ARMS RACE LOOKING GOOD IN SPRING!

Yes it is still a little premature to officially get excited and all warm and fuzzy about 2010 Phillies baseball,  but the Phillies are exercising their right to bear arms. Everyone with mound aspirations, with the exception of the Philipe Aumont’s rocky moments,  is looking very sharp for the time and place of year.

• Hamels looks focused and prepared. Of course many, myself included had a bad feeling that 2009 would be a dead arm year. As we have discussed here and as others have discussed, there is a long list of young studs who had a drop off after having a bust out season that also jumped up their workload significantly. Hamels made a quantum leap in innings pitched from 2007 in 2008. Add the off season MVP tour and 2009 was not so shocking. That does not mean you pencil in a great year for 2010. Although I have, but I emphasize that it is in pencil. So far he has not disappointed anyone.

• Lidge is on a nice recovery pace. Whether that means he will pitch well remains to be seen. If healthy means he has better command and confidence to pitch the way he usually does than I would suspect something between the perfection of 2008 and the disaster of 2009. And the Phillies will need that to Three-peat. Crap! Do I owe Pat Reilly a few bucks now for saying Three-peat? Crap I did it again!

• Moyer had a strong outing. I personally expect him to be the #5 unless he literally implodes on the mound during the remainder of the spring.

• Kendrick has done more than pitch solid. He has shown a renewed dedication. He has been Halladay’s mini me from work outs to work load. He does not want to leave the Mother club. I don’t think he would be awfully upset with a bullpen assignment. What the Phillies management sees as best for his development however may be starting at Triple A in Lehigh Valley. I would like to see him in the Pen ala J Happ from last season. You never know. I mean Moyer did not exactly have the season of his life in 2009, even with the 12 wins. Plus Kendrick needs to get big leaguers out at this point in his career.

• Halladay has been a man on a mission! ‘Nough said ’bout dat! Todd Zolecki wrote a nice Halladay post, check it out http://zozone.mlblogs.com/ 

In other news:

Greg Dobbs is reportedly healthy again. Last season the Bench Warrior had a significant drop off in production and as a result a drop off in AB’s. He became AB negative at one point.  Meaning his At Bats were worth questioning. 

He claims that was a learning experience along with a humbling one. So along with being healthy again he understand that his role has changed somewhat. But frankly the Phillies need him tho anchor the bench like he has in years past. He has learned how to prepare for high quality play with less opportunities.

Dobbs said the other day “I’ve been through it now, I know how I need to prepare myself, and coming into the season, my only motto is that I’m going to maximize every at-bat. That’s it. I’m going to focus on one at-bat at a time and maximize each at-bat. That’s all you can do when you’re dealing with limited playing time. That’s understandable. That’s my role here. I embrace it fully. I accept it. It’s why I’m here, and it’s what’s kept me in the big leagues.”

He also emphasized that health helps the mental aspect also. Practically speaking often times people in general are unaware of the mental toll of nagging and/or chronic injuries. You have a constant war between the warrior who wants to fight through it and the loss of confidence in yourself.

Stay tuned ………………… Same Baseball Bat time ……. Same Baseball Bat channel!   

 Is it soup yet?

Afraid not. The baseball soup is still cooking but our Phillies got all the ingredients of big time soup!

By the way I endorse Progresso even though they are not a paid advertiser ………….. lol ……… it is good.

Anyhow just a few notes at this point:

• J C Romero will probably not be ready by Opening Day. He does expect to be at Citizen’s Bank Park for the home Opener however. This opens a slot for a guy like Bastardo who has been getting plenty of “love” from the brass and teammates. There are still the other possibilities of course. Lefties Sergio Escalona and Matt Zagurski or righties Dave Herndon or returning Scott Mathieson. Having either Jamie Moyer or Kyle Kendrick available may make some slots change also. Overall not having Romero for a short time will likely have little or no impact. Honestly though I see the Romero problem turning into a chronic ongoing concern.

