REAL ACTION IN CLEARWATER?

DAYS UNTIL REAL WORKOUTS !!!!!!!!!!!!

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PHILLIES ADD ANOTHER ARM TO BULLPEN:

Chad Qualls, RHP – 33 years old, one-year, $1.15 million contract. D – E – P – T – H! That is what you’re getting here. I mean even pitching in mammoth parks like Arizona and San Diego hasn’t seemed to help his over all numbers as far as I am concerned. But his work load history suggests he could be Chad Durbin like, which okay that is not exactly a ringing endorsement per say. It could be worse though.

Qualls is not a bad move overall if you are determined to not leave things to chance and Ruben has proved he is not without thinking ahead. Face it, it’s a move that can prove timely or simply be a $1.5 Million mistake. By today’s standards you can roll that pair of dice any day.

Like I said his numbers are not that impressive when you factor in the ballparks. His ERA at PETCO is far better than the road. But there is another issue here tied in with DEPTH. Insurance!

Yes Jose Contreras is rehabbing and apparently fine but we all know what that has led too in the past. Overall I have to give Rube the thumb up for at least thinking ahead. And honestly it’s not like a John Wetteland was available.

So we’ll see where and if Qualls is even needed soon enough. ACTUALLY NOT SOON ENOUGH, BECAUSE I AM SO READY FOR BASEBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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YOU GOTTA LOVE OUR SIXERS!

Okay so they soundly throttle the Bulls last night but is that what makes me excited? No, Pizza does that ………. I mean DEFENSE does that. Yes Doug Collins has made these boys understand basketball is a 2 way game!

I love the fact also that this is a team. I for have been growing tired of the number of NBA players that are a joke. I am sick of teams that can win with 2 or 3 stars and stiffs. Now I do think that is sometimes a media fabrication also.

I mean you people who think the Bulls that played with Jordan were  a “nothing around him situation” are clueless. Just the same as I believe that Scottie Pippen was and is not one of the Top 50 players of all time. Clearly a great player he was though.

My point? I believe you can win with a roster like the 76ers. Especially when you factor these things:

1. Iguadala finally gets it! He is not the player who thought he was. But he is great when he is himself.This guy is a defender!!!!!!!!!!!

2. Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner will get much better

3. Elton Brand has settled in

4. Lou Williams was born to be a 6th man

5. Spencer Hawes, Tony Battie, and even the Rook Nikola Vucevic are adequate Centers for today’s reliance on bigs. Hawes is actually has potential to be above average and by many people’s estimation has been an underachiever in his career. So if he reaches or approaches his potential in this contract year that will mean a lot to Brand and the 76ers front court!

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Deju vu ?

At this point I don’t know if having Jesus Christ as your goaltender would improve their save percentage! It seems that Philadelphia is where GOALIES die. Seriously other than Parent. Lindbergh, and Hextall Part 1 this team has been scourged with blah goal tending.

Perhaps the question is then WHERE IS THE DEFENSE? Think about it how many saves per game did even a Brodeur have? Yes he was great but the defense was stellar. BORING AS HE- double hockey sticks INDEED, but stellar nonetheless!

In fact show me any great goalie and you will find a solid defense. Yes they are good for that aamzing save now and again but it really does come down to fundamentally sound defense. And nobody will criticize Holmgren for the blah he puts out there. Or for relying on Methuselah Pronger. I love Pronger but seriously this guy is 97 years old.

Now there is no denying that Ilya has been far from an improvement but this is not all on him. And frankly I actually still believe he will calm down and stop trying to impress us and just play to his ability. Which I still believe he is good. Not necessarily the “elite” guy we were told about though. But hey we’ll see about that now won’t we?

Hey Nineteen
No we can’t dance together
No we can’t talk at all
Please take me along
When you slide on down

YEAH BOOOYAAAAA! THE DAY IS CLOSING IN AND I’M JACKED!

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Maybe you have heard, I am a baseball degenerate! Yes I love all sports, especially pro sports, but honestly the Super Bowl is an event to enjoy that leads up to the game I love!

Our 76ers are rockin’ it, the Flyers are doing the usual towing the line, and the Andy Reid talk continues.   “JAUN is the loneliest number that you’ll have do”

So in honor of Andy let’s get right to the “injuries” …………

HOWARD: Howard’s recovery from left Achilles surgery is ahead of schedule however being ready for opening day is not expected. However the talk last season was a June return and now we hear reports of him doing baseball stuff in February.

