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Wednesday: Has Howard been neutralized for good?

Ryan Howard, who posted a pedestrian .859 OPS, saw fewer strikes and less fastballs than at any point in his career. Opposing pitchers will have even less incentive to test him now that Jayson Werth has moved on.

It's funny how role players like Antonio Bastardo and Wilson Valdez dominate the offseason discussion while a centerpiece like Howard can go months and months without getting his own thread. A couple of factors are at play. First, Beerleaguer proudly enables obsessed weirdos to get their fix of Phillies minutiae they can't obtain anywhere else. Secondly, if you're like me, you've settled into the very early stages of trepidation about the five-year, $125 million blockbuster contract that Howard signed in April. With his season cut short by about 80 plate appearances, he hit .276/.353/.505 with 31 homers and 108 RBIs, bottoming out to five-year-lows in both categories. At $25 million a season, Howard only lived up to about a third of it, according to the dollar measure applied by Fangraphs.com.

Nevertheless, fans seemed generally "okay" with Howard's season, citing improved plate discipline, better numbers again left-handed pitching, fewer strikeouts and an all-around steady campaign in which he avoided his trademark slumps. But I question whether these changes were for the best, or to be frank, whether these changes existed at all.

Numbers show that Howard saw fewer strikes than ever before, only 41.6 percent,  a career low, but it's an obstacle not unlike what other sluggers like Prince Fielder, Adam Dunn and Josh Hamilton face on a regular basis. All three, and nine others, saw even fewer strikes than Howard, according to Fangraphs. The difference with Howard this season, as opposed to previous seasons, is that he improved his ability to connect on balls out of the zone to the tune of 48 percent, a career high and a six percent jump over 2009. Unfortunately, he also swung at more pitches out of the zone than ever before: 33.1 percent, almost six percent higher than his previous high. What's more, he kept the bat on his shoulder for called strikes more than ever, swinging at a career-low 68.4 percent of balls in the zone - not including the infamous called third that ended the Phillies' season for good.

Objectivity is often in short order when it comes to discussing Howard. That's why it's good to fall back on these types of stats. Subjectively, I wonder if the league has finally put the clamps on him by simply avoiding his power. I've often thought that Howard can only get hot if the opposition allows him to do it. Early in his career, he'd fall into deep, well-documented slumps, and it was as if opponents would fall asleep on him, test him with strikes and he'd suddenly go on a tear. Or, as was the case in no fewer than two Septembers, he'd feast on a steady diet of mediocre, lame-duck, right-handed starting pitching late in the season.

I wonder about Howard, and I fear that opponents can really put the screws to him now that Werth is out of the picture. (Getty Images)

Valdez, Martinez flashing power in round robin play

Utility infielder Wilson Valdez and Rule 5 pick Michael Martinez have homered in the opening stages of the Dominican Winter League playoffs.

Valdez's two-run homer in the first inning sparked the Gigantes' 11-7 victory on Sunday. The 32-year-old utilityman followed with a 2-for-5 effort last night against Martinez's Estrellas club. Martinez is also off to a hot start out of the lead-off spot for Estrellas, homering and knocking in a pair in last night's ballgame. Valdez is a near lock to break camp this spring as the Phillies primary utilityman, while the versitile Martinez, a switch-hitter with speed who can play middle infield and also centerfield, will be an intriguing candidate to head north as the last man off the bench.

Romero's deal reportedly worth $1.35M base

Randy Miller, beat writer for the Bucks County Courier-Times, was the first to share J.C. Romero's desire to return to Philadelphia, and is the first to nail down some particulars about the offer he accepted on Christmas Eve.

Miller tweets that Romero's deal is for one year and will be worth $1.35 million, pending a January physical, and could become $1.75 million through bonuses. Miller says Romero will earn $150,000 if he spends 25 or fewer days on the disabled list and an additional $250,000 if he pitches in over 65 games. The left-hander appeared in 60 games in 2010 after missing most of April recovering from offseason elbow surgery. Romero, who is spending the offseason in Puerto Rico, is expected to return to Philadelphia in early January for a physical, Miller writes. He also noted that Romero, who earned $4 million last season and received a $250,000 buyout of his $4.5 million 2011 option, had hoped to earn $2 million out on the open market, but the addition of Cliff Lee pushed him toward returning to Philadelphia at a lesser rate. (Getty Images)

Breaking news: Phillies free J.C. from free agency

CSNPhilly.com colleague Leslie Gudel provides some breaking news on this snowy, football-less Sunday night. Left-hander J.C. Romero is coming back. (Getty Images)

More than two months after the Phillies declined J.C. Romero's $4.5 million option, the club has decided to bring him back at what is likely to be a much lesser rate. Romero, 34, went 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA and 28/29 K/BB in 60 games last season, roughly the same numbers posted by the Phillies original choice for this position, Dennys Reyes, whose deal fell through earlier this month. This will be Romero's fifth tour with the Phils after originally signing off waivers midway through the 2007 season. No word yet on the value of this deal, but it's likely to be somewhere in the $1.25 million range based on the deal originally agreed upon with Reyes, who allegedly flunked his physical. Romero missed significant time with elbow problems, underwent surgery and served a 50-game suspension for performance enhancing drugs, all in the last two years. Although he's walked more batters than he's whiffed over that span, he can still cause headaches for left-handed hitters and was able to stay healthy throughout most of the season.

Beerleaguer: At the very least, the situational lefty issue is off their plate. With a heavily fortified rotation, bullpen and the possible emergence of Antonio Bastardo as a complimentary, or even a primary, piece, the Phillies realized the shoe fits with Romero, who twirled 36 2-3 reasonably bearable innings last season and won't be asked to do much more than that. From last week's reports, it didn't like Romero intended to drive a hard bargain. He also admitted that he's seen better days and was eager to return to a comfortable situation.

