Brandon Phillips

[pup]

I actually think being on the big league roster for a full season as a utility player would be great for him. It gives him the chance to see how professionals go about things daily, while not being overloaded with the pressure of playing everyday. One of the positives of these Indians is the way they approach each game and a season as a whole, and being around that cannot hurt. He has all the tools. I think he makes the team as a utility guy and takes over second base in 2007.

[swerb]

Phillips future with the Indians comes down to the next three weeks.

Shapiro is likely pulling harder for BP than anyone else this spring. Not because he was the crown jewel of Shapiro's defining deal here.

I think it's because he likes Vasquez, and would like to move Phillips late in March. Maybe with a minor league arm for an upgrade to Hollandsworth for the 4th OF role? A little better Jason Michaels insurance, per say?

Indians aren't exactly screwed at 2b. They hold an option on Fat Ronnie IIRC. And if they played Julio at 2b at age 42 back in the mid 90's, I wouldn't rule out Boone as another option there in 2007, depending on how he plays from start to finish, and how his knee holds up.

Phillips doesn't fit the "player personality profile" Shapiro and Wedge like. He also still has trade value, which will only be enhanced if he continues to hit .400 in spring.

And they've always had a hard on for Vasquez. I've liked what I've seen from Vasquez as well. If they keep BP, Vasquez goes bye-bye and lands on someones big league roster.

So the question is ....

Vasquez + what Phillips yields

or

Phillips, and say buh-bye to Vasquez

I say the former.

[swerb]

Early results from Winterhaven ...

Phillips 6-15 (.400), 1 2b, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R, 2 K, 2 BB
Vasquez 5-18 (.278), 1 2b, 5 RBI, 5 R, 3 K, 0 BB

[consigliere]

I'm in the camp that wants BP to win the IF utility job. He pretty much has nothing left to prove in AAA, and at this point he needs to be up in the majors if he is going to improve his game anymore. He hit .296 with 8 HRs and 50 RBIs, along with 89 runs and a .769 OPS, in Buffalo 2004......then regressed in 2005 hitting only .256 with 15 HRs and 46 RBIs and a .735 OPS.

As noted, he is out of options. And, to me, with Belliard being a FA after this season and the minor league system being devoid of any talent at SS/2B that can help us in 2006 and 2007, I think it would be mistake to dump Phillips at this point. It's not like we would be keeping him over say Jhonny Peralta. We'd lose Vazquez, who is a dime a dozen player. Plus, and I am not 100% sure on this, I believe Vazquez has one option left.

I'm hoping that the idea at the end of Spring is to let Hollandsworth go and let Blake be the 4th OFer as we acquire a starting RFer to replace Blake.

BTW, Rich, good call on Boone at 2B in 2007. That is what I have been thinking may be in the cards (like it or not).

[swerb]

Heard an interesting interview Kevin Keane did with Farrell last night.

Said there is a big split in the Indians FO as to what to do with BP. Said some are very strong in their opinions that he should stay, others just as strong in their opinions that he should go.

When pressed Farrell would not tip his hand as to who is in which camp.

Should be interesting to see how it all shakes down. My gut says he is dealt sometime between now and Sat night. Maybe in addition to a Hollandsworth or a Dubois for an upgrade at the backup corner OF slot.

[Lebowski]

Is anyone else susprised that Ferrell was that candid about a player on the team?

I'd keep him. He has very low trade value now, and he still has that potential. Give him the utility job and see how he does in that role in 06.

[pup]

Just read Vazquez won the utility role and BP cleared out his locker today, but didn't know where he was headed. I can't see them getting much for him in a trade.

[pup]

Some BP quotes from today:

"It should have been me" -refering to Grady's contract.

"I can't stay around here" -on why he is going to his home in Gerogia

"I had one bad year, 2003. I struggled and they signed Belliard. I had a good year in AAA and they signed Belliard again"

"It stil hurts. I wanted to be an Indian. That dream is gone away"


See ya Franchise! I don't think I agree with this choice, but I guess his attitude has not improved. It appears a deal is already done, but they are waiting until Sunday to make the move just in case someone gets hurt before then.

[Guest]

I like him
I think it will come back to bite them in the ass, like always.
Once again, I hope I'm wrong.

[Lebowski]

It should have been me

Did he really say that? Link?

[pup]

Did he really say that? Link?

Yes he did. It is in the article on Indians.com.

