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News-Journal’s Scott Lauber heads to Boston Herald

Today’s big headline involves a career move by one of Beerleaguer’s favorite beat writers.

Scott Lauber, who has provided News-Journal and Beerleaguer readers with a plethora of thought-provoking conversation over the years, is moving on to the Boston Herald, where he’ll join Mike Silverman in covering the Red Sox. Lauber, who attended Boston University, has covered the Phillies for the past four years in print and on his blog and describes the experience as the best job he's ever had. Scott also worked with me in supplying features for the Maple Street Press Phillies Annual the last two seasons and always did a terrific job. The 2010 edition arrives on newsstands March 2 and can be ordered online here. We extend a big Beerleaguer 'best of luck' to Scott. His coverage will be deeply missed.

So many outfielders, so little room for minor leaguers

With the addition of Brad Wilkerson, the Phillies are bursting at the seams with veteran outfield inventory. With prospects like Anthony Gose and Domonic Brown moving quickly up the chain, the question isn’t “where they’ll go,” it’s “who will go.”

Here’s a sneak preview of Lehigh Valley’s outfield, based on experience and developmental progression: Quintin Berry, John Mayberry, Chris Duffy, Dewayne Wise, Brad Wilkerson, Freddy Guzman, Rich Tompson, Mike Spidale and Kevin Mahar. These are players who have all signed contracts, and there may be more that haven’t been reported. Maybe two will join Domonic Brown in Reading, where young players like Steve Susdorf and Javis Diaz could also man the outfield, not to mention heralded newcomer Tyson Gillies, who is ready to graduate to Double-A. In any case, it’s just too many for the Phillies to keep and could mean the club will be looking to dump, or trade, this spring.

Burnham signs in Italy: Beerleaguer favorite and longtime Reading Phillie Gary Burnham has signed with the Godo Knights of the Italian Baseball League. The 35-year-old veteran was with the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese League last season. The first baseman spent seven seasons with the Phillies, making it as high as Triple-A Ottawa, where he hit .292 /.391/.436 with 12 homers in 2007. Like Brian Mazone, Beerleaguer always wanted this guy to earn a spot with the big club in September, but it never happened.

Thursday: Phillies too good for their own bench

With spring training in full swing, so begins the first of many, somewhat arbitrary, player profiles. Today, Scott Lauber turns his pen toward Greg Dobbs, with the underlying message that playing time will be in short supply once again. [Link]

Apologies in advance if this is old hat, but I wanted to shed some light on this stat, which was passed along by Lauber in his morning piece: The Phillies in 2009 became just the fifth team ever to have five players with at least 675 plate appearances (Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth). In addition, Pedro Feliz came to the plate 625 times, and Raul Ibanez notched 565. Sucks to be a bench guy.

The gist of Lauber’s piece is how Dobbs will prepare this spring to handle a reduced role. He hit just .247/.296/.383 in 169 plate appearances, seeing less time in the field and riding the pine late with a calf injury. With the signings of Placido Polanco and Ross Gload, he figures to see even less in 2010.

We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again: At some point, Charlie Manuel needs to trust his reservists in an effort to keep all his players sharp. Beerleaguer has been quick to pile on players like Eric Bruntlett and So Taguchi over the years, but it’s extremely difficult to stay sharp with only a handful of at bats per month. Phillies pinch-hitters hit just .186, the second-worst mark in the league last season, and 45 points below the league average.

The bench became a crippling weakness for the Phillies this postseason. Now think about 2008 and the role the bench played in delivering a championship. Indeed, Jonathan Broxton grooved one right in Matt Stairs’ wheelhouse, but I’m sure big Matt was seeing the ball a lot better with 387 plate appearances under his belt instead of the 129 he logged in '09, including a stretch in which he went 0-for-forever. All told, the Phillies’ reserves went a combined 1-for-31 in the postseason, following a year in which they went 11-for-32.

With stars manning every corner of the field, it's easier said than done for Charlie Manuel to pick his spots. To that I say 'better now than October.'

BA list underscores high cost of Lee, Halladay deals

Only two Phillies, Domonic Brown (15) and Phillippe Aumont (93) made Baseball America’s list of the top 100 prospects around the league. Meanwhile, four of the prospects traded for Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay made the cut. [Link]

Right-handers Kyle Drabek (25), Jason Knapp (64), outfielder Michael Taylor (29) and catcher Travis d’Arnaud (81) were once part of a Phillies system ranked among the deepest in baseball just a short time ago. But after the four-for-two deal for Cliff Lee, followed by the three-player package sent to Toronto for Roy Halladay, the Phillies’ youthful reserves have been hit with a gut punch. Critics of Ruben Amaro’s maneuvering argue that the Phillies didn’t receive enough from Seattle to adequately replenish a farm system that surrendered seven mid-to-high ranking players in a span of six months. The Phillies were reportedly offered Seattle outfielder Michael Saunders, ranked 30th by BA, but the Phillies wanted speedy outfielder Tyson Gillies instead. Gillies went unranked. Meanwhile, Taylor, who is in camp with Oakland, has been mentioned as a possible contender for American League Rookie of the Year. But if you ask Amaro, the second-year GM took the most flack, internally, for relinquishing blue-chip catcher d'Arnaud.

Despite the four players sent to Cleveland in June, the Phillies farm system ranked 4th by BA in early December, just days before the Phillies pulled the trigger on Halladay. The club ranked 22, 22, and 20 in the previous three seasons.

Breaking news: Phillies sign veteran Brad Wilkerson

The 32-year-old infielder/outfielder, who had his best seasons with the Montreal Expos, retired from baseball last season. The Phils have signed him to a minor league deal, according to reports.

