I’ve been harping for the last couple weeks about what an asset Chone Figgins (and his .393 OBP) would be at the top of our line-up. It also happens that he plays a tremendous 3rd base, a position we coincidently have open. I felt he was the perfect fit, but didn’t really think the Phillies would spend the money on him (or that he was worth what he was reportedly demanding), and figured they would go with a lower-cost, lower-commitment option.
Well, maybe not.
Jon Heyman of CNNSI.com is reporting that the Phillies (and Mets) are showing the most interest in Figgins.
The two-time defending National League champion Phillies are said to be intent on pursuing Figgins hard as a potential replacement for Pedro Feliz.
One AL executive said the Phillies like the idea of putting Figgins at the top of their lineup with Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino, in effect giving them three leadoff hitters before their big boppers — though, they could also move down Victorino, as well.
I didn’t realize I qualified as an “AL Executive” these days. I’m certainly not being paid like one.
This is exactly what I was saying during the playoffs. We need a better OBP guy at the top of the order and Figgins is perfect. It so happens he is also a tremendous defender at 3B and a Victorino-caliber base-runner (that’s somewhere between Utley-caliber, and Werth-caliber, by the way).
If we were to sign Figgins, our line-up would look something like this…
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS
2. Chone Figgins, 3B
3. Chase Utley, 2B
4. Ryan Howard, 1B
5. Jayson Werth, RF
6. Raul Ibanez, LF
7. Shane Victorino, CF
8. Carlos Ruiz, C
I don’t think I’m being crazy in saying every single player in that line-up could make the all-star team with Ruiz being the biggest reach. I also don’t think it’s a reach to say that six of them are good enough defenders to garner Gold Glove consideration (all but Howard and Ibanez) and fiive of them (Rollins, Figgins, Utley, Werth and Victorino) are among the best baserunners in baseball.
Excuse me while wipe the drool off my keyboard.
Now – here’s the problem. How much does Figgins want? I’ve heard 5 years, $50 million (no way) and 4 years, $40 million (still too steep). In my 3rd base post, I said I would offer him a 3 year, $25 million deal with incentives that could bring it to $30 million. Would that be enough? I’m not sure, but if the Phillies are interested, they must have some idea of how much it is going to cost to get him and that hasn’t deterred them yet.
Hopefully, like with the Ibanez signing last year, the Phillies can make another splash in free agency this off-season. I, for one, would be thrilled if that splash is Figgins.
What are your thoughts? What would you pay? What would be your concerns?
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree he is precisely what the Phillies need, but I think the Angels will offer him more than that to keep him there.
I too see him as the ultimate weapon that we could use in our lineup. I also see that if we did sign him that the writing is then on the wall that if Jimmy continues to decline in production he may not be here after his contract is up. The problem I have is that Figgins is more of a luxury where I dont think that he in Feliz ’s place this year would’ve won us the World Series. However, John Lackey or Roy Halladay in Pedro Martinez’ s spot would have. My point is that if we can put the money out for Figgins at the expense of signing a starter then I’m not for it. I’d much rather take a flier on De Rosa or Beltre or re-sign Feliz for less money and sign a starter with him then sign Figgins and say a Jon Garland type.
Agree w/Richie. Figgins would be a great addition. Big question is with a fixed amount of $’s what are we missing out on in terms of pitching if we sign him. if we can still get the pitching we need then he would be the best choice at 3rd. the team needs more base runners and not more power from 3rd base.
I agree with judas_priest (simply awesome name by the way).
I think Anaheim (or LA, whatever they’re called these days) will try very hard to keep him. If Figgins wants to stay he’s staying. However, I don’t see the Mets shelling out enough to out bid us when they’ve already got Wright at 3B (unless Figgins can play 1B and LF at the same time).
Not going to be a huge market for a $40 million man so that could help the Phillies a bit. I still think its a reach but when you think about the alternatives (lack of depth on the farm specifically) but this could be the move that shows everyone in the league that Amaro is going to do what is necessary to win a ring every year.
