Phillies acquire professional hitter Jose Hernandez

Two weeks ago, the Phillies were dumping every expendable veteran for low-level prospects. Now, they're acquiring veterans in pursuit of the Wild Card with their latest acquisition of shortstop Jose Hernandez.

The 37-year-old utility man, who made his big-league debut in 1991 with Texas, will fill the role of the extra right-handed bat the Phils were seeking for their bench. Hernandez was hitting .267 with 2 homers and .678 OPS in 132 plate appearances with Pittsburgh. The Phillies are his 9th team, and it does not appear he worked under Pat Gillick at any point in his career.

The Phillies will send cash to the Pirates in exchange for Hernandez. The signing was first reported on Comcast Daily News Live this evening.

Hernandez has had some good power seasons, totaling 167 career homers. Hernandez earned an all-star nod in 2002 with Milwaukee. It was his best season, finishing with a .288 BA with 24 home runs and 78 RBIs.

Beerleaguer take
Better than Danny Sandoval, Hernandez has proven experience and can still play, plus, the Phillies managed to hold onto their prospects. Let's hope what I'm really thinking isn't true ... that Chase Utley is injured. He's out of tonight's lineup with soreness following yesterday's collision.

Comments

[RickSchuBlues]

You could do worse than Hernandez off the bench (Sandoval, for instance). He strikes out a ton, but does have power. I remember a game I attended at Wrigley Field ten years ago in which he beat the Phillies with a ninth-inning homerun. Not that that's the least bit relevant, but it just struck me. Anyway, I think Gillick has responded as well as could be hoped today. There may be better options forthcoming, but I'll take what's been done for now.

This season doesn't seem any stranger than last year's apart from trading five players at the deadline (it should be called the trading *lifeline* in Philadelphia, as the Phillies are dead prior to it and alive after). This is just a strange, confounding team, period.

Let's hope Utley is okay.

[the perfessor]

Hey Jason, awesome work getting this post up so fast!

[J. Weitzel]

New rule on Beerleaguer: Whenever someone corrects my spelling in a post, the site's host and financer is permitted to edit the comment and insert a compliment to myself using the person's name. Plus, I make the spelling correction, which goes undetected and without credit. This change is effective immediately.

[Jon]

Is Sandoval the odd man out here? Even with his two hits tonight, I would think he is still the guy to go.

[ryan]

Hmm... does this new rule apply to comments as well? If so, you might want to alert the "financer."

[Lake Fred]

The best part about this site is the humor. The "financer" is the guty they send you to in the furniture store to finance your new couch.

[Lake Fred]

I can't type either. I meant the "guy they send you to." Sorry.

[JaxMike]

The posts are coming fast and furious. Since the admirable, touching and true Lieberthal post the quality and output of your posts has increased. Thank you so much, I read this daily and it is by far the best way to keep in touch with news of the Phillies. I know the Phils are only now 1 game over .500 but have you noticed the increase in intensity with witch these new Phillies are playing? I was and still am a big Abreu fan, but I cannot deny the change in spirit since his departure. Funny, I never thought of him as a dominant team personality ala Schmidt or Dalton or the great Dick Allen. Could be a fluke, since his production with the Yanks has been good and appreciated by the Bronx faithful. Pennant fever at 1 game over mediocre? As a fan since the season of '64 sitting at my extended family's table watching the excitement of Callison, Allen et al, I'll take what I can get. This team, at least for now, has heart.

[J. Weitzel]

Bah! You get the drift. The guy who pays the utilities is what I meant!