Response to Jeff Skversky’s Letter to Me…An Angry Phillies fan.
Since I recently sent an Open Letter to some local athletes, I’ve had people sending me the Open Letter written by Jeff Skversky to Angry Phillies Fans and Amaro Haters asking what I thought since I’ve been uber critical of Amaro. So below is what I think. The parts indented and italicized are from Jeff’s letter. I’d like to preface this by saying that I like Jeff’s work on Channel 6.
Dear Angry Phillies Fans & Amaro Haters:
For clarification purposes, I’m not an Amaro Hater. Especially since Urban Dictionary has “hater” as a “A person that simply cannot be happy for another person’s success. So rather than be happy they make a point of exposing a flaw in that person. Hating, the result of being a hater, is not exactly jealousy. The hater doesnt really want to be the person he or she hates, rather the hater wants to knock somelse down a notch.” That is not me or any people that I know asking for Ruben to be given another responsibility in the organization.
That’s all Phillies fans are yelling right now! “Fire Ruben Amaro Jr., It’s completely his fault!” I get it, it’s frustrating, it’s beyond frustrating.
So Amaro is all to blame for this mess, right? After all, blaming all of this on Amaro is easy. He is the GM, he is in charge, he’s the boss, he gave out these rich contracts with extra years and extra vesting options and he should’ve seen this collapse coming before anyone else, right? Well, yes and no. I am not defending Amaro 100% here but you have to look at the entire situation, piece by piece, as painful as that is.
That’s not all we are yelling. Amaro is not solely to blame. We want the entire front-office replaced. We don’t want Ed Wade brought back as GM. We are tired of Marti Wolever supervising an inept Scouting Department. The farm system is ranked 26th out of 30 by Baseball America. And no, they didn’t trade away a bunch of young studs to make a run at a World Series. Jonathan Singleton is hitting .188. Travis d’Arnaud is hitting .223. Jarred Cosart is a back of the rotation Kendrick-like pitcher. The entire front-office is to blame, as is Dave Montgomery who has publicly said he is not interested in rebuilding and having a further drop in attendance.
I get it, this is a bad last place baseball team and they have gone backwards the last three years. It’s tough to watch!
Do you get it, Jeff? How much do you pay to see games? I have 3 lower-level seats and the price tag takes a hefty chunk out of my annual income. It’s more than just watching, brother.
There’s no question Amaro added fuel to the fire by not having a fire sale before Thursday’s trade deadline.
He didn’t add fuel to my fire. I don’t want Amaro and his cast of characters overseeing the players the Phillies get in return for trading away pieces. I’ve quite content with him not making any moves. I’ve seen what they got in return for Lee, Victorino and Hunter Pence.
The Phillies are willing to eat a lot of money because they can afford it, but to trade a guy just to trade a guy doesn’t always make sense and could very easily set this franchise back another 5 to 7 years.
A lot? Who are your sources? How much is a lot? This sounds like a Phillies talking point. Ruben just said the Phillies were willing to eat “some” salary in the interviews that I heard.
To say, “just give them away for nothing” is an ignorant and immature way to look at it.
Are you taking people seriously when they say to trade a player for a “bag of balls?” Really? Please don’t throw ignorant and immature on us fans. Phillies fans, and fans of all Philadelphia sports, are not ignorant and among the most knowledgeable in the country. It’s about cutting costs and providing some financial maneuverability while getting some prospects back.
A lot of people say Amaro “over values” his own players? Maybe or maybe not?
Unfortunately, according to the reporters on MLB Network on the Trade Deadline Show, a lot of those people are scouts and GMs for other clubs.
I’m sure reading this, you’re thinking I’m an apologist for Amaro and the Phillies, I’m not.
Nice try getting this out there. We hear this a lot from people who say “I’m not a racist, but…” This sure reads like a piece from a Phillies or Amaro apologist or a PR piece sponsored by the Phillies and Scottie Palmer.
It’s not Ruben’s fault the Phillies didn’t win another World Series or two….On Ruben’s watch the Phillies went to the World Series in 2009 and then had the best record in baseball during the regular season in both 2010 and 2011.
The regular season is only half the battle. The difference between getting to the Playoffs and Winning a World Series is usually the smaller, less obvious moves. Pat Gillick could find players on scrap-heaps, in Rule 5 drafts, etc who could contribute. Amaro doesn’t have that ability. His benches during those years were weak. His bullpens, weaker.
Was Amaro supposed to blow up the roster after the 2011 NLDS defeat and a MLB high 102 regular season wins?
No…see above. Strengthen bench, bullpen and role-players.
