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Phillies get sabermetrics help

Scott Freedman is not employed by the Phillies but will help them add advanced metrics into player evaluation process.

A DAY BEFORE the 2013 season came to an end, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the organization was looking to make some changes, including adding some aspects of analytics into their baseball operations department.

"Look, we are going to continue to be a scouting organization," Amaro said at the time. "That said, I think we owe it to ourselves to look at some other ways to evaluate . . . If we have any changes at all it, they will be pretty minor."

A little more than a month later, the Phillies have made that minor move.

Scott Freedman will work with the Phillies this offseason in adding advanced metrics into their player evaluation process. Freedman works in Major League Baseball's labor relations department, where he assists teams in salary-arbitration cases, among other things.

Freedman, however, is not a Phillies employee, assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said.

"He's joined us through the commissioner's office," said Proefrock referring to the arrangement as an "externship."

"He's here for a period of time," Proefrock continued. "We were contacted by [the commissioner's office] this summer. They proposed the arrangement, we had a need and took advantage of it. He's a bright guy. It might become something more than [the current role]."

The Phillies have drawn criticism in the last few years for being slow to incorporate advanced baseball metrics, also known as sabermetrics, into their player evaluation. Author and historian Bill James, who coined the term "sabermetrics" has been on the Boston Red Sox staff since 2003.

The Red Sox have won three World Series with James on the staff. James is currently the senior adviser of baseball operations for the Red Sox.

Quinn tears Achilles'

Shortstop prospect Roman Quinn will be sidelined indefinitely after rupturing his right Achilles' tendon during offseason workouts.

Quinn, 20, was the Phillies' second-round pick in 2011. He was recently rated as the No. 5 prospect in the organization by Baseball America.

Quinn hit .238 in 67 games at Low A Lakewood this summer. In 133 games between short-season Williamsport and Lakewood, Quinn has hit .260 with a .347 OBP.

Quinn's injury is particularly worrisome because his greatest asset is his speed. Quinn has stolen 62 bases in 77 attempts and has hit 14 triples in 133 games as a pro.