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Former Phillies righty could factor into bullpen mix

Brian Sanches, 33, became a bullpen fixture with the Marlins following brief stops with the Phillies and Nationals. The Phils have officially invited the right-handed reliever, along with seven others, to spring training.

Beerleaguer: Well you know I'm stoked since Sanches generated two million comments when the Phils' bullpen scuffled through 2006 and 2007. And it's always an exciting time of year when the Phillies release their first set of invitees. You've read about six of them already: Kevin Frandsen, Pat Misch, Pete Orr, Scott Podsednik, Raul Valdes, and you know enough about organizational fixture Tuffy Gosewisch, who was also invited.

Sanches, who was heading into his first season of arbitration eligibility, reached the point where he would have been too expensive for the Marlins to keep. Caught in between, he was outrighted to the minors on Oct. 5 and refused the assignment, becoming a free agent.

It's kind of a bigger signing since we're talking about a guy who has shown he can hold his own in a middle inning role. Since his days in the Phillies' farm system and a couple cups of coffee with the Phils (2004-07), he's carved out a decent niche with the Marlins, appearing in 147 games and posting a 3.58 ERA and 10-5 mark, with a 199/119 K/BB ratio in 228 2-3 innings. His best year was 2010, where he went 2-2 with a 2.26 ERA (184 ERA+).

He's a fastball/change-up guy with spotty command who will hit 90 on the gun. I'd expect Sanches to last until the final set of spring training cuts alongside guys like Justin De Fratus and Michael Schwimer. At worst, Sanches is at-the-ready depth.

Elarton signs: Veteran right-hander Scott Elarton, 35 represents the Phillies' other notable addition and he is your classic Phillies reclamation project. A former first-round pick, he hasn't been to the show since 2008 because of major shoulder problems. Jim Salisbury has all the details on Elarton here.

Phillies fortify depth with a series of minor deals

Outfielder Scott Podsednik and infielder Kevin Frandsen will reportedly return to the Phillies for a second season, while lefty Pat Misch is set to join the organization after three seasons with the Mets. (Jayson Stark and Ken Rosenthal tweeted these signings)

Beerleaguer: All three have had extended stays in the Majors and could help the parent club at some point this season, particularly Misch, since a rotation is more like seven or eight guys, not five. I was expecting Podsednik and Frandsen to factor into the Phillies' plans last season in some type of reserve role, but it never worked out. Podsednik, 35 and a former All-Star, was a league-average fourth outfielder a short time ago, splitting duties with Kansas City and the Dodgers in 2010. He earned a spring invite from the Jays in 2011 and couldn't work his way onto the roster and was picked up by the Phils midway through the season.

As it stands, the Phils will audition the final outfield spot this spring, and being a lefty hitter will help Podsednik's chances. Over 10 seasons, he's a career .266/.346/.351 hitter with declining defense and speed, which were really his most marketable skills. May the BABIP be with you, Scott.

Frandsen, 29, was one of the better hitters for Lehigh Valley and can bounce between all the spots in the infield. Of all the veteran minor leaguers who declared free agency, he was one of the guys I wanted back. In parts of five big-league seasons, including a 2007 extended stay with Giants in which the club thought they had found their starting second baseman, he is a .243/.302/.335 hitter with no power or speed. He'll reportedly earn a spring invite, and with a few breaks, could challenge for time with the parent club.

The Phils could do worse than having Misch assume the seventh starter spot behind Kyle Kendrick. The 30-year-old finesse lefty is a career 4-15 with a 4.80 ERA and 116/57 K/BB ratio over 200 2-3 innings. Misch is your typical junkballer who needs to hit his spots and doesn't profile as a loogy (lefties actually hit him better). The Phils have seen him nine times in his career and were .259 hitters against him with 22 strikeouts in 28 2-3 at bats.

Odds we'll see them in Philly at some point in 2012: Misch: 50 percent; Frandsen: 25 percent; Podsednik: 25 percent.

Scott Mathieson heads to Asia with glove, ball

The Phillies' statement began this way: "The Phillies have released right-hander Scott Mathieson to allow him to pursue an opportunity with a professional team in Asia."

Kind of sounds like Ruben Amaro Jr. just rented a plane, dropped him off in the middle of Russia, held out his right hand and said, "Good luck to you, son." In actuality, Asia might be a good place for Mathieson. He certainly had worn out his welcome in North America. Over parts of three seasons with the Phils, Mathieson had appeared in 15 games with a 6.75 ERA that honestly doesn't even do justice to his consistent ineptitude. It didn't help that the 27-year-old underwent three major surgeries on his right elbow, including two Tommy John surgeries.

Elsewhere...

- The Phillies have signed ex-Mets lefty Pat Misch to a minor league contract, according to Jayson Stark's Twitter. The 30-year-old pitched seven innings for New York in 2011, allowing eight runs, 11 hits and four walks. He had a 3.82 ERA for the Mets as recently as 2010 (12 games, six starts). Misch is kind of a poor man's Jamie Moyer, though perhaps he throws a bit harder. He doesn't really project as a loogy candidate - his splits against lefties aren't impressive - so he's more of an organizational-depth guy who could give the Phils a spot start if needed in 2012.

-The Phils also re-signed infielder Kevin Frandsen to a minor league deal, which was also reported by Stark. Frandsen was in the organization last season, when he hit .309/.361/.430 while playing for A, AA and AAA. The 29-year-old also received a 50-game ban last year after testing positive for Ritalin.

-If those transactions don't excite you, perhaps a Vicente Padilla reunion would?

Reclamation project and minor league FA thread

With the Winter Meetings approaching, agents are Xeroxing client resumes in hopes of one final payout from baseball's fringe players.

