Nov. 30 -- HOW FAR IS TOO FAR? (and a Mets trade!)

So, Pat Gillick said yesterday that he was "shocked" last week when he heard the Angels were giving Torii Hunter a five-year, $90 million contract.

Shocked.

Here's why: Hunter is 33, three years older than Aaron Rowand. Hunter is a two-time All-Star. Rowand has made one All-Star team. So, if Hunter can get a five-year deal, Rowand surely will desire the same. And, given his daredevil style in center field, the Phillies don't feel comfortable giving him more than three years. Or, perhaps, three years with an option for a fourth.

Therein lies the problem. Gillick insists the Phils aren't balking at Rowand's monetary demands. In their conversations with agent Craig Landis, the sticking point has been length of contract. And, apparently, the Phillies aren't alone. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the White Sox broke off talks with Rowand for the same reason. So, if the Dodgers or the Rangers or some other team is willing to guarantee five years, Rowand likely will go there.

Meanwhile, Gillick keeps saying the Phillies' offense can survive losing Rowand. It's possible he really believes that. Perhaps he's just trying to put pressure on Rowand and Landis. But while Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth likely are capable of being effective everyday players, neither has proven he can stay healthy for an entire season. Rowand detractors insist he'll never duplicate his career-best offensive season of 2007, but his value stems more from his Gold Glove-caliber defense and vocal clubhouse presence.

Is all that worth five years, though? Knowing what you know about Rowand, how far would you be willing to go to re-sign him?

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Cole Hamels stopped by the Bank yesterday and discussed his latest workout routine, which will include a visit with former major league pitcher Tom House this weekend in San Diego.

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(Breaking news, 2 p.m.): Mets have traded outfield prospect Lastings Milledge to the Nationals for catcher Brian Schneider and outfielder Ryan Church. This seems to indicate the Mets won't tender a contract to newly acquired catcher Johnny Estrada. Somewhat surprising trade, though. Last winter, the Mets wouldn't peddle Milledge for pitching. Now, they've moved him for two position players. Strange. I covered Milledge in the minors, and I knew him to be immensely talented. That said, his attitude and extra curricular activities (he produced a vulgar rap song earlier this year) have caused the Mets some headaches. Plus, young outfielders Carlos Gomez and Fernando Martinez have moved ahead of Milledge on the Mets' prospect list.

Wonder what Billy Wagner thinks of this deal?

Nov. 29 -- NEW-LOOK PHILS

Jimmy Rollins knows fashion. He likes to look good. And he's up on all the latest styles (a few years ago, he was one of the first players to start wearing the new batting helmets with the air vents). So, it was critical that Mr. MVP voiced his approval for the Phillies' new alternate home uniforms, which the team unveiled today at Citizens Bank Park.

The new duds, which will be worn at all home day games, are cream-colored, sans pinstripes and styled after Phillies' jerseys from 1946 through 1949. The Phils have featured red pinstripes on their uniforms since 1950. The accompanying caps are blue with a red 'P.'

Of course, the unis are available just in time for Christmas. They're already on sale at the Bank, and after Saturday, at Modell's Sporting Goods.

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For anyone curious about the Phillies' payroll (it's been a hot topic here), Pat Gillick had this to say today: "Our problem is not money. Our problem is talent. If we think the talent is there, we will spend the money. We're pretty flexible that way. But it's easy to spend money now, and then, a year from now, you wish you hadn't spent it. This is not a good free-agent group."

Translation: the Phillies have $40 million to spend on a .500 pitcher like Kyle Lohse, but they don't think that would be the wisest use of their funds. I tend to agree. How about you?

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Gillick wouldn't comment on a published report that the Phils are interested in trading for Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora, but it seems highly unlikely they have enough bait. "I don't know that we have a lot of bullets to trade, really," Gillick said earlier this week.

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Regarding lefty Shane Youman, assistant GM Mike Arbuckle told me today the Phils claimed Youman to add depth. They view him as a starter. If he's used out of the bullpen, Arbuckle said it would be as a middle-inning reliever, not as a lefty specialist.

