Phillies: Trade wild-card player to fill wish list

Up the middle:

For Phillies fans, free agency’s annual ritual is “the kid in the candy store” adventure, but purchases have a dollar limit like a youngster’s allowance –if that still exists. And GMs may –in an unguarded moment– allow themselves to imagine the ace heading their staff or the slugger launching 40 bombs.

If Klentak could sign all top needed pieces available every offseason, he’d be on his way to Cooperstown, no? However, the fan bases of the other major league franchises feel the same way about their decision-makers. Funny how that works! But remember, the higher-up has a $12 million AAV player to balance most swaps.

In center field, Herrera, 28, has an AAV of $6.1 million and five years of control due to two club options. And he’s proven he can hit .281 or higher in three of his first four summers and can tone down his antics with encouragement. Plus replacing him with Adam Haseley, 23, will solve the other issue too.

While the Pittsburgh Pirates may move Starling Marte, Herrera has a real shot as a backup plan for teams not picking up that center fielder. And those organizations are the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and San Diego Padres: no shortage of possibilities.

If Klentak picks up a left-handed hitting infielder, Segura may switch to second or third base. And Scott Kingery who has earned a starting job will man the other open position.