Aww shucks

So, it was, let’s say, a bit surprising when Schwimer said he was, “very surprised,” about the trade.  Maybe he and Ruben Amaro smoothed things out over a beer or coffee.   Both said the move had nothing to do with the disagreements that transpired in 2012.  It could be possible that they are telling the truth.  Who am I kidding? Amaro tell the truth?

The “some guy” that Schwimer was trade for is Art Charles, a 22 year old first baseman who has yet to play above low A.  It is safe to assume that Charles is a long shot to ever have any impact on the major league club.

In reality, Schwimer is AAAA relief pitcher.  He was never going to get much in return.  However, trading him for some guy less than a week into spring training screams, “we are absolutely done with this guy.” The Phillies could have hung onto him.  They’ve invested time and money into his development.  They could have seen if he could have turned those few flashes from last year into something consistent.

It seems pretty apparent that even those things did not outweigh the headaches involved with having him on the team.   Good luck to him and his.

File a grievance through the players union.

News about the story first broke when Jim Salisbury of CSNphilly reported the grievance. He has since amended his report, stating that the issue is merely “under investigation.” So what is really going on here if there was no official filing?

Cue Schwimer’s agent Jeff Boris,

I believed Michael could have been sent down while he was hurt so I turned the matter over to the union to investigate whether a potential grievance was there,” agent Jeff Borris said. “I haven’t heard anything since.”

The issue is under investigation, and may not lead to any further action. The interesting thing to watch is what this will do to Schimer’s status in the organization. The 6′ 8” right hander hasn’t dazzled in his two brief stints with the big club, so if the Phillies are feeling vengeful they could ship him out of town tomorrow. Coincidentally, wink wink, when the Michael Young trade was leaked Schwimer was on the short list of names rumored to be sent to Texas.

Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

I don’t think RAJ would make such an emotional decision about such a minor procedural matter, but then again stranger things have happened. From an outside perspective it seems like a lot of smoke and no fire. If the Phillies were unaware of Schwimer’s arm trouble, or if it didn’t start until he was sent down, then there’s no fault on their part. Even if they were aware of a sore arm, where’s the smoking gun for Schwimer and MLBPA to find? It’s not like they can tap Amaro’s phone or hack his email.

I hope the takeaway from this case is that the MLBPA did it’s due diligence and stood up to protect the rights of one of it’s members. In a time when unions across the country have come under fire, this is a perfect example of what they do right. Without the protection of the MLBPA Schwimer and other pitchers would have very little recourse against abuse  by their employers. Should an actual issue of negligence be found in this case Phillies fans should stand by Schwimer, because his right arm is his livelihood. If the MLBPA wasn’t there to back up its players, players like Schwimer wouldn’t have the ammo to investigate these issues.

But we are nothing if not a patient, adaptive fan base, and we absorbed Charlie’s decisions with little to no contest.  He is the manager of a professional baseball team, and we are merely a city of lunatics, rage-honking the horn while snared in gridlock traffic.  Despite the complete lack of success for most of his recent strategies, you have to assume Charlie is building to something, and that Schwimer was his keystone.

However, you can’t build anything by stacking the same stone over and over again.  And we watched as Schwimer–along with the rest of the bullpen–gave up runs and leads and hopes and dreams, and again, being the rational, respectful gaggle of fun-havers we are, we took it all in with a larf.

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