Nov. 28 -- BILLY BLASTS METS

So, the honeymoon is over for Billy Wagner in New York.

On the Mets' Web site yesterday, the outspoken closer questioned the front office's decision to replace catcher Paul Lo Duca with Johnny Estrada, wondered where the rotation stands without Tom Glavine, cautioned against trading Aaron Heilman and worried the Mets may be a third-place team unless they strengthen their roster. Third place!

You can read the full story, but here's a taste of some of Wagner's comments:

"Someone asked me what I thought of our team. I said, 'What team?' We've lost 13 games [Glavine's 2007 win total], and now we are going have to give up something to get those games back. I'm afraid we're just going to create other holes if we give up a [Lastings] Milledge, a [Mike] Pelfrey or a Heilman.

"I'm trying to be positive. I'm saying we have some good players. But I'm worried. The Braves are getting better, and the Phillies made a move [acquiring Brad Lidge]. We've brought back some people, and that's good. But losing Tom is big. It's a lot more than the 13 games he won. It's what he did for John Maine and Oliver Perez and how professional he was. ... We don't have him [in '07], we don't even get to the last game with a chance. He was one of the few leaders we had.

"We're down 13 games already, plus all the games Tom deserved to win. Without Aaron, it'd be like another 10 or 12. It would be a big chance to take. Without Aaron, [the bullpen] don't even exist. No way you can trade him."

*
Stop the presses: the Phillies have solved their pitching problems. Well, not exactly.

They plucked 28-year-old lefty Shane Youman off waivers from the Pirates today. Youman went 3-5 with a 5.97 ERA in 16 games (eight starts) last season and was roughed up for 10 earned runs in six innings (15.00 ERA) over two appearances against the Phils. But he was more effective out of the bullpen for Pittsburgh, going 1-0 with a 3.54 ERA in 10 career relief appearances and could have a chance to be a second lefty out of the Phils' pen.

Nov. 28 -- AT THE MIC

Not to distract you from the previous post about Randy Wolf and the Phillies' continued pursuit of pitching (please keep the comments coming, by the way), but I wanted to touch briefly on yesterday's announcement that Tom McCarthy will be returning to the broadcast booth.

Just a guess, but it seems that McCarthy is being positioned to be Harry Kalas' successor as the Phils' lead play-by-play man. McCarthy, who did a fine job calling Mets games on the radio for the past two years, is coming back to call three innings per game on TV with analysts Chris Wheeler and Gary Matthews (the radio team of Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen will remain intact). Kalas will maintain his workload of six innings on TV and one on radio, but at age 71, it's unclear how much longer he'll continue to do the job. With McCarthy on board, it appears the Phillies are bracing for the post-Harry era.

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Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins and Robin Roberts will be at the Bank at noon tomorrow to model alternate home jerseys that the Phillies will wear next season. Curious to see what the new unis will look like? You can watch the unveiling at phillies.com. Once it becomes available, I'll post a picture here.

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Aaron Rowand told the Chicago Tribune yesterday that he's in no rush to sign a contract. From talking to his agent, Craig Landis, I can tell you Rowand was never going to sign before Torii Hunter. All along, Landis preferred to wait until after Hunter signed to better gauge the market. After Hunter got five years and $90 million from the Angels, it wouldn't surprise me to see Rowand get five years and $70 million from a team like the White Sox or Dodgers.

Nov. 27 -- HUNGRY LIKE A WOLF

Catching up on some stuff from the past few days:

In The News Journal's Sunday baseball notes, we looked at Randy Wolf's possible return to the Phillies. Also, the Mariners appear to have the inside track on right-hander Hiroki Kuroda after sending a contingent to Japan last week, although the Phillies remain very interested.

Pat Gillick said yesterday the Phils are more likely to fill their remaining pitching needs through free agency than via trades. He also said the Phillies probably won't be making any big splashes next week at the winter meetings in Nashville. So, I ask you, which free agent would you most like to see the Phillies sign?

a) Wolf
b) Kuroda
c) Kyle Lohse
d) Bartolo Colon
e) Other (who and why?)