“I think it’s more than a reach,” said Amaro concerning Howard for the seasons beginning but he added “If he’s back by sometime in May, I’ll be happy.”

So in essence his “ahead of schedule may only be a matter of weeks which consists of 6 games a week so anything before June is naturally better then sometime in June.

Who bats 4th is probably a bigger question than who plays 1st. Charlie’s thoughts on 1B? Manuel said John Mayberry Jr. could be his first option to play first base while Howard is recovering. Ty Wigginton, Jim Thome and Laynce Nix also have played first.

Hitting clean up though? For me it is a no brainer. In years past Utley would be an option but he will no longer be a power hitter, trust me. Mayberry has the tools but lacks experience. Pence is coming into a stretch of his career where his power numbers will peak. I pray I don’t see Thome, Nix, or Wigginton but knowing Charlie that is not totally out of the question.

No Howard should look like this: Rollins, Victorino, Mayberry, Pence, Utley,  Polanco, Ruiz, Nix, and pitcher. I also would consider Pierre, Victorino, Rollins, Pence, Utley, Mayberry, Polanco, Ruiz, and pitcher. If Polanco is healthy I may move Victorino down to add speed at the bottom.

However let’s not pretend we don’t remember the years of monster success with Shane in the 2 hole.

POLANCO: Amaro said Polanco, who is recovering from sports hernia surgery, should be 100 percent or close to 100 percent for Spring Training. Of course with recent history I assume they will be cautious and Rube basically admitted they would be.

UTLEY:  He’s doing good. He’s feeling well,” Amaro said. “We have to keep an eye on his health, and monitor him and make sure we’re cautious with how we handle him in Spring Training. Charlie and I have talked about that a little bit to make sure he stays fresh for the season.”

It has been reported from various sources however that he cannot workout the way he normally would. His knee appears to be a permanent problem and this is why his power is declining.So for the millionth time I hope he tries to hit for average and doubles.

CONTRERAS: “No symptoms. He’s progressing really well. If he doesn’t have any setbacks or anything, I think he’d probably close to ready for Opening Day.”

BAM BAM BLANTON:  “We expect him to be in our rotation this year. Hopefully he can get through it in a healthy way.”

PENCE: He is reportedly fine and happy with contract.  He said “The Phillies treated me great. I couldn’t be happier. I’m very grateful.”

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IN OTHER NEWS PAT BURRELL IS LIKELY TO SIGN ON WITH THE PHILLIES FOR A DAY AND ANNOUNCE HIS RETIREMENT.

AND SO AS ANDY SAYS ………. THE TIME’S YOURS ………..

DAYS UNTIL BASEBALL! PITCHERS AND CATCHERS ARRIVE ON FEB 18 AND WORKOUTS BEGIN ON FEB 19, 2012

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Today I wanted to briefly discuss what I perceive as an odd trend and a foolish form of signing players to contract. However the question does history show it to be foolish?

Let me state loud and clear that my main concern is not the dollars and cents. We all know that MLB is making a ton of dough and it’s star employees are going to “get some of theirs”. And it’s not my money. And it’s not yours either.

Oh we contribute by making broadcasting ratings go through the roof and therefore teams cash in on broadcasting rights. Also we buy merchandise and a percentage of us go to the games. Which by the way ticket sales is not even close to being as important in cash value as the other items I mentioned first.

But consumers are a part of every business so in essence we pay the freight of everyone who works if you buy into the theory of “we pay the salaries”. The fact is that while in a sense we do, in reality WE DON’T! The reality is THEIR EMPLOYER PAYS THEM! So get over it.

Nevertheless here is the million dollar question. Has anyone heard of the numbers 5,6,7 or 8? Yes lately you are finding more and more ridiculous 9 and 10 year deals. And with guys who will be 97 in the back years.

Does this make any sense? I don’t think anybody is worth more than 6 years unless they are very young. Even then it is quite a risk. Now I suppose if say Pujols brings a Title to Anaheim in the next year or two, then all will be good in Disneyland.

However the odds are you will never reap the benefits of the investment. Ask the endless list of teams who made this type of deal.

