By Tim Kelly, Sports Talk Philly editor 
While Ryan Howard's final season with the Philadelphia Phillies has mostly been a struggle, catcher Carlos Ruiz's has been a quiet going out.
The 37-year-old, whose $4.5 million club-option for 2017 is a near lock to be declined, is batting .240 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in 2016. His numbers certainly don't jump off the page, but he's rebounded from a 2015 that saw him hit just .211 and has been better behind the plate. He’s also batted just 121 times, meaning that when combined with his playoff experience, he could still be of interest to teams potentially looking to add an experienced catcher.
Ruiz told Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he does hope to play in the playoffs again:
"I would like to taste that again," Ruiz said Friday.
As Gelb notes, Ruiz is unlikely to get that chance in Philadelphia, and considering that he is 37, it’s fair to wonder if the 2016 season won’t be his last chance to latch on with a contender. The Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners are among the contenders that Ruiz could potentially fit with.
Ruiz has played in parts of 11 big league seasons, all with the Phillies. Him and the previously mentioned Howard are the only remaining members of the 2008 team that won the franchise's second World Series title. He's played in the playoffs in five different seasons, though the 2011 NLDS was the last time he appeared in the postseason.
