6 Moves the Philadelphia Phillies Must Make to Keep Up with the Miami Marlins

After committing $191 million to three players this offseason, the Miami Marlins sure made a big splash. Whether or not it is enough yet to overcome 30 games in the standings is another question.

I'm going to say no, it's not.

I do believe the Marlins already had better talent than a typical 90-loss team. Their position players match up well with the Phillies, but their pitching is still too far behind, even with a healthy Josh Johnson. 

While the Phillies don't necessarily have to make moves to keep up with the Marlins this year, if the Marlins do succeed in attracting consistent crowds to their new ballpark and continue increasing payroll, the Phillies must make better decisions and moves in the future. 

Extend Cole Hamels

I am not a fan of giving massive contracts to players exiting their prime, but with his improvements over the last two years, his relatively young age compared to rest of the team (29 next winter) and his skill set, I am confident on Hamels maintaining a high-level of play into his mid-thirties. 

Since he doesn't rely on an overpowering fastball or a more stressful slider or curveball, the life in his arm should remain closer to his prime and less-risky than many other pitchers. 

Stuck with a declining offense, Amaro's strategy of paying big money to top starters has worked out so far. If the Phillies decide to let Hamels walk, there's a significant hole that needs to be filled.

There's extremely little chance a current prospect will be able to step right in and provide a 15-win type season Hamels brings. The Phillies can ill-afford attaining a viable replacement via trade with all of the prospects given away the past few seasons, and if they are going to pay top dollar in free agency, then why not do it on Hamels?

Do Not Go with a Valdez/Martinez/Galvis Combination at Shortstop

I doubt it will happen, as I think Jimmy Rollins will inevitably be back, but if some combination of those aforementioned is starting at shortstop for the entire year, you're already in a hole.

For a World Series contending team, fielding a position that would collectively rate near the bottom in all of baseball is simply bad. 

In addition, what exactly would be Amaro's plan for the future? There's certainly no guarantee Freddy Galvis will ever have a capable Major League bat, and their highest-upside prospects were just drafted in 2011. The best free agent shortstop after the upcoming season figures to be Erick Aybar. I wouldn't exactly be thrilled throwing big money at him. 

Move Howard Down in the Lineup Against Lefties

It's time for Manuel to show some grit and not just blindly pencil in Howard as your everyday cleanup hitter. He's clearly a shell of himself against left-handed pitching. Howard starting the game at cleanup against a lefty would have been the equivalent of starting Wilson Valdez in that spot. And I hope no one in their right mind would ever put Valdez there. 

I would even argue platooning him, especially against tougher lefties, but it's hard benching a $20- to $25-million player.

Pray There's a Sucker to Trade for Ryan Howard

It's worth a shot. I'm especially looking at you, St. Louis.

If there's anyone who still believes his contract was a good idea, I'd be shocked. It'd sure be nice if a team could help erase Amaro's $125 million mistake for the rapidly declining first baseman. Overpaying a player by $10 to $15 million a season isn't easy to overcome.

Imagine what could be done in the future if the Phillies had the financial flexibility rather than a one-dimensional, aging player. 

Stop Trading Prospects for Older, More Expensive Players

Continuously depleting your best minor league talent will eventually come back to bite any team. Unfortunately, Ruben Amaro doesn't seem to trust anyone under 25. One of the key benefits of using farm-grown players is the financial flexibility they serve for a number of years. On an older and financially-strapped team, relying on a few young guys to help keep cost down and eventually take over for deteriorated players keeps the franchise's success going. 

It seems the majority are all about the win now, who cares about three years from now, approach.

But there's no reason why you cannot both win now and set yourself up well for the next ten years. With the Braves, Marlins and Nationals all equipped with good, young talent, the Phillies must keep an eye on the future. 

Along the same lines, the Phillies also need to stop extending riskier players well past their prime. Howard, Raul Ibanez and Brad Lidge all come to mind as players who received significant money when they shouldn't have. Rollins may be added to the list also, depending on how much he gets paid. Overpaying closer Jonathan Papelbon, I think, will be another example; but he should fair better than Lidge. 

Give Brown a Full Season

Luckily for the Marlins, many Phillies fans aren't running the team. Surely Mike Stanton would still be stuck in the minors after hitting .217/.288/.428 and 54 strikeouts in his first 153 plate appearances. A young player struggling in his first time in the majors? Color me shocked. 

Yes, his defense isn't good, but it's not any worse than Ibanez's was last year. Thanks to much-improved plate-control, his offense (.322 wOBA) topped Ibanez's year (.306).

For all the fans urging the Phillies to be more patient, everyone seems to overlook the outfielder who led his team at the position in pitches-seen per plate appearance. 

With the acquisition of Pence, Amaro put himself in a bind with no place for Brown to play everyday unless John Mayberry Jr. looks like the player before 2011.