• The Aumont learning curve. Apparently they are working on having him fine tune his mechanics back to the technique he used in his prior stints. According to Rich Dubbee it can be summed up like this:  ”changing his arm slot from an over-the-top angle to a three-quarter angle, which has him throwing his power sinker again” Being in the rotation during the spring clearly helps him to get the work in.

• Ross Gload is okay on the pine: Is it even pine anymore? Nevertheless he seems comfortable He was very successful doing it in Florida last season.

• Blanton trying to build off of last season: Being solidly in the rotation, Joe the pitcher is putting some work in also. He changed his grip on his sinker from his earlier stints. The ball was breaking away instead of down. And since Blanton is your classic downhill pitcher, that is important for a sinker.

• Ryan Howard preparing for another season of a steady breaking ball diet. Until he proves he can stay away from bad pitches and off speed junk, he will continue to lead the league in breaking ball sitings. Milt Thompson and the big man are trying to find a disciplined approach to counter the approach of the pitchers he faces.  

• Danys Baez has been looking solid.

     So let the Halladay’s begin.

24 pitches, 21 strikes that is the most important stat for me. In the big picture it tells us nothing except that Halladay came here to succeed. This guy pounds the strike zone and works the plate with the best of them. Better than a hungry fat man at a buffet!

In yesterday’s pre season match up against the New York Yankees no one was surprised with the Roy-al pitching of Halladay. Especially the Yankees. C C Sabbathia even commented that Halladay may out do himself in the National League. Pointing out that the lack of a DH and the 7 and 8 spots are usually not that worrisome to NL pitchers.

At this point, which is the beginning, the Phillies had the scrub game with Florida State and now this game against the Yankees. In the mix of pitchers over those 2 games were the expected, the new, and the youngsters.

Naturally there really isn’t anything to take away from it though. Although Philipe Amount did not look well at all. A bit wild you might say. I don’t care how early it is, it can never be good to give up 5 earned in 2/3 of an inning against a NCAA Division 1 team. However, we can say the jury is still out.

At this point everyone is a reliever as you watch the bullpen door become a revolving door. But man isn’t cool to see baseball!

A couple good things to note:

• Kyle Kendrick’s development remains to be seen but clearly the mental aspect of his game is noticeably improved. He does not want to go back down to the minors and he actually appears to have the “I belong here” look.

• Placido Polanco said he is getting comfortable at 3rd. He had an errant throw in which he explained that he rushed his throw. Normally a good middle infielder can adjust to fielding the ball at third fairly quickly. Throwing the ball is usually the trouble. 1 if he can make the throw and 2 if he can make an accurate throw. He said he needs to learn to slow down a little bit and focus on the accuracy as compared to getting it at second and getting the closer throw off immediately. Pedro Feliz was a master at throwing from 3rd.

Nothing like loving your job! Especially when you are good at it. And Michael Barkannis great at his job and there is no question he loves doing it! And we are the benefactors of that joy and professionlism.

Last week (Feb 22 to Feb 26) the DailyNews Live show did a wonderfully entertaining show from Bright House Field in Clearwater, Florida. Home of our Philadelphia Phillies Spring training facilities.  Front and center, like a world famous ringmaster, was Michael Barkann.

Barkann has been nailing it down since 1997 on Daily News Live. Although he humbly gives credit to others for helping him and preceding him, including the great Tom Brookshier, the fact is that this guy is an Award winning broadcaster/journalist. And he is no stranger to covering sports. Certainly there is no hiding his passion for sports either. He is quite knowledgeable about all sports in fact. Heck he even has done Tennis coverage for crying out loud.  That is dedication if you think about it. But I digress.

The segments last week from Clearwater were simply awesome. Barkann led the broadcast team like Montana led the 49ers. The combination of his passion for baseball, the excitement of a new season, mixed with his one on one magic with individuals was extremely refreshing and entertaining. Decent weather is rumored to also have made an impact on his demeanor also. We are efforting to confirm that.

