Nothing big on the rumor mill today, but a lot of small things I’ve read and heard here and there that are worth discussing.
Jermaine Dye – ESPN 1000 in Chicago reported that the Phils might have some interest in trading for Dye. Since the White Sox are pretty much the only team we trade with, it’s certainly a possibility. Dye, 34, would more than replace Burrell’s production in LF (34 HR, 41 2B, 96 RBI in 2008) with less strike-outs and better fielding. He is signed for $11.5 million in 2009, with a mutual $12 million option in 2010. I would be open to giving up Donald and any prospect not named Carrasco or Marson for him.
Junichi Tazawa – 22-year-old Japanese starting pitcher. He has not played professionally over in Japan yet and is considered a prospect. Phillies and Braves are among the teams interested. I’m always up for a Japanese pitcher, especially if you don’t have to pay off the team you are taking him from.
Rocco Baldelli – One of the names being tossed around if the Holliday deal falls through. I’m not sure about this. When a guy can’t play 9 innings, under almost any circumstances, it’s usually not a good idea to sign him. If healthy, he could be a steal, I’m just not sure it’s even possible for him to be healthy.
Jerry Hairston Jr. and Kevin Mench – Also mentioned as back-ups to Matt Holliday. Not interested in either player in a platoon role. Hairston Jr. would be good as a bench bat, but nothing more.
Milton Bradley – Haven’t heard the Phillies’ name connected to him yet, but this is the guy I want us to get. I know he has his personality issues, but he was fine last year, and a winning culture can cure all that. He is a FANTASTIC hitter, who can hit for average and power and also take some walks. He’s another switch hitter so he would provide the RH bat we need while giving us a ridiculous line-up against all RHP. He led the entire AL in on-base % and OPS last year, but you aren’t hearing his name come up much. Give him what you are offering Burrell and see if he bites.
Brad Penny – Mentioned in the comments section as a possibility and you’d have to think the Phillies would at least give him a look. My opinion is that he has Freddy Garcia written all over him.
Bobby Abreu – Just kidding.
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Amen to Milton Bradley. City, the clubhouse, and Manuel would all embrace him. He would be perfect.
Wouldn’t want any part of milton bradley. He can kill a clubhouse. Don’t need that. No way.
It is not that I do not want Holliday or Dye or other starting pitchers, I just dont like what Im hearing we are willing to trade. Victorino’s name keeps coming up and I do not know why. He is young, doesnt make a lot of money (yet), and was outstanding this year. I also do not believe we should trade away our young guys like Carrasco or Marson either. We have become a World Series Winner by building within and not trading for big stars. I think this is the way we should keep it. If we can sign a free agent to replace what we lost no problem, but trading away our stars that built this young team I will not agree with.
I wouldn’t include Carrasco in a deal for Holliday unless Holliday agreed to a sign-and-trade. No way we give up any significant talent for a one-year rental.
It’s not that I think Carrasco is too valuable to give up. There’s no guarantee he’ll be a star at the pro level. Most people are predicting he’ll probably be a solid three or four, not an ace.
Another reason I value Carrasco is because he’s CHEAP. Just watch what the Yankees throw at CC Sabathia. See what it takes to sign Burnett, Lowe, et al. With that kind of money being tossed around it makes more and more sense to go with home-grown pitching these days.
Just get Pat ‘the Bat’ outta here please, Ruben. Makes too much money. Runs like my grandmother. Very streaky hitter. Eminently replaceable. Has had his Philly run and Broad St. fire truck send-off. Bye, big guy. Not bad, but not good. A #1 out of northern California and Miami U – productive, yet somehow disappointing.
This is interesting. If it takes $12M for Burrell, it probably is worth double to get Manny?
http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/77010
The 2008 team was built around unity and TEAM, not individuals. Bradley and Manny could be detrimental to that if their personalities come out in the clubhouse. I really don’t think its worth the trouble. Bradley had a quiet year (attitude), but the potential is still there for a meltdown. Manny is out of the question in my mind. He has proven that he can be a disease in the clubhouse if he is not happy. He is overpaid and overrated. You think he’ll be happy when he starts getting boo’d for underachieving on his overpaid contract? The fans would run him out of Philly if he starts doggin it because we are booing him in left field for his lack of hustle. Can’t see either of them meshing well with the core of this squad.
J DUBBZ…ABOUT MANNY: It sounds like Charlie Manuel might be pushing to get him. I read an article today. Unfortunately I cannot remember where I read it, so I can’t give you the link to it. I have been searching for it for the last hour and I cannot find it, which is driving me out of my mind.
Anyway, the article was about Charlie Manuel apparently having more say in the decision making process and more control over things as a result of guiding us to the title. The firing of Steve Smith was cited as an example. Another example is that Manuel has been openly speaking about Manny. In the article, Manuel was quoted saying something about how Manny looks really strong, especially in his legs.
I’m figuring if Manuel is speaking to reporters about Manny, he must be speaking to Amaro about him as well. Manuel must figure that he could handle Manny and make it work for the Phils. I can’t see Amaro signing Manny (too much money + too many years + too much unpredictability = way too much risk), but Manuel’s interest is intriguiging.
Holliday to the…..A’s? huh?
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/11/10/heyman.holliday/index.html?eref=sircrc
bski Search no more. Adam provided article (source: Boston Globe) in attachment on post #6.
Holliday to the A’s makes sense…..to no one
Maybe Beane thinks they have the ammunition to contend next year? With Gio Gonzalez leading the way?
Will have to see what prospects they gave up. They have TONS of good ones from the Dan Haren/Rich Harden/Joe Blanton trades.
JJG…Thanks. I knew I read it somewhere at some point this morning, but I have been crazy busy at work today and I just totally lost where it was. Anyway, the point of Manuel perhaps openly lobbying to bring Manny here still stands, especially now that Holliday is officially out of the running for us.
