After spending more than a year recovering from Tommy John surgery, Randy Wolf makes his first start this afternoon in game 1 of today's day-night double-header. To clear room, pitcher Ryan Franklin has been designated for assignment.
Wolf is making his first start since June 11 of last year. The Phillies have about two months to gage where the left-hander is at before making a decision on whether or not to resign him. Wolf becomes a free agent after the season when his $9 million contract expires.
To clear room on the roster, right-hander Ryan Franklin has been designated for assignment. Franklin, the former Mariner, was hand-selected by GM Pat Gillick to provide depth in the starting rotation, but never started a game. In 46 relief appearances, Franklin was 1-5 with a 4.58 ERA. Franklin becomes the fourth Gillick acquisition to have their season cut short with the Phillies (Franklin, Sal Fasano, Alex Gonzalez, Ricardo Rodriguez).
Meanwhile, the Phillies have 10 days to decide what to do with Franklin, adding to the list of hard decisions the team must make in the next few days. The non-waiver deadline is just around the corner and several sources are reporting that Bobby Abreu could be moved to either the Yankees or Red Sox today. Abreu is back in the lineup this afternoon, but may not be around tonight. Stay tuned ...
Jason: I'm very glad you mentioned the 3 other Gillick failures: The Padilla trade for Rodriguez, the Fasano & Gonzalez signings. We can certainly add Nunez to the list, making 5 bad moves, although he's still with the team. Gillick's record on player moves so far is below average, to say the least.
Posted by: clout | Sunday, July 30, 2006 at 01:15 PM
Whoo hoo!!!
Since the Abreu thread got cut off, I'll put in my two cents here. Abreu and Lieber for Proctor and Duncan would be a bad deal. Duncan to me projects to be a Joe Randa type - servicable but not in the upper tier of prospects - and Proctor is a 29yo who is the definition of mediocre.
Quick question. Who plays RF next year? Who even remotely comes close to providing Abreu's production? Delluci? He'll be gone. Vic? I think he could be a valuable CF but he isn't a good enough hitter to be a corner outfielder? Roberson? Bourn? Some Juan Encarnacion-type journeyman?
I'll reserve final judgement until the deal goes down, but this sounds like it is going to be a give away deal, just like Schilling, just like Rolen. I wouldn't be shocked if the Red Sox got into the act...that would be nice as something like Nixon plus a prospect would be better than the Yankees offer.
Posted by: kdon | Sunday, July 30, 2006 at 01:17 PM
Its been interesting checking out the comments over at PhilliesPhans.com yesterday and today. The majority of the rumours about this NY-Philly deal seem to have come from the new york papers, and the only really interesting comment to come out of all the theory was that Abreu had been convinced to drop his option for the mets, sawx or the yankees. Everyone's expecting the absolute worst out of this, but if we go by the last big player trade that gillick did, no word got out until it had happened. that was not exactly a giveaway, and although we did eat salary in the process, that doesn't look to be the same option here.
One of the reasons I'm prepared to give gillick the benefit of the doubt on this is that he's had longer to acquaint himself with all the personnel now - there's no doubt that the michaels and padilla trades were lousy value, but its worth remembering that they happened in the off-season when pat would have relied more on his information from within the organisation.
Posted by: Oisin | Sunday, July 30, 2006 at 01:26 PM
Franklin's gone, too? My God. Fasano, Bell, and Abreu are all finally exiled and now this on top of it. There's only so much good news I can handle at once.
Posted by: RickSchuBlues | Sunday, July 30, 2006 at 01:58 PM
RSB- this is one of those times where I agree with you. It's always hit or miss between you and I. Anyway, seeing Fasano, Franklin, Bell, and Abreu gone is giving me hope for the future. We're still a long way away from contending, but Gillick is clearing salary and trying to rebuild at least.
Posted by: Drama Queen | Sunday, July 30, 2006 at 02:46 PM
Gillick needs to cut the rest of his signed players: Rhodes and Nunez and we'll play the rest of the year with Wade's players. Only exception Delluca - he is really very good. With Abreu leaving he maybe a keeper for next year. Along with Victorino, Roberson, Bourn they may have a decent OF atleast.
Posted by: Bob D | Sunday, July 30, 2006 at 03:22 PM