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Phillies chose durability over quality in RHP Qualls

The Phillies have squeezed in another move to fortify the bullpen, adding 33-year-old right-hander Chad Qualls on a one-year, $1.15 million guaranteed deal, including performance bonuses, the club announced.

Beerleaguer: The good news is that Qualls can absorb innings, appearing in 77 games for the Padres last season, including a 1.96 ERA over his final 19 games. That's why the Phils went this direction over Lidge, for example, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing considering the mixed dynamic in the bullpen. In fact, over the past seven seasons, he has appeared in more games than any Major League pitcher, according to the Phillies' release, and that includes time missed to repair a dislocated left patella that knocked him out of the 2009 season. Qualls has a career record of 38-34 with 51 saves and a 3.78 ERA in 537 games for the Astros, Diamondbacks, Rays and Pads.

Nevertheless, he's five years past his prime, pitching to a 3.51 ERA (102 ERA+) and career-low 5.2 K/9 in pitcher-friendly Petco; he had over a 5 ERA on the road. He's at that same point in his career as Danys Baez when the Phillies signed him to a two-year commitment two seasons ago: a former closer on bad teams who appears to be on his way out. The advanced metrics support that; since 2008, his WAR has streadily falled from a 2.1 to -0.3. That's why the Phils got him at this price.

My concern: Charlie Manuel succumbs to the temptation of handing him the eighth inning right out of the chute based on name alone, ignoring what Antonio Bastardo achieved in five of the first six months of the season. The added performance bonuses could also add to that temptation. Qualls belongs in the middle innings and should toggle between low and high-leverage frames.

His value is in his ability to pitch back-to-back days. If he stinks early, it's a good sign that he's done - and the Phils need to recognize that.

The move also sets up a spring training battle royale in the bullpen, where even a guy like Michael Stutes will be forced to earn his keep.

What I'll remember about Pat Burrell...

Years from now, the answer might be different. But today, on January 30, 2012, when I think back to Pat Burrell's career, here are the 3 things that come to mind first.

Thought #1: It has to be that seventh-inning double in Game 5 of the 2008 World Series. I'll never forget that split-second when I thought the ball was gone, those 30 seconds spent celebrating with my friends, and those 2 minutes of arguing whether he could have had a triple on the play. (Remember, he really stared at it for a while). But that hit - his only one of the series - was clearly the pinnacle of his Phillies career, though his two-homer performance in Game 4 of the NLDS shouldn't get lost in the shuffle by any means.

Thought #2: Confusion as to why Burrell was hailed as a fan favorite over the last couple of years. Even though Burrell did some great things for this organization, anyone who followed the team during the 2000's knows that he was hardly embraced by the fans for most of that time. Sure, he led the parade down Broad Street and everyone talks now like they loved Burrell all along, but when he was hitting .209 in 2003, or when he was committing 10 errors in 2007, the words "Pat Burrell" and "fan favorite" were never ever used in the same sentence. And don't act like you didn't fire some F-bombs every time Burrell raised his arms to take a called third strike on the inside corner.

Thought #3: Man, how Burrell used to kill the Mets early in his career. Only five players in MLB history have hit more home runs against the Mets. Listen to this top 10 of career homers vs. NYM, littered with Hall of Famers, MVPs and, yes, Pat the Bat:

Willie Stargell, 60
Mike Schmidt, 49
Chipper Jones, 48
Willie McCovey, 48
Hank Aaron, 45
PAT BURRELL, 42
Willie Mays, 39
Barry Bonds, 38
Andre Dawson, 36
Billy Williams, 34

And then there are Burrell's career numbers against Armando Benitez: 4-for-11, 3 HRs, 8 RBIs, 5 BBs.

All in all, a very solid player who will always have a special place in my heart. Thanks for all the memories, Pat the Bat.

Burrell retires: Beerleaguers pay tribute to No. 5

Share your on-and-off-the-field memories. Wink.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Oswalt mulling next move

The Rangers are scheduled to meet with former Phillie Roy Oswalt on Monday, a source confirmed to ESPN on Sunday afternoon. [Link]

Oswalt, who had apparently agreed to sign with the Cardinals, according to an ESPN report late Friday night, has reportedly declined offers from the Indians, Blue Jays and Tigers, and it doesn't appear as though he has much interest in pitching for the Red Sox, either. It seems the former Phil would prefer to pitch close(ish) to his neck of the woods in Mississippi, either St. Louis or Texas. Houston has also been listed as a darkhorse destination. The Cardinals are reportedly trying to shed salary to sign him.

Transactions: The Phillies re-signed Brent Clevlen to a minor league deal. The 28-year-old outfielder played in small parts of four Major League seasons with the Tigers and Braves, as recently as 2010 with Atlanta. He played in 29 games with Double-A Reading last season.

In addition, these former Phillies signed low-key minor league deals this week: Nelson Figueroa (Blue Jays); Tim Redding (Blue Jays, Phillies took a flier on him last season), veteran infielder Chris Woodward (Blue Jays); outfielder Chris Aguila (Marlins); infielder Bobby Scales (Cubs); right-hander Oscar Villarreal (Orioles). The moves were reported in the latest Baseball America transactions report.

Report: Roy Oswalt set to sign on with Cardinals?

Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com has reported on Twitter that the Cardinals and Roy Oswalt have agreed to a contract. Exact terms of the deal are not clear.