Aren’t the A’s a buy low/sell high type of franchise? Really suprised at that move considering they did absolutely nothing this year except deplete their pitching staff. I guess old Billy Beane has something up his sleeve. For those of you who have never read, check out a book called “Moneyball” about the GM of the A’s, Billy Beane. Great read for all baseball fans.
I am disappointed to see Holliday off the market, but I am very weary now with all this you’re telling me about the Manny situation. I hope I eat my words, but I DO NOT want Manny Ramirez in a Phillies uniform. I have officially said it.
Holliday is going from hitting in the Rockies’ lineup in Coors field to hitting in the A’s lineup in the Oakland Coliseum. That will almost certainly put a major damper on his numbers which will in turn diminish what he will get as a free agent after 2009. Bad move for him.
Umm…how about the fact that Oakland’s offense is horrible. Their most valuable fantasy player in a 12-team league last year was Kurt Suzuki, and that was strictly because of the catcher position-scarcity.
Manny seemingly cares about money at this point above all else (”Gas is up, and so am I”), an attitude that points to his being a rank-and-file pro athlete. He turned on comrades in Boston, wiggling out of there mid-summer while working at 20 mil rate. Now in free agency, he’s dutifully shopping for the
highest bidder. Reportedly, Dodgers have offered 75 mil for 3 yrs (tells you organization was mildly pleased with his overall effect … “ka-ching”). His carefree, manchild persona commands mass attention; his fearless hitting commands
pitchers’ great respect. After a nanosecond of pondering, I’m going out on a limb and making the claim that he’s an upgrade over Burrell. No wonder Cholly is itchin’ for a reunion - Manny can hit, hit and hit! (Born to hit!) Wouldn’t a Ramirez Phillies be an exciting, ironic way to encore a championship season of “all for one, and one for all”?
Holliday: Chasing the ghost of Joe Rudi.
don’t worry about Manny. There is a 0% chance he comes here. He wants $20 mill + a year, and is a potential risk (you know, in terms of flat out quitting on the team).
I think the team made a modest offer for the one guy they felt would REALLY improve the offense in Matt Holliday, got out bid, and will now focus on pitching. The one thing I like about Amaro so far is that he knows that we need to improve our staff and he seems to have an emphasis on acquiring pitching.
my guess is we here a couple more big trade rumors, but in the end, we only make a couple small moves.
as for the A’s. The are seriously banking on some of their young players, specifically Carlos Gonzalez and Daric Barton to step it up this year I guess. Their pitching is talented but young, but it always seems to be better than it should.
Even though it’s a small market team and they play in an oudated stadium, the A’s aren’t afraid of change and usually present a competitive product. Holliday adds to their lustre.
May stir memories of Carney Lansford.
Phillies resign Eyre for $2 mil according to David Murphy over and the Daily News High Cheese blog
Good move. Cheap arm.
Also “sources” say the Marlins traded Willingham and Olsen to the Nats for whatever that’s worth
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3694827
Too bad the Phillies didn’t make that trade. They probably could have made it for McDonald who is blocked by Utley/Rollins.
Willingham could have filled LF and Olsen is a good pitcher although a little crazy
A couple of random thoughts:
One, the Phillies are wise to steer clear of Holliday. The fact that the Rockies are so eager to get rid of him and that Scott Boras is his agent speaks volumes about his mercenary intentions. Definitely not worth it.
Two, all the talk about Manny: I have to admit there were a few occasions during the playoffs when I wondered how we’d be doing if we acquired him. The Phillies’ maddening tendency to pop up or strike out with less than two outs and runners in scoring position had me banging my head on the wall. Think there would have been as many runners LOB if we had Manny batting behind Howard? That gnawed at me during the first two games of the World Series.
But you know what? Jimmy Rollins was right when he poked fun at the Mets’ acquisition of Johan Santana. It ain’t about the superstars. It’s about “it.” And obviously the Phillies have “it.”
When you have a division clinching doubleplay, Brett Myers impersonating Tony Gwynn, Shane Victorino hitting a grand slam against an unslammable pitcher, Matt Stairs putting a ball in orbit, the late-night insanity of Game 3, Joe Blanton - Joe Blanton! - going yard, Jimmy Rollin’s invisible (according to the umpire) butt, and Brad Lidge’s storybook ending, then that’s when you know a team has “it.”
I don’t think you’d see as much of the “it” above if we had a me-first superstar contaminating the lockerroom. So in retrospect, my hat’s off to the Phillies brass for adding the right pieces to the puzzle.
I’m not sure Bradley can play the OF — he only played 20 games last year in the field. You gotta think he’s looking to stay in the AL and DH. Ibanez is a similar option (upside: classy, leader, can play the field, downside: he’ll be 37 next year). But don’t we need a righty bat, even if it’s just part-time?? Dye or Magglio would be a nice get but won’t be easy to trade for. What about Juan Rivera? Never really got a full-time shot in Anaheim.
Penny (or Odalis Perez or Braden Looper) would just be a 5th starter/contingency plan in case Moyer bonks. Otherwise (if Moyer bonks), we’re looking at potentially Happ AND Kendrick for 40% of our starts. But if we see starting pitching as a need, we shouldn’t mess around and just get after Lowe, Sheets, or Dempster. I think I could live with a Lowe or Sheets/Rivera off-season, knowing Rivera is a potential bust and may end up being nothing more than a righty PH.
As for Baldelli, until we know more about his health, I wouldn’t write him off. I’ve heard he manages his condition much better now, with meds, diet, and rest, though he still would not be an everyday player. Baldelli/Dobbs in LF may not be that bad. Don’t really want to see Stairs or Jenkins out there. That just scares me.