He always has some engaging guests from the media, former players, and sports people to help him run a well oiled “round table” type discussion. But make no mistake he is the designated driver. Frankly, he is the best at maintaining topic and making relevant adjustments on the fly. He is one of the few people I have ever seen that enjoys mixing structure and flying by the seat of your pants and does it in a seamless manner. Barkann also knows how to do an interview. He is exceptional at building a respectfully magnetic rapport with those whom he interviews. Last week was no exception.

Throughout the the week he sat down with some of the key players in the Phillies 2010 campaign. He was able to gauge the pulse of the team and the mindset they have going into the season. Michael used the time to address health concerns, new teammates, unfinished business, and any pertinent issues that warranted a question or two. Which reminds me that is another amazing talent that Barkann has. He is not a softball butt-kisser nor is he antagonizing self serving obnoxious jerk. He has the confidence that there is more than enough drama, fun, and suspense in real life and professional sports that he doesn’t need to manufacture a story. He is not a ratings whore, he is just flat out talented at getting the story to tell itself and those involved to share their perspective.

   < Image courtesy of CSN.com

Another endearing quality is the man has a good sense of humor. He is quick with a wit and does not take himself too seriously. Michael also has a unique ability to be a fan while still being a journalist/broadcaster/sports anchor. That seems to be rare nowadays. Oh others try, but they usually get caught up in themselves or think they need to be condescending. Too many anchors/journalists try to be part of the story or even be a story instead of tell or present the story in an entertaining and skillful manner.

Among the highlights of the interviews in Clearwater was a nice chat with the “Skipper” Charlie Manuel. To begin the interview Barkann had Charlie participate in the DNL regular Quick 6 segment. Ironically Quick Six is not just a clever title for the segment. It is designed to allow 15 seconds per question. Charlie however beats to his own time clock  and he was taking like a minute per question. Although Charlie is always fascinating Michael was visually stuck in a quandary. He had the “do I let this segment go on into the All-Star break or do I remind Bubba Skipper Chuck about the 15 second deadline?”

Barkann, used his unoffensive wit and a facetious flair to set Charlie straight on the Quick Six “rules”. Charlie had no problem taking the ribbing/polite reminder. Manuel still had trouble doing it but is was classic Barkann. Even more classic was the vintage Manuel move at the end of the interview. Usually when an interview ends the guest sits until the camera stops rolling and then leaves the “set” when the audience is not watching. But not Charlie, he gets up almost as Barkann was thanking him for taking the time to sit down. So what did Mike do when Manuel did his impromtu exit? Made it into a memorable TV moment.  Yes as Charlie was leaving he looked at the camera and said something like “there goes the skipper. He has to go run the team.” It was so very, very cool. Although the best part of the Charlie chat was when Charlie said he was upset there wasn’t going to be another parade.

The interview with Raul Ibanez had a couple special moments. Barkann was asking him about the Raauuuuuuuul welcome he receives whenever he goes out to left field. And Raul told a story of how he made his family come to Philly to see a game because the crowd was so electric and the whole Raauuuuuuuul chant had to be experienced in person. 

I really liked the conversation he had with new King of the Mound Roy Halladay.  As well as the sit downs with Shane Victorino, Brad Lidge, and Ruben Amaro interviews. But I really enjoyed seeing Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard sit down with Michael.  That interview was a microcosm of just how good he is as a broadcaster, interviewer, and journalist. In just a short segment he was able to rehash their memories of the World Series loss, the new season, the new teammates, their desire to stay in Philadelphia and the business of baseball, their controversial criticism of the Phillies fans, and the impact of Black History in light of Black History month. And to cap it off he even reminisced about and tried to get them to recreate an infamous Jimmy & Ryan rap version of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame”. 