It’s easy to say yes now because they have failed to make the playoffs since. Amaro could not have predicted all of the key injuries. Howard missed a ton of time in 2012 as did Utley. Howard again had health issues in 2013 as did Roy Halladay. Again, not all Amaro’s fault.
Not planning for these injuries to be re-occurring is his fault.
Phillies fans were applauding Amaro when he landed Cy Young award winners Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee as well as Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence, all for prospects in the system. By the way to this date, zero of those prospects the Phillies gave away for that collection of All-Stars, have come back to haunt them.
Trading for Halladay, Lee, Oswalt and Pence are all glaringly obvious moves that any of us could’ve seen were good moves. The fact you bring up that the prospects that the Phillies gave away haven’t really produced is another indictment against the ability of Amaro and his staff. THEY CAN’T DRAFT!
For arguments sake, if Amaro did not re-sign Ryan Howard, did not re-sign Chase Utley, did not re-sign Jimmy Rollins, did not re-sign Cliff Lee and let them walk over the last few years, the fan base would’ve killed him correct?
Those signings haven’t killed the club. It’s the supporting cast that Amaro and the front-office has put around Howard, Utley, Lee, and Rollins. However, if Howard and Utley continue to perform like they just did in Washington, they could be a larger part of the problem. Howard was a gamble, a hedge (against $200M contracts) that didn’t pan out. Amaro bid against himself with Utley and Rollins and those contracts are now a burden. They could’ve both been signed for shorter term deals and less money. Jimmy had zero clubs seriously interested in him.
It’s easy to stand here now and say it’s all his fault because he put this thing together and it’s not working, but it’s not all his fault.
It’s not my fault. It’s not the broadcasters’ fault. He’s the architect of this club and the negotiator of these contracts.
It’s easy to point at the Ryan Howard $125 million deal as being a huge mistake, but Howard was on pace for Hall of Fame type numbers at the time and you could not have predicted he would have had a devastating and career altering injury in 2011.
Some fans crush Amaro for the Howard deal, I don’t. As stated above, I understand the gamble. If his numbers continued Howard would be a $200M player.
Fans also say the Phillies should’ve moved on from Jimmy Rollins. Well who would replace this: JRoll, the former NL MVP, is ranked in the top five in home runs, runs, walks and stolen bases among all Major League Shortstops.
I think more fans hate the terms of the contract, rather than the resigning. Milwaukee was the only other club rumored to be interested in Rollins. J.J. Hardy was coming off a year comparable to Rollins in 2012 and also a free agent. Hardy signed with the Orioles for 3 years/$22.25M. Rollins signed for 3 years/$33M and a vesting option in the fourth year. That is the type of deal Ruben is responsible for and makes Rollins difficult to move.
The Phillies locked up their stud players in the prime of their careers and also made tough decisions by letting Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino go.
Letting Jayson Werth sign in Washington wasn’t a tough decision. The offer he received was ridiculous and nobody expected the Phillies to match that. Letting Victorino go should’ve been a tougher decision when you look at the players they got back in return. They got Josh Lindblom and Ethan Martin in return. That equates to nothing.
Amaro could not keep everyone. Look, did the Phillies give out a lot of money, and a lot of years to a lot of guys? Yes! Maybe too much? Maybe? But that’s also what happens in the baseball business when all-stars and franchise caliber players are set to become free-agents.
I’m sorry, did the Cardinals let Pujols walk? Did the Brewers let Prince Fielder walk? Did the Red Sox allow Papelbon to walk?
It’s definitely easier to say yes, all the money, all of the years and bonus vesting options backfired now, because they are not getting production or any trade value in return. Hey maybe those contracts would be easier to trade and get rid of now, if they were shorter and less expensive. And then again, maybe not.
Definitely would’ve made them easier to move, according to Ken Rosenthal and other baseball insiders.
When the Phillies signed Jonathan Papelbon a few years ago he was the best closer on the market. Did Amaro overpay for Papelbon a little bit? Probably, but we will never know that and that’s what happens in free agency and to be honest, Papelbon has been very good and should’ve been an all-star again this year. Papelbon for the record only has the best save percentage in Phillies history. What would’ve happened if the Phillies signed Ryan Madson instead of Papelbon? Talk about a mess!
Again…same mistakes this front-office has done time and time again. They overpaid for Papelbon. They were competing against no other clubs. The contract is so out of whack that other clubs don’t want to touch it, even though he’s having an all-star caliber season. That should be Exhibit A that Amaro is signing dudes for far too much money and too many years. Hockey guru Al Morganti even commented on the WIP Morning Show that Papelbon was worth it immediately after the signing. His inside scoop was simply being a Red Sox fan.
Mike Adams also looked like a good veteran set up man addition a few years ago but he got hurt.
I agree with this!