In eight Major League seasons, his last coming in a .220/.308/.326 effort between Seattle and Toronto in 2008, Wilkerson is a career .247/.350/.440 hitter with 122 homers, lately splitting time evenly at first base and the outfield. His last productive season came in 2007 with Texas (104 OPS+), but he was never quite as good as he was before he was traded from Washington in the December 2005 deal for Alfonso Soriano. His struggles have been compounded by career-ruining shoulder problems. Some may recall that Wilkerson, who bats from the left side, was once mentioned in trade rumors involving the Phillies, back at the time when they were seeking help in center field. The veteran's best season came in a 32-homer campaign in 2004, a year in which he drew 106 walks while striking out 156 times. Wilkerson announced his retirement shortly after missing the cut with Boston and taking only a handful of cuts with Triple-A Pawtucket last spring. He will be assigned to minor league camp, according to the Inquirer.

No contest: Phillies' roster battles already won

The Phillies’ first full-squad workout is scheduled today, as position players check into Clearwater for required physicals.

For guys like John Mayberry, Andy Tracy, Wilson Valdez, Dewayne Wise and other invited participants of major league camp, it’s time to put on a good face. Barring injury or an unforeseen development, the Phillies’ roster is accounted for and the Phillies will head north with a bench consisting of Greg Dobbs, Ross Gload, Ben Francisco, Juan Castro and Brian Schneider, who are all signed to Major League deals. For someone like Mayberry, who is included on the 40-man roster and viewed as next on the depth chart in case something goes haywire, it’s another opportunity to make an impression. With outfielder Ben Francisco comfortably in the fold and seen as a more complete fit, Mayberry may be stating his case to rival scouts. Other invitees, like Domonic Brown and Freddy Galvis, have time to develop and were invited to camp for real-life experience playing alongside stars like Jimmy Rollins and Jayson Werth. The rest of the group will look ahead toward a season in Triple-A.

Generally, all the intrigue this spring will come from the pitching side, including fifth starter and one opening in the bullpen, assuming Brad Lidge and J.C. Romero return health. The Phillies will also decide on Rule 5 pick David Herndon, who must stay on the 25-man roster or be offered back to the Angels.

GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has expressed his satisfaction with the bench. On paper, the group has improved.

Phillies catcher Dane Sardinha charged with DUI

Clearwater police arrested the 31-year-old non-roster invitee early Monday morning. The Philadelphia Daily News broke the story earlier today.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's office said Sardinha was arrested and released on $250 bond, according to the team Web site. Sardinha, a former second-round pick of the Reds, split last season between Triple-A Toledo and Detroit, appearing in 12 games with the Tigers. The Hawaiian backstop has appeared in 31 games between the Reds (2003, 2005) and Tigers (2009), spending most of his career in Triple-A. He was signed to a minor league contract in January and is expected to split time with Paul Hoover at Lehigh Valley. He was with the club for Monday morning workouts, according to Todd Zolecki of Phillies.com. The team has not commented.

History could repeat itself in race for fifth starter

A fragmented April schedule could play in Jamie Moyer’s favor.

Sometime between January and February, the fifth starter job has gone from Moyer’s to lose, as Ruben Amaro suggested during the Winter Tour, to anyone’s job to win. Maybe it’s the beard, or maybe the biceps, but Kyle Kendrick seems to have pulled even with the veteran left-hander, who will be making $8 million this season. Kendrick is in a similar predicament to J.A. Happ’s situation last spring in that he’s in the running for fifth starter, but at the same time, in danger of missing the cut completely and being sent back to the minors. Kendrick has been conditioning feverishly since early winter and has caught the attention of the Phillies’ brass, including Charlie Manuel, who says the right-hander is in peak physical form.

Meanwhile, for the first time in about 18 years, Moyer will be pushed in spring training. He's already ahead of where many people thought he’d be. Technically, he may not need to be 100 percent by Opening Day. Because April’s scheduling is so wacky, baseball’s first month is usually treated as an extension of spring training; With the way the schedule falls, both Kendrick and Moyer could start out in the bullpen. Recall that Chan Ho Park wasn’t needed until April 12 last season and spent the first few days in the 'pen, which is where Happ would stay until May 23 when the Phillies decided to make the switch.

The Phillies play Washington and Florida early, which could play to Moyer’s favor if they go with five starters from the outset; Moyer has been comically strong against those clubs. At 47 and fresh off multiple surgeries, the rotation might be viewed as Moyer’s only option, despite last year’s bullpen assignment. And just as Happ accepted a bullpen role last year, Kendrick and his young, rubber arm could be ticketed for the ‘pen if the Phillies decide that making him a long-man is the best way to bring the best set of pitchers north. And if he's successful, he's caught in a catch 22.

Chopper to Yankees: Speaking of Park, he has reportedly agreed to terms with the Yankees on a one-year contract worth $1.2 million, which is less than half of what the Phillies reportedly offered and $300K less than Jose Contreras’ deal.

Correction: The Phillies will likely need five starters as early as April 11, which is not late April - hat tip Krukker.

Move over Moyer: There's a new mentor in town

Teammates have taken to calling Kyle Kendrick "Kyle Halladay," according to a New York Times tweet. Kendrick, who has reportedly been hitting the weight room hard this offseason and has grown a reddish beard, has joined Halladay for predawn workouts.

When the Phillies first acquired Roy Halladay and shipped Cliff Lee to Seattle, one of the most perplexing nuggets that surfaced was that Halladay would be a better fit for the clubhouse. You're starting to see why. Not that Lee was a square peg; there have been no reports to suggest this. But in his brief time in red pinstripes, it's become clear that Halladay, who threw his first bullpen today, has become the new sheriff in town, one who has quickly attracted a legion of followers and has set the bar in terms of a clubhouse fitness policy. The Phillies' brass, quick to jettison slacker starter Brett Myers, must be thrilled by the lean-and-mean '10 team. Even Charlie Manuel has tightened the belt. With zealots like Halladay and Chase Utley in the fold (Utley arrived days ago), it's impossible to believe complacency will cripple the defending National League champions, despite all the cushy, long-term commitments.

