Beerleaguer - Phillies Blog, Baseball News, Trade Rumors & Spirits

Phils make Feliz official; deal is $8.5M guaranteed

Veteran third baseman Pedro Feliz receives a two-year contract, including a club option for 2010 and performance bonuses.

(From a Phillies news release): "We said from the beginning of our off-season that we would try to improve the club in any way we could," said Phillies Assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. "We feel that with the acquisition of Feliz, we have helped to solidify an already productive infield. Pedro is an above average defender who will provide some overall balance to our lineup."

Feliz, 32, hit .253 with 20 home runs and 72 RBI in 150 games, his fourth straight season with at least 20 homers. With runners in scoring position, he hit .310, which included a .393 clip in his final 48 games. Feliz' .973 fielding percentage was the best among all National League third basemen last season and his 11 errors were third-fewest among those with at least 300 total chances. A native of the Dominican Republic, Feliz was originally signed by San Francisco as an amateur free agent in 1994.

Wednesday 'the sky is not falling' open thread

Before Beerleaguer's senior correspondent sends his weekly e-mail, warning that our discourse is sinking into a ridiculous pit of despair, let’s change topics and discuss how Phillies Nation is looking onward.

Last night, I fired up the DVR to watch Bill Conlin on Daily News Live proclaim that Pedro Feliz will fit “beautifully” into the lineup, replacing Aaron Rowand’s numbers with comparable production. Conlin believes San Francisco’s unfriendly ballpark and meager lineup had been holding Feliz back, and there was a good deal of gushing over his glove.

This morning, go-to Daily News scribe Rich Hofmann wrote about the most underrated aspect of the Feliz trade: It gives Charlie Manuel one more move. The dismantling of the third base taxi squad means there’s more room for Pat Burrell’s personal chauffeur in left. More bench means less desperation when it's close and late.

When morning dawned, in the wake of the Johan Santana news, the sun was shining on the blogosphere as well. Tom Goodman of Swing and a Miss advises fans that “before we start imagining ticker-tape parades down Broadway, let's not forget New York still has plenty of question marks.” As for Mets fans, bombarding Beerleaguer with the most page loads since the Division Series (thanks for lunch, Mets fans), one of the readers in white wrote it best:

“We haven’t seen this much premature gloating from NY ... since way back in September.”

Keith Law: Santana makes Mets NL East favorites

ESPN's analyst supplies the best early breakdown of today's Johan Santana trade, attacking it from every possible angle. He suggests that it's a clear win for the Mets, who get a Cy Young candidate without giving up their top position and pitching prospects. And he makes many more fine points, including how much the addition will help preserve the Mets' bullpen. [Link]

Breaking news: Twins agree to deal Santana to Mets

According to USA Today, the deal is pending the Mets and Santana reaching agreement on a six-or seven-year contract extension and the results of a physical. [Link]

Santana has agreed to waive his no-trade clause if a long-term contract extension is reached. According to the report, Minnesota will get Carlos Gomez and pitchers Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey in the trade.

Beerleaguer: The sounds of our "small splashes" never sounded so small. This is a tidalwave, causing a flood that will submerge the rest of the National League East for six or seven years. Baseball's best pitcher belongs to the Mets, set to anchor the rotation for years to come while canceling out our best hitters head-to-head.

Introducing the winner, and new champion, of the 2008 off-season, and possibly much, more more: Johan Santana and the New York Mets, who've stuck it right up the Phillies' butts.

Feliz acquisition divides online baseball aficionados

Pedro Feliz wins the prize for most hotly debated Beerleaguer topic this entire off-season.

Yesterday’s reported agreement is the culmination of a rolling argument that began months ago, back when it was first reported the Phils had interest in the free agent third baseman.

Feliz has everything the 21st century baseball fan wants in a baseball debate. He gouges knee-deep lines in the sand between seamheads and statheads. Seamheads say defense wins championships, and Feliz can pick it with the best in the business. On the other hand, he rates poorly in almost every single category statheads value most, except for those that measure defense. The reported salary falls in a gray area too; is it too much or just right? There are pros and cons galore. Greg Dobbs, who proved to be a fine pinch hitter, moves back to the bench. Wes Helms and his remaining contract are expendable. Readers are finding it just as easy to call the acquisition a no-brainer as much as they are in calling it a move that may actually hurt the club.

Beerleaguer: I’m concerned, and I’ll reiterate why. I don’t like the prospect of another guy down at the bottom of the lineup who won’t take a pitch. Carlos Ruiz doesn’t take pitches, either. Now they’re adding the most impatient hitter in the entire National League. Opposing pitchers are setup to cruise through a third of the lineup.

I’m very skeptical that Citizens Bank Park will turn an aging hitter into a 25-30 homer threat. Aaron Rowand struggled his first season here. Helms tanked. The park didn’t help Abraham Nunez. Or David Bell. Or Rod Barajas. Feliz is on the decline. I’m not betting on fireworks just because of the short porch.

We've seen it all before, haven't we? Over the years, we’ve seen seven-and-eight-hole hitters suck the life from an otherwise potent lineup. Bell and Mike Lieberthal once formed the infamous black hole. Sal Fasano burdened the order in 2006. Since then, it’s quieted down, and it coincides with using hitters who actually get on base better and make pitchers work: Chris Coste; Greg Dobbs; Jayson Werth. Ruiz sometimes; Nunez when he kept the bat on his shoulders and turned the lineup over.

That’s what tends to work, not the all-or-nothing spot power showcased by guys like Feliz.

ESPN: Phillies agree to two-year deal with Pedro Feliz

The free agent third baseman hit .253/.290/.418 with 20 home runs last season with San Francisco. The 32-year-old figures to take over the lion's share of starts at third base.

Beerleaguer: Here it is, the one we've been waiting for. Feliz is a Phillie, at a price that is sure to put the cherry on top of a wondrous shopping season.

Feliz is a bottom-rung everyday third baseman with a good glove, but misleading offensive production because he'll connect for 20 home runs a season and spend the rest of the time flailing away. Some people will like this; they'll dig the glove and occasional power. Some will see another black hole at the bottom of the lineup who's going to be given way too many starts at the position. His career on-base percentage is exactly the same as Rod Barajas: .288. This deal feels nauseatingly similar.

Let's agree on a few points, both positive and negative. First, the negative. You'll never see him take a walk. Abraham Nunez is more gifted at turning a lineup over. His OPS+ has been terrible for three straight seasons. He can't run. He has 12 career stolen bases. He's an even worse hitter against right-handed pitching, which he'll face two-thirds of the time. Finally, the cost, which has yet to be officially revealed, but is said to be guaranteed, might have been better served going toward an extra reliever - even if it meant overpaying for one.

The positives: The Phillies won't need to cart around an entire taxi squad to cover third base. Feliz is the guy you want on the field with the game on the line and the Phillies protecting a lead in the 9th inning. It makes Wes Helms expendable, I suppose, so I guess they can swap him for a mediocre prospect, or dump the salary on someone, as is the custom. If you think Helms can be traded for quality, think again. Feliz is relatively versatile. He can play the outfield, first base, etc. So in other words, the benefits are entirely of a defensive bent.

