While the Sixers try to figure out what kind of team they are going to be and the Eagles make us wonder if we are heading for an all-out rebuilding process, Ruben Amaro is channelling Pat Gillick, trying to find a couple tweaks that improve the World Champion Phils.
It’s looking more and more like the Phillies may be content to go into next year with a Dobbs/Jenkins/Stairs/Bruntlett quad-platoon in LF next year. However, they haven’t completely given up on Pat Burrell. The Inquirer reported over the weekend that Phils had been in contact with Burrell’s people and would be willing to talk about their 2 year, $22 million dollar offer. There has been A LOT of talk about how the state of the economy will be affecting the contracts divied out this year. It won’t be affecting the Yankees, or any of the top-5 free agents, but teams will be hesistant to give a guy like Burrell any sort of long-term deal. This could play in the Phillies favor as Burrell might be willing to settle for a weaker contract when he finds out no one is willing to go 4 years, $40 million on him.
On the pitching front, a new name that has popped up is Juan Cruz, a relief pitcher from the Diamondbacks. Cruz would be a fantastic pick-up for the Phillies. He is 10-1 with a 2.88 ERA over the last two seasons for the Snakes, and if signed, would have the second best stuff in our pen after Lidge. Like Chad Durbin, Cruz has some starting experience and would give us another versitile arm in the pen. The only caveat with him is that he is a Type-A free agent, so if we sign him before Dec. 1 or the D-Backs offer him arbitration, we have to give up our first round pick. I’m not sure of the D-Backs arbitration plans with him, but I wouldn’t want to lose a pick.
Other than that, there has been very few Phillies rumors to discuss. A non-rumor that I didn’t get to discuss was the departure of Jimy Williams. I think this might have a bigger impact than people may think. I always thought that Manuel’s decision making improved dramatically when Gillick brought Williams aboard, and he was always in Charlie’s ear in the dugout. Hopefully, they can hire an equally experienced coach to take his place.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Pete, I feel the same way about Williams, he will be missed. If Cruz could, down the road, be a replacement for Madsen, who may ask for a ton, as a setup guy then he may be worth a #1.I hope Burrell stays if we aren!t getting a right handed platoon bat, don!t want Bruntlett getting 300 a.b.!s
Hot stove has been pretty slow so far this year, which could play to the Phillies favor. There was a good article on Philly.com about the Phillies best bet would be to wait out the offseason for falling prices due to the economy like you said. It sounds like Amaro is planning on it. I wouldn’t expect any moves other than Moyer maybe much before Christmas time.
“The Giants signed left-hander Jeremy Affeldt to a two-year, $8 million” – MLB.com
One less arm on the market but there is still enough out there. I agree with Dannie on Cruz. He’s good but is he worth a #1? The decision would be easy if the D-backs non tender him. I read somewhere (probably espn) that the NL West except the Dodgers will have to dramatically reduce payroll because of the economy. If that’s true maybe they won’t offer Cruz arbitration. We’ll have to see how it plays out
It really sounds as though Amaro is going to let others make their moves (free agent signings and trades) first and then see how it all shakes out. Some guys who are not available now will become expendable as a result of these moves and become available to us. Because of this, Amaro keeps mentioning the non-tender date for free agents (Dec. 7th), so I’m thinking we won’t see much happen before then.
I find this whole MVP thing very interesting. Todd Zolecki reported that a reporter for the Fredericksburg Freelance Star (Virginia), Rich Campbell, was the only one of the 32 voters to leave Ryan Howard completely off his ballot (He voted Utley 4th, btw). Zolecki called Campbell, but Campbell had no comment. That is completely ridiculous. Add to that the fact that Phil Sheridan reported that Mark Zuckerman of the Washington Times put Howard 10th on his ballot. Not that it would have made a difference, but there is obviously some major anti-Howard bias on the part of the Nationals’ beat writers.
The other interesting thing is Pujols’ reaction. We knew it would come up if he won the MVP this year. Here is what he said in 2006:
“I see it this way,” Pujols had said after the perceived snub in 2006. “Someone who doesn’t take their team to the playoffs doesn’t deserve to win the MVP.”