Hey, MR Barkann, you probably will never read my humble blog but I am a big fan of your work and the sports programming you have developed. In fact I try and approach my blog the way you do your craft. Thanks man, I’m a Bar-kan fan!

2010 TRAINING CAMP IS ON!

The opening headlines are?

Lidge has a session off the mound and says he feels healthy: Sounds great! But really this is a very small test. (20 fastballs) But it’s a start! At this point, assuming he really is healthy, arm strength is the focus. Not just lifting weights kind of arm strength either. 

Howard is already talking about unfinished business: I love it! The big guy knows that it’s all about now. A nucleus only stays together so long! Yes getting a 3rd straight World Series is a daunting task. But honestly the team is starting out a better squad then 2009 and does anyone really think the Mets or Braves got that much better? Although I think the Braves and Marlins will make life in the NL East very difficult. However a club like the Phillies are in the position of if they simply take care of their business they should prevail.

Werth is happy here and is playing for $$$$$$$: Hey I don’t want him to go either. But whether the Phillies sign him or not he wants to build a case for a big pay day. Another year like 2009 or a better year and he will be regarded more than the over paid Jayson Bay and Matt Holliday. And look at the cash-eesh they got!

Ibanez is said to be healthy again: Okay no question he tailed off a bit. But a sports hernia is not an easy injury to play through either. IF Charlie gives him some periodic rest and he stays healed he could have a better year over all.

Halladay rubbing off: Roy Halladay already lives in Clearwater, FLA so he has already been working hard there. But it is reported that he gets to work between 5:30 and 5:45 am while the rest roll in closer to 8am. Reports are that at least one teammate has taken notice and wants to learn from the work out phanatic Halladay. That player is Kendrick. Kudos to Kyle. This can really help a young player to learn what kind of hard work can translate into results. IS Cole Hamels hearing this?

The guys look excited!: I have to say early video shows a happy group. The new guys look happy to be here and the nucleus is opening their proverbial arms to them just the same!

FIRST OFFICIAL PRE SEASON GAME IS MARCH IS AGAINST THE YANKEES!

 !

My daughter got married on Feb 6 and that pretty much dominated my time. Plus we got 45 inches of snow from Feb 5 to Feb 10! 

Anyhow the trucks rolled out of Philly and are presumably safe and sound in Clearwater! Reportedly arrived on Saturday Feb 13. Let the countdown begin!

“We got everything on the truck,” said Dan O’Rourke, the team’s manager of equipment and umpire services. The team loaded 15 cases of gum, 12 cases of sunflower seeds, 20 coolers, a palette worth of drink mix, 300 batting helmets, 350 pairs of shorts, 450 pairs of socks, 600 pairs of pants, 600 hats, 200 fleeces, 1,200 bats, 2,000 T-shirts, 10,000 cups, 15,000 baseballs and 150 pairs of batting gloves. Is that really enough?

Pitchers and catchers officially start work outs Thursday Feb 18. Yeah Boy!

Of course Roy Halladay is already there, since he lives down the street basically. Reports are that he is a work out fiend. He has reportedly been training hard for the season. Did you hear that Cole Hamels?

A few big questions heading into the Spring?

1. The shape of the bullpen? What will the final mix be? Health is a big concern. Lots of if’s right now. Lidge and Romero head the list of IF’s. Will guys like Bastardo, Mathieson, Escalona, or Herndon play a big or small role? Right now you are hoping to have Baez, Romero, Durbin, Contreras, Madson, and Lidge be your options. You also have age questions there as well as is Contreras really a reliever? Can he be the new Chan? By the way the Chan is still out there, maybe he will re-consider the money?
2. The 5th starter? Amaro hopes it Moyer, do you? Is that even viable with his lingering injuries? Is Kendrick the answer? What effect can Halladay have on a Kendrick? What about a guy like Kutztown product Ryan Vogelsong? Andrew Carpenter?
3. Hamels? Which Cole will be in the 2 hole? the 2008 Cole or the 2009 Cole? Reports are he learned his lesson and is working his tail off.