The Red Sox and Rangers were the clubs also reportedly in the mix for the former Phillie, who went 9-10 with a 3.69 ERA in 23 starts for the Phillies last season (it seemed like far fewer, didn't it?) The 34-year-old right-hander blazed to a 7-1 mark and 1.74 ERA after coming to Philadelphia midway through 2010, but his time as the "fourth ace" was cut short last season due to back problems and a personal leave. He allowed five runs over six fateful frames in Game 4 of the NLDS when the Phillies had an opportunity to put away the Cardinals. The Phils declined Oswalt's option in October.

Report: Phillies, Pence avoid arb with $10.4M deal

The Phillies and Hunter Pence avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $10.4 million contract, Jon Heyman reports on Twitter.

Pence earned $6.9 million last season while batting .314/.370/.502 with 22 homers, 97 RBI, eight stolen bases and an .871 OPS over 154 games between Houston and Philadelphia. Pence filed at $11.8 million while the Phillies filed at $9 million in December, so the two sides met halfway on the deal, thus avoiding a trip to the table, as the Phillies often do. Pence took the Astros to arbitration last season and won his case.

Beerleaguer: The Phils should expect big things from Pence, who will be asked to anchor the offense, even when Ryan Howard returns. And thus concludes an active day, and off-season, for Ruben Amaro and the Phillies. Wake me at pitchers and catchers.

Breaking news: Phillies sign Pierre to minors deal

Update: The Phillies have officially announced the signing of active stolen base leader Juan Pierre to a minor league deal. (From the press release) Pierre, 34, batted .279 with two home runs, 50 RBIs and 27 stolen bases in 158 games for the Chicago White Sox last season.  A left-handed batter, he hit .329 against left-handed pitching and .331 with runners in scoring position. Pierre made 152 starts last year, all in left field. He will come to spring training as a non-roster invitee. (US Presswire photo)

Beerleaguer: Boy, the resumes of the Phillies' non-roster spring invitees have been getting better and better over the years, haven't they? Terrific signing. Aside from speed and his ability to put the ball in play, he has the makings of a great little pinch hitter; he's a lifetime .311/.386/.367 pinch hitter, although he hasn't done it for awhile. He adds many of the skills - speed, bunting, contact - the Phils lack, particularly following the trade of Wilson Valdez, the team's best bunter.

It's going to be a very competative spring with non-roster players like Pierre and Joel Pineiro challenging entrenched incumbents.

Giants sign Theriot: Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that the Giants have signed free agent infielder Ryan Theriot to a one-year deal. Theriot was considered an option for the Phillies after the club dealt Wilson Valdez to Cincinnati.

11:30 a.m. According to sources for Jim Salisbury, the Phillies are "engaged in 'serious discussions' with free-agent outfielder Juan Pierre about a minor-league deal." [Link]

The 34-year-old outfielder batted .279/.329/.327 with two homers, 50 RBI, 27 stolen bases and a .657 OPS over 711 plate appearances with the White Sox in 2011. The Phillies have reportedly been seeking better speed off the bench and another outfielder. A lefty hitter with dead-even career splits against righties and lefties, Pierre, 34, would be strongly favored to win the fifth outfielder job out of spring training. Salisbury also notes that some sources expect the Phillies to make a play at free agent infielder Ryan Theriot, depending on the price.

Beerleaguer: Pierre on a minors deal? They'd be nuts not to take it. Pierre and Theriot would round out the edges nicely.

Read: Financial calamity threatens future of Mets

Turning to our northern rivals, read Adam Rubin's appraisal of the New York Mets and the erosion of the Wilpons' hold on the franchise. [Link]

According to Rubin, Major League Baseball has retained a law firm specializing in bankruptcies as an independent adviser regarding the Mets, who are trying to raise about $200 million from minority investors. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson has verified that the organization lost $70 million in 2011, partially due to a reported 12 percent tumble in stadium revenue, including a 20 percent drop in food, beverage and merchandise sales, the story says. Those numbers figure to plummet further as the Mets are expected to dwell in the National League East cellar. One luxury box owner cited in the piece says he's not only struggling to sell his suite, but can't give tickets away. The organization acknowledged taking out a $40 million short-term loan from Bank of America just to cover operations for 2012, on top of their mountain of dept, the story says.

Read the full piece at ESPNNewYork.com.

Washington-bound Lidge can drink free in Philly

Brad Lidge, a hero in the Phillies' march to the 2008 World Series, has inked a one-year deal with the Washington Nationals, Mark Zuckerman of NatsInsider has confirmed.

Lidge, 35, pitched in 25 injury-shortened innings last season as a middle reliever, giving way to Ryan Madson as the Phillies' stopper. In four seasons with the Phils, he collected 100 saves, including a perfect 48-for-48 in the 2008 regular and postseason. Lidge will likely assume a seventh-inning role in Washington behind Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard. The assumption was that Lidge would sign to pitch in one of two places: Philadelphia or Colorado, so Washington's grab comes as something of a surprise. It's a $1 million deal with incentives, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.

Beerleaguer: Lidge leaves town with the proverbial invite to enjoy drinks on the house whenever he stops by Philadelphia. He was a class act who handled his post-World Series inconsistency with professionalism and accountability. A true Phillie for life, with the capacity to squeeze out another effective season with a new set of mates.

Valdez trade contradicts Amaro's concern for depth

Wednesday in Lakewood, Ruben Amaro Jr. told the Philadelphia Daily News that "in this day and age, depth is important," as he explained the reason for dealing Wilson Valdez for left-handed pitcher Jeremy Horst. If that's the case, than why would he subtract from the infield, where all four regulars have trouble staying on the field?

