Placido With Caution (Phillies Dec 4)

December 4, 2009   ·   philliesmania   ·   Jump to comments

 

1st BIG MOVE for 2010!

Reuben and the Phillies open the Citizen’s bank to sign Polanco. A reported 3 years and $18,000,000 was enough to lure Placido Polanco back to the City of Brotherly Love. Overall reaction:

  

Yeah he’s 34, but he can still play. And yes his yearly batting average has dipped over the last couple seasons but he still is a better hitter than Pedro Feliz. In fact Polanco does not strike out much. Even a dipping batting average and he is hitting .303 for his career.

 

His glove? He is a Gold Glove 2nd baseman. The biggest question at third for people who are great 2nd baseman or even shortstops is their arm and throwing accuracy. He has the arm. His limited experience at third showed no accuracy problem either. Now mind you Feliz was a exceptional 3rd baseman. At the very at least Polanco is not that far behind. I think he is on par. But the margin of difference is nothing to fret over. The addition in the line up is worth the move however.

 

Give it up for Reuben folks

 

Hey this doesn’t guarantee a World Series Ring but this an improvement and this does solidify and bolster an already potent line – up. Placido being a contact hitter helps the line up in a few ways. Not too mention his .348 on base percentage is much higher than Feliz’s.

 

Ironically I envisioned this before Polanco left in 2005. With the emerging of Utley and the joke of David Bell, I thought Bell should have been shipped out and Polanco move to 3rd then. But the Phillies traded Polanco for 2 arms. Ugueth Urbina and Ramone Martinez. I never liked that move.

 

And according to Polanco, he didn’t either. He said at his press conference ”I always wanted to be here,” Polanco said. “I never wanted to leave.” This is one of the few times I truly believe a player meant that.

 

What’s next Reuben?