The Phillies have two holdovers from their 2008 World Series championship: first baseman Ryan Howard and catcher Carlos Ruiz. While the Phillies have cleared the roster of the rest of the aging veterans, these two remain. While the Phillies reportedly dumping both in the past, it appears that they will be around for the rest of the contract, the Phillies say. And that is okay.
In a piece by MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, new general manager Matt Klentak said that he expected the two to be back.
"They definitely fit into our plans for '16," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said Thursday. "That's not a concern for me. But I never say never. I'm open to anything. I have so much respect for what Ryan and Chooch have done, and what they have meant to this city and franchise. At some point, frankly it could be next week, I'm going to sit down with their agents and talk to them. I don't know them as people. I want to understand sort of what their motivations are. But the question about, 'Can they exist on our roster next year?' Absolutely."
They can exist, and they can help the Phillies bridge the gap for the future.
First, Carlos Ruiz. Ruiz has one year remaining on his contract and is due about $9 million. Keeping Ruiz makes more sense than letting him go.
Should the Phillies trade Ruiz, they would have to eat a significant amount of money. The Phillies do not view Ruiz as a starter, and neither would any of the 29 other teams, in all likelihood. The Phillies would likely use Ruiz as they did in 2016: in tandem with Cameron Rupp. If the Phillies ate $7 million for Ruiz to be someone else's backup, they might as well keep him.
The first reason Ruiz should stay is that the Phillies have two promising young catchers in Andrew Knapp and Jorge Alfaro. If baseball legends such as Roy Halladay champion Ruiz as the best catcher of their careers, the young catchers probably would be eager to benefit from Ruiz's instruction. With many catchers brought to camp, Knapp and Alfaro and probably also the lesser prospect Gabriel Lino will get a chance to work with Ruiz in Clearwater, which could pay dividends for years.
Additionally, the Phillies have no catcher near ready for Major League play. The Phillies will probably do as they did in the past, signing a catcher like Humberto Quintero or Erik Kratz who will play at Lehigh Valley and then get the call if either Rupp or Ruiz get hurt. The Phillies were really lucky to not have an injury at catcher in 2015, but their luck may not be the same in 2016. In short, the Phillies need Ruiz's depth.
Splitting time between Rupp and Ruiz could keep the Phillies catching position healthy again in 2016.
As for Ryan Howard, the final $30 million will be paid to him in 2016. The Phillies' lone hope for a trade would likely be taking someone else's bad contract. Maybe the Red Sox would pay Howard's $30 million if the Phillies took the positionless Hanley Ramirez and the $66 million and $22 million vesting option, but doing a trade like that would be counterproductive for the Phillies.
If the Phillies traded Howard and paid $28 of that $30 million, they would be better off having a $2 million platoon player of their own. Darin Ruf's numbers against left-handed pitching are outstanding, and Howard hits right-handed hitters much better. The Phillies could have a productive first base in 2016 if the Phillies were to do a straight platoon. It's what other teams would likely do with Howard.
And who knows – if the Phillies use Howard right and he is only put into a position where he will succeed, Howard could help another team in July or August. The Phillies might even get something back. Just in case they can get a piece back, it makes no sense to go into dump mode now. The money is spent, and Howard can be productive in 2016 as the left-handed leg of a platoon.
Besides, let's enjoy watching Ruiz and Howard for one last season. We know that they are not what they once were. But, they've brought us a lot of joy in the past and can probably still do so once in a while. Since neither is blocking a Major League prospect, the Phillies might as well keep them.
