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Should Phillies stand pat or make one more move?

Ruben Amaro said last week that the Phillies sought to add a catcher and perhaps another pitcher. Chad Durbin was added to the bullpen and Yuniesky Betancourt was brought in on a minor-league deal to compete for a utility infield spot, but the backup catching position hasn't been addressed.

The best available catcher, Kelly Shoppach, agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Mariners on Tuesday. That's just a few hundred thousand dollars more than the Phils committed to Durbin, meaning Amaro prioritized another right-handed reliever over a proven backup catcher with power.

Shoppach would have been an upgrade over Erik Kratz -- who is slated to start the season as Carlos Ruiz serves his 25-game suspension for a banned amphetamine -- but Shoppach has a better chance to start in Seattle. Perhaps the Phillies expressed interest but Shoppach was more into a starting job.

The rest of the catching market is ugly, and quite frankly none of the remaining options look much better than a Kratz-Humberto Quintero setup to begin the season.

Miguel Olivo would fit right in with this group, which subtracted from its already shaky plate discipline by adding Delmon Young, Michael Young and Ben Revere. Olivo last season had the lowest walk rate of any major-leaguer since 2008. He also hit .222, didn't make up for it with extra-base hits, and is a notoriously bad defender behind the plate.

The only other options are Rod Barajas (.206/.283/.343 last season, doesn't like blocking the plate), Chris Snyder (bad back, can't move behind the plate, hit .176 last year) and Matt Treanor (18-for-103 in 2012).

Add one of these backstops, or stick with the Kratz-Quintero plan until Ruiz returns? As bad as these options are, consider that Kratz did hit .181 with three walks and 19 strikeouts over his final 76 plate appearances last season.

Durbin added to 40-man, J.C. Ramirez DFA'd

The Phillies reintroduced Chad Durbin to the Philadelphia media on Tuesday after placing him on the 40-man roster. To make room, they designated J.C. Ramirez for assignment.

Durbin is officially back with the Phillies to round out (or not yet?) a bullpen that appears vastly improved from a season ago. Likely to share seventh-inning duties with Antonio Bastardo, the duo will set up an intimidating one-two punch of Mike Adams and Jonathan Papelbon in the eighth and ninth innings.

Returning to the Phillies after a two-year hiatus spent in Clevelend and Atlanta, the 35-year-old righthander said he’s back with the club he never wanted to leave in the first place.

“I like playing here,” Durbin told reporters, including CSNPhilly.com’s Corey Seidman, at the Bank. “I like the way the organization treats its players and people. I like the way it feels [at Citizens Bank Park]. And just a bunch of good guys in the clubhouse.”

And if his career numbers are any indication, Durbin should enjoy his return to the Bank, a stadium where he’s pitched more games than anywhere else in his career. In 103 appearances there, he’s accumulated a 5-2 record, 2.90 ERA, two saves and a 1.2 WHIP.

J.C. Ramirez, whom the Phillies DFA’d to make space for Durbin, split time between Reading and Lehigh Valley last season, recording a 4.01 ERA and 1.3 WHIP in 45 appearances out of the ’pen. The 24-year-old was one of the pieces the Phillies acquired from the Mariners in the Cliff Lee deal in 2009.

Phillies sign Chad Durbin, Yuniesky Betancourt

Ruben Amaro Jr. said last week after the team introduced Delmon Young that the Phillies weren't done making moves. On Monday they made two more.

Chad Durbin returns to the Phillies on a one-year deal, according to CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury. It's not a minor-league deal, Durbin will earn $1.1 million with up to $350,000 in incentives, per Jerry Crasnick of ESPN. Durbin's deal also includes a team option for 2013.

Durbin was pretty effective for the Phillies from 2008-10, pitching to a 3.62 ERA in 194 appearances spanning 226 innings. He finished 36 games, saved three and struck out 7.5 batters per nine.

Durbin's second year with the Phils was a struggle because he couldn't throw strikes. He walked 47 batters in 69.2 innings. His BB/9 that year was 6.1, but is 3.7 in the three years since.

Durbin had a 3.10 ERA for the Braves last season in a career-high 76 appearances. He also had a career-low 1.31 WHIP. Righties hit just .206 off him.

Durbin gives the Phillies another right-handed reliever and a versatile bullpen piece. Durbin is a former starter with stamina who has pitched more than one inning in 112 of his 365 relief appearances, or 31%.

Durbin isn't yet on the Phils' 40-man roster, but his salary makes it a safe bet he'll be on the team come Opening Day. The Phillies will likely begin the season with seven relievers, with spots going to Jonathan Papelbon, Mike Adams, Antonio Bastardo, Durbin, Justin De Fratus, and two of Jeremy Horst, Mike Stutes, Michael Schwimer, Jake Diekman, Raul Valdes and Phillippe Aumont. The Phillies have plenty of bullpen depth for a unit that should be much-improved this season.

The Phils also signed infielder Yuniesky Betancourt to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training. The butt of many jokes because of his poor plate discipline and defense, but probably also because of his uncommon first name, Betancourt hit .228 with a .400 slugging percentage in 228 plate appearances last season for the Royals.

Betancourt, a shortstop is 94% of his big-league innings, is a career .266 hitter with a .290 OBP and .392 slugging percentage. His best season was 2010 for the Royals, when he hit .259 with 16 homers, 78 RBIs and 29 doubles.

His OPS was still under .700 that year because the man simply doesn't walk much. Betancourt's 3.3% walk rate since 2005 is the lowest in all of baseball. He'll make quick friends with Delmon Young, whose 4.1% walk rate over that span is third-lowest. Invite Jose Lopez to town and it'll be a party.

