In 4 1-3 spring innings, right-hander Alfredo Simon, who’d previously served in the Phillies' system between 2001 and 2004, allowed 10 hits, six runs and walked two with a 12.46 ERA.
The 25-year-old Dominican can touch the high-90s on his fastball, but has suffered major control problems ever since the Phils traded him, along with outfielder Ricky Ledee, to the Giants for reliever Felix Rodriguez. There were also rumors he was injured this winter pitching in the Dominican Republic.
The Baltimore Orioles used the fifth overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft to snare Simon, then traded him to the Phillies for their pick, catcher Adam Donachie. The Phils signed Simon to an undisclosed contract partway through the offseason. The transaction itself cost $50,000, though the Rangers will give half of it back to Philadelphia, according to Phillies.com. The team is still looking at fellow Rule 5 pick Jim Ed Warden, but the big right-hander has been shaky and may only be effective against right-handers, if anything.
By rule, Simon would have needed to stay on the Phillies 25-man roster all season, and there was really no shot of that happening.
Adios amigo...you were horrible!
Posted by: GM-Carson | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 09:52 AM
Nice article on Delaware Online about Bourn. Officials believe he's very close, if not totally ready:
"I think he has a real chance to be on this club," assistant general manager Mike Arbuckle said Saturday. "He's come a long way, just from last year. When he was in camp last spring, he was a little tentative, a little unsure of himself. Now, he knows he belongs."
This is the nicest surprise of spring. I'm also encouraged by Helms.
Posted by: J. Weitzel | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 10:11 AM
Eddie S., your right that was Wakefield that gave up that HR to Boone. Kkim did give up a HR late in a playoff game or in the WS, either with the D-backs or the Red Sox. Maybe that is why he is still around, he played on two WS champs.
Posted by: Parker | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 11:01 AM
It was WS against Yankees. He gave up a HR to Tino Martinez to tie game after relieving Schilling and then gave up the game winning HR to Derek Jeter in bottom of the 10th. Either way, equally as unclutch as the Wakefield performance against Boone.
Posted by: Parker | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 11:04 AM
I'd really like to see Bourn make this team. The Phillies play a lot of games in parks with MASSIVE outfields (Nationals, Marlins) and he eats up ground out there. Plus he's a great pinch runner in games as well as someone who will benefit from having Davy Lopes around. If he's the CF of the future, let's get a look at him now.
Posted by: Cavalier92 | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 11:17 AM
Simon apparently has great stuff, but apparently can't get it over the plate.
I would have preferred for them to bring Chris Booker back, who they bailed too early on. He pitched well enough for the Nats last year that it looks like he makes their team.
He has a 0.00 ERA in 3 innings of ST.
Posted by: AWH | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 11:19 AM
ahh, a "clutch" knuckleballer, with a 70mph fastball... thats funny.
the knuckleball has got to be the single most unreliable pitch in the game. even if you throw it perfectly, there is no guarantee that it will move the way you expect it to.
Posted by: joe | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 11:20 AM
AHW: Are you confusing Booker with somebody else? He had a 9.72 ERA with the Nats last year, is 29 years old and has always had a sucky K/BB ratio. The Phils should have no regrets cutting him loose.
Jason: Doubt this happens cause Sledge is doing so well, but a Rowand for Linebrink trade with Bourn starting in CF would be worth rolling the dice, I think. I'm not sure I want him on the bench just getting 2 ABs a week, however. I'd rather see him play everyday in AAA if that's the choice.
Posted by: clout | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 11:37 AM
clout -
thats one helluva roll of the dice, and i'm not sure that i'd do it.
is rowand committed to going back to the cws? i'd love to sign him long term, but it seems we have a traffic jam in cf.
Posted by: joe | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 11:43 AM
Clout: I would agree. If the choice is between going to war with Bourn in center field instead of Rowand if it means getting Linebrink, who is terrific, or Rowand in centerfield with the current cast of misfits scrambling to fill the 8th inning and replace Gordon in case of emergency, I'd go with option A. Then I'd shop around for a spare outfielder better than Garcia.
Posted by: J. Weitzel | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 11:54 AM
Clout, I am with you on trading Rowand for relief help. If Bourn can't cut it, you can always slide Vic to CF, and backfill RF with a platoon. Rowand's sub .750 OPS should not be hard to get out of RF.
