Hunter Pence Trade Rumors: Latest on Possible Deadline Deals
The Philadelphia Phillies are finally coming to terms with their lost 2012 season and are ready to sell some of their best players for the right price.
Hunter Pence was traded to the City of Brotherly Love almost a year ago to the day (July 31, 2011), in a deal that sent two highly rated prospects (Jarred Cosart, Jonathan Singleton) to the Houston Astros. Another World Series run was the goal.
Now, the plan has changed and the Sporting News is reporting that a slew of Phillies are available including the 29-year-old Pence.
Time is running out with Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET non-waiver trade deadline quickly approaching, and there has been plenty of interest in Pence.
Here’s the latest involving one of the top hitters available on the market.
MLB Trade Rumors: Next 2 Months Will Determine Future of Phillies
Has time run out on the Philadelphia Phillies dynasty in the NL East?
The five-time defending champs are currently sitting in last place at 14-18, and have already dug themselves into a five-game hole. A 5-8 home record is a shocker, considering they were 52-29 at Citizen’s Bank at year ago.
As Ryan Howard and Chase Utley continue to slowly comeback from injury, and patience appears to be running thin in the Phillies’ front office.
Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly spoke with general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. recently, and he didn’t sound like a man that was exactly comfortable with the direction his team was heading:
July is so far ahead. We just have to get on track. But if July comes and we’re playing like this, we’ll be sellers. How we play now will determine whether we’ll be buyers or sellers in July.
Every part of the team aside from the starting pitching has been horrific. Entering action on Thursday, the Phillies bullpen ranks dead last in ERA (5.47) and has blown six saves—third worst in baseball.
Jimmy Rollins (.230 avg, six SB) and his brand new contract have struggled, and Shane Victorino isn’t much better (.244 avg, .298 OBP). Aside from Carlos Ruiz, no player on the team is hitting better than .275.
The biggest problem, aside from the shoddy product on the field, is the sky-high payroll. Philly is just under the $178 million luxury-tax threshold. Obviously the front office doesn’t want to get dinged by paying the penalty for crossing it, so the odds of adding any payroll are incredibly slim…unless they start winning.
That means the next two months are going to be monumental for the future of this franchise. If they continue to struggle, a star like Utley may be sent packing. They may even have to trade a player due for a raise like Cole Hamels.
If they turn things around and begin to challenge the Washington Nationals, the team stays intact and adding payroll for a World Series run becomes an option once again.
Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com
MLB Power Rankings Week 26: Rounding Third and Heading Home
The final week of the 2010 regular season has arrived and the Rangers and Twins have already popped the champagne.
The Rangers success can be attributed to finally having solid starting pitching. Nolan Ryan really does make whatever he touches turn into gold.
The Phillies have clinched at least a Wild Card position, while the Yanks and Rays are battling for the AL East crown. The loser gets the Wild Card.
Thinking back to April most experts wouldn’t expect the upstart Reds to be one game away from clinching their first playoff birth since 1995.
The Braves, Giants and Padres are fighting for two spots. The Giants effectively ended the Rockies’ season by winning two-of-three against the Rox over the weekend.
How big is the Giants and Padres season ending series now?
Buckle up, it’s crunch time.
MLB Power Rankings Week Nine: Another Perfect One
Roy Halladay threw the 19th regular-season perfect game in major-league history on Saturday in a 1-0 win over the Marlins. It was only the sixth of those perfect games thrown on the road.
A-Rod almost knocked David Huff’s head off. A walk off grand slam by the Angels Kendry Morales’ results in a broken leg.
And we have a 10-game winner who is on pace for 32 wins. Juuuust another week on the diamond.