In 1980, the Phillies won the World Series. But in 1976, 1977 and 1978, they lost in the NLCS. The Yankees blew a 2-0 lead in the 1995 ALDS before winning the World Series in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000. Before the Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series in 1992 and 1993, Toronto teams built by Pat Gillick lost in the ALCS in 1989 and 1991.Point is, sometimes teams have to lose in the playoffs before they can win.
Could that be the case for these Phillies? Maybe. As they were packing their bags Saturday night in Denver, several players talked about that. Jimmy Rollins said it'll be different next time. Ryan Howard said this experience will only make the Phillies hungrier. Jamie Moyer said he hopes the younger Phillies can learn something from this.
Will they? What do you think?
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Martin Frank didn't think Gillick's comments Saturday night were particularly promising. It's true: the free-agent pitching market will be wafer-thin. But, on the night the Phillies were eliminated from the playoffs, it doesn't inspire much confidence when the GM says, "There's only so much out there. It's a supply-and-demand situation. There's not a lot of pitching in supply, and there's more demand for it."
Speaking of which, here's a partial list of potential free-agent pitchers:
Starters: Kris Benson, Paul Byrd, Shawn Chacon, Roger Clemens, Matt Clement, Bartolo Colon, Josh Fogg, Freddy Garcia, Tom Glavine, Livan Hernandez, Jason Jennings, Joe Kennedy, Brian Lawrence, Jon Lieber, Kyle Lohse, Rodrigo Lopez, Greg Maddux, Wade Miller, Eric Milton, Brian Moehler, Tomo Okha, Ramon Ortiz, Russ Ortiz, Chan Ho Park, Odalis Perez, Andy Pettitte, Joel Pineiro, Mark Redman, Kenny Rogers, Glendon Rusch, Curt Schilling, Aaron Sele, Carlos Silva, John Thomson, Brett Tomko, Steve Trachsel, Tim Wakefield, Jeff Weaver, Kip Wells, David Wells, Randy Wolf, Jamey Wright, Jaret Wright, Victor Zambrano.
Relievers: Jeremy Affeldt, Antonio Alfonseca, Armando Benitez, Joe Borowski, Doug Brocail, Francisco Cordero, Elmer Dessens, Octavio Dotel, Scott Eyre, Aaron Fultz, Eric Gagne, Eddie Guardado, LaTroy Hawkins, Matt Herges, Dustin Hermanson, Roberto Hernandez, Jason Isringhausen, Todd Jones, Jorge Julio, Joe Kennedy, Byung-Hyun Kim, Ray King, Scott Linebrink, Ron Mahay, Jose Mesa, Dan Miceli, Trever Miller, Mike Myers, Joe Nathan, Troy Percival, Cliff Politte, Chris Reitsma, Al Reyes, Arthur Rhodes, David Riske, Mariano Rivera, Felix Rodriguez, J.C. Romero, Rudy Seanez, Paul Shuey, Russ Springer, Julian Tavarez, Mike Timlin, Ron Villone, Luis Vizcaino, Rick White, Bob Wickman, Jay Witasick, Kerry Wood.
I think you'd agree that the field of relievers is stronger than the field of starters. Potential closers on the market are Borowski, Cordero, Isringhausen, Jones, Nathan and even Dotel, Guardado and Reyes. To me, if you're going to throw $10 million or $12 million per season at a pitcher, you'd be better off with Cordero or Nathan than a middle-of-the-rotation starter like Lohse. Brett Myers said the other night that the Phillies haven't told him what his role will be for next season. They could always sign a closer and move Myers back to the rotation.
Would that be a good move?
2 comments:
I think the Myers and Rowand situations dictate how this whole off-season unfolds. There seems to be only one rotation spot open with Hamels, Kendrick, Moyer, and Eaton pretty much locks for the rotation. If you sign a closer and move Myers back to the rotation, then the need for a starter is no longer there.
My first choice would be to give Schilling a one year deal and allow Carrasco one more full year to develop and move him into the rotation in 2009.
Or resign Rowand for 3 years $27 million or 4 years $32 million (thanks for the idea Jody Mac) and move either Bourn or Victorino in a package for a quality starter such as a Dontrelle Willis or a Noah Lowry, allowing Myers to remain the closer.
But if Rowand is let go you need to replace his bat and Bourn and Victorino are no longer tradeable. If Rowand is let go, I see signing Mike Lowell to be a must. He is a better hitter than Rowand and he was the best defensive third baseman in the AL this year.
Basically, the whole off-season begins and ends on the decisions that are made on Myers and Rowand. And if Gillick doesn't make the right set of solid moves, not just bringing in backup players as band-aids for bullet wounds like he did with the bullpen this year and Wes Helms, etc., then we'll be worse off by the time Gillick's out the door than we were when he arrived.
I could go on and on, but we'll let this off-season develop and critique it obnoxiously like we always do. Keep up the good work on the blog and in the 50 center Scott. This type of interaction has made the season more enjoyable, looking forward to a feverish "off-season."
Isringhausen's option was picked up by the Cards. He's off the market.
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