Meanwhile, we'll wait and see what the official damage is, weigh the pros and cons, see how they clear room on the 40-man roster and determine whether this fussy, late-January deal gets them any closer to something or other.

5:30 Update:  Deal is not yet official. For what it's worth, Ken Mandel's report is up on the Phillies' Web site, so I'm feeling confident my Photoshop work above will not be wasted. The team may be waiting on the results of Feliz's physical, and could also be working on a creative way to clear roster space.

Feliz factoid: Feliz saw fewer pitches per AB last season than everyone in the NL except Johnny Estrada. (courtesy of Clout).

8:30 - Reported contract particulars: ESPN is reporting Feliz will earn $8.5 million from the contract, citing the AP. With the option and performance bonuses, the contract could earn him $15 million over three years.

Beerleaguer final take: Just your token, impulsive, late-winter reach. Two years is too many, and unnecessary. The strange part is I honestly don't know whether Feliz, at $4.25 million, improves the club over what they already had. A slight improvement, maybe? He's like the electric shaver hanging on the rack by the checkout line. You're getting impatient and it looks better with every passing minute. It might be useful, you reason, but is it worth it? Will it give you a better shave than the non-electric disposable in your medicine cabinet? Too late. The checkout girl already beeped you through.

"That'll be $8.5 million. Debit or credit?"

Monday thread: Phillies still kicking the tires

Today, we put the finishing touches on the Phillies winter tour series with some company line scraps gathered off the cutting room floor.

The Phillies are "still kicking the tires on a few guys," said assistant GM Mike Arbuckle. On the remaining budget, the Phillies have "a little wiggle room left, but we are getting very near the point where they want to be," he added. "I don’t think you’ll see any real significant moves unless the demands of the remaining free agents go down."

I get the feeling the tires they're kicking look a lot like the one pictured above.

Turning our attention to the manager, Philadelphia has not been the toughest leg of Charlie Manuel’s career, the skipper said. Japan was worse.

Extremely minor notes: The Phillies have signed Columbian left-hander Fabian Jimenez Angulo to a minor league contract, according to Baseball America (BA lists him as Angulo Jimenez, but I'm sure this is the guy). Baseball Cube’s last record of the 21-year-old, 6-2 southpaw was 2006 in the Cubs’ system after he came over in the ’06 Scott Williamson trade with San Diego. Based on the information I’ve gathered, it sounds like he was once highly regarded, but a project nonetheless. He's never pitched above Class-A. [Link 1] [Link 2]

Programming note: Beerleaguer on 610-WIP tonight

I will be a guest on Brian Startare's show tonight at 7:40 p.m., discussing the winter tour and other Phillies matters.

Arbuckle: Lost picks, poor drafts, thinned talent pool

Phillies Assistant GM Mike Arbuckle says the farm system is in much better shape than it was two our three years ago, but admits that forfeited draft picks and mistakes in the middle rounds have been costly.

“We went through a period in Philadelphia where we did sign a lot of free agents, trying to win, and we lost a lot of high picks in the draft,” Arbuckle said during Thursday’s Winter Tour stop in Reading. “At the same time, we, quite frankly for a couple years, we didn’t do as good a job on our middle round picks as I would have liked to see us do. We hit a stretch of about two or three years where we didn’t have the depth in the system that we had previously, or that we have coming now.”

Arbuckle verified that the club signed more independent league veterans than any other club last season, players heavily used to fill thin rosters in Double-A Reading and Triple-A Ottawa. However, Arbuckle believes the older crowd will soon be phased out for younger, more promising talent.

“I think this year, you’re going to see a much more homegrown club here (Reading) than what you’ve seen in the last year or so,” he said. “We’ve got kids that won in Lakewood two years ago, they won the Florida State League last year: A good number of those kids now - the Brad Harmans, the Jason Donalds, the Andy Carpenters. You’re going to see those kids in Reading this year.

“We are now in a situation – and again this year where we have a couple extra picks in the draft -- where we’ve been able to restock in the system,” he added. “We’re in a much better position than we were two years ago or three years ago. I think you’re going to see a reversal of that (veteran) trend, starting with this year’s club."

Mike Lieberthal calls it quits after 14 seasons

Signed by the Phillies in the first round of the 1990 draft, the 36-year-old catcher spent 13 solid seasons in red pinstripes, setting many franchise marks behind the plate.

Long-time reader Billy Mac wrote it best when he invited everyone to page through the 2007 media guide and spot how many times Lieberthal is listed as the club’s statistical best at his position. Most games: 1,139. Single season fielding percentage: .997 in 1999. Most career home runs: 149. There are surely more.

Clouding his Philadelphia legacy is the public perception that he was ready for a West Coast retirement years ago, although those closely connected to the team have insisted that isn't the case. The Phillies never made the post-season during Lieby's tenure.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Mike the Catcher would have played another season if the Dodgers had picked up his $1.5 million option. But frankly, it was time. Lieberthal played just 38 games and contributed one RBI in ’07. Battling through knee problems suffered at the peak of his career, Lieby finishes with a .274/.337/446 line, 150 homers and 610 RBI in 4,218 at-bats. He was also a two-time All-Star and had his best year in 1999, hitting .300 with 31 homers and 96 RBI.

International: Phillies made offer to Kuroda only

The Phillies scouted all the potential Japanese free agent pitchers, but only Hiroshima right-hander Hiroki Kuroda was offered a contract, says Phillies assistant GM Mike Arbuckle.

“Our international scouting supervisor probably saw Kuroda pitch six times, and we felt like Kuroda was probably the best available,” Arbuckle said during Thursday’s Winter Tour stop in Reading. “We did not feel the rest of the crop was anything that was going to upgrade us. If they made a staff, they were the 11th or 12th pitchers on a staff. We didn’t feel like they were upgrades, essentially.” Arbuckle felt many of the pitchers were too old.

Arbuckle says the Phillies continue making inroads into the Asian markets, as well as some other developing destinations.

“Marti Wolever, our scouting director, just arrived back today from a three week trip: Australia, China, and he even made a stop in Europe, as we try to establish contacts for the future," he said. "We anticipate baseball is going to get better there. It’s truly a year-round, world-wide process today.”

Turning his attention to the Caribbean, Arbuckle was asked whether they had anyone in mind, a la Antonio Alfonseca, who impressed scouts in the Dominican last winter and signed a one-year deal.

“We haven’t seen anybody this year that jumped out at us,” Arbuckle said, speaking about players in both the Dominican and Venezuelan leagues. “We cover the winter leagues in detail. We’ll have one or two guys who surface scout, then guys who will sit and cover each club. So, we really have double coverage on the Dominican and the Venezuelan winter leagues.”

Beerleaguer: I'm not a scout, but recent history shows that besides veterans like Alfonseca, the Dominican Winter League has very little to offer in terms of project pitchers. It's not the viable source of talent it's cracked up to be. I've seen the rosters, the stats and understand there's nothing down there this winter. The same for Venezuela.

