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EYES WIDE OPEN: SEARCH FO RELIEF(PHILLIES DEC 23)

December 23, 2009   ·   philliesmania   ·   Jump to comments

 

It can be very frustrating as a GM to find reliable bullpen help. And yet it is very important. A better bullpen may have helped the Phillies beat the Yankees in the 2009 Fall Classic.

In 2008 the Phillies had a very good bullpen and yet the same nucleus was sub par in 2009. In fact that happens a lot. The demand on the arm that relief pitching exacts can be very tricky from year to year. Not too mention the injuries.

So what does Ruben need to do for 2010?

Let’s start from the back end and work backwards. The glaring weaknesses of 2009 for Philadelphia was closer and middle inning help. Chan Ho Park bailed you out but with Romero suspended/hurt, Condrey in and out, Eyre in/out, and Madson being put in and out of closer role it made the late innings suspect. And the Chan couldn’t pitch every single day for the 6th and 7th inning.

BRAD LIDGE: At this point he is still your best option for a closer. Face the music, even with a distasterous 2009 he still had 30+ saves. Now I am in no way suggesting he had a good year but 30 saves is more than many teams got from their closer. And he did have health problems to boot.

So is he washed up? I don’t know but I guess there is only one way to find out. The problem is you better, and I mean better have a Plan B and Plan C just in case he is done.

Who is out there? 32 year old Free Agent Fernando Rodney has been mentioned. Bringing him in for bullpen duty in general knowing he has closer experience.

2009 Season Stats (Rodney)
SPLITS G GS CG IP H R ER HR BB SO W L SV HLD BLSV WHIP ERA
Season 73 0 0 75.2 70 38 37 8 41 61 2 5 37 0 1 1.47 4.40
Career 308 0 0 330.0 300 172 157 31 170 314 15 30 70 0 0 1.42 4.28

He doesn’t wow me but who knows. It’s not the worst move you could make. Or is it? + 4 ERA? Not a good endorsement for me. Rodney went 37 for 38 in save opportunities in 2009 for Detroit. In fact he pitched way better as a closer than in non save relief. So this is an interesting choice. If you still plan on Lidge than Rodney is not a good choice for me. Because if Lidge does pan out than you got a guy who is not as good in a non save role.

Another name is 32 year old Mike MacDougal who had been pitching for the Nationals.

2009 Season Stats (MacDougal)
SPLITS G GS CG IP H R ER HR BB SO W L SV HLD BLSV WHIP ERA
Season 57 0 0 54.1 52 31 26 3 38 34 1 1 20 0 1 1.66 4.31
Career 314 3 0 312.2 311 168 142 21 165 266 14 21 70 0 0 1.52 4.09

Again with over 4 ERA.  He did have 3 season where he saved 20 games. His best was 27.

36 year old Bob Howry has also been on the radar.

2009 Season Stats (Howry)
SPLITS G GS CG IP H R ER HR BB SO W L SV HLD BLSV WHIP ERA
Season 63 0 0 63.2 50 26 24 5 23 46 2 6 0 10 3 1.15 3.39
Career 731 0 0 752.2 684 330 306 85 240 639 44 49 66 0 0 1.23 3.66

The ERA is a little better here and he has had 66 career saves.

Kikon Calero is a 34 year old option who had a very good 2009.

2009 Season Stats(Calero)
SPLITS G GS CG IP H R ER HR BB SO W L SV HLD BLSV WHIP ERA
Season 67 0 0 60.0 36 13 13 1 30 69 2 2 0 12 5 1.10 1.95
Career 313 1 0 302.2 236 110 109 24 126 324 14 12 7 0 0 1.20 3.24

His career ERA is much better than some above options. He has less closer experience however. He does have a nice price tag. So you could bring him regardless of others.

Miguel Batista has been bandied about also. I don’t see this happening. He is a high price tag. He does have starter experience though which is another spot Ruben needs to look at.

2009 Season Stats (Batista)
SPLITS G GS CG IP H R ER HR BB SO W L SV HLD BLSV WHIP ERA
Season 56 0 0 71.1 79 37 32 7 39 52 7 4 1 14 4 1.65 4.04
Career 530 237 10 1761.0 1843 994 889 177 794 1128 95 108 39 0 0 1.50 4.54

Here is a total list of some available relief arms to choose from: Not one of them makes me salivate. But there may be a couple choices. Including guys from the Phillies roster in 2009. The Chan is the best long relief option on this list in my book. Notice some have been snatched up also.