I hated homework, and I'm a big believer and letting Beerleaguers engage "organically," but here's a fun assignment you're sure to love. Peruse this comprehensive list of notable free agents and identify the reclamation project or washed up veteran who would be worth a minor league flier. The Phils almost always take a shot on a noteworthy project player who was once considered "elite" talent - think Kris Benson in 2008. My selection follows in the Antonio Alfonseca mold as someone who could be signed cheaply and add instant credibility to the bullpen, even for half a season. Recall that Alfonseca, who was scouted on the comeback trail in the Dominican Winter League, pitched to a 3.93 ERA and six saves as a stop-gap set-up man and closer in the first half of 2007. Soon after, he was cooked, and he never pitched in affiliated ball again.

So here's my choice from the list. a minor league deal to Vicente Padilla. At 34, and having missed most of the last two seasons with injury, Padilla may be done as a starter but could be poised for a Jose Contrera-like second life as a reliever. Padilla was a formidable force as recently as 2010 and his K/9 numbers were actually the best of his career in his three years with the Dodgers. Joe Torre and company loved that he had matured into a pitcher who relied as much on guile as pure stuff. And there's always been the notion that Padilla could thrive in the bullpen.

Padilla missed most of the season with surgery to repair a bulging disk in his neck and is a free agent. As far as I can tell, there hasn't been an update on his status. He typically returns to his native Nicaragua in the offseason where he's - how shall we say - "off the grid."

Update: We'll have the big Pat Misch, Kevin Frandsen and Scott Mathieson posts coming up shortly. Of course the Phillies can't scatter these transactions over a couple of days. There's, like, six days worth of offseason material right there ...

Report: Nationals making Fielder their 'primary target'

FoxSports scribe Ken Rosenthal says the Nationals are showing serious interest in free agent slugger Prince Fielder, but that talks hit a "significant roadblock" today. According to Rosenthal, the Nats view Cuban outfielder Yoennis Cespedes as their plan B, a player who has been linked to the Phillies among other teams. Fielder, 27, hit .299/.415/.566 with 38 home runs and finished third in MVP voting. [Full report]

Beerleaguer: The Nats are also pursuing a handful of free agent starters, including Roy Oswalt, and are expected to promote phenom Bryce Harper at some point next season. They still need a lot of pieces to fall into place, but the Nats are definitely a budding rival and would be troublesome if they secure Prince and some pitching.

Phils could prioritize 'pen when dust settles at short

Not to look beyond shortstop, but, yeah, let's look beyond shortstop.

Obviously, there's no greater pressure point than shortstop and the slow-going negotiations with Jimmy Rollins and his agent Dan Lozano. So assuming the Phils come to terms on nothing less than Rafael Furcal, and that all their other contractual escalators have been addressed, where does that leave the Phils as they look to shore up other needs? And what is the most important need beyond shortstop?

Despite a reported offer on the table for super-utilityman Michael Cuddyer, which is reportedly below his asking price (via Jim Salisbury), adding an outfield bat may not be the No. 2 focus beyond shortstop. Look around the roster and discover that Wilson Valdez isn't the only iffy placeholder bequeathed with a major role. Can Jose Contreras be counted on to shoulder 65-75 appearances, which is the typical load for a set-up man? How much do they trust Antonio Bastardo, who had an 11.05 ERA in September? And are they comfortable with Michael Stutes, David Herndon, Kyle Kendrick, Justin De Fratus, Michael Schwimer and Joe Savery shouldering the rest of the load?

Similar to the 2010 offseason, it's a bullpen that would "look better on paper with a veteran, affordable presence who still had an arm." I wrote those words two years ago and the Phillies delivered Danys Baez, a guy who made a ton of sense at the time. Here was a former closer who pitched the eighth inning in Baltimore and was supposed to settle into the late-inning mix with Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge.

Baez became another test case for free agent relief. You never know. And the Phillies don't know. For example, a guy like Chad Qualls, on paper, would look pretty attractive as a seventh or eighth inning guy. But Qualls, at 33, is a carbon copy of Baez before 2010.

After learning their lesson with Baez, J.C. Romero and other trials, "safe" may be equal, or worse, than overspending for elite talent like Jonathan Papelbon, or even Billy Wagner, who retired last season following an All-Star season with the Braves in 2010. The Phils reportedly called Wagner to gauge his interest in a comeback, but Wags declined and reaffirmed his retirement. 

When it comes to free agent relief, "safe" is a myth, and "safe" is rarely worth it. It's the reason I agree with bay_area_phan when he says that Brad Lidge is an "addiction the Phillies need to stop."

Beer nuts: Shortstops doing squat in winter ball

The majority of position players participating in the Venezuelan or Dominican winter leagues are hitting at or below the Mendoza Line, including the Phillies' entire depth chart at short.

Before another Beerleaguer considers the possibility of filling the shortstop void internally, here are a few updated numbers to put the Jimmy Rollins contract negotiations into perspective. The Phillies' top three remaining shortstops - Wilson Valdez, Michael Martinez and Freddy Galvis - are hitting a combined .167 in 151 at bats. Valdez, who is hitting .238 with two homers, is the cream of the crop, but that's no great shakes for a 33-year-old veteran who spends every offseason in the DWL. After an 0-for-3 Saturday, Mini Mart's .096/.186/.115 DWL slash line drives down the group average. Galvis, the starting shortstop for Zulia in Venezuela, is hitting .204/.292/.286 over 113 plate appearances.

Meanwhile, a coupe of other Venezuelans have done zilch. Second baseman Cesar Hernandez, who was the prospect flavor of the month a year ago, has a .587 OPS in 94 at bats. Carlos Rivero, a decent bat but a butcher at third, has a .637 OPS over 108 plate appearances. Phillies infielders, it seems, have become the new outfielders in taking over as the most overrated area in the system.

Beerleaguer: The Phillies would reportedly prefer to give Rollins three years. He wants five. Pure speculation: I believe he'll get his wish, in the form of a fifth-year vesting option, from the Phils. Read the above report and you'll understand why.

Astros place future in the hands of former Phillies

Four of the Astros best prospects were acquired from the Phillies in trades, including top player Jonathan Singleton.

Read the latest edition of Baseball America and you'll understand why Ed Wade and the Astros were motivated to replenish the farm system through trades. Since 2002, most of their top-rated talent has either played its way out of organized baseball or into irrelevancy.

