The Phillies got a really helpful assist from starting pitcher A.J. Burnett last night, when he declined to exercise a $12.75 million contract option so that he could spend his final days in baseball with a contender. That may be what sets the tone going forward for the Phillies: the veteran players on the club may be more and more willing to move on. A report today suggests the Phillies are ready to move anyone and everyone.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports:
The Phillies are willing to move any player on their roster, but their most popular target in early trade discussions might surprise you.
According to major-league sources, it's right fielder Marlon Byrd.
As Rosenthal notes, no right-handed player on the free agent market had more home runs than Marlon Byrd, except Nelson Cruz.
This year Cruz cost the same as Byrd dollarwise (plus a draft pick) and will command much more now. Cruz will again cost a draft pick, so teams may be more interested in trading for Byrd. Justin Upton could be made available by the Braves, but new President of Baseball Operations John Hart has not seemed to have made his will known just yet.
Burnett and an early Byrd trade could set the tone for veterans Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins: if you stay, you will lose. Rollins suggested before that if the Phillies went on an all-out rebuild, he would be open to moving. That day is becoming closer. Utley has always expressed a desire to stay, but he lives on the West Coast and may not be able to turn down playing for a contender near home. Carlos Ruiz and Ryan Howard do not yet have 10/5 no trade rights and could go in the right deal.
One thing I keep hearing on Twitter is, "Well, if the Phillies move so and so, who will play those positions?" The answer is irrelevant. If Rollins goes, Galvis can start. If Utley goes, Hernandez can start. If Howard goes, Franco and Asche have places to play. Additionally, late in free agency the Phillies can grab cheaper leftover players that can play a position for now and be flipped to someone else at the trade deadline. And most obviously, a Papelbon trade makes room for Kenny Giles.
Pat Gillick made the statement: the Phillies will not contend in 2015 and 2016. Thus, the Phillies players must know that if they stick around, they are in for losing. As players like Burnett continue to opt out, expect more to be on board with moving.