Projected batting order
1. SS Jimmy Rollins:
  .250 BA, .296 OBP, .423 SLG, 21 HR, 77 RBI in 2009
2. 3B Placido Polanco:
  .285 BA, .331 OBP, .396 SLG, 10 HR, 72 RBI in 2009
3. 2B Chase Utley:
  .282 BA, .397 OBP, .508 SLG, 31 HR, 93 RBI in 2009
4. 1B Ryan Howard:
  .279 BA, .360 OBP, .571 SLG, 45 HR, 141 RBI in 2009
5. RF Jayson Werth:
  .268 BA, .373 OBP, .506 SLG, 36 HR, 99 RBI in 2009
6. LF Raul Ibanez:
  .272 BA, .347 OBP, .552 SLG, 34 HR, 93 RBI in 2009
7. CF Shane Victorino:
  .292 BA, .358 OBP, .445 SLG, 10 HR, 62 RBI in 2009
8. C Carlos Ruiz:
  .255 BA, .355 OBP, .425 SLG, 9 HR, 43 RBI in 2009

Projected rotation
1. Roy Halladay, 17-10, 2.79 ERA in 2009
2. Cole Hamels, 10-11, 4.32 ERA in 2009
3. Joe Blanton, 12-8, 4.05 ERA in 2009
4. J.A. Happ, 12-4, 2.93 ERA in 2009
5. Jamie Moyer, 12-10, 4.94 ERA in 2009

Projected bullpen
Closer: Brad Lidge, 31/42 saves, 7.21 ERA in 2009
RH setup man: Ryan Madson, 3.26 ERA in 2009
LH setup man: J.C. Romero, 2.70 ERA in 2009

Is it Ground Hog Day for the Phillies? Remember the Bill Murray flick named after the famous day held in Punxsutawney, PA. Of course you do.

If you recall Murray kept repeating the same day, Ground Hog Day, over and over again until essentially he got it right. Hopefully the Phillies will repeat their trips to the World Series in order to make things right again!

So far Ruben Amaro has been fairly busy to help make that happen. He’s still at it. The latest? RHP Jose Contreras. Yes he of Yankees, White Sox and Rockies fame.

The aging right hander has had a solid career. He is reportedly 38 years old however. That in itself does not mean he can’t pitch anymore. In fact he was still effective in relief for the Rockies last season and has reached the point in his career where perhaps that is his gig now. Ala Chan Ho Park. Which let’s face it, that is what this move is all about. This is to sure up the long middle situations and perhaps even some later inning jams. Ironically he could also prove an asset as a 5th starter at times, depending on the production of Jamie Moyer and/or Kyle Kendrick. In fact according to Phillies.com Jose will work out of the rotation in the spring. Which actually is a good idea for a couple reasons.

1- If he indeed takes the 5th spot.

2 – Normally for the bulk of the spring the starters only go for 2-4 inning stretches. Assuming that Contreras is a long middle guy than 3 innings is great practice for the real deal.

Contreras signed a $1,500,000 one year deal. He wants to start but the Phillies were very clear that they would prefer using him in relief. Considering the opportunity to pitch and win he reportedly told Ruben Amaro he would be the bat boy if they needed him too. And I’m sure coming to the reigning NL Champions doesn’t hurt either. He also has a World Championship with the White Sox in 2005 that he wishes to taste again.

“When Colorado told me I was going to the bullpen, I wasn’t sure and comfortable, but everything went fine and I felt pretty good,” Contreras said.

PhilliesMania take:

Well honestly this was a move you needed. There are not many good arms just waiting to be signed. And trading for young arms wasn’t an option to Ruben Amaro. For one he already feels he has some young arms. And 2 it would take trading young arms to get younger players. The better trades aren’t usually available until July anyhow.

