Early interest in Burrell nonexistent, stories suggest

The market for power outfielders will be set once Manny Ramirez signs. Until then, clubs aren’t exactly lining up at Pat the Bat’s door, according to at least one report.

According to FoxSports Ken Rosenthal, both the Rockies and Mets, considered active shoppers for right-handed pop in left field, want no part of Burrell, who turned 32 last month and ended the 2008 season in a wicked slump. The life-long Phillie has already turned down a 2-year, $22 million offer to stay in Philadelphia, according to an Oct. 31 story in the Daily News. Burrell is seen as an ideal candidate for DH duty, although at least one report says he’d rather play the field. In limited interleague chances, has not performed well in the DH role. In a related story, according to Ken Davidoff of Newsday, the Mets, Phillies, and Dodgers have expressed interest in free agent outfielder Raul Ibanez.

Comments

[J. Weitzel]

Use this thread to also continue the best Beerleaguer moment discussion.

[Lake Fred]

I was at the MB site, and their Phillies WS sales stuff is 30% of today. Do they do this everyday? Here's the details:

Take 30% off MLB Merchandise
excludes gift cards, hof merchandise
Offer only valid while supplies last and is limited to sizes/styles available.
Orders must be completed by Nov. 20, 2008 3 AM(ET) to qualify.
Offer cannot be combined with any other offer or used on previously purchased merchandise.
Offer not valid towards the purchase of gift cards or on orders placed through Group Sales.
Sales may not have occurred at Our Price.
This promotional offer may be modified or terminated at any time without notice.

[MG]

Not surprised to hear about the lack of interest in Burrell at this point. I bet he wants a 4-yr deal at big dollars. I doubt a single NL team is interested/willing in giving Burrell 4-years and AL teams are probably learly of Burrell because he has struggled so much as a DH in his career during Interleague games.

Burrell will get his 3 yrs but not at the $15M either some have suggested on here. My bet is that it is an AL team that signs him at around $13M per.

[baxter]

Is Raul Ibanez a type A FA? If so, forget him. If not, he's worth considering.

[Bill]

I am not surprised either about the lack of interest in Pat. I do not see Ibanez as much of an upgrade though either. The issue is unless you want to over pay for Manny Ramirez the free agent market is thin.

http://www.phightinphils.com

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Everyone's favorite Phillie Pharmhand Jeremy Slaydon has been left of the 40 man roster and can be selected in the Rule 5 draft.

[Lake Fred]

Cooch was the top TV blooper moment. Shoo the kids away and Google "Cooch", or better yet, Google Images "Cooch"! Our beloved catcher won't be anywhere to be found, however, you will find Sharon Stone and Brittany Spears!

[Bedrosian's Beard]

of=off (above)

[Furnstein]

One of my many favorite memories from the 2008 season is the hilarious shot of Eric Bruntlett standing in left field in the 8th inning of so many games. He was part garden gnome/part Civil War reenactment guy, and you usually knew that they had the game in good shape when you saw that image flash on your television screen.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Now I have my most recent BL moment:
Lake Fred discovering there's porn online.

[MG]

Raul Ibanez? No thanks. Phils don't need another veteran outfielder who may turn out to be a real clunker.

[highlander]

Lake Fred - check out this chooch gem that clout once linked to:

http://www.phillyturkey.com/Sports/082608.asp

[GM-Carson]

I've been speculating a 3 year 45 million dollar deal for Burrell from an AL club, but that may not happen. If interest shrivels up, he may have to accept the 2 year 22 mil deal from the Phils or something close to that from another club.

[Dull]

My BL moment is happening right now. It is the Phils grooming Jason Doanald to be the first .400 hitting utility infielder in baseball history. Today he is at SS and just lined a double to raise his average to .416 with one game left in the AFL season.

[bay_area_phan]

"Everyone's favorite Phillie Pharmhand Jeremy Slaydon has been left of the 40 man roster and can be selected in the Rule 5 draft."