On the other hand, I'm disappointed the Phils came away empty handed in their pursuit of a Japanese pitcher. The pool was rather deep, and teams like Kansas City and Cleveland came away with pitchers who cost them little and factor into their plans. But again, I'm not a scout, and also acknowledge that many of the pitchers were long of tooth.

Cholly's notebook: Kendrick packs on some pounds

A summary of player updates straight from the horse's mouth.

Kyle Kendrick: Manuel believes he will be very good because he keeps his poise, and is glad to see he gained about 7-8 pounds of muscle. Manuel thinks if he continues to get bigger and stronger, he will touch 92-95 mph. Manuel thinks he’s going to be just fine.

Eric Bruntlett: Bench coach Jimy Williams, who managed in Houston, assured Manuel that he feels very strongly about Bruntlett’s ability to defend third base.

Setup situation: Manuel envisions a flexible eighth inning between Tom Gordon, J.C. Romero and occasionally Ryan Madson. Flash will get some closing time to give Brad Lidge a blow. He views Romero as someone who can go more than an inning depending how the opposing lineups fall with left/right matchups. Madson will be looked at to pitch anywhere from the sixth through the eighth. Getting leads, and establishing an early routine, will be key.

Chad Durbin: Durbin has learned how to be a complete pitcher, and the reports to Manuel are he can definitely pitch the sixth and seventh innings.

J.D. Durbin: Will be given a shot in the bullpen.

Travis Blackley: Will be looked at for the bullpen, in a low-pressure role.

Adam Eaton: Eaton is currently working out, according to the trainer. Manuel said he won 10 games, but was inconsistent, and toward the end of the season, there was shoulder soreness.

Brett Myers: Manuel wants him to concentrate on starting and doesn’t want him to think about relief.

Lineup against Tim Hudson: Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, Burrell, Jenkins, Dobbs, Ruiz. Will move Victorino down to six or seven sometimes. Will slide Jenkins fifth depending on the situation.

Brad Lidge: It’s no secret Manuel likes hard throwers like Lidge at the back end of the bullpen. Lidge brings 94-98 mph heat. “If we lose a game with Brad Lidge pitching, then so be it,” Manuel said. “Go up and hit a 92-93 mph slider. He can tell you it’s coming, and he ain’t going to hit it. I say skin the ball and let it go.”

(Part seven in a series of small reports from Thursday’s Winter Tour in Reading.)

Romero blames prior struggles on temper, immaturity

The Phillies need a quality bullpen from day one to the end, and for that to happen, J.C. Romero needs to be the pitcher he was during August and September, not the one who was released eight months ago.

The 31-year-old left-hander was designated for assignment by Boston in June, signed a minor league deal with the Phils, and miraculously turned a 180 in time to receive a three-year, $12 million extension from the club.

“Everything happens for a reason,” Romero says. “There are some things in life you can’t explain.”

Romero dominated September and says he is closing in on his personal best streak of consecutive scoreless regular season innings. He says his surprising turnaround had more to do with tweaking the mental side of his game than fixing mechanics.

“To be honest, my problem was my temper,” he admits. “Early in my career, I was too explosive and let my temper get the best of me. Now, I’m more mature. I’m under control. I’m trying to use all my emotions in a positive way instead of against me. Last year, I wasn’t an overpowering pitcher; I was just trying to get them out. In previous years, I wanted to strike out everybody. I’m smarter, more mature, and now I’m pitching. I’m not throwing.”

Armed with a healthier approach, Romero will be asked to capitalize on another aspect of his game: his rubber arm.

“Some people are blessed with height, some people are bless with stuff. I’m blessed with the way I recuperate,” he says. “I know I have to prepare myself mentally and physically for the wear and tear of the season. That’s why you take the off-season very seriously.”

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel expects to use Romero in the later innings, possibly in a setup role depending on the opposing match-ups. Along with new closer Brad Lidge, veteran set-up man Tom Gordon and right-hander Ryan Madson, Romero expects good things from the revamped bullpen.

“We have great arms,” Romero says. “The only key factor here is health."

(This is the sixth in a series of small reports from Thursday’s Winter Tour in Reading.)

Three health updates involving pitching prospects

Phillies Assistant GM Mike Arbuckle listed J.A. Happ, Zach Segovia and Scott Mathieson, along with Josh Outman, as pitchers who will be knocking on the door to the Majors, if they are 100 percent healthy.

J.A. Happ: The 25-year-old left-hander pitched much of the year with a tender elbow and didn’t tell the Phillies, according to Assistant GM Mike Arbuckle. He scuffled in Triple-A, and at the end of the year, the Phils planned on sending him to the Arizona Fall League, but Happ finally admitted he was hurt and couldn’t go. They have rehabbed him, he is expected to be at camp healthy and Arbuckle anticipates seeing a different pitcher next season.

Zach Segovia: It turns out the 24-year-old right-hander, who struggled through the entire season, was pitching with an impingement in his shoulder. He underwent off-season surgery to remedy the situation. According to Arbuckle, he will be healthy in time for spring training. Segovia narrowly missed making the club out of spring training last year and started one game for the big club.

Scott Mathieson: The hard-throwing 23-year-old, who is expected to be fully recovered from Tommy John surgery, could help the club at some point this season, possibly in the bullpen. “I think Scotty might well fit as a reliever,” Arbuckle said. “If he comes back 100 percent healthy, which we’re anticipating that he will, knowing his mentality and seeing the quality of his stuff, I think he can pitch late in the game, and for an inning or two innings, be an overpowering type of guy. Ultimately, he could be very effective.”

(This is the fifth in a series of small reports from Thursday’s Winter Tour in Reading.)

Manuel: Hitters became too strung out in NLDS

Typically potent, the bats unexpectedly fell silent against an unheralded Rockies’ pitching staff during National League Division series. Why?

Charlie Manuel: "We hit good pitching. Colorado had two pitchers, (Franklin) Morales and (Ubaldo) Jimenez, who are young, throw hard, and are just a little bit wild, and I think we wanted them too much.

"When the playoffs started, our team was coming to the ballpark so early, I couldn’t believe it. I go to the ballpark every day early, and I guess I was kind of up into it [too], but for day games, we were getting there about 9 o’clock. For the night games - the last game we played in Colorado - they got there at 11:30. That’s way early. They already went down to the cage and did drills and you look up and it’s 1 o’clock and you still have five hours until the game starts at 6.

"I think we got too strung out – too up into it – and once it started, we probably pressed a little bit. Our main guys didn’t hit. Through the season, that never happened to us. Someone in the middle of the lineup always came through."

Beerleaguer take: When you talk about the importance of having players with playoff experience, here’s your proof. Even though they lost to another post-season newcomer in Colorado, it sounds like the high-energy, high-motor qualities of the offense worked against them this series. As Manuel said, they got “too up into it,” and even Manuel admitted he was wrapped up in the moment and didn't realize what what happening. It's also a valid point that the Phils tend to struggle against unpredictable pitchers with heat, particularly left-handers like Morales and Jiminez. As Manuel said, the Phillies hit good pitching.

(This is the fourth in a series of small reports from Thursday’s Winter Tour in Reading.)

