Alright, well after a flurry of rumors to start the off season, we haven’t really heard much by way of Phillies rumors in the last couple days. Here’s what I have found – please share anything you have read that I don’t have here.
- We are trying to re-sign Chan Ho Park to be a reliever. He seems to think that he can still start, but I doubt he’ll find somewhere to do that, and he knows his role with the Phillies. I expect him back.
- Pedro Martinez plans to pitch in 2010. If he wants a 1-year, incentive laden deal, I’d welcome him back. I doubt that is what he wants though.
- Eric Bruntlett was released, no surprise there. Phillies.com indicates possible replacements as John McDonald, Jamey Carroll, Ronnie Belliard, Omar Vizquel and Juan Uribe.
- No new news on 3B, which might be a good thing. The longer this thing drags out, the more likely it is we get a bargain on one of our targets a la the 1 year, $5 million Bobby Abreu got from the Angels last year.
- I don’t expect a lot of news for a couple weeks. It seems that everyone is cost-conscious right now, so everyone is looking for a bargain and isn’t going to pay what the players are asking for. It’s going to be a slow off-season with a flurry of moves near the end.
- This is pure speculation on Buster Olney’s part, but he think Brandon Lyon would be a fit in Philly. I tend to agree.
- Olney also thinks our top choice at 3B is DeRosa because he is so good against lefties, but again that might just be speculation on his part.
Is the first FA signing day Nov 20th?
Also, Uribe is not my favorite guy but he did finish last season on a tear and the he was a starter on the Giants the last 2 months (not saying much though)
I saw this today on FoxSports.com today. Sounds like it could work!
The Phillies should sign Adrian Beltre.
The two-time NL champs are poised to lose third baseman Pedro Feliz to free agency. Feliz is an outstanding defender at third, but he can’t hit. Beltre, meanwhile, is every bit the fielder Feliz is, and he has the added benefit of being able to produce at the plate. Healthy again (in 2009: elbow, shoulder, Bruised. Right. Testicle.), out of Safeco and in Citizens Bank (and out of the superior AL), Beltre should be good for 30 homers and stellar glovework at the hot corner. That’s an upgrade for Philly and a fine start toward a fourth consecutive NL East title.
Let’s not get carried away with the Feliz “can’t hit” stuff. I don’t care who we sign, we aren’t geting more than 82 RBI out of the 7 hole. That is really a grreat number. Consider that for most of the year the 7th spot was pitched around to get to Ruiz and the pitcher. Yes he was hard to watch in the playoffs but I would not overpay for Beltre. Solid glove and solid contact hitter is all we need. It is a waste to pay for a 100-RBI guy in that spot.
Is the first FA signing day Nov 20th?>>
That’s the first day a team other than the player’s now former team can talk contract. A free agent could conceivably sign as early as this Friday.
I would not overpay for Beltre. Solid glove and solid contact hitter is all we need. It is a waste to pay for a 100-RBI guy in that spot.>>
It’s amazing how a single span of time can embellish a player’s image or reputation. Beltre once whacked 48 homers in a year, and drove in 121 runs. Other than that, his career best is 99 ribs. And he’s been in the 10 million plus salary range the last 3-4 years. The man is a nice player, but if you are looking for value, he’s not a headliner. For what the Phils paid Feliz, he’d be a great acquistion. Beltre’s most likely big payday comes after a guy like DeRosa leaves the Cardinals, and they are unable to sign Matt Holliday, and need power. Then he becomes attractive, and worth a premium price. But the only way the Phils sign Beltre is if he’s still on the market about as long as Abrieu was last year, and his price falls. That gives you time to explore value in the trade market. In this economy, nobody is rushing to give Beltre big bucks long term off his injury driven 2009.
It’s not about what Feliz did in 2009, it’s what he would have done in 2010. The Phillies believe, and I tend to agree, that…
Regarding Feliz, here’s some wild speculation on my part about the 82 rbi’s, which is a nice total that could have been more. As a parallel, the year Mark McGwire hit 70 homers, if long, powerful drives to the track counted, he could have hit 130.
Fact is Ruben had nice parting words for Feliz when he declined the option.
But…
how many times did Pedro aggrivate the masses with a first pitch swing? The answer is a lot.
I wonder if he was uncoachable and stubborn. One never knows what goes on behind closed doors.
That said, his defense was an integral part of the 2 WS appearances.
Just some wild thinking on my part that might have an ounce of truth, or a ton of hot air.