The other day, someone wrote a post asking what the harm is in having Eaton on the 40-man roster, since we're paying him anyhow. BB just provided the answer. Whatever your opinion of Slayden's prospects, he definitely has SOME value (whereas Eaton has none). Now there's a good chance we'll lose him.

[Bubba]

I wonder if the Phillies offer is still on the table?
I would love to see Pat stay for 2 more years. He is streaky , but I don't see the Phils paying for an upgrade.And really - how many free agent upgrades are there?
And with an unproven, GM how strong are the Phils as traders??

[Bedrosian's Beard]

They also have 3 spots remaining, most likely, so they can sign a few free agents and/or draft some crappy rule 5 relievers from other teams.

[Mike]

No thanks on Ibanez. LH, nearly 5 years older than Burrell, and will cost a draft pick (he is a Type A per MLBTR). Although he did make significantly less than Burrell last year, so he may be "our" kind of guy.

[thephaithful]

I know polls are tacky, but the Moment of the Year discussion might warrant one. Grab the top 5 (maybe more) moments that posters are dicussing and give it a vote. It'd be interesting to see.

Maybe a regular season edition, since Game 5 of the World Series is kind of a nobrainer.

[stjoehawk]

bay_area_phan - "Now there's a good chance we'll lose him."

Do you think that Slayden is ready to be on a 25 man roster for the entire year?

[Lake Fred]

Highlander, I checked it out. Taguchi's Coochies? Very funny stuff. clout found this? Was he one of the nine members of the group?

Shame on you Bed Beard! It was purely a Phillies player research project. Wasn't that Pete Townsend's excuse?

Was Lidge warming up seven times in the All Star Game a BL Moment? Or Chase's first broadcast "F-bomb" utterance at the All Star Game Home Run Derby Introductions?

[joe]

I'd like to nominate the WS Game 4 interview with Blanton and Cholly, and the question of "the spot" on Blanton's hat.

Blanton pulls out the "I'm just a dumb hick that gets dirty and is too gosh 'dern dumb to cheat."

And Cholly backs him up with his own "I'm just a dumb dirty country bumpkin" shtick.

AND IT WORKS!

Here is the exchange:
link
Video
For both of you guys: Were you aware of their concerns about Joe's hat? And Joe, what do you have on that dark spot on your hat?

JOE BLANTON: It's nothing. They rub the balls up with whatever they rub them up with, and you rub it up and get it on your hand and I'm constantly trying to get moisture, and just touch my hat. It's nothing sticky. Anybody can go touch it. It's just basically just dirt from the ball that gets over time, over so many starts, I don't change my hat, it just gets rubbed on the hat.

CHARLIE MANUEL: Actually I didn't know what Joe was talking to the umpire about. If you look at my hat, see right there, it's got the same kind of stuff he's talking about. That right there is the fact that I haven't changed hats all year.

[bay_area_phan]

StJoe -- I'm not talking about the 25-man roster. I'm talking about the 40-man roster.

[stjoehawk]

bap - But if he goes in the rule 5 draft, the new team would have to keep him on the 25 man roster for the entire year or offer him back to the Phillies, right?

[philsphan]

If Slayden gets picked in the Rule 5 Draft he will probably be sent back at some point in the season. The question is if the Phillies would take him back or just let him go at that point.

BAP: If he is picked in the Rule 5 draft he will have to stay on that team's 25 man roster all year long and I doubt that will happen. However he may be worth a spot on the Phillies 40 man roster over somebody like Harman or Bisenius. And of course Adam Eaton.

[Bubba]

What do we do (if by some trick of magic)Eaton pitches great in Spring Training?

We are all assuming, and I am very much in agreement, that he is done.

But baseball does breed some strange things.

[Andy]

I could see a cellar dweller team picking Slayden up and retaining him. At this point, for instance, how could it hurt Washington to have him on their roster for a year.

