Phillies Trade Rumors: Phils Must Deal Declining Shane Victorino

Now is the time for the Philadelphia Phillies to move Shane Victorino. Rumors have been swirling that the underachieving Phillies may be getting ready to make some moves before MLB’s Tuesday trade deadline.

Philadelphia was a preseason favorite to return to the World Series, but it has not been consistent in any sense of the word in 2012. As of July 30, the Phils have found themselves 12.5 games back in the Wild Card race, likely ending their hopes of a postseason berth.

Clearly, this season has fallen by the wayside. The best thing general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. can do is begin to retool the farm in order to plan for future campaigns.

Despite the tough year and endless rumors and speculation about the possible impending fire sale of the Phillies' roster, Victorino has tried to keep himself distanced from the madness.

Despite his mindset, the discussions are going on, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. Salisbury writes that Victorino is the most likely Phil to go, with the Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates being the most likely destinations.

Victorino went 3-for-4 on Sunday in what was possibly his last game as a Phil.

Season in Turmoil

As of Friday, ESPN calculated the chances of the Phillies making the playoffs at a measly 0.8 percent. After the Atlanta Braves swept them this weekend, those chances have lowered even further to 0.1 percent.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel acknowledged there is something different about his club this year in an interview after the Braves' sweep, via Matt Gelb, Phillies beat writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer:

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"One time, we had the greatest attitude and best hustle of any team I ever had. Teams used to tell me. General managers used to tell me they had just as much talent but we had more heart. I always thought we had the talent and the heart. Seriously. We kind of slipped a little bit. I think our play shows that."

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Victorino on the Decline

The declining outfielder is having one of the worst seasons at the plate of his nine-year career.

Sure, the season isn’t over, and he’s in a place where he can reasonably turn things around before it’s all said and done. That potential is what teams are going to bank on when deciding whether or not to acquire the veteran.

The only time he was worse was as a rookie for the San Diego Padres in 2003, when he hit a miserable .151 in a limited 83 plate appearances.

Getting Something for Nothing

Victorino is set to make $9.5 million in 2012, but will become a free agent at the end of the season. While it is likely he will stay in Philadelphia, there are never guarantees.

The Phils need to convince desperate would-be suitors that Victorino is worth the rental. After all, he’s had a good career and could bounce back down the stretch in a new setting. Also, his decline hasn’t been that severe, yet.

Any team looking to acquire Victorino must be willing to sacrifice to win now.

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