Kuzul

Major League Baseball is on the cusp of something big. Whether it is the bursting of a looming bubble from overwhelming television contracts to pricing casual fans out of the ballpark with substantially high, overpriced contracts for aging stars. 

While the Boston Red Sox-St. Louis Cardinals World Series ratings were up by 17 percent from the year prior, nearly 809,000 fewer people attended MLB games last year than the year before. Additionally, the National Football League continues to trump the MLB when it comes to viewer ratings.

Some easy guesses as to why baseball is failing in the P.R. department hinge on negative reflections regarding the steroids era, the current performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) debate and overall disinterest. 

Another interesting angle to take on is the demographics of baseball. The United States is becoming more and more diverse and after 2030, the non-Hispanic white population is expected to decline. With diversity growing on a macro scale nationally, why is it that diversity is lagging in MLB, especially among the black population?

A question such as this is not easy to tackle. MLB has various initiatives to make the game of baseball more diverse, such as Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) and MLB’s Urban Youth Academy. Even Little League Baseball has its own Urban Initiative.

In my opinion, the problem stems from marketing. The National Basketball Association and NFL do a great job with its marketing schemes. On a national level, folks know who the ‘Big Three’ are in the NBA. They also crave the headline NFL match-up’s between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, Colin Kaepernick and Drew Brees. The brilliant minds within the NBA and NFL continue to out-lap the MLB in marketing.

Therefore, here are ten proposals to make MLB more intriguing to the casual fan. Some of these ideas may be new to you, some may not be. But it is about time that we have dialogue on how to get the casual fan more in tune with America’s national pastime.

1. Play the World Series at a neutral site

Back in September, super-agent Scott Boras proposed playing the first “two games to start the World Series in a warm-weather climate and/or dome.” Let’s take Boras‘s proposal a step further. How about playing an entire World Series at a neutral site? Imagine planning an autumn trip to Miami, Arlington, Phoenix or San Diego for the Fall Classic? It would add further intrigue in similar fashion to the NFL’s Super Bowl. 

2. Have the Home Run Derby at the World Series

This was also proposed by Boras. If a prelude or ceremony to kick off the World Series at a neutral site were to occur, why not have the game’s best hitters, who happen to not be in the World Series, swing for the fences there? It would create a more anticipatory atmosphere in which fans would be more excited for the World Series. Also, as Boras explained, it would allow MLB’s best hitters to “compete and not have to worry, as they do now at the All-Star Game, about ruining their swings for the rest of the season.”

3. More day-night doubleheaders

Double-header’s are a staple of baseball. Unfortunately, MLB rarely allows them to be scheduled unless they are in conjunction with a make-up or delayed game. More doubleheader’s would allow for a slight belt-tightening of the protracted MLB season. One double-header for each club, every two weeks between the months of May and August would suffice.

4. MiLB-MLB doubleheaders

What if MLB scheduled doubleheaders that pitted Triple A team’s versus one another in the day game and the MLB clubs in the night game? So long as MLB doesn’t ramp up the cost of the ticket, it would be intriguing to watch the potential stars of tomorrow early while watching the big leaguer’s later on. Marketing-wise, it would introduce the casual fan to fun and witty Minor League team’s such as the Vermont Lake Monsters, Las Vegas 51s, Richmond Flying Squirrels and Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The doubleheader could come to include not just Triple-A contests, but games between teams from all levels of the farm system, so long as they are in the same developmental level.

5. Introduce the Designated Hitter to the National League

While many throwbacks will hate this idea and invoke the need to do the inverse, I think this would be a good idea. The American League gets it right by not mandating the pitcher to hit. The National League is still decades behind in this regard. While power hitter’s seem to be on short supply, it would still improve the lot of hitting in the NL by not giving opposing pitchers a seemingly ‘easy out’ when the nine-hole batter steps to the plate. Sure, Yovani Gallardo, Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke can hit but they are not the rule, they are the exceptions to the rule.

6. More instant replay changes

It appears likely that a challenge-type replay system is coming to MLB for 2014 but that might not be enough. How about a mobile-integration for the umpires in baseball. For this to happen, a mobile tablet such as an Apple iPad should be housed in the home dugout. As soon as a close call is challenged, the umpires gather with the tablet, review the call instantly while on the field, and make their decision. Increase the proposed challenge tally from two to five manager challenges per game and integrate a rule where managers lose a challenge should they storm the field in protest. This would decrease the likelihood of slowing down the game.

7. Timing system for pitchers

I guess this would be similar to the shot clock in basketball. A pitcher will get a preset amount of time to throw his pitch. Should he continue to let his arm dangle while shaking off the catcher and time expire, a loud horn will echo throughout the ballpark’s speaker system. The man in the batter’s box is allowed to take first base. All other runner’s on base, if any, move up one base as well. This would alleviate the pain of watching Jonathan Papelbon and Rafael Betancourt on the mound.

