8
2012
Let The Phillies Get Older With Michael Young
An article by 
There is an old adage in baseball that says pitching wins championships. The San Francisco Giants can attest to that, as they’ve won two titles in three years on the strength of their stellar starting rotation and deep bullpen. But while pitching wins titles, it’s youth that keeps teams playing for championships.
After winning four World Series in five seasons from 1996 to 2000 with a number of homegrown players who were still in their 20s (Jeter, Williams, Posada, Pettitte, Rivera), the Yankees have managed just one championship over the past 12 seasons. Basically, they’ve become too old to compete with the young studs in places like Detroit and Texas. Heck, they barely beat out Baltimore in the regular season and ALDS, while allowing Tampa to win two division titles over the past five seasons.
Similarly, the Phillies won five consecutive division titles from 2007 to 2011, but could only manage a .500 record in 2012. All that success earned them one World Series trophy. In 2012, the Phillies had 17 players play in at least 70 games. None of them were younger than age 28 and all but two of them were at least 31 years of age. In addition, Cliff Lee (age 33) and Roy Halladay (age 35) both spent time on the disabled list, combining to make 55 starts, winning only 17 of them.
Here’s a sign that the Phillies are an old, fragile team. Carlos Ruiz, their recently caught-with-PEDs catcher, finished fifth on the team in games played. That’s a catcher who gets day games after night games off, spending more time on the field than all but four players on the team.
So are the Phillies looking to get any younger this year, especially after seeing the youth movement in Washington lead to a major league-leading 98 wins for the Nationals during the 2012 regular season?
Uh, not exactly.
Many sources, including MLB Trade Rumors, are confirming that the Phillies have just completed a trade with the Texas Rangers for the services of third baseman Michael Young, who has decided to waive his no-trade clause to leave the only team he has played for in the major leagues.
For those who are not aware of Michael Young’s career, he is a former Gold Glove winner (2008) and seven-time All-Star. He is also Texas’ all-time leader in hits, as well as games played, at-bats, runs scored, singles, doubles, triples, total bases and sacrifice flies.
Translation? He’s old.
In addition to getting up there in years, the 36-year-old Young just completed one of the worst offensive seasons of his career. After hitting a career-high .338 for the pennant-winning Rangers in 2011, Young’s average dropped dramatically to .277, his lowest mark in ten years. His 27 doubles were also his lowest total since 2002, as were his 67 RBI and .312 on-base percentage. Young’s eight home runs, two stolen bases and .370 slugging percentage in 2012 all represented career-lows. And I haven’t even mentioned his horrid -2.4 WAR from last season, which includes his fourth consecutive sub-zero dWAR, a number that should become five straight playing in a non-DH league in 2013. (Oops. Guess I just did mention it.) In fact, if not for former Met Jeff Francoeur, Young would have had the worst WAR in the major leagues last season.
Young’s 2012 numbers are what you would have expected from him had he spent time on the disabled list, missing a significant portion of the season. Instead, those numbers are what Young produced in a season in which he played 156 games and collected 611 at-bats. But of course, the Phillies would love to have him and his $16 million salary for 2013 (although Texas would be paying a portion of that hefty salary).
The Phillies recently signed Cole Hamels to a contract extension that will keep him in Philadelphia through 2018 with a team option for the 2019 season. Cole Hamels will turn 36 in 2019. They also have Cliff Lee signed through the 2015 season, with a vesting option for 2016, a year in which the southpaw will turn 38. Ryan Howard is signed to a monster contract that will keep the rapidly declining slugger in red through his 37th birthday, the same age Jimmy Rollins will be if his option vests in 2015.
Perhaps the reason why the Phillies are trying so desperately to bring in Michael Young is because Citizens Bank Nursing Home needs another resident to replace Shane Victorino (who was a relatively young 31 years of age when the Phillies traded him to the Dodgers this past summer). Or maybe it’s just that they really miss Scott Rolen.
The Phillies went all out to acquire Michael Young. But a 36-year-old Young is still no 26-year-old Rolen.