So the 2nd question is do teams measure whether it was worth it or not based on World Series Titles? Sadly NO!

Take Jayson Werth’s 6 year joke of a deal. Do you think Washington thought that would bring them wins and a playoff appearance? NO WAY! At least not for a while. But I’ll tell you what they did hope. That idiots in Washington did believe that and they would start watching them and wearing merchandise!

But even if teams are never World Series bound having “stars” will land them more games in prime TV games and that is worth something.Why do you think Florida wants Reyes with a new stadium opening?

Now Detroit had a two fold motive when they lost there first baseman and went out and broke the bank on Prince Fielder. But again if they don’t land a World Series or come darn close, to me it was a waste of “Benjamin’s”. Or “Wilson’s” since Woodrow is the face of the $100,000 bill.

I use A-Rod as a classic example. His 10 year $250,000,000 deal with Texas ruined that franchise and set them back. By the time he came to New York he was not “the man” anymore. Of course the Yankees can afford a roster of these type of deals. And in their defense they are a team that measures success by the World Series. So I take them out of the equation. They pay and they pay to win it all. END OF STORY with the Yankees. Whether we like it or not!

So sadly in the end these deals make no sense if Championships are what you measure but if making a buck is the only concern, then by all means sign away!

 DAYS UNTIL THE YEAR TRULY STARTS! SPRING TRAINING FOLKS!

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Even with Super Bowl a week away I am totally hyped up for BASEBALL! And it is awesome to enter baseball season knowing your team has a chance to win the World Series!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes our Philadelphia Phillies are the real deal. True the rest of the league continues to adjust and close the gap and perhaps the gap is gone. But only 2012 will determine that.

And Ruben continues to make some changes of his own. Let’s digest this one. Phillies sign 34 year old Juan Pierre to a minor league deal. Hmmm.

I like this a lot. Okay Pierre is not the guy he was 5 to 10 years ago but he quietly out up some solid years and has been very productive. Pierre is a lifetime .296 hitter and has never hit below .275. He has 554 career stolen bases also. Yes when you think Pierre you think speed because even at 34 he still can run. Solid defender too.

So what does or could this mean? Think about it. With Ibanez gone we assume left field goes to Mayberry. Which that is a great assumption considering his progress and hopefully his arrival. Yes we all hope this guy is reaching or heading toward his potential. Frankly Mayberry is chock full of potential. He has everything Werth had. Big John is a legit 5 TOOL man. It is simply a matter of him having the mental toughness to use those tools at the MLB level.

But wait a minute. With Howard’s availability in question and the unlikelihood that Thome can play at 1st anymore,  Mayberry who has played a very good 1st base in the past, may be needed at 1st.

With that scenario very likely we all assumed that newly acquired  Laynce Nix or even Ty Wigginton would fill in at left field. Nix is an OF and Wigginton has played 1B, 2B, 3B, as well as RF and LF in his career. In the back up plan you have Scott Podsednick who signed his 2nd Minor League contract with Philadephia.

However now you have Pierre in the mix. Only Pierre has been playing at the Major League level where as Podsenick has not. Working back from serious injuries he has not seen MLB action since 2010. But here is the exciting part for me.

If Pierre is added to the mix you also have a legit lead off hitter to fill in when Rollins is out. Which sadly we all know is going to happen. And even if Rollins stays healthy it would be wise if Charlie could keep Jimmy’s regular season games down a little to keep him fresh for when it counts. Pierre is your guy for that.

Now you are thinking “that is what Shane does”. Yes but he is not really a lead off hitter either. Oh I love Victorino and he is an All -Star. But he is best suited to where he can use his speed, set up skills, and his RBI ability. He is a 2, 5, or 6 hitter ideally.

So imagine games where you have Rollins/Victorino like the good ole’ days and then days when you have Pierre/Victorino. Yeah that’s what I’m talking about.

What about Polanco? Hey he is a consummate #2 but he can hit down in the order and still be effective. And unfortunately I am not sold on where he is at with his health. But here is the deal.

Even Rollins/Polanco and at times Pierre/Polanco is very cool. That simply puts Victorino in the 5 or 6 hole depending on Utley’s status. And if we are being honest having Victorino hit at 5 and Pence at 3 is better then having Utley at 3 and Pence at 5. Yes we all love Utley but he is not a #3 anymore unless he miraculously had some procedure to cure his degenerative type injury to his knee. I want Utley at #5 until he proves otherwise, and maybe 6.