[Jumbo]

It should have been me

Perhaps I'm in the minority, but I don't think necessarily a sign of a bad attitude...depending on the context, just more a feeling of regret for time lost and mistakes made. Both by the Indians in rushing him (and waiting half the season to send him down) and BP by not accepting that he needed to make the adjustments necessary to succeed.

I really hope BP does well with his new (hopefully NL) team. I was in attendance for BP's first ML hit, and at the time I honestly thought it would be the first of about 2,000 in his career.

[Steve Buffum]

It should have been me

Perhaps I'm in the minority, but I don't think necessarily a sign of a bad attitude...depending on the context, just more a feeling of regret for time lost and mistakes made.

That's how I read it: "When I was traded here, I expected to be the starting middle infielder within a year and get a lifetime extension soon thereafter, and Grady was the throw-in ... how times have changed."

[swerb]

Phillips is more than ready defensively.

I know two things caught me way off guard when I got an extended chance to see him play a couple of years ago.

~Lack of speed

~VERY long swing

I mean, all the hype we got on BP was that he was a 5 tool type guy when he came over. I forget the comparisons, I want to say Jeter was the name we always heard.

Maybe I'm overreacting to years of very egotistical comments to the local press, but I see BP as a guy that will hit 30 points lower than he should be hitting for the majority of his career due to an infatuation with trying to hit the long ball. A precedent has been set, where if you can hit 20 HR a year at 2b and defend like he does ... that you're gonna get the Brinks Truck backed up come new contract time.

The lack of speed ... again, that may be the difference between another 10 pts a year to his batting average. Phillips isn't slow, but he isn't fast either. Especially for a 23 yr old kid that weighs about a buck eighty.

Right or wrong, the Indians value character more than any franchise I've ever seen in this town, and maybe as much as any franchise in pro sports right now. They knew whoever won the utility job wouldn't play much, and that Vasquez would do it with a smile.

In the end, I think the Indians made the right move here. I don't see BP ever being "special".

Will be interesting to see where he goes and what he yields.

[rigs]

except for the email you sent me when we acquired him with hte subject line reading "B Phil will be something special."
Then again, I didn't like the Zack Day trade, so we're even.

[swerb]

http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.s ... tri&coll=2

Tribe will be able to trade Phillips, Shapiro says

Friday, March 31, 2006
Paul Hoynes
Plain Dealer Reporter

Winter Haven, Fla.- GM Mark Shapiro said he'll be able to trade Brandon Phillips. It's just a matter of time.

Phillips, thought to be the key to the Bartolo Colon deal, was cut Wednesday afternoon. He lost the race for the utility infielder's job to Ramon Vazquez.

"We're already working with teams and exchanging names," said Shapiro.


The Indians will keep Phillips as insurance against injury until they break camp after Saturday's game against Cincinnati.

Shapiro said if a deal is in place, he'll announce it as soon as the Tribe's last infielders leave the field against the Reds Saturday. If a deal isn't in place, Phillips will be designated for assignment, giving the Indians 10 days to trade him.

Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Washington and Colorado are interested. Royals manager Buddy Bell likes Phillips, but Kansas City just claimed infielder Tony Graffanino on waivers.

The Indians acquired Phillips, Grady Sizemore and Cliff Lee from Montreal for Colon in 2002. Phillips was supposed to be the centerpiece, but Sizemore and Lee lapped him.

"We were extremely high on Brandon, so you can't be anything but disappointed," said Shapiro.

Phillips out-hit Vazquez, batting .316 with three homers and six RBI.

[elsenortac]

Let's just hope that the "Little Fat Man" (Ronnie Belliard) and Peralta can stay healthy because with out dearth of middle infield prospects in the minor league system, coupled with the thought of (gasp) Ramon Vazquez playing every day could create some problems for us. Maybe Shapiro will include Broussard, that would be swell.

[swerb]

Let's just hope that the "Little Fat Man" (Ronnie Belliard) and Peralta can stay healthy because with out dearth of middle infield prospects in the minor league system, coupled with the thought of (gasp) Ramon Vazquez playing every day could create some problems for us. Maybe Shapiro will include Broussard, that would be swell.

That is the concerning part. The lack of middle infield depth in the org, and BPs upside as compared to Vasquez.

I heard Farrell on 1100 the other night. He was really talking up Joe Inglett as a candidate for that role in the future.

