Elton Brand and the Sixers - A Cautionary Tale for the Phillies

The early struggles of the Sixers may offer some lessons for the Phillies as they consider roster changes over the next few months. First a few caveats. Basketball is very different from baseball - integrating a new player is certainly not as complicated in the latter. Furthermore, the difficulties the Sixers are having incorporating Elton Brand into the offense may well be ironed out over time. But there are still issues worth considering.

Elton Brand is a blue chip player with impeccable credentials - scorer, rebounder, intelligent, good attitude, defender. The only question might be his multiple injuries in recent years although he seems fine at the present. However, his arrival in Philadelphia has required the home team to move Andre Iguodala, probably their highest profile player, to another position in which he is obviously uncomfortable. Brand's presence has slowed down the Sixers' running game which was so important in last year's playoff run. Brand plays with his back to the basket and requires the ball a lot which is causing stagnation and confusion among the other players. Even the team defense seems to be tentative. Again, this could just be normal growing pains and the Sixers could be a stronger team in a couple of months, better equipped to make a deep playoff run. But one wonders of Philadelphia's management considered all of the implications of the deal.

How does this relate to the Phillies? They have a number of personnel decisions to make. Some of these will be determined by the business of baseball, free agency, etc. But there's always that pressure to not just stand there but do something. The left field situation is the most obvious example. Whether Pat Burrell stays or not may be out of the Phils' hands if he gets a large offer from an American League team. But to contemplate replacing him with Manny Ramirez, which reportedly Charlie Manuel favors, is extremely risky. Burrell is loaded with liabilities. He is a mediocre to poor fielder, poor baserunner, strikes out too much. He has two assets. He has power at the plate which can only be realized if the pitcher makes a mistake. Ramirez can do things with the bat that Burrell, and most others, can only dream about. But Burrell's second asset is he is a team-oriented guy, and that is something Manny can only dream about. It should also be added that Ramirez is the only left fielder who makes Pat Burrell look like a Gold Glover.

This is not to argue that the Phils should make a full court press to resign Burrell. Adding a competent right-handed batter to platoon with their lefty swingers in left field might well be an upgrade. But one of the Phillies' unsung heroes in their championship run was chemistry which could be destabilized by a volatile entity like Manny Ramirez.