If the Astros have any hope of improving from doormat status in their new American League digs than a quartet of former Phillies will need to factor heavily in their future, starting with Singleton, who hit .333/.405/.512 with four homers in 129 at bats for Class-A Lancaster in the weeks following the Hunter Pence trade. "Scouts use words like 'explosive' and 'impact' when describing his bat," according to Baseball America, who rated his power and pure hitting skills as the best in the Astros' chain and tabbed him as the best first base prospect in the minors. Singleton's ETA is 2013 with a high-side projection of 25-30 homers a year.

Six of the seven top prospects came to Houston in either the Pence deal, the Michael Bourn trade with Atlanta or the 2010 Roy Oswalt swap. Right-hander Jarred Cosart rates second and "has No. 1 starter stuff," but not necessarily ace command. The magazine rates his fastball, and curveball, as the best in the system. Shortstop Jonathan Villar, part of the Oswalt package, rated fourth and "may be the toolsiest shortstop in the minors," according to BA. Massive, raw outfielder Domingo Santana, who rated sixth, has drawn comparisions to Jermaine Dye and went on a tear following his trade from Philadelphia, hitting .382/.447/.662 with five homers for Low-A Lexington. He's only 19.

Indeed, Philadelphia's desire to win now could mean that Houston wins tomorrow.

Friday: Howard still top of mind among MVP voters

For the second-straight year, Ryan Howard finished 10th on the MVP ballot, including a fourth-place vote and three fifth-place votes, reinforcing the value of traditional stats and players representing elite teams.

Shortly after Sean Forman of Baseball-Reference.com penned a controversial piece for the New York Times rating Howard as the seventh-best player on his own team, stoking the flames in Philadelphia at a time when Howard had gone hot and taken over the league lead in RBIs, I ran into Forman at a nearby coffee shop and made a friendly wager with the stat guru. Forman said that despite his claim that Howard was statistically mediocre based on many metrics, he would still finish in the top 5 on the MVP ballot, citing the voters' penchant for traditional stats and players who anchor winning teams.

I took the bet. At the time, Shane Victorino, not Howard, was the one generating the most MVP buzz among Phillies. That soon changed. By September, the Big Piece had once again bullied his way into the picture. On September 10, he led the league in RBIs (111), was third in home runs (32) and was working toward a 1.259 September OPS. In a Beerleaguer poll conducted Sept. 10, 55 percent of readers believed he'd finish in the top five in MVP voting for the fifth time in six seasons.

Sean's wager seemed to be on solid ground. Then Howard and the Phils started sputtering. Bruised and battered, Howard fell into a mid-September swoon, and with the Phils a lock to clinch, Charlie Manuel started sitting him. Then the team fell into a horrendous eight-game losing streak at a time when baseball writers were sharpening their pencils.

By his standards, Howard finished with a "pedestrian" line of .253/.346/.488 and stalled out at 33 homers and 116 RBIs, but in the mind of voters, he contributed a more meaningful season overall than Shane Victorino (13th), Cliff Lee (15th) and Hunter Pence (16th).

WAR, the metric Forman had originally cited in listing Howard as the seventh-best Phillie in August, valued him as the 10th-best by season's end, behind the likes of Carlos Ruiz, Vance Worley and just ahead of John Mayberry Jr.

In the mind of voters, he was still better than Jose Reyes and Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw, a worthy consolation prize for Sean.

Left field: Yesterday, Jim Salisbury listed 10 names to watch as the Phillies seek depth in left field. There isn't a sexy, cost-effective name in the group. Most appalling: the possibility of reuniting with Aaron Rowand, who the Phillies have had "long-standing interest" in bringing back to Philadelphia, according to Salisbury.

I'm a big believer in the idea that "You can't come home again" in Philadelphia. My gut already says that Jim Thome, at age 42, will go bust. Rowand, who was originally acquired for an aging and redundant Thome in 2005, is totally cooked. There's no amount of clubhouse moxie that would make Rowand's non-production at an outfield corner worth it. I'd rather let Domonic Brown sink or swim. The Phils are in great position to gamble on youth in a low-pressure situation like a left-field platoon.

Former Phils Fultz, Tracy added to development staff

In addition, Ryan Sandberg, who had been a candidate for several Major League jobs, will return for his second season with the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. Here are some of the highlights from the Phillies' release:

Andy Tracy, who spent three seasons with the IronPigs and a couple of Septembers with the Phillies, and former bullpen lefty Aaron Fultz, who pitched to a combined 3.38 ERA in 2005 and 2006, have been named manager and pitching coach at Williamsport. At Triple-A, the entire staff of manager Ryne Sandberg, coach Sal Rende and pitching coach Rod Nichols has been retained. Former catcher Dusty Wathan, who seems like a rising star among minor league skippers, has been promoted to Double-A skipper. Coach Frank Cacciatore and pitching coach Bob Milacki return. Chris Truby moves from manager at Lakewood to manager at Clearwater. Mickey Morandini goes from Williamsport to Lakewood where he will be at the helm.

Beerleaguer: Story here is the upward progression of guys like Morandini and Wathan, so the Phils must be satisfied with their instructional configuration. And congratulations to Andy Tracy and Aaron Fultz, who was a decent second lefty for a couple of seasons and, according to some vague memory, is an avid reader of Tom Clancy-style military paperbacks. Forget where I saw that.

