HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN (Post 7/21/10)

How does a 93 – 96 Win team become an 85 win team?

Watch the 2010 Phillies team and they will demonstrate it for you.

It starts with overconfidence and fiscal demands:

The team has draw an unprecedented amount of ticket and merchandise buyers to Citizen’s Bank Park: So the money is being made.
Winning has also led to more National exposure and revenue
Popularity and winning has boosted the value of an already valuable commodity – the franchise is worth far more should the owners sell or borrow toward

However what has this lead to?:

Ruben is led to believe that the nucleus is enough: Success tends to cause revisionist history. The fact is this team has been outstanding but not without flaws. Winning a World Series also means other things happen. Like say the Mets choking! The fact is the Phillies present record is not that far off from their previous record at this time over the last few years! So it was incumbent upon Ruben and the management to build on what they have
Problem: Your nucleus demands more money and bringing in more requires money. So you pay your own and skimp on the incoming support. That is usually trouble and rarely works.
Problem #2: You let the urgency of what to do with Blanton and the unlikelihood of keeping Lee beyond 2010 influence you! The ceiling on Joe Blanton was he could be a great #3. Who cares about that? You should have kept Lee, albeit for just this year and dealt with your #3 starter problem at the end of the year. Yes I understand the explanation and I get the old restocking your farm system after you made the Halladay trade. But as a GM you have to win now! Ruben will tell you that a GM’s job is to win now and in the future. Technically that is true. But you can only worry about “the now” sometimes. And this was one of those times!
Problem #3: Okay so you went the safe route and bought into the we need to secure Blanton and restock the farm and decided to trade Cliff Lee. Well the problem is this is like stealing 3rd base with no or 1 out. YOU BETTER BE DARN SURE YOU MAKE IT! Yes you better be 100% positive that the prospects are legit. Guess what Ruben? You tanked the Cliff Lee trade. You got nothing! Sure it happens, but you got to face the music on this one.
Problem #4: You had $500 bucks to rebuild a bench and a bullpen. The lack of quality is amplified with injuries. Valdez is fine as is probably Schneider. Contreras was a solid move except you need to pace him. You did not address the closer issue nor did you bring in another Chan Ho.
Problem #5: Is related to #2 – your farm system sucks! Let’s not pretend, you got nothing not named Brown that anyone wants and that is the true test of a farm system.

SUGGESTIONS:

You need a bonafide starter: Not another Blanton with a different name. Don’t bring in an old guy who has a $13,000,000 salary or a guy with a 4.70 ERA. That would be change for change sake. You can do that by bringing up some kid from Triple or Double A
A bonafide reliever: Which is impossible to find. Again it would be nice had you been grooming a legit arm down on the farm. Give Mathieson his shot and give it too him now!
Another bat: Your best immediate option you should have done 2 weeks ago. Make Ibanez an expensive bench player and play Dom Brown!
Replacement: You should get a Jeff Keppinger to play for Utley. Valdez is a good utility guy. Although Valdez has done enough to play everyday. But these are desperate times! But you could do well without this type of move. Although this type of move was a big option a month ago!
THE FARM: You better revamp your scouting because it sucks when compared to other contenders. The Mets, Braves, and the teams like the Rockies and Marlins keep bringing up good quality young talent. We haven’t had that since Hamels, Howard and Utley. The jury is still out on Happ.