Marlins suck up another former Phil

Saturday, Miami signed ex-Phillies reliever Chad Qualls to a minor league deal and gave him an invite to spring training, the Miami Herald reports.

First Juan Pierre, then Placido Polanco, and now the Marlins have made Qualls the third former member of the 2012 Phillies they have added this offseason.

Qualls, 34, never produced in half a season with the Phils last year. He blew five games and saved none in 35 appearances, finished with a 1-1 record and 4.60 ERA and allowed an atrocious seven long balls in just 31.1 innings.

The Yankees surprisingly acquired him on July 1, but he didn’t last long in the Bronx after allowing five runs and a 1.8 WHIP in just 7.1 innings. On July 31, he was shipped to Pittsburgh for Casey McGehee and he got even worse. His numbers with the Bucs: 10 earned runs (6.59 ERA), a 1.2 WHIP and just six strikeouts in 13.2 innings.

Qualls hasn’t had a decent campaign since saving 24 games for Arizona in 2009, when he finished with a 3.63 ERA, 45 K’s and just seven free passes in 52 innings.

Despite his terrible track record in recent years, Qualls somehow keeps finding new work. The right-hander has made his rounds in the past three seasons, pitching for six different clubs and combining for an 11-13 record, 5.24 ERA and 119 strikeouts and 55 walks in 185.2 innings.

Will the Phillies add another catcher?

Earlier this week, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said the Phils are "still looking" to possibly add a few pieces before the season begins.

With Carlos Ruiz out 25 games to start the season thanks to his positive amphetamine test, the Phillies are understandably shorthanded behind the plate heading into the season.

Thus, it should come as no surprise that the team is in search of help, at least in the short term.

"We may be doing some other things," Amaro said. "We're still looking into a couple of other areas. Catching perhaps and maybe a little bit of pitching, but we're still working on some things."

Amaro is always looking to add pitching — that comes as no surprise — but that he's looking into adding another piece behind the plate presumably means he isn't comfortable going into April with a backstop consisting of Erik Kratz and, at this point, Sebastian Valle.

Kratz showed promising signs with his .248/.306/.504 slash line and nine homers and 26 RBIs in 157 plate appearances last season that he's at least a viable backup catching option. Valle, on the other hand, is a 22-year-old who has never played in the bigs and last year spent his first campaign above A-ball at Reading (83 games) and Lehigh Valley (22).

So who's available? The crop is thin, as Corey Seidman pointed out earlier today on CSNPhilly.com: Kelly Shoppach (32 years old), Chris Snyder (31), Miguel Olivo (34), Matt Treanor (36), Brian Schneider (36) and Rod Barajas (37).

The most intriguing option of the group actually appears to be Barajas, who, since leaving the Phillies after 2007, has produced a .230/.280/.406 line and has hit for power — he's parked 74 balls in 1717 ABs (23.3 at-bats per home run). Last year, he hit .206 with 11 homers and 31 RBIs in 321 ABs for the Pirates.

Most of his best numbers have come against the Phillies though — his nine career HRs against the Phils (in 100 ABs) are the most he has against any team. And of course, Barajas was not a fan favorite in Philly ever since failing to block the plate in a game against the Marlins in May 2007.

Oh, brother: Braves acquire Justin Upton

The Braves and Diamondbacks agreed Thursday to a deal that will send 24-year-old two-time All-Star outfielder Justin Upton to Atlanta for a package centered around Martin Prado.

Also going to Atlanta is third baseman Chris Johnson, who will likely platoon with Juan Francisco at the hot corner. The D-backs get Prado, 22-year-old righty Randall Delgado and three more prospects.

It's undoubtedly a coup for Atlanta. It creates an outfield of Jason Heyward in right, B.J. Upton in center and Justin Upton in left. All are fast, all have impressive power, all have strong arms, all strike out a lot. It's the best outfield in the National League and probably the second best in the game to the Angels.

By losing Prado -- which was a bit surprising -- Atlanta doesn't get a huge short-term upgrade in this deal. Prado was worth nearly 6.0 WAR last season and has averaged 3.9 the last three years, compared to Johnson's 1.25 average in two full seasons. But Justin Upton is a four-win player himself, and the previous left field option for Atlanta was a platoon of Reed Johnson and Prado, with Francisco playing third in games Prado plays left.

This trade pushes the Phillies further back in the NL East. We wrote in this space last week that Atlanta's lineup was even with the Phils', but that changes now. That entire outfield is either in its prime or entering it, and all are controlled for at least three more years.

That is perhaps the most appealing aspect with Justin Upton, who for some strange reason the Diamondbacks have been on a quest to trade for two years. He is under contract through the end of 2015 at just $38.5 million.

But hey, at least the Phillies have Delmon Young.

Phillies' team OBP could drop further in '13

The Phillies had a .354 team on-base percentage in 2007. That seems almost unfathomable now, especially after a year in which Chase Utley and Carlos Ruiz were the only two Phils to exceed that mark.

Plate discipline has dropped at a league-wide level over the last six seasons. In 2007, the league average OBP was .336. Last season it was .319. The Phillies were 24th in walks and had a .317 OBP.

The Phils could see their team OBP drop in 2013 for the fifth straight year. Gone are free-swingers Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino, but in are free-swingers Michael Young and Delmon Young. A fun little stat: the Youngs and Ben Revere combined for 82 walks last season ... the exact number Jayson Werth had in 2010, his final year with the Phils.

Simply put, this lineup is built to put the ball in play. The two Youngs grounded into 46 double plays last year and walked 56 times. Sad, really.

