Posted by Jonathan Nisula, Thu, February 09, 2012 05:41 PM | Comments: 19
Analysis, News, Opinion, Posts
We know about the moves the Phillies made themselves to improve, like the additions of Jonathan Papelbon, Ty Wigginton, and Laynce Nix, but moves, or lack therof, by other teams have helped the Phillies just as much.
Albert Pujols: 10 years, 240 million. Gone. Prince Fielder: 9 years, 214 million. Gone. Both of these players now call the AL their home, which means that the Phillies will not have to deal with either of them for more than one series each year, and not in the playoffs, unless it’s the World Series.
Think about the effect this has on the overall quality of competition the Phillies pitchers will have to face. They will play the Cardinals and Brewers a total of 14 times in 2012, and none against the Angels or Tigers. Fielder hit an incredible .440/.533/.560 against the Phillies last year, while Pujols hit .356/.408/.533. Now that both of them are gone, the Phillies pitchers can breathe a sigh of relief.
This means that guys like Kyle Kendrick, David Herndon, Michael Stutes, and Vance Worley–all guys who are young (except Kendrick)–can pitch with more confidence when facing the Brewers or Cardinals because of the absence of Fielder and Pujols. Confidence is a powerful thing, just look what it did to Kendrick last year.
Another effect that the absence of these these two power hitters will be the Cy Young race. Aside from the Phillies seeing these guys less, the rest of the NL will as well, meaning that Clayton Kershaw, Ian Kennedy, all the pitchers on the Giants, and others, will theoretically have even better stats in 2012. Here’s a look at each of the 2011 Cy Young candidates career numbers and career numbers against Pujols and Fielder:
Posts: 0 ESURUGBY
except the nationals and marlins will be significantly better and we will be playing them much more than the cardinals and brewers.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 05:58 PM on February 9, 2012Posts: 1317 Pat Gallen
What’s your idea of significant?
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 06:30 PM on February 9, 2012Posts: 0 Berzerker
Rest easy son. We won’t be facing Jose Reyes any more than we usually would.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 11:14 AM on February 10, 2012Posts: 0 Steve Rush
I appreciate this research and as interesting as these numbers are, we are still talking about 2 total players leaving the NL. I am not completely sold that these two players will have that much of a dramatic affect on the Phillies SEASON. Will the pitchers have affected and possibly better numbers? OK maybe, but once again we are talking about two batters and a total of what maybe 30 at bats….
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 06:49 PM on February 9, 2012Posts: 0 BART SHART
Could help in the post-season, but in the regular season, not that significant.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 07:44 PM on February 9, 2012Posts: 0 Jonathan Nisula
I think it will still help them a lot in the regular season. Even if they don’t have the play them as much as teams in the NL East, the overall competition of the NL goes down with these guys leaving.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 07:52 PM on February 9, 2012Posts: 1989 Lefty
I was relieved to hear that Fielder did not go to the Nationals, for sure. Looks like Cliff Lee probably was too!
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 08:08 PM on February 9, 2012Posts: 47 Jonathan Nisula
I think we all were. I would go as far as to say they would have legitimate playoff chances if they snagged him.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 08:40 PM on February 9, 2012Posts: 0 Eaglebenny
If it weren’t for the fact that Howard has had shit years and is hurt, 2012 could have found him starting at first base in the All-Star game.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 08:18 PM on February 9, 2012Posts: 47 Jonathan Nisula
Probably not starting, but excellent point Benny
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 08:38 PM on February 9, 2012Posts: 0 bacardipr05
Howard is fine saw jumping hurdles on the track…..
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 12:20 AM on February 10, 2012Posts: 0 Grismundo
And here I was hoping he would get “fat” again and be good like he used to be.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 05:22 AM on February 11, 2012Posts: 220 Bruce
Sure, it may help the Phillies not having to face the two premier power hitters in Pujols and Fielder. However, I look at it from another perspective. The quality of competition in the NL goes down. AL gains two more great power hitters over to their side. It is the AL fans’ delight to see two of the best hitters in the game coming to their ball park. The NL fans are all the more poorer in not having such players to watch.
That’s sad and another thought; The competition in the All Star game to decide which team will have the home field advantage in the World Series could decidedly be in AL’s favor with the addition of Pujols and Fielder.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 12:49 AM on February 10, 2012Posts: 220 Bruce
I should clarify the above sentence regarding the All Star game so there be no confusion. The home field advantage in the WS goes to the team whose league won the All Star game. That’s better. And the AL would have a great advantage with Pujols and Fielder in All Star game. Even though they are both 1st basemen, both surely will get to play just not at the same time.:-)
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 01:03 AM on February 10, 2012Posts: 0 schmenkman
The All-star game will go from, say, Cabrera (AL) vs. Pujols (NL), as it may have been in the past, to Pujols (AL) vs. Votto (NL) as the starters.
When the reserves come in, instead of Teixeira or AGon (AL) vs. Votto (NL), it may now be Fielder (AL) vs. Howard (NL).
There is undoubtedly some improvement there, and the AL has gained in depth. But with AGon in Boston and Teixeira in NY, it’s not clear that Pujols and Fielder would necessarily get into the game. Votes in 2011: AGon 3 million, Tex 2.4, Cabrera 1.8
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 03:56 AM on February 10, 2012Posts: 0 George
I too do not think the absence of Pujols and Fielder will make much of an improvement in the Phils’ season. They just don’t face the Cards and Brewers enough for those two players to make much of an impact on 162 games. Cincinnatti or Chicago, however, might benefit.
What WILL affect the Phils are the additions made by some of the NL East teams. Florida added Buerhle, or however the heck his name is spelled, and could get more from Johnson, the Nats added Gonzales and will get a full season of Strasburg, and the Braves will have some new young arms with high upsides. I also suspect that Werth won’t be the dud he was in 2011 and that Jose Reyes will improve the Marlin’s lineup.
People complain constantly about the Phils’ offense and their complaints about it should only get worse when the team faces these new pitchers. Particularly if the back end of the Phil’s rotation gets hit hard by these East teams’ improving lineups.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 10:52 AM on February 10, 2012Posts: 0 George
I just noticed the photo caption, and have to point out that Fielder did not go west. Detroit is east of Milwaukee. If he went first to Albuquerque, maybe you’d be correct, but even then, only sort of.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 12:47 PM on February 10, 2012Posts: 1 thedudeabides
I’d take my chances with anyone Roy, Cliff or Cole have to face in any lineup. But those two in the AL will certainly help Heavy B and Vance.
Reply to this PostFlag commentPosted: 02:46 PM on February 12, 2012Posts: 0 Dave
ANy chance they will change the All Star game back to the way it was? The team with the best record should get home field advantage…the current rule is as stupid as stupid gets.
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2012 Phillies SalariesCharlie Manuel
$3 million
Cliff Lee
$21.5 million
Ryan Howard
$20 million
Roy Halladay
$20 million
Chase Utley
$15 million
Jonathan Papelbon
$11 million
Jimmy Rollins
$11 million
Cole Hamels
$9.5 million
Shane Victorino
$9.5 million
Joe Blanton
$8.5 million
Hunter Pence
$6.9 million
Placido Polanco
$6.25 million
Ty Wigginton
$4 million
Carlos Ruiz
$3.7 million
Jose Contreras
$2.5 million
Kyle Kendrick
$2.45 million
Jim Thome
$1.25 million
Laynce Nix
$1.15 million
Dontrelle Willis
$850,000
Brian Schneider
$800,000
John Mayberry
$414,000
Vance Worley
$405,000
Antonio Bastardo
$405,000
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