Beerleaguer: The biggest problem, as the Phils count down the days until spring training, is an infield that can't stay healthy and will not have Ryan Howard to begin the season. Period. Forget fifth outfielder, the eighth inning or all the other noodling on the fringes of the roster, which would certainly include a minor league loogy like Jeremy Horst. Without an intact infield, the offense will sputter. And it will sputter because the stand-ins will be at replacement level or worse. Yeah, I bolded that.

This is infield armageddon. (13 pt. type)

Remember Valdez's 19th-inning heroics all you want, but his real legacy came as the cardboard cutout who stood in place of Placido Polanco, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley for two years and produced a 0.0 WAR in 2011, a Sabermetrician's way of saying the Phils would do just as well summoning "any old body" from Triple-A (Pete "any old body" Orr produced a comparable -0.2 WAR).

Improving utility should have been a priority this winter. Even if they'd kept Valdez, the fragility of the infield makes for a scary situation. This move implies almost total faith in Michael Martinez, who is a terrible hitter (.196/.258/.282). According to the Daily News, Amaro listed Martinez and prospect Freddy Galvis as the top two utility candidates, then suggested that Galvis would ideally begin the season in Triple-A. In other words, we have every reason to expect Martinez to break camp with a spot on the roster, just as he did a year ago.

Phillies shake up bench by dealing Valdez to Reds

For the last two seasons, Wilson Valdez logged more playing time and plate appearances than any member of the Phillies' bench. Those days have come to an end as the veteran utilityman has been shipped to Cincinnati for 26-year-old southpaw Jeremy Horst.

Beerleaguer: Unless the Phillies have unexplainable faith in Michael Martinez to support three fragile spots in the infield, this could signal a pending move. A player like Jeff Keppinger, for example, who was non-tendered by the Giants, comes to mind as the type of available, cheap, decent hitter the Phils have lacked from their utility department. Valdez specialized in terrific bench defense at three positions, but at the cost of a .249/.294/.341 line last season. He was an underrated culprit behind the Phillies' offensive malaise these last two seasons; he stepped to the pate 663 times in two years due to injuries suffered by Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Placido Polanco. They're all a year older, so the utility vacancy shouldn't be taken lightly.

Valdez was set to earn $930K, so the Phils earn back some wiggle room in their budget. Which might have been the whole point of this and nothing more. However, I do see the Phils shifting away from the all-glove-no-bat strategy with their utilitymen and trying to pick up extra offense however they can, even if it means having Ty Wigginton slide into the utility spot after he's done subbing for Ryan Howard. Kevin Frandsen, Pete Orr and Freddy Galvis also become more interesting discussions this spring.

Horst, 26, made 12 relief appearances for the Reds last year and went 0-0 with a 2.93 ERA.  He spent most of the season with Triple-A Louisville, where he posted a 1-4 record with a 2.81 ERA and 42/14 K/BB in 36 games (51 1-3) innings, while holding opposing hitters to a .219 batting average. Dozens of Triple-A lefties can say the same thing. His non-roster status speaks volumes.

The Phillies are now at 38 players on their 40-man roster.

Nats had no shot as Prince becomes Tiger royalty

The Tigers have agreed on a nine-year deal with first baseman Prince Fielder, Yahoo's Tim Brown first reported on Twitter.

According to a follow-up report by Jon Heyman, the 27-year-old slugger is set to make $214 million over nine seasons. The addition sets up a powerhouse pairing of Prince and Miguel Cabrera in the middle of the Tigers' order, supplimenting Victor Martinez until he is healthy. The Nationals were considered the front-runner to sign him by several industry insiders up until this morning, and the mystery-team Tigers weren't even listed among the final four candidates. The Tigers, who could use Fielder as a DH as early as this season, should be considered easy favorites to win the American League Central.

Too rich for Nationals' blood: "In the end, the Nationals stayed true to their mantra from the start of the offseason: They were interested in Fielder only if his asking price came way down, specifically the number of years he was seeking. Everyone expected agent Scott Boras to be able to command a deal of 8-10 years when Fielder became a free agent in November, but in the ensuing months no clubs publicly or privately stated they would be willing to meet those demands.

"Thus, the Nationals appeared to enter a sweepstakes they never expected to be in, perhaps presented the opportunity to sign one of the game's premier sluggers for well below his perceived market value.

"But Boras has rarely, if ever, settled for less than he wanted, and he's always been a master at playing the market to his advantage and making the baseball world believe one or more clubs were offering more than they really were. In this case, he managed to convince the Tigers to lock up Fielder at a price no one else could match." - Mark Zuckerman, NatsInsider.com

Musser shined in the shadows of Harry and Whitey

Watch: Colleagues, including Chris Wheeler, recall Andy Musser's broadcast contributions.

Reader recalls Musser's underrated career: "Musser was a very solid announcer in the perpetual shadows of Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn, and he was in the booth for a long time. Even his detractors can't dispute the greatness of his call of Schmidt's home run call to clinch the division in 1980. Musser also had a much more dramatic call of the final out of the '80 LCS than Kalas on TV, though to be fair Harry was more or less drowned out by a hysterically laughing Tim McCarver. (If you've never heard that clip, it's sort of surreal.).