Walks aren't the be-all, end-all stat, but it's worth noting that four of the top-five teams in walks last year made the playoffs, as did six of the top nine. It's not the walks themselves this Phillies offense looks to lack, it's the overall approach at the plate. When guys are slumping, how is this team supposed to avoid an endless array of 1-2-3 innings?

Josh Willingham is the type of player who would give this lineup what it needs: power and plate discipline. The Phillies tried to acquire him in the Ben Revere deal but failed.

Willingham perfectly illustrates the value of a walk. He slumped last May and hit .220, but was issued 19 free passes. Delmon Young had 20 all season, and three in 66 games between May 9 and July 24.

Things could work out with the Phillies' new additions, but if they do it will almost certainly be because of unforeseen leaps in BABIP.

It's not all doom and gloom on Broad and Pattison, but with the offseason in the rearview mirror the Phils didn't do much at all to adjust an offensive approach that has stagnated in recent years.

Amaro: Young must earn his keep in right field

Phillies reportedly interested in Delmon Young

Still exploring all options for their 2013 outfield, the Phillies are seriously considering signing free agent Delmon Young, sources told CSNPhilly.com Phillies Insider Jim Salisbury.

In fact, general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. did not deny the Phillies' interest in Young, telling Salisbury, "We've kicked around a lot of stuff. He's among them."

Young, the first overall pick in the 2003 draft, hit .267 with 18 home runs and 74 RBIs last season for the American League-champion Tigers.

Over seven major league seasons, Young has hit .284 with a .317 on-base percentage and .425 slugging clip. His best season came in 2010 with the Twins, when he hit .298 with 21 homers and 112 RBIs.

He obviously comes with some baggage, though. He was suspended 50 games in 2006 while in the minor leagues for flinging his bat at an umpire after an ejection. Then, in late April 2012, he was accused of shouting an anti-Semitic slur outside a New York hotel. Young took responsibility for his actions, pleaded guilty to aggravated harrasment and was suspended seven games.

He bounced back to have a very solid offensive season with the Tigers in 2012, earning ALCS MVP honors for his performance in Detroit's sweep of the Yankees.

Young, considered a poor defensive outfielder, has spent most of his career in left field but last year played 118 of his 151 games as the Tigers' designated hitter. If the Phillies sign him to play one of the corner outfield spots, it would leave Domonic Brown, Darin Ruf, Laynce Nix and John Mayberry Jr. to compete for the bulk of the time at the other corner position.

WBC rosters sprinkled with foreign-born Phillies

Outfielder Tyson Gillies helped pace Canada's team in the World Baseball Classic qualifying rounds in September. He'll be joined by right-hander Phillippe Aumont and veteran Pete Orr when Canada resumes play March 7-10 in Arizona.

Phillies players could set the table for two of the four teams in Pool D as Jimmy Rollins was officially added to the U.S. roster Thursday. Gillies led off and played center field when Canada cruised past Great Britain, Czech Republic and Germany in the qualifying round robin. Canada, the Unites States, Italy and Mexico comprise Pool D. Gillies, whose season was marred by injuries and a team suspension, finished with an encouraging .304/.369/.453 line in 311 plate appearances with Double-A Reading.

Aumont will battle with former Phil Scott Mathieson for Canada's closer role. Mathieson, recall, helped lead the Yomiuri Giants of Japan to the league title, pitching as their set-up guy. Orr has the distinction of breaking camp with the Phils' Opening Day roster the last two seasons. He's the proverbial veteran table stakes and the Phils know exactly what they have in him. Now's a good time to mention the Phils are reportedly among the teams chasing free agent Ryan Theriot.

Meanwhile, a pair of non-roster invitees have been added to international rosters. Right-hander Rodrigo Lopez, who recently signed a minor league deal, has been penciled in for Mexico. Left-hander Cesar Jimenez, a situational lefty expected to provide minor league depth, will pitch for Venezuela. Catcher-turned-pitcher Tim Kennelly, a farmhand since 2005, will represent Australia.

Rosters are considered provisional and will be filled out over the coming weeks.

Phillies avoid arbitration with Bastardo

The Phillies and Antonio Bastardo have avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.4 million deal, assistant general manager Scott Proefrock announced Friday.

That's a wrap for the Phils' arbitration-eligible players. Bastardo and Kevin Frandsen (one year, $850,000) avoided arbitration and Nate Schierholtz was non-tendered.

Matt Swartz (MLBTradeRumors) had projected a salary of $1.1 million for Bastardo in 2013.

Bastardo finished 2012 strong, posting a 1.29 ERA and 27 strikeouts to just four walks over his final 14 innings. He had a 14.0 K/9, which was third among all relievers to Craig Kimbrel and Aroldis Chapman.

The problem was that batters started laying off his slider more, swinging at four percent less of his pitches outside the zone. His fastball velocity was also down to 91.8 mph from 92.5.

This was Bastardo's first year of arbitration eligibility. He is team-controlled through the end of 2015.

Bastardo is one of six left-handed relievers on the Phillies' 40-man roster. Jeremy Horst, Jake Diekman, Raul Valdes, Joe Savery and Mauricio Robles are the others.

Rollins to represent USA in WBC

Jimmy Rollins was the lone Phillie announced Thursday as a member of the United States' provisional roster for the World Baseball Classic. The veteran Phillies shortstop is one of three returning players to the American team, along with Shane Victorino and Ryan Braun.

Rollins will be surrounded by David Wright, Brandon Phillips, Mark Teixeira with Joe Mauer behind the plate. Giancarlo Stanton, Adam Jones and Braun are set to start in the outfield.

R.A. Dickey, Ryan Vogelson, Derek Holland and Kris Medlen headline the Americans' starting staff. Click here for the complete roster.

