The Phillies made a pair of catching additions this week. [Link]
According to Baseball America, catcher John Suomi will return to the organization for a sixth season. The 32-year-old catcher appeared in 61 games with the IronPigs in 2012 and hit .265/.311/.393 with four homers in 212 plate appearances. He's likely to earn another invitation to spring training. The Phils have also added a new face in 23-year-old Single-A catcher Justin Dalles, who was released by the Baltimore organization last season. In four seasons, he's a .229/.292/.332 hitter with 15 homers.
In ex-Phillie news, the Cubs have signed right-hander Andrew Carpenter to a minor league deal. Elsewhere, shortstop Brian Bocock has signed with the Nationals. Have glove, will travel.
Glad to see JW back, I also saw Bocock and Carpenters signed elsewhere and knew right away that was new thread material.
Posted by: lorecore | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 12:11 AM
Prediction: Bocock is going to get his first Major League hit in four years off the Phillies, and it will be a walk-off.
Posted by: epicurean | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 12:13 AM
A return to the BL tradition of following catching depth. Thanks JW.
Appreciate this site, and judging by the late hour, you're putting in some OT .
Posted by: Bubba | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 12:16 AM
Keep checking here to see if Ruben made one of his patented splashy moves. Maybe there won't be one this year.
Posted by: limoguy | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 02:17 AM
Jason Kubel has emerged as a trade candidate and would fit in well with the Phillies.
Posted by: live scores | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 04:56 AM
Limo~ Doesn't look like it does it? There wont be one via the FA market that's for sure. Via trade? Don't think so. He going with the outfielders he got, sad to say.
Posted by: DPatrone | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 05:39 AM
DPat, perhaps so.
Am I the only one that isn't in love with the Revere trade so far? I am of course willing to let Revere go out on the field of play and prove that he was worth it and the Lannan signing helped me feel better about it because they came up with a credible substitute for Worley there.
I am trying to think of past deals about which I was skeptical and turned out ok. Maybe JW will do a thread about the best and worst deals in Phillies history or the ones that looked bad at first but turned out well or the ones that looked good but didn't pan out in the long run.
Posted by: limoguy | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 09:11 AM
I loved the revere trade because it seemed to be a perfect setup for a big acquisition. But standing alone, its an OK trade. Have to keep in mind that it allows us better flexibility going forward and not just in this off season.
Posted by: lorecore | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 10:06 AM
Wtf Amaro, you can't beat 4yr/$56m for Swisher? You suck.
Godfather: you were dead wrong.
Posted by: lorecore | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 10:11 AM
Another sigh of relief swish to Indians. Philles keep that all important 16th pick! Rube had this plan all along. Have cash at break to make move. Or wait for spring training cut.
Posted by: The Hook | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 10:14 AM
"We were told just to sit tight,
'Cause somebody will soon arrive.
Help is on the way.
But it never came!
It never came!"
Posted by: Some Dude | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 10:18 AM
What got Swisher to sign in Cleveland is probably that fifth-year vesting option, which is valued at $14MM and based on PAs in 2016 that should be "easily achievable" if Swisher's healthly, per MLBTR.
So what you're looking at is probably closer to 5/$70MM that 4/$56MM, which I suspect is beyond the pale in terms of years for most of Beerleaguer.
Posted by: Juums | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Vesting options are good things, because if swisher still warrants the playing time then he's likely playing to that level.
Posted by: lorecore | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 10:35 AM
@lorecore:
I'm not saying vesting options are bad. Merely that, in an off-season where the Phils' principal aim seems to be getting younger, giving a long-term deal to Swisher already probably didn't fit into the plan, and to the extent that it did, a vesting option for another year on-top of the guaranteed years would probably make it mesh even less with the plan.
Posted by: Juums | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Who here thinks Rube is forcing Charlie to play ball how Rube wants to play ball? i.e. Acknowledging that splits are real. He seems fed up with Charlie after that season ticket holder gathering.
Posted by: kilbillrain | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Also, what's a productive and acceptable season stat wise from Halladay, Howard and Utz? Oh yeah, how come Utz chips never signed The Saint as its spoksman? It always seemed so obvious to me.
Posted by: kilbillrain | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 11:05 AM
With Swisher out of the picture, and the unlikeliness that the Phils make a trade, I predict that Brown is your opening day RF, and some combination of Ruf/Nix or Mayberry/Nix is your left field platoon.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 11:11 AM
MG- I think you posted under 'Juums' in your 10:30AM post.
Posted by: Iceman | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 12:27 PM
No, I remain your friendly neighborhood lurker who occasionally ventures out when he has a point to make that hasn't been made yet. Don't get to do that too often, given the rapidity with which things usually move.
So, really, this is the Christmas season's fault, rather than the scourge of handle-theft's.
Posted by: Juums | Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 12:53 PM
Great choice. These players are a fortress in the field. There are reservations in some case but the opportunity is important..Success for next 2013.
Very appropriate..Great choice!!!Success for next 2013
Posted by: Pay per Head | Monday, December 24, 2012 at 11:19 AM