With Chan Ho Park gone you needed to have a guy who can give you long appearances. And then you have the uncertainty of the health of J C Romero who can also fill that role. Plus you have question marks coming off of last season. Lidge is still a big question. Of course Contreras isn’t relevant there. But having him makes Baez flexible. And clearly Contreras could bail you out if you needed a start here or there.

Over all I am good with this. Not overly excited but not like “is this the best you could do?”  Time will tell just how much impact this has.

 (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

And Ruiz makes 4! Yes Ruben Amaro did it again. Last season and this season he avoids salary arbitration with all the players who were eligible. Kudos Ruben and the players.

First Durbin, then Blanton, Victorino, and now Carlos Ruiz.

Ruiz, who turns 31 this week, is signed for at least 3 years for a cool $8,850,000. The club also has a 4th year option for $5,000,000 or a $500,000 buy out. I like that addition.  If he out plays his 3 year contract you have a small raise built in for the 4th year. And if he is hitting the wall at that point, you are only out $500,000 grand. He will be 36 at the time also.

Keep in mind however that Ruiz has not been a catcher all of his career so the wear and tear is not the same for him as other 31 year old catchers. He was an infielder when he came to the Phillies organization.

So the everyday line up looks good for the Phillies and 2010. Likely it will be:

1. Rollins

2. Polanco

3. Utley

4. Howard

5. Werth

6. Ibanez

7. Victorino

8. Ruiz

9. “Pitcher”

That is a pretty dynamic line up. Honestly it is even an upgrade of the 2 pennant winning teams! And most of this line up is signed beyond this season. But what about Werth?

Yes J Dub is a free agent after this year. Matt Holiday and Jayson Bay who are of similar age and stats both broke the bank this year. Did they raise the bar? Probably. Although I think both got over paid frankly. And there is no way Bay is going to put up those numbers in Citi Bank Park for the Mets.

Werth is due to make $7,000,000 for 2010. Assuming he has truly come into his own he naturally is “werthy”of a raise. And since I would let Lidge and Moyer walk there may be room to sign him. But would he take $11 – $13,000,000? Say 2 years and $25,000,000? I doubt it. He probably wants more years for one thing.

You might be able to rip up this years contract and offer him a 2 or 3 year deal for less than he would take next year. But I don’t think the Phillies could do that nor would want too as they are fast approaching there $140,000,000 threshold. But what if?

Would Werth take $40,000,000 for 3 years starting right now? That is a little over $13,000,000 per year. So while that is probably $2 – $5 million less than he wants for 2011 and onward, it is $6,000,000 more this season. Maybe? Just an idea.

Here is a breakdown from Phillies.com on what Ruben is dealing with:

The Phillies now have more than $127 million committed to 14 players for 2011 — Ryan Howard, Roy Halladay ($20 million each), Chase Utley ($15 million), Raul Ibanez, Brad Lidge ($11.5 million each), Cole Hamels ($9.5 million), Joe Blanton, Jimmy Rollins ($8.5 million each), Victorino ($7.5 million), Placido Polanco ($5.25 million), Ryan Madson ($4.5 million), Danys Baez ($2.75 million), Ross Gload ($1.6 million) and Brian Schneider ($1.5 million).

It turns out that it ain’t always easy spending other peoples money afterall. But I have to give Ruben a thumbs up overall for what he has done and what he is doing. I don’t agree with everything he has done but he is light years ahead of Ed Wade! Then again who isn’t?

Any moves left for Ruben and our Phillies before the season starts in 2010?

Victorino and Blanton sign up for another 3 years each!!!!!!!!!!!

After 6 months of Joe the plumber, I can’t stop calling Joe Blanton, Joe the pitcher. Make that a Phillies pitcher for up to 3 more years.