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Gillick also said yesterday that the five-year, $90 million contract Torii Hunter received from the Angels last week will inflate the deal that Aaron Rowand ultimately signs. But will Rowand be too expensive for the Phillies? "I wouldn't say it pushes him out of our range, but it pushes the market up," Gillick said.

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Carlos Ruiz has been named to the annual Topps All-Rookie team after batting .259 with six homers and 54 RBIs last season. The rest of the team: 1B- James Loney, Dodgers; 2B- Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox; SS- Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies; 3B- Ryan Braun, Brewers; OF- Delmon Young, Rays; OF- Chris Young, D-Backs; OF- Hunter Pence, Astros; C- Ruiz; RHP- Brian Bannister, Royals; LHP- Hideki Okajima, Red Sox.

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In late January, Rollins will be honored by the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association as the 2007 Outstanding Pro Athlete, and the Phillies will be named 2007 Team of the Year. The annual PSWA banquet will be held Jan. 28 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Route 70 in Cherry Hill. Tickets are $75 apiece and may be purchased by contacting Robbie Kenney at 609-702-7473 or at pswadinner@yahoo.com.

Nov. 26 -- TOASTING THE MVP

Everyone have a nice Thanksgiving weekend? I did. Got together with family in NJ. Ate lots of this. And this. And this. Had some of this for dessert. A few days later (after finally digesting), watched my alma mater, Boston University, beat Cornell in a hockey game at sold-out Madison Square Garden. Family, friends, food and a BU win. That's my idea of a perfect weekend.

Jimmy Rollins had a nice weekend, too.

On Thanksgiving, he hung out with family and played with his little cousins in the Bay Area. On Saturday, his parents hosted a barbecue that was attended by a surprise guest -- Rollins' childhood idol, Rickey Henderson. And yesterday, he returned to his Swedesboro, N.J., home for the first time since being crowned NL MVP.

Rollins is one of the most personable and refreshingly engaging athletes I've ever covered. A few hours ago, he talked (as only he can) about being MVP. Around here, he's being honored wherever he goes. Earlier today, he attended a ceremony at City Hall, met with Mayor Street, had a computer lab named for him at Olney West High in Philly and was the guest of honor at a private reception thrown by the Phillies at the Bank. Like Ryan Howard last year, Rollins will be treated like a rock star at banquets and other appearances over the next two months.

But in his hometown of Alameda, Calif., he's still just Jimmy Rollins. To wit: After being named MVP last Tuesday, he tried calling his mom, but her phone went straight to voice mail. Then, he called his dad. "He said, 'What's up, Jim-Bob?' I said I won, and he was like, 'Good job, all right, bye.'" Rollins recalled. "I was on the phone for, like, seven seconds. I expected him to ask questions, but he had to go. I call him on the biggest day of my career, and he had to go." (Rollins' father explained he was so overwhelmed with joy that he was nearly speechless, and he cut short the conversation to break the news to Rollins' mother.)

Rollins told another amusing story about Henderson showing up at the barbecue. "I see a truck go by, and then there's a nice SL500 Benz. I couldn't really see inside. I'm thinking, 'Damn, who do I know that's got a Benz like that? That's a nice Benz.' Then, I realized it was him. He was cool. Took pictures with everybody. Said hello. Met the family. I became secondary after that. It was like, 'That's the original. Jimmy you're good, but that's Rickey Henderson.' He stayed there the whole time. It was great to be hanging out with my favorite player and a former MVP player from Oakland. It was a good treat."

Nov. 21 -- MONEY MATTERS (and Torii Hunter)

So, there probably won't be much activity on The Blog for a few days, what with Thanksgiving and all. In case turkey and football don't do the trick, I have something else to keep you sated over the holiday weekend: Let's examine the Phillies' payroll.

There are doubters out there (you know who you are) who believe the Phillies have more than $10-12 million left to spend this winter. But if ownership insists on a $105 million payroll, there really isn't much wiggle room for Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro Jr. Here's how it breaks down:

Including the $6 million they owe Jim Thome, the Phils have about $68.5 million committed to nine players: Pat Burrell ($14 million), Brett Myers ($8.5 million), Jimmy Rollins ($8 million), Adam Eaton ($7.6 million), Chase Utley ($7.5 million), Jamie Moyer ($5.5 million), Tom Gordon ($5.5 million), J.C. Romero ($3.7 million), and Wes Helms ($2.1 million).