There's a pretty good chance that Romero will experience his third-straight year of decline. If that's the case, the Phillies can always trade for help midseason if Bastardo doesn't pick up the slack. If Bastardo does emerge, Romero could be a terrific second lefty.

Winter ball: Naylor makes Australian League debut

Beerleaguer spans the globe for the latest from the winter leagues.

Right-hander and Brisbane native Drew Naylor allowed two runs over two innings in his Australian Winter League debut, which occurred at the wee hours of the EST morning. The 24-year-old right-hander went 12-10 with a 4.63 ERA for Reading and is on the Phillies 40-man roster.  … In Mexico, Phillies catching prospect Sebastian Valle contributed a three-run double in Mochis’ 16-2 rout over Hermosillo. … Heading south to Venezuela, left-hander Sergio Escalona is still putting in work and has lowered his ERA to 4.97. However, his fellow countrymen – middle infielders Cesar Hernandez, Fidel Hernandez, Harold Garcia and Freddy Galvis – have seen their playing time reduced to a trickle; Gavlis hasn’t appeared since early November. Cesar Hernandez, Garcia and Galvis are all protected on the Phillies' 40-man. ... Bouncing to the Dominican Republic, Wilson Valdez is hitting .279 (12-for-43) for Cibao, but has yet to connect for extra bases (.279 slugging). He has not played since Saturday. Elsewhere in the DR, Rule 5 pick Michael Martinez hasn’t played since the Dec. 15, David Herndon has not appeared since Dec. 8 and Antonio Bastardo was shut down after Nov. 30. Left-handed reliever Juan Perez, a non-roster invitee for this coming spring, has appeared in 24 games, with a 5.27 ERA to show for it. ... On the transaction front, the Phillies released Felix Cespedes.

Heavily fortified Phillies positioned to take risks

A lights-out rotation will allow the Phillies to experiment with their fifth starter, the bullpen and in other areas.

Halfway through yesterday’s J.C. Romero update, it occurred to me that the rest of the baseball world cares little about whether or not the Phillies secure Romero or any of the other remaining retreads. If the Phils do nothing else all winter, they’ll still be the odds-on favorite to win the World Series. Outsiders would need a microscope to expose the blemishes Beerleaguer has monotonously dissected since the end of the season. Perhaps it’s time to digress and reconsider, or, to put it bluntly, stop being a whiny little bitch. The Phillies just signed Cliff Lee. How much more can they possibly retool, knowing that nothing is certain? Knowing there’s always a Cody Ross poised to morph into Babe Ruth?

If anything, we can all agree that, eventually, youth must be served. It’s a luxury few teams can afford while simultaneously chasing down a title. I think we can all agree that the Phillies have lost a half-step. Fortunately, they're positioned to inject youth into “non-essential” areas. For example, they can either roll the dice with an aging free agent specialist like Romero, or finally see what Antonio Bastardo can offer. It’s arguably the biggest risk the Phils stand to take, and the poorest example of the point I’m trying to make (Adding a bargain-basement lefty like Dennys Reyes to compliment Bastardo made a lot of sense). The better examples are in back of the rotation and in the middle-inning role that Chad Durbin has filled for the last three years. How long can the Phillies allow these types of pitchers – Kyle Kendrick, Vance Worley, David Herndon, Scott Mathieson, Justin De Fratus – to bubble up to the surface? That’s why it’s obvious to me that it's time to move on from Durbin. Offensively, the Phillies were never serious about keeping Jayson Werth and shopped him this summer, all because they felt comfortable with Domonic Brown’s future and the idea that an inaugural platoon with Ben Francisco would bring out the best in both of them.

‘Tis the season for optimism. After all, we've already seen that holiday miracles can happen ...

Transaction: Jesus Sanchez, 23, has signed a minor league deal with the Brewers. He was released by the Phillies during the Winter Meetings to clear room on the 40-man roster. A converted catcher, Sanchez, the last remaining piece of the 2006 Bobby Abreu deal, was 9-7 with a 2.99 ERA for Clearwater.

Hot stove report: Phillies have contacted Romero

J.C. Romero tells Bucks County Courier-Times scribe Randy Miller that his agent had engaged in contract discussions with the Phillies before the team decided on Dennys Reyes. But now the Reyes deal is off. [Link]

Romero, who’s spending the winter in Puerto Rico, said he’d welcome a return to Philadelphia if the Phillies would have him back. "Maybe this is a door that opens for me to go back to Philly," said Romero, commenting on the Reyes situation. "I hope so. My family loves it in Philly. I love it in Philly. I hope it works out and I can be back there. I felt they were closing the door for me when they signed Dennys, but everything happens for a reason." Romero also suggested that he’d accept a much lesser deal than the generous contract he received from the Phillies in 2007. "You have to understand that I'm not asking for $4 million," Romero said. "That's what I made at my best. It's not like I'm expensive right now."

Romero, 34, posted a 3.68 ERA and 28/29 K/BB ratio in 32 2-3 innings (60 appearances) last season, comparable numbers to Reyes, who also missed time with injury. Miller notes that with Pedro Feliciano’s reported pact with the Yankees, the lefty free agent pool has dwindled to Joe Beimel, Brian Fuentes, Randy Flores, Mark Hendrickson, Ron Mahay, Will Ohman, Hideki Okajima, Arthur Rhodes and Romero.