Did Amaro give Marlon Byrd an extra vesting option for 2016, probably, but maybe that’s what it took to get a deal done and they needed a right fielder. Byrd, by the way is one of the best hitters in the National League right now, he has 21 Home runs, only two NL players have more.
Do you know that the deal wouldn’t have gotten done without that vesting option? The biggest problem with this being offered as a defense for Amaro is that Nelson Cruz signed for 1 year/$8M and has 29 Home Runs and was an All Star this past year.
How about, AJ Burnett, he got a lot of money for a one-year deal that also includes an option, but he’s an experienced pitcher, who was won a World Series and you can never have enough pitching.
Braves signed Ervin Santana for $7M/year for two years. A’s signed Scott Kazmir for $22M over two years. Santana has been solid and Kazmir is having an all-star year. Both signed without vesting options and for less than Burnett, who was guaranteed $22M and has the ability to earn $12.75 million in 2016,
Amaro Is also blamed for their lack of talent in their minor-league system. Amaro did trade away, for the most part, all of their top prospects, but name one player that has come back to haunt them, let alone that is playing well in the major leagues?
How is this offered as a defense of Amaro? He’s overseen the minor-league system for the past six years. He’s seen Marti Wolever oversee the amateur scouting and produce very few players and no studs and done nothing about it. The fact that the players Ruben traded away haven’t been any good does not say much for the development system that he oversees.
Look, every team in major-league baseball is filled with so called “top prospects” who never make it.
The Phillies have had zero first round draft picks turn into anything since Cole Hamels in 2002! That’s also when Marti Wolever assumed responsibilities for amateur scouting. Here’s some background on Marti Wolever’s track record. This is another indictment of the entire front-office. By the way, the Giants, Dodgers, Cardinals, Braves, A’s, Red Sox and other clubs seem to have a lot more prospects who make it than the Phillies.
Again, I’m sure reading this, you’re thinking I’man apologist for Amaro and the Phillies, I’m not.
Yup! Even more so, now.
Trading away Lee the first time was a mistake
Yes, Ruben’s fault.
Trading away Pence was a mistake.
Again, Ruben’s call.
Ryan Vogelsong was in the Phillies organization and was released in 2010.
Under Ruben’s watch.
Veteran reliever Jason Grilli was also in their system in 2011and they cut him while he was in AAA. Grilli, went onto to become an all-star for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Under Ruben’s watch. I’m seeing a trend here.
Having an inadequate bench the last few years has burned them. Letting a productive pinch hitter like Kevin Frandsen go in spring training was not smart. Frandsen led MLB in pinch hits in 2013.
I think you’re starting to see things my/our way. Ruben’s call again!
Amaro, has made mistakes but was also caught in between a tough transition of an aging Phillies roster full of MVP’s, Cy Young award winners and all-stars. The majority of the Phillies roster has been full of players, who you could say, are the best players in franchise history to play their position.
I don’t understand what this has to do with Dom Brown, Ben Revere (a 4th outfielder at best with his lack of power and arm), Chad Qualls, Ben Francisco, Michael Martinez, John Mayberry, Jr, Ty Wigginton, Laynce Nix, etc.
For every move Amaro made, what were his other options at the time? It’s the only fair way to look at it. It’s the only way to judge it.
There were other options at the time. Don’t trade Cliff Lee for nothing. Don’t release Vogelsong. Don’t release Grilli. We can judge them all as horrendous front-office moves.
For every fan that wants him fired, don’t forget Amaro was an assistant under Ed Wade and Pat Gillick for a decade before becoming GM and was influential behind the scenes building the Phillies into a World Series title contender.
Yeah, he was an assistant. What does that mean? He was handed the Assistant General Manager job. He didn’t earn it. He didn’t learn the game as a scout and work his way up like Ron Hextall did in hockey or Pat Burrell is doing in San Francisco’s Scouting Department and both of those players were far better in their respective sports than Ruben Amaro, Jr. I really don’t think Pat Gillick was calling Ruben to get his advice on moves. Let us also not forget that Mike Arbuckle was head of amateur scouting when Ed Wade was drafting good players. Mike Arbuckle was also an assistant GM under Gillick and Wade. Arbuckle is currently working with the Royals in amateur scouting and they have the 6th best farm system, according to Baseball America. The Phillies…26th.
Sometimes no matter how hard you try, even if you do everything right, it still may not work out. Did Amaro do everything right? No, of course not, but is this all Amaro’s fault? No!
Who else is at fault? The people working under him? Isn’t it his fault in not replacing those people working for him who aren’t producing? I’m confused.
There are a lot of factors and variables that go into this: Amaro, the front office, scouts, age, injuries, timing, luck and last but not least – the players.