8. Managers and coaching staff don’t have to wear uniforms

This might not prove to be much of a factor in getting more people to the ballpark but it matters. Who wants to see aging men in tight baseball pants strutting around the ballpark? I think it is safe to assume that a generational gap would exist in this proposal. However, it would be just fine if skippers were allowed to wear khaki pants with polo shirt’s and an MLB-licensed hat to the ballpark. It would also give MLB more items to market as the camera pans to Clint Hurdle chewing bubble game while donning the latest Pittsburgh Pirates polo shirt and hat.

9. More International Contests

Since baseball is no longer a participating sport within the Olympics, how about we see more contests between the like’s of American pro teams and pro teams from Japan, Cuba, Korea and other countries? These could take place during Spring Training in MLB ballparks. Sure, it might drive attendance down at Spring Training sites but it would help boost revenue somewhat elsewhere. Any way in which we could instill a sense of national pride via a proxy such as baseball is a good thing. By the way, the World Baseball Classic is a flawed event. 

10. Shrink the season

Implementing more doubleheaders is a means for shortening the length of the season by days but how about we see MLB cut the number of games down by 10, 20 or even 30? As vile as this may sound, it might do baseball some good. Today’s social media-inspired society lives in the moment. It doesn’t have time to sit around and wait. The culture is predicated on what is happening now, not three months from now. Any proposal of shrinking the number of games played is considered blasphemous but it must be considered for the better of the game. 

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In recent days, much has been ballyhooed about the Philadelphia Phillies standing in the National League East division. At five games below .500 and nine-and-a-half games from the division leading Atlanta Braves, fans are clamoring for the Phillies to sell their most esteemed pieces in order to gain in the future with highly regarded prospects.

However, the Phillies are right where they were expected to be. Only those with blinders on would have expected more. With Ruben Amaro Jr. at the helm of arranging this roster, only more of the same can be expected so long as he’s the general manager.

For instance, the starting rotation leads Major League Baseball with 55 quality starts (QS). For comparison’s sake, the Washington Nationals have 46 QS while the Pittsburgh Pirates have tallied 38 QS. 

The Earned Run Average (ERA) of the starting pitchers for Philadelphia is 4.03. Compared to the rest of MLB, this is average. However, the Phillies’ starters Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) of 3.75 is near the top in MLB. According to FanGraphs, FIP “measures what a player’s ERA should have looked like over a given time period, assuming that performance on balls in play and timing were league average.”

FIP suggests we should take a look at the Revised Zone Rating (RZR) which measures “the proportion of balls hit into a fielder’s zone that he successfully converted into an out.” A strong indicator of defensive performance beyond the pitching, RZR is indicative of the woes that can plague a good pitching staff backed by inadequate defense in the field.

Philadelphia ranks 24th in MLB in RZR (.826). Aside from the New York Yankees (ranked 25th), the other five teams worse in this category sit with sub-.500 win-loss records. They include the Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers.

Defense hasn’t been the only liability for the Phillies.

The relievers bode a 4.60 ERA, slotted in as the second worst in all of MLB. Unlike the Phillies starting rotation though, this high ERA cannot be hitched to poor defense. After all, the bullpen’s FIP is third worst in baseball at 4.39. They also have the third worst Wins Above Replacement (WAR) at -0.8.

The Phillies hitting has been abysmal as well. Despite a power surge from Domonic Brown, the lineup ranks 22nd in WAR (7.2). Comparatively speaking, the Chicago Cubs (8.8), Kansas City Royals (9.5) and San Diego Padres (13.0) all fare better in this metric.

The team’s batting average of .255 is near the league median and their strikeout rate is average. However, the Phillies sluggers have showed little patience at the plate, boasting one of the league’s worst walk rates (6.9 percent).

Simply put, the current makeup of the roster is not working out. Chase Utley, Michael Young and Carlos Ruiz are all set to be free agents following the season. It would make sense for Amaro Jr. to deal these players. Since they are not helping place the Phillies in serious contention, why not give the likes of Cesar Hernandez, Cody Asche and Tommy Joseph extended looks as we crawl through the summer?

On top of that, it would behoove the Phillies to unload the contract of closer Jonathan Papelbon. The 32-year-old is set to earn $13 million per annum through 2015 with a vesting option for 2016. At the same time, Pirates closer Jason Grilli will earn $2.5 million this year and $4 million next. Yes, the same Grilli that Amaro Jr. cut in 2011 has gone on to become one of the best closers in baseball.

For now, it would seem that any team willing to take Papelbon off of the Phillies would be reluctant to do so unless the Phils are willing to eat some of the salary owed to the closer. This might be a significant hurdler to overcome.

