Success of Phils' other ‘Big 3' critical in 2012

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PITTSBURGHAt the plate and in the field, John Mayberry Jr. had a big game for the Phillies on opening day.

The lanky 28-year-old made two nice running catches in left fieldearning praise from winning pitcher Roy Halladay -- and helped set up the games only run with a double in the seventh inning of the Phils 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

It was just one game in a long season, surely nothing to get too excited about. (Mayberry, son of a former major leaguer and a baseball lifer, will be the first to tell you that.) But privately, Phillies officials had to be thrilled with Mayberrys starting the season on a positive note and they are no doubt hoping he builds on it and has a strong, breakout season.

John Mayberry Jr. is a very important person in the Phillies organization.

So is Domonic Brown.

So is Tyson Gillies.

You know all about the Big 3Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels.

Mayberry, Brown and Gillies are the other Big 3.

The Phillies opened the season with a 174.5 million payroll, second only to the New York Yankees mark of 198 million.

With a full season of transactions, performance bonuses and benefits payments ahead of them, the 2012 Phillies seem to be headed past the luxury-tax threshold of 178 million. Teams pay a 20 percent tax for every dollar they go over the threshold. Calling it empty payroll, Phillies officials have frequently said they hope to avoid the tax in the short and long term.

This is why Mayberry, Brown and Gillies are so important in 2012.

This is a find out year for all three.

Hamels could be a free agent at the end of the season. He is one of the premier pitchers in the game. He is young (28), home-grown, has achieved success (a World Series MVP) in a Phillies uniform, connects well with fans and is involved in the community. All these traits are valued by Phillies management and ownership and the club is going to do everything in its power to keep Hamels off the free-agent market. Obviously, it is going to be costlyprobably something in line with the five-year, 120 million deal the Phillies gave teammate Lee.

All along, the belief here has been that the Phillies, for the reasons above, will find a way to get something done with Hamels. But for every action, there is a reaction. And for a team concerned about the luxury tax, signing Hamels could mean not signing someone else.

Like centerfielder Shane Victorino.

Like rightfielder Hunter Pence.

Victorino is making 9.5 million this season. Like Hamels, he is eligible for free agency after this season.

Pence is making 10.4 million this season. He will be a free agent after the 2013 season.

Extending Hamels could mean that either Victorino or Pence or possibly both could be a budget cut.

Thats why Mayberry, Brown and Gillies are so important this year.

The Phils have long hoped to be a team that sustains itself through the minor-league system. The goal was to develop quality young players and have them ready to take over in the majors when the club deemed that a veteran player had become too expensive or his salary was no longer a fit.

Given the way things could be going with Hamels, its important that the Phillies inject some smaller salaries into their lineup. With free-agency charging hard for Victorino and Pence, its important that a Mayberry, a Brown or a Gillies be ready to take over an outfield spot in the near future. It is important that the Phillies be able to enact their long stated goal of having young, inexpensive talent ready to take over when economics force them to make tough roster decisions.

Mayberry is an outstanding athlete. He has the ability to play centerfield, but first he has to prove he can be an everyday player. Hell get the chance to do that this season. His success or failure could impact the Phils decision on Victorino.

Brown, 24, is going to focus on developing his talent at Triple A this season. By the end of the season, everyone should have a pretty good idea whether hes going to be a player in Philadelphia, a possible fit in left field next year, or the latest prospect in baseball to need a fresh start somewhere.

Gillies, 23, missed most of the last two seasons with hamstring problems. He has blinding skills. Those skills and the uncertainty of the outfield picture over the next few seasons were the reasons Phillies officials protected him on the 40-man roster in November. Gillies opened at Double A. By the end of this season, everyone will know whether he is on a major-league track or if hes just another great athlete who leveled off in the minors.

With a huge payroll, and a big-ticket item like Hamels staring them in the face, the Phillies need to inject some low-cost alternatives into their lineup. A lot is riding Halladay, Lee and Hamels this season. Dont forget about the other Big 3 either.

E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com.

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