The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report – Philadelphia Phillies – INSIDE PITCH
Normally, players who are selected the Most Valuable Player of the American League Championship Series don’t see their guaranteed pay cut by $6 million just over a year later.
However, Delmon Young knows that he is paying for the sins of his past and the uncertainty of his future within baseball.
“I’ve done some things where there is a reason for it,” said Young, who signed with the Phillies on Jan. 22 for one year and a base salary of $750,000. Incentive clauses could push his pay to $3.5 million. “If I went out there and was an All-Star six years in a row and healthy and a model citizen, that wouldn’t have happened. That’s where I’m looking to make a change. I made a change last year after the incident. It made me wake up.”
The incident in question took place in New York in late April when Young was arrested and eventually pleaded guilty to an aggravated harassment hate crime charge for shouting an anti-Semitic slur at a panhandler and tackling a man to the ground. Young recently completed a community-service sentence in New York.
“It was an unfortunate incident. I put myself in a bad situation,” Young said. “It was a one-time thing, and I learned a lot from it about character and how to rebound from it with a great support system of family and teammates in Detroit. I want to thank them for keeping my spirits up and telling me that you can get through it and be a good person.”
Young is a critical piece for the Phillies, who have been searching for a corner outfielder and right-handed bat that could give them added power pop. Young hit .267 with 18 homers and 67 RBI for the Tigers last year.
The problem? Most of that came in a designated hitter role. Young played 27 games in the outfield — all in left field. Young hasn’t played right field — the position that the Phillies are projecting him to fill — since 2007 with Tampa Bay.
“I think he feels a lot more comfortable in right field,” Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “He was admittedly uncomfortable playing left field and he did not play left field very well. We’re hoping he can get back and play his natural position at a much higher level.”
One potential hang-up is Young’s recovery from microfracture surgery on his right ankle performed in November. It was an injury that Young felt hindered his offensive performance and resulted in him becoming a steady DH. Amaro admitted that there’s a chance Young will start the season on the disabled list.
“I was basically hitting on one leg,” Young said. “You need your legs to do everything. There’s a chance that I will be on the DL (to start the season)… there’s a chance that I won’t. But you want to make sure that you are 100 percent because there’s no reason to start a season with the type of injury that I came off of because it’s going to set you up for disaster. You want this ankle to be healthy to play the next 10 or 15 years.”
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MLB Team Report – Philadelphia Phillies – NOTES, QUOTES
–OF Domonic Brown was scheduled to be the right fielder for the Phillies, but GM Ruben Amaro said that Brown likely would be fighting it out for a starting left field spot with the arrival of Delmon Young. That could mean a platoon with Darin Ruf. “Obviously we have guys that will be out there. Some guys with options, some guys not. I’m kind of interested to see how guys react to the opportunities they’ll have in spring training because they’re going to have the chance to play,” Amaro said.
–OF John Mayberry Jr. likely will have a roster spot heading home from Clearwater, Fla., for one very important reason: The Phillies don’t have another player in their outfield who has the speed or defensive prowess to back up Ben Revere in center field. “He’s certainly in the mix,” GM Ruben Amaro said.
–RHP Roy Halladay threw off a mound in Clearwater, Fla., on Jan. 22 for the first time, beginning his throwing program. Pitching coach Rich Dubee watched Halladay’s session. “That’s a good, positive sign,” Amaro told MLB.com. “Obviously, we’ll know more about how he’s feeling once he gets out there and starts throwing more vigorous (bullpen sessions), but that’s a good sign.”
–1B Ryan Howard has been engaged in his offseason program in Florida. Manager Charlie Manuel told the Philadelphia Daily News that Howard appears on track. “He said that his Achilles doesn’t hurt him and his ankle is much better,” Manuel said.
–2B Chase Utley hasn’t played in a Grapefruit League game in two years, but manager Charlie Manuel was optimistic after seeing video of Utley’s workouts in California sent to him by Phils trainer Scott Sheridan. “He looked like he was in really good shape,” Manuel said.
