cleared waivers and has been optioned to AAA, he will probably factor into the bullpen later on. Ryan Madson has been waived also, to open up 40-man spot.

1/16/07

Braves 3B Chipper Jones bruised his wrist after his wife hit him with a frying pan during an argument. He'll miss one week before resuming baseball activity.

RP Steve Karsay rejected us and decided to join up with Florida. OF Josh Anderson has refused the minors as well.

OF Simon Williams, MR William Vasquez, and OF Jason Aspito have agreed to minor league deals. Williams has alright outfield range and speed but he may gain some home run/gap power. Vazquez is average in all pitching ratings and is only at 86-88 MPH velocity, but his potential is high. He could progress his stuff up to 78 and control up to 68. Aspito is 28, and he doesn't wow anywhere, but in the stolen base area. His range is fringy, his hitting doesn't seem it'll impress, but he might have HR power and his speed is good.

1/17/07

Buck Coats has been claimed from the Cubs, he will be optioned to the minors as organizational depth.

RP Jesse Crain and 18 year-old SP prospect Thomas Wright have been traded from Minnesota to Detroit, with the Twins getting 23 year-old 3B prospect Kody Kirkland and 25 year-old OF David Espinosa.

We've released 34 year-old RP Antonio Alfonseca. This will cost us $750,000 and the fan interest has "decreased noticeably".

1/18/07

RP Julio Manon wants to work something out, but does not want to play "bush league baseball." RP Brandon League says he will be a star closer someday and we will regret not giving him a major league job.

Madson and Moyer have reluctantly been dropped to Triple-A. The aging veterans are being difficult in terms of getting rid of their high contracts.