Readers: Wigginton a good compromise for Phillies

Readers are largely in favor of Ty Wigginton as a much cheaper alternative to Michael Cuddyer. Here's what they had to say:

"Phils finally acquired a guy they have been linked it to several times since '08. Only a bad move if it turns out Wiggington is done (~.650 OPS) as some in Colorado hinted at last year after his fast start in April/May. Even then, I am glad it looks like Phils have moved on from the idea of signing and overpaying for Cuddyer. Really hated the notion of the Phils signing him a minimum of a 3 yr/$28-30M deal. Overpaying for above average free agent players entering there mid-30s is a recipe for disaster." - MG

"For all the people crying about no Cuddyer, it looks like he's in high demand and will get three years at good money, a deal most of you would be crucifying Armaro for and also a scary one for 2-3 years down the road. Wigginton comes cheap, is versatile and if he doesn't work out will be a harmless release around the all star break. Unspectacular, but solid minor move." - Len39

"Wiggy was brought in to replace Martinez, not Cuddyer." - DPatrone

"I'm also intrigued by Sizemore because: (1) he was a legitimate star before injuries set in; (2) he's still one of the youngest FAs on the market; and (3) if he could stay healthy and recapture his old form, we'd have our center fielder for 2013. Unfortunately, for those very same reasons, many teams seem to be intrigued by him -- which means that he will probably end up commanding a price that is much too high for a player with his risk factor." - bay_area_phan

Breaking news: Phillies acquire Rockies' Wigginton

According to sources for CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury, the Phillies have acquired Ty Wigginton from the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named later or cash. [Full story]

Wigginton, 34, hit .242/.315/.416 (87 OPS+) with 15 homers and 47 RBIs in 446 plate appearances for Colorado in 2010. Over those games, he saw action at first, third, left and right. He also started 35 games at second base as recently as 2010 with the Orioles. The Phillies had been courting free agent utilityman Michael Cuddyer, but the bargain acquisition of Wigginton, who is owed just $4 million in 2012 in the second year of a two-year deal, solves the team's need for corner infield and outfield versatility.

Wigginton could see plenty of early action at first base while Ryan Howard recovers from Achilles surgery, then shift to left field possibly in a platoon - or become the Phillies' primary right-handed pinch hitter; he had 16 pinch hits last season for the Rockies. The move could leave Ben Francisco's status in doubt as he's due to be tendered a deal in the next few days.

Update: Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that Colorado will cover half his 2012 salary. Wigginton is also signed to a 2013 option at $4 million.

Beerleaguer: In 10 seasons with six different clubs, Wigginton is a .265/.325/.443 hitter (100 OPS+), including a .274/.353/.461 career line against lefties, but he hasn't been an "above-average" run producer since 2008, which is one reason why the Phillies' found him on the clearence rack. The fact that he's a poor fit in the field - really everywhere - is the other. According to Fangraphs' UZR, tallied over his his entire career, right field is his best position, and the only one where he rates in the black. Everywhere else, he stinks.

Still, Wigginton is a pretty decent compromise to a need that just wasn't on par with shortstop or closer. Plus, between Wigginton, Jim Thome, Francisco and John Mayberry, the Phils have some serious thump on the bench. The Phils obviously decided Cuddyer wasn't enough of a difference-maker to commit Raul Ibanez-type money, and they might be right about that.

I'm eager to see the Phillies' next steps. Personally, I'd lean toward a high risk/high reward free agent outfielder now, the kind that help you win titles. Wigginton's a good grab, but he's not a major difference maker and he's limited to PH-1B-5th-OF.

Ruben Amaro quotes (via CSNPhilly.com): “I like three things about him. I like his makeup. I like that he fits our club in that he can play first base and third base. And I like that he gives us another guy with power off the bench. We had been looking to add depth to our bench.” Amaro downplayed Wigginton's role in the outfield and didn't rule out Cuddyer.

Phillies fill out 40-man in advance of Rule 5 Draft

Right-handed reliever Phillippe Aumont, lefty reliever Jacob Diekman, catcher Sebastian Valle and outfielder Tyson Gillies are the newest members of the 40-man roster. Several notable players were left unprotected.

Beerleaguer: Aumont, who posted a 2.68 ERA in a bounce-back season between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and Valle, the organization's highest-rated catching prospect and third-best overall, according to Baseball America, were locks to earn protection from the Rule 5 draft. I viewed Diekman as a lock as well, when you consider how teams use their picks. Diekman, a 25-year-old left-hander who allowed just one run in 11 1-3 innings in the Arizona Fall League, is exactly the type of player who would get gobbled up in the draft and stashed in a bullpen, Fabio Castro-style. And with Gilles, the Phillies are banking on a revival after an injury-ravaged and "weird" stay with the club so far. Gilles, a raw 23, may not have been taken anyway.

The Phillies are willing to take that risk with 22-year-old outfielder Jiwan James, who is considered one of the more promising outfielders in the system. Not that it means much - Phillies outfield prospects have been a wildly overrated bunch.

Right-handers BJ Rosenberg, Tyler Cloyd and Mike Cisco were unprotected and could entice teams in a David Herndon, Robert Mosebach, Jim Ed Warden sort of way; these were all right-handers chosen by the Phillies in the last five years. Obviously, only one of them stuck (Herndon). Cloyd would be a good use of a pick for a team anticipating a wide-open fifth starter copetition. He had a 2.77 ERA between Clearwater and Reading last season with solid paripherals.

All these guys are a hell of a lot better than former Phil Carlos Monesarios, who ended up appearing in 32 games for the Dodgers in 2010. You never know what a scout will see in a guy.

Would a team take a flier on positionless thumpers like Cody Overbeck or Matt Rizzotti? Unlikely, and they're a dime a dozen across baseball. Teams are more inclined to choose a Michael Martinez-esque utility type like older infielder Albert Cartwright, they guy the Phillies got back in the Sergio Escalona deal with Houston.

There are 39 bodies filling 40 openings.

Three Phils among top 5 NL Cy Young finishers

Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw won the NL Cy Young Award today. Ian Kennedy of the Diamondbacks finished fourth. In more important news...

-Roy Halladay (19-6, 2.35) finished second in the voting, Cliff Lee (17-8, 2.40) was third, and Cole Hamels (14-9, 2.79) came in fifth.

-It's the first time since 2009 that a team had two of the top three finishers. That was Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainright. The Cardinals righties finished second and third behind Giants ace Tim Lincecum that year.

-It's the first time that the Phillies had multiple pitchers in the top five since 1980, when Steve Carlton won the award and Tug McGraw finished fifth.

