Philadelphia Phillies: Odubel Herrera contract extension backfiring already
By Tim Boyle
In an attempt to keep one of their best players from the past two seasons happy, the Philadelphia Phillies signed outfielder Odubel Herrera to a contract extension this past offseason. The 25-year-old outfielder has always been a fiery player followed by a little bit of controversy. Through the first two and a half months of 2017, some of this controversy has involved his statistical performance.
For the first time in his MLB career, Odubel Herrera is struggling at the plate consistently. At this point, it will take a very good second half for him to turn his season around.
Opinions on Herrera’s true value will vary depending on how someone views him as a leader. His lack of hustle at times and run-ins with manager Pete Mackanin have helped Herrera develop a less-than-favorable reputation. That reputation has taken a worse hit in 2017 with his statistics taking a nosedive.
Even though Herrera is hitting doubles like crazy, he is not doing much else. Herrera has a sub-.300 OBP and is not stealing bases with the same consistency as he did in the previous two seasons. Once viewed as a leadoff hitter with all of the tools, Herrera is performing more like a bottom of the order player.
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One possibility for the struggles is that Herrera is pressing at the plate and trying to do too much. The huge increase in doubles and the strikeouts to go along with it are one example. Herrera carried a huge load last year. Perhaps it all got to his head.
Fortunately, Herrera’s contract is not the kind to hold back the Phillies from making other moves in the future. Team-friendly buyouts in 2022 and 2023 will help the Phillies from getting handcuffed for too long. Herrera’s deal also doesn’t exceed $10 million until 2021, which means Philadelphia is only guaranteed to pay him eight figures once in his career.
There are plenty of reasons to defend Herrera this season. The lack of support around him in the lineup is one of the big factors as to why he isn’t putting up All-Star numbers. Additionally, it’s important to remember he is a third-year player whom the Phillies snagged in the Rule 5 Draft. Herrera was going to eventually look a little more human than he did the last two years. Getting anything at all from him is a positive considering the circumstances in which he arrived in Philadelphia.
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Herrera’s multiple talents should keep him in the Phillies lineup on a consistent basis with maybe only the occasional benching along the way. He may never quite return to All-Star form, but he can certainly offer them something.