[NEPP]

Seriously, who cares about Jeremy Slayden?!? There's a reason he was left off the 40 man.

[ae]

well, the Nationals already have about a half-dozen outfielders. although Slayden hits left, so that would at least be something new.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Washington has enough OFers right now, but I get your point.

[Jack]

Another great moment I don't think anyone has mentioned: Clay Condrey striking out the side in the 8th inning of a tie game on national TV against the Cardinals. No one saw that coming.

[CJ]

If Burrell goes anywhere else for 3 years or less... and $40M or less... I'll be very disappointed in the Philles.

[doubleh]

I enjoyed watching Bartolo Colon throw his back out attempting to swing (and I use that term loosely) at a Cole Hamels change-up. His helmet almost flew off. That Hamels can be one mean mofo sometimes...challenging AL pitchers with the nasty stuff. Awesome.

Didn't Colon go on the DL the next day?

[Furnstein]

Jack, Prime Time Condrey was such a beautiful moment. It was the underdog reliever moment of the year (almost matching the "Alfonseca Shuffle" in some big games last year).

[MPN]

To CJ et al: I watched that Baldelli home run off Madson last night and broke it down like Costner broke down the Zapruder film in JFK. I'm not sure of the marvel. He went up there with a specific plan looking for a fastball and hit a waist high, middle in 94 mile an hour pitch that had minimal movement out of the park. He has fast hands, apparently, like Utley. Utley groves those kinds of pitches for HRs all the time.

[MG]

CJ - Burrell is gone. He was gone the day that Lidge was resigned. Said this months ago and still feel this way.

Plus the obvious fact is that this team doesn't think alot of Burrell to begin with. They supposedly tried to trade him the past 2 years a couple of times but were hindered by last 2 years of Burrell's contract/his no-trade clause. Hell, Gillick made the infamous "30 good swings" comment just 2 years ago and the Phils almost NEVER publicly badmouth one of their guys.

If Burrell is back in a Phils uniform, I would be stunned. No way he takes 2 yr/$22-$24 million deal because this is his last real payday. Now granted Burrell would have had to hire the worst finacial advisor in the world because he shouldn't have to work another day in his life but greed almsot always prevails in sports.

When I hear an athlete talk about his love for the "hometown" will prevail over the final dollar amount, I laugh because in 95% of situations it doesn't happen. Burrell will chase the highest dollars and this means he may end up in a fairly unlikley place when all is said and done.

[clout]

Slayden has no fuiture in the NL and won't be drafted by an NL team. If I were an AL team, however, I'd scoop him up in a heartbeat. For 25G you get to see if he can hit major league pitching in spring training. If he can't you get half your money back when you return him.

[MPN]

My favorite moment was July 4th against the New York Metropolitans. I was in section 425 with my wife and in-laws and Howard and Burrell hit back to back RBI singles with 2 outs off Johan Santana. This totally flustered a loud mouth Mets fan in the section, turned the crowd against him, and eventually chased him off before the Phillies won in the bottom of the ninth. (The game from that section also offered a great panoramic view of the fireworks from the Schulykill River to Jersey.)

[laramie]

Beerleaguer moment: In mid May, Charlie names Werth the regular starting center fielder and benches Victorino.

Victorino goes on to play 139 games in center field this year and wins the Gold Glove.

[Furnstein]

Another great moment from the 13 inning mega game against the Mets. Just as Myers had his no swing at bat, the scoreboards on the side of the stadium flashed a traffic report that 95 north of the city was completely jammed. It was going to be a long long night for a lot of surly Mets fans.

[Dull]

Slayden may just have earned himself a Rule V draft pick. He just hit a pinch hit grand slam with two outs and two strikes on him in the top of the 8th to give his team a 7-4 lead in a must win game. The winner of this game will play in the championship AFL game on Sat.