-It's the first time any team had three pitchers in the top five in the voting since 2005, when Roger Clemens, Roy Oswalt and Billy Wagner did it for the Astros.

-It's the first time since 1998 that a team had three starting pitchers in the top five of the Cy Young voting. No surprise at the names: Tom Glavine won it, while Braves teammates Greg Maddux and John Smoltz tied for fourth.

-Finally, Halladay is the sixth Cy Young Award winner to finish second the year after winning it. The last to do it was Diamondbacks righty Brandon Webb in 2007.

Schneider signing official: Backup catcher Brian Schneider officially is back with the Phillies on a one-year contract. Please keep your enthusiasm at an appropriate level.

Report: Phillies reach agreement with Schneider

Jon Heyman tweets that the Phils have agreed to bring back Brian Schneider for a third season, pending the outcome of a physical. Schneider, 34, hit .176/.246/.256 with two homers in 2011 and served as Vance Worley's personal catcher. The terms and length of the deal are unclear at this point. As of last night, Ruben Amaro Jr. was mum on the deal when he spoke with Jim Salisbury at the GM Meetings in Milwaukee. The Phillies' GM also said there have been no new developments in his discussions with Jimmy Rollins' agent Dan Lozano. [Link]

Reader reaction to Schneider: "Schneider was awful last year, but not sure how much you can read into 139 ABs. In 2010, in roughly the same # of ABs, his OPS was .227 points higher. Backups are like relief pitchers. Their stats bounce all over the place and only a moron would make a conclusion based only on a handful of ABs. As for CS percentage, if I recall correctly, Ruiz's was pretty sucky as well. Is it possible Phillies pitchers don't hold runners on very well? Hint: The answer to that question is yes." - clout

Mackanin out of the running for Sox skipper: Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin has reportedly been trimmed from the list of candidates for the Red Sox managerial vacancy. Milwaukee Brewers hitting coach and former Phil Dale Sveum underwent his second interview and is considered the front-runner to land the position. Mackanin, who played parts of nine seasons in the Majors including cups of coffee with the Phillies in 1978 and 1979, has been the Phillies bench coach since 2009.

Poll: Who should win the NL Cy Young Award?

The National League Cy Young Award winner will be revealed today at 1:30 p.m. ET on MLB Network. Justin Verlander was the unanimous winner from the American League.

Report: Phillies close to bringing back Schneider

Free agent catcher Brian Schneider, 34, hit .176/.246/.256 in his second season with the Phillies and served as Vance Worley's personal batterymate. FoxSports tweeted the scoop. [Link]

Beerleaguer: It's unclear whether this is for guaranteed money. Based on a 38 OPS+ and his injury history, it's hard to justify it. Schneider is from the Lehigh Valley and a healthy competition with Erik Kratz, another local product, wouldn't yield the worst consolation prize for the catcher who needs to begin the season with the IronPigs. Considering his lousy season, their geography and the promise of a title, the Phils have all the leverage to draft a minimal offer for Schneider.

On the plus side, his arm is still solid and he's an expert handler, and that's really all the Phillies have shown they want out of this position. Pitchers who paired with Schneider last season pitched to a 2.88 ERA, and Worley credited him for his success on more than one occassion.

Unfortunately, you've got to hit, which is why settling for Schneider is disappointing when you consider the beating Carlos Ruiz has been taking these last few seasons and the decline of the Phillies' offense across the board. He's an injury risk and he doesn't hit, which is why a minor league deal, or nothing, might be the most suitable action.

Nevertheless, is it possible for Schneider to have a bounce-back season, at age 34, and produce something closer to his acceptable 2010 .729 OPS? Sure, it's possible. After all, he might only start 40 games, max, so a handful of big games will get him there.

It's tempting to believe that Kratz, who is on the 40-man roster and posted an .838 OPS and 15 home runs in 408 plate appearances with Lehigh Valley, has worked his way into the picture. But the Phillies' alleged choice to skimp on this position, considering the Jonathan Papelbon signing and the remaining list of needs, is the better read.

Amaro speaks: No progress on addition of bat

Jim Salisbury caught up with Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. today at the GM Meetings in Milwaukee. Among the topics discussed, Amaro said they haven't made headway on the addition of a bat and reaffirmed that free agency is probably their best course of action, although he said he had spoken with several clubs today. He also suggested the club has interest in signing Cole Hamels to a long-term deal, but has not entered into a negotiation. He also mentioned the club plans to address Shane Victorino's long-term status down the road.

In Salisbury's latest update, which you can read here, Amaro said the Phillies' focus is on shortstop as the club has held numerous conversations with Jimmy Rollins' agent. To find out what Amaro has planned for the Phils' arbitration-eligible players: Kyle Kendrick, Wilson Valdez and Ben Francisco, read here.

On a related note, the Phillies held a private workout Tuesday for Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes. Find out who was there and how it went here.

Beerleaguer: Free agency might be the focus when it comes to guys like Rollins or Michael Cuddyer, but there are a coupe of scenarios where Amaro could try to swing a deal. Areas like catcher, bullpen and cheaper alternatives to Cuddyer (infield/outfield corner guy) come to mind. Amaro might have also touched base about possible non-tender candidates across the league.

Monday: Worley finishes 3rd in NL Rookie of the Year

Atlanta Braves closer Craig Kimbrel, who saved 46 games, became the 10th unanimous Rookie of the Year winner.

Kimbrel received all 32 first-place votes cast by the Baseball Writers Associate of America. The last player to earn a unanimous victory was Albert Pujols. Kimbrel went 4-3 with a 2.10 ERA in 79 games and held opponents to a .178 batting average. Teammate Freddie Freeman finished second, followed by breakout right-hander Vance Worley, who became a stabilizing force at the bottom of the Phillies' rotation. Worley, 24, went 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA in 25 games (21 starts), delivering a 119/46 K/BB ratio in 131 2-3 innings, a statistically similar campaign to J.A. Happ's 2009 effort (12-4, 2.93 ERA), in which he finished second in ROY voting. Worley is expected to nail down the fourth or fifth spot in the rotation next season after shifting to the bullpen during the playoffs.