Monday moves: Flande hooks on with Atlanta

Just when you thought it was impossible for the Phillies to upstage the Eagles for a second-straight week, the hometown nine indirectly does it again. Left-hander Yohan Flande, who was protected on the Phillies’ 40-man roster last season, has signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves and has been invited to Spring Training. Flande, 24, was released along with right-hander Jesus Sanchez to clear room for Rule 5 pick Michael Martinez and the other guy the Phillies picked up last week. Flande, who has drawn comparisons to Eude Brito on this space, went 10-8 with a 4.38 ERA in 27 starts for Double-A Reading and pitched in the 2009 Futures Game.

Remaining free agent open thread extravaganza

For your viewing pleasure, a list of the remaining free agents as of Saturday, courtesy of the Associated Press:

NATIONAL LEAGUE: Arizona: Kris Benson, rhp; Mike Hampton; lhp; Aaron Heilman, rhp; Adam LaRoche, 1b; Rodrigo Lopez, rhp; Brandon Webb, rhp; Atlanta: Rick Ankiel, of; Kyle Farnsworth, rhp; Troy Glaus, 1b; Derrek Lee, 1b; Cincinnati: Willie Bloomquist, of; Orlando Cabrera, ss; Jim Edmonds, of; Mike Lincoln, rhp; Arthur Rhodes, lhp; Russ Springer, rhp; Colorado: Joe Beimel, lhp; Octavio Dotel, rhp; Jeff Francis, lhp; Jason Giambi, 1b; Jay Payton, of; Florida: Will Ohman, lhp; Jorge Sosa, rhp; Chad Tracy, 3b; Houston: Brian Moehler, rhp; Los Angeles: Brad Ausmus, c; Reed Johnson, c; Scott Podsednik, of; Jeff Weaver, rhp; Milwaukee: David Bush, rhp; Chris Capuano, lhp; Craig Counsell, ss; Doug Davis, lhp; Trevor Hoffman, rhp; Gregg Zaun, c; New York: Elmer Dessens, rhp; Kelvim Escobar, rhp; Pedro Feliciano (Pictured), lhp; Fernando Tatis, inf-of; Philadelphia: Chad Durbin, rhp; J.C. Romero, lhp; Mike Sweeney, 1b; Pittsburgh: Chan Ho Park, rhp; St. Louis: Pedro Feliz, 3b; Jason LaRue, c; Mike MacDougal, rhp; Aaron Miles, 2b; Brad Penny, rhp; Dennys Reyes, lhp; Jeff Suppan, rhp; Randy Winn, of; San Diego: David Eckstein, 2b; Jerry Hairston Jr., ss; Chris Young, rhp; San Francisco: Jose Guillen, of; Guillermo Mota, rhp; Edgar Renteria, ss; Washington: Miguel Batista, rhp; Willie Harris, of; Adam Kennedy, 2b; Kevin Mench, of.

AMERICAN LEAGUE: Baltimore: Mark Hendrickson, lhp; Julio Lugo, 2b; Kevin Millwood, rhp; Corey Patterson, of; Boston: Adrian Beltre, 3b; Bill Hall, 2b; Felipe Lopez, 3b; Mike Lowell, 1b; Chicago: Freddy Garcia, rhp; Andruw Jones, of; Mark Kotsay, dh; Manny Ramirez; of; Detroit: Jeremy Bonderman, rhp; Johnny Damon, of; Bobby Seay, lhp; Kansas City: Bruce Chen, lhp; Los Angeles: Scot Shields, rhp; Minnesota: Randy Flores, lhp; Brian Fuentes, lhp; Orlando Hudson, 2b; Ron Mahay, lhp; Carl Pavano, rhp; Nick Punto, 3b, Jon Rauch, rhp; Jim Thome, dh; New York: Nick Johnson, dh; Austin Kearns (pictured), of; Chad Moeller, c; Andy Pettitte, lhp; Marcus Thames, dh; Oakland: Eric Chavez, 3b; Justin Duchscherer, rhp; Ben Sheets, rhp; Seattle: Josh Bard, c; Russell Branyan, 1b; Chris Woodward, ss; Jamey Wright, rhp; Tampa Bay: Rocco Baldelli, dh; Grant Balfour, rhp; Brad Hawpe, of; Gabe Kapler, of; Chad Qualls, rhp; Rafael Soriano, rhp; Texas: Jorge Cantu, inf; Vladimir Guerrero, dh; Cristian Guzman, inf; Bengie Molina, c; Toronto: Kevin Gregg, rhp; Miguel Olivo, c.

Winter league update: Valle catches fire in Mexico

Sebastian Valle, rated as the sixth-best prospect in the Phillies chain by Baseball America last week, is on a tear in the Mexican Winter League. Over his last four games, the 20-year-old backstop is 8-for-16 with four homers and 10 RBIs. The Los Mochis native is slugging .504 this winter following a season in which he hit .255/.298/.430 with 16 homers for Low-A Lakewood. Baseball America believes he has the tools to not only hit for power, but also play good defense.

Breaking news: Reyes deal falls apart

According to sources for CSNPhilly.com insider Jim Salisbury, left-handed reliever Dennys Reyes and the Phillies are no longer a match. Salisbury tweets that the two sides have "parted ways." The two sides reportedly agreed to a one-year contract worth $1.1 million with a 2012 mutual option for $1.35 million last Thursday. Reyes has had knee problems in the past and pitched through elbow soreness in the second half of 2010, posting a 3.55 ERA in 59 appearances for the Cards. The fallout leaves the Phillies still searching for a left-handed reliever. More later as details emerge ...