From the Phils game notes, I see Brito is scheduled to pitch today. If he pitches decently over the next 2 weeks, I still say he makes the team. Also Gordon is expected to pitch. Interested to see how he looks.
Posted by: Billy Mac | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:03 PM
clout, Booker had a 3.68 ERA with the Nats last year.
Posted by: AWH | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:07 PM
AWH: Is there more than one Chris Booker?
http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=407094
Posted by: clout | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:15 PM
clout, Booker gave up 6 runs in 1 inning for the Royals before he went over to the Nats, where he posted a 3.68 ERA in 7.3 innings.
although it's incredibly misleading to suggest that a 3.68 ERA in 7.3 innings means he's a good pitcher.
Posted by: ae | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:21 PM
Rowand for Linebrink...this GM says do it!
Bourn, Victorino, Burrell, and Werth will be adequate enough...plus add Karim and/or Dobbs.
Not much of a difference if you substitute Rowand for Bourn offensively or defensively. Rowand has better power, is a veteran, and has "heart", but we need relief!
Posted by: GM-Carson | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:22 PM
Billy Mac, I agree about Brito. He has a 4.35 ERA as a reliever, which seems to indicate he can be effective in limited duty. Also, left handers inly hit .235 against him.
If he's half decent he'll make the squad.
Posted by: AWH | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:31 PM
I'm with Clout: If Bourn isn't starting in Philly, he should be starting in AAA. He's too young and green to handle sitting on the bench 80% of the time.
As long as we're weighing outfield shuffles, I'd like to pitch in the opinion that, in the event Burrell can't go, Rowand is less a defensive liability in left than anywhere else. While many posters here criticized the routes he took to fly balls in CF last year (I'll defer to them, since I only attended 3 games, two of them when he was already hurt), I was most distressed by his arm. And the beset place to hide a lousy outfield arm is LF.
Speaking of Burrell, I have long been less critical of him than most Beerleaguers. But I'm starting to wonder seriously whether this guy can be reclaimed. He's not willing to listen to anyone about his hitting approach? WTF? If Barry Bonds won't listen to advice it's one thing; Pat Burrell is not in that class. In every article I've read this spring -- admittedly not a great many, but by several writers -- he comes across as a spoiled, truculent prima donna. At this point, I would predict he's greeted by the worst booing of a home player in many years.
Posted by: Alby | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:31 PM
clout, do your homework!
Those stats include one inning in KC. Look at the splits on BB-Ref. He pitched well for the Nats with a .818 WHIP. Anamoly, maybe, even probably, but he would have been a better risk than Simon.
Posted by: AWH | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:35 PM
ae: Thanks. I guess the key words were "for the Nats." MLB and other stat services I use list his ERA for the year at 9.37, but obviously that includes his Royals inning. His minor league stats are nothing special either.
Posted by: clout | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:37 PM
AWH: I'm not sure how much you can read into 7 IP while ignoring his bad AL inning. His minor league stats are very unimpressive, especially his 5.5 walks per 9 IP. But I agree Simons was nothing special. I'd prefer neither.
Posted by: clout | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:40 PM
who is more dangerous at first for the Braves, Craig Wilson or Scott Thorman?
Posted by: Juan | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 12:42 PM
Alby, the bullpen will work itself out (trade, etc.), and so will hitters like Rowand, Werth, etc.
Burrell's 'production' the single biggest question mark going into the year.
Posted by: AWH | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 01:05 PM
Juan: Thorman vs. RHP and Wilson vs. LHP.
Posted by: clout | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 01:55 PM
All Simon did in ST was replicate his minor league performance from last year...so what, exactly, was the point of having him rob innings from pitchers within the organization? Pencil his name next to Ricardo Rodriguez, Chris Booker, and Adam Bernero. Gillick's the guy with the metal detector on the beach, trying to turn up a few dimes, when he could be doing far more productive things with the money he already has to work with.
Posted by: RickSchuBlues | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 01:57 PM
By coincidence, I just posted a piece at TGP about the possibility of dealing Rowand back to the White Sox--perhaps in a larger trade also involving Lieber, for some package around McDougal and/or Fields--and letting Bourn start the year in CF for the Phils. High-risk, but enormous potential upside. Here's the link for those curious:
http://www.thegoodphight.com/story/2007/3/18/13549/5201
Posted by: dajafi | Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 03:02 PM