Trading for Lee while keeping the prospects he wanted and then signing Lee might make him the most successful two-year GM in the last decade.
Who wouldn’t be for that deal – as long as they still have money for bullpen help. Although, I would flip Figgens and Rollins. I really think Rollins best hitting days are behind him and he never was an OBP guy anyway, so that (OBP) will just get worse. Dropping him to second won’t hurt his ego too bad and not have to worry about being criticized constantly for OBP. Maybe it would take some pressure off and help his offense.
I would be interested to see how much you think Park deserves. He certianly was a valuable piece of the pen, probably the best performer over anyone in the pen, including Madson. But can we overpay him to keep him as a middle reliever? Would we also see him as a possible closer in case Lidge never comes back. Seems like he has the stuff to be a closer.
P.S. Watching the Eagles go through another “groundhog” season reminds me how much I love the Phils and how lucky we are to have a champ.
Meant to type “Figgins” in that last sentence there. Trading for Lee and signing Figgins.
Either way… I’d be happy if they re-sign Lee too!
If you sign Figgins, can he play some 2b to give Chase a day off once in a while? And can we still address a utility guy that can hit a little?
While I don’t want Bruntlett around anymore than you guys, I do not think it is a mystery why bruntlett and Dobbs didn’t hit this year. Remember, they hit the previous year. They didn’t just lose it over one offseason. Rmember in 2008 Bruntlett played alot when Rollins hurt his ankle early. And Dobbs was playing regularly in the field since Werth was just a platoon player then. My point is I believe they stunk because they just didn’t get enough at-bats. I think Charlie doesn’t like to rest the regulars. I do not think it was a cas eof Charlie not resting the regulars BECAUSE his bench couldn’t hit. I think the bench couldn’t HIT later in the year BECAUSE Charlie wouldn’t give them atbats. I don’t care who we get. If DeRosa has 15 atbats through June – he won’t produce either.
It has been announced that both Rollins and Victorino have won gold gloves again this year.
It’s the third consecutive for Rollins, whose 0.983 career fielding % is second all-time behind Omar Vizquel’s 0.985, and the second consecutive for Victorino.
Anybody think about Uggla? Rumor is Florida is going to shop him fairly aggressively. He’s up for arbitration so I don’t know exactly how the technicalities would sort themselves out but his right-handed bat would be a welcome addition to the lineup. He probably won’t cost as much as Figgins and, while Figgins is clearly better, I don’t think he’s $20 million better.
Seeing as how FLA is in division they’d probably try for a pound of flesh from a rival. Might cost Savery, Dom Brown, Taylor or some sort of combo thereof.
I guess I can see the logic in swapping a top young OF prospect with the current logjam for a young player at a position of need. But its a big risk and can really come back to haunt the team in a couple of years if you get the short end of that kind of trade.
Pete, don’t think I’m being crazy in saying every single player in that line-up could make the all-star team with Ruiz being the biggest reach.
I think even with Feliz and before Chooch blew up all of our starters were top 5 or better in AS voting last year so that’s a very real possibility.
Sort of a random thought. So Utley was on pace for a couple of MVP seasons recently but was felled by either an injury or a freak slump. He was excellently consistent this year, is he still due for a “breakout” year? I know he’s arguably the best 2nd baseman in baseball, and one the 5-10 best in history but I’m still kind of waiting for him to just go on a tear and get that MVP award (not that I think he gives a hot fuck about it anyway).
I definitely like it. I think though move Victorino or Figgins up to the #1 spot (with the other in the 2 hole)…than put Rollins down in the 6 spot. Rollins with a horrible season still put up good run production numbers…and hitting behind the big guys…he will either be batting with the bases empty (similar to what we expect out of a leadoff hitter) or he’ll have guys on and him able to produce runs is a bonus. If we can get Chooch to step up a bit more during the season the way he has in the postseason the past two years….we’ll be back in the Series for a third year!
