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.

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. 
 

Willingham could have filled LF and Olsen is a good pitcher although a little crazy

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3694827

Good move.  Cheap arm.

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.