Oct. 31 -- KEEPING UP WITH CURT, EPISODE 1 (UPDATED)

After scanning an up-to-the-minute list of free agents, we at The Phillies/Baseball Blog have made an editorial decision. We're going to introduce a new recurring feature called "Keeping Up With Curt," which hopefully will reveal some of what newly declared free agent Curt Schilling is thinking in his pursuit of employment next season.

You see, as a first-time free agent (he filed yesterday, sometime before or after the World Series parade through Boston), Schilling is representing himself. Schill also likes to speak directly with his fans via his blog and regular radio show on WEEI in Boston. And, in his first communiques yesterday after becoming a free agent, Schilling sounded like a man who has pitched his last game for the Sox. "There's a very realistic chance I won't ever play" for the team again, he said on WEEI. He added that the Sox remain his first choice, but if they're unwilling to meet his contact demands, he also has provided this list of other potential destinations.

In Schilling's own words ...

The list of teams that our family has talked over, that we think would be a fit for next year, should we not come back, are pretty much teams in cities we agree would be OK for our last year, and teams I think have a legitimate shot at being in the post season and/or World Series. Teams we didn’t include aren’t for any one reason. There are a million little things that go into this from stadiums to school districts to travel to spring training to etc. etc. etc. but the list represents the teams after Boston that have some of the off the field things that are big to us, plus the potential to go into October next year.

Cleveland, Detroit, Anaheim, New York Mets, Philadelphia, Atlanta, L.A., S.D., Arizona, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis, Milwaukee

So, the Phillies have made the first cut. If Schilling is sincere about taking a one-year contract, the Phillies' interest in him will skyrocket. (Remember: Pat Gillick abhors long-term deals; a one-year contract is right in his wheelhouse). But will Schilling want to come back to a place where he burned some bridges in the past? And will he want to pitch in The Bank? Don't forget: when Schilling pitched here previously, the Phils were still playing at the Vet.

These are all questions that will be answered over the next 4-6 weeks, and we'll keep you posted on future episodes of "Keeping Up With Curt" (KUWC, for short). For the next two weeks, though, any discussions Schilling has with the Phillies can't involve money. The Phils simply can gauge his interest and his length-of-contract demands. But the Sox are the only team that can negotiate salary with him. After the two-week window, it's a free-for-all.

So, do you want Schilling back in Philly? Discuss.

*
UPDATE (10:30 p.m.): Kyle Lohse and Freddy Garcia were among the 21 players to file for free agency Wednesday, bringing the total pool to 121 players. Scroll down a couple of posts to find the first 100 players who filed on Monday and Tuesday. At the end of the week, I'll re-post the full list, but here's the latest batch:

Starters: Freddy Garcia (Phillies), Tom Glavine (NY Mets), Byung-Hyun Kim (Florida), Kyle Lohse (Phillies), Rodrigo Lopez (Colorado), Odalis Perez (Kansas City), Steve Trachsel (Baltimore), Jeff Weaver (Seattle)

Relievers: Eric Gagne (Boston), Ron Villone (NY Yankees)

Catchers: Rod Barajas (Phillies), Mike Lieberthal (LA Dodgers), Yorvit Torrealba (Colorado)

First basemen: Mike Sweeney (Kansas City)

Second basemen: Ramon Martinez (LA Dodgers)

Outfielders: Mike Cameron (San Diego), Cliff Floyd (Chi. Cubs), Luis Gonzalez (LA Dodgers), Andruw Jones (Atlanta), Corey Patterson (Baltimore), Brad Wilkerson (Texas)

Oct. 31 -- PLAYING THE FIELD

So, I was talking yesterday with Craig Landis, Aaron Rowand's agent, and he told me the free-agent center fielder is seeking "market value." The Phillies have indicated they're willing to pay him "market value." So, what's the hold-up? Why don't the Phils and Rowand just strike a deal?

Well, there's some uncertainty over what Rowand's "market value" really is.

As I wrote in the 50-center today, the Rowand camp wants to see how much money other teams may offer before Rowand makes any decisions about where he'll play next season. Reading between the lines, Landis doesn't necessarily believe that the three-year, $30 million extension Arizona gave to comparable Eric Byrnes during the season is an accurate barometer of the current economic climate for center fielders. Landis and Rowand would rather wait to see what other free agents -- namely Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter and even Mike Cameron -- get on the open market. The first center fielder who signs will set the bar for the others to follow.

So, what does this all mean?

Only that Rowand won't re-sign with the Phillies during the exclusive two-week negotiating period, but nobody expected him to. As a free agent, it's his right to test the market, and I'm pretty sure he and Landis will give the Phillies a chance to match or exceed any offer. "We've waited this long. We’re just going to wait for the official free agency to start, listen to what other interesting offers may be out there, and see what [the Phillies] have to say," Landis said.

For the record, Hunter is saying the same things in Minnesota. The Twins offered him a three-year, $45 million extension in August, and he turned it down, insisting he wanted to test the free-agent waters for the first time and gauge his value from other teams. "I ran all the way to the 1-yard line, and you expect me to fumble right now?" Hunter told the Associated Press yesterday when asked if he'd re-sign with the Twins before hitting the open market. "I'm just trying to figure out what play to call."

OK, you be Pat Gillick. Keeping in mind that you have about $25 million to spend on the 2008 payroll and that you desperately need pitching, how much money would you pay Rowand? How many years would you give him? It'll probably take four years and about $40 million to get it done. Is that something you're willing to give?

*
Cameron's value just took a hit. He has been suspended for the first 25 games of next season for testing positive a second time for a banned stimulant.

OCT. 29 -- NO WAY, A-ROD (UPDATED)

So, after the Phils' marathon day of organizational meetings, I spoke tonight to assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. Most of this will be in Tuesday's 50-center, and some of it is even on delawareonline.com right now. But I wanted to pass along a few notes here, too.

1. Alex Rodriguez will NOT play for the Phillies next season. OK? Got that? No need to keep asking about it. "We will not be pursuing A-Rod," Amaro said.

2. It's all about pitching for the Phillies. Everything else, including upgrading the offense at third base, takes a back seat. Amaro said the Phils already have contacted several of the 57 players who filed for free agency today. Just a guess, but I'll bet Carlos Silva has gotten a call from the Phillies. Francisco Cordero probably has, too. Maybe even Mariano Rivera, though I still think he'll be back with the Yankees. Regardless, the Phillies' focus is clear. "Our priority, really, is pitching," Amaro said. "There's some thought that third base is a priority, but it's evident that pitching, starting and/or relief pitching, is where our mindset is now. We view third base as secondary. If we don’t improve our pitching everything else is a moot point."

3. Aaron Rowand was among the 57 players who filed for free agency. (Jon Lieber, Jose Mesa and Abraham Nunez also filed). Amaro said the Phillies are still optimistic they may be able to work something out with Rowand and some of their other free agents (namely J.C. Romero) during the exclusive 15-day signing period. But they're also realistic. Most players don't sign until they see what they can get on the open market. Of course, even if Rowand and the other Phillies free agents explore their options, they can still re-sign with the Phillies. "They’ve earned the right as free agents to pick and choose the club they want to play for," Amaro said. "What needs to be understood is that if these guys get out on the [open] market it doesn’t mean we’ve cut ties with them. If they declare free agency, it doesn't mean that they’re somebody who’s now lost."

UPDATED (Oct. 30): Here's the list of free agents, included those that filed Tuesday. You'll notice Curt Schilling has joined the list. Wonder if he waited at least until after the Sox parade? J.C. Romero and Antonio Alfonseca also filed. So did Hockessin resident Tony Graffanino. Eligible players have until Nov. 13 to file.