Yes if Mayberry blows up imagine Pence, Howard, and Mayberry as 3,4,5! BUt until Howard is back and healthy a Pence, Mayberry, Utley is very nice on paper assuming Mayberry is the real deal. Or Mayberry. Pence, and Utley if you think Mayberry at 4 is a little too much pressure.

The bottom line is at this point Pierre is a perfect fit for the way the chips are falling ……………… unless another great choice surfaces which is unlikely at this point. NOT IMPOSSIBLE though ……………..

SIDE NOTE: Pence is inked for $10, 400,000 for 2012.

But hey let”s put that aside for a future discussion.

Let’s go prospecting ……………

For now pitching is still the brightest star of the future. The recent TOP 100 list from MLB has some good news for Philadelphia and their fans.

Trevor May, the 22-year-old right-hander drafted in the fourth round in 2008, is the Phils’ top-ranked prospect at No. 54. Less than two full years removed from his 2010 first-round selection, southpaw Jesse Biddle comes in at No. 78, with righty Brody Colvin close behind at No. 80.

DAYS UNTIL THE REAL SPORT BEGINS! COME ON SPRING………………

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Today is Friday Jan 27. Exactly 29 years ago today Paul Owens, then GM of our Philadelphia Phillies, traded Ryne Sandberg and Larry Bowa to the Chicago Cubs for the scary talents of Ivan de Jesus. No really that is true.

Yes Dallas Green who had led the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies to a World Series Championship took the GM job of the Cubs after the 1981 season and quite familiar with the Phillies farm system and the kid they called Ryno.  He also knew that Paul Owens felt Sandberg, who was a shortstop was better suited for 2nd base or 3rd base.

At the time the Phillies had this fella at 3rd named Mike Schmidt and a guy named Manny Trillo at 2nd so it was very unlikely that Ryno would see the light of day in the Vet anytime soon. And so he pulled what I now would call a Ed Wade Reverse.

Yes you know the Ed Wade move. We sent the incompetent Wade to Houston and for his indebtedness for ever having a job in Philadelphia, he then packaged Lidge, Oswalt, and finally Pence to Philly in successive years for nothing. Oh and he paid the Phillies money to take Oswalt and Pence off his hands! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In 1982 however it was Dallas Green who left town only he fleeced the Phillies. Now in fairness to Paul Owens it is true that a 3rd basemen would not be needed for a while. But Sandberg could have played SS. And while we all loved Larry Bowa, clearly Bowa was coming to the end of his career. And frankly Trillo did not have many years left either. So you could have had Ryno on hold for a year or two. And you could have gotten something for Trillo or Bowa.

Also to be frank, had Owens reasoned what he reasoned and got a legit talent back for Bowa and Sandberg no one would have second guessed him. Ivan de Jesus was a flat out joke! He was coming off of a 1981 season in which he hit a red hot .194!

True Bowa was not exactly Rod Carew and back in those days offense from a shortstop was ignored for the most part. But the mere fact that the Cubs would part with this gem for Bowa should have told them something. Green wanted Sandberg. And the fact that Green knew your farm system should have sent a red flag up as to the motivation for this deal.

Of course knowing what we all know now makes it one of the worst trades in the history of mankind.

So here we are 29 years later and Ryno is a HOF player who wants to be a Manager for a MLB club. He has done well in the minor league system. In fact it was assumed he was next in line for the Cubs job since he was a lifetime Cubbie and managed in their farm system. He got passed over and so he left and took the job for Philadelphia in Triple A Lehigh-Valley.

He did well here. However when a couple major league jobs opened up, Sandberg’s name was on the short list of some teams. Most notable the now World Champs St Louis Cardinals. He did not get that job either.

Sandberg is more than happy to return to Lehigh-Valley though. Fact is his name will continue to surface as he does well. And if you are Sandberg you have to realize it is not impossible that Charlie Manuel may not manage for too many more years. Although I personally think Charlie wants to die in a dugout while managing a game and talking about hitting to anyone who will listen. Sandberg’s only hope is that Amaro will make the call to go in a different direction as far as I am concerned.