"The Phillies had separate crews for PRISM, Channel 29 (later 17), and SportsChannel before everything more or less merged into Comcast SportsNet in the late '90s. They didn't keep the radio guys separate from TV the way they do now, although the cable crews were just on their respective stations exclusively. There were as many as seven or eight on the broadcast crew in the mid-90s, I believe, and that's when they started cutting back on Musser's air time. For most of the '80s it was Musser and Wheeler on PRISM, with Garry Maddox replacing Musser in the middle innings. Those guys did a good job and even had their own brand of chemistry working - sure, it wasn't Harry and Whitey, but it wasn't bad. Musser moved to SportsChannel in 1990, working with a steady rotation of former players - Jim Fregosi was briefly one of them before being hired as manager in 1991." - RSB

Another Cuban defector draws the Phillies' gaze

Left-hander Gerardo Concepcion, 18, fled his Cuban team in June while touring in the Netherlands and has been declared a free agent after establishing residency in Mexico, according to an MLB.com report. [Link]

The story lists the Phillies among 10 teams vying for the left-hander, who recently worked out for the Rangers in the Dominican Republic. Concepcion, who was named Rookie of the Year in the Cuban Serie Nacional in 2010-11, according to the report, joins Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and Jorge Soler as young defectors drawing major interest around baseball this winter. The Phils, who have never spent big for international amateurs, are believed to have strong interest in Soler, but the cost is considered prohibitive. Concepcion's agent told MLB.com that his client has an offer on the table from a team and is likely to sign soon.

Monday: Catching up on the contracts of former Phils

A few ex-Phillies were locked into new deals this week, while several others are still seeking employment.

The Astros avoided arbitration with former Phillies starter J.A. Happ last week by agreeing to a $2.35M deal. The decision couldn't have been cut and dry for the Astros. The 29-year-old left-hander earned $474,000 in 2011 and was eligible for arbitration for the first time after going 6-15 with a 5.35 ERA in 28 starts, including a demotion to the minor leagues. However, the demotion appeared to be just what he needed. In his final six starts he posted a 2.43 ERA. … Elsewhere, the Orioles signed lefty reliever Dennys Reyes to a minor league deal. Reyes, 34, never pitched for the Phillies because he failed his physical after agreeing to a guaranteed deal last winter. The Phils then decided to bring back J.C. Romero for another year. … The Phils will see former prospect Gio Gonzalez for many more seasons. The Nationals agreed to terms on a five-year extension with the left-hander last week. ... Catcher Jason Jaramillo, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Cubs after spending three seasons with the Pirates. ... By now, everyone has seen that the Rockies have invited Jamie Moyer to spring training; his first spring training was in 1984.

In terms of unsigned players, the Tigers and Yankess have been linked to free agent Raul Ibanez. The Tigers, Braves, Rangers and Red Sox, meanwhile, have been mentioned as possible destinations for Roy Oswalt, considered, perhaps, the best starter remaining on the market.

Next move could come in Clearwater: As for the Phillies, arbitration-eligible outfielder Hunter Pence remains the last order of business. Pence is reportedly seeking $11.8 million in arbitration. The Phils have countered with $9 million. Ruben Amaro Jr. has indicated that the club is comfortable to head to spring training without making another significant move. Areas of concern include bullpen depth and a fifth outfielder, ideally one with speed, but these are considered minor issues that could be sorted out this spring when rosters are trimmed around baseball and teams fully understand their needs. Reports have the Phils right up against the luxury tax.

Recent spring training acquisition All-Stars: David Dellucci, Rudy Seanez, Chris Snelling (who won a game with a home run in April of 2008). Flops: Luis Castillo, Brad Wilkerson, Jack Taschner (who is now a cop).

Readers take issue with Amaro's projected lineup

Beerleaguers want more John Mayberry Jr. and less Laynce Nix and Ty Wigginton while Ryan Howard recovers from injury. However, Ruben Amaro Jr. told MLB Radio yesterday that Wigginton will play first regularly while Mayberry and Nix will share responsibilities in left.

"Ty Wigginton starting and John Mayberry and Laynce Nix platooning in left? If that's how it pans out, it means that the best player of the three will get the least number of plate appearances. I have no problem with a Wigginton-Nix platoon at first until Ryan Howard gets back. Nix versus right-handed pitching is still a better matchup than Wigginton versus righties. Of course, the wild card is Jim Thome, who is a better matchup against right-handed pitching than either one of them. At least against a righty, Cholly should start Thome as often as he is physically capable of playing -- which probably isn't very often." - bay_area_phan

"Take Amaro's comments with a grain of salt until spring training starts but it wouldn't surprise me if things play out that way. The smart choice is to make Mayberry the full-time starter in left field because of his defense and his speed on the basepaths. If they want to spot start Nix against a veteran right-handed pitcher with a good change-up (offspeed pitch that Mayberry generally struggles with) that's fine. Wigginton is the worst player at this point of the three because of his severe defensive limitations, his lack of speed, and an offensive game that has atrophied considerably. Since '09, Wigginton has had one really solid streak of about 4-to-six6 week of really good offensive production and then his bat slumbers for the rest of the year." - MG

"Especially without Howard, Mayberry's presence in the lineup is needed everyday. If they platoon Nix with Wiggington at first, that's fine I guess. But Mayberry should be playing every day to start the season because he brings defense and speed to the table along with some power and has earned the right to get a shot at the full-time job. I really like how everyone, optimists and pessimists alike, are pretty much writing off Wiggington before he even puts on the uniform. I'm in the same boat. He looks very Helmsish to me. And I absolutely will not believe that they're going to platoon Nix until I actually see him out there on opening day. I refuse to believe it. You're really planning on giving this guy around 300 at bats while letting Domonic Brown sit in the minors. Even giving Mayberry a shot at RHP as a full-time LF makes more sense than putting Nix on the field in any kind of platoon role. I absolutely refuse to believe it." - Iceman

Watch: Trevor May honored to hold top prospect title

Right-hander Trevor May, who struck out 208 batters in 151 innings at Single-A Clearwater last season and was named Baseball America's top Phillies prospect this fall, visited Philadelphia yesterday.