Notes: Michael Martinez has surfaced in the Dominican Winter League, which is where he put himself on the Phillies' map last offseason. The utilityman is 2-for-24 in his first six games. … According to multiple reports, Ryan Madson is being pursued by the Marlins, who have emerged as strong suitors for Jose Reyes and Albert Pujols. … Jimmy Rollins reportedly has offers from six teams. ... Jonathan Papelbon is official.

Papelbon over Madson: Some pros and cons

A hot-off-the-presses look at the pros and cons of signing Jonathan Papelbon over Ryan Madson:

Pros: Papelbon is much more experienced than Madson, as the former Red Sox closer has more than four times as many saves as Madson over his career. ... Madson's 2011 season was his "breakout season" with 32 saves, but Papelbon already has seasons with 35, 37, 37, 38 and 41 saves, not to mention 31 this past year. ... Papelbon turns 31 later this month, while Madson turned 31 over the summer. ... Whether you look at last season, the last three seasons, or their entire careers, Papelbon has a much higher K/IP than Madson. ...Papelbon has proven that he can close out games in October with a 1.00 ERA over 18 career playoff games. He has pitched 27 playoff innings and given up a run in exactly one of those.

Cons: The numbers aren't out yet, but Papelbon surely is going to cost more than Madson, even though the Phils' closer had better numbers last season and they're basically the same age. ... Papelbon, among many other players, couldn't get it done in September this year as the Red Sox suffered an epic collapse to miss out on the postseason. In his final four appearances - all must-wins for Boston - Papelbon was scored upon three times and blew two saves, including the nail-in-the-coffin on the season's final day. ... Madson was a personality in the Phils' locker room, and this could alter the team's chemistry. ... Papelbon relies heavily on his fastball, which likely will lose velocity over the course of the contract.

Verdict: God bless Madson for what he did for this organization. From a back-end-of-the-rotation starter to a solid reliever to an elite set-up man to a pretty darn good closer. But if the money is relatively equal and the choices are Jonathan Papelbon or Ryan Madson, I'll take Papelbon. Every time.

Breaking news: Papelbon to become Phillies' stopper

According to CSNPhilly.com Insider Jim Salisbury, multiple sources have said the Phillies have reached a contract agreement with free-agent closer Jonathan Papelbon, pending a physical. Papelbon, 31, is believed to have agreed on a four-year deal. More coming ... [Full story]

Phillies reportedly sign lefty Valdes to minor deal

Cuban southpaw Raul Valdes, 33, has appeared in 51 Major League games between 2010 and 2011, all but one as a reliever. Thirteen of those appearances were split between the Cardinals and Yankees last season.

Valdes, who ended the regular season as part of the Yankees' bullpen, defected from Cuba in 2003 and was signed by the Cubs. He broke into the Bigs as a Met in 2010 and pitched in 39 games. In two seasons, he's 3-4 with a 4.58 ERA, a 71/33 K/BB ratio and a haywire left/right split of .936 OPS against lefties and .690 OPS against righties. Most of his work in 2011 came in the minor leagues, split between Double and Triple-A, most of it with Triple-A Memphis (Cardinals). Since his defection, Valdes has floated in and out of affiliated ball, including a stint in the independent Can-Am league. Valdes will reportedly go to Clearwater as a non-roster invitee where he will compete for a job as the second lefty in the Phillies' 'pen.  [Full report]

Valdez staying sharp in DR: The Phillies' other Valdez(s), Wilson, is back on the diamond in the Dominican Winter League. After six games, the Phillies' top shortstop on the depth chart is 5-for-21 with a homer.

Phils' owners had 'reservations' about Madson deal?

Jim Salisbury's latest update on the Ryan Madson negotiations cites a source close to the pitcher that said Phillies' ownership weren't fully committed to a four-year deal for the free agent closer and that the signing wasn't imminent, as it was reported in several places (but not CSNPhilly.com). Salisbury also suggests that Jonathan Papelbon, not Madson, may now be the Phillies' top closer target. Is it all just a ploy to drive down Madson's asking price? It certainly seems like the Phils and agent Scott Boras are engaged in the usual gamesmanship, but read the report and decide for yourself here.

Report: Phillies readying 4-year deal with Madson

An MLB.com report says the Phillies are closing in on a four-year deal with closer Ryan Madson.

The contract is said to include a fifth-year vesting option. A follow-up report from Yahoo! Sports says the deal is worth $44 million with a $13 million option for a fifth year. Meanwhile, CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury says Jonathan Papelbon is still in the picture and expects the Phils to sign one of them in the coming days.

Beerleaguer: The Phillies may regret four years at the lengthy cost of $11M/per, but not if he helps them win a title, as he did in 2008. The Phils are reportedly prepared to spend like the elite team they are, and it's a good sign they're finacially committed to keeping the window open. Ruben Amaro said free agency was going to be their only avenue to address the bullpen, and I agree that Madson was the one that should set the bar. In eight seasons, he's been one of the game's consistently great relievers. He's also 31. That's why he'll reportedly become the first marquee free agent to get signed.

No matter what you say about the value of closers relative to the dollars spent and innings worked, it's tough to put a price on the certainty of knowing the Cy Young-quality work of Halladay, Lee and Hamels doesn't get wiped out in the ninth inning. In that regard, $11M a season spent on late-game security seems reasonable.

Phillies owe it to aces to make Madson the priority

For all the talk of building up the bat rack, the Phillies aren't losing sight of what they are: a 102-win team built on pitching. That's why they're reportedly making Ryan Madson their top priority.

Beerleaguer: How do you retool a 102-win team that lost a best-of-five series to the eventual World Series winner? Very carefully. And when it comes to the bullpen, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has decided the ninth inning isn't broken, and doesn't need to be fixed. In fact, it's one of the biggest reasons the club enjoyed record success a season ago. The Phils led all of baseball in save percentage (85.4 percent), recording 47 saves, which was tied for the second-most since 1969. For that, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels owe Madson a debt of gratitude for converting 32-of-34, helping the Phils' staff set a franchise record for wins (76).