[TK]

My favorite 'Beerleaguer' moment:

Ryan Howard's September, With the climax being his go ahead HR off LEFTY Mike Gonzalez of the Braves. I don't think any 'platoonable' MVP runner-up ever got more crap throughout the year than Ryan Howard on Beerleaguer. I think my loudest cheer all year (playoffs included) was that HR.

[CJ]

MPN: Well, reasonable people can disagree. I don't think the home run was super-human, but I think Baldelli hit a tough pitch out. And it only goes out of CBP. I think Madson hit the spot he wanted. And I don't think much in Baldelli's season suggested he could take that pitch out. It happens, however. Joe Blanton homered in the WS, after all.

[MPN]

CJ: Absolutely, individual mileage may vary.

[bay_area_phan]

Prediction: Jeremy Slayden gets drafted by an AL team, stays on the 25-man roster all year and, contrary what everyone on Beerleaguer and in the Phillies organization seem to think, goes on to have a nice major league career along the order of, say, Eric Hinske.

[MPN]

The Washington Nationals and there OFer obsession/fetish is beginning to look like the Detroit Lions situation with wide receivers and first round picks. Ridiculous.

[joe]

The thing about the Baldelli HR, is that it was solely due to the split game.

Because of his medical condition, there is little that Baldelli starts a game, and 7 innings later he's in good enough shape to hit that pitch.

[curt]

Burrell will find himself in a Lohse situation, and will eventually reconcile himself to DH. One hopes he's successful as Lohse in his new surroundings. The guy has class.

[The Truth Injection]

One comment on the Utley play from the World Series before I hit my top 5 moments. I agree with those who have marveled as to how great it was. However, I didn't specifically mention it because to me- it was as much about bad baserunning as it was about the play. Bartlett never looks back to see where the ball is. He is head down running home the whole time. My guess is this- where Utley started at Bartlett thought there was no way he was getting to the ball. To be honest, watching it at the bar no one thought Utley was getting to it. Bartlett probably thought he was going to scroe easily so he just kept running. The pump fake may have very well fooled the base coach, but I never saw an angle that highlighted him during the play. I think the base coach was waving the whole time thinking Utley would maybe cut it off in shallow center but wouldn't get Bartlett at the plate. He may very well have been fooled and if I see something that proves that I'll stand corrected. To me though the pump fake just added some flair to a play. The real wonder was how far Utley ranged to field that ball.

5.- July 26, 2008- Phillies 10, Braves 9- Greg Dobbs 3 run homer

The Mets had stormed back on the Phillies erasing an early lead the Phillies had established in the division. Reeling off two losses to them, and a bad loss the night before to Atlanta, Philadelphia sent their ace to the mound to stop the bleeding. Cole Hamels however was knocked around after being spotted an early 3-0 lead and left with the Phillies facing a 9-3 defecit going to the bottom of the 5th.

The Phillies started chipping away at Hampton and eventually cut the game to 9-7 with two on and pinch hit specialist Greg Dobbs stepping to the plate against Blaine Boyer. Dobbs found a pitch he liked and launched a 3 run homer into the right field seats completing the comeback in a game the Phillies would hang on to win. It was another of the many instances where we saw the, "never give up," attitude. It was more memorable to me because it was a game the Phillies needed at the time really badly.

4.) August 10, 2008- Phillies 6, Pirates 3- Jamie Moyer loose on the bases

Down 1-0 in the bottom of the third Carols Ruiz leads off with a walk. Jamie Moyer is called upon to drop a bunt and he does so perfectly. What wasn't perfect was pitcher Jason Davis throw that sailed up the first base line. Moyer rounds first and crashes into umpire Randy Marsh sending the ump sprawling to the ground. Moyer continues on to second where another throw gets away and Moyer just keeps on moving to third, where he settles in out of breath and to a standing ovation.

To me that play symbolizies the Phillies. They are a scrappy bunch that will claw for everything and nothing was stopping Moyer from continuing on in the course of that play. It also makes you appreciate Moyer and what he brings to the team. If a 45 year old wants it that bad then the younger guys have no excuse. Moyer is so incredibly fun to watch and this was a major highlight in his wonderful season.