Updated: December 23, 2009
Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Rank
Jose Arredondo 25 Non-Tendered LA Angels     NR
Danys Baez 32 Free Agent Baltimore     NR
Brian Bass 27 Non-Tendered Baltimore     NR
Miguel Batista 38 Free Agent Seattle     NR
Joe Beimel 32 Free Agent Colorado     NR
Joaquin Benoit 32 Free Agent Texas     NR
Rafael Betancourt 34 Accepted Arbitration Colorado Colorado     33
Chad Bradford 35 Free Agent Tampa Bay     NR
Doug Brocail 42 Free Agent Houston     NR
Kiko Calero 34 Free Agent Florida     NR
Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Rank
Matt Capps 26 Non-Tendered Pittsburgh     NR
D.J. Carrasco 32 Non-Tendered Chicago Sox     NR
Bruce Chen 32 Free Agent Kansas City     NR
Clay Condrey 34 Non-Tendered Philadelphia     NR
Neal Cotts 29 Non-Tendered Chicago Cubs     NR
Elmer Dessens 38 Signed NY Mets NY Mets   Minor Lg. NR
Mark DiFelice 33 Signed Milwaukee Milwaukee   Minor Lg. NR
Brendan Donnelly 38 Free Agent Florida     NR
Octavio Dotel 36 Free Agent Chicago Sox     NR
Alan Embree 39 Free Agent Colorado     NR
Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Rank
Scott Eyre 37 Free Agent Philadelphia     NR
Josh Fogg 33 Free Agent Colorado     NR
Chad Fox 39 Free Agent Chicago Cubs     NR
Mike Gonzalez 31 Signed (A) Atlanta Baltimore 2 $12,000,000 16
John Grabow 31 Signed Chicago Cubs Chicago Cubs 2 $7,500,000 NR
Kevin Gregg 31 Free Agent Chicago Cubs     NR
Eddie Guardado 39 Free Agent Texas     NR
LaTroy Hawkins 37 Signed Houston Milwaukee 1 $7,500,000 NR
Mark Hendrickson 35 Free Agent Baltimore     NR
Matt Herges 39 Free Agent Colorado     NR
Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Rank
Bob Howry 36 Free Agent San Francisco     NR
Ryota Igarashi 30 Signed Japan NY Mets 2 $3,000,000 25
Jason Isringhausen 37 Free Agent Tampa Bay     NR
Javier Lopez 32 Signed Boston Pittsburgh 1 $775,000 NR
Brandon Lyon 30 Signed (B) Detroit Houston 3 $15,000,000 45
Mike MacDougal 32 Non-Tendered Washington     NR
Ron Mahay 38 Free Agent Minnesota     NR
Seth McClung 28 Non-Tendered Milwaukee     NR
Guillermo Mota 36 Free Agent LA Dodgers     NR
Will Ohman 32 Free Agent LA Dodgers     NR
Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Rank
Darren Oliver 39 Signed LA Angels Texas 1 $3,500,000 48
Chan Ho Park 36 Free Agent Philadelphia     43
Troy Percival 40 Free Agent Tampa Bay     NR
J.J. Putz 32 Signed NY Mets Chicago Sox 1 $3,000,000 NR
Jackson Quezada 23 Non-Tendered San Diego     NR
Anthony Reyes 28 Signed Cleveland Cleveland   Minor Lg. NR
Juan Rincon 30 Signed Colorado Colorado   Minor Lg. NR
Fernando Rodney 32 Free Agent (B) Detroit     41
Takashi Saito 39 Signed Boston Atlanta 1 $3,200,000 NR
Scott Schoeneweis 36 Free Agent Arizona     NR
Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Rank
Brian Shouse 41 Free Agent (B) Tampa Bay     NR
Rafael Soriano 30 Signed Atlanta Tampa Bay 1 $7,250,000 19
Russ Springer 41 Free Agent Tampa Bay     NR
Jose Valverde 31 Free Agent (A) Houston     36
Claudio Vargas 31 Signed Milwaukee Milwaukee 1 $900,000 NR
Jose Veras 29 Non-Tendered Cleveland     NR
Ron Villone 39 Free Agent Washington     NR
Billy Wagner 38 Signed (A) Boston Atlanta 1 $7,000,000 23
David Weathers 40 Free Agent Milwaukee     NR
Jeff Weaver 33 Free Agent LA Dodgers     NR
Player Age Status Old Team New Team Years Dollars Rank
Kip Wells 32 Free Agent Cincinnati     NR
Mark Worrell 26 Non-Tendered San Diego     NR
Jamey Wright 34 Free Agent Kansas City     NR

NOTES:

  • Who would pay Wagner $7 MILLION PER?
  • Isringhausen is good but always hurt
  • Mike Gonzalez $12 Million?
  • The Mets got rid of one Putz, and they still have plenty more!

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