Joe Torre will manage the team, with former Phillies skipper Larry Bowa on his staff, serving as the bench coach.

The remainder of the rosters are set to be announced at 4 p.m.

September call-up: Cody Asche?

Had it not been for Darin Ruf and his record-breaking season at Reading, perhaps the most talked about hitting prospect in the Phillies’ system would be third baseman Cody Asche.

Asche, the 22-year-old 2011 grad from the University of Nebraska, is headed into his third season as a pro after batting a combined .324 at Single-A Clearwater and Double-A Reading in 2012.  By all accounts, it doesn’t seem as if he has much time to go on his minor league career.

“He’s another guy whose bat is going to play,” Reading manager Dusty Wathan said. “He has a tremendous upside with his bat. To be at this level one year out of the draft is exceptional. The last guy who was at this level just one year after the draft was Pat Burrell and he was a first-round pick. Cody was a fourth-round pick and he wasn’t expected to be here. He was expected to maybe be at Clearwater at the end of this year.”

Indeed, Asche appears to be on the fast track. In 68 games in Double-A, Asche hit .300 with 10 homers and was named to the Eastern League All-Star team. That was after batting .349 with a .378 on-base percentage for Clearwater.

Clearly, Asche can hit, but it wasn’t always as easy as he thought it was going to be. After batting .327 with 12 homers in 54 games during his last year at Nebraska, Asche thought he’d jump in at Low-A Williamsport following his selection in the fourth round of the 2011 draft and just keep on hitting.

Boy was he wrong.

Instead he hit .197 in his first year of pro ball with 50 strikeouts in 64 games. He also was playing second base, because, as Wathan explained, the organization liked his bat so much that it was willing to take a chance on him anywhere in the field.

But after a few adjustments, a bunch of mechanical changes and a more refined mental approach, Asche could be knocking on the clubhouse door in South Philly sooner rather than later.

Wathan said that Asche simply “hit himself out of [Clearwater].”

Now Asche has to get a firmer grip on playing third base.

“He skipped a level and only spent a half-year at the level he skipped. He’s done an outstanding job,” Wathan said. “But the one thing he has to work on is third base. It’s not really his fault. We had him at second base [in 2011], so we lost valuable time there in getting him some action there with him not playing third. I think we were just trying to get him some at-bats and it ended up being at second base.”

The decision to move Asche back to third base did not come about because it appears as if the Phillies will be seeking a new third baseman in the not-so distant future (though it didn’t hurt). Plus, with 36-year old veteran Michael Young in the final year of his contract, Asche’s bat is impressive enough that the Phillies’ brass wanted to find him a stable position.

In the meantime, Wathan added that he wouldn’t be surprised if Asche opens the 2013 season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

“Put it this way: if he starts the season at a higher level next year, he can handle it,” Wathan said. “If he comes back here, will it hurt his development? I don’t think so. I think we’re in a good spot with him. He got here so quickly — he’s not far from the big leagues. There’s not a lot more he has to do.”

Amaro implies Phillies still looking to add OF

Ruben Amaro on Wednesday implied that the Phillies could still add an outfielder, in a report by Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.

Here we are again. The remaining free-agent outfielders are Scott Hairston (who will reportedly make a decision this week), Delmon Young, Juan Rivera, Ben Francisco, Ryan Sweeney, Ryan Raburn, Rick Ankiel and Bobby Abreu.

Michael Bourn is still out there and would make a bit of sense on a one-year deal, as he's the biggest upgrade regardless of the fit, but the Phils aren't in on him, according to Salisbury.

Amaro said the outfielder who may be added would "probably [be] a free agent," not part of a trade.

Other tidbits

Amaro on signing Aaron Cook, Rodrigo Lopez and reliever Juan Cruz: "We’re just trying to protect ourselves as much as we can. The more depth we have the better. This gives us veteran guys so if someone goes down we don’t have to force our young guys. It’s also possible they could help in the bullpen. Anytime you can get depth without a huge [financial] commitment it’s a plus. And it creates a little competition, which is good.”

Amaro said Chase Utley is "doing very, very well" and doing baseball activities five days per week. Fingers remain crossed, but all signs are pointing toward Utley being ready for his first spring training in three years.

The news regarding Roy Halladay is also good. He is throwing in Florida and will ramp up his efforts in the next two weeks.

Phillies sign sinkerballer Aaron Cook

The Phillies have signed veteran right-handed starting pitcher Aaron Cook. It’s a minor-league deal that would be worth $1.625 million at the major-league level.

Cook, a 33-year-old sinkerballer, made 18 very poor starts for the Red Sox last season. He was 4-11 with a 5.65 ERA, and had more walks (21) than strikeouts (20) in 94 innings.

Cook has never been a strikeout pitcher, but his rate of 1.91 strikeouts per nine innings last season was the second-lowest mark of any pitcher since 1954.

The prime of Cook’s career came from 2006-09 with the Rockies. He was an All-Star in 2008, when he went 16-9 with a 3.96 ERA and had twice as many strikeouts as walks.

Cook can be effective when he keeps the ball on the ground. He threw his sinker 73 percent of the time last year, generating a ground ball on 58.6 percent of his balls in play. For his career, that percentage is 57.5. For reference, that’s about three percent higher than Roy Halladay’s career average.

Cook is the Phillies’ second reported minor-league signing in as many days. CBS Sports reported Tuesday night that the team invited righty reliever Juan Cruz to spring training.

Phillies sign Juan Cruz to minor-league deal

The Phillies have signed right-handed reliever Juan Cruz to a minor-league deal with an invite to Spring Training.

