Interpreting Phillies 2015 Calendar

The Phillies calendar was, for a six or seven year period, a welcomed arrival inDecember The calendar was a ray of sunshine and warmth as Fall gave way to Winter.  This week, the calendar just exacerbated the dreariness and gloom of the Nor’easter pouring rain down on the Delaware Valley.

With the reports of a new President and rebuilding, much is unknown about what 2015 holds for the Philadelphia Phillies. The calendar, however, holds clues as to what may be in the plans.

For starters, David Montgomery and Ruben Amaro, Jr. are not in the calendar. I don’t think I remember any executive ever being in the calendar so that probably doesn’t mean much. But, I’d have zero hope of either stepping down from their positions if they were actually in the calendar.

January brings us Ryan Howard. He’s not in a month during the season so that leaves speculation that he may not be with the Phillies when the season starts. Most people use their calendars more during the season as games are listed on the calendar and nobody wants to stare at Ryan Howard in July if he’s not with the team.  Interestingly enough, Ruiz (February) and Hamels (March) are also in non-season months.

Opening Day is April. Who else would the Phillies put in April but Chase Utley. This dude will be Asst. GM the day after he retires if he so chooses. This organization worships Chase.

May brings Cliff Lee.

Jimmy is locked in on June, my birthday month! Glad to see him not in the first few months. Jimmy is the best Phillies of my lifetime since Mike Schmidt and still remains one of the top 10 shortstops in baseball.

 

Good old Lefty shows up in July with a photo of fireworks in the backdrop of the Steve Carlton statue.

Ben Revere is August. Blah.

Grady Sizemore is September. WAIT. WHAT? Grady Sizemore? Yup, he’s September and seems to be the Phillies starting Left Fielder.

 

Mr. October is Cody Asche. 3 or 4 years ago and Asche would’ve been a March player.

 

November rings a split photo of Giles and Diekman. Phillies obviously think both has good upside, but not enough to commit a month to either player?

 

 

December brings us Santa and the Phanatic.

 

 

 

 

The body of Jimmy seems to be on the cover, too.

 

 

 

 

 

So what do we know? Howard, Ruiz, and Hamels are on the block. If not, they’d be featured in the in-season months. They are on the block, but not as likely to be traded as Dom Brown, Marlon Byrd, and Jonathan Papelbon who are missing from the calendar.

Dom Brown, once the future of the Phillies, doesn’t deserve a month.  But, Marlon Byrd, arguably the best Phillie last year, doesn’t make the calendar? Two bullpen players make the calendar cut, but not their high-priced closer who actually had a decent year last year?

GMs at the Winter Meetings take note. Papelbon and Byrd can be had for cheap. They aren’t in the Phillies plans.

I theorize that the veterans in the beginning of the calendar appear based on the value the organization has placed upon them. Howard can be had pretty cheap, since he’s January. Ruiz, February, will cost you a little more. Hamels is going to be steep and it should be, not because he’s on the month before the season starts but because he’s a stud and former World Series MVP.

Jimmy and Chase aren’t going anywhere.

Calendar analysis over.

Be kind to one another. Adopt, Don’t shop for your cats/dogs!

 

Oddly, Marlon Byrd, arguably the best Phillie from last year, is absent. As is Dom Brown. As is Jonathan Papelbon? They have two bullpen players in the calendar but not their high-priced closer? He had a solid year. Is it because they feel a strong fan dislike for Papelbon? Or is he going to be moved?

I would think they are goingthis calendar indicates