Starters (14): Tony Armas (Pittsburgh), Matt Clement (Boston), Bartolo Colon (LA Angels), Livan Hernandez (Arizona), Jason Jennings (Houston), Joe Kennedy (Toronto), Jon Lieber (Phillies), Eric Milton (Cincinnati), Russ Ortiz (San Francisco), Curt Schilling (Boston), Aaron Sele (NY Mets), Carlos Silva (Minnesota), David Wells (LA Dodgers), Kip Wells (St. Louis)
Relievers (25): Jeremy Affeldt (Colorado), Antonio Alfonseca (Phillies), Armando Benitez (Florida), Doug Brocail (San Diego), Shawn Chacon (Pittsburgh), Francisco Cordero (Milwaukee), Elmer Dessens (Colorado), Todd Jones (Detroit), Jorge Julio (Colorado), Ray King (Milwaukee), Scott Linebrink (Milwaukee), Ron Mahay (Atlanta), Jose Mesa (Phillies), Trever Miller (Houston), Brian Moehler (Houston), Mike Myers (Chi. White Sox), Troy Percival (St. Louis), Arthur Rhodes (Seattle), David Riske (Kansas City), Mariano Rivera (NY Yankees), J.C. Romero (Phillies), Rudy Seanez (LA Dodgers), Luis Vizcaino (NY Yankees), Bob Wickman (Arizona), Kerry Wood (Chi. Cubs)
Catchers (15): Sandy Alomar Jr. (NY Mets), Brad Ausmus (Houston), Paul Bako (Baltimore), Michael Barrett (San Diego), Ramon Castro (NY Mets), Mike DiFelice (NY Mets), Sal Fasano (Toronto), Jason Kendall (Chi. Cubs), Jason LaRue (Kansas City), Paul Lo Duca (NY Mets), Damian Miller (Milwaukee), Jose Molina (NY Yankees), Josh Paul (Tampa Bay), Mike Piazza (Oakland), Jorge Posada (NY Yankees)
First basemen (7): Sean Casey (Detroit), Tony Clark (Arizona), Robert Fick (Washington), Julio Franco (Atlanta), Eric Hinske (Boston), Doug Mientkiewicz (NY Yankees), Mark Sweeney (LA Dodgers)
Second basemen (6): Geoff Blum (San Diego), Miguel Cairo (St. Louis), Luis Castillo (NY Mets), Damian Easley (NY Mets), Jerry Hairston (Texas), D'Angelo Jimenez (Washington)
Third basemen (9): Tony Batista (Washington), Aaron Boone (Florida), Russell Branyan (St. Louis), Jeff Cirillo (Arizona), Pedro Feliz (San Francisco), Corey Koskie (Milwaukee), Mike Lamb (Houston), Abraham Nunez (Phillies), Alex Rodriguez (NY Yankees)
Shortstops (6): David Eckstein (St. Louis), Chris Gomez (Cleveland), Tony Graffanino (Milwaukee), Mark Loretta (Houston), Neifi Perez (Detroit), Chris Woodward (Atlanta)
Outfielders (18): Marlon Anderson (NY Mets), Barry Bonds (San Francisco), Milton Bradley (San Diego), Jeff DaVanon (Oakland), Darin Erstad (Chi. White Sox), Shawn Green (NY Mets), Torii Hunter (Minnesota), Geoff Jenkins (Milwaukee), Bobby Kielty (Boston), Kenny Lofton (Cleveland), Trot Nixon (Cleveland), Orlando Palmeiro (Houston), Aaron Rowand (Phillies), Reggie Sanders (Kansas City), Sammy Sosa (Texas), Matt Stairs (Toronto), Shannon Stewart (Oakland), Rondell White (Minnesota)

Any of those names interest you?

Oct. 29 -- SOX WIN ... WHAT NOW?

For my boss, News Journal sports editor and lifelong Red Sox fan Jason Levine, watching the champagne flow last night in Denver was divine.

For me, it was somewhat surreal.

The Sox won the World Series on Oct. 28, 22 days after the Phillies were eliminated from the playoffs. And as David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez and Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon sprayed each other with bubbly and danced with joy in the visitor's clubhouse at Coors Field, I couldn't help thinking about the conversations I had in that same room Oct. 6 with Ryan Howard and Aaron Rowand and Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley after the Phillies had been swept out of the playoffs by the Rockies. The mood, as you might imagine, was quite a bit different than what the Boston writers were observing last night. Was it really only three weeks ago? It feels like a lifetime.

Anyway, with the conclusion of the postseason, baseball's offseason commences. And it already has begun with a bang. Alex Rodriguez has decided to opt out of his contract with the Yankees, sending shockwaves throughout the game. (The Yankees have said they won't negotiate with A-Rod if he opted out. Were they bluffing?). Over the next few days, others will file for free agency, including World Series MVP Mike Lowell. For the next 15 days, teams have exclusive rights to negotiate with their own free agents. For the Phillies, that means a two-week window to speak with the agents for Rowand (Craig Landis), lefty reliever J.C. Romero (Dan Lozano) and starter Kyle Lohse (Scott Boras). But, as Pat Gillick said last week, don't expect to see many free agents re-sign during this 15-day period. Most agents advise their clients to wait until they hit the open market. Even if they want to stay where they are, it never hurts to see what kind of offers you can get from other teams.

The Phillies, meanwhile, opened three days of organizational meetings this morning. Gillick said 180 or so scouts, minor-league instructors and front-office types will be at the Bank. So will Charlie Manuel and his entire coaching staff. The groundwork for 2008 will be formed this week, and I'll try to have updates throughout the week. We'll also continue with our position-by-position update, probably tomorrow. Scroll down to read about center field, the starting rotation, third base and the bullpen, and please keep the great comments coming.

For now, I'll ask you this: What's the one move, above all others, that you want to see the Phils make?

*
Got an e-mail today from the folks who publish the annual Bill James Handbook. In the 2008 edition, noted statistical analyst Bill James lists Cole Hamels as the 10th-best player under 29 years old in the majors. "Hamels uses the change-up more often than a high school cheerleader," James said. "His health is the only thing that will keep him from being great -- but remember, arm injuries don't strike down some great young pitchers, they strike down most great young pitchers."

Here's the top-10: 1. Prince Fielder; 2. Hanley Ramirez; 3. Fausto Carmona; 4. David Wright; 5. Felix Hernandez; 6. Scott Kazmir; 7. Jose Reyes; 8. Matt Cain; 9. Grady Sizemore; 10. Hamels.

Also, for whatever it's worth, James ranked teams in order of the most young talent (under-29). The Phillies placed 12th overall and second among NL East teams, behind only the Marlins (No. 4).

Oct. 26 -- POSITION-BY-POSITION: BULLPEN

Just in case you didn't already know, last night's game reinforced that the postseason makes heroes out of relievers. Mariano Rivera is great, but his legacy wouldn't be what it is if not for his 0.77 ERA in 26 playoff series. Francisco Rodriguez became "K-Rod" in the 2002 postseason. Bobby Jenks' entire reputation was built on what he did in the 2005 playoffs for the White Sox.

And it's not just closers. There's no way the Red Sox win Game 2 without 2-1/3 brilliant innings from Hideki Okajima before dancing-fool closer Jonathan Papelbon got the final four outs. Okajima and Papelbon were simply dominant.

It made me think, once again, of something Charlie Manuel has said over and over. His philosophy for building a pitching staff begins with the back of the bullpen. Lock down the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, Chuck says, and it takes so much pressure off your starters. That leads us to an examination of the Phillies' bullpen, the fourth installment of our position-by-position series in which we've looked at center field, the starting rotation and third base. We'll start with the incumbent closer, a converted starter and former 14-game winner who Manuel prefers to leave in the bullpen.