The 34-year-old Cruz has a 4.05 ERA in 12 years, with 659 strikeouts in 655 innings. He had a 2.78 ERA in 43 appearances for the Pirates last season, but it was a shaky 2.78. Cruz walked 4.8 batters per nine and had a 1.62 WHIP. The Bucs designated him for assignment on Aug. 20 and released him when he refused to go to Triple-A Indianapolis. Cruz has traveled from city to city mostly because he allows too many baserunners. He has a 1.41 WHIP in a career that has seen him play for seven teams.

Cruz goes fastball-cutter-slider-changeup, with the fastball ranging from 93-96 mph.

It's a depth signing for the Phillies, who already have 13 true relievers on the 40-man roster.

Nationals add Soriano, but is 'pen too right-handed?

The Nationals on Friday agreed to a two-year, $28 million deal with free-agent closer Rafael Soriano, solidifying their bullpen but allocating all of their late-inning spots to righties.

Soriano will pitch the ninth, and Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen will pitch in setup roles for Washington. All three are difficult to hit, but losing lefty Sean Burnett will hurt the Nats, whose only lefties on the roster are Bill Bray and converted starter Zach Duke.

Bray has held Ryan Howard hitless in 13 at-bats, striking him out seven times, so Davey Johnson probably isn't too concerned. But the problem could present itself at some point, especially with all of the lefty power in the NL East (Howard, Chase Utley, Jason Heyward, Brian McCann, Freddie Freeman, Ike Davis).

What is interesting about Soriano's deal -- which on the surface looks like an overpayment -- is that combined with his previous contract with the Yankees, it makes for a four-year, $49 commitment to Soriano. That is $1 million less than the guaranteed portion of Jonathan Papelbon's four-year deal, which in retrospect, looks better. Papelbon has a better career ERA, WHIP, K/9, BB/9 and HR/9 than Soriano. Obviously Papelbon's contract came from one team while Soriano's came from two, but Soriano making that much money in two separate markets is either a testament to Scott Boras or a semi-justification of Papelbon's deal.

Payments and platoon splits aside, Soriano will boost a Nationals' bullpen that looked a bit thin prior to Tuesday afternoon. He had 42 saves and a 2.26 ERA for the Yankees last season, and in 2010 had 45 saves and a 1.73 ERA for the Rays.

Analyzing the rosters: Phillies & Braves very close

The perception, at least nationally, is that the Phillies are the third-best team in the NL East. But upon further examination of a weakened Braves roster, is that really the case?

Compare these two sets of regulars:

Ruiz, Howard, Chase Utley, Rollins, Michael Young, Dom Brown, Ben Revere, Darin Ruf/Mayberry/Nix.

vs.

McCann, Freeman, Uggla, Andrelton Simmons, Juan Francisco, Jason Heyward, B.J. Upton, Martin Prado.

Defensively, the Phillies have advantages at catcher, second base and centerfield, three of the four most important defensive positions. At short, Rollins continues to make practically every play every year, though Simmons could be the next great defensive shorstop. We'll call it even since Simmons has 49 games of major-league experience.

Offensively, the Phillies hold advantages at second base, shortstop and third base. The Braves are better in all three outfield spots. First base? Let's call it a wash ... Ryan Howard obviously has more power than Freddie Freeman, but Freeman gets on base and strikes out less.

Ruiz and McCann are nearing the point where they are similar offensively. Ruiz is trending upward and McCann is headed in the opposite direction. Both will miss the start of the season -- Ruiz with a 25-game suspension, and McCann as he recovers from December shoulder surgery. (Though this report was published shortly before our post.)

If the Braves don't make another big signing or trade, they'll really feel the affect of Chipper Jones' retirement. They'll go from having the third baseman with the 3rd-best OBP in the majors in 2012 and the 7th-best OPS, to Juan Francisco. In games against lefties, Atlanta is projected to shift Prado from LF to 3B and start Reed Johnson in the outtfield.

Upton was a splash move for the usually stingy Braves, but it came at the expense of Michael Bourn, making it a minimal upgrade if it's even one at all. We're looking at a likely 5-6-7-8 of Uggla, Francisco, Simmons and Gerald Laird, McCann's backup/early-season replacement who's hit .231 with a .628 OPS the last four years.

Starting pitching-wise, the Phillies have an advantage. It's Hamels-Lee-Halladay-Kendrick-Lannan vs. Tim Hudson-Kris Medlen-Mike Minor-Paul Maholm-Julio Teheran. The Phillies' first three is much better than the Braves' first three (unless you believe Medlen is a true-talent 1.80 ERA pitcher), and the difference in No. 4 and 5 starters is minimal. Brandon Beachy should return from Tommy John surgery for the Braves in mid-July, but who knows what kind of impact he'll make.

Bullpen? Clear edge to Atlanta, which now has two very good righthanded and lefthanded options in Craig Kimbrel, Jordan Walden, Jonny Venters and Eric O'Flaherty.

But these teams are much closer than many may think, and the Phillies' offense has the chance to be better than the Braves', barring another rash of injuries.

The Braves' 2012 record with a completely different lineup has little bearing on how the teams will fare this season.

Phillies sign Rodrigo Lopez

The 37-year-old righthander, who has pitched for six different organizations over his 11-year Major League career, would enjoy his second stint with the Phils if he makes the club.

According to Fernando Ballesteros of Puro Béisbol, a Mexican baseball magazine, and per MLBTR, the Phillies have inked Rodrigo Lopez to a minor league contract and have given him an invitation to Spring Training.

Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com confirmed the signing and reports Lopez will receive a $1 million base salary plus incentives if he makes the 25-man roster out of camp.

