Sweeney

Squire 2016-11-11 21:23:09 UTC #1

Just announced. The Phillies have acquired OF/2B Howie Kendrick for OF/1B Darin Ruf and INF/OF Darnell Sweeney.

Brilliant Trade.

julio 2016-11-11 21:27:13 UTC #2

I'm not particularly excited about Howie Kendrick...but hey, we got him for essentially nothing. I can certainly live with that.

bigegypt0417 2016-11-11 21:30:07 UTC #3

I'm betting they did some work and identified him as a comeback player who could net them some value in July...

Squire 2016-11-11 21:34:57 UTC #4

Zolecki says the Phillies are expecting Kendrick to be their everyday LF in 2017

Which is either
1. Posturing on a potential Cesar Hernandez trade
or
2. True which means at least we are not forfeiting a pick to sign Ian Desmond.

el-pietro 2016-11-11 21:36:39 UTC #5

Sad to see Ruf go. Not cos he's especially good or anything, I just always liked him. This is zero cost deal though and a good use of money on a player who may be useful.

bkeich 2016-11-11 21:37:47 UTC #6

I was hoping SS was kidding.

We gave up very little, basically our backup 1B and a backup utility guy, but ...

We got nothing. Kendrick will be 33, he is basically useless to a rebuilding team. Yes, he will take some ABs and he may even return to being an average player, but he complained about playing the OF last year, he wants to play 2B and I hope this is not a sign we are going to trade Hernandez.

He might be "flippable" at the Trade Deadline, but he would have to play much better than he has the last 2 seasons. 33 Year olds dont usually get better, but who knows, maybe the change of scenery and understanding that playing well might get him to a contender might inspire him. Nothing lost, but really almost nothing gained and the lost opportunity to actually find a player to help the future as I assume he will take up a roster spot that could have been a part of the future.

julio 2016-11-11 21:41:05 UTC #7

Hernandez is clearly on the trading block. As to whether that's a good idea, it depends entirely on what the Phils would get in return. Cesar Hernandez certainly isn't in the 'untouchable' category.

bkeich 2016-11-11 21:48:47 UTC #8

I agree, and if we get a Giles return I will be thrilled. But honestly this is more or less exactly how the Expos managed to move to DC. They grew players and then traded them for prospects, it is hard to see a team make progress if we stay caught in that loop. Hernandez has been a success in the leadoff spot, now it is still a SSS, but his defense was better and he genuinely has changed his approach at the plate (SSS again). He is a valuable player for a rebuilding team. What is the trigger to "exit" this strategy? We could do this forever and have great minor leagues with a poor major league team probably forever. I am not a Reading or LHV Phillies Fan, as far as I am concerned they are only useful in that they provide a future for the team I am a fan of. We have a possibly solid, young 2B, that is the idea, turning him into prospects seems like a step backwards.

andyb 2016-11-11 22:09:37 UTC #9

Agree that it is a good trade. Let the Dodgers figure out Sweeney if he is more comfortable back with them. He was probably lost in the 40-man roster crunch anyway this winter. Not sure I love Kendrick but he has value and really we are getting him for only money. Plus this marginally improves Chase Utley's hall of fame chances, so what is not to like.

Lucky_Beagle 2016-11-11 22:41:23 UTC #10

It looks like the Phillies have agreed to take on a salary for a couple of players who had no chance of making their roster and would have been gone soon anyways. Whether Kendrick can be flipped later will be determined by his play. It is clear Ruf wasn't going to ever have a chance to play going forward.

schooldoc 2016-11-11 23:15:45 UTC #11

I don't know what a potential Cesar trade has to do with the Expos/Nationals franchise.

If Cesar is going to be moved, I think it would be as part of a deal for a more accomplished veteran bat or starting pitcher that's going to be part of the core when the team is planning to be good (2018 and later). If he's part of a package to bring that type of piece, I've got no problem with it. By mid-2017, JP Crawford should be knocking on the door...or hopefully ready to bang it down, after a big 1st half in AAA. By then, they'll need to make a decision between Freddy and Cesar anyway. And that's not to mention Valentin and Kingery behind those two.

DurhamBull 2016-11-12 01:21:28 UTC #12

I'd rather they keep Hernández, but if they're going to trade him, his value is as high now as it has ever been after his improvement in 2016.

phillychuck 2016-11-12 03:15:32 UTC #13

Cesar Hernandez = 3.4 bWAR this year. Can't send that away without getting a significant return, especially since CH is young.

EDmuch 2016-11-12 04:25:20 UTC #14

I certainly hope CH does not go to the Angels for essentially nothing.

VoteForKalas 2016-11-12 12:57:27 UTC #15

Good luck to Ruf & Sweeney. Like the fact they cleared a roster spot with the 2 for 1. Hopefully the Phillies' plans for Kendrick is clear: buying more time for the OF prospects in the farm by using a vet placeholder for 1 season and either flipping him for value at the deadline or letting him walk. If they extend Kendrick is when I'll get more worried this regime is, as Pete Townshend would say, "the same as the old boss".

julio 2016-11-12 13:48:38 UTC #16

Actually, they didn't. Darnell Sweeney was outrighted in early September, so the roster is unchanged (32 players); Kendrick replaces Ruf.

Austinfan 2016-11-12 14:29:43 UTC #17

Kendricks is a good pickup because the cost is nothing, $10M this year which is peanuts for this franchise.
He's an upgrade over the slop we threw out there, figure a slight bounceback b/c he's out of LA, if they can get 1+ WAR out of him, it's still a big improvement over the negative WAR guys (Ruf, Asche, Goeddel) they were throwing out into LF last year.

I don't think this has anything to do with trading Hernandez, they'll trade Hernandez for the same reason they'll trade anyone on this roster, someone made an offer they can't refuse - right now Crawford starts in AAA ball, and Valentin may be protect while Kingery still is in AA. So no rush here.

There's no sign of a falloff with Kendrick, his slip last year was more luck and home field supression, especially a bad first half, his second half was close to his career norm.

fangraphs.com/fantasy/howie- ... irst-half/

donaldorc 2016-11-12 18:50:50 UTC #18

I'm glad for Ruf to get a new start with a new organization, since he wasn't in our plans. Do you think he will get any playing time for LA?

zambonir 2016-11-12 19:28:54 UTC #19

The LA Times reported that the Dodgers wanted him at the trade deadline but the Phillies didn't want to move him, which is curious. But they really need to hit LHP better, so he definitely has a shot.

julio 2016-11-12 20:42:37 UTC #20

Personally, I find this report really suspect. The Phillies didn't want to move Ruf - who they had shipped to the minors, and who obviously, even then, did not figure in their future planning (they knew then that he's out of options this winter, that he's 30 years old, that he's not part of the future of the organization). It's simply not a believable report.

It may be that the Dodgers inquired, and offered nothing of any value, and Klentak told them it wasn't enough - and somebody in LaLaLand decided to spin that as "the Phillies didn't want to move him," when the reality was that the Phillies wanted something in return.

Ruf's going to be playing in Chavez Ravine. That will have an impact on his power. His major-league splits show that he has hit for significantly more power at CBP than on the road; his 2016 minor-league splits show him hitting for more power away from Coca-Cola Park. Dodger Stadium is pitcher-friendly; that may prove to be rather Ruf-unfriendly.