The only worry might be that Halladay's alliances would somehow cause a rift with some of the old guard. After all, Kendrick and Moyer are in a head-to-head competition for the fifth starter spot. When the whole thing went down with Moyer getting bumped from the rotation, the veteran's reaction was reported as an ugly about-face by someone viewed as the ultimate team player. Recall that Moyer held a mini press conference to publicly express his disgust, and the media, in something of an about-face of their own, editorialized their coverage in suggesting genteel left-hander was out of line. One wonders if at that moment, the Phillies' consummate professional had lost his clout, and one can't help but wonder if the ageless wonder had left young, impressionable starters, like Cole Hamels, without counsel.

Friday: Cutters carved in Rich Dubee’s workshop

Pitchers begin whittling their repertoire in Day 2 of Camp Clearwater.

The cut fastball has been a wild card pitch for the Phillies over the years. A number of pitchers have experimented with it with varied success, including Brett Myers, who started using it in 2005 and gradually phased it out. Ryan Madson will use it now and then with mixed results. J.A. Happ has an average cutter and will reportedly work to improve it this spring, along with a two-seamer. Much has been made of Kyle Kendrick’s improved change-up, which the right-hander hopes to turn into an out pitch, but he also worked to develop his cutter at Triple-A. Meanwhile, Cole Hamels will hone his curveball and plans for a cutter have been put on the backburner. Brad Lidge will scrap his cutter altogether after experimenting with it late last year.

We’ll be seeing many, many more cutters this year with the addition of Roy Halladay, who possesses one of the most lethal cutters in the game and threw it 41.5 percent of the time, according to Fangraphs. It's the reason he's so good against left-handed hitters. There’s something about a cutter-heavy righty that goes hand-in-hand with being a fast worker, which describes Halladay perfectly, a guy that pounds it inside until the hitter submits. Recall Jon Lieber’s first season with the club. Lieber was once like this; Lieber left town on a down note, but won 17 games his first season, the most by a Phillie since I started this site. Lieber, whose best pitch was a cut fastball that would bore in on left-handed hitter, was a fast worker who came right after the hitter. He was fun to watch when he first arrived in Philly. By the end, not so much.

If they’re not discussing cutters in Clearwater, it seems like they talking about splitters, in particular, Jose Contreras’ splitter, which Charlie Manuel and Ruben Amaro seem to think will be enough to neutralize left-handed hitters in the absence of a second lefty, according to Jim Salisbury's morning notes column.

Santana: Santana stands alone (he sure does).

As today’s spotlight shined on Cole Hamels, who was described by Rich Dubee in a way that Yoda might describe Anakin Skywalker, using words like ‘anger’ and ‘frustration,’ the press parade in Port St. Lucie hunted down their own problematic pitcher in Johan Santana, who will be pitching with a surgically repaired elbow this season. When asked Thursday who was the best pitcher in the division, Santana shrugged and said, "Santana." Naturally, this has been construed as an affront on Roy Halladay and the Phillies. You know, as a diehard Phillies fan, I’m willing to give them Santana and his 143 career ERA+ over Halladay’s 133, even with Santana’s elbow issues. But that’s about it. The Mets will be a non-factor, and considering some of the nifty little moves Washington made, I wonder if the Nationals can finish higher in the standings.

Help wanted: Writers needed for 2010 Phillies season

Beerleaguer is seeking talented writers to contribute concise post-game summaries written in the Beerleaguer spirit this season.

This is a great opportunity for individuals to showcase their passion and creativity to a large and growing community. Recaps run approximately 250 words, but can be expanded depending on the outcome of the game. Applicants must possess expert baseball and Phillies knowledge, capable of exploring the game beyond the boxscore. Statistical acumen, graphic design capability and blogging experience is a plus. Applicants with monetary expectations need not apply. Send inquiries to beerleaguer [<< at >>] gmail.com.

Thursday thread: Bottom line: Take your time

Pitching through pain compounded matters for closer Brad Lidge in 2009. The Phillies need to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Further details emerged yesterday on how Brad Lidge’s balky knee affected everything from the location of his fastball, to the reduced deception of a lower leg kick, to the speed of his delivery, and ultimately, the strength of his pitching elbow, which would eventually require offseason surgery.[Jim Salisbury offers a comprehensive take]. As the 33-year-old stopper addressed the media yesterday, the reasons behind one of worst single-season regressions in history couldn’t be clearer, yet it wasn’t long ago when his horrific season was shrouded in at least some degree of ambiguity. “He’s lost his mojo,” some speculated. Others assumed it was just another dip in his insufferably inconsistent career – which made him no different than many of his peers. In reading the various reports, some will be left wondering how his knee impacted his total inability to hold runners and the part where he completely melted once anyone reached base.

Consequently, only so much can be rationalized by the knee, but at the same time, it’s the one area the Phillies can control. The body needs time to heal and it hasn’t been long since Lidge went under the knife, which is why this passage from Salisbury’s piece is most encouraging news:

“Lidge quickly added that he will not rush back. If he and team officials believe he needs an extra handful of days before being activated, he will take that route. Lidge has a pretty good history taking that course. He had knee surgery early in spring training 2008, wasn’t activated until the sixth game of the season and went on to have a perfect season. ‘We’re going to be smart about it,’ Lidge said.”

