Phillies sign Andrew McCutchen

julio 2018-12-12 02:44:52 UTC #41

McCutchen contract is reported as 3 years, plus a club option for 2022.

Heyman reports the 2022 option as follows:

No details yet on the breakdown of the first three years. If I had to guess, I'd say $2M signing bonus, then $15/$15/$15. That plus the 2022 buyout equals the reported $50 million total guaranteed. Of course, this could be wrong - it's a guess. They may have back-loaded it, or front-loaded it; depending on their long-term planning, I could believe either.

harrisburghusker 2018-12-12 03:33:08 UTC #42

I really wanted Harper, so it's difficult to not be disappointed with this signing

tom81 2018-12-12 04:00:05 UTC #43

I really want Harper too and I don’t see this trade as negatively impacting that outcome. It strengthens the team at a cost of only money and still leaves a corner OF spot available to be upgraded. This makes the Phillies more attractive to the remaining free agents. It makes the batting order more right handed and I think that makes Harper the more attractive addition than Machado. I also think the team thinks Franco has more upside than Williams/Altherr and may just look to get a left handed 3B utility IF to spell him.

zambonir 2018-12-12 04:54:29 UTC #44

Why do you think that about Franco? MacPhail practically kicked him out the door already.

I don't think this changes things one way or another, Machado is 1 but Harper is still 1A. Kingery is also gonna end up playing some 3B if they don't get Machado.

tom81 2018-12-12 11:49:08 UTC #45

Kapler has some recent positive quotes about Franco’s potential. I don’t remember exactly where I heard it, probably the MLB app.

DurhamBull 2018-12-12 13:22:26 UTC #46

Yeah, before this trade there were questions about every OF position. McCutchen will slot into one of the corners left vacant by Hoskins' move to 1B. That leaves Williams and Quinn for RF and 4th OF. I don't see either of Quinn or Williams as so vital to the team (nor so untradeable) that they would block Harper.

bigegypt0417 2018-12-12 13:37:41 UTC #47

The one player I would hesitate moving is Roman Quinn. I know he has had trouble staying on the field but if he is ever healthy he's exactly the lead-off hitter this team needs...I can see his being our Michael Bourn 2.0 in terms of regret.

tom81 2018-12-12 13:44:54 UTC #48

Me too, he is a high risk in terms of health but he has the potential to be a game changer. I would not trade him unless the return was compelling such as in a package for Eugenio Suárez.

el-pietro 2018-12-12 14:14:30 UTC #49

I wouldn't be quick to trade Quinn but I would also be wary of trading Herrera without bringing in a reliable CF. Quinn could very well start out extremely well and be done for the season by May.

EDmuch 2018-12-12 14:23:12 UTC #50

I think they should go with Quinn as a starter, but as everyone has noted, he has been so fragile that there needs to be a back up. To me, however, Herrera would not work as a backup. The backup needs to be a team oriented guy who understands his role. THAT is not Herrera. Herrera seems to be as self-centered as they come and would probably sulk at being on the bench and disrupt team chemistry. They would need to move on from Herrera and find another backup who can play center.

andyb 2018-12-12 14:25:40 UTC #51

Clearly the team needs a backup OF that could play a credible starting CF if they deal Herrera. But I am also looking at Quinn and Herrera and thinking Quinn is the better player. I guess one could rotate 4 starters in the OF pretty easily and get Quinn 400 AB as a supersub and occasional starter, but part of me thinks we could unleash a 300/350/425, 50 SB player on the league that might grow into gold glove defense.

EDmuch 2018-12-12 14:26:23 UTC #52

John Jay, would be a good candidate. Also Denard Span and Adam Jones are available along with a few others.

EDmuch 2018-12-12 14:28:34 UTC #53

Cameron Maybin, Gregor Blanco, Raji Davis.

bigegypt0417 2018-12-12 14:28:45 UTC #54

This seems like a logical approach for a guy with the level of talent he has.

If you do move Herrera and sign a Harper, you can put Quinn in CF and hope he finally is able to stay of the field...

Austinfan 2018-12-12 16:43:15 UTC #55

You don't depend on Quinn, you rotate 4 OFs and get him 300-400 PA and see if he holds up.
Meanwhile, Haseley should be on the verge of ML baseball by September, so you can move Herrera next offseason, doubt his value will decline further and could rise with a bounceback season.

With Haseley on the 2020 roster and Moniak in AAA, you have the depth behind Quinn to let him start in CF, and of course, Trout in 2021.

andyb 2018-12-12 16:54:58 UTC #56

Keith Law is a fan. Thinks they have a credible 90-win case if they add Harper or Machado.

zambonir 2018-12-12 21:36:01 UTC #57

If they get Machado I'm fine with McCutchen-Quinn-Herrera (regardless of who plays RF or CF) with Williams off the bench. Certainly if you can trade Herrera for something big (or a really good prospect package) it's worth considering but he's not going to be a back-up, everyone will get their 400-500 ABs (except Quinn probably 'cause he won't be available).

It's easy to keep Quinn because his trade value is not that of a starter or top prospect, and his value to the team is still high as a part time player. I am still not sold on him as a starter even with the health issues. He gets 500 ABs and I'm not sure he would actually outperform Herrera (though if it's close he probably has a higher OBP and better defense, though less power). His final month last year was a .495 OPS (though of course, he was also hurt). Either way, whether it's a sophomore slump or health, I don't believe he's a full-time starter for a 2019 team trying to win it all.

Now, if they get Harper, sure, maybe trade Odubel, though it's easier to trade Williams at that point, you just wouldn't need him.

el-pietro 2018-12-13 15:28:59 UTC #58

Andrew McCutchens contract breakdown
https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/philadelphia-phillies/andrew-mccutchen-7489/
$10m in 2019
$17m in 2020
$20m in 2021

Option for $15M in 2022 with a $3m buyout so it only costs $12m to keep him for the extra year if necessary.

I know it doesn't really matter from an AAV POV but I would prefer if they had kept that 2021 salary lower in case they decide the need to move him to make room for someone else.

julio 2018-12-13 15:54:06 UTC #59

It doesn't matter from a 2021 trade possibility either, el-pietro. It's really not more difficult to trade a player with a $20 million salary than a player with a $5 million salary, if you're willing to just send $15 million along with the player... and the Phillies can do that; they have the cash flow.

So they chose to back-load the contract; McCutchen's cost rises as Arrieta's cost declines. Not sure if that's very meaningful, though.

el-pietro 2018-12-13 16:16:05 UTC #60

You are almost certainly correct and I'm probably just scarred by the series of cheap decisions I've seen them make since 2006, my scars should be far less deep than most people here as you have watched them be cheap for your whole lives.