The Phillies appear to be taking a stance that is making it even clearer that the Phillies and Carlos Ruiz will end their long relationship.
Amaro told Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Daily News that he did not want to miss out on other players while he waits for Ruiz to make a decision in free agency. The comparison was made to Jimmy Rollins' standoff with the team in 2011:
Despite mutual interest in continuing a similar relationship, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said you shouldn’t make the mistake of comparing the case of Carlos Ruiz to Jimmy Rollins’ free agency in the fall of 2011.
“I can assure you if it takes similar as long (to get something done), there will be very little chance of bringing Chooch back,” Amaro said Thursday regarding Ruiz. “We can’t afford to miss out on other opportunities.”
I must question who else the Phillies would be afraid of missing if they did not re-sign Carlos Ruiz after a long standoff. Lawrence addresses that:
With other free agents catchers on the market, Amaro clearly doesn’t want to “miss out” on one of the better options and be like the kid in musical chairs left standing idly with a dumb look on his face.
“I’m confident we’re going to get a catcher,” Amaro said when asked if he was confident he and Ruiz could reach a deal. “I don’t know who it’s going to be.”
This makes me wonder if the Phillies have a trade possibility. The only free agent name worth really considering is Brian McCann, though his left-handed bat seems to make McCann less than a perfect fit. Certainly, if you are going to re-sign Carlos Ruiz you do not have to give up any players to fill the catching position. A trade requires giving up some talent that the Phillies would rather keep.
Or, maybe this is just a negotiation ploy. Stay tuned.