"Being smart" means ignoring arbitrary goals like Opening Day or making X number of Grapefruit League starts. In essence, the Phillies had no closer last season and can go without one for a little while longer to ensure that he hits the ground running. The Phillies have gotten by with worse options than Ryan Madson and Danys Baez for short stretches (Antonio Alfonseca).

Taking plans B and C out for a spin may not be the worst thing in the world anyway.  

Stretching, jogging, long-tossing begins for Phillies

Pitchers and catchers kick into Clearwater today as they embark of six weeks of prancing about the warm weather. Meanwhile, fans back home haven’t seen their lawns since last Saturday, and if they attempted to prance about, would probably slip and fall. Many players arrived early, and why the hell not? Calisthenics, cocktail waitresses and the warm climate sure beats Philadelphia, where sunlight off the folding chairs glistens, and to Hurricane Schwartz we listen, only to hear a Septa bus spinning tires in the snow.

Spring training all but underway for pitchers, catchers

Most of the Phillies’ regulars and a few invitees have arrived in Clearwater, with several players throwing off the mound today, according to Twitter reports. In honor of the occasion, Beerleaguer provides a Twitter feed midway down on the right sidebar to track live reports and links from Scott Lauber, Todd Zolecki, David Murphy and the rest of the beat writing crew. Today’s biggest news via Twitter was the arrival of J.C. Romero, who told reporters that he has been medically cleared to throw at full strength by the second week of March. Lauber reports that among big league pitchers and catchers, only Jamie Moyer, Jose Contreras and Carlos Ruiz have not been spotted.

Phillies begin pursuit of out-of-options players

Free agent intrigue will evaporate as roster casualty season begins in a few short days for Ruben Amaro and the Phillies.

Tim Dierkes at MLBTradeRumors.com solicited beat writers around the league for a list of players who are out of options and have less than five years of service time. Once again, the Phillies are spared from the dilemma facing many teams this spring: whether to break camp with the best 25 players or outright promising players to the minors and risk losing them to waivers. Players who’ve exhausted their options would have to clear waivers before being sent to the minors. It does not apply to players signed to minor league deals. Clay Condrey was a good example of this process in 2007, when he made the club out of spring training, but was designated for assignment soon after and cleared waivers; the first of five demotions that Condrey dutifully accepted that season. That same spring, the Phils made a waiver claim of their own, acquiring hard-throwing right-hander Francisco Rosario, who was out of options and couldn’t make the cut with Toronto. (Spring is also a great time to leverage trades, which is how the Phillies came to acquire outfielder David Dellucci in 2006, a veteran who lost his spot in Texas and was swapped for Robinson Tejeda and Jake Blalock.)

Incidentally, Tejeda, who has been out of options since 2008, fits the mold of the type of player the Phillies will be monitoring in March. Looking over the MLBTR list, a couple of local guys jump out as possible fits. Left-hander Dan Meyer, who grew up in Swedesboro, N.J., needs to make the Marlins roster or go through the waiver process. Meanwhile, right-hander and Delaware native Ian Snell, who had been involved in previous Phillies rumors, may be on the outside looking in with Seattle and could fit the Phillies' need for starting depth.

To me, this is the great untold storyline of spring training, and the Phillies are typically very active participants in this process. The Phils have saved two openings on their 40-man roster. Expect one of them to filled in this manner. Be sure to check out the MLBTR list here.

New York writer lists Phillies among winter losers

New York Post baseball writer Joel Sherman sweats the small stuff, like possible regrets over issuing two-year deals to Brian Schneider and Ross Gload, in rebuking Ruben’s offseason. [Link]

Sherman lists the Phillies ninth, well behind the Dodgers, Royals and Mets, but right behind San Francisco, which retooled with Aubrey Huff and Mark DeRosa. Meanwhile on planet Earth, Phillies fans are finally starting to get revved up about the Roy Halladay reality, realizing they’ll watch one of the game’s best pitchers tear apart the National League through '13. Sherman and the rest of the national media have been banging the “Why not have both” drum for months, ignoring the Phillies’ hard budget cap, the need for bullpen, third base and bench improvements and the fact that they tried to trade Joe Blanton at the Winter Meetings. Oddly enough, Sherman lists Halladay himself as the offseason’s big winner, mentioning that he’ll finally have a legitimate shot at a title. (He mentions his three-year, $60 million extension, but neglects to call it the smartest pact made by any GM in baseball this winter.) Sherman pads the remainder of his column like so:

“Plus, I question if Placido Polanco can play third, whether Danys Baez provides real insurance if Brad Lidge is a dud again and whether Jose Contreras (ticketed for the bullpen) can provide rotation depth if needed. ...With that kind of outlay already, it is going to be tough to keep the uber-valuable Jayson Werth. Plus, players such as Raul Ibanez, Polanco, Ryan Madson, Baez, Brian Schneider and Ross Gload are tied up next year already, and the Phillies might just regret that.”

Added together, Baez, Schneider, Gload and Contreras will rake in the budget-busting total of $7 million, very manageable with the potential for high reward, particularly Baez and Contreras, whose value will come as inning eaters late in ballgames, not backing up Lidge or providing rotation depth, as Sherman suggests. Indeed, the Phillies may live to regret Polanco, but not for his glove.

But more than anything, he’s missing the big picture with Halladay. Teams stacked with pitching at the top of the rotation win, something the Phillies have guaranteed for years to come. Given Cole Hamels' 2009 recession, there would have been no guarantee if this deal hadn't been made. With Halladay's appearance on the cover of The Sporting News, along with Rich Hoffman's recent piece on his animal work ethic, fans are feeling fat and happy again, anticipating an easy waltz toward a fourth-consecutive division title, with the likelihood of more.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: UZR guest posting

Resident statistician Dr. Tom Goyne offers his insights into UZRgate.