[swerb]

Heres what Lastoria had to say about the Gautreau/Inglett duo in his Buffalo preview ...

And by the way, the Buffalo preview he did was incredible for those who haven't had a chance to read it. Buffalo is loaded with top prospects, and Tony did a great job doing a little writeup on each player set to start the season there.

http://swerbsblurbs.com/article_detail. ... e=indians&

2B: Jake Gautreau/Joe Inglett

Gautreau will get the lion’s share of playing time at 2B, and will also backup Marte at 3B. Joe Inglett and Lou Merloni (if he accepts an assignment to Buffalo) will also get some playing time at 2B as well. The Indians acquired Gautreau last year when they dealt disappointing 3B prospect Corey Smith to the Padres for him. Gautreau had a good year in Buffalo last year hitting .253 with 18 HRs and 57 RBIs, and was named to the AAA All-Star team. But, he faded in the second half of the year as most of that production came in the first half of the season.

Last year, Inglett hit .330 with 2 HRs and 40 RBIs at Buffalo, and owns a career batting average of .303 in the minors. Inglett played 56 games at 2B, 33 games in the outfield and 3 games at SS in 2005, and he will continue to bounce around the field and play pretty much everywhere as the Indians look to develop him into a useful utility player.

[consigliere]

That is the concerning part. The lack of middle infield depth in the org, and BPs upside as compared to Vasquez. I heard Farrell on 1100 the other night. He was really talking up Joe Inglett as a candidate for that role in the future.

Inglett really looks to be an option they may go with in the near future. If Vazquez sucks like he mostly will, Inglett may even get a shot by mid-season.

I know I am late on this, but let me just say once again that choosing Vazquez over BP was the wrong decision by Shapiro. I'm not happy with it at all....

[ACrank]

only because i am not sure holding onto Phillips to wait for his "upside" or "potential" to appear while being wasted as an utility infielder is the wisest hing for the team

yep - the Indians are dangerously thin in middle infield candidates

i can't see that they would be any further along had they had kept Phillips - how well developed would he have gotten playing as infrequently as the utility infielder figures to play?

i'd rather have seen the Indians trade Phillips in the offseason - since Vazquez apparently does have an option i can understand the idea of sending Vazuqez to Buffalo and letting Phillips try and adjut to being a major leaguer - i just can't see how it would have helped him any

i really don't think the Indians starting second baseman in 07 is on this team, and i would say that even if Phillips were on the 25 man roster

[pup]

I think he is on the team, he just happens to be playing 3rd base.

[ACrank]

a lot of people agree wth you - i am not one of them

Boone has played second, but to no great degree, and i have doubts if he could handle it over a full year

[pup]

I thought he played a couple of full seasons at second in Cincinatti. his last year there and then when the Yankees traded for him was when he switched to 3rd full time. I will check on that.

[mark]

I was surprised to find that Boone has only played 21 games at 2B

http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/booneaa01.shtml

[pup]

WOW. That is shocking to me. Maybe he is not the answer over there next year.

If Boone plays well through May
AND
Marte is playing well in the minors
THEN
What are the chances of Boone being included in a trade? And what could his max value become?

[gnati]

WOW. That is shocking to me. Maybe he is not the answer over there next year.

If Boone plays well through May
AND
Marte is playing well in the minors
THEN
What are the chances of Boone being included in a trade? And what could his max value become?

I guess chalk me up to one of those who would have no problem with Boone playing second (assuming Belliard flattens out, Marte can take the position, etc)

Boone is a very good athlete, the Reds did move him to second base for the 03 season to make room for Brandon Larson, who tanked, so they moved him back to 3rd...so the Reds believed he could play 2nd, and so did the Yanks who talked of him filling in over there for short stints...and if the Tribe believes Casey Blake could have played there...well, Boone is a better athlete than Blake.

The perfect role for Boone would be uber-filler in guy. Not necessarily a starter, but probably a guy who would end up starting over 130 games as a regular fill in (think Joan Rivers for Johnny Carson) at numerous positions 3rd to spot Marte, SS when Honny needs a day off, 2b when Belliard needs to grab a bite to eat, 1b as an Eddie Perez wanna be, DH for Pronk if rest or slight injury...hell, I would even think he could do one of the corner OF's in a pinch.

He is a vet, character type guy who I think all things considered if ShapIro approached about that type of thought...get your 500 plus AB's and play an invaluable role for the team...he would do it without a second thought.