Philadelphia Phillies: Domonic Brown and 25 Creative Ways to Get Younger

Contrary to popular belief, reducing the age of a Major League roster while maintaining its competitive nature is not a simple task, but it is a challenge that the Philadelphia Phillies have faced over the last couple of seasons and will face with growing importance over the coming seasons.

The question is an obvious one with difficult answers: How can a team locked into veteran contracts create an influx of young talent while remaining on top of a division growing in talent?

It's not going to be easy.

While the Phillies have young talent they can rely on, they are certainly not the Tampa Bay Rays or Oakland Athletics. The Phillies are a big-market team that will have to spend money to draw fans, but in the near future, they'll have to realize that you can't build a team of 30-something players heading for a decline.

With that being said, however, the Phillies also realize that there aren't many obvious methods of reducing the age of their roster.

In this slideshow, we'll take a look at how the Phillies can "get younger," but remain a National League East powerhouse in the process.

The Latin American Market

There seems to be a common misconception that "getting younger" in the MLB is an easy thing to do.

Well, this isn't much of a newsflash at this point, but it's not.

The free-agent market is often reserved for major league veterans with six years of experience, and the trade market's young players come at a price.

With those reasons in mind, the Phillies have often explored the Latin American market and added nice players.

While they aren't always at the forefront of this market, usually adding the top players, the Phillies have always attempted to add several players with upside on this front. On the big-league roster heading into 2012, both Carlos Ruiz and Antonio Bastardo were signed as amateur free agents.

In 2011, the Phillies may have changed their approach to this market a bit. Instead of going out and nabbing several players with high upside, they went out and got the guy with the greatest upside: Carlos Tocci.

Though the Phils will be on a budget now, shrunken even further by the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, there are a few interesting amateur free agents out their to be pursued, two of whom would really help the club.

Yoenis Cespedes

One of the most sought-after free agents currently on the market is Cuban phenom Yoenis Cespedes.

One of the—if not the only—legitimate five-tool players on the market, Cespedes' agency sent out a video to teams showcasing his incredible athletic abilities, which apparently included pig-roasting.

But what about baseball?

Cespedes played on Cuba's team in the last World Baseball Classic, when scouts and fans alike were able to get a look at him.

He was a center fielder on that team and has remained there since, with good speed and a natural defensive ability.

His bat, on the other hand, profiles more as a corner outfielder. He has very good power, especially considering his speed, and could hit more than 30 home runs for an MLB team. Though he may be a left fielder in the United States, he is the rare blend of speed and power that teams would love to have—and pay for.

His rumored asking price of double that of Aroldis Chapman (which could eclipse $60 million) would likely keep the Phillies out of the bidding.

Photo Credit: www.cubajournal.blogspot.com

Jorge Soler

With Yoenis Cespedes' price tag likely too rich for the Phillies' blood, he is likely off of their radar.

A second Cuban outfielder is on the radar, and a pursuit of him seems more likely.

That man is 19-year-old Jorge Soler, who worked out for Phillies' scouting director Marti Wolever, who left the workout impressed.

Soler, who is also one of those rare "five-tool" outfielders, wouldn't be ready to step right in and play at the MLB level.

However, if getting younger for the future is the goal, the Phillies would be wise to invest some of their budget in potential, and Soler certainly has plenty of that. In fact, some scouts believe that he has an upside ultimately brighter than that of Cespedes.

The Asian Market

The Asian market, on the other hand, hasn't been as kind to the Phillies.

Maybe it would be more factual to say that the Phillies haven't been as kind to the Asian market, because after all, they don't frequent its bounty.

Then again, the posting system makes this market an entirely different beast, and it often costs money just to negotiate with players.

However, this market also provides players with upside.

In recent years, the Phillies have played guys like Chan Ho Park, So Taguchi and Tadahito Iguchi—hardly a representation of what this market provides.

With that being said, the Asian market is an excellent venture for a team looking to capitalize on younger, talented players.

Yu Darvish

There has been much talk this winter about Yu Darvish, and with good reason.

Now that CJ Wilson is officially off the board, Darvish is the best starting pitcher available this offseason, and the posting period has already begun.

The winning team will be given a period of time to negotiate with the right-hander, who is expected to cost a team more than $100 million for a combined contract and posting fee.

Though many teams have been mentioned in the chase for the talented 25-year-old pitcher, the Phillies have't been mentioned. It wouldn't be the first time they've come in as a surprise team, though.

With Cole Hamels entering a contract year and his contract not extended at this time, could the Phillies jump in the market for Darvish?

Suk-Min Yoon

With Yu Darvish likely to be focal point of this winter's pitching market, Suk-Min Yoon decided against the posting process this winter.