Since Scott Rolen was shipped out of Philly at the trade deadline in 2002, the third baseman has been a member of six division champions, two pennant winners and one World Series champion. In the ten years since he played his last game as a Phillie, Rolen has also won five Gold Gloves and made the All-Star team six times. Meanwhile, the roll call of Phillies’ third basemen since Rolen’s departure has included names like David Bell, Abraham Nuñez, Greg Dobbs, Wes Helms, Pedro Feliz, Placido Polanco and Kevin Frandsen. In other words, the Phillies have yet to find a long-term replacement for Scott Rolen, who was the closest thing they’ve had to Mike Schmidt since … Mike Schmidt.
Michael Young, all three dozen years of him and coming off the worst full season of his career, both offensively and defensively, is now the Phillies’ new third baseman. And with Young only signed through the 2013 season, the Phillies may be looking for yet another player to man the hot corner in 2014, assuming they don’t continue their recent tradition of signing 30-something players to multi-year extensions.
Let Ruben Amaro continue to throw money at players who will be collecting their first social security checks shortly. I’d rather take my chances with our recently-signed third baseman. I’m sure the Phillies would love to have him right about now. Then again, David Wright is probably too young for the Phillies anyway.
About the Author: Ed Leyro
Ed Leyro was hatched in the Bronx, but spent most of his youth in Queens at Shea Stadium. Apparently, all that time spent at Mets games paid off as Ed met his wife (The Coop) for the first time at Citi Field during its inaugural season. Guess the 2009 season was good for something after all. In addition to his work at Mets Merized Online, Ed also owns, operates and is head janitor at Studious Metsimus, where he shares blogging duties with Joey Beartran. For those not in the know, Joey is a teddy bear dressed in a Mets hoodie. Clearly, Studious Metsimus is not your typical Mets blog.
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I’m not one to try and make a case for the Phils but I will say this about Young. He chose to go to the Phillies as he had the right to refuse the trade and I am guessing that since the reports so far suggest that he only asked for what would be the difference in taxes and he didn’t want to negotiate an extension. He plans to go out and show he has a lot to offer by putting together a All Star like season as he heads into free agency.
As a Mets fan I hope he fails.
the Phils are shot. the Nats and the Braves, and I really don’t buy the Braves. A lot of their big time prospects fizzle out. I don’t see the offense either. Or rhe ace.
Where do i begin to point out how awful this article is?
First of all, the phillies at least are trying to put up a good and winning team in the field unlike the new york mets, you know the team we root for?
Second of all, this is basically a one year deal for $16 million, again, we’ll have a 3rd baseman who’s gonna be 38 years old when his contract is up, ohhh, and btw, wanna know young’s numbers from age 30-35? 302 BA 15 HR 85 RBI 188 HITS 36 DBLS 3 TRPLS 350 OBP 440 SLUG % 88 RUNS
If david wright can give us that for the next 5 years i’ll be THRILLED AS FU**. Also, how can you say they have not had a 3rd baseman since rolen? Well, while they may not have a rolen, their SS, 2B and 1B made up for not having rolen i am sure wouldn’t you say?
You’re nothing but a DW homer, again and again you post articles PRO wright to make him look good, but what about the TEAM? the phillies as constructed are BETTER than the mets and will continue to be, but hey, you take your chances with our 3rd baseman! How lame and sad this article is? 5 division titles and even after a year filled with injuries, becoming sellers in the trading deadline the phillies still managed to finish ABOVE DAVID WRIGHT AND THE METS… Go figure, but hey, keep losing, who cares as long as david wright is with the mets you take your chances with him right? SMDH
WAR is the worst sabermetrician stat anyone can use to judge a player, again, go and check if DW is in the same breath as miguel cabrera? No right? But according to WAR they are similar players.. Ohhh, and isn’t he a 7 times All Star? Young is a good pick up for one year, who cares if he’s old.. Shoot, i would’ve rather trade DW for more prospect, pick up this guy and put flores in 3rd base next year instead of sucking with DW at 3rd base for years to come
wat
I’m beginning to think you’re obsessed with David Wright. I hope you get that Wright jersey you’re hoping for from Santa!