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Tracy lands in the desert

Andy Tracy, the greatest hitter in the short history of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, has caught on with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 37-year-old first baseman has spent the last three seasons in Allentown, hitting .275/.373/.492 with 21 homers in 2010, right in line with his three-year average. Tracy, who appeared in 14 games with the Phillies between 2008-09, was denied a September call-up this time around and reportedly cut his minor league season short (Who can blame him?). With a few breaks, he could be on Arizona's bench. … Now that the dust has settled on the Cliff Lee extravaganza, what else should we be watching? Chad Durbin met with the Phillies at the Winter Meetings and is still available. Follow-up reports suggested that the talks were positive. Meanwhile, J.C. Romero will not be back with the club under any circumstance, I've read. His name has surfaced several times as a possibility for the Yankees. On a related front, I've scrubbed my news sources for any mention of Greg Dobbs, but his name hasn't surfaced in any new reports. I would be shocked if he's not in someone's camp as an invitee. Elsewhere, Rule 5 selection Michael Martinez, who made a crucial error at short Sunday in the Dominican / Puerto Rican All-Star game, continues to swing the bat well for Escogido, going 2-for-2 last night with a double. He's hitting .292 this winter.

Watch Cliff Lee's press conference live at 3 p.m.

Silent partner breaks silence in pursuit of Lee?

Insiders close to the Phillies believe billionaire cigar tycoon and part owner John Middleton pushed to get the deal done. (AP Photo)

Middleton, whose fortune reportedly includes McIntosh Inns, a manufacturing company called Double Play and the reported $3 billion he earned from the sale of cigar company, is believed to now have the highest stake in the Phillies limited partnership, an elder group that includes Claire S. Betz, who lives in Florida, Tri-Play Associates, which includes the estate of the late Whip Buck, who died just weeks ago, and his brothers J. Mahlon Buck Jr. and William C. Buck, Double Play, with Middleton as chairman, and Giles Limited Partnership, which is Bill Giles' family partnership.

Yesterday on 610-WIP radio, Howard Eskin cited a source inside the organization in reporting that Middleton's stake has grown to close to 40 percent. Today on CSNPhilly.com, Jim Salisbury listed Middleton as one of the keys to getting the deal done. "Don’t underestimate the billionaire part owner’s impact on the Phillies’ aggressiveness. The guy is a competitor. He likes to win. You can see that when he walks around the clubhouse soaked in champagne after playoff series wins. You could see it in his eyes – they were fiery with anger and disappointment – when the Phillies lost in the NLCS in October. Middleton might be a silent partner in the public’s eye, but he’s not silent in that boardroom. He’s got some Steinbrenner in him. Once upon a time, he pushed for the Phillies to sign Jim Thome. He wants that trophy back and the deep pockets and aggressive attitude that he has brought to the ownership level has certainly impacted this franchise’s will to win."

Update: Lee passed his physical and is officially a Phillie for the next five years.

Wednesday: Halladay still reigns as Phillies' ace

A pair of corrections and clarifications from yesterday's posts.

First, in reference to the line about zombies eating appendages, it should be stated that necks and torsos are a zombie's meal of choice. Second, I got caught up in the euphoria and referred to Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee as equals. In actuality, Halladay's consistent dominance puts him a hair ahead of Lee. They're both in baseball's top tier, but it's the same pecking order as it was when the Phillies "settled" for Lee before the 2009 trade deadline: Halladay first, everyone else second. They can both dominate in the postseason. With the exception of a Game 5 shellacking at the hands of the Giants, Lee's been lights out in his eight postseason starts. It's just that Lee has a tendency to become mortal for longer stretches. He was spotty with Texas, finishing 4-6 with a 3.98 ERA. Lee's worst outings tend to be a little worse than Halladay's duds. Conversely, Doc has reached historic personal highs that Lee has never touched.

Lee has been praised for accepting less moolah to pitch here, and rightfully so. The Phillies broke contract policy for pitchers, made a payroll exception and signed him for five years, a more lucrative contract than the below-market commitment Halladay blindly accepted to pitch here. In that regard, let's not forget what Doc has sacrificed to be here. At least Lee knew what he was getting into.

Still, handicapping these thoroughbreds is a purely academic exercise. Imagine how hard these aces will push one another. Just think of the excellence that Vance Worley and Kyle Kendrick will absorb just through sheer osmosis.

Lee official today? Lee will have that examination this morning. The club is expected to officially announce his signing in a news conference this afternoon if he passes.

Underdressed Lee speaks, appears to be cold

Get it done, Ruben, before Cliff chooses a warmer climate.

Phillies’ bold move leaves contenders desperate

By signing top free agent Cliff Lee, the Phillies leave the cupboard bare.

"And for those who lost the Cliff Lee sweepstakes, we’ve got a nice consolation prize: Johnny, tell 'em what they’ve won!"

Carl Pavano.

Once you’ve finished rolling on the floor with laughter, put Joe Blanton in perspective. What’s the rush? As Jim Salisbury reminds us (via Twitter), the Phillies don’t have to start paying him until Opening Day. The Phillies have made their move, the blockbuster we’ve come to expect. And now it’s time to fall back on their other modus operandi: patience. The Phillies may be fine in right field. Or they might not. But one thing is certain: the Phillies will out-pitch everyone, with or without Blanton.

So as the Yankees, Rangers and others fight over tablescraps like Wang, Pavano and Millwood, like zombies tearing through a severed appendage, think of Blanton as a nice, fat hamhock you dangle over a pack of wild dogs. Trade Blanton now and settle for a second-rate option for RF like Carlos Quentin? Or sit back and do what you do best: wait.