Several nights ago, Phillies left fielder Raul Ibanez discussed the fielding statistic Ultimate Zone Rating on the MLB Network. Like a lot of players and managers who are asked about advanced statistics, he felt the statistic was inaccurate and unreliable. When asked about how his UZR improved greatly from 2008 to 2009 (-12.1 versus +8.0), Ibanez stated that the improvement mainly speaks to moving from expansive Safeco Field to the cozier Citizens Bank Park, allowing him to be in better position to get to some balls. As a matter of fact, Ibanez opinions are more consistent than his UZR as he espoused similar theories to the Seattle Times last year. [Link]

It's an interesting theory, and Raul could be partially right. Switching to a new organization may have made for improved positioning instruction during games. After all, Davy Lopes, the savvy base-running/first-base coach, also wears the outfield coach hat. Heck, even if Lopes is half as good at that job as he is at coaxing eight stolen bases out of Ryan Howard last year, it probably leads to pretty good positioning for the outfielders.

However, better positioning doesn't tell the whole story. UZR ratings are not like home run totals, they do not fluctuate based on the dimensions and wind patterns of the ball parks in the way that home run rates do. Once a players zone rating is calculated based on the percentage of balls he fielded that were hit into his zones, the zone rating is then adjusted for ball speed, the handedness of the hitter, the ground ball/fly ball ratio of the pitcher, the base runner and outs situation, and yes, park factors. The rating is then converted into runs based on a run expectancy chart.

While positioning -- and not park factors -- likely account of some of the improvement in Raul's UZR ratings, a large part of the fluctuation probably has to do with the bugaboo of all statistics: sample size.

Sample size is to statistics what location is to real estate and it always, always, always has to be considered. To put things in perspective, while Ibanez has 5,866 career plate appearances which lead to a pretty good understanding of his batting prowess, he only has 1,865 chances as an outfielder (316 in 2008, 224 in 2009). Less than two thousand chances over a 13-season career is a pretty small sample size, and therefore, should be looked at with a skeptical eye since it's quite susceptible to year-to-year variations. So yes, Raul should be somewhat wary of fielding statistics, but not as much as he thinks and certainly not for the reasons he thinks.

Tom Goyne authors Balls, Sticks & Stuff and is a contributor to the Phillies 2010 Annual from Maple Street Press, which hits newsstands March 2. Raul Ibanez is one of his favorite Phillies.

Transactions: Phillies sign 1B Martinez, C Farkes

Baseball America has released the latest minor league signings with the Phillies picking up a pair of players you haven't read about: Double-A first baseman Gabriel Martinez and former Harvard star Zak Farkes.

Martinez, 26, spent last season with Chattanooga (Dodgers), where he hit .296/.372/.458 with nine home runs. For a time during the early part of the decade, Martinez, who bats from the left side, showed some real promise as a young amateur signing by the Rays, but started spinning his tires once he hit Double-A. In nine seasons, he's a .284/.353/.434 hitter, never making it past Double-A. Some of his best accomplishments have come internationally, playing a vital role for Puerto Rico in the '08 Americas Cup. He spent this past winter with Ponce of the PWL, hitting .232 in 82 at bats. Look for Martinez to fill an infield/outfield corner role in Reading this season.

Zak Farkes, who had a brilliant collegiate career at Harvard and grew up a Red Sox fan, was released by the Sox in June after posting a .226/.270/.387 at Class-A Salem. Here's a scouting report on the 26-year-old Bostonian, courtesy of SoxProspects.com: "Good, smart athlete. Originally played second, third, and first base in the organization, but was converted to a catcher in 2006. The conversion wasn't great, and Farkes now spends time at each of those positions. Below average speed, some power. Aggressive hitter. A lifelong Red Sox fan. Farkes is the type of player that could stick around the organization for a while because of his versatility, his intelligence, his strong clubhouse presence."

Baseball America also noted the signings of Oscar Villarreal and John Purdom, who were reported on previously. Meanwhile, a pair of former IronPigs infielders, Angel Chavez and J.J. Furmaniak, have linked up with the Tampa Bay chain.

Friday: Ex-Phillie non-roster invitee all-star team

An annual tradition on Beerleaguer, enjoy this unofficial list of former Phillies trying to make a good first, and in many cases, last impression beginning next week.

RHP Alfredo Simon, Baltimore; RHP Edwin Moreno, Boston; OF Josh Kroeger, White Sox; LHP Bruce Chen, Kansas City; RHP Francisco Rosario, Kansas City; RHP Zach Segovia, Yankees; LHP Cedrick Bowers, Oakland; INF Adrian Cardenas, Oakland; OF Michael Taylor, Oakland; RHP Mike Koplove, Seattle; INF Chris Woodward, Seattle; LHP R.J. Swindle, Tampa Bay; RHP Geoff Geary, Texas; INF Ray Olmedo, Texas; RHP Kyle Drabek, Toronto; RHP Steven Register, Toronto; C Travis d’Arnaud, Toronto; INF Jesus Merchan, Toronto; OF Jorge Padilla, Toronto; RHP Rodrigo Lopez, Arizona; INF Joe Thurston, Atlanta; OF Bobby Scales, Cubs; RHP Justin Lehr, Cincinnati; INF Miguel Cairo, Cincinnati; RHP Derrick Turnbow, Florida; LHP Gustavo Chacin, Houston; RHP Gary Majewski, Houston; RHP Justin Miller, Dodgers; OF Michael Restovich, Dodgers; LHP Travis Blackley, Mets; LHP Bobby Livingston, Mets; INF Mike Cervenak, Mets; LHP Jack Taschner, Pirates; OF Matt Stairs, San Diego; INF Eric Bruntlett, Nationals.