I’m beginning to think you are obsessed with Alex. Maybe Santa will bring you a pair of Alex’s boxers for Christmas.
I heard he has a custom order SRT jersey coming.
YOu know JesseP, i did have a Wright jersey my sister in law gave to me. Since you like to be a little bi*** and go to joe D to complain about any little thing one of us do, ask him privately what i did with it. Is his choice whether he’ll tell you or not.
Let me get this straight, you are saying the Phillies are at least trying, because they are overpaying for a 36 year old, and in the same vain complaining today about a guy that will be 38 at the end of his contract in 8 years from now?
You are a genius
You really are going to have a miserable 8 years, each day thinking up how many different ways you can complain about having an all star your supposed team.
Overpaying? LMAO. We are paying David Wright at least $18 million a year in ages 35, 36, 37 and 38. Yeah the Phillies are overpaying a 8 time all star $6 million for one year. LOL, unreal!!!
So you agree that signing a 36 year old doesn’t necessarily make them better today, or do you just want to bitch about the Mets in 8 years from now when they are in a similar position?
This is Michael Young, not Ronny freaking Cedeno or Andres freaking Torres. Do you know who Michael Young even is? $6 million for Young is not overpaying! We should be so lucky.
he hit 270/312 with 8 homers at a hitters park mostly as a dh. he sucks.
David Wright hit 306/391 with 21 home runs as a good-fielding 3rd baseman in a pitchers park.
He had one offseason in a stellar career and it occurred in a year he was jerked around by the Rangers. Met fans deserve shitty players because they have no respect for good ones.
2011 – 213 H, 41 doubles, 11 HR, 106 RBI, .338/.380/.474/.854
Wright sucked his ass in 2011. Could happen again in 2013.
“Met fans deserve shitty players because they have no respect for good ones.”
Funniest thing you’ve every said. Coming from the guy that kills Wright at every chance.
Wait, are you a Mets fan?
Let’s not forget that he is a year removed from hitting .338.
Since they gave up almost nothing in terms of prospects, and since it was a very weak market for 3rd baseman, he’s certainly worth a chance to see if he can rebound.
Vinny if Alderson made this deal for Young this is what you’d be hearing today:
GENIUS LOW/RISK HIGH/REWARD MOVE!!!
I’M CUMMMING!!!!!
Hey maniac, did you get the message that young kids come to this board?
whatever. All I’m saying is that Wright is going to better than young for the next few years.
Even if Young rebounds, he won’t be all that valuable because of his deteriorating defense.
Forget it Maniac, Your dealing with Moneyballers who think anyone who get over 5 Mil per year is overpaid and a waste of money.
When Andre Torres resigns and starts in CF next year, watch how they try to make it sound like we got good bang for the .220 BA buck!
I never seen suck blatant ignorance before. They should wish Alderson was half the GM Amaro is.
Don’t sweat it by this time next year they will be looking to trade Niese or Dickey for him!
Cause god forbid we keep any good players that will turn 30 within the next 4 years.
So if you think a rival signing a 36 year old, on an aging team, doesn’t sound like a huge upgrade that makes you a “moneyballer”.
No thinking 6 Mil is overpaying for a decent player and signing anyone over 35 is bad makes you a moneyballer!
Young, Cheap, in most cases in this league equals SUCKS!
Unless you drafted him or got him via a trade for a guy who is great and you gave up on because he cost too much or was close to 35 and were afraid methusela would get hurt.
You know if we were not playing Moneball here at the Mets you wouldn’t need to jump for joy over how bad you think the Phillies move was and would instead jump for joy at the player WE JUST SIGNED to fill in one of OUR needs!
Keep telling yourself that and just keep in mind that the Mets are right now worse than the 74 win team that ended the season last year. As bad as Jason Bay is, he might have been our best outfielder and penciling in Dickey for 230 innings and 20 wins is as short sighted as Omar counting on Valentin and Tatis for just one more season.
It’s December and the Mets haven’t made a baseball move to improve a 74 win team while the Phils still have two of the best starters in baseball and are adding pieces.