But at the end of the day I believe Ryne Sandberg will be a manager in the next 5 years for a MLB club. Until then it is nice to have him back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Although I have to admit I still have pain from his departure ……………..

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES ARE STILL AMONG THE ELITE BUT OTHERS ARE CLOSING THE GAP AS THE PHILLIES ARE AGING AND REGROUPING

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Wilson Valdez who had just signed a 1 year $930,000 deal is now a Cincinnati Reds player and teammate of Ryan Madson. How’s that you ask?

Because Ruben acquired a 26 year old left handed reliever named Jeremy Horst in exchange for the steady utility man Valdez. Horst is an unknown frankly at the MLB level although he did have some success in his debut efforts in 2011. appeared in 12 games for Cincinnati with a 2.93 ERA. In 36 games at Triple-A Louisville, Horst had a 2.81 ERA and allowed 41 hits in 51 1/3 innings with 42 strikeouts and 14 walks. He held opponents to a .219 batting average. Jeremy appeared in 12 games for Cincinnati with a 2.93 ERA. In 36 games at Triple-A Louisville, Horst had a 2.81 ERA and allowed 41 hits in 51 1/3 innings with 42 strikeouts and 14 walks. He held opponents to a .219 batting average.

Hopefully the Philadelphia scouts know what they see because on the upside this would be awesome. If Bastardo continues to improve and is consistent and Horst is for real, that would be 2 reliable left handers out of the pen. Both of whom are pretty young! That would make for a nice comfort zone for a few years barring injury if everyone pans out.

25 DAYS UNTIL PITCHERS AND CATCHERS START!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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ON SUNDAY JANUARY 22, 2012 A LONG TIME PHILADELPHIA SPORTS BROADCASTER ANDY MUSSER DIED AT THE AGE OF 74.

HE BEST KNOWN FOR WORKING FOR THE PHILLIES. HOWEVER HE ALSO WORKED FOR THE 76ERS AND EAGLES. HE DID SOME ‘NOVA GAMES ALONG WITH BIG 5 HOOPS ALSO. THE ONLY PHILADELPHIA MAJOR SPORTS TEAM HE DID NOT BROADCAST FOR WAS THE FLYERS.

THANKS ANDY! YOU WERE A PRO AND A VERY GOOD ONE AT THAT!

He was born in 1937 near Harrisburg,PA. He was a graduate of Syracuse University. He worked with the Eagles and Sixers from 1965 to 1971. Think about that, he called some Chamberlain games! The 1967 76ers are one of the best NBA teams EVER! He did some BIG 5 and Villanova games during those years also. He came back to Philly in 1976. Andy worked in the Phillies booth from 1976 to 2001

From 1971 to 1974 he worked for CBS Sports and that is when he did the World Series, Super Bowl, and Masters coverage. He also did NBA Finals games in his career. SO the man did Championships of 3 Major Team sports and the flippin’ MASTERS! AWESOME stuff when you think about it.

About the only bad thing Andy Musser did was bring Chris Wheeler along. LOL Yes back in 1977 “Wheels” was brought in to give Musser a partner. So you had Harry / Whitey and Andy / Wheeler.

He even is credited with helping Doug Collins in his broadcasting gig. Collins says “Andy was my first TV partner and he taught me the TV business. There was no better pro than him and we’re all going to miss him. Andy was a hell of a guy.”

The most famous call Andy is attributed to was in 1980 when the Phillies and the Expos had a winner take all game for the NL East. Mike Schmidt hits a game winning HR and Musser calls “HE buried it”

Musser was very popular around these parts. In fact if it not for Harry Kalas Andy would have likely garnered far more attention. As it is Musser stands tall with the likes of Kalas, Merrill Reese, and Gene Hart respectively in the lore of Philadelphia broadcasters. Of course John Facenda has to be counted among the greats. He was actually from Philly and had an enormous career in Philadelphia and on the National scene in and out of sports. Facenda was dubbed as having the “voice of God”.

So Andy was in great company and he deserved every bit of accolades he has gotten and more ………………..

We’ll miss you ANDY ……………………….

IN PHILADELPHIA, JIM THOME’S  TALKING DEFENSE AND SOME KIDS ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE

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You wouldn’t think that Jim Thome playing 1st base is a major topic but evidently it is. After all he was a 1st baseman. In fact he played some 3rd base early in his career. Now I would understand the question behind him playing any at 3rd. But 1st base? Seriously?