Lopez appeared in just four games out of the bullpen for the Cubs last season, tossing 6.1 innings while allowing four earned runs and walking four men. Over the course of his career, he's been mostly a starter. As recently as 2011 he took the mound in 16 starts for the Cubs, and including 10 appearances out of the 'pen, he compiled a 6-6 record with a 4.42 ERA and 1.86 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Lopez first appeared in red pinstripes in 2009, when he went 3-1 over seven games (five starts) with a 5.70 ERA and 1.73 K-to-BB ratio. The Phillies released him in September of that season. This year, he'll provide depth to the back end of a rotation that, after the big three, includes Kyle Kendrick, John Lannan and Tyler Cloyd.

Breaking down contract options of Adams, Lannan

Mike Adams and John Lannan have fairly complicated options on their contracts with the Phillies, and Matt Gelb of the Inquirer has the details.

Adams, who is due $12 million over two years, can earn $6 million more in 2015 if he makes 65 appearances in 2014. (Adams made more than 65 appearances in 2010 and 2011, but not in his other six seasons.)

Or, if Adams totals 120 games in 2013 and 2014, his third-year option is for $6.5 million.

However -- and this was previously unknown -- Adams' third-year vesting option can be nullified if an elbow or shoulder injury suffered in 2014 leaves him unable to start the 2015 season.

As for Lannan, his base salary is for $2.5 million over one year. He can  receive $200,000 bonuses for 150 innings, 160 innings, 170, 180 and 190 innings. If he reaches 200 or 210 innings, he'll receive $250,000 for each milestone. If he reaches 31 starts, he'll earn $250,000 for each start between Nos. 31 and 34.

So in all, Lannan can earn $5 million with the Phillies if he pitches 210 innings over 34 starts. His career-highs are 33 starts and 206.1 innings.

Injury update: Hamels' shoulder, Utley's knees

Ruben Amaro updated the injury statuses of Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Roy Halladay on Thursday to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com, also confirming that Cole Hamels felt soreness in his shoulder this offseason.

Hamels began feeling the soreness during his offseason throwing program and alerted Phillies trainer Scott Sheridan, according to Amaro, who said the injury is a non-issue.

“We shut [Hamels] down for a couple of weeks, but he’s fine now,” Amaro told CSNPhilly.com. “He was being proactive more than anything else, which is good. We backed him off and slowed him down, but he’s back throwing now and doing fine. He’s had no complaints.”

Hamels felt shoulder soreness toward the end of last season, Amaro admitted, but no serious issues showed up in the meticulous physical he was given in July before signing a six-year, $144 million deal to remain a Phillie.

Chase Utley will meet with Sheridan next week. Utley has been fielding grounders a few times per week out in California.

Amaro said that Utley "should be 100 percent going into camp," which is a very encouraging statement since he missed the last two springs with chronic knee soreness.

Amaro also offered that Howard "has shown no deficiencies" while training in Florida, and Halladay is getting loose, feeling good and will throw off a mound later in January.

"[Rich Dubee] saw him throw. [Halladay] feels good. His mechanics look good. Everything is positive," Amaro said.

The GM also had strong words on the Phillies' muddy outfield situation.

“I’m eager to see our young guys get an opportunity to steal some jobs. They should understand the urgency, too. We’re playing to win. It’s not just about getting jobs. We want to see the urgency to win out of them, too. If we don’t, they won’t be on the club.”

Former Phillies prospect suspended 50 games

Jonathan Singleton, one of the key prospects the Phillies sent to Houston in the 2011 Hunter Pence trade, was suspended on Wednesday for the first 50 games of the 2013 season after testing positive for marijuana. The 50-game suspension indicates this is Singleton’s second offense.

Singleton, one among a group of former Phillies’ prospects playing well in other organizations, was traded for Pence along with Jarred Cosart, Domingo Santana and Josh Zeid. The left-handed hitting first baseman is ranked by MLB.com as the Astros’ top prospect.

Singleton, 21, hit .284 with 21 homers and 79 RBIs for Double-A Corpus Christi last season. He represented the Houston organization in July’s Futures Game in Kansas City.

In a statement released through his agents, Singleton apologized for the suspension, according to ESPN.com.

"I was informed today that I have tested positive for marijuana," he said in the statement. "As a result, I am being suspended for the first 50 games of the 2013 season. I accept the penalty and take full responsibility for my actions. I apologize to my parents, the Houston Astros and [general manager] Jeff Luhnow.

"The Astros have been nothing but supportive of me and good to me in my short time with the organization. My hope is to use this as a learning experience and spend the rest of my career proving to myself and the baseball community that this was a lapse in judgment, and is not in any way indicative of my character or my dedication to baseball or to my team."

No one elected in this year's Hall of Fame class

Minutes ago, this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame results, the most debated in some time, were revealed. And not all that unexpectedly, none of the players on the ballot garnered the 75 percent of votes needed for induction into Cooperstown.

Craig Biggio, the seven-time All-Star for the Astros, was the closest to election, earning 68.2 percent of the writers' votes. Jack Morris garnered 67.7 percent, while Jeff Bagwell checked in with 59.6 percent. Both Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens each garnered less than 40 percent.

Though the likes of Bonds, Clemens and Sammy Sosa – and the controversies surrounding them – headlined this year’s ballot, there was a notable former Phillie also passed over in Curt Schilling, who earned 38.8 percent of votes.

CSNPhilly.com Phillies Insider Jim Salisbury wrote a great piece on Tuesday about Schilling’s Hall of Fame credentials, and we too believe Schilling's career, highlighted by his great postseason numbers, was worthy of an eventual Hall of Fame induction.