Forget offense; Phillies will be favored: “Phils 2010 offense scored the fewest runs since the '02 season but had the best record in MLB and a franchise high in wins since '93. There are good reasons to expect better things from the offense next year – putting the loss of Werth to the side. Check out the final stats from the NLCS some time. Playoff post mortes are usually a waste of time, but I wouldn't argue that the result of that series followed from some strategic advantage on the Giants side. The Phils have, as it stands today, built a team that is better than the 2010 version. This rotation makes the Phils favored in any series. You could always run into a post-season hero like Cody Ross (or hopefully a more skilled version like Chase Utley or Reggie Jackson) to screw things up either way. But you can't plan for someone like that.” - sophist

New York fallout: “It's hard to say just what the best part of all this is, but Lee spurning New York for Philadelphia for less years/$$ is right up there. Having the excuse to dump Blanton would be right behind.” - RSB

With Lee, Phillies open up endless possibilities

Cliff Lee agrees that Philadelphia is the place to be. (Getty images)

Sleepyhead summary: Late last night, Cliff Lee rejected huge offers from Texas and New York and accepted a five-year, $120 million deal to pitch for “a Goliath,” the word super-agent Scott Boras used to describe the Phillies at the winter meetings. Boras demonstrated that money talks last Sunday when he guided Jayson Werth down the yellow brick road to a $126 million jackpot. Days later, Lee spurned a record-breaking payout for a starting pitcher and followed his heart, signing back with the team he fell in love with a season ago, a team prepared to mound up with one of the best starting rotations this game has ever seen, thus proving that Philadelphia is truly the place to be, unless you're into stuff like money, then you go to Washington.

Beerleaguer: It changes everything, and yet it doesn’t. Although it could. Allow me to explain. A strong rotation got even stronger today. An elite team became even elite-rer. You can never have enough pitching and all that jazz. The Phillies have become a nightmare that no team wants to face. Put it this way, if you’re slated for a weekend set against Oswalt, Hamels and Blanton, you’re off the hook. Lee’s accomplishments speak for themselves. We all saw the 2009 postseason. He walked a grand total of 18 batters last season. He fanned 185, amounting to the best K/BB in the league. As pitchers go, Roy Halladay may be his only equal. One of them will become the Phillies' No. 2 starter.

But great pitching can also guide you to a mediocre 12-11 record and a second-round ouster in the postseason. Just ask Cole Hamels. A strong rotation didn’t prevent the Phils from being left high and dry in the Championship Series and many times during the regular season by an offense that couldn’t score. Twenty-four hours ago, the biggest need was still a bat to replace Jayson Werth, the Phillies best run producer over the last two seasons and lone power bat from the right side. None of that changed today.

The last 12 hours have been surreal. Hell, the last 52 weeks of this cyclical Cliff Lee saga have unfolded like nothing any of us have ever seen. It could get even crazier. Building the dream rotation a year ago didn’t prevent the Phillies from trading Lee. Surely, Ruben Amaro Jr. has already entertained the notion that three out of the four ain’t bad, especially if it meant improving in other areas. There's already talk of removing the fifth wheel. Blanton to Boston is heavily rumored, but I doubt it stops there. Amaro said the Phillies made headway on a number of trade possibilities during the winter meetings. They did “extensive” legwork into what it would take to Carlos Quentin, and that was before they were trading from a position of extreme strength, like they can today.

Today, they can shoot for the stars.

Report: Phillies set to ship Blanton to Beantown?

According to both Jon Heyman of SI.com and Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Phillies are prepared to move Joe Blanton to Boston in the wake of Cliff Lee's five-year, $120 million commitment to rejoin the Phillies. Blanton, who was 9-6 with a 4.82 ERA for the Phils last year, is owned $8.5 million in both 2011 and 2012 under terms of a deal he signed with the Phillies last January. Update: Pete Abraham, Gordon Edes and other Boston scribes saying hold your horses as of 9 a.m. No deal is in place yet.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Phillies add a pitcher :)

Quotable (from Jim Salisbury): "Last summer, the Phils tacitly admitted that trading Cliff Lee away was a mistake as it tried to get him back in July. Seattle would not part with Lee unless the Phils included top prospect Domonic Brown in the deal. The Phillies refused and acquired Roy Oswalt instead. Five months later, the Phils have signed Lee off the free-agent market. They have righted their mistake and engineered what on paper looks to be one of the greatest starting pitching rotations in the history of the game."

Brown hyped as top prospect for third-straight year

Baseball America revealed its top 10 Phillies prospects today, with few upsets and the Cliff Lee bounty nowhere in sight.

If it all goes according to plan, Domonic Brown will finally graduate from the prospect list and into an everyday role with the Phillies. Not since Scott Rolen has a Philadelphia position prospect been this hyped by the magazine. They’ve helped make him a national name. Baseball America jumped on the Brown bandwagon early in his minor league career and anointed him as the best prospect in all of baseball midway through 2010. As prospects go, he’s earned it. Brown dominated the top two levels of the farm system last year with a career-high .980 OPS in 389 plate appearances. Nevertheless, he could still wind up back in Lehigh Valley for more seasoning. Needless to say, Phillies fans are ready to see this guy make it happen.

Meanwhile, Baseball America would like to introduce you to the new, new thing: Jonathan Singleton, who, in the words of Baseball America, is a better power hitter and judge of the strike zone than Brown. Here on Beerleaguer, there is some debate as to whether the 19-year-old first baseman-turned-outfielder has a brighter future than Brown, considering the young age in which he posted his terrific .290/.393/.479 slash line for the Sally League champs. Right-handers Brody Colvin,  Jarred Cosart and Trevor May rounded out the top five. May’s stock dropped among his peers because of control problems, while Colvin, ranking ahead of Cosart, may surprise some. Catcher Sebastian Valle goes next, followed by toolsy outfielder Jiwan James, who came on strong last year as part of an impressive, athletic Lakewood squad. First-round pick Jesse Biddle takes the eighth spot, which is where Baseball America tends to lump the first-rounders they like who have limited professional experience. Extremely raw 17-year-old outfielder Domingo Santana took ninth and Aaron Altherr, a 19-year-old outfielder who hit .297/.339/.411 in the GCL and at Williamsport, was a surprise at 10.