Phils, Hamels buy some time with one-year deal

Cole Hamels and the Phillies avoided arbitration on Tuesday by agreeing to a one-year, $15 million deal. The team also avoided arbitration with fellow stud pitcher Wilson Valdez (terms not disclosed).

Hamels, entering his age 28 season, is obviously looking for a long-term deal at this point. In terms of parameters, there's no way he'll accept a penny less than what C.J. Wilson got from the Angels (5 years, $77.5 million). And it's hard to make an argument that he doesn't deserve similar (if not more) money than Cliff Lee, whose deal with the Phils is for 5 years, $120 million with a vesting option that could make it worth $147.5 million over 6 years.

Hamels, who can become a free agent after this season, went 14-9 with a 2.79 ERA last year, good for a fifth-place finish in the Cy Young voting. The MVP of the 2008 NLCS and World Series, Hamels has a career record of 74-54 with a 3.39 ERA.

Hunter Pence is the Phils' only remaining arbitration-eligible player as Wilson Valdez has reportedy avoided arbitration and settled on a $930,000 deal, according to MLB.com.

Correction (courtesy of lorecore): Cliff Lee's 5yr/$120M deal includes his guaranteed 2016 salary of at least the $12.5M buyout.His actual salary in in those 5 years is $107.5M. If his option was picked up, he would make $27.5M in 2016 to bring his max contractual value to $135M.

Report: Phils match up with Pineiro on low-risk deal

Yesterday, Ruben Amaro Jr. told FoxSports the Phillies would like to add reasonably priced rotation depth. Today, they reportedly found their man in right-handed veteran Joel Pineiro.

Beerleaguer: Nifty little signing and another example of how Philadelphia has become a premier destination for aging players positioning for a final shot at a title. Details are limited; Jayson Stark, the first to break the news, says it's a minor league offering. There could be an opt-out included; it's a little surprising Pineiro didn't hold out for a guaranteed deal somewhere. I can't imaging he would be willing to spend an entire season toiling in Triple-A.

Then again, he was a total flop last season and fell out of the Angels starting rotation in August due to ineffectiveness, which may have been triggered by early season shoulder tightness. The 33-year-old right-hander finished 7-7 with a 5.13 ERA (74 ERA+), a career-worst 3.8 K/9 and a fastball that was clocking at 87.1 on average. Lefties banged him around to the tune of a .846 OPS. Strikeouts have never been the groundballer's forte; when he's right, he's putting in "six quality innings" by commanding four pitches (fastball, slider, curve, change-up) and forcing ground outs. His best season came under the watchful eye of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan in 2009 (117 ERA+).

In 12 seasons, the Rio Piedras, PR native is 104-93 with a 4.41 ERA, the exact same career ERA as fellow groundballer Kyle Kendrick.

Flawed and injured also describes Joe Blanton, who pitched about 100 less innings than Pineiro last season and is two years removed from a quality campaign of his own. Blanton can ring up batters and profiles better than Pineiro in the bullpen; that matters only if the Phils seriously audition the final spot in the rotation. Pineiro is not a reliever.

There's nothing like a little healthy competition. I'd still give the edge to Blanton, 31, to secure that final spot in a contract year, but everyone knows a big-league starting rotation is never five deep. Seven or eight hands are typically needed to get through all 162.

I'm not sure there's enough left in Pineiro's arm to sway the Phils away from their Blanton investment this spring, unless Blanton's elbow swings the pendulum the other way.

Other names to ponder: Believe it or not, I Googled 'Joel Pineiro' earlier today after reading the FoxSports report that said the Phils were looking into additional left-handed relief, bargain rotation help and outfield speed. Other names that were Googled, as free agents or trade targets: Will Venable (Padres), Franklin Gutierrez (Mariners), Zach Duke (Free Agent), Juan Pierre (Free Agent). I like Venable's profile, but I think the Padres like him, too. The Pads also have Jesus Guzman, a right-handed outfield and infield corner with pop and versatility; the Pads have some redundancy due to the Carlos Quinten deal.

You know, Amaro has never pulled the trigger on a non-obvious salary dump trade where he sent prospects to a poor-sap club for their star.

Phils, Kendrick agree to a well-earned $3.5M deal

Kyle Kendrick was ultimately overmatched back in 2007 when he entered the playoffs as the Phillies' No. 2 starter.

But over the last couple of seasons, the right-hander has found his niche. As a swingman, he's become a very important piece of a Phillies team that is gunning for its sixth straight division title in 2012. And now he'll earn a nice raise from his 2010 salary, as Kendrick and the Phillies avoided arbitration with a one-year, $3.585 million deal.

Kendrick went 8-6 with a 3.22 ERA for the Phils in 2011, including a 5-2 mark with a 2.14 ERA against NL East opponents. He was consistent in both of his roles, notching a 3.14 ERA as a starter and a 3.41 ERA as a reliever. And his WHIP (1.22), opponents batting average (.255) and K/9 (4.63) were all the best full-season marks of his career.

Kendrick earned $2.45 million in 2011, so it's a nice 33% raise for the 27-year-old. The Phils now have three players eligible for salary arbitration: Cole Hamels, Hunter Pence and Wilson Valdez.