In regard to ace Cliff Lee, it would be foolish to deal him now. Despite the $25 million per year he will be owed through 2015 (with a club option for 2016), Lee is more valuable to the Phillies than he would be should they attain prospects via trade. 

Why?

In reality, the Phillies are still not stuck between a rock and a hard place. Sure, they have no hope of winning the World Series in 2013 but a looming television deal could increase their potential to bring in better talent in the very near future.

The trust factor is nonexistent with general manager Amaro Jr., though. Remember, he was the same GM that thought bringing Jim Thome into a NL ballpark was a good idea (skipper Charlie Manuel signed off on that, too).

Amaro Jr. is also the one who orchestrated the $50 million contract for Papelbon. In regard to this, the average 2013 salary of the top eight closers (aside from Mariano Rivera) in terms of saves is $3.98 million. The list includes Grilli, Craig Kimbrel, Edward Mujica, Ernesto Frieri and Addison Reed.

Quite frankly, paying a reliever not named Mo Rivera is asinine since the Grillis and Mujicas of the baseball world continue to prove over and over again inflated valuation of the closer role is nonsensical.

Speaking of sense, the only way to make any of the Phillies 2013 campaign is to point the finger at Amaro Jr. He engineered the roster his way and it has simply not worked. As many have been saying since last season, it is time to change course–not only with the roster but with the management as well.

Statistics and metrics sourced from Fangraphs.

Salary information sourced from SpoTrac.

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Such a Herculean task it is to dissect the Philadelphia Phillies nowadays. 

Nearly two months into the season, the Phillies continue to hug a sub-.500 record. Meanwhile, the front office continues to debate on whether or not their supposed plan is being implemented appropriately. 

Whatever plan general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has for this club is not working. Simply put, he is at the forefront of the blame while skipper Charlie Manuel should be ousted for his debilitated decision-making.

A perfect example of the adverse decision-making on behalf of the Phillies skipper can be seen Tuesday night, when the Fightins square off against the Miami Marlins.

In 13 innings versus the Phils, Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez has yet to allow a run scored while giving up just three hits. Of those three hits Fernandez has permitted, two came off the bat of the switch-hitting utility man Freddy Galvis. 

Despite the small sample size, it is evident that Galvis has had the most success any Phillie has had against Fernandez to date. However, he will be on the bench in this affair.

Instead, outfielder Delmon Young will get the nod.

Young is baseball’s version of Napoleon Dynamite when it comes to defense. He is also struggling to stay above the Mendoza Line, batting-wise. 

It’s not like Amaro Jr. and Manuel have to be committed to Young. After all, Young is on a one-year contract worth a thrifty $750,000. 

So what gives? 

At the end of the day, the Phillies’ decision to sit Galvis against Fernandez in favor of D. Young is representative of the porous decision-making the club has made over the course of the last two seasons.

Naysayer’s with pie-in-the-sky attitudes will point out that the Phillies are a good series or two away from overtaking first place in the National League East.

Never mind their record against sub-.500 clubs as opposed to clubs with winning records.

Never mind the fact they have yet to take on the Washington Nationals.

Let’s get one thing clear: The Phillies are in decline. Anybody who says otherwise is likely to still believe in the Tooth Fairy.

The window of opportunity to repeat the feat from 2008 closed in 2011. The door slammed shut when the Phillies gave up a 2-1 series lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. The nails were hammered in the coffin when the Phillies surged late last year only to have their postseason hopes dashed in a series sweep at the hands of the Houston Astros.

In-game mismanagement by Manuel coupled with questionable personnel decisions from Amaro Jr. have rendered the Phillies insignificant. 

The sad reality is that the organization continues to string its fanbase along in similar fashion to the Philadelphia 76ers. After trading for center Andrew Bynum (and his two bad knees), Sixers ownership led fans down a path, all season long, to think that Bynum could play at some point.

As everyone knows, Bynum never debuted. 

The Phillies will not make the playoffs, either.

The point is that the Phillies organization has made terrible decision after terrible decision. Sure, hindsight is always 20/20. Unfortunately, some of the moves the Phillies have made were called into question at the time they occurred.

For instance, the decision to trade Vance Worley and prospect Trevor May to Minnesota has turned out to be atrocious. Sure, Worley has been horrible for the Twins, but nobody could have forecast that at the time. So long as May develops into a serviceable No. 4 or 5 pitcher in the majors, the Twins soundly defeated the Phillies in this trade.

One has to wonder: Whose bright idea was it to trade arms for Major League Baseball’s leader in ground-ball rate?

Regardless, the doom and gloom in South Philly is real. Fans oblivious to the mismanagement of this club can continue to think the Phillies have a shot to contend. Those who understand reality will just sit back, elbows crossed, and watch everything unfold for the worst.

Prior to the start of the season, many with realistic expectations believed the Phillies were an above-.500 club with a decent chance at cracking the postseason, even in the NL East.