BRETT MYERS
Opening-day age: 27
Contract: Second season of three-year, $25.75 million extension; $8.5 million in 2008
2007 stats (as reliever): 5-5, 2.87 ERA, 21 saves in 24 chances; 48 G/53.1 IP/1.18 WHIP; 17 BB/64 K
Career stats (starter/reliever): 59-47, 4.34 ERA, 21 saves; 192 G (143 starts)/923 IP/922 H; 325 BB/773 K

TOM GORDON
Opening-day age: 40
Contract: Final season of three-year, $18 million free-agent contract with full no-trade clause; $5.5 million in 2008 with $4.5 million club option or $1 million buyout for '09 ($50,000 for All-Star, $100,000 for World Series MVP and $50,000 for LCS MVP).
2007 stats: 3-2, 4.73 ERA, 6 saves in 9 chances; 44 G/40 IP/1.325 WHIP; 13 BB/32 K
Career stats: 133-121, 3.93 ERA, 156 saves; 853 G/2,076.2 IP/1,855 H; 957 BB/1,902 K

J.C. ROMERO (lefty)
Opening-day age: 31
Contract: Free agent; $1.6 mil in '07
2007 stats (w/Phillies): 1-2, 1.24 ERA; 51 G/36.1 IP/1.10 WHIP; 25 BB/31 K
2007 stats (w/Red Sox): 1-0, 3.15 ERA; 23 G/20 IP/1.95 WHIP; 15 BB/11 K
Career stats: 28-24, 4.30 ERA; 502 G/512.1 IP/491 H; 277 BB/409 K

RYAN MADSON
Opening-day age: 27
Contract: Eligible for salary arbitration; $1.1 million in 2007 ($50,000 bonus for Rolaids Relief Man, $25,000 for All-Star, $50,000 for World Series MVP, $25,000 for LCS MVP).
2007 stats: 2-2, 3.05 ERA; 38 G/56 IP/1.27 WHIP; 23 BB/43 K
Career stats (as a reliever): 20-14, 3.22, 4 saves; 201 G/265.1 IP/246 H; 79 BB/215 K

ANTONIO ALFONSECA
Opening-day age: 35
Contract: Free agent; $700,000 in '07
2007 stats: 5-2, 5.44 ERA, 8 saves in 11 chances; 61 G/49.2 IP/1.85 WHIP; 27 BB/24 K
Career stats: 35-37, 4.11 ERA, 129 saves; 592 G/613 IP/677 H; 250 BB/400 K

GEOFF GEARY
Opening-day age: 31
Contract: Eligible for salary arbitration; made $837,500 in '07
2007 stats: 3-2, 4.41 ERA; 57 G/67.1 IP/1.44 WHIP; 25 BB/38 K
Career stats: 13-4, 3.94 ERA; 216 G/267.1 IP/289 H; 80 BB/173 K

SCOTT MATHIESON
Opening-day age: 23
Contract: Not eligible for salary arbitration; would've made major-league minimum $380,000 in majors in '07
2007 stats: Didn't pitch in majors (injured)
Career stats: 1-4, 7.47 ERA; 9 G/37.1 IP/48 H; 16 BB; 28 K

The rest: CLAY CONDREY, KANE DAVIS (free agent), YOEL HERNANDEZ (free agent), JOSE MESA (free agent not likely to return), FRANCISCO ROSARIO, lefty MATT SMITH (recovering from Tommy John surgery; won't pitch until at least July), lefty MIKE ZAGURSKI (recovering from surgery on right hamstring; expected to be ready by spring training)

In the minors
JOE BISENIUS remains the Phillies' top relief prospect, although his stock dropped slightly in 2007 when he battled a shoulder injury and went 3-4/5.48 ERA/31 walks in 46 innings at triple-A. He figures to open the season at triple-A Lehigh Valley.
FABIO CASTRO still projects as a situational lefty in the majors. He was 6-1/3.02 ERA in 25 minor-league relief appearances and has an outside shot at a job in spring training.

Top potential free agents
MARIANO RIVERA: $10.5 mill to go 3-4/3.15/30 saves in 67 G for Yankees
FRANCISCO CORDERO: $5 mill to go 0-4/2.98/44 saves in 66 G for Brewers
TODD JONES: $5.8 mill to go 1-4/4.26/38 saves in 63 G for Tigers
BOB WICKMAN: $6.5 mill to go 3-4/3.58/20 saves in 57 G for Braves/DBacks
AL REYES: $750,000 to go 2-4/4.90/26 saves in 61 G for Devil Rays
ERIC GAGNE: $6 mill to go 4-2/3.81/16 saves in 54 G for Rangers/Red Sox
SCOTT LINEBRINK: $1.75 mill to go 5-6/3.71 in 71 G for Padres/Brewers
LATROY HAWKINS: $3.5 mill to go 2-5/3.42 in 62 G for Rockies
OCTAVIO DOTEL: $5 mill to go 2-1/4.11/11 saves in 33 G for Royals/Braves
JEREMY AFFELDT (L): $1.25 mill to go 4-3/3.51 in 75 G for Rockies
RAY KING (L): $850,000 to go 1-1/4.76 in 67 G for Nats/Brewers

Myers: It's simple, really. If the Phils can obtain a closer, they'll move Myers back to the rotation. If they can obtain a starter, they'll leave him where he is. Know this: Manuel prefers Myers in the bullpen. Myers does, too.

Gordon: Signed to replace Billy Wagner, he's been relegated to being the primary setup man. That's OK. He excelled in that role with the Yankees.

Romero: Played as big a part in helping the Phils to a division title as anybody. The Phils plucked him off waivers in June. In turn, he helped lift the Phils into October. But money supercedes loyalty. Re-signing Romero is a priority for the Phillies, and Romero would like to return. But he likely will be looking for a multi-year deal for about $3-4 million per year. Ultimately, I think he'll re-sign, but it probably won't happen within the Phils' exclusive 15-day window after the World Series. Affledt is the best left-handed free-agent option.

Madson: A strained right shoulder (same injury as Myers had in May) sidelined him for the season in late July. Losing him was a tough blow, but the Phils expect he'll be back as a key bullpen piece in '08.

Geary: Do you offer salary arbitration to a reliever who had to be sent to the minors in midseason? Tough call, especially given his success in '06 (2.96 ERA in 81 games). Maybe he suffered from overuse?

Alfonseca: Another tough call. He'll be seeking a raise through free agency based on his solid first half. In June, with Myers and Gordon sidelined by shoulder injuries, he was the Phils' closer. But he ran out of gas in August and was useless for the season's final two months.

Mathieson: Call him the wild card. The Phils were hoping he'd return from Tommy John surgery and fortify the bullpen in Sept. But the hard-throwing right-hander suffered a setback and never made it back. He's expected to be throwing by January. Does he have the stuff to be a dominant setup man or even a closer candidate?

Free agents: Minnesota exercised its option on Joe Nathan this week, weakening the pool. But there are still a few intriguing possibilities. Despite his threats to the contrary, Rivera likely will re-sign with the Yankees and pitch for a new manager. But Cordero could be out of the Brewers' price range. Otherwise, Reyes may be a candidate as a setup man after having a good year in Tampa Bay.

So, you play GM. How would you structure the Phillies' bullpen in '08? I'll leave this post up throughout the weekend, so y'all will have plenty of time to chime in. Have a great weekend.

Oct. 25 -- WHAT'S UP, CHUCK?

