Phillies Say Goodbye to a Number of 2015 Players

While the Philadelphia Phillies have brought in a number of new players for 2016, the club has also lost a few from the organization.

Aside from the obvious loss of closer Ken Giles in the big trade for five young pitchers, there are a number of other players who contributed significantly to the 2015 big league club, to other recent Phillies teams, or who were long time minor league prospects, who will not return to the organization next year.

The biggest name is also the one that was most obviously not returning, former lefty ace Cliff Lee, who has unsuccessfully battled injuries over the last two seasons.

The now 37-year old Lee is a free agent, and has been linked to a number of teams including the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, and Kansas City Royals. 

Lee is most likely to catch on with a contending team on a non-guaranteed contract with a spring training invitation, assuming he can play at all.

Three starting pitchers who took the mound for the Phillies in 2015 will also not be returning. 

What Will Ruben Amaro Do Next?

After JRoll trade, Amaro still has a lot of work ahead of him

There are two main things that we know for sure about the Phillies. First, they have publicly stated that they want to shed high-salaried and aging veterans, move on from the 2000’s core, and rebuild.

Secondly, the Philadelphia Phillies have to fill a roster and field a team in the 2015 season, even if we know in advance that the this team is not likely to be a contender for even a Wildcard playoff spot.

So with those two things in mind, let’s examine what is on the agenda for Ruben Amaro over the next 2-3 months, before and then into the opening of spring training in Clearwater in February.

SHEDDING SALARY, MOVING VETERANS

Amaro will be looking at any and all offers that come in for the group of players fitting the bill. This includes Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Marlon Byrd, Jonathan Papelbon, and Carlos Ruiz. It also includes