3.- August 26, 2008 Phillies 8, Mets 7- Chooch at third

Jamie Moyer gets knocked around early and the Phillies find themselves in a 7-0 hole after 3 and half innings. After that our bullpen comes in and throws 10 innings of one run ball. With our bullpen and bench depleted Charlie Manuel decides to run Carlos Ruiz out to third for an inning so he can save Eric Bruntlett for an at bat and he comes through with a game tying double. The Phillies go on to win that game after an even crazier 13th inning that included Brett Myers ridiculous at bat, and a Chris Coste walk-off single. It was after this moment people didn't just say "Trust the Gut," as a humorous aside about Charlie's managing. After that moment people said it and thought, "It always seems to work out." To me, it's when people in the city really started rallying behind Manuel.

2.) October 26, 2008- Phillies 10, Rays 3- Joe Blanton home run

From the moment the trade was made for him back in July, Blanton was met with skepticism from fans. He didn't have the appeal of a C.C. or Harden. He cost us a hihgly touted prospect. People said he was an upgrade over Eaton but probably not worth what we gave up.

In the biggest game all year he would pitch he was great working 6 innings, giving up 4 hits and striking out 7. He kept the Rays off balance and for the most part stayed out of trouble. What will keep him forver in Phillies lore though is his at bat in the bottom of the 5th inning. He had just given up a long home run to Eric Hinske that helped the Rays cut the lead to 5-2. Blanton comes up against Edwin Jackson and absolutely smokes a ball to left field that went over the fence and increased the lead back to 4. The look on Blanton's face was priceless. The Rays after gaining some momentum were knocked down again. More importantly, it was this moment that caused fellow fans to turn to each other and say, "We're gonna win this thing." It wasn't a question anymore of if, but rather when.

1.) September 27, 2008- Phillies 4, Nationals 3- Rollins to Utley to October

Once again our season had come down to the final weekend with the Nationals in town. This year though we controlled our destiny and weren't at the whim of a faltering Mets team. The Mets were throwing their ace that day and that meant a loss in the afternoon almost certainly meant a tie for the divison going into the final Sunday.

Brad Lidge had been great all year but was looking especially shaky in this outing and with every passing pitch, more and more nails were being chewed down. The lead had been cut to 4-3 and Ryan Zimmerman stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. A base hit probably meant the Phillies down 1 and trying to battle back in the bottom of the 9th. Zimmerman smoked a ball back through the middle that saw every Phillies fans heart drop into their stomach. However, Jimmy Rollins dove to his left and made a great play to cut the ball off and at least guarantee one out. He flipped to Utley at second who turned it as fast as he could to first and beat Zimmerman for the game ending, division clinching double play. Even Rollins diving stop wasn't enough to guarantee a win as we needed that third out. Rollins and Utley showcased why they are considered the top tier of fielder at their position. From the look of relief on Lidge's face you could tell he was excited to be bailed out. Without that amazing play the Phillies may not see October baseball and there may never be a parade down Broad Street.

[Sam]

Best memories:
1) 4/25 Phi @ Pit
I live in Pit, so I barely get to see them in person. Howard is slumping so cholly rolls out this line up:
Taguchi
Werth
Utley
Burrell
Coste
Feliz
Bruntlett
Harman
Eaton

Phils won 6-5, with eaton not able to get out of the 4th.

Memory 2:
5/26 COL @ PHI

Took my girlfriend to this game...I'm trying after 2 years together to get her interested in baseball, but she thinks its boring. The phillies took this game 20-5, clearly a sign that I will win some day.

Memory 3:
9/28 WAS @ PHI

The day after the phillies clinched, Charlie rolled dout all the backups. Starting lineup was:

Taguchi
Bruntlett
Iguchi
Jenkins
Coste
Cervenak
Goslon
Marson
Kendrick

Marson hit his first home run, and Les Walrond picked up the win.