They also have at least five players eligible for salary arbitration: Ryan Howard, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, Jayson Werth and Eric Bruntlett. Howard, who made $900,000 last season, may fetch about $7 million. Lidge's salary also may reach $7 million after he made $5.3 million last season. Madson ($1.1 million), Werth ($850,000) and Bruntlett ($525,000) also will get raises, and Julio Mateo ($1 million) is arbitration-eligible if the Phils choose to keep him. That could push the payroll close to $90 million.

Cole Hamels, Shane Victorino, Kyle Kendrick, Greg Dobbs, Carlos Ruiz, Chris Coste, Clay Condrey and J.D. Durbin don't have enough service time to qualify for arbitration, but they will receive modest increases that will leave the payroll at approximately $95 million. So, you don't have to be a mathematician to figure they have about $10 million to spend before they reach $105 million.

So, how exactly were the Phillies able to even consider a lucrative offer for Mike Lowell? Well, it's possible they structured the offer such that Lowell would've made most of his money in 2009 and beyond, after Burrell, Gordon and others are eligible for free agency. With Lowell back in Boston, the Phillies could make a similar backloaded offer to Aaron Rowand. But they keep saying pitching is their No. 1 priority, and they have made offers to Japanese right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, former Phils lefty Randy Wolf and other available arms.

Assuming Gillick and Amaro don't receive a payroll bump, how should they spend the remaining cash?

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

*

Quick Turkey Day update: Looks like Torii Hunter has agreed to a five-year, $90 million contract with the Angels, pending a routine physical exam. What does this mean for Aaron Rowand? Well, the Hunter deal sets the market for free-agent center fielders and gives Rowand's agent, Craig Landis, a guide for Rowand's negotiations with the Phillies and other teams. If Hunter, who figured to get a more lucrative contract than Rowand, is making $18 million per year, how much is Rowand worth? $14 million? $15 million? More? Doubtful the Phillies will be willing to pay that much. Should they?

Nov. 21 -- (J-)ROLE MODEL

Jimmy Rollins says he never dreamed of winning an MVP award. To him, the Gold Glove always was the goal because it's emblematic of being the best player at your position. So, when the MVP call came yesterday from BBWAA secretary-treasurer Jack O'Connell, Rollins didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to react.

As usual, he found the right words.

During a conference call with BBWAA members, Rollins was asked about the potential impact of his MVP honor and C.C. Sabathia's AL Cy Young Award on young black athletes, and he answered eloquently and passionately. He mentioned Jackie Robinson, Curt Flood and the Negro Leagues. He talked about his mother, Gigi, a competitive fast-pitch softball player. He referred to the long battle African-Americans faced just to gain access to playing in the majors.

And, then, he lamented the precipitous drop in the number of African-Americans playing today.

According to an annual report released in March by the University of Central Florida, 100 major leaguers -- only 8.4 percent of the total player pool -- in 2006 were African-American, the lowest percentage in nearly two decades. In April, when I was writing a story on this subject, Michael Bourn told me he was one of the only African-Americans on his high school baseball team in Houston. During spring training, Sabathia called it "a crisis." Rollins agrees.

"I know how black kids feel about baseball," he said. "I really do. They don't see it as street-credible. It's not about being street-credible. It's about doing something that you love. I hope that one day they say, 'I want to be Cy Young or I want to be MVP.'

"Black kids aren't playing. In the Bay Area, where I'm from, they're still playing. But across the board, they aren't playing. We fought hard, in a long battle, to play baseball. For these numbers to be going down they way they are, it would be a sad thing if one day we were basically, quote unquote, extinct from this game."

So, what do you think? Can Rollins, Sabathia, Ryan Howard, Dontrelle Willis, Prince Fielder and others help make baseball cool again for African-American youth?