Ask me whether I'd rather have Jimmy Rollins or Madson if I were forced to keep just one. I'd take Madson, who posted a 2.37 ERA and can still be considered as a rising star at his position. I would argue he's the valedictorian of the free agent closer class. According to Tweets from Jayson Stark and Ken Rosenthal, the Phillies agree, with Stark reporting the Phils are "working hard to re-sign Madson," which verifies what agent Scott Boras said about the state of negotiations a few days ago.

The Phils don't hit like they used to, but it sounds like they're working toward a plan, which would reportedly include Michael Cuddyer.

That said, they were the best team in baseball because of two primary reasons: the starting rotation kept runs off the board, and the bullpen held leads.

Thome’s PH-DH potential; Cuddyer’s pros and cons

Summarizing the best reader reactions from this weekend.

Thome’s value is as PH-DH: “Jim Thome was quoted at the end of last season as saying he can no longer play in the field. There is no way he will be starting one game a week at 1B. However, if the team got into a an extra inning situiation or an injury problem he could fill in for a few innings in an emergency. That said, he is the first serious bench threat this team has had and will be very valuable if the Phillies make the World Series. You may recall the Phils 9th batter in the 2009 series was Ben Francisco, while the Yankee countered with Hideki Matsui. This move closes that yawning chasm considerably.” – clout

Cuddyer’s pros and cons: “Michael Cuddyer is a fine ballplayer, but he will add more strikeouts and a mediocre OB. If you think OB and Ks haven't been a problem, then Cuddyer is fine. He's got good power, a decent AVG and is a fine defensive player in the corner OF spots. He is a below average defensive player at 3B, however. His career UZR is -9.5, which probably puts him in the lowest 25 percent of defensive third basemen. Essentially, you'd have to decide whether replacing a Gold Glove third baseman with low Ks, bad OB and no power to a bad defensive thirdbaseman with high Ks, mediocre OB and good power helps the team more than it hurts it. Also worth noting: Cuddyer has a wide L/R split, hitting LHP far better than RHP.” – clout

Phils need bench desperately: "The Phils have a need for a strong bench in 2012 more than ever. Polanco and Utley easily could miss a combined 60 games in 2012. If Rollins is brought back, that total could be 90 games. Howard could miss most of the season, and he may not be back to 100 percent at any point in the season. So, the Phils need good bench guys to play the infield and to provide power." - derekcarstairs

Phillies have no faith in healthy Howard, better Brown? "Our strong pursuit of Cuddyer tells me two things: 1. The FO has zero faith in Howard being back at 100% next year. 2. The FO has nearly zero faith in Domonic Brown emerging as a legitimate LF in 2012." - NEPP

Versatility without cost to offense: “Cuddyer would bring the kind of versatility that is actually valuable since he can not only play lots of positions, but he can do it while making positive contributions at the plate. Plus, as free agents go, he's actually on the younger side. If you lock him up for 3 or 4 years, there's a decent chance that he might still be decent in the final year of his contract.” - bay_area_phan

Watch: Thome's role and the Phils' pursuit of Cuddyer

Jim Salisbury explains why Jim Thome will be bringing his first baseman's glove to Clearwater this spring and why free agent infield-outfield corner Michael Cuddyer, 32, could be joining him.

Breaking news: Phillies agree to bring back Thome

The Phillies have kicked off the Hot Stove season by reuniting with Gentleman Jim.

Todd Zolecki of Phillies.com reports that Jim Thome is headed back to Philadelphia on a one-year pact, pending a physical, marking another winter where Ruben Amaro and the Phils bulster the bench very early in the off-season. Thome finished last season where it all began, in Cleveland, after beginning the year with Minnesota. In total, Gentleman Jim hit .256/.361/.477 with 15 home runs in 324 plate appearances, numbers that largely eclipsed what the Phillies came to expect from their bench (with the exception of John Mayberry). The move also signals the end of Ross Gload's tenure as the club's primary pinch hitter.

Thome was linked to the Phils in several trade deadline rumors, but he was unable to pass through waivers and reach Philadelphia. He sits at eighth place on the all-time homer list with 604. Zolecki suggests this is a low-cost signing with the lure of a title driving Thome's decision to remain in baseball. 

Thome spent three seasons with the Phillies between 2003-05 and opened the era of big offense in Philadelphia, which the team is now trying to recapture. He was traded to the White Sox in the 2005-06 offseason in a move that brought Aaron Rowand to Philadelphia and cleared room for Ryan Howard. Thome's last season with the Phillies also marked the last time he saw regular action at first base, just in case you were wondering.

Update: CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury reports the Phillies are in "serious" pursuit of Thome's Twins teammate Michael Cuddyer, a 32-year-old free agent who can play the outfield corners and can handle spot action at first and third. Cuddyer posted an .805 OPS with 20 home runs and was named to the All-Star Game.

Transactions: 31 Phillies become free agents

Most of the players are AAA journeyman or washed-up veterans.

Here's the list, courtesy of Baseball America: Right-handers Brian Bass, Eddie Bonine, Nate Bump, Dave Bush, Joe Espositol; left-handers Ryan Edelll, Ryan Feierabend, Derrick Loop, Tommy Palica, Juan Perez, Les Walrond; catchers Tim Kennelly, Torre Langley, Jeff Lanning; corner infielders Tagg Bozied and Jeff Larish; infielders Josh Barfield, Ozzie Chavez, Paco Figueroa, Kevin Frandsen, Fidel Hernandez, Steve Singleton; outfielders Brent Clevlen, Terry Evans, Chris Frey, Cyle Hankerd, Chris Lubanski, Scott Podsednik, Mike Spidale, Rich Thompson, Delwyn Young.