Anyhow one thing you can call him is $24,000,000 richer! HI OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

3 years and $24 Mill is not a bad day by today’s standards for a team looking for an anchor at the back end of a rotation. Blanton in fact showed marked improvement I thought. I would like to see him get his ERA down more but hey he is a #3 at best and hey you need #3’s and #4’s to go deep in the playoffs.

I thought that 2 years and $15 Mill would have done it because I think some young arms are coming. But hey if you can get a 3rd year and the young arms do come, you can get something for Blanton. Assuming he stays at least what he is.

One thing I have to say about Blanton is he is a hard worker. When he first came to the Phillies he looked like a guy who was one connoli away from being a fat pitcher.  oooooooww cannoli? Mmmmmmmmmmmm!

Anyhow, it turns out Blanton is quite the fitness guy. He prides himself in being a workhorse. Which is always a good thing. Although I do think he showed signs of fatigue at times. But every player has the moments. He also seems to want to be a better pitcher. Many pro’s sadly are complacent but Blanton seems to not be content with just being mediocre. Which is great if he keeps working at being the best that he can be.

More importantly to me is that the Phillies also sign Shane Victorino to a 3 year $22,000,000 contract. That is huge in my book. A Gold Glovin speedy spark plug who wants to be here!

Victorino is coming into his peak years and he makes a difference. He is a guy you need around the Howard’s, Utley’s, and Rollins’s of the world. I think he is a speedier Utley with less power. He will do all the small things.

This is also good for local merchants of macadamian nuts!

Seriously though, I am a big time Victorino fan as many Phillies fans are. He has some All – Star years left in him and I am ecstatic that will begin here in Philadelphia!

I am also hoping he hits 7th. That would be a sweet line up of Rollins, Polanco, Utley, Howard, Werth, Ibanez,Victorino, Ruiz(?), Pitcher. WOW!

Of course that means signing Ruiz which I believe will happen.

4 Phillies file for arbitration. Of course we knew Joe Blanton was heading down this road. But it is also time for Shane Victorino, Chad Durbin, and Carlos Ruiz to get a raise.

It is also a chance for Ruben Amaro to come to an agreement with any of these players before the arbitration hearing. I would make Victorino a top priority.

Shane Victorino is 29 years old and is a proven Gold Glove center fielder. He is also very productive at the plate and on base. He is also likely going to be asked to be happy hitting 7th in the order. He made $3 ,125,000 in 2009. Which frankly is a bargain by today’s standards. I would offer him $21 to $25 million for the next 3 years.  It would be nice to get him for 5 years but I don’t know if he would go for that at $7-8 million per. But for now it is double his present salary and not outrageous for the Phillies budget. I mean if he would go for 5 years and $40 million that would be nice also.

Blanton made $5,475,000 in 2009 and went 12 and 8. Not an ace but a solid 3,4 or 5 starter. He was pretty consistent in 2009. Reports are you could probably lock him up for $7,000,000. It would be nice if he would take $15,000,000 for 2 years. Chances should be good that you have some end of the rotation help from your farm system over the next couple of years.

Ruiz is interesting. He is clearly your starter now and has improved a great deal over recent years. He has had 2 very good post season runs also. He just turned 30 but he does not have years of abuse behind the plate. He is a converted catcher in fact. So he has only been squatting for about 6 or 7 years if memory serves me well.  He made a whopping $475,000 in 2009. And he is going to get better I believe. The pitchers already like him. I think he will hit a little better and I really think he is growing as a catcher. And there is no glaring replacement on the horizon. It would be nice if he would take 3 or 4 years for $9,000,000 –  $13,000,000. I am looking at the maximum side of the offer. It would great if he took a deal that would give him $2 million per year.

Durbin? He is coming off a good and bad year. Injuries didn’t help. But he had some strong outings as well as some shaky outings. He was paid $1,635,000 in 2009. He is 32 years old and will be a free agent in 2011. It would be nice to give him a 2 year $4,000,000 deal.

The good news that last year Ruben signed all 10 arbitration eligible players before arbitration.