Note that Phillippe Aumont, J.C. Ramirez and Tyson Gillies, players acquired in the Lee deal, failed to crack the Top 10.  Justin De Fratus, Matt Rizzotti and Vance Worley were also notable omissions.

Saturday open thread: How about Carlos Quentin?

Now that several free agent outfielders have fallen off the board, the Phillies' best strategy to replace Jayson Werth might be through a trade.

According to a new report, the White Sox are actively looking to move Carlos Quentin. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times says the White Sox are seeking a package that would include bullpen help, but that the Sox "are asking a lot so far." A November report by Jayson Stark suggested that the Phillies have done "extensive" groundwork on a potential trade for the 28-year-old outfielder, who hit .243/.342/.479 (117 OPS+) with 26 homers and 87 RBIs a season ago. Quentin, who finished fifth in AL MVP voting in 2008, is controllable and is set to become a free agent in 2013. He earned $3.2 million in his second arbitration year last season. The Sox, who signed Adam Dunn and re-signed Paul Konerko to a three-year, $37 million deal on Thursday, are very thin in their bullpen.

Beerleaguer: The initial thought was that it would take Domonic Brown to get the conversation started, but considering how the offseason has unfolded for the White Sox, they have to shift gears away from the offense and focus on the bullpen. Ryan Madson would almost certainly interest them. But would Madson, who is a free agent after the season, be enough? Or too much? Would a young arm like Antonio Bastardo sweeten the pot? And would they consider Ben Francisco an acceptable stopgap for their outfield? Dealing Madson would be a major sacrifice, a loss they would need to address by making another deal, either through free agency or a trade. And the Phillies would also sacrifice defense by starting Quentin, who is considered a defensive liability and an injury risk.

Honestly, the logic is there. This seems like a match ...

Report: Durbin expected to sign back with Phillies

CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury filed one last report before leaving Florida.

Salisbury says the Phillies made "significant progress" in their bid to re-sign reliever Chad Durbin. The Phillies' brass met with Durbin on Wednesday and have made an offer to retain the 33-year-old free agent. Durbin, who earned $2.13 million last season, was not offered arbitration in hopes that the Phillies could bring him back at a lesser rate. He posted a 3.80 ERA in 68 2-3 innings last season, his third with the Phils. The club also made their agreement with Dennys Reyes official Wednesday. The deal is pending a physical. Beerleaguer: I was already prepared for life without Durbin and anxious to see what the future would hold for middle relief. One can only hope they don't get carried away with a multiyear deal. [Link]

Phillies select utilityman Martinez in Rule 5 draft

Michael Martinez, a 28-year-old switch-hitter who spent the last two seasons in Harrisburg and Syracuse (AA and AAA, Washington), hit .272/.312/.408 with 11 homers and 23 stolen bases in 522 plate appearances last season. He can play virtually every position and will try to win a job on the Phillies' opening-day roster as a super utilityman. His speed and versatile skill set, particularly his ability to take the field in center field and at shortstop, will give him a fighting chance, however, he must be considered a longshot to break camp and head north. The Phils also selected outfielder Chris Frey (AAA, Colorado) and right-hander Justin Friend (AA, Oakland) in the minor league portion of the draft. Former Phillie Quinten Berry, who had been with the Mets, was taken by the Padres in the Double-A phase. No Phillies were lost to the draft. The Phils now have 10 middle infield types on the 40-man roster.

Phils prepared to make reasonable bet with Reyes

According to a baseball source, cited by both the Inquirer and Phillies.com, left-hander Dennys Reyes has agreed to a one-year contract worth $1.1 million with a 2012 mutual option for $1.35 million.

Beerleaguer: It's essentially the same contract and structure Beerleaguer had anticipated if these two sides do indeed come to terms. Reyes is, without question, a mediocre left-handed specialist at this point in his career and is beginning to break down physically. That's why he isn't in the same tier as guys like Pedro Feliciano, Brian Fuentes, Scott Downs, or even Arthur Rhodes. The rotund lefty has had knee problems in the past and pitched through elbow soreness in the second half of 2010, posting a 3.55 ERA in 59 appearances for the Cards, including a discouraging .307 BAA against lefties. His career splits are obviously much stronger. The Phillies are no strangers to veteran specialists with lingering elbow problems (J.C. Romero, Scott Eyre) and were able to milk every last ounce of usefulness from their bodies. I expect them to do the same with this soon-to-be 34-year-old vet, whose performance could have a direct correlation with workload. But who knows? Charlie Manuel could get 70 appearances from him and be just fine.

Notes: The Rule 5 Draft will be held today. The Phillies select 30th. Ruben Amaro Jr. told reporters there is only a 50-50 chance they make a selection. Left-handed reliever Jacob Diekman and hard-throwing right-hander Heitor Correa were listed in seperate reports on MLB.com and Baseball America as Phillies who could be selected. ... According to SI.com's John Heyman, the Yankees are offering a seven-year contract to former Phil Cliff Lee.

Report: Phillies closing in on left-hander Reyes

CSNPhilly.com insider Jim Salisbury says the Phillies are very close to deal with free agent left-hander Dennys Reyes, according to a person close to situation. Salisbury reports that several baseball sources said the Phils have offers on the table to lefties George Sherrill and Reyes, but Sherrill is leaning toward another offer. ESPN Deportes is reporting that the contract would be for one year with a team option for 2012.