–The club invited six more non-roster players to major league spring training: OF Joe Mather, 3B Cody Asche, RHP Justin Friend, C Tommy Joseph, LHP Adam Morgan and RHP Kyle Simon. That brings the total of non-roster invitees to 19. Mather, 30, has spent parts of four seasons in the majors with the Cardinals, Braves and Cubs. He has a .219 career average with 14 homers and 49 RBI in 493 at-bats. Mather batted .209/.256/.324 with five homers and 19 RBI in 103 games for the Cubs last year.
BY THE NUMBERS: $600,000 — The amount of money that Delmon Young could earn if he hits certain weight criteria at six different random weigh-ins during the season, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We did a lot of due diligence on what kind of person he is. I think more than anything else, the conclusion we came up with is he made a mistake, and whatever is written about him in the past doesn’t really depict the kind of person he is. Obviously, we want to have good character guys in our clubhouse, and I think he’s going to be one.” — GM Ruben Amaro Jr., about OF Delmon Young’s personal character and past issues.
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MLB Team Report – Philadelphia Phillies – ROSTER REPORT
The Phillies missed the postseason for the first time since 2006 and realized it was time to add new blood to an aging, mostly complacent core when they were sellers are the trade deadline. In the offseason, they’ve added talent rather than subtract it, and that began at the winter meetings with the acquisition of 24-year-old Ben Revere to fill the void in center field left by the departed Shane Victorino.
Revere brings defense and speed. He also provides the Phils with a productive but inexpensive everyday player, something they’ve lacked in recent years. Rather than overpaying for a free agent like Michael Bourn or Angel Pagan, the Phils can now use the money saved to pour into the other needs that remain on the roster, particularly at corner outfield.
Two days after completing the trade for Revere, the Phillies finalized a deal with the Rangers for Michael Young. The seven-time All-Star will play third base with the Phils, who will pay only $6 million of the $16 million he is owed in 2013. Texas will pick up the rest.
The Phils then addressed the two holes on their pitching staff prior to Christmas, signing veteran setup man Mike Adams and adding former Nationals starter John Lannan to round out the rotation.
ARRIVALS: OF Ben Revere (trade with Twins), CF Ender Inciarte (Rule 5 draft pick from Diamondbacks), 3B Michael Young (trade with Rangers), RHP Mike Adams (free agent from Rangers), LHP John Lannan (free agent from Nationals), OF Delmon Young (free agent from Tigers).
DEPARTURES: OF Juan Pierre (free agent, signed with Marlins), OF Nate Schierholtz (non-tendered, signed with Cubs), RHP Vance Worley (traded to Twins), RHP Josh Lindblom (traded to Texas), INF Ty Wigginton (free agent, signed with Cardinals), 3B Placido Polanco (free agent, signed with Marlins).
BIGGEST NEEDS: After addressing the gaping hole in center field by trading for Revere, the Phillies are still searching for at least one more everyday player. They might seek another corner outfielder to compete with youngsters Darin Ruf and Domonic Brown and newly signed veteran Delmon Young.
FREE AGENTS: C Brian Schneider, RHP Jose Contreras.
The Phillies unloaded most of their soon-to-be free agents in trades last summer: Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton and Jim Thome. The two who remain are unlikely to return. Schneider was re-signed last winter as a free agent but hit .225 and appeared in just 34 games while battling a variety of injuries. The Phillies turned down a $2.5 million option on Contreras.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: None.
IN LIMBO: OF John Mayberry Jr., RHP Michael Schwimer.
Schwimer and Mayberry are under contract but could be had in trades if a team came calling.
MEDICAL WATCH:
–RHP Mike Stutes (right shoulder surgery in June 2012) began throwing in September, and he should be healthy by the start of spring training.
–RHP Mike Adams (thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in October 2012) is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for spring training.
–OF Delmon Young (microfracture right ankle surgery in November 2012) might open the season on the disabled list.
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