Though his 216 career regular-season victories would be on the lower end for Hall of Fame pitchers, Schilling's postseason numbers are telling. He played a key part in three World Series titles, 2001 with the Diamondbacks and 2004 and 2007 with the Red Sox and his 11-2 record and 2.23 ERA over 19 postseason starts are certainly Cooperstown-caliber.

Phoenixville’s Mike Piazza, whose 396 home runs at the catcher position are more than any other at the position, was also passed over, receiving 57.8 percent of the writers' votes. One has to figure that he, as well as Schilling, will eventually hear their names called in Cooperstown.

Amaro says Phils are done, then changes his mind

Though they’ve already addressed shortcomings at third base, centerfield and in the bullpen, the Phillies still need a corner outfielder. At first declaring the club’s offseason moves over, Ruben Amaro Jr. has since changed his mind.

“We’re likely going with what we’ve got,” the Phils’ GM told reporters, including the Inquirer’s Matt Gelb, on Monday. Yet, only a day later, sources tell Ken Rosenthal the Phillies are still in pursuit of a corner man to avoid a troubling double-platoon situation.

The names haven’t changed — it’s still Scott Hairston via free agency, or Alfonso Soriano or Vernon Wells via a trade — and none offer significant upgrades over a combo of Darin Ruf, Domonic Brown, John Mayberry and Laynce Nix.

Hairston, according to Rosenthal, is seeking a two-year deal totaling around $8 million. At $4 million per season, he’d make more than the foursome of Nix (due $1.35 million in 2013) and three pre-arbitration eligible players (set to make approximately half a million apiece) combined.

At only a slight upgrade, is he worth limiting the team’s trade deadline options? It’s estimated the Phillies have $7 million to spend before eclipsing the luxury tax threshold. That’d be shrunken significantly by adding Hairston.

But the alternative option of going with the double platoon is frightening — even Amaro admitted as much Tuesday.

“I’m just as scared as everybody else,” he said Tuesday on 97.3 ESPN-FM. “Other than Ben Revere being kind of a young centerfielder, we don’t have a proven everyday guy out there.”

Phillies over/unders: So much uncertainty

The corner outfield can only be discussed so much before Scott Hairston’s platoon splits and the unknown of Darin Ruf’s defense begins to hurt the eyes and ears. So … how about some Beerleaguer-exclusive over/unders?!

Phillies: 87 wins

Phillies All-Stars: 2

More MLB signings by Ruben Amaro: 2

Chase Utley: 135 games played

Chase Utley: 18 home runs

Ryan Howard: 33 home runs

Ryan Howard: 115 RBI

Ryan Howard: .820 OPS

Carlos Ruiz: .288 batting average

Michael Young: .340 on-base percentage

Jimmy Rollins: 20 home runs

Domonic Brown: .750 OPS

Domonic Brown: 15 homers

Darin Ruf: 10 homers

Darin Ruf: 225 plate appearances

Ben Revere: 35 steals

Ben Revere: .298 batting average

Ben Revere: 1 home run

Roy Halladay: 3.00 ERA

Roy Halladay: 200 innings

Cliff Lee: 6.00 K/BB ratio

Cliff Lee: 220 innings

Cole Hamels: 18 wins

Cole Hamels: 2.85 ERA

Cole Hamels: 215 strikeouts

Kyle Kendrick: 10 wins

Mike Adams: 50 appearances

Jonathan Papelbon: 40 saves

D-Train back in commission with the Cubs

Dontrelle Willis, who for three months in 2011-12 was a member of the Phillies, decided to come out of retirement and sign a minor league contract with the Cubs, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Heyman reports that the deal does not include an invitation to major league camp.

As you know, the Phillies gave Willis a chance last year and it didn’t go so well. The left-hander was released March 16 after just three appearances in the Grapefruit League. Signed to a non-guaranteed deal, the plan was for him to compete for a spot in the bullpen, but five earned runs, four walks and no strikeouts over just 2 2/3 innings later, he was gone.

Willis signed with Baltimore four days later but was sent to Triple-A Norfolk. After posting an 8.53 ERA in four appearances there, the D-Train announced on July 2 he was calling it a career.

So much for that.

I'm Back...

— Dontrelle Willis (@D_Train35) January 5, 2013

Thanks For The Cubs Givin Me Another Opportunity To Keep Playin Ball...I'm Gonna Give It My All Hopefully Have Another Blessed Year

— Dontrelle Willis (@D_Train35) January 5, 2013

Ive Been Workin Hard All Offseason Gettin My Spirit Back After A Couple Tough Years but Im Ready To Compete 100% In '13 N Be A Bulldog Again

— Dontrelle Willis (@D_Train35) January 5, 2013

One season later, Phillies a full year younger

While much of the roster is still built around aging stars like Roy Halladay, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, acquisitions such as Ben Revere help project the club's Opening Day age to be more than a year younger than it was last season.

Gone are Shane Victorino (31 in 2012), Placido Polanco (36), Ty Wigginton (34), Jim Thome (41) and Juan Pierre (34). In to replace them are Revere (24 in 2013), Michael Young (36), Darin Ruf (26), Kevin Frandsen (30) and Domonic Brown (25), who's set to begin the season with the big club for the first time in his career.

In 2012, the Phillies' average age to start the season was 30.9 years old. Only the Yankees, at 31.6 years, were older to begin the season, and they were also the only one of the top-five oldest teams to reach the postseason. (The Angels, Dodgers and Rockies rounded out that list.)

But now, even with their large core of older players a full year more mature, the Phillies' expected roster to start the season comes in at a riper 29.6.

Youth on its own, of course, is not necessarily better -- but replacing guys whose bodies are breaking down with players who are up-and-coming and healthy is.