Quick update before Game 2: Phils have hired former Devil Rays GM Chuck LaMar to fill a new position of "director of professional scouting." This is interesting because LaMar could be another possible GM successor if Pat Gillick retires after '08. LaMar and assistant GM Mike Arbuckle, by the way, used to scout together for the Braves.

Just talked to Gillick, and he says LaMar will evaluate pro and amateur players. Tampa Bay didn't win much with LaMar running the show, but it should be noted that he pulled off one of the best heists ever in July '04 when he dealt Victor Zambrano to the Mets for Scott Kazmir. At the time, I was covering Kazmir in double-A, and when the deal went down, nobody could believe it, especially Kazmir. Trust me, Mets fans are still shaking their heads.

Thoughts on LaMar?

Oct. 25 -- SCHILL BEING SCHILL

Well, that wasn't very exciting.

After two days of hype, Game 1 of the World Series was a giant dud, a 13-1 annihilation by the Red Sox. And, now, we're left to wonder if eight days off really took the steam out of the Rockies, who looked nothing like the team that swept the Phillies out of the playoffs a few weeks ago.

So, with Game 2 starting in a few hours at Fenway, the spotlight turns to Curt Schilling, which, of course, is exactly how he likes it. And since we've talked a lot lately about the possibility that Schilling, a soon-to-be free agent, could return to the Phillies in 2008, I want to direct your attention to some comments he made in his blog. In case anybody thought Schilling's issues with the Phillies or the local media were water under the Whitman, well, No. 38 has a long memory. In discussing Terry Francona's managerial ability, he rekindled a few old grudges. He also takes a shot at the front office.

Check it out, in Curt's own words:

Terry Francona is a genius since he arrived in Boston? Having been on his team the first day he managed in the big leagues through today I’ll tell you up front that he is not much different. He does suck much more at cribbage now than he ever did and his fantasy teams continue to suck as well, but as a manager he’s not really different. I think the interim jobs he had in Cleveland and Oakland showed him the inner workings of baseball front offices more and helped him in some areas but in the clubhouse, dugout, and on the field he’s pretty much the same non-jersey wearing guy he was in Philly, he just has a front office comprised entirely of people that understand winning games on the field matters more than anything else. The ‘know it alls’ in Philadelphia, from Conlin to Cataldi to Macnow, aren’t really know it alls are they? Their people who’s life it is, who’s entire job description, revolves around creating news or stories where there is none, to make you think their ‘in’ and you’re not, and if you want to truly know or get smarter, listen to them. Pretty cool when you can be wrong pretty much 90% of the time and still be considered an expert.

Wonder how smart Tito looks to the guys that hacked him in Philly now? 3 post seasons, 2 world series appearances in 4 years here. Nice to know he gets that last laugh.

Doesn't exactly sound like a dude who wants to come back to Philly, does it? But if Schilling does sign with the Phils, his introductory press conference could be classic.

Oct. 23 -- POSITION-BY-POSITION: THIRD BASE

So, now we know the Phillies will open and close the 2008 season at home against the Nationals. We know they'll play the Red Sox, Angels, Blue Jays, Rangers and Athletics in inter-league play. And we know exactly when they'll have to fend off the Mets.

We just don't know which players they'll have on the field.

That brings us to Part 3 of our continuing position-by-position breakdown. We've looked at center field and the starting rotation (if you haven't commented already, what are you waiting for?). So, let's focus on another area of uncertainty: Third base.

Pat Gillick sounds serious about upgrading here, moreso, I think, than he was last winter when the Phils signed Wes Helms to be their everyday third baseman. It was a mistake. Phillies third basemen combined for the lowest on-base-plus-slugging-percentage in the National League. Slick-fielding but light-hitting Abraham Nunez already has been cut loose, and Gillick has pledged to bring more offense to the position.

But how? Well, that's what we're here to examine.

Oh, before we get started, forget about Tadahito Iguchi playing third. He's never played third before, and he's not going to start now. Iguchi has told the Phillies he'd rather sign as a free agent to be an everyday second baseman elsewhere than try to play third or become a utility player here. OK? Good. Let's move on.

WES HELMS
Opening-day age: 31
Contract: Second season of a two-year, $5.45 million free-agent contract that includes a $3.75 million team option or $750,000 buyout in 2009; $2.15 million in 2008 ($500,000 bonus for All-Star election by fans or $25,000 for selection by players or manager; $50,000 for World Series MVP; $25,000 for NLCS MVP).
2007 stats: 112 G/280 ABs; .246 average/.297 on-base pct./.368 slugging pct.; 19 doubles, 5 homers, 39 RBIs; 19 walks, 62 strikeouts
Career stats: 771 G/1,882 ABs; .265 average/.326 OBP/.435 SLG; 112 doubles, 63 homers, 265 RBIs; 153 walks, 457 strikeouts

GREG DOBBS
Opening-day age: 29
Contract: Not arbitration-eligible until at least after 2008 season; $385,000 in 2007
2007 stats: 142 G/324 ABs; .272 average/.330 OBP/.451 SLG; 20 doubles, 4 triples, 10 homers, 55 RBIs; 29 walks, 67 strikeouts
Career stats: 242 G/546 ABs; .266 average/.314 OBP/.410 SLG; 31 doubles, 6 triples, 12 homers, 87 RBIs; 39 walks, 110 strikeouts

In the minors
MIKE COSTANZO led the double-A Eastern League with a .539 slugging percentage and ranked second with 27 homers for Reading. But he also struck out 157 times in 508 at-bats, and he isn't off to a strong start in the Arizona Fall League, whiffing 15 times in his first 36 at-bats. Costanzo is a nice story: second-round pick from Delaware County who showed up to his introductory news conference with a Phillies jacket he had as a kid. But, at 24, he'll have to prove he can make more consistent contact when he opens 2008 at triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Top potential free agents
ALEX RODRIGUEZ: $27 million to go .314 with 54 homers and 156 RBIs in 158 G for Yankees
MIKE LOWELL: $9 million to go .324 with 21 homers and 120 RBIs in 154 G for Red Sox
PEDRO FELIZ: $5.1 million to go .253 with 20 homers and 72 RBIs in 150 G for Giants

Helms: Major disappointment. He didn't homer until his 152nd at-bat, he made 10 errors, and his playing time diminished during the second half. By season's end, he was starting only against left-handed pitching. There's little in his history to indicate it was simply an off year. Helms had a big year in 2003, with 23 homers and 67 RBIs, but he's been little more than a part-time player since.

Dobbs: Major surprise. Exceeded expectations after being claimed off waivers from Seattle in January, but his greatest value comes as a pinch-hitter. Dobbs led the majors with 18 pinch-hit RBIs. He batted .277 (82-for-296) against right-handed pitchers but only .214 (6-for-28) against lefties.

Forget about A-Rod. If he opts out of his Yankees contract, he won't come here. Gillick said the Phillies won't pursue him either. That said, his status could determine how the market for third basemen unfolds. If the Yanks need a third baseman, the price for a lot of players will rise.

Lowell: Has family ties to Philly (his father played baseball at St. Joe's). That said, the Phils will have to outbid the filthy-rich Red Sox, who will make every effort to keep him. He reached a career-high in RBIs and led the Sox in that category, driving in more runs than David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.

The Phillies could bring back Nunez at a reduced salary to be a utility player, but he isn't an option to start at third. Gillick said it's "50-50" that the Phillies will upgrade via free agency versus a trade. As usual, a deal may be their best course of action. Colorado could still make Garrett Atkins available with prospect Ian Stewart possibly waiting in the wings, although they'll be asking for a quality pitcher and a top prospect.