Audio: Vic loves right, but accepts new role in center

Outfielder Shane Victorino, who will take over for Aaron Rowand in center field, discussed the secret to unlocking his speed on the basepaths, his rising reputation as a top defender, his difference in home and away splits and whether he can be an everyday player over a 162-game schedule. [MP3] Extra reading: Check out my colleague Mike Drago's take on Victorino in the Reading Eagle. [Link]

A season later, Arbuckle satisfied with Abreu trade

Q: Beerleaguer: The Bobby Abreu deal happened about a year and a half ago. Are you satisfied, looking back, with what you got in return in that trade?

A: Mike Arbuckle: Yeah, I think so. The reality is, when you try to move guys at very high salaries today, you don’t get a king’s ransom in return. I think the Twins are seeing that very situation right now. We hear all that talk about Santana … I don’t think they’re very happy with what the offers are out there for him in return, because of the dollars, and the dollars he’s reportedly looking for, and all of that. So it’s much more difficult to make a trade and get true value back than what is perceived by fans, in many cases.

With Golson, fundamentals of hitting must come first

The first in a series of vignettes from the Phillies Winter Tour in Reading focuses on the advice Charlie Manuel is giving 2004 first-round pick Greg Golson.

Recently, the Phils’ skipper has been holding daily batting practice and conducting drills with the 22-year-old outfielder. Although he’s still young, Manuel said now would be a good time for the athletic first-rounder to get it started.

“I want him to come in there [spring training] with a mindset to leave an impression, play as hard as he can and bear down more,” Manuel said. Golson will be invited to Clearwater as a non-roster invitee.

Manuel explained that much of Golson’s problem is mental, and that pushing the lead-off aspect of the game on him so early - right out of high school - may not have been the best approach. Manuel believes it’s caused him to become a defensive hitter of the worst kind, one who is constantly leery of getting behind in the count. Needless to say, a protective approach has not helped: Golson struck out 173 times last season.

Instead of batting him at the top of the lineup, Manuel would like to see him dropped to 6 or 7 where he can focus on nothing but hitting for now. Then, when he's comfortable, move him back up where his A-plus speed can shine.

"From a physical standpoint, he can definitely do it," Manuel said. "If you drop him down, and just let him swing, and learn to hit, he's going to be a good player."

Tomorrow: Finally something worth talking about. I'm sitting on plenty of great material from Manuel, Mike Arbuckle, Shane Victorino and J.C. Romero. The plan is to chop the interviews into small posts, like this one, since I covered a lot of ground, particularly with Manuel and Arbuckle. I was fortunate enough to get each of them one-on-one for about 20 minutes. The Vic interview will run as a podcast. Stay tuned ...

Milwaukee signs Abraham Nunez to minor league deal

The infielder, who spent the past two seasons with the Phillies, will be added as a non-roster invitee to Brewers spring training.

From a Brewers press release - Nunez, 31, hit .234/.318/.282 with 16 RBI in 136 games last season. Most of his career was spent with Pittsburgh (1997 - 2004) and he was a member of the 2005 National League Champion Cardinals. He has played 293 games at third base, 261 games at shortstop and 258 games at second base in his Major League career. Nunez owns a career line of .242/.313/.314 and 62 OPS+.

Beerleaguer: Only a club with as many weapons as the Phillies could get away with starting Nunez 55 times at third base, as the Phils did last season. Witnessing perhaps the most one-dimensional semi-regular player in baseball for two seasons, the Phils bought out his option year and replaced him with Eric Bruntlett, part of the Brad Lidge package. A slick fielder who plays third, second and short, Nunez cannot hit the ball out of the infield and has the uncanny ability to murder a rally like no other. A minor league deal from the giant cartoon mit tells you all you need to know about how little a versatile gloveman like No-Hit Nuni is actually valued in the modern era of baseball.

Wednesday: Fresh fodder from the Philly writers

Members of the media rubbed elbows with the Phillies at a luncheon held at Citizens Bank Park yesterday. With the start of spring training just three weeks away, the Phils are feeling confident.

Summary of articles: Brett Myers told John Smallwood that he has accepted his reassignment to the rotation, but at the same token, the right-hander already sounds stir crazy about the four, long days in between starts. ... Pat Gillick downplayed Ryan Howard’s contract negotiations as a matter of business, and says the media is trying to create a situation out of nothing. The Phillies GM also says it’s more unlikely than likely pitching will be added before the start of spring training, and also says he likes their outfield depth better than last season. ... Manager Charlie Manuel says the back of the bullpen is built to win, and passed along word that Tom Gordon, who’s participating in a strength and conditioning program in Clearwater, is in “top-notch shape.” ... Outfielders Greg Golson and Chris Snelling are working out with Manuel, just as Aaron Rowand (and Greg Jacobs) did last off-season.

Noteworthy: The award for most interesting tidbit goes to this little line, about 10 graphs down in Paul Hagen's piece about Shane Victorino: "As it stands now, Manuel will mix and match some in center, too. He said that because Victorino is such a high-energy player, he projects him to play between 120 and 130 games," Hagen writes.

Unlike Gillick, Manuel doesn't sound quite as confident that the outfield sets up better than last season. "We were definitely more set last year with Rowand in center," he told Hagen.

Beer nuts: Counting down the days until arbitration

With the Phillies likely finished making moves, the off-season has shifted into the stage where Ryan Howard's contract and impending arbitration hearing steals the spotlight.

By now, everyone knows that Howard and the Phils are $3 million apart, with Howard seeking $10 million and the Phils filing a $7 million offer. That’s a huge difference, especially for a club trying to maneuver inside a tight, self-imposed budget cap. A three-person arbitration panel will decide whether the team’s or player’s number is fairest.

As far as the two sides go, I’m neither here nor there, but I recognize the tremendous achievements Howard has made in only two and a half seasons. MVP. Rookie of the Year. No player has ever reached 100 home runs faster. Considering his accomplishments, in addition to the rising cost of talent, $7 million seems rather low to me. If the arbiters side with Howard, I have a strong feeling there will be no long-term deal, and his contract will be handled on a season-by-season basis until he becomes a free agent, setting up a Philadelphia sports tradition: Trading a disgruntled superstar for nothing.

Winter Tour stuff: Shane Victorino, Brad Lidge, J.C. Romero, Charlie Manuel and Mike Arbuckle head the list of Phillies swinging into Baseballtown on Thursday.

I hope to get a handle on Lidge's knee and how Manuel intends to work the late innings. It’s still a little unclear whether the set-up job is Tom Gordon’s to lose, or whether Romero will take over the reins following his three-year contract extension. I’m guessing Manuel will finalize a plan once they break camp at the end of March. If I had to predict Manuel’s focal point of concern, it would be the bottom of the rotation.

Arbuckle needs to answer some questions, too. The Bobby Abreu trade should be revisited now that it’s looking like none of the prospects from the four-for-one will pan out. In general, they’ve made very few strides in development and through trades recently. It’s a fair question to ask why the farm system appears to be getting progressively older and weaker. As always, if you have questions, pass them along in the comments thread.