Nov. 20 -- ROLLINS WINS MVP (with updates)

Just announced by the Baseball Writers Association of America: Jimmy Rollins is the NL MVP.

Here's a look at the voting.

Rollins is the fifth Phillies player to win the NL MVP, following Chuck Klein (1932), Jim Konstanty (1950), Mike Schmidt (1980, 1981, 1986) and Ryan Howard (2006). It marks the first time teammates have won back-to-back MVP awards since San Francisco's Jeff Kent and Barry Bonds in 2000 and 2001. He's also the first NL shortstop to be named MVP since Barry Larkin in 1995 and only the second since Maury Wills in 1962.

But voters swayed toward Rollins, who had a historic season by becoming the first player with at least 200 hits, 20 doubles, 15 triples, 25 homers and 25 stolen bases. He started every game for the Phillies and played all but 17 innings at shortstop, winning both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards.

And, of course, there was his famous prediction.

In January, Rollins said the Phillies would be the "team to beat" in the NL East, even though they hadn't won the division or made the playoffs since 1993. He backed up his words, batting .346 (28-for-81) with six homers, 15 RBIs and 15 runs in 18 games against the defending champion New York Mets and helping the Phillies overcome a 7-1/2-game deficit in the final 17 games.

"Jimmy Rollins labeled the Phillies the 'team to beat' in the NL East, then backed it up," said Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News, who had an MVP vote. "He particularly rose to the occasion in head-to-head matchups with the Mets. That's what an MVP does."

The 17-point differential between Rollins and Holliday made the 2007 election the 20th closest overall and ninth in the NL since the current format was adopted by the BBWAA in 1938. The only MVP tie was in the NL in 1979 when Keith Hernandez and Willie Stargell each received 216 points.

Other tighter NL elections: 1944 (Marty Marion over Bill Nicholson, 190-189), 1955 (Roy Campanella over Duke Snider, 226-221), 1962 (Wills over Willie Mays, 209-202), 1957 (Hank Aaron over Stan Musial, 239-230), 1966 (Roberto Clemente over Sandy Koufax, 218-208), 1952 (Hank Sauer over Robin Roberts, 226-211) and 1991 (Terry Pendleton over Barry Bonds, 274-259).

Much, much more on this throughout the day.

(Update, 5:05 p.m.): From the BBWAA, here's more on how the voting broke down. Turns out, Rollins got more support from west of the Mississippi than I thought he would.

First-place votes by division
NL East: Rollins- 7, Fielder- 2, Holliday- 1
NL Central: Rollins- 5, Holliday- 4, Fielder- 3
NL West: Holliday-6, Rollins- 4

(Update, 6:30 p.m.): Don't get too excited, but the Phils have acquired lefty-hitting outfielder Chris Snelling from Tampa Bay for cash considerations. Snelling missed most of last season with a bruised left knee and batted only .246 in 30 games for Washington and Oakland. "Chris has always had a great bat, but he has battled some injuries in the past," assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said in a statement. "We feel he will be healthy this coming year and adds a left-handed hitter and some depth to our outfield."

(Update, 8:30 p.m.): Some of you have asked if any team has had three different players win consecutive MVP awards. It has happened. The Yankees' Roger Maris (1961), Mickey Mantle (1962) and Elston Howard (1963) were the last to do it. The last NL threesome was the Cardinals' Mort Cooper (1942), Stan Musial (1943) and Marty Marion (1944).

Nov. 20 -- THE ENVELOPE PLEASE ...

So, will it be Jimmy Rollins? Or Matt Holliday? Or Prince Fielder?

We'll find out at 2 p.m.

Not going to make a prediction on this one, mainly because I have no clue. Last year, Ryan Howard was the talk of the league in September, and the Cardinals were free-falling. So, I had a pretty good feeling that Howard would get more votes than Albert Pujols.