Here's a thought: How about Joe Crede, Aaron Rowand's old buddy in Chicago? With prospect Josh Fields set to take over at third base, the White Sox will talk deal. And with Crede (middle, between Rowand and A.J. Pierzynski) coming off back surgery, the price tag may not be too high. Limited to 47 games in 2007, Crede batted just .216 with four homers and 22 RBIs. But he went .283/30/94 in 2006 and may be poised for a rebound.

Here's what Sox GM Kenny Williams told reporters about Fields/Crede on the final day of the season: "Josh is not Joe Crede just yet. But in talking to my staff, they believe he can play some championship third base. So now we look at the offensive side of it and the pluses Josh can bring to it, as well as the clutch hitting of Joe Crede. There are some decisions that we have to come to."

OK, talk amongst yourselves. As always, I'm looking forward to your ideas.

Oct. 22 -- SHIPPING UP TO BOSTON

Hate to distract from our position-by-position breakdown of the Phillies (your comments have been terrific, by the way), but I wanted to say a quick word about the World Series, which begins Wednesday night at Fenway Park.

I went to college at Boston University and lived across from Fenway in Kenmore Square, so I have a sense for the hysteria that's gripping New England now that the Red Sox dispatched the Indians in Game 7 last night. The Sox (or Sawx, as the locals call them) always have been something of a religion up there, although Red Sox Nation has taken on a new dimension in the past five years, since John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino bought the team. When I was in school (1994-98), you could buy a ticket at the box office on the day of a game. Nowadays, if you don't get your tickets in January, forget about it. The Sox have gone from a sporting passion to a social event. Taking in a game at Fenway, which now includes singing along to "Sweet Caroline" during the seventh-inning stretch, has become a trendy thing to do.

To me, though, the interesting thing about this World Series in Boston is that the Sox aren't even the best team in town. That would be the 7-0 Patriots, who have outscored opponents 279-120 and at this rate will have the AFC East clinched by Halloween. And while the Sox offense is formidable (is there a better 1-2 punch than David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez or a more underrated player than Kevin Youkilis?), I wouldn't dismiss the Rockies, whose 21-of-22 roll has a better chance of being slowed by an eight-day layoff than by 20-game winner Josh Beckett.

So, at the risk of upsetting my friends in Boston (see video), I'll take Matt Holliday, Todd Helton, my man Ubaldo Jimenez and the Rockies in six, with Helton winning the Series MVP. What's your pick?



*
We have plenty of Orioles fans in this area, so I'm curious to ask: What did you think of Kevin Millar throwing out the first pitch last night and reading the Sox lineup on Fox? Even Terry Francona thought it was strange. Apparently, Indians right fielder Trot Nixon, Millar's teammate on the '04 Sox, wasn't happy.



*
One quick Phillies note: One-time prospect Yoel Hernandez has elected free agency after being removed from the 40-man roster today. Hernandez, 27, was 0-0 with a 5.28 ERA in 14 relief appearances this season.

*
Don't care about the World Series? It's cool. We'll continue our position-by-position series tomorrow.

Oct. 19 -- POSITION-BY-POSITION: STARTING ROTATION

So, the Red Sox and Indians are heading back to Fenway Park for Game 6 tomorrow night. Will it be Curt Schilling's Boston swan song? For the Sox, it's up to Schilling to prolong their season and force Game 7. Regardless, you can bet the Phillies and other pitching-needy teams will be watching. Schill (seen here likely opining on his blog) will be a free agent after the season, and it's possible, even at age 41, he still could help plenty of clubs.

When you think of Schilling, you think of his performance for the D-Backs in the 2001 World Series. And, of course, you think of the bloody sock (or was it ketchup?) during that epic ALCS comeback against the Yankees in 2004. But, really, Schilling became an ace with the Phillies, for whom he won 14 games in 1992, 16 in '93, 17 in '97 and 15 in both '98 and '99.

Could he finish his career in Philadelphia? It's entirely possible, especially if Schilling is sincere about his willingness to accept a one-year contract. With that in mind, we continue our position-by-position breakdown of the Phillies by examining their rotation. For the purposes of this discussion, we'll just pretend Freddy Garcia and Jon Lieber don't exist. Both are free agents and neither will be re-signed, according to GM Pat Gillick. Too bad the Phils can't still call on this guy, circa 1955, of course.

COLE HAMELS (LHP)
Opening-day age: 24
Contract: Not arbitration-eligible until after 2008 season; $400,000 in 2007
2007 stats: 15-5, 3.39 ERA; 28 starts/183.1 IP/163 H; 72 BB/177 K
Career stats: 24-13, 3.68 ERA; 51 starts/315.2 IP/280 H; 120 BB/322 K

KYLE KENDRICK (RHP)
Opening-day age: 23
Contract: Not arbitration-eligible until at least after 2009 season; $380,000 in 2007
2007/career stats: 10-4, 3.87 ERA; 20 starts/121 IP/129 H; 25 BB/49 K

KYLE LOHSE (RHP)
Opening-day age: 29
Contract: Eligible for free agency; $4.2 million in 2007
2007 stats (overall): 9-12, 4.62 ERA; 32 starts/192.2 IP/207 H; 57 BB/122 K
2007 stats (w/Phils): 3-0, 4.72 ERA; 11 starts/61 IP/64 H; 24 BB/42 K
Career stats: 63-74, 4.82 ERA; 195 starts/1,164 IP/1,302 H; 365 BB/734 K

JAMIE MOYER (LHP)
Opening-day age: 45
Contract: Second season of two-year, $10.5 million extension; $5.5 million in 2008 ($500,000 bonus for 165 innings pitched and an additional $500,000 for 175 and 185 innings pitched; $50,000 for All-Star, $50,000 for Gold Glove, $50,000 for Silver Slugger; full no-trade clause).
2007 stats: 14-12, 5.01 ERA; 33 starts/199.1 IP/222 H; 66 BB/133 K
Career stats: 230-178, 4.21 ERA; 551 starts/3,550 IP/3,677 H; 1,012 BB/2,125 K

ADAM EATON (RHP)
Opening-day age: 30
Contract: Second season of a three-year, $24.5 million contract with $9 million player option for 2010; $7.625 million in 2008 ($250,000 bonus for 200 and 220 innings; $100,000 for Cy Young or $75,000 for second or $50,000 for third; $100,000 for World Series MVP, $50,000 for LCS MVP, $25,000 for Silver Slugger, $50,000 for All-Star).
2007 stats: 10-10, 6.29 ERA; 30 starts/161.2 IP/192 H; 71 BB/97 K
Career stats: 64-55, 4.70 ERA; 174 starts/1,022.2 IP/1,057 H; 377 BB/763 K

J.D. DURBIN (RHP)
Opening-day age: 26
Contract: Not arbitration-eligible; $380,000 in 2007
2007 stats: 6-5, 6.06 ERA; 10 starts/65.1 IP/78 H; 37 BB/40 K
Career stats: 6-6, 7.00 ERA; 11 starts/73.1 IP/97 H; 44 BB/47 K

In the minors:
Top prospect RHP Carlos Carrasco figures to open at double-A Reading after going 6-2 with a 2.84 ERA in 12 starts for single-A Clearwater and 6-4 with a 4.86 ERA in 13 starts at Reading; other hopefuls include LHP Josh Outman (10-4, 2.45 in 18 starts at Clearwater; 2-3, 4.50 in seven starts at Reading), RHP Drew Carpenter (17-6, 3.20 in 24 starts at Clearwater) and 2007 first-round pick LHP Joe Savery (2-3, 2.73 in seven starts at short-season Williamsport after signing in July). Gillick said none figure into the Phillies' plans until 2009.
Closest-to-the-majors prospect LHP J.A. Happ went 4-6 with a 5.02 ERA at triple-A Ottawa but suffered a late-season elbow injury. RHP Zack Segovia flamed out in 2007, going 1-9 with a 6.05 ERA at Ottawa, 5-3 with a 4.84 ERA at Reading.

