Philadelphia Phillies: Rotation Puzzle Unpacked

Realizing the reasons for adding an experienced starter is important to understanding the thinking of general manager Matt Klentak of the Philadelphia Phillies for 2017 and beyond.

On Your Starting Mark:  

Once the competition begins, victory is only a respite before the next challenge on the horizon.

Whittling down the situation to a manageable size is the best way to separate reality from misperception. And ruling out financial commitment is the first cut: Jeremy Hellickson at $17.2 million and Clay Buchholz at $13.5 million for a total of $30.7 million. In other words, barring dreadful performances or a lengthy disabled list stint, Klentak has two veterans atop the rotation like last April. What will they share? The pressure. Meanwhile, Jerad Eickhoff, Aaron Nola and Vince Velasquez will gain the necessary experience to inherit those roles in August.

"IN OTHER WORDS:     “I had to will my way through that game. Sometimes, it takes more than talent or more than a 95-mile-an-hour fastball. You have to will it.” – Roger Clemens"

Prior to the trading deadline last July, Klentak began negotiating with the Boston Red Sox regarding Buchholz; the GM told Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations, that the Phillies would absorb the entire contract. But Dombrowski also insisted on a quality MiLB player, which Klentak rejected. So, the calls continued into the offseason because the Phils refused to part with any valuable minor leaguer and informed Boston their only interest was a salary dump. Finally, when Dombrowski and Klentak agreed, the reason was that the Red Sox had uncertainty regarding any forthcoming offers for the hurler.

While baseball like other entertainment industries is a fantastic escape for fans, this business isn’t a romanticized adventure. Franchises don’t owe anyone an opportunity and players are under no illusions. In fact, while management points out their expectations to the youngsters, they also provide direction for improvement.