Minor news: Bump back on the bump for Phillies

Former Penn Stater and Giants first-rounder Nate Bump has signed back with the Phillies for a third season.

Bump, 35, went 5-9 with a 4.97 ERA and 66/29 K/BB ratio in 134 innings for the IronPigs in 2010, slipping from his Triple-A All-Star effort from two seasons ago (8-4. 3.35 ERA). The right-hander has spent parts of seven seasons in Triple-A and last appeared in the Majors as a reliever with Florida in 2005. The Phillies are his fourth team. The Phillies also signed right-hander Jesus Morales to a minors deal, according to Baseball America.

Australian League update: Winter league participation has dwindled for many Phillies farmhands except for the trio of players participating in the Australian League, including infielder Alan Schoenberger (.138/.219/.241 in 174 ABs) and right-handers Todd Van Steensel (4.32 ERA in 16 2-3 IP) and Josh Warner (11.12 ERA, 5 2-3 IP). The Phillies made a huge push to sign amateur talent from Down Under last decade and none of it panned out, mate.

Padilla to Red Sox? Speaking of the winter leagues, former Phillie Vicente Padilla is looking to rebound from a career-ruining neck injury and has been auditioning for scouts by pitching in his native Nicaraguan Winter League (where do I find those numbers?) I mentioned Padilla a few weeks ago as the kind of pitcher the Phils should look into signing to a low-risk minor league deal, with the possibility of using him as a late-inning reliever. It appears the Red Sox are ready to do exactly that.

Correction: Madson's move will not yield 14th pick

The Phillies will receive a sandwich pick, in the neigborhood of 40, and a second-round pick, somewhere in the 70s, for losing Ryan Madson to the Reds. Under this year's arrangement, top 15 picks are protected. The Reds are slotted to pick 14th. Next season, only top 10 picks are protected.

Madson's move secures highest draft pick since 2001

The Phillies will pick 14th overall in the June draft, one slot ahead of Cincinnati, as compensation for losing Modified Type A free agent Ryan Madson under the new rules of the CBA. They also receive a pick in the supplemental first round.

Beerleaguer: Sweet. The Phils reap the quirky rewards of this new arrangement and will finally have their choice of top-flight talent in the first round of the draft.  A second-rung team like Cincinnati may have been previously unwilling to sacrifice their own first-round pick for a free agent reliever. Under these rules, they don't have to; they'll simply slide down to 15.

The Phillies haven't had a top 20 pick since 2007 (Joe Savery) and the 14th selection is the highest since they took Gavin Floyd with the fourth overall pick in '01. Cole Hamels was taken the next season at 17 for even more perspective. Additionally, and based on the updated ordering, the supplemental pick will come somewhere around 40. And don't forget the Phils are due a compensatory pick for losing Type B free agent Raul Ibanez, which will come around 60.

Considering how the Phillies' talent pool has waned, cashing out with Madson for a pair of premium picks - essentially trading up from the 31st overall pick that will now go to Boston for Jonathan Papelbon - seems like a rather crafty move. The Phils get Papelbon and better picks. The kicker is that Boston slides even farther down the draft order, to 32, because of the Madson move.

Link: Madson agrees to join Cincinnati for 1 year

Report: Madson agrees to join Cincinnati for 1 year

The free agent market never developed the way Ryan Madson had hoped, but it appears that the former Phils reliever has found a new home.

Jon Heyman tweeted late Tuesday night that Madson has reached an agreement to join the Reds. No financial terms were disclosed, but Heyman later tweeted that it is a one-year deal.

Madson, 31, went 4-2 with a 2.37 ERA in 62 relief appearances for the Phillies last season. He saved 32 games in 34 appearances. In nine years with the team, he did a little bit of everything - starting, pitching in middle relief, pitching in a set-up role, closing. You name it, Madson did it. Except, ya know, cash in as a free agent.

Beerleaguer: Financially, this is obviously a huge disappointment for Madson, who was likely hoping to receive a contract in the general neighborhood of the 4-year, $50 million deal Jonathan Papelbon signed with the Phillies a couple of months ago.

That said, it's not an awful situation for Madson. He could put up a nice save total with a team that will be among the favorites in the NL Central, and then hit free agency again next winter (or perhaps ink a long-term deal with Cincinnati during the season). It's far from ideal, but it's not the end of the world. If he struggles or gets hurt in 2012, then yeah, it's basically the end of the world.

This is also an opportunity to reflect on what Madson meant to this organization. From a borderline starter to a solid reliever to a star setup man to a darn good closer, Madson will go down as one of the underrated heroes of the Howard-Utley-Rollins-Hamels era, a man who deserved a better contract than he received, a man without whom the Phillies definitely do not win the World Series in 2008.

A really good guy and a really good pitcher. Hopefully things work out for Madson in Cincinnati.

Update: Bob Nightengale tweets that the deal is worth in excess of $10 mil.

Bowker granted freedom to pursue dream in Japan

Outfielder and Beerleaguer person of interest John Bowker has been released in order sign on with a Japanese team, believed to be the Yomiuri Giants.

Bowker, 28, became an extra man for the Phils last September and went hitless in 13 plate appearances after spending the majority of the season with Triple-A Indianapolis (Pirates). Primarily a corner outfielder, Bowker is a lifetime .232/.283/.382 hitter with 17 home runs and 73 RBI in 240 games between the Giants (2008-10), Pirates (2010-11) and Phillies (2011). Bowker is expected to join Scott Mathieson in Tokyo and will look to become Alex Ramirez's power replacement for the Giants. Nice gig, going from the Major League fringes to top dogs on Japan's version of the Yankees.