I understand that he is 41 and is far from an everyday player. But if your a major league player you should be able play occasionally. If the man can cash a check and sit on the bench he should be able to play 1st a few times a year.

In a positive sense it is encouraging that it is reported that he is committed to getting in shape and conditioned to be ready for the season. The biggest concern of course is his back. Again I reiterate if you can cash the check than you should have accessed the physical damage and whether he can play or not.

Thome, 41, has implemented Pilates and yoga into his off-season workout routine and concentrated more on stretching, flexibility and running to put him in better position to play. He says “The one thing I will say: the work that I’ve put in, nothing will be unturned. I’ll put everything I can into it. And then we’ll just have to see how my body reacts once we get there.”

Honestly while I love Thome,  I really don’t see his value as a player at this point. Remember Matt Stairs in 2009? We’re lucky if we get that. Thome will provide some serious locker room support on a team that needs a voice for the veterans who need some talking too now and again when they get a little too set in their ways.

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Cesar Hernandez a 21 year old 2B in the Phillies system gets a #5 ranking on the National Prospect list for 2B! What that will ultimately mean no one knows but he has the potential at a position the Phillies need a future for with Utley literally falling apart. He has speed and a potential to hit for average. Also said to be a good defender.

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Other names to look out for are Pitchers Brody Colvin, Ryan Cossart, Justin DeFratus, Trevor May, Jesse Biddle, Jonathon Pettibone, OF’s  Jiwan James, Aaron Altherr, and Catcher Sebastian Valle

COLE HAMELS AVOIDS ARBITRATION AND SIGNS FOR $15 MILLION FOR 2012

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Ever since 2011 came to a crashing halt Cole Hamels has been pretty casual about his contract. It’s obvious he had no intention of accepting arbitration and certain a deal would be done. He was dead on.

Without going through the boring contract “rules”, Philadelphia had Hamels exclusive rights for one more year (2012) however Hamels was not under contract so he was eligible for arbitration. Which any player not under contract can be offered arbitration. The difference is Hamels was a restricted Free Agent where as some one like Rollins was an unrestricted Free Agent.

A restricted Free Agent cannot sign with anyone else where as an unrestricted Free Agent can. If an unrestricted Free Agent accepts arbitration, if it is offered then he must sign with that club at the money amount assigned by the arbitrator however.

And so Hamels took $15,000,000 for 2012. The only negative side of this is you would have hoped the Philadelphia Phillies could have signed him for 3 or 4 years. My guess is Hamels and his agent decided they would have more leverage just signing the 1 year deal and then having another banner year. Maybe competing for a CY Young and hopefully a playoff MVP or other notable accomplishments. This will increase his value to the Phillies and/or on the dare I say Free Agent market. Which I would hate to see!

That said with the contract for 2012 locked up more years can be negotiated at some point this year prior to November. After that he is a Free Agent and the Phillies would be bidding against others.

Hamels is 77-54 with a 3.39 ERA in 181 career appearances. He has a 1.141 WHIP and averages 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings. 2 14 win seasons and a 15 win season. In 2011 he should have had 19 wins easily.

Clearly Ruben is thinking long term the question is what is the value? On one hand you just had a guy like Jered Weaver sign a 5 year $85,000,000 deal with the Angels. Weaver is 82-47 with a 3.31 ERA in 171 career appearances. He has a 1.165 WHIP and averages 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings. He has had a 16 win and a 18 win season.

John Boggs, Hamels agent, however is quick to note that Weaver took a low offer to stay in his hometown and evidently to have future cash to pull off a deal like the Pujols deal the Angels did this off season. Boggs is planning on making Cliff Lee’s deal the barometer. Lee signing his monster deal at 32 and Hamels is now 28.

For me is Weaver signed for $17,000,000 a year and Lee is worth in the mid 20′s, why not try and get Hamels for 3 years and $18 – 19,000,000. Honestly I love Hamels but at this point he is more Weaver than he is Lee overall. He doesn’t want to see it that way of course but if you see it objectively you have to be frank. However Cliff Lee’s numbers are not as impressively different as one would think.

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Kyle Kendrick is back for 2012 at $3, 585,000. Solid move. Kendrick still has some potential.