Minor stuff: As predicted, Matt Smith passed through waivers, signed a minor league deal and will remain a Phillie. The 28-year-old left-hander, who underwent Tommy John surgery last season, became a roster casualty earlier this month. ... The South Maryland Blue Crabs, a new Atlantic League team, selected extreme junkball left-hander RJ Swindle in their expansion draft. The reliever is murder on Class-A left-handers, but the concern is he wouldn’t fool experienced hitters. I supposed the Blue Crabs feel strongly he will be cut loose by the Phils. ... According to Baseball America, the Phillies signed C Josh Eachues and 1B John Urick to minor league deals. ... A couple of pitchers - Anderson Garcia, Fabio Castro - are pitching in the Dominican, but in keeping with my early off-season promise, I won't waste my time with an update.

Friday thread: New contracts for Lidge, Madson

Right-handers Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson avoided arbitration by agreeing to one-year contracts with the Phillies yesterday.

From a Phillies news release: Lidge, 31, will earn $6.35 million this season, while Madson will earn $1.4 million, including performance bonuses for each pitcher. Acquired from the Houston Astros in November, Lidge, who is a free agent after the season, went 5-3 with 19 saves and a 3.36 ERA in 66 games. He had the fifth-most strikeouts (88) among all Major League relievers and the sixth-highest strikeout ratio (11.82 strikeouts/9.0 innings). Madson, 27, went 2-2 with one save and a 3.05 ERA in 38 games. His season was cut short due to two separate stints on the disabled list. Infielders Eric Bruntlett and Ryan Howard are the Phillies’ final two arbitration-eligible players remaining.

Beerleaguer: Two very important pieces to the 2008 puzzle. The Phillies may have tried offering Lidge an extension beyond '08 and could still try locking him down during the season, however the new closer will need to prove he’s healthy from an October surgery on his right knee. Madson tries to rebound from shoulder problems that caused him to miss the final two months of ’07. He has one more season of arbitration eligibility before becoming a free agent.

FoxSports: Jon Lieber signs one-year deal with Cubs

The right-hander returns to his old haunt where he won a career-high 20 games in 2001. Ken Rosenthal, who broke the story, says he’s been guaranteed a spot in Chicago's rotation.

Beerleaguer: The announcment is worthy of its own thread since Lieber was expected to anchor the Phillies' rotation for several seasons and it never happened. Although his three seasons in Philadelphia included a few bright spots, almost none of them came over past two. Reportedly not the hardest worker, the Phils had been trying to move him since the 2006 non-waiver trade deadline, but found no takers. Then, during the previous off-season, they reportedly had a deal in place with Milwaukee, but the Phils never pulled the trigger.

Stuck with six starters, the Phillies auditioned him in the bullpen, which immediately failed. When the team had enough of watching games go up in smoke late, they swapped out Brett Myers and slotted the unpopular right-hander back into the rotation. He was soon lost to season-ending surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his foot.

For a short period between late April and early May, he pitched quite well, shades of his first season in Philly, when he went 17-13 with a 4.28 ERA in 218 1-3 innings. It all fell apart right out of the chute in ’06, when he was bombed by the Cardinals on opening day and was hit hard almost the entire season. The Phils identified the problem as a dip in his pitching motion. He would later miss a month with a groin issue.

Soon to turn 38, he could become a very useful, low-cost addition for the Cubs, provided he stays healthy. If it happens, there’s a chance he will outshine several Phillies.

Beer nuts: Phils rated most independent-friendly team

Bob Wirz, author of "The Independent Major Leagues: 2007 Season in Review," says the Phillies employ more graduates of the independent leagues than any other organization. [Link]

According to Wirz, 192 independent league graduates played organized minor league ball in 2007 and the Phillies accounted for 28 of them (Editor's note: It may be more than that). He reasons that because they hired Mal Fichman, a longtime indy scout, in addition to the appointment of special assistant Charely Kerfeld, an independent league manager for nine seasons, the club is more enlightened to the virtues of the indy leagues.

Two indy graduates played in Philadelphia: Kane Davis, and of course, Chris Coste, who’s mentioned heavily in Wirz's book. Roster fill rounds out the rest. Triple A: Gary Burnham, Jim Rushford, Pedro Swann, Jason Anderson, Gary Knotts, Jim Crowell, Brian Mazone. Double-A: Shaun Boyd, Allen Davis, Branden Florence, Greg Jacobs, Chris Key, Tim McClaskey, Chris Rojas, Michael Spidale, Charlie Weatherby, Peter Shier, JJ Trujillo, Cory Wiley. Class-A: R.J. Swindle, Luis Villarreal, Jason Wylie, Victor Hall and three late signees Charles Merricks, Dan Schwartz and Jared Simon.

Beerleaguer: Ugh. Bear in mind the reason for giving alms to the poor is because they haven’t drafted well, and what little they had faded from view, including players acquired through trades. You would expect a few veterans at the Triple-A level, but for several seasons, they’ve taken over Reading and are starting to infect the lower levels, where playing time should be given to young, developing talent. Need proof that the farm system sucks? You're stepping in it.

Amaro chat summary: Phillies roster is likely set

Assistent GM Ruben Amaro Jr. says the team, as it sets up today, is how fans should expect the roster to look when they open camp next month.

In a short chat conducted on MLB.com, the tight-lipped assistant said newly-acquired closer Brad Lidge may not be 100 percent by the time pitchers and catchers report Feb. 14. Regarding third base, he says the team has had discussions about free agent Pedro Feliz, but have ruled out Morgan Ensberg. Discussions regarding Kyle Lohse have continued with Lohse’s agent Scott Boras. Amaro says they are not interested in Bartolo Colon or Josh Fogg. As for the bullpen, Amaro says they have improved over last season and likes how the back-end sets up. Ryan Madson and Shane Victorino, who ended the season hurt and hobbled, are expected back healthy.

Questions regarding Adam Eaton went unanswered.

Baseball's best 2B still has something to prove

For the first time in his career, Chase Utley, an MVP candidate before having his hand broken, heard the faintest grumbles of disapproval during the National League Division Series. He will be redeemed.

One of the joys of reaching the post-season was to see how Utley, one of the all-time great competitors, would perform on a bigger stage. After one go-round, the answer was "wretchedly." Utley went 3-11 (.182) with five strikeouts, picking the worst possible time to become invisible. He was kept wildly off-balance by Game 1 starter Jeff Francis and never regained his footing.

None of this can sit well with the 29-year-old lion, who, in all likelihood, would have won the National League MVP if it hadn’t been for having his hand broken, the worst of 25 total plunks last season, shattering the club record of 19 set by Dave Hollins. Despite missing a month, he set a club record with 49 doubles. The NL record is 64.

Twenty years from now, when we look back at Utley's career, he will dethrone Richie Ashburn as the franchise’s most cherished all-around player. Although the importance of batting average has diminished during the Moneyball era, I’m delighted to see a Phillie right there among the league leaders. What a swing; there’s no other swing like it in baseball. And no second baseman can sniff the potency of his overall contribution.

We spend too much time sweating the BS minutiae, the 25th man, the sixth inning. Frankly, a team with Utley, who's contract status is that of a bottomless cup of coffee, will always have a great chance to win. People are already talking about the possibility of a Phillies MVP three-peat and you won’t find an argument here.