Those expectations have now been altered. More likely than not, one can expect the Phillies to finish with a losing record for the first time since 2002. That was the year when Nelly’s “Hot in Herre“ could be heard on every radio station in America, George W. Bush was still in his first term as president and the United States had not yet invaded Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.

As Charlie Chapman once said: “In the end, everything is a gag.” Words couldn’t speak truer for the current state of the Phillies.

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The Milwaukee Brewers are mired in a Catch-22 with Rickie Weeks. The 30-year-old second baseman is flatlining on a club that was expected to contend heavily in the National League Central division. Instead, the Brewers are more than 10 games out of first place with a record of 16-24.

Concerning the Brew Crew’s woes, there is plenty of blame to throw around.

Predictably, the bullpen has looked atrocious at times.

Ace Yovani Gallardo is struggling mightily, watching his strikeout rate dip to a career low while suffering through a 1.46 WHIP.

Starters Marco Estrada and Wily Peralta were expected to have large, positive roles with the staff this year. Instead, they have combined for a 6-6 record and 5.63 ERA.

Let’s not forget the injured Corey Hart, who has yet to hit the diamond thus far.

The disappointment of the Brewers is amplified by the sluggish Weeks, though.

As most fans in Milwaukee know, Weeks is touting a .176 batting average. He has driven in only 10 runs while smacking three home runs. Weeks is also striking out in a career-high fashion. 

Additionally, Weeks’s fly-ball rate on batted balls has dipped to 23.4 percent, down from an average of 38.13 percent over the course of the previous four seasons. 

So what should the Brewers do with Weeks?

Mind you, making a decision on Weeks is a difficult task for the frugal Brewers since he is the third highest-paid player on the club.

According to Spotrac, the Brewers second baseman will earn a total salary of $11 million this year. His salary will jump by $1 million in 2014 with a team option for 2015 worth $11.5 million. According to ESPN’s Jack Moore, the Brewers can opt out of the contract prior to 2015 “if Weeks isn’t a full-time player in 2013 and 2014.”

Weeks’ current contract came off of a career year in 2010, when he tallied 29 HR and 83 RBI. Since then, everything has been downhill. He currently possesses a wins above replacement (WAR) of -0.5. Since his peak WAR of 5.8 in 2010, his WAR has dropped an average of 2.1 points per season since. 

Those familiar with MTV would agree that Weeks “catfished” the Brewers with the five-year contract he signed in 2011.

To compound matters, the Brewers are limited in their options.

Sure, they could platoon Weeks with utility infielder Jeff Bianchi, but Bianchi himself carries little swag at the plate. 

The front office could turn inward and snag Scooter Gennett from Triple-A, but that would only initiate his service clock, something the organization wants to prevent. Gennett himself is proving to lack substantial power at the plate, accumulating zero home runs thus far in the minors.

Since the two aforementioned options are not viable, maybe Milwaukee will look at the available free agents.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the most enticing free-agent second basemen include Ryan Theriot, Freddy Sanchez, Orlando Hudson and Adam Kennedy. No one can fault the Brewers for turning the other way in this circumstance.

At the end of the day, Milwaukee fans need to brace themselves for the worst and hope for the best. They are stuck with Weeks at second base. 

It’s unfortunate, too. Brewers fans are witnessing breakout seasons from Jean Segura and Carlos Gomez. Ryan Braun continues to produce at a lofty level while Aramis Ramirez remains one of the game’s best corner infielders.

Weeks’ lack of production is reflective of a season that has gone awry early on. No one can seriously believe Weeks will turn it around. He has been in decline since hitting his zenith in 2010. Therefore, fans in Milwaukee must continue to swallow those bitter pills as they watch a club with extensive potential continue to plummet in the NL Central.

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In a season where the prospect of competing is long gone by the month of May, it is hard to imagine the Chicago Cubs as “buyers” as we head into the summer months. However, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal speculates that the San Diego Padres third baseman Chase Headley would be “a perfect fit for the Cubs.” 

While it appears that no basis for this speculation exists, a Headley-to-Chicago deal is rather thought-provoking.

Headley will turn 29 this week and the Padres organization isn’t sure if they can secure Headley to a long-term deal. For a club which has the sixth-lowest payroll in Major League Baseball, the tantalizing third baseman may prove to be more valuable than they can afford.

In his column, Rosenthal points out that the Cubs have three prospects that could possibly be moved in such a deal. Shortstop Javier Baez and outfielders Jorge Soler and Albert Amora are the most coveted prospects within the Cubs organization. 

According to Baseball Prospectus, the three aforementioned prospects rank within the top 36 of all MLB prospects (No. 18 Almora, No. 20 Baez, No. 36 Soler).

To make matters more complicated, the Padres have been on a hot streak of late. They have won nine of their last 12 games while averaging nearly five runs per outing. San Diego is now just five games behind first place in the National League West division. 