Phillies could buy low on former closer Sherrill

The Phillies appear to be zeroing in on dependable lefty Dennys Reyes, but have also reportedly taked about left-hander George Sherrill, who is coming off a miserable 2010.

Beerleaguer: The Phillies could make a savvy play to buy low on Sherrill, who was overexposed to right-handers last season. The lefty finished with a 6.69 ERA and 1.93 WHIP in 65 appearances with the Dodgers, but was still very effective against lefties, holding them to a .192/286/.288 slash line in 85 plate appearances. Apart from 2010, the 33-year-old carries an impressive track record as a late-inning guy and was a hot commodity at the 2009 trade deadline. The Dodgers grabbed him to essentially counteract the heart of the Phillies' lineup. If he were to come to Philadelphia, the Phils are deep enough in the back of their bullpen to shield him from righties; adding another right-handed reliever would guarantee that. He earned $4.5 million last season and was arbitration eligible, so the Dodgers' decision to non-tender a deal was a no-brainer.

The Phillies appear to be zeroing in on either Sherrill or Dennys Reyes. For me, it's a toss up between Reyes' consistency and Sherrill's dominant upside. In seven seasons with the Mariners, Orioles and Dodgers, he's averaged about a strikeout an inning and has saved 56 games, last working as a full time closer with Baltimore prior to his trade to Los Angeles. If the Phillies find a way to be thrifty in their search for a left-handed specialist, it could free up the funds needed for a starting outfielder.

Phils clear roster room in preparation of Rule 5 Draft

The Phillies made their first official 40-man roster moves of the Winter Meetings today by releasing minor league pitchers Jesus Sanchez and Yohan Flande.

Sanchez, a 23-year-old converted catcher and last remaining piece of the 2006 Bobby Abreu deal, was 9-7 with a 2.99 ERA in 22 starts for Clearwater. Flande, a lefty, was 10-8 with a 4.38 ERA for Reading. Neither pitcher was considered a prospect. The moves clear roster room in anticipation of the Rule 5 Draft which will occur at the end of the Winter Meetings. The Phillies are typically active players ... In other news, the Phillies are reportedly refining their search for left-handed relief by meeting with agents for George Sherrill and Dennys Reyes today. Other reports downplayed the team's interest in outfielder Matt Diaz, while linking the team to Delwyn Young, Jeff Francouer and Juan Rivera.

Tuesday: Phillies stock the pitching pool with Bass

The Phillies’ first non-speculative piece of news has emerged from the Winter Meetings, the signing of right-hander Brian Bass to a minor league deal and invite to spring training.

Bass, a 28-year-old reliever who will reportedly be stretched out as a starter (per the Inquirer), appeared in four games with the Pirates in 2010 and allowed 11 runs in 7 1-3 innings. It was a better story with Triple-A Indianapolis, which is where he spent the majority of the season, pitching to a 4-4 mark and 3.26 ERA. Over parts of three seasons, the 6-2, 215-pound former sixth-round pick of the Royals has seen action with the Twins, Orioles and Pirates, most noteably as the Orioles' longman in 2009 (86 1-3 IP, 4.90 ERA). In 101 big league appearances, all but four of them as a reliever, he’s 9-7 with a 5.16 ERA and a 104/85 K/BB ratio. The scouting reports suggest that his best pitch is his sinker, although he gives up a fair share of home runs.

He arrives with the Phillies after getting designated for assignment by the Pirates twice, a likely sign that he’s been added for minor league depth. Think of him as a poor man's Clay Condrey. Now you're excited.

Monday: Werth makes his mark before walking away

My musings about Jayson Werth and video from CSNPhilly.com.

Beerleaguer: From a public relations standpoint, the Nationals picked a lousy time for a blockbuster deal: a football Sunday, a day when national baseball writers were checking into their hotels for the Winter Meetings and at almost the same moment as Adrien Gonzalez became a reality for the Red Sox following 24 hours of drama. A day later, it’s being swept under the rug by people wondering what the Yankees will do and where Cliff Lee will go.

The prevailing wisdom says that Washington made a splash for the sake of making a splash. Werth’s seven-year, $126 deal is the third-largest in history among outfielders. It’s the kind of deal teams make to secure the final piece to the puzzle. Unfortunately, the Nats are still rife with question marks. They’re banking on young talent like Bryce Harper to meet lofty expectations and for the surgically repaired right arm of Stephen Strasburg to anchor the rotation starting in 2012 at the earliest. Even if the Nationals secure another impact free agent – like a Carlos Pena – there’s still a lot of moving parts.

Still, it’s a young team on the rise and one that could be reckoned with in short order. Can the Phillies confidently say the same? How about the Red Sox or Yankees? It’s hard to say. Werth’s timing couldn’t have been better to hit paydirt. He represented one of the few impact bats on the market and also brings the best all-around tools of any free agent. By most measures, he’s evolved into a top 3 National League outfielder, right there alongside fellow Scott Boras client Matt Holliday, who set the benchmark for this deal.

The Phillies did right by Werth, and Werth did right by the Phils. Pat Gillick, who was named to the Hall of Fame today, saw his potential and took a chance on him when a debilitating wrist injury made him expendable to the Dodgers. He finally got his shot at regular playing time in 2008, signed an extension in the offseason that ate into a year of free agency. He evolved into arguably the Phillies’ best run producer over those last two years, and the Phillies’ most consistent hitter over the last two postseasons. His .296/.388/.532, 27 homers, speed and defense will be extremely difficult to replace.