Beerleaguer: Quick note: Not everyone on this list took the field for the Phillies or their affiliates, like Restovich, for example, signed a minor league deal then opted for Japan. I know I’m missing someone, too; Brian Smith from the Reading Eagle mentioned who it was the other day, but I forgot his name; someone who was in the low minors. See if you can find him [Link]

From a Phillies standpoint, Gas Can is perhaps the most accomplished ex-member of the hometown nine, spending parts of five seasons with the club. He’s battling to keep his head above water these days, but for a time, the no-stuff right-hander did more with less until his command started to fail him in 2007 and he was demoted (when Geary was bad, he was brutal to watch). He had a pretty decent season for Houston two years ago, but found himself back in the minors in ’09, followed by time on the DL.

One of the more interesting names on this list is right-hander Justin Lehr, who began '09 as Lehigh Valley roster fill and was sold to the Reds mid-season. He ended up starting 11 games in place of another ex-Phillie, Matt Maloney, and pitched quite well. He’s in the hunt for Cincinnati’s fifth-starter job this spring.

Update: Brian Smith says I'm missing three: RHP Jean Machi (Pittsburgh), who pitched for Batavia in the New York Penn League in 2003, C Adam Donachie (Baltimore), who was the Rule 5 pick the Phils traded to Baltimore for Alfredo Simon, and C Michael Hernandez (Baltimore) who caught for Scranton at some point. Good to know someone has a worse sickness than I do.

Thursday: UZR digs Raul, but Raul doesn’t dig UZR

Yesterday on MLB Network’s 'Hot Stove,' Phillies outfielder Raul Ibanez discussed ultimate zone rating, Fangraphs.com’s defensive metric that’s recently stirred up controversy on Beerleaguer.

UZR measures the number of runs above or below average a fielder is in both range runs, outfield arm runs, double play runs and error runs combined. Historically, Ibanez has ranked among the game's worst left fielders the last three years, but in a shocking twist, was rated as one of the best this season, while several renowned glovemen, including Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino, rated poorly. Raul told the network he isn't that big of a fan of the stat, saying the discrepancy speaks to moving from Safeco Field to Citizens Bank Park, allowing him to be in better position to get to some balls. Careful not to offend sabermatricians, Raul suggested that he didn't trust UZR because it is reliant on guys monitoring games on television. The merits of UZR have caused a cavernous divide among Beerleaguer in recent days. After learning about the interview, Beerleaguers sounded off.

“So, basically Raul has a full understanding of UZR then. Good for him. At least he's honest about his own defense (which was better than I expected to be honest). I assumed he'd be an older Pat Burrell.” – NEPP

“Raul is a stats wonk. Who knew? Totally right about UZR with defensive positioning being yet another outside factor the stat doesn't account for. I'm guessing Raul was weighing in on this issue on yesterday's thread. Wonder what his handle is?” – clout

“The positioning issue in UZR is without a doubt one of its primary limitations. I never had a chance to comment on this yesterday, but I wonder if the down UZR for Vic and Werth last year had something to do with different positioning than they used to have with Burrell out there. People often suggest that UZR loves Utley, which it does a lot, due to his great positioning; I wonder if some sort of opposite effect was impacting Vic and Werth while potentially helping Raul.” – Phillies Red

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Wang to Washington?

Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports via Twitter that free agent pitcher Chien-Ming Wang, who had been in the Phillies' sights, will soon sign with the Nationals. The 29-year-old right-hander was non-tendered by the Yankees in December after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. He isn't expected to be ready to join Washington's rotation until May.

Update: According to FoxSports Ken Rosenthal, Wang has received an offer from another unidentified team and will make his final decision in a week to 10 days. That offer could be from any number of teams, including the Dodgers, Mets, Orioles, or possibly the Phillies, who are still looking for another low-cost, back-end starter.

Phillies should hold their ground until need arises

Excited by the prospect of turning left-hander Antonio Bastardo loose in the bullpen, and unclear on Kyle Kendrick's ability and Jamie Moyer's status, the Phillies would be well served to hold off on signing second-rate scrubs.

Ruben Amaro says the Phillies are constantly keeping their eyes peeled on ways to improve the ballclub, but if there was ever a time to catch a little shut-eye, now is the time. It’s been another active, well-rounded offseason by the second-year GM. The only thing left is to see how the questions will be answered once pitchers start throwing, approximately eight days, three hours and 21 minutes from now.

Indeed, pitching depth qualifies as the main concern, but isn’t that always the case? This isn’t a Phillies-specific issue. At this late stage of the signing season, clubs have reached a consensus on the pitchers that will make a difference, and those who won’t. Or, in the case of Chan Ho Park, they’ve concluded that his expectations need to be knocked down a peg or two. The Phillies are dangling only minor league contracts at this point, including reported offers to Ron Mahay and Alan Embree. It’s what they offered Scott Eyre before he retired, and it’s what they wanted to give Will Ohman last season; Ohman is still unsigned and falls into a deep lefty pool that also includes Ron Villone and Scott Shoeneweis. Of the remaining left-handers, only Joe Beimel stands a chance of getting a Major League deal somewhere, but he’s rapidly deteriorating. They're all the same, more or less. They even look the same.

The Phillies have shown no desperate need for additional relief or starting pitching. Amaro is excited by what he sees from Antonio Bastardo, who pitched well this winter. Meanwhile, Amaro, who is still looking for another low-cost, bac-kend starter, says the team’s expectations and Pedro Martinez’s expectations aren’t a match, meaning, the Phils disagree with the three-time Cy Young winner when he says he has a full season left in his tank.