Top possible free agents:
Roger Clemens, RH: Prorated $28 million to go 6-6, 4.18 ERA in 17 starts for Yankees
Bartolo Colon, RH: $14 million to go 6-8, 6.34 ERA in 18 starts for Angels
Tom Glavine, LH: $10.5 million to go 13-8, 4.45 ERA in 34 starts for Mets
Livan Hernandez, RH: $8 million to go 11-11, 4.93 ERA in 33 starts for D-Backs
Greg Maddux, RH: $10 million to go 14-11, 4.14 ERA in 34 starts for Padres
Andy Pettitte, LH: $16 million to go 15-9, 4.05 ERA in 34 starts for Yankees
Kenny Rogers, LH: $8 million to go 3-4, 4.43 ERA in 11 starts for Tigers
Curt Schilling, RH: $13 million to go 9-8, 3.87 ERA in 24 starts for Red Sox
Carlos Silva, RH: $4 million to go 13-14, 4.19 ERA in 33 starts for Twins
Randy Wolf, LH: $8 million to go 9-6, 4.73 ERA in 17 starts for Dodgers

OK, Hamels is a good start. He emerged as an ace last season, and the only thing keeping him from Cy Young consideration is his health. If he can stay off the disabled list for an entire year, 20 wins is within his reach. But you can read about all of his talents by clicking here.

Beyond Hamels, though, it gets murky. Of the four pitchers that are under contract (Hamels, Kendrick, Moyer, Eaton), Gillick says the Phils have a No. 1, two No. 4s and a No. 5. We can only assume he regards Durbin as a No. 6 or No. 7. So, clearly, the rotation needs help, especially since the Phillies can hardly bank on a repeat 10-win performance from Kendrick, their biggest surprise of 2007. Lohse, represented by Scott Boras, likely will command Gil Meche money, something in the neighborhood of five-years, $55 million. Having already made a mistake on Eaton last year, the Phils aren't likely to fork over that kind of cash for a sub-.500 pitcher.

And, as you can see, the free-agent pickings are slim. The pool is filled with older pitchers in the twilight of their careers who will command big dollars to pitch anywhere, and even bigger dollars to pitch at The Bank. That's why Gillick said the Phils are more likely to find help via a trade. But, even then, they'd have to move someone off their 25-man roster because their prospect pool is weak. Young pitchers are a prized commodity. For as much money as the Yankees and Red Sox spend, their best moves have been hoarding their young pitchers (Chien-Ming Wang, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain in New York, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Manny Delcarmen, Jonathan Papelbon in Boston), and you've seen what Ubaldo Jimenez (my new favorite pitcher) and Franklin Morales have done for Colorado. So, the Phils would be wise to hold on to Carrasco, Outman, Carpenter, Savery, etc.

Of course, the Phils always could move former 14-game winner and 2007 opening-day starter Brett Myers back into the rotation, although Myers, Charlie Manuel and Rich Dubee prefer him as a closer. But, given the possible options, I think they they'd be better off returning Myers to the rotation and trying to sign a proven closer, like Francisco Cordero or possibly Mariano Rivera.

So, should the Phils take a short-term shot by throwing about $12 million for one year at someone like Schilling, who may be able to give them a productive 2008? Or should they cough up big dollars for Lohse? Or should they move Myers back to the rotation and go hard after a closer? Or should they consider dangling someone like Shane Victorino or Pat Burrell in a deal for Dontrelle Willis or Jon Garland? Keep in mind, the Phils may not even have enough to trade to land one of those pitchers.

OK, discuss ... and have a great weekend!

Oct. 15 -- POSITION BY POSITION: CENTER FIELD

So, while I watch the Rockies continue their march toward the World Series -- seriously, are they ever going to lose again? -- let's begin our position-by-position look at the Phillies. I'll give y'all time to fire away with comments for a few days before moving on to our next position.

Anyway, my Sunday notes in the 50-center examines the diminishing odds that the Rockies will trade Garrett Atkins and the possibility of Curt Schilling returning to the Phils. But, on the Blog, we'll save third base and the starting rotation for another day.

I want to start this position-by-position series in center field, a spot where the popular incumbent for the past two seasons may have taken his final Phillies curtain call.

With that, let's get right to it:

AARON ROWAND
Opening-day age: 30
Contract: Eligible for free agency; $4.35 million in 2007
2007 stats: 161 G/612 AB; .309 average/.374 on-base pct./.515 slugging pct.; career-highs with 45 doubles, 27 homers, 89 RBIs; 47 walks, 119 strikeouts.
Career stats: 849 G/2,664 AB; .286 average/.343 OBP/.462 SLG; 166 doubles, 93 homers, 347 RBIs; 161 walks, 505 strikeouts.

SHANE VICTORINO
Opening-day age: 27
Contract: Not arbitration-eligible until after 2008 season; $410,000 in 2007
2007 stats: 131 G/456 AB; .281 average/.347 OBP/.423 SLG; 23 doubles, 3 triples, 12 homers, 46 RBIs, 37 steals; 37 walks, 62 strikeouts.
Career stats: 341 G/961 AB; .274 average/.336 OBP/.405 SLG; 44 doubles, 11 triples, 20 homers, 104 RBIs, 48 steals; 68 walks, 136 strikeouts.

MICHAEL BOURN
Opening-day age: 25
Contract: Not arbitration-eligible; major-league minimum $380,000 in 2007
2007 stats: 105 G/119 AB; .277 average/.348 OBP/.378 SLG; 29 runs, 3 doubles, 3 triples, 1 homer, 6 RBIs, 18 steals; 13 walks, 21 strikeouts.
Career stats: 122 G/127 AB; .268 average/.340 OBP/.362 SLG; 31 runs, 3 doubles, 3 triples, 1 homer, 6 RBIs, 19 steals; 14 walks, 24 strikeouts.

In the minors:
GREG GOLSON figures to open the season at double-A Reading, where he finished 2007. He batted .285 with 27 doubles, 12 homers, 52 RBIs and 25 steals in 99 games with single-A Clearwater, then batted .242 with 5 doubles, 3 homers, 16 RBIs and 5 steals in 37 games at Reading.

Available free agents:
MIKE CAMERON: Made $7 million to go .242 with 21 HR and 78 RBI in 151 G for San Diego
TORII HUNTER: Made $12 million to go .287 with 28 HR and 107 RBI in 160 G for Minnesota
ANDRUW JONES: Made $13.5 million to go .222 with 26 HR and 94 RBI in 154 G for Atlanta
COREY PATTERSON: Made $4.3 million to go .269 with 8 HR and 45 RBI in 132 G for Baltimore

To me, it seems the Phillies have a few options. a) re-sign Rowand, their top right-handed hitter; b) let Rowand walk and go with a combination of Victorino, Bourn and Jayson Werth in center and right, a possibility Pat Gillick said last week "would be a stretch"; c) let Rowand walk, sign another free agent, let Victorino and Werth split time in right and keep Bourn as a reserve outfielder; d) re-sign Rowand, attempt to deal Pat Burrell (he'd have to waive his full no-trade clause) and use Werth in left field and Victorino in right.

Contrary to reports that surfaced last week in other places, Rowand isn't likely to seek a contract in excess of four years and $10-12 million per year. That would be more than Chase Utley will make next season. It also would be a similar deal to the one the Phils gave Jim Thome before the 2003 season. Rowand knows he won't get that much moolah -- from anybody. Statistically, he and Eric Byrnes are nearly the same player. Byrnes got a three-year, $30 million extension from Arizona during the season. If the Phils guarantee Rowand four years, the average annual value may be $10 mill or less. If they guarantee three years, they may have to pay $11-12 million per year.