YES….YES…all of which are put in place by Ruben. He’s the GM. He has final say. When are we getting to the point where it’s not his responsibility?
This is the price you pay in baseball, this is the price you pay for guaranteed contracts.
It’s not the price the Cardinals, A’s, Braves and other teams pay.
As much as you want to pick on the Phillies for having a $178 million payroll and not making the playoffs since 2011, It’s not necessarily better anywhere else.
The New York Yankees have not made the playoffs since 2012 and they don’t appear to be going back again this season and their payroll is roughly $210 million.
THE NEW YORK YANKEES HAVE 27 WORLD SERIES TITLES.
The good news is that the Phillies have cash and lots of it. There’s a chance they will be able to buy their way out of this mess or maybe not. Amaro claims the Phillies will make changes for next season, but only time will tell what happens and if it will make a difference next year or anytime soon after.
The bad news is that the current-front office may be in charge of spending money and they have proven themselves time and time again to spend it poorly.
Granted, the Phillies traded away prospects but they have not had a first-round pick develop into a MLB All-Star in more than a decade when they selected Cole Hamels in 2002.
EXACTLY. Exhibit whatever against the Phillies’ current front-office. Again, Marti Wolever has been the amateur scouting guy since 2002. Ruben has kept him in place after becoming the GM.
Phillies fans say the Phillies have not drafted well, yes and no. Do you know how hard it is to hit a home run in the draft and developing players consistently year after year?
See above. Numerous teams do far better far more often. Marlins and Braves in the Phillies division alone.
Everybody swings and misses. Millville native Mike Trout is arguably the best player in major-league baseball right now and just about every team passed on him in the draft in 2009. How about Phoenixville native Mike Piazza who was drafted in the 62nd round in 1988 and only as a favor to Tommy Lasorda. Piazza was a 12-time all-star and one of best catchers in the history of the game. We could go on and on.
You’ve mentioned a few times how the prospects the Phillies have traded haven’t turned into anything special. And, the farm system is currently ranked 26th, so obviously they are swinging and missing more often than the majority of ballclubs.
Nobody is on top forever, that’s why you should appreciate the remarkable run they had between 2007-2011, even if it still was not good enough in your eyes. You have to ask yourself though what would be good enough? I remember the Phillies getting booed on opening day in 2009, the very day they received their 2008 World Series rings! Too soon? You have to have reasonable expectations.
Two shit years was enough. It looks like it is going to continue on for a few more years without being competitive. The fall and hopelessness is inexcusable for a team with financial resources such as the Phillies.
To win every year in professional sports is impossible. It’s such a hard and complicated and unpredictable business. Sometimes we forget that these athletes are human, despite the pedestal we put them on and despite their astronomical contracts.
It’s not the athletes being human that is the problem. It’s the human giving out terrible contracts, making bad trades, and drafting mediocre talent that is the problem.
Have the Phillies made mistakes, yes. Has Amaro made mistakes, yes. Amaro and the Phillies, also gave this city a great baseball team to watch and root for. They went for it and I commend them for that. You can’t have it both ways. That’s why you should appreciate the good times, because they will not last forever
We appreciated the good times. Two million strong came out for that parade. 257 straight sell-outs. There’s going for it and there’s going for it foolishly. The Cardinals, Braves, A’s, Dodgers, Giants, Tigers, etc go for it continuously and have not fallen from grace the way the Phillies have.
This is Amaro’s fault because this is the front-office’s disaster. They gave out these ridiculous contracts (Byrd, Burnett, Rollins, Utley, Papelbon), made shit trades (Lee, Pence, Victorino), drafted poorly. The current players didn’t do that. The fans didn’t. Larry Anderson didn’t have anything to do with it. Ruben Amaro and his staff are responsible for this.
This is Major League Baseball. Trophies aren’t handed out just for participating. Amaro and his front-office have come up short. I hope they can find jobs in other departments within the organization, just not involved with the players on the field or in the minor leagues. Ownership shares some of the burden for allowing this front-office to remain in charge of the baseball decision.
If this isn’t an apology piece, it’s an insult to Phillies’ fans everywhere. I’ve also lost any confidence in WPVI’s Sports Department for feeding us this Phillies propaganda. I mean, come on. We’re not total morons, though we can sometimes act like it.
Is it all Ruben’s fault? No. It’s also management’s fault. They are the ones who put him in charge as General Manager and kept him and his staff around as they scrambled to be a .500 team.
The one person who was let go of and served as the franchise’s scape-goat was Charlie Manuel. He deserved better. Clearly, he wasn’t the problem.
If ya enjoyed this, please share. For more articles and nonesense follow: @ViolationsGreg on Twitter and Violations Greg on Facebook.