The NL West is too challenging for the Padres to maintain their current stretch though. They are still in fourth place and four games below .500. Like the Cubs, they are expected to finish last in their division. 

A Headley deal to the Cubs may not favor the third baseman though. While nothing has been publicly declared, many are assuming he wants to play for a contender. Currently, the Cubs look like they won’t be contending for a few more years.

On the other hand, Headley may be better off playing in Wrigley Field sooner rather than later.

With first baseman Anthony Rizzo and shortstop Starlin Castro, Headley would be the critical third cog to a core of players which may put the Cubs back into contention as early as next season. 

Headley certainly wouldn’t be the solution to all that plagues the Cubs but it would be a turn in the right direction. A trio of Rizzo, Castro and Headley would entice free agents to play in Wrigley Field.

Relatively speaking, the Cubs are closer to competing than the Padres. The Padres have seen their best pitching prospects get riddled with injuries. The bats in their farm system are solid but the addition of an Almora, Baez or Soler will certainly uplift the future outlook.

Such a scenario makes sense for both clubs since Headley gives the Cubs some much-needed pop in their lineup. The Padres will benefit because the return in talent and potential is much larger from the Cubs than any other organization may be willing to pay.

Leading up to the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline, expect the Cubs to be in on the action for Headley. It only makes sense.

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The American League East division was expected to be turned upside down in 2013. The Toronto Blue Jays were written in as the favorites to win the division while the New York Yankees were expected to struggle mightily. The Boston Red Sox were predicted to hover around the bottom of the division and the Tampa Bay Rays‘ expectations were to win under the guidance of manager Joe Maddon.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles were one giant question mark. Could the pitching perform as well as last season? Is the slugging here to stay? 

Regardless of what one thinks, the Orioles remain a formidable threat within the division thanks to the core of their roster, while several other components are contributing at a rate that will bode well for the club as well.

Leadoff hitter and center fielder Nate McLouth is having the best season of his career thus far. Third baseman Manny Machado is showing that his late-2012 cooling was only temporary. Meanwhile, the pitching is showing that it is not as bad as it was just a couple of years ago.

Altogether, the Orioles have a lineup that can do damage in the AL East. At 15-11, the O’s sit in third place in the division. Just three-and-a-half games behind the first-place Red Sox, this club has the makeup to generate more production as the season advances. 

However, one particular player who is not currently with the club will be key to the Orioles sustaining a winning record while competing for the AL playoffs.

Outfielder Henry Urrutia is a switch-hitting prospect that isn’t projected to need much seasoning in the minor leagues. Despite never playing in a major league organization until this year, the Cuban defector is off to a hot start with Double-A Bowie. 

In 40 plate appearances thus far, Urrutia is hitting .286 with an .918 OPS. With two home runs and seven RBI in just nine games, it is apparent that Urrutia will stroll through the minor league level. 

If anything, expect Urrutia to receive treatment similar to what Machado received last year. While Machado had two seasons of developmental and minor league ball prior to 2012, he made the jump from Double-A Bowie to Baltimore late last year. Since then, Machado hasn’t looked back.

Urrutia‘s experience stems from playing professionally in Cuba. In 2009, he represented Cuba in the World Baseball Classic. 

While some consider Orioles outfielders L.J. Hoes and Xavier Avery better prospects right now, it is Urrutia who has the most upside. In 2012, Hoes was the Orioles’ minor league hitter of the year, but he offers very little in terms of power.

Avery is not a power hitter either; he is an athletic player who is still working on his hitting. In a promotion to Baltimore last year, Avery hit .223 in 94 AB with 23 strikeouts.

Urrutia has been said to lack serious power, but his production in 2013 will likely dismiss such a notion. The only obstacle in the way of Urrutia is the 40-man roster. Unlike Hoes and Avery, Urrutia was left off at the end of spring training. Why? The organization felt it needed to see Urrutia and his ability on an every-day basis in the U.S.

The fact that Urrutia is not as highly touted as other Cuban defectors like Yoenis Cespedes and Jorge Soler hurts him. Being named to the 40-man roster is not a difficult hurdle to leap, though. The 26-year-old will eventually see time in the majors, and if McLouth‘s production eventually dwindles down to where it was the last few seasons, the O’s may be forced to give Urrutia a shot.

Until then, keep your eyes glued to this situation, because another reinforcement may be added in late-2013 to help the Orioles make their second consecutive trip to the postseason.

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The Philadelphia Phillies have not had a losing season since 2002, when they finished 80-81. The last ten seasons have provided the faithful fan base in Philadelphia with more things to cheer about than to jeer about. Unfortunately though, the end is near. 

It wasn’t the farcical Mayan Apocalypse that dashed the hopes of Phillies fans everywhere. No. It was the mismanagement of a roster and farm system that will cause the destruction of arguably the best decade of baseball in this franchise’s history. 

