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.

Comments

[clout]

cut: Dom's problem at the MLB level was fastballs on his hands. He was unable to get his hands down and his bat close enough to his body to handle fastballs on the inside corner.

Supposedly they worked with him on lower the bat enough in his stance so he could get it down and in as needed, but I saw no improvement.

He's still a work in progress. At age 23 last season he put up an OPS+ of 97. That is not too shabby. I think he'll learn how to handle the inside stuff. The glove will take more time.

[clout]

Move along. There's nothing to see here.

[J. Weitzel]

"He's still a work in progress. At age 23 last season he put up an OPS+ of 97. That is not too shabby."

Clout: Exactly.

[Willard Preacher]

Scott Podsednik expired?

Should we send flowers or something?

[bay_area_phan]

Of the 31 Phillie free agents on that list, the ones I'd like to see back next year are -- actually, no one. Well, maybe Rich Thompson since he has been a decent AAA hitter & Vic is certain to go on the DL at some point. But it's not like I'll be crushed if he leaves.

[J. Weitzel]

Kevin Frandsen gets my vote: .303/.356/.412. Good start to season before getting suspended.

[Willard Preacher]

Les Walrond here. It just won't be the same without him. Bozied to some extent, too.

I guess the whole concern about Barfield taking a spot on the 25 man out of ST last year is kind of comical in hindsight, huh?

[cut_fastball]

It does seem as if Dom's been "banished". Like a "refusnik" to Siberia; back in the days of the USSR.

Damn. We sure could use a LH bat with steady and productive numbers with Howard out indefinitely. If Schmitty could get away with hiting .196 in his first year, it would appear that Dom's got this thing wired.

Problem is, as I see it, no one has given Domonic any real vote of confidence. Back in the day, Mike Schmidt was it at 3rd; who else was there? RAJ's comment about the 500 minor league ABs required by Dom must have hurt that kid like hell.

[MG]

WP - why? They kept Mini Mart all year and given their tight payroll to round out the bench with cheap solutions. He is also 'versatile' which is a quality that Amaro seems enamored with for his last positional guy on the bench regardless of how bad he is overall.

[Andy]

You could field a decent AAA team with those guys. Except for pitching. Frandsen would be nice to keep. The holes formed by these departures will be filled with guys pushed upwards by the 2011 draft class. Guys like Perdomo,Cesar H. and Jiwan J. need to really pounce if they're gonna (and frankly I do not think they're gonna, but...)because they're next.

[JA Happ]

WE GOT THOME!!!!

[GTown_Dave]

See? I told you all, the minute Olney says there's no chance home plays for the Phillies again is the moment his return is essentially guaranteed.

Regardless, I like the move. I watched more Twins games than I care to admit this past year, & the man can still hit. Thome's no more useless in the field than was Gload, only he can & will get some XBHs. Plus, $1.25 million is practically nothing. Gload & Schneider each made more than that in '11, & Thome's bound to prove more useful than both combined offensively.

[Dull]

IronPigs outfield next year looks like Brown in left, Mitchell in center and Bowker/Susdorf in right. Wouldn't mind bringing back Brandon Moss but now with Thome back looks like Bowker is headed to the Pigs. Impressed with Moss in the three playoff games I saw. Looks like Tuffy has reupped and will be one of the Pigs catchers. Rizzo and Overbeck at first/DH, Garcia at second, Freddy at short, Rivero at third. Pete Orr utility. Aumont, DeFratus and Diekman in the pen. Naylor, Hyatt, Mathieson, Ramirez and Cloyd in the rotation. Please no more six year free agents from other organizations unless absolutely necessary!

[GTown_Dave]

... but now with Thome back looks like Bowker is headed to the Pigs.

NOOOOOOOOOO! We can't lose Bowker! Maybe Thome will fail his physical ...

[NEPP]

THOME!!!!

ALL IS WELL AGAIN!!!

[BobbyD]

Just read about Thome. Cool.

[gobaystars!]

Are the Phillies moving to the AL?
Did Ruben not see his team of aging stars struggle vs STL?

[GTown_Dave]

Thome Thread ==>

[The Truth Injection]

Some people have complained that too many on here overhype guys in the Phillies system because they are Phillies. There is something to be said for that.

However, it is also true that too many on here stupidly--STUPIDLY-- declare people's careers over or stalled before it even gets a chance to get some traction.

Dom Brown has had 280 plate appearances in the majors and has posted an 88 OPS+. It's not stellar but for a guy still learning to adjust to pitchers at that level it is a start. Yes his defense lacks quite a bit but here's a secret for you- if he can get himself up to a 115-120 OPS+ consistently his defense will be overlooked to some degree. Even the much maligned Raul Ibanez just got done posting a 111 OPS+ for us and earned 33 million dollars for it. In left field, below average to average defense can be tolerated based on how ones bat fairs. Ryan Braun is statistically a pretty bad defensive left fielder and do you think the Brewers give a damn about that when the guy is putting up a career 145 OPS+?

On Freddy Galvis: He did this year what you want your prospects to do. His glove is ready for the majors but the glaring hole for him was his offensive output. This year he picked that up quite a bit. He went from a .233/.276/.311/.586 slash line in 2010 to a .273/.326/.400/.727 slash line in 2011 at Reading and was on pace to up his walk total before they moved him up. Then he went to Triple A and went .298/.315/.364/.678.

Clearly you need another year to see a trend developing but it certainly seems like he had a breakthrough of some kind this past year. He may not be ready to start in April but to say he has shown nothing is pretty stupid considering the year he just had. Plus he is only entering his age 22 season. He is right about where he should be at this point. Give him a chance before shoveling dirt on him.

[gobaystars!]

Rube "Alrgiht Jim, can we get you here with a 3 year deal?"
Thome "Rube, I really don't know if I want to play that long."
Rube "Ok. 2 and an option!"
Thome "Um I really think this might be my last year and I haven't played first in 5 years."
Rube "No option?"
Thome "I am retiring after this season!!"
Rube "You drive a hard bargain Jim/ 1 year it is."

[tg082]

I went to grade school with Chris Lubanski. It'll be a shame when he's bagging my groceries next year.

[True Religion Outlet]

I’m burnt out. I’m not sure where there is to go. If I even see a stroller stashed in a common area, like last weekend at a condo open house where there were--no joke--seven directly in front of the door of the ground floor apt we had interest in, I will turn around and leave. I can’t stand shared space anymore and I don’t care if people say that’s part of city living because soon enough I will be a genuine old crank.