Spring training is a nearly two-month process, three if you include the entire warm-up month of April. It’s typically a very active period for the Phillies, spent scavenging for roster casualties (think Rudy Seanez two years ago). By late May, the Phillies will know who they are and what they need. By then, at least a few teams will start transitioning into sell mode and a new set of options will open up.

Time to pack up the gear, head south to Clearwater and call it an off-season.

Morning thread: Phillies debunk Japanese signings

Old business: Contrary to Friday’s report by Japan’s Daily Sports Online, the Phillies have not reach agreements with Japanese relievers Shigetoshi Yamakita and Naoyo Okamoto, according to a Phillies spokesman. Yamakita and Okamoto pitched in the Yokohama BayStars farm system last season, so if the signings don’t come to fruition, it’s no great loss for the Phillies. By way of new business, it was a quiet weekend for baseball with the sports world overshadowed by yesterday’s Super Bowl. But if you’re looking for a fresh Phillies perspective, dajafi of the Good Phight explores the notion idea of the Phillies “Trading Up” with new acquisitions based on Baseball Prospectus’ VORP metric. 'Tis the season for 2010 stat projections. Check it out here.

Phillies hire two lefties off Japanese taxi squad

Relievers Shigetoshi Yamakita, 32, and Naoyo Okamoto, 26, spent last season with Shonen Searex, which sounds like a college rock band from the 80s, but is actually the farm team of the Yokohama BayStars.

Beerleaguer: Always wanted the Phillies to try something like this to see if they could catch lighting in a bottle with quirky Japanese lefties based on the power of confusion. Guys like right-hander Takashi Saito and lefty Hideki Okajima were good, but weren't exactly setting the world on fire in Japan before rising to fame across the pond. Nevertheless, these relievers aren't really comparable. Yamakita, the elder of the pair, has assembled a 9-year career career as a middling loogy in Japan, last appearing in 2008. In 193 1-3 career innings, he's 5-6 with a 5.03 ERA and 153/77 K/BB ratio. With Shonen in 2009, where he was briefly teammates with former Phillie Les Walrond, he appeared in 30 games with a 2.67 ERA. Meanwhile, the younger Okamoto has pitched sparingly in parts of five seasons with Yokohama, appearing in only 10 games with an ERA north of 11 and his last appearance occurring in 2007. In 2009 with Shonen, he pitched in 19 games to the tune of a 5.28 ERA.

As one reader on NBPTracker.com put it, "the Phillies have been pretty good recently, so maybe they can afford to add two players contaminated with the 'BayStars Stench of Losing.'"

Phillies outfielder steals win for Dominican Republic

Several past and present Phillies factored heavily in yesterday’s Caribbean Series.

Outfielder Freddy Guzman, who was signed to a minor league deal recently, stole home in the seventh inning for the eventual winning run in the Dominican’s 3-2 victory over Venezuela. The speedy outfielder finished 1-for-2 with three stolen bases, helping the D.R. improve to 3-0 in the round-robin tournament. In the opposite dugout, infielder Luis Maza, who was signed in recent days, went 1-for-4. Earlier in the day, former Reading Phillie Randy Ruiz led Puerto Rico’s assault on 2007 Phillies Rule 5 pick Travis Blackley in a 5-3 victory over Mexico. Former Phillie Chris Roberson went 2-for-5,leading off in a losing cause and improving to 5-for-16 in the Series. Both Blackley and Roberson spent 2009 with Reno of the Pacific Coast League.

Transactions: The Phillies have signed John Purdom to a minor league deal. The 28-year-old catcher spent 2009 with Triple-A New Orleans (Florida) and also Camden and York of the independent Atlantic League. Over six seasons of mostly Double-A service, he’s a .247/.320/.335 hitter. Look for him lined up along a fence with a dozen other Phillies catchers in 12 days.

Helpful link: Unless I've been missing it, I think this is new; MLB finally created a page that sorts winter ball stats by parent club affiliation: [Link]

Breaking news: Phillies sign reliever Oscar Villarreal

There are conflicting reports on whether he will be invited to spring training, but it is believed to be a minor league deal for the right-handed reliever, who missed 2009 recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Villarreal, 28, posted a 5.02 ERA (84 ERA+) in 37 2-3 innings of work for the Astros in 2008, coming over in a trade that sent outfielder Josh Anderson to Atlanta. A veteran of six seasons, he’s had several very good years, including a strong rookie season in 2003 with Arizona, then two good years following elbow surgery in 2006-07 as a member of the Atlanta Braves. Ed Wade and the Astros designated him for assignment just three months into a two-year, $2.85 million contract in 2008. In between Houston and Kansas City, Seattle signed him and assigned him to Triple-A Tacoma, but he was released after a few weeks. A native of Mexico, he’s 24-15 with a 3.86 ERA (116 ERA+) with a 236/135 K/BB ratio over 336 big-league innings. Villarreal latched on with Kansas City before last season, but never made it onto the field. When healthy, Villarreal’s success has generally come in lower-leverage frames. As of this writing, Scott Lauber believes the deal does not include an invite to major league camp this spring, but several outlets, including Todd Zolecki and Rotoworld, believe he’ll be invited. The Red Sox, Cubs, Diamondbacks and Rockies were also monitoring him, according to reports. According to AOL's Ed Price, who has been tracking Villarreal, the right-hander was clocked at 89-90 in last week's scouting sessions.

Beerleaguer: Strong selection from baseball's bargain bin. Impressive off-season for Amaro in how he's stretched his dollar to address certain areas like the bench and bullpen. Considering the timetable for Tommy John recovery, the Phillies are likely hoping Villarreal can help their club during the dog days of summer, once fatigue starts setting into the bullpen. (Ed Price of AOL's Fanhouse said the surgery occurred nine months ago). One can never have enough experienced pitching. Like Jose Contreras, Villarreal has potential to be a nice late-season sleeper for the Phils.