We are three years away from being three years away folks.
It’s December and the Mets haven’t made a baseball move to improve a 74 win team while the Phils still have two of the best starters in baseball and are adding pieces”
THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
We are three years away from being three years away folks”
AND ALSO THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yes and in 4 or 5 years maybe we will be competitive
Always been a beeg fan of Young, but he’s in a big decline now. Not convinced this makes the Phillies better, but then again I said the same thing about Polanco at the time.
As a Met fan, I like this move by Philly
I can see reasons to do so SRT as Young a career Ranger was traded away by his team who happens to be trying to win a W.S. so unless they are real high on the 2 arms in helping them to win a W.S. this year you have to feel the Rangers believe they are a better team without Yong than with him.
But like I said before from Young’s point of view he is looking to show talk of his decline is greatly exaggerated and will seek to have a great season as he heads into free agency.
Can we give the benefit of the doubt to teams like the phillies? They are TRYING to upgrade and get better, anything out there as a 3rd base is concern is weak, by adding this guy they become better if utley and howard can carry them again along with roy, lee and hamels.. yet we’re somehow criticizing this move? What exactly have we done to improve a team that lost 88 games last year? Ohhhh, that’s right, we extended our overrated/second half declining 3rd baseman, so it should all be good.. got it..
Trying to feel good about your own team by drooling over and coming up with reasons for the demise of a Division competitor is the sign of a defeated and dejected Fan.
Maybe if we were working to make the team better instead of just treading water as we are we wouldn’t have to find our Joy in what the competition does.
As for the assertion that you need to be young well look at the list of players we have and ask yourself how is that concept working out?
Davis
Tejada
Niese
Harvey
Gee
and soon to be Wheeler…
Thats about as much as any of the CORE teams had when they started trying to win with thier CORE KIDS…
Maybe we should too!
Sorry early subit there…
….Before all those young guys we have are too old to try and all the excuses that are constantly made regarding all those guys who did perform but were too old start applying to the guys we have….
While the Phillies, Nats and Braves rush through their offseason and overpay in players or money for their needs. We are using the patient approach to fill our needs which almost guarantees we wont overpay like they have. The patient approach works just as good in building a team as it does in your approach at the plate. Everyone relax.
Ok ‘ll bite….
Which need did we fill again with this approach?
There’s nothing to bite. As Alderson said on Friday, “we are going to be patient”. There are two months to get things done. Plenty of time and plenty of bargains.
And while your waiting everyone else snaps up all those things you need….
Do you suceed in filling needs then?
The Reveres and Youngs of the world on the Phils makes me quake in my boots. Oh please.
The Phils have so much more to do, like for starters, that entire pen and someone outside Hamels. For their sake, Halladay better not fall off the wagon like at the end of the year. Lee? Pray for run support. Their core players are crumbling before them, and didn’t one of their core guys get suspended after a big year? Surprise, surprise. The offensive side have many questions to answer coming in. Will the new hitting coach get back to where they were remains to be seen….but I doubt it.
of all the better teams (pre-season playoff favorites) the Phils have to be the one most dependent on guys staying healthy, based on prior year injuries, age, etc.
Whatever makes you feel better guys. The Mets still suck.
Its really not a question of overpaying as it is getting the player one wants. Young is not guaranteed anything longer than the following season but for that short term, he possibly resolves the Phillies problem at third base. Ammaro is looking for Philadelphia to bounce back and I see this move resembling what many claim Sandy has been doing as well – looking for a short-term stop gap solution until younger players are ready to come up.
The only difference is that the Phillie GM is wiling to re-invest in players like Young to keep the team competitive during a gradual transition plan from old blood to new blood over a period of a few years. As far as David, it was closing the barn door after all the horses had already left.
Of course, the Phillies have the money to do this while we don’t. The problem so many of have is Sandy’s moves being explained in terms of a well thought out plan that stands out on its own merits, economic problems or not.
Great article. Amaro is the worst GM in baseball and he proves it every day.
who cares he sucks
LETS GO METS