Who is to blame?

People will easily point fingers at the players. Most notably, Ryan Howard’s disappointing lack of production along with an additional projected decrease as his salary increases through the next several years is causing flack among Phillies fans.

Despite all this, Howard is not to blame.

Charlie Manuel developed a reputation for being a manager who knows how to instruct and correct batting issues from the get-go. It is sad to say, but one of the problems with the Phillies has been the ability to hit effectively and drive in runs on a consistent basis in recent years.

Still, managers in baseball are the most innocuous figureheads in professional sports. They matter much less than head coaches in the NFL and NBA.

The problem resides with the front office.

On November 3, 2008, Ruben Amaro Jr. succeeded Pat Gillick as the general manager of the Phillies, directly after the Phillies won the 2008 World Series. Since then, a series of gaffes and questionable transactions have compounded the problems for the Phillies, diminishing their relevance in not only their specific division, the National League East, but the entire National League as well.

On April 26, 2010, less than two years after his promotion to GM, Amaro Jr. signed the soon-to-be 31-year-old first baseman Ryan Howard to a 5-year, $125 million contract extension. The deal called for a club option on the sixth year. 

Despite holding the single-season HR record for a Phillie as well as many other records, Howard’s production is on the decline. Coming off an Achilles tear, Howard struggled mightily last season. Some believe that Howard should regain his ability to produce at an elite level in 2013, while others dismiss him as an oft-injured slugger prone to striking out who can’t play defense and is on the decline.

Whichever way you see him, Howard is definitely a controversial piece to the puzzle of where things went wrong with Amaro Jr.

Amaro Jr. does deserve some credit. Despite selling the best prospects in the farm system and spending cash hand over fist, Amaro Jr. has amassed talent in the form of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Hunter Pence, Roy Oswalt and Jonathan Papelbon.

While these names are enticing, their deals probably are not. Take Papelbon, for example. He was given the richest contract in history for a reliever. The problem is that a deal worth $60 million for a pitcher who is tasked with attaining three outs per game is asinine.

Especially when the money could have been used to give the rest of the bullpen or 25-man roster more depth.

2013 will be a telling year for Amaro Jr. He will either look like a genius or possibly lose his job. He deserves to be knocked hard for acquiring, then trading away Gio Gonzalez. He also shipped Chris Singleton out of the organization.

Meanwhile, many fans are disheartened at the lack of talented acquisitions during the 2012-13 off-season.

Ben Revere? John Lannan? Both guys are nice players, but Revere has one of the highest ground ball rates in baseball while Lannan is extremely ordinary on the hill. Meanwhile, fan favorite Vance Worley—a man who, when healthy, is an extremely effective young pitcher—was shipped out of town.

The Phillies have thus far failed to secure a deal for the likes of Justin Upton, Jason Kubel or Dexter Fowler.

2013 will speak volumes for what Amaro Jr. has done for the Phillies franchise. The roster is the least talented of any roster the Phillies have had since 2005, which is why this is the year where Amaro Jr.’s legacy will be shaped.

As to whether or not he has a job as GM in Philadelphia come October, that remains anyone’s guess.

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At nine games under .500 and 11 games back from the N.L. East-leading Washington Nationals, to say that the Philadelphia Phillies have been a disappointment is an underwhelming statement.

The fact is, many of us were called “doomsdayers” when we forecasted a seismic shift in the winning percentage for the Phillies in 2012.

Sure, the same, tired arguments are sufficient in making excuses for the excessive failures of the Phillies in 2012. Ryan Howard is injured, Chase Utley missed 70-plus games, Lee and Halladay have been nicked up and the bullpen misses the 2011 forms of Antonio Bastardo and the still-injured Michael Stutes.

Injuries aside, another tired narrative focuses on where the Phillies went wrong. Unfortunately, the finger is usually wagged in the wrong direction.

While all of the following deserve some blame, they are not the primary culprits of the Phillies lost season of 2012.

Manager Charlie Manuel has made some questionable moves from the dugout.

Shane Victorino is having a down year.

Jimmy Rollins couldn’t hit a beach ball until his child was born.

With the exception of Jonathan Papelbon, the bullpen looks like it belongs in Double-A.

Hunter Pence has struggled mightily in situational hitting.

John Mayberry has been a bust.

Juan Pierre’s defense is worse than Raul Ibanez (mostly attributed to his Chad Pennington-like arm).

Cliff Lee has yet to earn a win.

No, the aforementioned are not the primary culprits to this season’s woes.

The primary culprit is general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.

Upon former GM Pat Gillick’s retirement after the Phillies’ 2008 World Series victory, Amaro Jr. proceeded to shed the Phillies farm system of its talent.

This is the part where it hurts.

