Franceour, three Phillies pitchers officially hit free agency
Phillies outfielder Jeff Francoeur and starting pitchers Aaron Harang, Jerome Williams and Chad Billingsley were among 139 players who became free agents Monday.
Phillies outfielder Jeff Francoeur and starting pitchers Aaron Harang, Jerome Williams and Chad Billingsley were among 139 players who became free agents Monday.
Free agents are permitted to negotiate contracts and sign with teams beginning at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. Francoeur, who turns 32 in January, is the likeliest to return. The Phillies will probably look elsewhere for veteran pitchers to fill out their otherwise young rotation.
The Phillies, under new leadership in team president Andy MacPhail and general manager Matt Klentak, are not expected to be big players in free agency this winter. They will be in the market for veteran pitching on shorter-term deals to serve as stopgaps until more of their young talent reaches the major leagues.
Options who could fit that bill include, but are not limited to, Doug Fister, J.A. Happ, Kyle Lohse, Trevor Cahill, Bud Norris and Ryan Vogelsong. In their starting staff, the Phillies return a young trio in Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff and Adam Morgan. Prospects Jake Thompson and Zach Eflin will open the next season in the minors but could reach the majors.
In the coming days, the Phillies officially will decline Cliff Lee's club option for next season, buying out the 37-year-old lefthander for $12.5 million. The former Cy Young Award winner's tenure with the team informally ended in March when he was shut down with a torn tendon in his pitching elbow.
Among the other players around baseball to become free agents are Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino. Chase Utley is expected to join that list presuming the Los Angeles Dodgers decline his club option for 2016.
Morandini joins staff
Phillies manager Pete Mackanin filled out his coaching staff for next season with the addition of Mickey Morandini as first-base coach, the team.
Morandini, 49, will also be in charge of coaching the team's baserunners. The former Phillies second baseman spent the last five seasons managing and coaching in the organization's minor-league system. Juan Samuel's move from first-base coach to third-base coach created the opening.
Jorge Velandia, who joined the Phillies coaching staff in a utility role after Ryne Sandberg resigned on June 26, will return to his front-office position as a special assistant in the player personnel department, the team said.
New rankings
The three highest-regarded prospects the Phillies acquired in July's trade of Cole Hamels to the Texas Rangers are among the team's top five prospects, according to Baseball America's latest rankings released Monday.
The publication ranked outfielder Nick Williams and righthander Jake Thompson as the Phillies' Nos. 2 and 3 prospects behind the organization's consensus top prospect, shortstop J.P. Crawford. Jorge Alfaro, the touted catching prospect the Phillies landed in the Hamels trade, checked in fifth on the list, behind fellow catcher Andrew Knapp.
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