This year, I really don't have a sense for how voters were thinking. I'm fairly certain Rollins will sweep the NL East, and Holliday will sweep the NL West. So, the vote probably will come down to the NL Central, where I expect Fielder to get great support. Also, how did Fielder finish in the NL East and NL West? If he got a lot of second-place votes, he could take away from Rollins and Holliday. Also, when did voters turn in their ballots? Did they wait until after the Oct. 1 wild-card tie-breaker, technically the final game of the regular season? If so, chances are they threw their support to Holliday when he scraped his chin on the dirt and slid somewhere near home plate to score the winning run in the 13th inning to put the Rockies in the playoffs.

We'll find out in a few hours.

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There's some debate in the comments section of the previous post about GM Pat Gillick's degree of honesty in the Mike Lowell situation. Regardless, here's my question: If, in fact, the Phillies had the money to make a four-year, $50 million offer to Lowell, will they make a similar offer to Aaron Rowand? And will he accept it?

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Didn't make the paper, but the Phillies placed catcher Jason Jaramillo and infielder Brad Harman on the 40-man roster yesterday. That's significant because it means they can be called up more easily next season. Jaramillo, in particular, is someone you could see at the Bank. He's the Phillies' No. 3 catcher, so if something should happen to Carlos Ruiz or Chris Coste, he's their guy.

Nov. 19 -- LOWELL LOWDOWN

If the Phillies made a contract offer to Mike Lowell, they aren’t saying.

But they did discuss it.

Assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told me tonight the Phillies had a dialogue with Lowell’s agents, Sam and Seth Levinson, before the free-agent third baseman and World Series MVP accepted a three-year, $37.5 million offer to stay with the Boston Red Sox. Amaro declined to further characterize the discussions.

An ESPN.com report indicated the Phils presented Lowell with parameters for a four-year, $50 million offer during a conference call Sunday night. At that point, Lowell, who had been seeking a four-year contract, said he preferred to work out a deal with the Red Sox.

"The only thing I can tell you is we've had contact with Lowell's representatives," Amaro said.

Last week, GM Pat Gillick flatly denied a report that the Phillies were interested in Lowell, insisting that improving the pitching staff remains the team's top priority. Amaro said that hasn’t changed, and the Phillies still intend to spend most of their remaining money (about $10-12 million) on pitching.

Lowell, 33, also garnered interest from the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, who briefly flirted with the idea of using him at first base. Lowell batted .324 with 21 home runs and a career-high 120 RBIs.

The Phillies still could use an offensive upgrade at third base, where Wes Helms, Abraham Nunez and Greg Dobbs combined for the lowest on-base-plus-slugging percentage of NL third basemen. The Phillies didn’t pick up Nunez's contract option, leaving Helms, Dobbs and newly acquired Eric Bruntlett as their third base combination.

Nov. 19 -- MVP COUNTDOWN

So, at 2 p.m., we'll learn the identity of the American League MVP. But, really, is there much doubt? Alex Rodriguez will be the clear-cut winner. He may even be a unanimous choice.

The NL MVP voting won't be as decisive.

Ballots for the four major postseason awards (MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year) were due to the Baseball Writers Association of America at the conclusion of the regular season. And up until the deadline, which technically wasn't until the Rockies beat the Padres in the 13th inning of the wild-card tie-breaker game Oct. 1, I talked with a lot of writers who hadn't chosen between Jimmy Rollins, Matt Holliday, Prince Fielder and a few other possible MVP candidates.

So, it's safe to say the vote will be very close. The winner will be announced Tuesday at 2 p.m.

Here's the case for and against each of the top candidates:

ROLLINS
2007 stats: .296, 30 HR, 94 RBI, 139 R, 212 H, 38 2B, 20 3B, 41 SB, .875 OPS
In January, he said the Phillies would be the "team to beat" in the NL East, and he backed up his prediction with a season that was nothing short of historic, becoming the first player ever to have at least 200 hits, 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 homers and 20 steals. Over the final 35 games, he batted .335 with eight homers, 22 RBIs and 31 runs scored, and in 18 games against the Mets, he batted .346 (28-for-81) with six homers, 15 RBIs and 15 runs. He started every game -- and played all but 17 innings -- at shortstop, a physically demanding skill position, winning the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. And his performance at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park (.300, 18 homers) wasn't much different than anywhere else (.293, 12 homers). But he also plays in a lineup that features reigning NL MVP Ryan Howard and All-Star second baseman Chase Utley, an MVP candidate until he broke his right hand in July.