The age gauge in the outfield shifted most dramatically and poses the most questions, especially with a possible double-platoon situation. At least you won't see Ty Wigginton attempting to catch a fly ball in left or Juan Pierre trying to reach second base without two-hopping his throw.

In the case of Young taking over for Polanco, there's a significant difference. Even though the former Texas third baseman is only one year and nine days younger than Polanco, he's played in at least 156 games in each of the past three seasons. Polly hasn't reached the 150-game mark since 2009, when he was a 33-year-old second baseman for the Tigers.

In the Phillies' case, it appears, they're moving in the right direction. And it should stay that way, assuming Jim Thome and Jamie Moyer stay away.

Phillies' early-season schedule appears favorable

The Phillies have plenty of question marks heading into 2013, but if this team is going to be successful and return to the playoffs, one gets the feeling it will need to jump out to a fast start against inferior opponents.

The Phils' first 32 games are quite favorable, as they include 13 against the Marlins and Mets. Miami and New York, as of Thursday, look like two of the four worst teams in the NL.

The pre-All-Star break portion of the Phillies' schedule contains 30 series -- 16 against teams that finished below .500 last year and 14 against teams that had winning records. The Phils, who play their NL East rivals 19 times each this season after facing them 18 times in previous years, have 13 meetings with the Marlins prior to the Midsummer Classic. They'll play the Braves 13 times in the second half.

They'll also get three NL Central foes -- the Reds, Brewers and Pirates -- out of the way completely by July 4.

The interleague schedule isn't all too threatening, either. Of the Phils' 17 first-half interleague games, 14 are against AL teams that had losing records last season. They play the Indians and Red Sox four times each, the Twins and White Sox three times apiece, and will play their home-opening series against the Royals.

That series against Kansas City will likely feature new ace James Shields, who should be slated for the final game.

Regardless of who they play early, of course, the Phillies need to take care of their own business. Last April they played 17 of 23 games against teams that would eventually finish with losing records (Pirates, Marlins, Mets, Padres, Cubs), but went just 8-9 in those games and 11-12 in the month.

The difference is that Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are expected to be ready for the 2013 season's first month. Last April Freddy Galvis hit .191 and the first base contingent drove in 13 runs in 23 games.

Beer nuts: Are the Phillies 17 wins better?

A high-90s win total is where the bar will likely stay if the Phils hope to reclaim the National League East.

Beerleaguer: It's sort of the hard truth about the season, isn't it? Let's be blunt: the Nationals took the fat-and-happy Phils, with their five-consecutive pennants lodged deep in their gullet and a blind assumption by Vegas that they were ticketed for another World Series, and tossed them on their ear. Frankly, the Phils were thoroughly manhandled by not one, but two, teams, as the Nationals clinched the division with a 17-game distance from the 81-81 Phillies and the Braves maintained a 13-game advantage and beat the snot out of them in head-to-head play. The Phils never led the division at any point and trailed by as many as 20. They peaked at three games over .500. They worked themselves back into the playoff conversation with a late-season charge, which may have done nothing more than instill false hope that the old gang can wrangle in the much younger pacesetters.

That's where Beerleaguer's head is at following the 4-12 finish of the Phillies' cross-parking lot partners and the mid-winter recollection of how things weren't much better in mid-summer. Then you read how the Marlins will listen on Giancarlo Stanton, who is the one player the Phils need to have, and one wonders if the Phils know they haven't anted up enough.

Three over 36: Here are three pitchers worth consideration on low-risk deals, all over the age of 36.

Pedro Feliciano, 36: The familiar lefty finally blew out his shoulder after ratcheting up big innings against the Phillies all those years with the Mets. At 36, he's trying to come back from rotator cuff surgery and is pitching winter ball in Puerto Rico. He hasn't pitched in the Show since making 92 appearances with the Mets in 2010.

Derek Lowe, 39: The Phillies need a swing man and at 39, the veteran righty has likely fallen out of rotation work for good. I like the idea of adding another veteran like Lowe to the bullpen and dealing away Tyler Cloyd while his value may never get higher. Lowe pitched to a 3.04 ERA in 17 appearances out of the Yankees' bullpen. At last report, at least five teams were interested in him.

Francisco Cordero, 37: He might be done, but if he's not, the Phils might be able to pick up one of the most consistent closers over the last decade cheaply. Last season was a disaster and he was released by the Astros after his trade from Toronto. He missed time with an inflamed ligament in his toe and shoulder soreness. But as recently as 2011, he was a top closer, and surprisingly, didn't make the Reds look like complete fools for signing him to a three-year, $36.5 million deal after 2008. In four seasons with the Reds, he collected 150 saves.

Also old and mildly interesting: Orlando Hudson, 35, a veteran switch-hitter and former gold glover who might be done, but might also be an OK stopgap in case Chase Utley is not ready again. Manny Ramirez, 40, is probably done, but he's playing again in the Dominican and homered twice in a game the other night. Jim Thome reunited with Charlie Manuel last season. Is it Manny's turn in 2013?

Brett Myers to sign with Indians

Another former Phillie has found a new home.

Brett Myers agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday. The deal, which won't become final until Myers passes a physical, also contains a club option for the 2014 season.

Myers posted a 3.31 ERA over 70 relief appearances between the Astros and White Sox last season. However, Terry Francona's new club plans to use Myers as a starter, according to MLB.com.

Myers isn't the only former Phillies player to make news over the last couple days, as the Red Sox worked out Bobby Abreu in Venezuela, according to multiple reports. It was first reported by Venezuelan journalist Rafael Tejera.

Interestingly enough, the Sox apparently put Abreu through drills at first base, a position he has never played over his 17-year major league career. However, Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald reported that a signing was unlikely and quoted an an unamed major league source who described the workout as simply "background work."