Fortunately for Ruben Amaro Jr., who has avoided these situations to date by signing marquee players to long-term extensions, several factors are working in his favor, aside from smelling like roses after Washington blew everyone away by going seven years. He’s sitting on a dynamic, exciting prospect in Domonic Brown. He’s got decent platoon options in Ben Francisco and Ross Gload. And from the looks of it, he’s got some money to spend, more than enough to entice someone like Matt Diaz to join up. Diaz is looking more attractive by the minute. Finally, the Phillies are a 97-game winner built around dominant starting pitching, one that essentially allowed the offense to take the season off.

Report: Werth agrees to deal with Washington

According to CSNPhilly.com Insider Jim Salisbury, a person close to Jayson Werth says that the free-agent outfielder will sign with the Washington Nationals. According to reports, it is a 7-year, $126 million deal, far beyond the commitment the Phillies offered. Salisbury's source says the Phils offered only three years and an option averaging about $16 million a year. That's four guaranteed years and $2 million per year shy of what Scott Boras was able to negotiate from the Nationals. Wow. More as this story develops ...

Phillies bring Brown back from the Dominican

Domonic Brown's winter league campaign is over according to sources.

Brown, who appeared in just nine games and collected only two hits (.069), has reportedly left his Dominican Winter League team, Escogido. A Phillies spokesman told CSNPhilly.com Insider Jim Salisbury that the 23-year-old is healthy, but the team made the decision to bring Brown home because he was “tired and sluggish.” Brown's only two hits came on a late-swing opposite-field double and an infield hit to the shortstop. In 358 minor league plate appearances last season, Brown hit .327/.391/.589 with 20 homers and 17 stolen bases between Reading and Lehigh Valley before reaching Philadelphia in late 2010, where he hit .210/.257/.355 with a pair of homers.

Beerleaguer: The Phillies will look for Brown to get back on track in spring training where he shined a year ago and carried it into the season. It would be a mistake to think his stock has dropped. He hasn't seen regular playing time since August, yet he's been putting on a uniform and going through the day-to-day grind through the better part of a year. Many great players reach the Carribean, can't adapt and struggle. Futility isn't like him, so the decision was clear. As we advocated last week, the Phillies protected their prized goods by pulling the cord.

Phillies tender contracts to Kendrick, Francisco

The Phillies beat the midnight deadline to offer contracts to arbitration-eligible players by tendering deals to Kyle Kendrick and Ben Francisco.

Beerleaguer: Francisco wasn’t a surprise since the Phillies are preparing for the likely loss of Jayson Werth. Francisco is tentatively penciled into a right-field platoon with Domonic Brown and/or Ross Gload, but we’ll see how that shakes out.(recall that the brass mentioned Greg Dobbs as a possibility for left two years ago before they signed Raul Ibanez). Actually, an interesting guy shook loose today. The Braves non-tendered familiar foe Matt Diaz, who hits well against left-handed pitching and seems to save his best for games against the Phils. Platooning at both corners is certainly a possibility, too, with Raul Ibanez struggling to hit left-handed pitching last season. It’s something the Phils have successfully done in the past, most notably in 1993.

As for Kendrick, his situation was a little less certain, but all you need to do is take a look at the pitching market to see the premium that has been placed on good depth to understand why he was retained. It’s not enough to survive the rigors of a 162-game season with only five starters, a lesson the Phillies know well. Kendrick will fight for his starting job in Clearwater for what seems like the 100th time. Last year he duked it out with Jamie Moyer. Before that, it was Chan Ho Park and J.A. Happ. This time he’ll have Vance Worley breathing down his neck.

Still, when you consider what little is out there, you wonder how much a guy like Kendrick could bring in a trade. If at the end of spring training, the Phillies have holes and see some redundancies with Kendrick, or even Francisco, they could still be moved. It will be interesting, too, to see what Kendrick, as a 35-game winner with a career 4.69 ERA, takes home in his first year of arb eligibility.

Report: Jayson Werth to meet with Red Sox today

According to a pair of reports on Yahoo! Sports and ESPN.com, Jayson Werth and his agent, Scott Boras, will meet with Boston Red Sox front-office officials today in Chicago, where yesterday, GM Theo Epstein and manager Terry Francona met with free agent outfielder Carl Crawford. ... Moving from one Jayson to another, ESPN.com senior baseball writer Jayson Stark reports that former Phillie Arthur Rhodes has moved to the top of the Phillies' reliever wish list. Rhodes, 41, went 4-4 with a 2.29 ERA and was named to the National League All-Star Team last season on the wings of a 33-game scoreless appearance streak that was eventually snapped by the Phillies. Rhodes, who was an abomination as the Phillies' set-up man in 2006, owns a career 6.57 ERA at Citizens Bank Park and pitched to a 7.32 ERA at home in '06. But after missing all of 2007, he's been an effective left-hander with the Mariners, Marlins and Reds.

Werth declines Phils' arb offer; Brown snaps skid

As expected, Jayson Werth turned down a chance to stay in Philly for another year and will seek multiple years through free agency.

By offering arbitration, the Phillies have guaranteed draft pick compensation from the team that lands Werth. Boston is often mentioned as the leading destination for the right fielder, but Werth recently told CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury that he isn't close to signing anywhere. Werth's agent, Scott Boras, is reportedly seeking a similar deal to the seven-year, $120 million pact Matt Holliday received from the Cardinals. The Phils are reportedly reluctant to extend Werth with the years he's seeking, but have kept the lines of communication open. … Meanwhile in the Dominican Winter League, Werth's potential replacement, Domonic Brown, snapped his hitless streak with an RBI infield single last night in Escogido's 4-3 victory over Cibao. Brown, who had been locked in an 0-for-17 slump, also walked and reached on an error. Antonio Bastardo was charged with the tough-luck loss for Cibao, allowing the unearned run to score.

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