He'll rejoin the Kia Tigers in 2012 and avoid the posting process altogether next season, when he'll be declared a free agent.

Yoon is talented, but not on the same level as Darvish.

He has been a starting pitcher and a reliever in his career, and most disturbingly for the Phillies, is represented by super-agent Scott Boras.

With that being said, the Phillies could have an opening in their starting rotation for the 2013 season, and Yoon would be an interesting option, at just 26 years old.

The 2012 Free-Agent Market

You've probably noticed by now, but the 2012 free-agent market isn't going to provide the Phillies with many ways of getting younger.

Prince Fielder is among the youngest free agents worth mentioning this season at 28 years old, and obviously, the Phillies aren't going to land him.

With that being said, the free-agent market is going to have an impact on the Phillies.

Having been so open about their pursuit of Jimmy Rollins, Freddy Galvis may emerge as a top trade candidate. It is conceivable that the Phillies could flip Galvis to a team in need of a defensive shortstop for a different prospect, which is one way to get younger.

Outside of that, however, the Phillies aren't going to get any younger by pursuing free agents on this market.

The 2013 Free-Agent Market

The 2013 free-agent market, on the other hand, is an entirely different story.

While it isn't filled with some of the marquee names like Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder, it is filled with just the kind of free agents that the Phillies will be looking for—younger players that will fit into their current plans moving forward.

Heading into next winter, the Phillies' focus will be similar to what it was this season. They'll need a first baseman and possibly an outfielder.

Though the bullpen will be set, the starting rotation could be questionable for the first time in a while. If Cole Hamels isn't extended, they'll need two starters.

There are plenty of those options, including Mark Reynolds as a possible, powerful third baseman, starting pitchers aplenty in the likes of John Danks, and more center fielders than they'd know what to do with, including a familiar face—Shane Victorino.

To Get Younger, Turn Down Carlos Ruiz's 2013 Option

As good a job as Carlos Ruiz has done for the Phillies behind the plate, it seems as though turning down a team-friendly option ($5 million) would be counterproductive.

However, if the Phillies are as age-conscious as they are letting on, declining Ruiz's 2013 option and re-signing him at a more affordable price (read: as the backup catcher) would be an interesting scenario, leading to one of two things.

The first would be that the Phillies were ready to turn the ball over to catching prospect Sebastian Valle, who would have had to have made great strides over a short period of time.

The second is that the Phillies were willing to pursue a more offensive-minded catcher on the open market.

Miguel Montero

Miguel Montero is currently under contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and though both sides have expressed their interest in a contract extension, nothing concrete has been completed as of yet.

If he were to hit the open market, he would draw interest from nearly every team in baseball because he is such a rare catcher—great offensively and defensively.

Sure enough, this would give the Phillies some extra incentive to turn down Ruiz's option.

If they were able to keep him aboard at a lower price and sign Montero to a free-agent contract, you'd be looking at the best catching tandem in baseball.

Decline Placido Polanco's Option

This one is just about as close to a no-brainer as you can get.

After trying to trade him during the 2012 offseason and coming up short, (with rumors surfacing that the Phillies nearly swapped him with Michael Young of the Texas Rangers during the 2011 offseason) it is fairly obvious that the Phils want to be done with Polanco as soon as possible.

That may not be until next winter, when they'll have the luxury of declining his option for the 2013 season.

The question then becomes this: Where do they go from there?

In terms of prospects, the most logical third basemen are Maikel Franco, who is not close to the MLB, and Cody Overbeck, who is a fringe prospect at best.

The trade and free-agent markets offer few options in terms of "getting younger" as well.

While the trade market takes time to develop, the free-agent market for third basemen hinges on whether teams like the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles decide to exercise their club options on players like David Wright and Mark Reynolds, respectively.

Let Shane Victorino Walk in Free Agency

Cole Hamels isn't the only popular member of the Phillies prepared to walk into the 2012 season in a contract year.

Shane Victorino is also entering the final year of his contract, and though it seems silly to say because of the skill-set and production he brings to the table, would it be wise for the Phillies to let the "Flyin' Hawaiian" to fly away at season's end?

While there is little doubt that Victorino can continue to produce past his age 32 season, if the Phillies are determined to get younger, they may save the money allotted to Victorino and pursue a different center fielder.

First and foremost, Victorino isn't going to come cheap.

He is one of the game's best defensive center fielders, hits for power and average and can run. Though he won't come close to making the same amount of money for nearly as long, Matt Kemp's extension shows just how valuable center fielders of Victorino's mold are.

But whom else could they pursue?

