Friday, June 3, 2011
Posted: 6:30 p.m.
By Jim Salisbury
CSNPhilly.com
PITTSBURGHIn yet another sign that the Phillies are up against some serious financial limits that could impact them adding payroll at the trade deadline, it was revealed Friday that the team is one of nine clubs in violation of Major League Baseballs debt service rules.
Generally speaking, MLB requires that a teams debt be no more than 10 times its annual earnings. The Phillies, Mets, Dodgers, Nationals, Rangers, Marlins, Tigers, Cubs and Orioles were all told at owners meetings last month that they have exceeded those limits, according to reporting done by the Los Angeles Times.
In recent years, the Phillies have been compliant under the debt-service rule, Phillies team president David Montgomery said in a statement issued in response to the report. Our last submission for 2011 indicated that we currently are not compliant. As a result, we met with the Commissioners office and are working on ways to remedy our current situation.
Rob Manfred, baseballs executive vice president of labor, told the Times that a snapshot of a teams finances can be misleading and he believed the problems, in most cases, could be rectified quickly. The Phillies are believed to be one of the clubs he was talking about. The Mets and Dodgers both have serious financial problems.
Even if the Phillies become compliant with baseballs debt-service rules in the short term, this matter underscores what club officials such as general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. have been saying since last winter. The Phillies, with a payroll calculated by Major League Baseball at over 175 million, are pushing some serious financial limits and that could impact the clubs ability to add salary in the coming months. With the games second-highest payroll, the Phillies are close to baseballs luxury tax threshold of 178 million. They would pay a tax of 22.5 percent for every dollar they go over that.
MLB
The decision
Manager Charlie Manuel said the decision to send John Mayberry Jr. to Triple A when Shane Victorino was reinstated from the disabled list on Friday was largely impacted by the desire to keep Rule 5 pick Michael Martinez on the roster. Mayberry had a minor-league option. The team would have risked losing Martinez if it exposed him to waivers. Manuel said he will look to get second baseman Chase Utley periodic rest, even if its late in games, and the club wanted to hang on to Martinez, who can play infield and outfield.
We didnt want to lose anyonethats the main reason, that the Phillies subtracted Mayberry, Manuel said. Theres a chance someone would have claimed Martinez.
With Victorino back in centerfieldhe hit fifth Friday nightand the Phils wanting to see a lot of Domonic Brown and some of Ben Francisco in right field, there wasnt going to be a lot of playing time for Mayberry.
John needs to play, assistant GM Scott Proefrock said. Hes going to play a lot of centerfield and play every day and be ready when we need him. He needs to be put into a position where he can max out his ability and sitting around here wouldnt do that.
Mayberry, 27, played extensively in May, but hit just .194 (14 for 72) with three doubles, two homers, nine RBIs and a .275 on-base percentage. Overall, Mayberry hit .231 in two months with the club. He hit .220 against right-handed pitching.
John has improved a lot in the past couple of seasons, Manuel said. Hes improved his defense and his base-running. He still needs to improve against right-handed pitching. Hell be back in the big leagues. How much he plays depends on how he hits right-handed pitching.
Lidge update
Brad Lidge, recovering from a torn rotator cuff in Florida, did not throw for a couple of days because of some stiffness in his shoulder. Phillies officials are not alarmed. These types of things happen when a pitcher is on the comeback trail. Lidge will resume throwing this weekend.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com
Related: Phils activate Victorino, send down MayberryPhillies move prospect Singleton back to first base