You could argue that Rowand is worth it. Yes, he had a career year in 2007. But he's their most vocal leader, and, at age 30, he may be entering his prime. Also, what are the Phillies' internal options? Victorino was a center fielder in the minors, but Charlie Manuel loves his arm in right. And there are questions about Victorino's durability. He's a smallish guy (5-foot-9, 180 pounds), and he hasn't proven he can hold up through a full season.

Bourn hasn't proven much of anything except that he can steal bases and catch the ball. He was used primarily as a pinch-runner and late-game defensive replacement. The Phils have no idea if he can hit well enough to play every day, and they won't know until he does it.

So, as Phillies chairman Bill Giles presents the NL championship trophy to the Rockies (could he sound more excited, by the way?), I'll leave it to you. How should the Phils address center field?

Oct. 13 -- THEY'RE BACK

As expected, the Phils finalized one-year contract extensions today with each member of Charlie Manuel's coaching staff, including bench coach Jimy Williams, who has been mentioned in conjunction with the Royals' managerial opening. That means Williams, pitching coach Rich Dubee, hitting coach Milt Thompson, first-base coach Davey Lopes, third-base coach Steve Smith, bullpen coach Ramon Henderson and catching instructor Mick Billmeyer all have jobs next season.

Not sure what you thought, but I was impressed with Lopes (pictured). In his first season with the Phils, his influence was obvious. The Phillies set a major-league record for the best stolen-base success rate (87.9 percent), and the outfielders led the NL with 39 assists.

Your take on the staff's return?

Oct. 12 -- MINOR MATTERS

Let's take a momentary break from the hot-stove talk (I guarantee it'll only be momentary) to address a few Phillies minor-league issues.

As I wrote in the 50-center the other day, Pat Gillick said the Phils don't have any prospects, except maybe catcher Jason Jaramillo, who will be ready for the majors by opening day. There are a few pitchers -- Carlos Carrasco, Drew Carpenter, Josh Outman, Joe Savery (pictured), J.A. Happ, Joe Bisenius -- who may be in line to contribute later in 2008 or in 2009. With that in mind, I turn your attention to the Arizona Fall League. Six Phillies prospects (Outman, Savery, Bisenius, pitcher Pat Overholt, third baseman Mike Costanzo and center fielder Greg Golson) are playing for the Peoria Saguaros, who aren't to be confused with the Peoria Javelinas. Games just began this week, and you can get some coverage of the league here. I'll try to keep you updated throughout the next six weeks.

Also, this tidbit got lost amid the Phillies' late-September surge to the playoffs. C.J. Henry, the top "prospect" the Phils got from the Yankees in the Bobby Abreu trade, was released after batting .184 with nine homers and 38 RBIs in 102 games for single-A Lakewood. According to this article in the Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World, Henry is considering ditching baseball to play college basketball at Kansas. Kind of makes you wonder what the Phils ever saw in him, doesn't it?

*
The Phils decision yesterday to not exercise Rod Barajas' $5 million option brings to mind this play in a mistake-filled ninth inning May 23 in Florida, when I think Barajas sealed his fate with the Phils. I'll never forget his quote after the Phillies beat the Marlins: "The fact that we won, we can look back and laugh at some of these plays."

Yeah, well, Brett Myers probably didn't find it very funny. Barajas' inability to block the plate allowed Hanley Ramirez to score and prolonged the inning for Myers to injure his right shoulder. He missed the next nine weeks.

*
The Rockies won again last night (will they ever lose?). But did anybody watch? I thought it was a pretty good game, actually. Can't wait to see Ubaldo Jimenez tonight. He looked great against the Phils last Saturday night in Denver. His three-pitch strikeout of Aaron Rowand (on a 73-mph curveball, a 97-mph fastball and an 81-mph slider) was nasty.

Oct. 11 -- NUNEZ, BARAJAS GONE

Don't want to distract you from the previous post. Lots to talk about there. But I thought I'd pass this along: the Phils have elected not to pick up their $5 million option on Rod Barajas or their $2.5 million option on Abraham Nunez. Barajas will get a $500,000 buyout, while Nunez will get $300,000 to go away.

Everyone knew Barajas wouldn't be back. He batted .230, lost his starting job to Carlos Ruiz, and by the end of the season, was the fourth-string catcher behind Ruiz, Chris Coste and Pete Laforest. But I thought the Phils might retain Nunez, who didn't factor into their plans at third base but was their backup shortstop and second baseman. Nunez batted .234 with only 16 RBIs in 252 at-bats this season after batting .211 with two homers and 32 RBIs in 322 at-bats in 2006.

Also, the Phils designated reliever Kane Davis for assignment rather than offering him arbitration.

Oct. 11 -- DEAL OR NO DEAL?

So, about a half hour after Charlie Manuel's news conference concluded yesterday at the Bank, I was talking with David Montgomery about the Phillies' payroll. At no point did he sound like an owner who was ready to sell his share of the team. In fact, he sounded very much invested in retaining his stake in the Phillies in 2008 -- and beyond.

Now, I just finished my second season covering the Phillies, and at various times, I've heard rumblings about a potential sale. I've never uncovered any truth to those rumblings. So, I tend to file the most recent one under the "rumor" category. This ownership group bought the team in 1981 for $30 million. Forbes recently estimated the Phillies' value at $457 million. With attendance climbing above 3 million, TV ratings at an all-time high and the team making the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, it seems to me the franchise value will only increase in the coming years. Not sure why they'd sell now.

*
It does, however, sound like the Phillies are willing to increase payroll. On opening day, they were spending $95 million on player salaries (including Jim Thome). By the end of the season, after acquiring Kyle Lohse, Tadahito Iguchi, J.C. Romero, Jose Mesa and others, Montgomery estimated the cost had risen to approximately $103 million. I asked him, point-blank, if he thought the payroll would be that high on opening-day 2008, and he said, "In that ballpark, or higher."

OK, good news, right? Well, only if Pat Gillick can identify enough quality players to justify spending the extra cash. And, that won't be easy.

*
In the 50-center Wednesday, we posed the top five questions facing the Phillies. Yesterday, Gillick offered up a few answers, and a few other outtakes that didn't make the paper:

Pitching for help: "If you get pitching, it'll be more likely through a trade as opposed to free agency. That would mean moving someone off this roster at the major-league level." Gillick described the market as "dangerous." What he meant was that a lot of middling pitchers will get massive contracts. Do you want to spend $24.5 million over three years for another Adam Eaton? Gillick doesn't want to make that mistake again. "We got a dangerous one last year," he said, referring to Eaton. Gillick said the Phils won't consider bringing back Freddy Garcia or Jon Lieber. You probably knew that, but it was nice to hear Gillick say it.

Shelling out for Curt Schilling: "The guy has changed his style. He looks like he's been more of a finesse guy instead of a power guy. He's got a feel for pitching. If you can do that, you can prolong your career for a year or two." The other day, I posted a list of free-agent pitchers. Not many impressive names, are there? That's why I think Gillick will trade for a pitcher rather than signing one. Of course, he could also throw a two-year deal at someone like Schilling. Gillick prefers short-term deals.

Case closed?: "[Brett Myers] enjoys being in the bullpen, and Charlie and our staff feel that's the place for him. In sports, I don't know if you can say anything is etched in stone. Brett will do what's best for the team." Translation: If the Phillies can find a reliever, Myers may move back to the rotation. If they get a starter, he'll stay put.