Michael Bourn

Michael Bourn has gone from Phillies prospect to Houston Astros starting center fielder to terrorizing the Phillies with his speed playing for the Atlanta Braves in a short amount of time, and he'll be approaching free agency after the 2012 season as well.

Though he is an unlikely fit with the Phillies for a number of reasons, the option is still there.

First and foremost, Bourn is represented by Scott Boras, who has made no bones about just how valuable he believes Bourn is.

While he is a few years younger than Shane Victorino, he'll also be just as expensive, at the very least.

While his speed would be nice at the top of the Phils' lineup, they'll likely seek a center fielder elsewhere.

BJ Upton

BJ Upton has been linked to the Phillies in the past as they searched for a right-handed hitting outfielder.

Ultimately, no deal between the former World Series adversaries ever came to fruition, and Upton remained a member of the Tampa Bay Rays through much speculation.

After the 2012 season, he won't have to deal with countless trade rumors any longer—he'll be a free agent.

If Shane Victorino does leave in free agency, it is plausible that the Phillies could rekindle interest in the elder Upton.

Like Victorino, he has an interesting skill-set that provides speed, power and the latent potential to hit for average.

The question is: Can he finally put it all together in time to cash in on free agency, or will he be a flash in the pan, stuck in younger brother Justin Upton's shadow?

Melky Cabrera

The acquisition of a guy like Melky Cabrera would come with somewhat of an asterisk, because depending on the type of season he has in 2012, his free agency could branch off into a number of different directions.

On the one hand, Cabrera seems to be nothing more than a fourth outfielder, but on the other, he has shown some of the potential that made him valuable with the New York Yankees a few seasons back.

Recently acquired by the San Francisco Giants from the Kansas City Royals, he'll get a chance to showcase his talents on a contending team once again in 2012.

If he has another season like the most recent, where he posted an OPS of .809 and hit 18 home runs, he could be an attractive option for the Phillies, who had discussions with the Royals about him during the most recent trade deadline.

If he fizzles out and has another season like he did in 2010, where he posted an OPS of just .671, the Phillies would likely look elsewhere.

John Mayberry Jr.

Of course, the Phillies have a couple of in-house options as well.

One of the most obvious replacements for Shane Victorino in center field would be a simple shift in position for John Mayberry Jr.

Despite his size, he is an extremely athletic outfielder and has shown an ability to play center field in the past.

The greatest question for Mayberry may be more of a test: Prove that his 2011 season at the plate wasn't a fluke.

If he can do that, the Phillies may already have their center fielder of the future under contract.

Domonic Brown

If John Mayberry Jr. is going to shift to center field in the future, the Phillies will have an opening in left field that belongs to none other than former top prospect (now in prospect limbo) Domonic Brown.

Contrary to popular belief, the Phillies have not given up on Brown.

The truth is he isn't a natural outfielder, and the Phils don't have time to allow him to develop at the MLB level.

If Shane Victorino walks in free agency, he should be ready to go as the team's starting left fielder—and that's not a bad thing in the least bit.

When Brown puts it all together at the MLB level, the Phillies are going to have quite a player on their hands.

Address the Starting Rotation

If you don't give the situation much thought, addressing the starting rotation certainly doesn't seem like much of a priority for the Phillies.

With Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee firmly cemented in the top two spots, they'll be competitive for quite a while.

Aside from those two, however, the Phillies do have some questions heading into the future.

Does Cole Hamels sign a contract extension? Can Vance Worley continue to improve upon his 2011 season and prove he is a viable rotation option? What happens in life after Joe Blanton's tenure? Is Kyle Kendrick tendered a contract?

There are quite a few options for the Phillies moving forward here, and it gives them an excellent opportunity to reduce the age of the roster.

Extend the Contract of Cole Hamels

Normally, extending the contract of your longest-tenured starting pitcher isn't necessarily synonymous with "getting younger," but in this case, it is.

Though Phillies' starter Cole Hamels has been around for six seasons, he'll be hitting the free-agent market at just 29 years old next offseason.

The Phillies simply cannot allow that to happen.

On the free-agent market, all bets are off as to what kind of contract Hamels would receive. If there is one thing that teams have proven they will pay for, it is left-handed pitching with a track record.

The Phillies would be wise to structure a deal for Hamels with models like Jered Weaver and Justin Verlander in mind before Hamels even sniffs the open market.

Promote Trevor May

The drafting and development part of the game has become so intense and specialized that we often lose sight of what its intention is in its most simplest form—develop young players to help the MLB club.

While the Phillies have used their farm system to bring in veteran talent over the last couple of seasons, if the focus becomes getting younger, we'll be seeing some top prospects in the coming seasons.

One of the guys that could be with the Phillies as soon as 2013 is top prospect Trevor May, who is slated to open the 2012 season as a member of the Reading Phillies.