I thought of Uggla ealier. I dismissed it thinking the Fish wouldn’t trade him intra division. Off the top of my head, he’s not particularly consistent, and I think the Phils were turned off by Feliz’s inconsistency at times.
I have to wonder about the whole truth to any rumor involving the Mets. They met with Boras about Holliday. They are interested in Figgins. Maybe they aren’t as much a financial mess as I believe in my unqualified way, but one thing abou them is that they were decimated by injury last year, and I don’t know that they are that great a club, but I’d be careful throwing money around on what may be surplus talent.
My thoughts on Figgins is that I don’t see a detriment to offering a 4th year. To relocate leagues and coasts could well require an extra push. I’m not sure why that keeps Rollins at the top of the lineup. The points about placing pitching above offense are very well taken. I never said much about Feliz on the board, but I thought his defense was a valuble asset and as often as the Phils are called an American league lineup, I tought it was okay that there was a stealth drop after Rau since Feliz and Carlos are such good defenders.
Lastly, and of course most importantly, Pete, I have always suspected you were a closet AL executive. Now that the truth is out, I’m counting on you to abolish the DH rule before 1 more hot stove chat.
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Chris,
Within the last few days I read something (can’t remember where) about us getting Uggla and moving him to 3B. I’d rather that not happen.
Granted, he can mash and many long flyballs that were outs in Land Shark Stadium should reach the seats in CBP. However, he does strike out a lot and I’m thinking he’d be more of an all-or-nothing run producer which wouldn’t help our inconsistent offense get any more consistent.
Also, Fangraphs has Uggla as the second worst defensive 2nd baseman in all of baseball (with a -10.1 UZR), just ahead of Luis Castillo. Can’t imagine he’d do any better at 3B.
Speaking of Uggla…
1:19pm: The Giants and Orioles are showing the most interest in Dan Uggla, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Those clubs would move Uggla to third base, a position he hasn’t played since 2005 in the minors. The writers add that the Red Sox have inquired, with an eye on using Uggla in left field. Uggla played 20 games in the outfield in Double A in ‘04. Rosenthal and Morosi add that an Uggla trade would compel the Marlins to retain Jorge Cantu.
OK then, that’s a big “no way in hell” on Uggla.
Ken I saw the same thing about BAL and SF going after him for third. I guess the Giants would move Sandoval over to first.
Uggla is absolutely abysmal in the field, and I mean terrible. I would absolutely NOT want him to be playing the hot corner especially if he can’t even handle second base.
I want to know why no one has even mentioned the option of signing Joel Pinero. He’s got a SERIOUS sinker ball that would work great if we got a good defensive third basemen such as Beltre or Figgins. The only question is how much you are willing to pay.
The Phillies at this point need in my opinion; backup catcher, sp, at least two rp (i’d love to see eyre back), 3b, and two utility players.
Oh and since there is probably no way we are going to resign Werth after this year, I wouldn’t mind trading him for a top tier relief pitcher and/or ss/3rd base prospect. Especially since we have so many OF prospects comin up and Ibanez in place for the next 2 years.
Uggla is one of my least favorite players in the MLB. He is an atrocious fielder too, he’d be a joke at 3B. Even more hated than David Bell.
Here’s what Joel Sherman blogged today on Figgins.
<<Phillies GM Ruben Amaro told the Post on Tuesday that he did not envision having the budget to incorporate Figgins as a third base replacement for Pedro Feliz. But SI.com reported on Wednesday that the Phillies are in the mix, which would give the Phillies the opportunity to bat Figgins atop the lineup with Shane Victorino and drop Jimmy Rollins (21 homers) to more of an RBI role.
It is likely Figgins, who will play next season at 32, will demand a three- or four-year contract at between $8 million to $10 million annually.>>