By way of an early season preview, Chase will have a monster season and become the league's most valuable player.

Abridged MetsBlog: Santana deal hinges on prospect

Hot stove mania has cooled in this neck of the woods, but our rival blog is abuzz with rumors that the Mets are closing in on Johan Santana. [Link]

According to Joe Christensen of the Minnesota Star Tribune, the Twins have told the Mets they can have the left-hander if they add OF Fernando Martinez to their current offer of OF Carlos Gomez and RHPs Deolis Guerra, Kevin Mulvey and Phil Humber. The Yankees and Red Sox both remain in the sweepstakes, but “Ultimately, the Mets might be the best fit,” writes Christensen.

MetsBlog proprietor Matthew Cerrone remains guarded about giving up the farm, but says he might kick in the extra prospect to meet Minnesota’s asking price. According to the Star-Tribune piece, Santana is seeking a five-or-six-year contract worth $20 million a season.

Writes Cerrone: “If the Mets can acquire Johan Santana, but also keep Mike Pelfrey and Aaron Heilman, as well as Brant Rustich and Eddie Kunz, as the previous posts suggest, I’ll be happy.” Cerrone goes on to say that past targets – such as Roy Oswalt, Jake Peavy and Carlos Zambrano, re-signed with their clubs and never hit the open market. Waiting on free agents hasn't been a worthwhile strategy.

“It is super important for this team to have a young, dominant ace for at least the next few seasons, and for the debut of Citi Field,” Cerrone writes. “And, as best I can tell, the only way it is going to happen for certain is if the Mets acquire Santana right now. Otherwise, I fear we will go through this same desperate charade next off-season, and the one after that, and the one after that ...”

A MetsBlog poll shows 70 percent of readers would be willing to send the five prospects to Minnesota for Santana. 

Beerleaguer: There’s no way to sugarcoat the strong possibility that Santana, the top prize, will be a Met next season, and possibly the next six. He would swing the balance of division power back over to the Mets. Head-to-head, it would be a nightmare. Maybe I'll take up gardening this summer. Or woodworking. Have a nice day. It’s been real.

Phillies are playing with fire at the hot corner

In the spirit of looking ahead, we zero in on third base.

Platoons were instrumental the last time the Phils made it to the World Series, and if they make it back, they'll play a central role yet again. The Phillies are sitting on a pleasant situation in right with Geoff Jenkins and Jayson Werth, who'll give the Phils a fighting chance to fill the void Aaron Rowand leaves behind, both offensively and defensively. The other platoon will occur at third base, where the situation is much murkier.

Greg Dobbs, Wes Helms and Eric Bruntlett will share the load, and there's no getting around the fact that it will be among the least productive and least efficient arrangements in the league. It's not even a true platoon; it's a taxi squad that will require two moves a night. Two of the three – Dobbs and Helms – are sub-par defenders and lopsided hitters when matched against lefties and righties. The supposed best defender – Bruntlett – last homered in 2005 and played exactly nine innings there in ’07 for a total of 33 in his Major League career.

If you’re like me, you’re skeptical that Helms and Dobbs will step up and gain Charlie Manuel’s trust defensively. Not surprisingly, both rank quite low in myriad defensive categories, Dobbs being especially brutal. But as the season wore on, it was Dobbs, not Helms, who saw more action, along with light-hitting glove man Abraham Nunez, who’s still seeking a job.

I point to May 6 in San Francisco as the game Helms lost his job as the regular third baseman. A fielding and throwing error both led to runs in the first and seventh. After that, his playing time dwindled. His bat never got started, either. It was the most disappointing season of his career, but the bench demotion is nothing new. He’s been given opportunties before and cannot stick.

His poor hitting was a shock. Some people were expecting upwards of 70-75 RBIs. His previous two seasons suggested he’d figured out how to hit for high average and Cholly lauded his ability to hit to the opposite field. Instead, he looked sluggish. It took forever for Helms to connect for a home run. No part of his game resonated beyond that of an ordinary role player.

With Helms fading from the picture, the Phils turned to Dobbs. Dobber can’t field or hit the target, but they sure win when he plays. I don’t have exact wins/loss numbers in games he starts, but I know it’s quite high. Dobbs came out of the blue to start 56 games at the hot corner, 77 total when adding in first and outfield. I’m going to predict modest or no improvements defensively. I’m skeptical of his bat. I believe I'm looking at a pure fastball hitter who can’t hit breaking stuff. I think he is exposed, but I believe the manager likes him best.

I was surprised to learn that over Bruntlett’s career, he’s been a much, much better hitter against left-handers. That’s important because it gives Manuel another reason to get the best defender onto the field and suppliment Helms. Bruntlett is best used in the middle infield, where he’s a reasonable alternative to Nunez. I have no clue what to expect from him at third.

Speaking of Nuni, I should mention the Phils have not officially ruled out the possibility of brining him back. The club would sleep easier knowing they had someone of Nunez's defensive quality stashed away to back up Bruntlett, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins. But old habits must die hard.

Remaining free agents: Morgan Ensberg, Dallas McPherson, Corey Koskie, Pedro Feliz, Abraham Nunez, Jeff Cirillo, Russell Branyan,

Beerleaguer peanut gallery weighs in on Rocket

Pitcher Roger Clemens addressed accusations by trainer Brian McNamee that he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone, statements made to baseball drug investigator George Mitchell.

Clemens, who acknowledged receiving only B-12 and lidocaine injections from McNamee, filed a defamation suit against his accuser in a Texas court. Following comments made during an interview with “60 minutes,” Clemens played a recording of a phone conversation with McNamee, designed to paint McNamee as a liar, and irritably entertained questions from the media for about 15 minutes yesterday. Critics argue that yesterday’s news conference, along with the “60 Minutes” piece, did more to hurt the public opinion of the seven-time Cy Young winner than help. Our readers weigh in:

“Clemens is basically ‘doubling down’. By this time he has had extensive discussions with his attorneys to plot out their strategy. Here's the show: There is no physical evidence to implicate Clemens (needle with DNA, failed urine test, etc.), so it’s basically McNamee’s word against his. This lowers the stakes. What I mean by that is absent any evidence other than McNamee’s word that he used steroids, it is unlikely that Clemens could be convicted in a court of law for perjury. So, he can basically lie to Congress under oath, and lie on the stand during the lawsuit he filed. That's why it took so long for him to mount such a strident and aggressive defense. His legal team was analyzing and evaluating the downside of his basically coming out and denying it to the end. IMO, if he was really clean he would have gone nuts publicly the minute the Mitchell Report implicated him. That very day. He didn't because he circled the wagons with his lawyers to weigh his options and strategize. I have to give him credit for this well orchestrated and rehearsed denial, but it rings hollow upon analysis.” – AWH

"That Clemens interview today was pretty pathetic. Kind of get a pretty good picture of a true person that Clemens is - a big-mouth, eco-centric buffoon who belittles those who question him." – MG

"Regarding Clemens and lidocaine: lidocaine is not an anti-inflammatory, it's a numbing anesthetic, all of us have probably had it administered when we go to the Dentist. Now here is the fun part. When you go to the Dentist, where does he inject the lidocaine? In your mouth of course! Lidocaine is a LOCAL anesthetic. If you inject it into your butt, it will just make your butt numb and do absolutely nothing for your joints! So, what would be good to inject into a large muscle? Let's see? How about a Steroid! Clemens is lying and it's getting obvious now." – Tbone

"Tbone: Maybe Clemens was getting the lidocaine because, for him, all of those guys in the clubhouse and press corps were just pains in the ass." – Andy

Arb update: Phillies, Werth settle on one-year deal

Outfielder Jayson Werth, who had been arbitration elegible, agreed on a $1.7 million contract plus performance bonuses, the club has announced.