Jonathan Singleton, a first base prospect who was sent to the Houston Astros last year has been raking in the minors. Similar to Ryan Howard but only 20 years old, the Phillies received Hunter Pence in return for Singleton.

Never mind the fact that Hunter Pence is making more than $10 million this season and will be entering into arbitration with the Phillies for 2013.

Needless to say, Pence’s future is cloudy in Philadelphia albeit the fact that the Phillies traded away one of the top prospects in baseball for the lanky outfielder.

22-year-old Jarrod Cosart was also packaged to Houston in the Pence deal. While his numbers thus far do not scream “stud,” his peripherals are of that of a very good prospect with the upside of a No. 2 or No. 3 pitcher in the Big Show.

Outfielder Anthony Gose, part of the deal where the Phillies landed Roy Oswalt from the Astros, is likely to be promoted to the majors shortly. When he does, a lot of regard will be traveling with him.

After all, Gose is one of the top outfielder prospects in Triple-A. With Shane Victorino on his way out of Philadelphia and Juan Pierre signed only in 2012, Gose would have been a more than formidable starter in the future. He was much more regarded within Phillies’ circles than John Mayberry.

Despite recently tearing his PCL, Toronto prospect catcher Travis d’Arnaud is widely regarded as the top catching prospect in all of baseball. Acquired from the Phillies in 2010 as part of the Roy Halladay trade, d’Arnaud is likely to end up making the Phillies regret trading him.

Sure, there are no regrets in getting Halladay but, with Halladay likely reaching the apex of his career last season—and with Carlos Ruiz possibly gone after 2013—the Phillies are going to be stuck in neutral with some lackluster catching prospects in their farm system.

There have been numerous other prospects who have emerged as decent MLB players that the Phillies have traded away in order to bolster their win-now approach.

Either way, Ruben Amaro Jr. turned the Phillies into a house built out of papier-mache. 

One could easily say that the prospects traded away might never materialize on the Major League level—much like Domonic Brown. On the flip side, most would rather like to find out instead of overpaying on the like’s of Jimmy Rollins, Jonathan Papelbon, Chad Qualls and Ty Wigginton.

Speaking of Jimmy Rollins, the former NL MVP and fan favorite in Philadelphia, is making $11 million annually until 2016. When he plays out the length of his current contract, Rollins will be 36 years old. Sure, his recent splurge has given him an uptick in his statistics but, overall, Rollins’ numbers have been on a steep decline since he won the NL MVP Award in 2007.

By overpaying on Rollins, Amaro Jr. was faced with the prospect of having to go cheap on key positions that matter to the Phillies lineup.

Prior to his injury, Laynce Nix was not producing at the level he was expected to when platooning with the equally nonproductive John Mayberry.

Juan Pierre is hitting for a good average and stealing bases, but he struggles with extra base hits and continues to demonstrate his vulnerabilities defensively.

Ty Wigginton is a Triple-A player with a $4 million salary.

Mainstays such as Placido Polanco, Brian Schneider and Shane Victorino have been terribly awful too.

Needless to say, it is Amaro Jr.’s job to have a keen ability to manage the finances of the Phillies in order to win with a sharp eye on tomorrow. He has failed in both respects.

He overpaid for closer Jonathan Papelbon.

He overpaid for Jimmy Rollins to return.

He overpaid Cliff Lee (as ungrateful as that may sound, many of us thought that when the deal went down, despite Lee taking less to sign with the Phillies instead of the New York Yankees).

The sweetheart deal struck with Ryan Howard is more bittersweet than ever.

Here are a couple reminders.

The Phillies brought back the aging and injury-vulnerable Placido Polanco instead of pursuing then fellow free agent third baseman Adrian Beltre.

Instead of locking up the most dynamic pitcher in the rotation—when age is a factor—in Cole Hamels, Amaro Jr. overpaid for Rollins, Papelbon and Wigginton.

Admittedly, it is as if Amaro Jr. has done everything in his power so the Phillies can win now. When I say now, I mean from 2009-2011.

Without the foresight to acknowledge that the window has closed on the Phillies, the organization is going down the tubes. Reports continue to linger that the Phillies are still in the race.

Theoretically, they are.

Realistically, last weekend’s sweep to the Miami Marlins was the funeral for the 2012 Phillies.

Sorry folks, Amaro Jr. has exported our young talent for a win-now approach that is now tired. The reckless moves he has made has forced the boat to leave the harbor.

Presumably, Cole Hamels is on that boat and will likely never be seen in a Phillies uniform again.

The run was great but Ruben Amaro Jr.’s actions have turned the lights out at Citizen’s Bank Park.

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Aside from the free-swinging Hunter Pence, the only other constant within the Philadelphia Phillies‘ positional depth chart has been the catcher we all know as Chooch. Unfortunately, Carlos Ruiz may have to spend some time on the DL.