Yesterday, Pujols said his comments from 2006 were misinterpreted. How that is posible is beyond me. Anyway, he had this to say yesterday:
“I think the writers made the right choice in 2006,” Pujols said. “[Howard] did deserve it. He had a great year just like I had. That’s how it is.”
That is such a load. I have absolutely no problem with what Pujols said in 2006. I would rather have a player be open and honest instead of always speaking in avoid-controversy-at-all-costs cliches. The other side of this is that if you voice your opinion, you should stand behind it. I hate hearing all the backtracking and excuses. I misremembered. I was misquoted. I was misinterpreted. It’s all garbage. Pujols should have been stand up about it. Depending on what his true feelings are with regard to the MVP award voting, he could have done one of two things. He could have easily said something along the lines of how he still feels the same way as he did in 2006 about who should win the MVP and that he was honored and felt fortunate that he won the award this year. Either that or he could have said that since 2006 he has realized that he was wrong to think that way, that he realizes there are times a player from a non-playoff team deserves the MVP, and he was sorry if he took anything away from Ryan Howard back then.
I know I’m expecting way too much. It’s just that the lack of personal accountability really ticks me off.
i could care less what they do for the next few seasons. world champions baby! actually chase utley says it a little better: http://www.worldf-ingchampions.com
bski Do you really care what these ultra-rich athletes do or do not say, after they do or do not win an award? I know I don’t. Most of what they utter is mumbo-jumbo anyway. Howard won in ‘06; Pujols questioned the choice. Pujols won in ‘08; Pujols didn’t question the choice. Where’s the surprise or the interest value?
That Pujols’ positions are inconsistent and formed in self-interest? -
shocking!
As for the two Washington area writers you mentioned, their votes are as legitimate as Philly scribes who vote with a pro-Howard bias, and
without follow-up questioning and calls for justification. The select club votes; the chips fall.
jjg...I am not surprised at all. I really don’t care what they say but, like I said before, it’s the lack of personal accountability that really bugs me.
If you want all the cameras on you and all the reporters at your locker after your game-winning touchdown catch, then you had better accept that same attention when you drop that ball in the end zone. You can’t have it both ways. Likewise, I have no problem with a player expressing his opinions as long as he owns what he says.
You are correct in pointing out that it is immaterial. I’m not dwelling on it. It’s just a pet peeve of mine and I felt the need to mention it.
The D-Backs will almost certainly offer Cruz arbitration, thus giving them roughly 25 picks in the early rounds of the 2009 draft. As for left field, I heard that the Phillies might be going after Eric Byrnes.
http://forum.diamondbacksbullpen.org/viewtopic.php?t=5376
I honestly am happy Howard didn’t win the MVP. Would have just been more leverage to use in arbitration/re-signing him down the road. Howard was hardly the reason the Phils won the Series this year, complete team effort. Howard wasn’t even team MVP, that honor goes to Brad Lidge.
In other news, Gammons reported the following:
• One of Boston’s priorities is to get young, and don’t be surprised if the Red Sox move Coco Crisp for a reliever to allow Justin Masterson to start.
I personally have never liked Coco Crisp, but he is somewhat effective, is an excellent outfielder, and is a switch-hitter that could platoon in LF. He brings speed over power, but this team needs baserunners, they have enough HRs. Let’s just say he’d likely come cheap and I wouldn’t be overjoyed to have him, but I think he is worth considering and better than our options. He hit .295 as a right-handed hitter last season and would be cheap.
Coco Crisp just got traded to the Royals. I wouldn’t want him anyway. Eric Byrnes would be intersting, but I haven’t seen that anywhere except that forum that Jacob posted. It makes sense if the NL west is looking to unload contracts like everyone is predicting.
I hope Ruben calls up KC now that they have a glut of outfielders. The Royals website said they were trying to deal an OF for a middle infielder to pair with Mike Aviles. We got this kid McDonald…could be a good fit. Although almost all of their OF is lefthanded. We would have to ask for Billy Butler, a good young hitter and I don’t know that they would trade him. The only other righty they have is Guillen who is a head case, been linked to steroids and an old low OBP guy. Could prob get him for Eaton..lol
I’d love to keep Burrell for 2 years at $22 million, please keep us up on this development, at least we get something out of this crappy economy