From a Phillies news release: Werth, 27, hit .298/.404/.459 with eight home runs and a career-high 49 RBI in 94 games for the Phillies last season. He also set a career best with nine outfield assists, despite missing a month of the season with a left wrist strain. Werth, who figures to split time in right field with Geoff Jenkins, became the second Phillie to avoid arbitration, joining outfielder Chris Snelling. The Phillies have four arbitration-eligible players remaining: infielders Eric Bruntlett and Ryan Howard and righthanders Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson.

Beerleaguer: Basically a formality, Werth gets about a million more than last season, and that's still a pretty good value. 

At catcher, Phillies ready to leave well enough alone

The club will accept the advice issued by readers last winter when they urged the front office to pair Carlos Ruiz and Chris Coste behind the plate and be done with it.

One fearless prediction that hasn’t happened is the one where the Phils bring in another catcher. Although Pat Gillick has expressed satisfaction with the current situation, which includes Carlos Ruiz as the starter and Chris Coste as the backup, history has shown the GM’s preference for brass tacks veterans with experience, signified by the Sal Fasano signing in 2006 and Rod Barajas in 2007. Both signings proved unnecessary, even costly.

It appears the team is finally willing to put old-school scouting biases aside and accept the fact they're sitting on something unconventional yet perfectly fine. That means giving the backup job to Coste, the 34-year-old, self-made player who worked his way through beer leagues to become Philadelphia’s newest feel-good story. Coste drew headlines during 2006 spring training for his hot hitting and would go on to hit .328 his rookie season, drawing praise from the pitching staff as a capable handler.

The next sesaon, the Phils finally turned Ruiz loose. The soon-to-be 29-year-old is another player whose ascent to the Majors was an unexpected surprise. Signed as an amateur free agent in 1998, he climbed through the system without fanfare. Things changed in 2004, when he took over the starting duties in Double-A Reading, hitting .284/.338/.484 with 17 home runs in 349 at bats. He continued to climb, and in '06, made his Major League debut to mixed reviews.

When it came time to address the catching situation last off-season, the Phillies erred on the side of caution, signing Barajas to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with a club option, pushing Coste back down to the cruel world of the minors and making Ruiz the backup. Barajas lost his job almost immediately to Ruiz and would make only 147 plate appearances the entire season. Coste, who quietly battled through nagging injuries, would finish as the backup. After the season, the Phils spent a quarter mil to have Barajas go away.

In recognition of his fine season, Ruiz was named to the Topps Rookie All-Star team. Nicknamed Chooch, he contributed a .259/.340/.396 line with six homers and 54 RBIs, rounding out the bottom of the lineup with better-than-expected production and excellent gap power, smacking 29 doubles and two triples in 374 at bats.

Above all, he turned out to be a fine catcher. Able to overcome the language barrier, he demonstrated toughness and grit, unafraid to mix it up with umpires on his pitchers' behalf. He has a rifle arm that keeps runners on their toes, at any base, and plus speed for a catcher.

According to Hardball Times Win Shares, Ruiz is a Top 6 National League backstop overall, and ranks 4th for defense. The situation appears set.

Beerleaguer projections: I saw the 2008 Bill James projections passed along on Todd Zolecki’s blog, and if the numbers hold, Ruiz will be a borderline All-Star next season (.282, 33 2B, 3 3B, 12 HR, 69 RBI, 58 R).

That’s a little hopeful. In working on the Harball Times team preview, I can tell you the THT projections for Ruiz are much more realistic, only a slight improvement over his 2007 finish. I’d like to see Ruiz kept under 400 at bats again next season to keep him fresh. By mid-season, he was noticeably worn down. Once they started interspersing more Coste, Ruiz bounced back.

A common quibble about Ruiz was his plate discipline. Indeed, his 3.6 P/PA were tied for the fewest on the team. However, his stikeouts and walks evened out (49/42), especially late in the season. Expect better patience to carry forward and improved production as a result. A 60 RBI, 8-10 homer, 92-95 OPS+ season would be a reasonable improvement.

THT asked me not to spill the beans on the projections, but I can tell you that if you’re hoping for a Coste prediction, you will be disappointed. Instead, they’ve included a Jason Jaramillo projection, and I think it’s a wise call. Unlike previous seasons, Coste is in danger of being caught from behind by a prospect, instead of blocked by a veteran. The Phillies really like Jaramillo, a 25-year-old nuts and bolts switch-hitter who finished strongly and reportedly calls a good game. Fresh off his tour with Team USA, expect to see plenty of Jaramillo during the spring.

As for Coste, he went from a 119 OPS+ in 2006 to an 83 in 2007. Unfortunately, '07 may be the better indicator of Coste, whose flaws may no longer be a secret to opposing pitchers. Age and irregular action may also work against him.

Minor transactions: The Phillies have signed LHP Cory Willey and 1B Angel Negron, according to Baseball America.

Rotoworld: Phils designate Matt Smith for assignment

Smith opened the 2007 season as the Phillies top left-handed reliever, but his stay was short lived. He missed almost the entire season with Tommy John surgery.

Smith, 28, was part of the 2006 Bobby Abreu trade. After the deal, the Phillies wasted no time in using him despite having little Major League experience. He pitched surprisingly well and the Phillies thought they had something going into 2007, but he was all over the place and was demoted less than a month into the season. Soon after, he was on the shelf with a bum elbow. The move clears room of the 40-man roster, which stands at an even 40.

Beerleaguer: They should be able to pass him through waivers. There are a number of players - Anderson Garcia, John Ennis, T.J. Bohn - with less appeal on the 40-man roster. If Smith factored into their plans, it would have been as a September call-up. If they're certain they can keep him, it makes sense to jettison Smith and keep all the others. We'll see what happens.

Of all the prospects received in the Abreu deal, Smith figured to be immediately useful as a young-ish second lefty out of the pen. Not especially overpowering, his best pitch is a slider, rendered ineffective because of brutal command in '07.

As an older player with little experience, he faces an uphill climb after elbow surgery. If he's claimed by another club, it's no great loss.

Madson restoration among keys to upcoming season

Ryan Madson’s season was cut short July 29 when the iron-man reliever blew out his shoulder after seasons of abuse. The 27-year-old will look to reclaim the seventh inning.