Ruiz strained his left oblique during Friday night’s ball game versus the Toronto Blue Jays. Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel has declared that Ruiz will have to rest a few games. On the other hand, we will know the extent of the oblique strain today as the Phillies re-evaluate their slugging backstop. Following Saturday’s re-evaluation will be a determination as to whether or not the organization will place Ruiz on the DL.

Meanwhile, the Phillies have already re-called catcher Erik Kratz from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and the full-time job has already been given to Brian Schneider while Ruiz is ailing.

Of course, a Ruiz injury will just follow suit to everything else that has happened to the Phillies since last October. Injuries to Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Roy Halladay, Jose Contreras, Freddy Galvis and so on have given the Phillies’ roster more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese.

Sprinkle in an oblique strain for Ruiz and it is time for the Phillies to come out and say what everyone is thinking—it’s time to sell.

Many folks have called this season a lost season. In a previous article, I discussed how the Phillies could save this season by preparing the roster for a return to a high level of competitiveness for 2013.

The loss of Ruiz, who is hitting .362 with eight home runs and 35 RBI, would be decimating.

What is more important is that Ruiz provided stability against left-handed pitchers, hitting .409 on the year with only five strike outs.

I don’t even have to touch on the magic that Ruiz performs behind home plate, either. He is one of the top defensive backstops in all of baseball.

While nothing has been confirmed yet, a loss of Ruiz would definitively place the Phillies in a position where they must begin shopping the like’s of Shane Victorino, Jim Thome, Joe Blanton, and (gulp) Cole Hamels.

Baseball is a business and the business environment of 2012 has been harsh for the Philadelphia Phillies. Now is the time to make the tough decisions and put the Phillies in a better place for 2013.

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In light of Jayson Werth’s debut in Washington, it’s time to examine the five most likable ex-Philadelphia Phillies.

This is a list of active players who we could all agree that we like (and secretly root for when they’re not playing the Phils).

We may not have always liked them when they were with the Phillies. However, the fact of the matter remains, they were appreciated.

This list may not be liked by all of our readers, but it can be agreed upon that we could do much worse. Obviously, you won’t see Jayson Werth or J.D. Drew on here.

Still, sit back, enjoy the read and let us know what you think of the list we compiled.

1. Brett Myers (Houston Astros)

Myers is a favorite because after he was notified that he wouldn’t be back with the Phillies for the 2010 season, he told the organization, “thanks for putting up with my shit.”

He also said that when he returns to Philly to start, which he will do later today, he wants the Phightin’ Nation to boo him as loud as they can.

Nothing was ever perfect or smooth when Myers would take the mound, but his vicious nature appealed to Phillies fans everywhere.

It will be nice to see him go blow-for-blow today in Philadelphia, but I hope he gets rocked by our hitters.

2. Kyle Drabek (Toronto Blue Jays)

While he never made the big league team, Drabek may become known as “the one that got away.”

Part of the deal that landed Roy Halladay in Philadelphia, Drabek will always have a place in Phillies lore.

When he steps on the mound in the A.L. East to do battle with the likes of the Yankees and Red Sox, everyone in the Phightin’ Nation will hope he dominates.

I wouldn’t think twice about dealing him away for Halladay, but it would have been nice to still have him in our organization.

3. Pat Burrell (San Francisco Giants)

Often booed in left field, the guy who became known as the “$50 million mistake” is still appreciated for his contributions to the team when they made their run to the world title in 2008.

When he returned as a member of the Rays to collect his ring, he still received a standing ovation.

Now he plays for the hated San Francisco Giants, but that doesn’t negate what he did with the Phils. We would have liked to see him do more, but we got the most out of him when we could.

4. J.A. Happ (Houston Astros)

Never considered to be an elite prospect, when Happ was called to duty, he fulfilled everybody’s expectations and then some.

It was disappointing to see him go in the deal that landed Roy Oswalt, but we wouldn’t think twice about doing that trade again.

Still, Happ was consistent despite being considered an overachiever by the “experts.”

Hopefully, his lingering injury will not stop us from seeing him on Sunday.

Happ is going to have a long tenure in the MLB.

He may not ever win a Cy Young Award, but he will prove steady enough to accumulate a bounty full of starts for whomever he is pitching for.

5. Bobby Abreu (L.A. Angels)

It seems like forever since Abreu donned the Phillies uniform.

As a Phillie, he might be remembered most for his 2005 Home Run Derby performance, when he lifted 24 baseballs out of Comerica Park in one round.

He would eventually win the contest with a total of 41 homers.

Abreu might not have helped the Phillies take that extra step forward into the postseason, but his ability to make noise at the plate is what made him special. He is still hitting well despite his age (37), but is often forgotten among the long-list of former Phillies who have put on the best pinstripes in baseball.

J.D. Drew he is not.

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Pete Dymeck is the owner of PhightinNation.com

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