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Transactions: Phillies sign INF Luis Maza, 3 others

Second baseman Luis Maza, right-hander Brian Gordon, left-hander Brian Mazone and outfielder Freddy Guzman, who we reported on yesterday, have been added to the Phillies’ farm system.

Maza, 29, brings 11 seasons of minor league experience to the Phillies organization after spending the last three years with the Dodgers, including a three-month stay in Los Angeles between May and July in 2008, where he hit .228/.282/.278 in support of an ailing Rafael Furcal. He was originally signed by the Twins as a teenager in Venezuela, the land of utility infielders, and spent most of his career in the Minnesota system. He spent all of 2009 with Triple-A Albuquerque, where he hit .300/.340/.428 with 5 homers in 344 plate appearances. In 11 seasons, he’s a .285/.347/.418 hitter batting from the right side, adopting a super-utility role. (Good little signing; the Phillies have almost no home-grown middle infielders of note and Maza can plug some holes.)

Gordon, a 31-year-old right-handed reliever, is a converted outfielder who earned a cup of coffee with the Rangers at the tail-end of the 2008 season. His minor league journey began as a 7th round selection by the Diamondbacks in the 1997 draft and has included stops with the Angels, Astros and Rangers. He spent 2009 with the Oklahoma City RedHawks of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, going 7-3 with a 3.49 ERA and 51/22 K/BB ratio in 43 games.

Mazone, 33, is the cosummate Beerleaguer and will begin his fifth season with the Phillies. The junk-ball left-hander nearly earned an emergency start for the Phillies in 2006, but his chance was foiled by foul weather. After trying to catch on in the Pacific Coast League, Mazone was traded from the Dodgers back to the Phillies midway through 2009, going 2-6 with a 3.50 ERA in 11 starts with Lehigh Valley. His claim-to-fame is that for a couple seasons, he was among the International League leaders in ERA, going 13-3 with a 2.03 ERA in 20 starts with Scranton/WB in 2006. He’s also seen action in the independent Western League, Northern League and Samsung of Korea.

For more on Guzman, see the previous thread.

International notes: A couple of ex-Phillies have become globetrotters. Oklahoma native Les Walrond (Phillies, ‘08) played in Japan in ’09 and has signed with Doosan in Korea for ‘10. Meanwhile, Yoel Hernandez of Venezuela (Phillies ‘07) played in Mexico ‘08 and ’09 and has signed with Nettuno of the Italian League for ‘10.

Twitter thoughts: If I had my druthers, I'd never hear Ruben Amaro Jr. say "if I had my druthers" again. For more useless thoughts like these, follow me on Twitter. http://twitter.com/beerleaguer

Phillies may have themselves a new outfielder

Right-hander Jason Standridge, who Beerleaguers read about earlier, and outfielder Freddy Guzman, who Beerleaguers have not, will represent the D.R. in the Caribbean Series, beginning today.

If MLB.com’s roster information is correct, than the Phillies have signed outfielder Freddy Guzman, 29, who saw action last season as a member of the New York Yankees. A veteran of eight minor league seasons and parts of four big league seasons with San Diego, Texas and New York, the outfielder is known for his blazing speed, swiping 443 bags over an eight-year minor league career. Guzman, who was outrighted to the minors in November and elected free agency, was a late-season call-up for Joe Girardi’s club, appearing in 10 games and going 1-for-7. Before that, he spent the early season with four –count ‘em—four Triple-A teams: Norfolk (Bal.), Tacoma (Sea.), Pawtucket (Bos.) and Scranton/WB (NYY). He’s a career .211/.255/.274 hitter in 102 plate appearances at the big-league level dating back to 2004 and a .270/.344/.360 hitter over eight minor league seasons. Scouting reports say the versatile outfielder possesses plus-plus speed (obviously), a great ability to bunt, plus range, but a below-average arm. (Hat tip to Kevin at Macho Row for spotting the addition).

Note: Nothing has been officially announced, other than MLB.com listing the Phillies as Guzman’s parent club. [Link]

Tuesday: Phils express ‘moderate’ interest in Lowry

Left-hander Noah Lowry, 29, was expected to throw before Major League scouts today, the Phillies among them, but postponed his session to allow more time to prepare.

Lowry posted a 40-31 record and 4.03 ERA (109 ERA+) over five seasons with the Giants, going 14-8 with a 3.92 ERA (114 ERA+) in his last healthy season in 2007. He’s missed the last two seasons battling thoracic outlet syndrome in his forearm, a rare disorder, stemming from elbow and forearm issues that he believes the Giants misdiasgnosed. The Red Sox, Cardinals, Dodgers, Mariners, Cubs, Nationals and Mets, along with the Phillies, were expected to watch Lowry pitch. Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. described their interest as “moderate” to the Philadelphia Daily News.

Beerleaguer: What a steal it would be if can make it back. Lowry looked like the real deal for short while and a top-of-the-rotation starter in 2005, striking out 172 that season. He brings good breaking stuff, so even when he was walking the house during his injury-plagued final seasons in San Francisco, he's effective enough to keep runs off the board. Odds are he burned out his arm in his early 20s, but it’s easy to see why the Phillies would go for this. They’ll pluck a former first-rounder off the scrap pile each and every time, hoping that for every three Kris Bensons they’ll find a Jayson Werth. Obviously, this would be a high-risk signing, and teams like the Mets may be in better position to meet his expectations, but what’s not to like about a 29-year-old lefty with difference-making talent and a burning hunger to taste success again?