With Joe Blanton set to depart when his contract expires after the season, the growing likelihood of Kyle Kendrick being non-tendered by then, and especially if Cole Hamels leaves via free agency, Mays could be an integral part of the Phillies' future.

Matt Cain

If Cole Hamels were to leave the Phillies in free agency following the 2012 season and the Phillies were intent on spending money to replace him, there would be a few interesting options that could end up paying dividends.

The first of those options is a former nemesis, Matt Cain.

Though the San Francisco Giants have been working to extend his contract, nothing has come close to completion, and Cain is still slated to hit the open market following the 2012 season.

Cain will be just 28 years old following the season, and the name of his game has always been consistency, which is especially appealing to teams when a player is just hitting his prime and trending upwards.

Zack Greinke

As long as Zack Greinke is a starting pitcher in the MLB, there will always be questions surrounding his ability and willingness to pitch in large-market environments, so you can throw an asterisk next to his name if you so please.

Greinke has a few things going for him if he chooses to leave the Milwaukee Brewers and decides to join a team like the Phillies.

First and foremost, he isn't the "ace." He has the ability to pitch like one, but Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee have and always will shoulder most of the pressure put on the starting rotation.

Staying in the National League surely wouldn't hurt him, either.

The question is whether or not big-market teams are going to show a willingness to invest in Greinke if they're not positive he'll be able to pitch in big games.

For example, his dreadful postseason results from 2011.

Francisco Liriano

Will the real Francisco Liriano please stand up?

Liriano has worn many coats in his tenure with the Minnesota Twins.

At times, he has pitched like an ace. At other times, he looked like the ace of the AA New Britain Rock Cats.

Heading into the 2012 season, Liriano will try and prove first and foremost that he can stay healthy and put up some of the elite numbers that he posted in 2006 and 2010.

The potential is certainly there. He'll be just 29 years old heading into the winter, and like Cole Hamels, he will have plenty of interested teams, thanks in large part to the simple fact that he throws the ball with his left hand.

His 2012 campaign could have a huge impact on his price moving forward. If the price is right, why wouldn't the Phillies be interested?

The Farm System

Eventually, the Phillies are going to have to rely on the vast amount of potential in their farm system to get younger at the MLB level.

While trading that talent away has helped to keep them atop the NL East for the last five seasons, developing homegrown talent will keep them there moving into the future.

In the infield, Sebastian Valle is eventually going to take over as the team's catcher, giving them an interesting blend of offense and defense.

The 2011 draft was focused on improving the team's middle infield depth, something that I believe was accomplished. In the short term, players like Freddy Galvis should get a look for different roles.

Some of the highest upside for the Phillies is in the outfield.

After years of collecting "toolsy" outfielders like Jiwan James, the Phils are simply waiting for guys to put it all together. Led by Domonic Brown, guys like Aaron Altherr, Larry Greene and other talented outfielders are guys the Phillies hope they'll be able to rely on in the future.

But the focus of the Phillies' farm system has always been pitching, and it is evident that pitching continues to be its greatest strength. Along with Trevor May, the Phillies have rotation hopefuls in Brody Colvin, Jesse Biddle, Jon Pettibone and Julio Rodriguez—and that is only scratching the surface.

In the bullpen, the Phillies have developed a number of crafty relievers, including recent promotions like Mike Stutes and Michael Schwimer.

However, the future of the Phillies' bullpen may rely on the arms of...

Phillippe Aumont and Justin De Fratus

Among the Phillies' group of top 10 prospects exists the relief duo of Phillippe Aumont and Justin De Fratus that should have the Phils' bullpen in good shape over the next several years.

While other areas of the club are aging with few options, the bullpen is one area of the club that the Phillies could conceivably "go young" in and not skip a beat.

Aumont is a tall right-handed reliever with a great fastball and a knee-buckling curveball, and he projects as the club's setup man of the future behind Jonathan Papelbon.

Of course, that honor could also go to fellow right-handed reliever Justin De Fratus, who also has a good fastball and a sharp slider that makes him particularly tough against right-handed batting.

If the Phillies are going to have a competitive bullpen in the future, this duo will be a large part of it.

Honorable Mention: The Re-Build

It's not something the Phillies are considering right now and something that fans don't want to think about ever—especially those who've been through the years of the Phillies as a mediocre team.

However, there comes a time when we must realize that a possible option for a Phillies team of the future is to blow up the core and re-build.

While I'm sure that is a desperate, last-resort option, imagine the haul the Phillies could receive for players like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino, Roy Halladay, and so on and so forth.

The chances of that happening are minimal, but if you're going to "get younger," this might become an option in the future.