The move means the Phils roster sits at 39 bodies, which could mean the Phils expect to add another body. Today on Twitter, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN reported the Phils were looking into right-handed reliever Jeremy Accardo about a possible minor league deal. Accardo, 30, spent last season with the Orioles and has also pitched for Toronto and San Francisco, saving 30 games for the Jays back in 2007. He's been in sharp decline ever since and would become your classic Phillies' reclamation project.

Tuesday: Lidge could be Phils' 'lowest-hanging fruit'

The chance for another title could lead Brad Lidge back to the familiar confines of Philadelphia, where eighth-inning uncertainty could make the former closer an easy answer.

Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. recently suggested there’s still room for improvement in his bullpen, but the club only has enough budgetary arm to reach for the “lowest-hanging fruit." All winter, it’s been suggested that Lidge, 35, would continue his career in one of two locations: his hometown of Denver or back in Philadelphia. A report from Colorado Monday said the Rockies are only interested in a minimal, incentive-laden deal, while FoxSports’ Ken Rosenthal believes the Rox have no interest in Lidge whatsoever.

Add in the Phillies’ alleged anxiety over Jose Contreras and reported interest in Kerry Wood, who may be too expensive, and that leaves Lidge as a match for the Phillies’ Plan B.

Is he an easy answer? Certainly. The Phils know more about Lidge’s injury history than anyone and know they can get him cheaply. They know the best way to avoid trouble in the late innings is to miss bats and that Lidge struck out batters at a 10.7 K/BB clip over 19 1-3 innings.

Is he the best they can get? For what they can commit, perhaps. Lidge could settle into that incentive-laden $1 million range, which is a good deal for an experienced late-inning option with strikeout stuff.

Is he the right fit? That’s the best question to ask. If he’s healthy, he’ll be a modest asset. If he’s done, and the Phils feel they can do better from their cadre of young arms, the Phils just cut bait and move on. There are clear parallels to J.C. Romero, who was released at the right time before he could start to do real damage or impede on Antonio Bastardo’s maturation. Lidge is every bit the injury mess Romero was, probably more.

Pragmatically speaking, his 6.1 BB/9 and 89.3 mph fastball, thrown 28 percent against 72 for his slider, paints the picture of a declining arm that hitters will eventually read like a book and bomb out of baseball. So maybe it’s best to end the Lidge ‘addiction,’ as one reader put it.

Hall of Famer? Yes. Phillie killer? Nope.

Barry Larkin is the newest member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. But a quick glance at his career splits offers a reminder that he didn't do too much damage (relatively speaking) against the Phillies.

Larkin's career batting average against the Phils was .270 - his lowest against any National League opponent. The only teams that held him to a worse average were the Indians and Athletics, obviously in a very small sample size. That said, his on-base percentage of .375 against the Phils was actually higher than his career figure of .371. He walked 76 times in 134 games vs. Philly, not too surprising given the quality of the pitchers he was facing. However, his slugging percentage against the Phils was .415, well below his career number of .444.

For what it's worth, here is how Larkin fared against some Phillies pitchers during his career from 1986-2004:

12-for-48 (.250) with 6 walks (a .333 OBP) and 0 HRs and 1 RBI vs. Curt Schilling

20-for-47 (.426) with 7 walks (a .491 OBP) vs. Terry Mulholland

8-for-16 (.500) with 3 walks (a .579 OBP) vs. Shane Rawley

7-for-26 (.269) with 2 walks (a .321 OBP) vs. Kevin Gross

1-for-12 (.083) with 1 walk (a .214 OBP) vs. the one, the only, Don Carman

If you want to dig deeper into Larkin's career splits, try here or here. And in case you were wondering, Terry Mulholland did not get any Hall of Fame votes. He's now off the ballot.

Will Wood sever Cubs loyalties for a shot with Phils?

Jerry Crasnick's weekend tweet suggested the Phils could make a play at veteran Kerry Wood if they don't like what they see in recovering set-up man Jose Contreras. Wood is on record saying he'd either re-sign with the Cubs or retire.

Contreras was cleared to start a throwing program last week, according to CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury, but the Phils' confirmed interest in Wood indicates some unease in the back of the bullpen. Wood, 34, posted a 3.35 ERA and 57/21 K/BB ratio last season, including his best BB/9 since 2008 (3.7). Fangraphs pitch f/x data shows a blend that includes 50 percent fastball, 38 percent cutter - which was added to his repertoire in 2009 - and 12 percent curveball, which has returned to vintage effectiveness thanks to readjusted mechanics. His fastball sits at 94 mph.

Wood, considered one of the clubhouse captains in Chicago, took a below-market deal to return to the Windy City last season and was reportedly close to a deal with the Cubs as of Friday, but the Phils are now being mentioned, along with the Tigers, Angels and Reds, as contending clubs in the running for the right-hander. Salisbury floats $4 million as Wood's asking price, which could be too rich for the Phillies' blood. “Our payroll is well past where we want to be after signing Jimmy [Rollins] -- that’s a fact,” Ruben Amaro revealed last week. “It’s going to be right around or about where we finished last year. We’re in a dangerous area.” [Salisbury piece]

Beerleaguer: The Phils locked down the ninth inning with Jonathan Papelbon, but in doing so, might have sold themselves short in the eighth inning. Meanwhile, Texas is keeping an eye on Ryan Madson in order to keep up with the Joneses in the AL West. The Rangers could end up with a lights-out, late-inning mixture of Madson, Mike Adams and Joe Nathan all for roughly the same commitment as the Phils gave to Papelbon.