Injuries happen anytime, but with Madson, one could see it coming. Considering the over-the-top delivery, the gradual wear and the fact that he had been heavily taxed immediately after his trip to the DL, a blowout was inevitable. Madson told reporters his shoulder had been bothering him a couple of days before the injury, but thought he could pitch through it. Although he felt a tear, the injury was diagnosed as shoulder soreness. If the Phillies had advanced to the NLCS, Mad Dog was expected to be available.

Looking back through the archives, I forgot about the Jayson Stark tidbit, reported the night after Madson’s injury, that said the Phillies had been trying to trade Madson. That's probably out of the question now. He’s eligible for his second arbitration and the time to trade him would have been earlier in the fall. Plus, they’re not in a position to deal out bullpen.

When things go badly for Madson, he suffers from equal parts bad command and limited repertoire (his lack of a third pitch hurts him more as a starter). I didn’t like what I saw from Madson early in '07 when he, along with the rest of the bullpen, blew several games. It might have been a case where the Phillies had the wrong man for the job.

His season was largely considered a disappointment, but his numbers actually compare favorably with previous seasons, including 2005. In 56 innings, he finished with a 3.05 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 43/23 K/BB ratio, including a very solid July before the injury. His total Win Shares actually stack up well with guys like Rudy Seanez, Matt Herges and Doug Brocail. I’ve always considered Madson to be an unlucky pitcher and I remember a couple games when he was burned on good pitches. Nevertheless, he's been around the block and experienced hitters know what to expect.

Madson is at his best when he’s assigned a clean seventh inning role. Mixing him into the eighth and ninth iframes, and fiddling with left/right matchups, is a little sloppy. With a rotation half-filled with six-inning pitchers, the seventh inning is a critical spot for Madson and the Phils. A healthy Mad Dog would go a long way in setting an early groove.

Phillies still have ample time for last-minute shopping

Pickings are slim, but shoring up the pitching staff with a short-term deal to a remaining veteran could go a long way in providing the Phillies with better stability.

The names you’re about to read may depress you, but somewhere among the list of remaining free agent starters and relievers are pitchers who will outperform Adam Eaton and Tom Gordon next season.

The Phillies need to focus in on two problem areas between now and Spring Training. The first is set-up spot, where Gordon, age 40, holds the key after two seasons cut short with shoulder problems. The Phillies will be asking him to pitch 70-80 innings of high-pressure relief through a torn labrum. Good luck with that. The second is the fifth starter spot, where the Phillies have demonstrated a vote of no confidence in Eaton, coming off a dismal season and phantom arm trouble to boot. Chad Durbin and Rule 5 selection Travis Blackley could challenge Eaton for the job.

Here’s the list of remaining arms (The list may be incomplete):

Starting pitchers: Tony Armas, Kris Benson, Roger Clemens, Matt Clement, Bartolo Colon, Matt DeSalvo, Elmer Dessens, Josh Fogg, Casey Fossum, Freddy Garcia, Jose Garcia, Mark Hendrickson, Livan Hernandez, Jason Jennings, Byung-Hyun Kim, Brian Lawrence, Jon Lieber, Kyle Lohse, Rodrigo Lopez, Eric Milton, Mike O’Connor, Russ Ortiz, Odalis Perez, Darrell Rasner, John Thomson, Brett Tomko, Josh Towers, Steve Trachsel, Jeff Weaver, David Wells, Jamey Wright, Jaret Wright

Relief pitchers: Jeremy Affeldt, Antonio Alfonseca, T.J. Beam, Armando Benitez, Shawn Camp, Shawn Chacon, Darren Clarke, Brendan Donnelly, Octavio Dotel, Keith Foulke, Eddie Guardado, Jorge Julio, Yukinaga Maeda, Jose Mesa, Trever Miller, Brian Moehler, Scott Munter, Mike Myers, Akinori Otsuka, Juan Padilla, Heath Phillips, Chris Reitsma, Arthur Rhodes, Brian Rogers, Brad Salmon, Rudy Seanez, Aaron Sele, Ron Villone, Bob Wickman.

Many of these pitchers fall into three categories: too expensive; too injured; too old. We’ve tracked a number of them this off-season. Many haven’t been mentioned at all. I’m interested in some of them. Rudy Seanez is always dependable. He’s not a setup man, but he’ll give them a full season. Steve Trachsel is painfully dull, but won 15 games two seasons ago and pitched 158 servicable, bottom-rotation frames in '07. Readers have talked a lot about Akinori Otsuka, who’s elbow sounds shot. Along those lines, how about an incentive-laden deal to Chris Reitsma, who had elbow surgery in early August? His surgery reportedly went well and he could be ready to pitch in spring training. A full recovery would give the Phillies a 30-year-old reliever who could pitch the late innings and keep the ball in the park.

Last winter, the Phillies short-changed their pen and it cost them immediately. If they’re serious about starting hot, they can’t allow history to repeat itself.

Phillies trade Roberson to Orioles for cold hard cash

In two recalls by the Phillies in 2007, the 28-year-old outfielder went 8-for-28 in 28 games, serving mainly as a base-running and defensive replacement.

From an Orioles news release - Roberson spent most of last season with Triple-A Ottawa, where he hit .266 in 113 games playing primarily in center field. A switch-hitter, Roberson was drafted by the Phils in the 9th round of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft and made his major league debut in 2006. He was named the Phillies' best minor league player and Eastern League rookie of the year in 2005 after hitting .311/.365/.465 with AA Reading.

Beerleaguer: The Phillies needed to clear space on the 40-man roster and managed to get something in return for a player who didn’t factor into their plans. With So Taguchi and Chris Snelling rounding out the outfield depth chart, Roberson – whose value includes speed and defense – didn't have a spot. The Phillies still have seven outfielders on the 40-man roster and must make another move to get it below 40. At 28, Roberson is who he is. For Orioles fans reading this, he’s staying sharp this winter in Mexico, as he usually does. [Link] On a personal note, he’s the son of former NBA player Will Roberson, who played for Detroit.

Phils provided region's top sports storyline in 2007

Baseball’s post-season returned for the first time since 1993. Although they were quickly swept by Colorado in the Division Series, this writer considers the 2007 Phillies season a success.

It’s funny how it feels like the Phils are still seven games behind the Mets after losing to Colorado Sept. 12. I was in Japan then, touring the baseball circuit with 20 Americans, including two Mets fans from Long Island. Each morning, the games started back East and I’d catch the first few frames before heading down to the lobby. The Phils’ rotation, without Cole Hamels, suffered another setback when Kyle Kendrick took a Garrett Atkins line drive off the knee. The injury turned out to be nothing, but they fell 12-0 that day. Things looked very grim. The Mets fans, with their massive luggage and blue caps, looked very smug.

It was as if I'd left all the bad Phillies baggage behind in Japan. The next two weeks unfolded quickly, with the Phils gaining in the Wild Card while sneaking up on the Mets. Even the late summer sun had a dreamlike, cooling, surreal effect on the final games, especially that final Sunday. The Mets had the 1:05 start, the Phils had the 1:35. I turned on the set at 1:45, too nervous check in. From the moment Harry Kalas’ voice came through the television, backed by the fever pitch of the stadium, I knew the Phillies had it, without knowing or hearing the score from New York.