Beerleaguer: Only a couple of home-grown players in here: Tim Kennelly, Fidel Hernandez for example. Lots of guys who fall into the "good soldier" category: Mike Spidale, Tagg Bozied, Rich Thompson, Ozzie Chavez to name a few. A couple of non-roster invitees who generated Beerleaguer site engagement last spring: Josh Barfield, Delwyn Young, Jeff Larish. Dave Bush and Scott Podsednik have reached their Major League expiration dates.

May billed as Baseball America's best Phils prospect

Right-hander Trevor May, 22, topped the scouting magazine's annual list, which also gave high marks to right-hander Jon Pettibone, rating him fourth, and shortstop Freddy Galvis, sliding him up to sixth. [Full list]

The magazine's top three of May, left-hander Jesse Biddle and catcher Sebastian Valle mirrors John Sickels' assessment made last week. May, an overpowering 6-5 right-hander with a heavy fastball, struck out an incredible 208 batters in 151 innings last season in the Florida State League and should be considered the stand-out prospect in the Phillies' post-blockbuster system. Pettibone, his teammate in Clearwater, went 10-11 with a 2.96 ERA and a 115/34 K/BB. Pettibone only rated 15th on the Sickels' list. Meanwhile, BA praised Galvis' glove, writing that he "is arguably the best defensive shortstop in the minors," citing plus range, excellent hands and terrific instincts. Sickels was less convinced, listing the shortstop 17th.

BA also issued high marks to relievers Phillippe Aumont, Justin De Fratus and 18-year-old third baseman Maikel Franco, giving internal hope at the hot corner (at long last).

Phillies give Pete Orr an invite to spring training

The Phillies are bringing back Pete Orr, giving the veteran infielder an invitation to spring training. Orr, 32, batted .219/.279/.250 in 46 games for the Phils last season. Orr was outrighted off the Phils' 40-man roster back on Oct. 19.

Thursday: Diekman extends scoreless streak in AFL

Lefty reliever Jake Diekman pitched another spotless inning Wednesday after receiving word that he was named to the AFL Rising Stars game.

Beerleaguer: Earlier in the week I half joked that Diekman has a better shot at the Majors than many of the Phillies’ alleged top prospects, and I said that forgetting a critical factor that could expedite his ascent even more. If the Phils leave Diekman exposed to next month’s Rule 5 draft, the left-hander will surely get taken.

Since it’s much easier to stash an inexperienced player in the back of the bullpen than it is to burn a spot on the bench (with the exception of a utilityman like Michael Martinez), bullpen help has arguably become the best and “safest” way to use a Rule 5 pick. On top of that, everyone knows how lefty relievers have the fastest track to the Majors anyway. Diekman went 0-1 with three saves and a 3.05 ERA in 53 appearances for Reading this season and has allowed just one hit in 8 1-3 innings in the AFL. Diekman was named to the East roster of Saturday’s AFL All-Star game.

Prospects meriting protection form the Rule 5 Draft include right-handers BJ Rosenberg and Tyler Cloyd; both have pedigrees similar to David Herndon and could generate interest as bullpen candidates. But I don’t see teams making a run at Cody Overbeck, who doesn’t have a position, similar to how teams skipped on Matt Rizzotti last season. Positionless, Quad-A thumpers are a dime a dozen. Tyson Gilles is also eligible, but there’s no way a team burns a roster spot on him.

The Phillies' 40-man roster is at 32.

Don't bet on hometown discount for free agent Phils

Beginning tomorrow, the players who filed for free agency, including Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Madson, will be able to sign with any team. CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury provides the latest download above.

Beerleaguer: Interesting that Salisbury says the Phillies believe they need a closer more than a shortstop. Rollins rated ninth in among shortstops with a 3.8 WAR and hit .268/.338/.399 with 16 homers (101 OPS+). He's the second-best shortstop behind Jose Reyes in a thin free agent class. Meanwhile, Madson's 1.7 ranked 15th in the league in reliever WAR and saved 32 games. The closer market is relatively deep and talented, including names like Jonathan Papelbon, Heath Bell and Joe Nathan, with an even deeper second tier headed by names like Francisco Rodriguez and Francisco Cordero. It's a more attractive shopping season than most in terms of relievers.

Transactions: The Phillies recently released a handful of prospects, including RHP Craig Fritsch, RHP Siulman Lebron, RHP Juan Morillo, 1B Matt Holland, SS Kenny Miramontes, SS Nerio Rios, OF Luis Amaro, OF Jorge Castillo, OF Witer Jimenez, OF Jorge Miranda, OF Bernardo Solarte. (via Baseball America). The Phillies have also hired Triple-A veteran and 2008 September call-up Andy Tracy as a minor league manager awaiting assignment, according to Phillies.com.

BL for breakfast: Mackanin campaigns in Boston

Victorino, Polanco, Ruiz are Gold Glove 'finalists'

Sports monopoly ESPN secured the rights to air the first-ever Rawlings Gold Glove Awards Show tonight at 10 p.m. on ESPN2. The Phillies have three players in the running.

Shane Victorino (4.4 UZR) goes for his third-consecutive award while Placido Polanco, who posted a baseball-best 14.0 UZR at the hot corner, tries to capture his third award and first as a third baseman. He'll need to top Daniel Descalso and Pablo Sandoval. Carlos Ruiz, who allowed 76 stolen bases and gunned down 23, has never won the award and is matched against Yadier Molina (46/19) and Brian McCann (104/29). Of the three, Ruiz posted the highest fielding percentage with a .996. Meanwhile, Jimmy Rollins is a notable omission as Troy Tulowitzki, Ronny Cedeno and Alex Gonzalez were given nods at shortstop. See all the nominees here.

Watch: Is Jimmy Rollins a fit for San Francisco?

Elias Rankings revealed: MLBTradeRumors.com secured the official list and Ryan Madson, Roy Oswalt and Jimmy Rollins qualify for Type A compensation. I don't know what goes into these rankings, but I can't understand why Rollins - an everyday shortstop - ranks at the same level as guys like Kyle Farnsworth and Josh Willingham. The Phils are locks to offer Madson and Rollins arbitration and secure top draft picks if they're lost to free agency.