Wilson Valdez signs for 2012 at $930,000. I like that. He has been solid and versatile.

The Pence deal will come but it will be a little more negotiating and maybe even arbitration.

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Philadelphia Phillies invites savvy veteran pitcher Joel Pineiro to spring training. At this moment he has a minor league deal with the club. Pineiro has been a very good pitcher in this league but injuries has also has given him trouble.

In 2011 he was 7 and 7 with the Angels. He had a 14 [2002] and 16 win [2003] seasons in Seattle and a strong 15 year win season in St Louis in 2009.

This is similar to the signing of Brian Sanches in the sense that the Phillies are keeping some options open in the depth of their starting pitching with experienced guys. Pineiro has a lot more miles on him however.

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Philippe Aumont is now on the radar. Yes the guy who was supposed be of value when he was part of the deal that sent Cliff Lee to Seattle is pitching his way to the Mother Ship. Another big young arm is what the Phillies need from their aging bullpen.

With Bastardo and Stutes in the fold and a relatively young Papelbon however the Phillies bullpen is retooling. If Kendrick continues to do well out of the pen and the next wave of new arms like DeFratus, Schwimmer, Savery, Ramirez, and yes even Herndon the bullpen will have gotten young again. Only the likes of Contreras and Willis bump up the average age.

andynatalie@yahoo.com

RYAN MADSON CHANGES CITIES BUT NOT TEAM COLORS ………….

AGENT SCOTT BOR-ASS STILL INSISTS PHILLIES PUT 4 YEARS AND $44 MILL ON THE TABLE

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Ryan Madson was an excellent set up man and possibly a very good closer. The Philadelphia Phillies have indeed been grooming him for the closer role over the last few years. early indications were not good. In fact I had said forget about it already. Last season the job fell into his lap and he finally ran with it.

However 4 months of a good job does not mean you are “the man”. And certainly shouldn’t earn you top closer money. Ruben Amaro obviously felt that way. Had Madson taken the deal he has in Cincinnati now for 8.5 Million, Rube would have probably offered multiple years. However Bor-ass was blowing Bor-ass talk up Madson’s Bor-ass and a deal was never made.

And the fact that no other big money teams, who clearly needed closers like Boston and California, offered that kind of scratch tells you all you need to know. Boras was full of his usual stenchy crap. And so Madson will have another year to raise his value. Which at this point was probably wise. If he stays healthy and does well he may approach $10 mill per year in 2013 for some deep pocket team in need of closer.

As a side note Bor-ass has no choice but too cry wolf. He was caught with his hand in the cookie jar and he is calling a GM a liar to save his already “I’m the biggest weasel scum” reputation.

However like his buddy J Dub Werth, it will likely not be with a winner. Although the Reds are at least a solid team.

Thanks MAD DOG! It was fun while it lasted bro …………..

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What about DOM BROWN?

At last discussed it was pretty evident that Ruben and the Phillies brass see Brown in Lehigh another year. I totally understand the thinking of this. He needs a ton of at bats and more time in the outfield. Especially now that left field is more likely than right field now.

You really don’t want a raw talent as your 4th or 5th outfielder unless you are going to do some serious platooning. He needs experience. However the argument that it is time for him to show more than potential is upon us.

At the same time the emergence of Mayberry and apparently solid back ups makes his need to learn at the MLB level far less urgent. Although working against that theory is this; what if the Mayberry rise was a fluke? Or what if the signing of Laynce Nix was not a good signing?

Another real opportunity or fate for Dom Brown is he while he will likely regain confidence at Triple A, this may also make him trade bait come July! Which from the Phillies angle is sorely needed. At this point no one is knocking the door down for anyone in their farm system.

Honestly Brown may even welcome a chance to go elsewhere if he thinks he will play in a big boy outfield. Logically you can assume confidence or not he believes he is ready now!

Personally I would rather he and Mayberry platoon until Mayberry solidifies his role as a starter. And who knows maybe it would help both of them? Conventional wisdom however would have the kid get his AB’s and chances playing everyday in Triple A.

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In other blockbuster moves John Bowker was released to go to Japan!

All you need to know about Bowker is that on Phillies.com they had to go back to his Pittsburgh days to find a hit to show as a highlight for him! He was O for Philadelphia!

andynatalie@yahoo.com   – keep the emails coming!