Front and center: "[Aaron Rowand] does a lot of positive things for us – in the clubhouse, on the field. He likes to play, loves to win. Those type of guys bring a lot to the club. He's certainly somebody we'll strongly consider."

Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino and Michael Bourn sharing center and right field if Rowand departs: "I think that would be a stretch." Just a thought here: If the Phillies re-sign Rowand (for something like three years and $33 million), maybe they'd flip Victorino (or maybe even Pat Burrell?) for a pitcher.

Who's on third?: "We need to get better at third base." Gillick indicated it was 50-50 that they'd upgrade via free agency (Mike Lowell) or a trade (Garrett Atkins).

Forget about A-Rod: "He'd probably rule us out, too."

Catch 22: "We're comfortable with [Chris] Coste. We didn't feel comfortable [last winter] catching Coster if [Carlos] Ruiz got hurt, so we needed somebody to back Ruiz up, and [Rod] Barajas was a veteran guy. We were looking at Rod catching 90 games and Carlos catching 70, and working [Ruiz] in full-time in 2008. Now, we're in a different situation. [Prospect Jason] Jaramillo could come up if something happened to Ruiz or Coste."

*
Manuel says he wants to lose 20 to 30 pounds before next season. My humble suggestion for a training regimen:

Oct. 10 -- MORE ON MANUEL

So, I'm always writing in the 50-center and here on The Blog that Charlie Manuel is great at keeping the Phillies loose and relaxed, especially in tense situations. There was a great example of that last Saturday in Denver:

About three hours before Game 3, Manuel and Jimmy Rollins walked into their pre-game news conference and performed comedy. It started when Rollins was asked about the now-famous tarp incident in July, when the Phils lent their hands to the Coors Field grounds crew, some of whom were trapped under a runaway tarp during a major storm.

"Tarp duty is off this time," Rollins said with a smile.

"We're [down] 0-2," Manuel said. "We win tonight, we're 1-2. If there's any kind of tarp duty, hell no! Let [Rockies general manager] Dan O'Dowd get his own crew."

"Where we you at for all that, Chuck?" Rollins asked.

"I was in the dugout," Manuel said. "Supervising."

"As usual," Rollins said, smiling again.

Watching all of this, I almost forgot the Phillies were facing elimination. Manuel and Rollins couldn't have appeared more calm. Anyway, point is, Manuel was rewarded for his steady hand last night with a two-year contract extension. Got to run to the Bank for a 10 a.m. news conference, so I'll have more on this later.

*

In today's 50-center, we examine the top-five questions facing the Phils now that Manuel's situation is resolved.

*

Mentioned I was a guest of Harry Mayes and Jamie Yannacone (the 700 Level Fanatics) yesterday on Sports Radio 950. You can download the podcast here.

Oct. 9 -- MANUEL SIGNS EXTENSION

Just posted this on delawareonline.com ...

Charlie Manuel will manage the Phillies again next season.

And beyond.

After meeting with management today, Manuel signed a two-year extension with a club option for 2010, The News Journal has learned. Manuel, 63, managed the Phillies to an 89-73 record and the NL East crown this season despite a 4-11 start, a rash of injuries and a pitching staff that posted a 4.73 ERA.

An announcement is expected at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Citizens Bank Park.

"I am very happy to be back for another two years," Manuel said in a statement. "I'm proud of what the team accomplished this year and I'm looking forward to defending our division title and reaching our goal of winning a World Series for Philadelphia."

Manuel was seeking a multi-year contract. The Phillies were willing to give it to him even though general manager Pat Gillick is entering the final year of his contract and likely will retire after the 2008 season.

"We love what Charlie brings to the ballpark every day, which is an up-beat, positive attitude that rubs off on the players," Gillick said. "He helped lead our club back to the playoffs and he and his coaching staff did a great job, especially with the injury issues they faced throughout the season with a number of key players."

Manuel has guided the Phillies to a 262-224 (.539) record in three seasons. In September, he became the fastest Phillies manager to 250 wins since Pat Moran managed the club from 1915 through 1918.

Oct. 9 -- PLANNING AHEAD

In the executive offices at Citizens Bank Park today, the Phillies have begun their annual round of organizational meetings. Pat Gillick is huddling with his inner circle (Ruben Amaro Jr., Mike Arbuckle, Dallas Green, Charley Kerfeld and other people you rarely hear about) to lay the foundation for 2008.

First on their agenda is resolving Charlie Manuel's contract situation. Manuel and his agent Pat Rooney (who also represents Jim Thome) are scheduled to meet with Gillick today. It's clear the Phillies want Manuel back next year. They told him as much during the final week of the season. What's not clear is whether they're willing to give him or his coaches a multi-year contract. Gillick plans to retire when his contract expires after 2008, so he may not want to saddle the next GM with a manager he didn't hire.

But I think Manuel will take whatever the Phillies offer, and here's why: Last week, Ed Wade took the interim tag off manager Cecil Cooper, so if managing the Astros was ever a consideration for Manuel, it isn't anymore. I don't think he's going to have many offers, even though he did a wonderful job with the Phillies this season. A few weeks ago in Washington, Manuel, 63, told me he has no interest in retiring. And I think he knows the nucleus is in place for the Phillies to be good for a while. So, as much as he doesn't want to work on another one-year contract, ultimately, I think he will.

On the coaching staff, I think Davey Lopes, Jimy Williams, Milt Thompson, Ramon Henderson and Mick Billmeyer will be back, assuming they want to come back. Not sure about Rich Dubee or Steve Smith.

*
Before we totally look ahead, we took one last look back in the 50-center today with The News Journal's annual end-of-season grades. Do you agree with the professor (me)?

Also, Kevin Noonan writes that Manuel shouldn't manage the Phillies next year. Looks like Kevin and I will have to agree to disagree.

*
In tomorrow's 50-center, we'll take a look at the top five or 10 questions facing the Phillies in the offseason. I was on the radio yesterday with ESPN 920's Dan Schwartzman and today with Harry Mayes and Jamie Yannacone (the 700 Level Fanatics) over at Sports Radio 950, and I talked about how the Phillies won't have as much money to spend as everyone thinks. Yes, Freddy Garcia ($10 million) and Jon Lieber ($7.5 million) are off the books. But Ryan Howard will get a big raise through salary arbitration (probably something along the lines of $6 million or $7 million from his 2007 earnings of $900,000).

We don't want to scoop ourselves, but to whet your appetite before tomorrow's paper hits the shelves, here's a breakdown of the Phillies' budget. Off the top, they have $58.5 million committed to eight players: Pat Burrell ($14 million), Brett Myers ($8.5 million), Adam Eaton ($7.635 million), Chase Utley ($7.5 million), Jimmy Rollins ($7 million), Tom Gordon ($5.5 million), Jamie Moyer ($5.5 million), Wes Helms ($2.15 million). They still owe $5.5 million to Jim Thome, plus they have a $2.5 million option on Abraham Nunez and a $5 million option that they'll almost certainly decline on Rod Barajas. Howard, Geoff Geary, Ryan Madson, Jayson Werth and Kane Davis will get raises through salary arbitration, while the non-arbitration eligibles (Cole Hamels, Greg Dobbs, Shane Victorino, Kyle Kendrick, Michael Bourn and Chris Coste) will get smaller raises.

When it's all said and done, the Phillies will have about $75 million or so committed to those players. If the payroll remains at $95 million, they'll have $20 million left over to re-sign Aaron Rowand and J.C. Romero, upgrade the pitching staff (Kyle Lohse is a free agent) and fill their other holes, namely third base (Mike Lowell is someone to keep a close eye on). That's not really a lot of money.

How would you spend it?