What makes anyone think Nats can afford Fielder?

According to Mark Zuckerman of Beerleaguer sister site, Nats Insider, the Nationals’ stance on Prince Fielder hasn’t changed, and unless the Nats intend to assume one of the highest payrolls in baseball in a couple of seasons – at a point when many of their salary escalators kick in – there’s just no way the club can swing a long deal for the big slugger.

Elevating Chooch could be key to optimizing lineup

Carlos Ruiz’s undervalued .371 on-base average would play better higher in the Phillies’ order, especially in the likely Opening Day model.

According to an MLB.com report, Howard has taken another step in his recovery by getting the green light to begin exercising, part of an update that also included positive updates for Placido Polanco (double sports hernia), Hunter Pence (sports hernia) and Cole Hamels (elbow). Howard’s Opening Day readiness is still considered doubtful, so he’s on the sidelines for this particular exercise.

Two days ago, Jim Salisbury was asked to step inside Charlie Manuel’s brain and pencil in his Opening Day lineup card and it went as follows: Rollins SS, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Pence RF, Victorino CF, Mayberry 1B, Nix LF, Ruiz C, Halladay P. Knowing Cholly’s tendencies for "honoring" traditions, particularly in a dignified event like Opening Day, it’s a highly predictable arrangement.

It’s also a pretty good one, when you run the numbers. According to the lineup analysis calculator on Baseball Musings, using last season’s on-base and slugging percentages, Cholly’s lineup would yield 4.608 runs-per-game over 162 games, which is pretty good and not far off their “best” lineup, which is usually some scrambled combination no manager would ever attempt, with the pitcher hitting sixth, for example. (BTW, if the Phils can tally 4.608 R/G they'll cruise to another division title).

In this scenario, the Baseball Musings’ “best” calculated lineup isn’t completely bat-crap crazy. It looks like this: Ruiz, Pence, Utley, Victorino, Mayberry, Rollins, Polanco, Nix, Halladay. From Pence down, it’s fathomable. The biggest leap of faith is shifting Chooch to the top spot, something that’s been discussed but never attempted. Each of the top 30 combinations lists Chooch first, Pence second. These happen to be the Phils' highest on-base earners by a considerable margin. Everyone else, aside from Nix and the pitcher, is in that .340 range.

Is that to say Cholly should set the table with Chooch? Not exactly; there are valid reasons not to. He’s probably the slowest hitter in the lineup. However, it’s time to start looking at his consistently high on-base as an asset and move him from the bottom permanently. In fact, Chooch bats eighth in 14 of the very worst lineup calculations (Nix and Halladay bat 1-2 in those).

Cholly may already be thinking that way; Chooch hit sixth in 118 plate appearances last season and seventh in 206. He was primarily a seven-hole hitter.

Other thoughts: Cholly needs to stop throwing away the two-hole by sticking poor producers like Michael Martinez there; I worry he might tinker with something like Nix hitting second. Nix should bat last. A healthy Polanco in a contract year will give the Phils better than a .335/.339. Remember, Polly was probably the Phils’ most complete hitter early in 2011. So hitting Polanco in his standard two-spot could be a great play despite the obviousness. ... Finally, there's been some talk about batting Utley first, but what makes his .344 on-base so special?

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Former Phils find homes

Let's freshen the header with a few notable minor league signings you haven't read about from around the league, all reported yesterday by Baseball America. [Link]

The Blue Jays signed shortstop Brian Bocock, who was a fixture on the Phillies 40-man roster up until last season. Bocock, 26, appeared in six games with the Phillies in 2010. … Well-traveled left-hander Fabio Castro has caught on with Oakland. Castro, 26, was stashed in the 2006 bullpen as a Rule 5 pick and also pitched in 10 games, including a spot start, in 2007. He hasn't appeared in the Majors since. … The Dodgers signed a pair of former Phillies lefties: Derrick Loop, who pitched in Reading last season, and Cedrick Bowers, who became a Beerleaguer 'person of interest' in 2009 by posting a 1.93 ERA and notching 67 strikeouts in 60 2-3 innings out of the IronPigs bullpen. … Outfielder Dewayne Wise, a non-roster spring invitee in 2010 and best known for preserving Mark Buerhle's '09 perfecto, signed with the Yankees.

Beerleaguer back in business; Phils' tall order in '12

Let's dig back in with the first post of 2012 ...

The Nationals will become a real concern if they can lure Prince Fielder to Washington. They reportedly have the money to do it and have emerged as the favorites to land the slugging first baseman. If it happens, the Nationals, who are younger and rising, will have gotten better while the Phils, who are older and declining, have largely stayed the same. It's news that's weighing heavier on my mind than the plight of Ryan Madson, who still doesn't have a home. Mad Dog has already been labeled the 'Big Loser' of the hot stove season. By way of comparison, the Reds, one of the last contenders in need of ninth-inning help, are only believed to have a one-year deal on the table for Francisco Cordero at an amount less than $7 million.

You're up to date with the news. In terms of the mood surrounding Phillies Nation on Jan. 3, the anticipation will begin to build closer toward Pitchers and Catchers, along with the immense pressure for the Phils to erase their 2011 folly and go the distance. By all accounts, the Phils elite standing remains, but there's consensus the window is beginning to close. It's going to be an intense ride.