HOLLIDAY
2007 stats: .340, 36 HR, 137 RBI, 120 R, 216 H, 50 2B, 6 3B, 11 SB, 1.012 OPS
Good luck finding a more dominant offensive player. He won the NL batting title, led the league in RBIs, hits, doubles, total bases (386) and extra-base hits (92), ranked second in slugging percentage (.607), third in runs and fourth in homers. And when the Rockies needed to win nearly every game to make the playoffs, he batted .442 (23-for-52) with five homers and 17 RBIs in the final 13 games. But he plays left field, a less challenging position than Rollins, and isn't particularly good at it. He also seemed to benefit from playing in the thin air at Coors Field, where he batted .376 and hit 25 of his homers. And until the final weeks of the season, playing in Denver also left him in relative obscurity, at least compared to Rollins, who benefits from the exposure of playing in a large Northeast market.

FIELDER
2007 stats: .288, 50 HR, 119 RBI, 109 R, 165 H, 35 2B, 2 3B, 2 SB, 1.013 OPS
Much like Howard in 2006, he was the NL's premier power hitter, blasting a league-leading 50 homers and slugging .618. And the Brewers play in Miller Park, a ballpark that doesn't particularly favor hitters. He had 29 homers before the All-Star break, leading the Brewers to a 49-39 record and first place in the NL Central. But Milwaukee swooned in the second half, going 34-40 and missing the playoffs. And although that wasn't Fielder's fault (he hit 21 homers in 71 games after the All-Star break), 12 of the last 17 NL MVPs have come from playoff teams. Voters didn't hold it against Howard that the Phillies missed the playoffs last season, but he also nearly single-handedly got them there. Fielder couldn't prevent the Brewers from blowing an 8-1/2-game lead in late June.

If I had a ballot (I voted for the NL Cy Young Award), I would've given Rollins the slight edge over Holliday, with Fielder in third place. The rest of my ballot probably would've looked something like this: 4. David Wright (Mets); 5. Chipper Jones (Braves); 6. Hanley Ramirez (Marlins); 7. Chase Utley (Phillies); 8. Eric Byrnes (Diamondbacks); 9. Jake Peavy (Padres); 10. Ryan Howard (Phillies).

In case you're wondering, the last team to have different players win back-to-back MVP awards was the Giants (Jeff Kent in 2000, Barry Bonds in 2001).

How would you have voted?

Nov. 16 -- UP AND ADAM?

So, with the hot stove blazing with rumors about Mike Lowell and Aaron Rowand, the Phillies can't stop talking about pitching. For the 800th time in the past month, Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro Jr. reiterated yesterday that the Phillies are still prioritizing upgrading their pitching staff, even though they've already traded for closer Brad Lidge and returned Brett Myers to a starting role.

As the old saying goes, you never can have enough pitching ...

... especially when Adam Eaton is in your rotation.

OK, so that's not exactly how the old saying goes, but you get my point. It's been nearly a year since the Phillies signed Eaton to a three-year, $24.5 million contract, and last season, he was an unmitigated disappointment, going 10-10 with a 6.29 ERA and no quality starts after July 3. Everyone chuckled in August when he went on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. The prevailing thought was that a shoulder injury was a convenient way to get Eaton -- and his bloated ERA -- off the mound.

But maybe, just maybe, the injury was more serious than everybody thought.

Recently, I spoke on the phone with Eaton, and while he was careful to not make excuses for his wretched season, the $24.5 Million Man admitted he pitched through shoulder discomfort. "Things were bothering me most of the season that no one knew about," Eaton told me. In fact, he's so concerned about his shoulder that last month he requested an appointment with noted surgeon Dr. Lewis Yocum. Eaton underwent an MRI exam that Gillick said revealed "normal wear and tear," and Yocum and Phillies physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti concurred that Eaton doesn't need surgery. At least not yet. Eaton has begun a rehabilitation program, and the Phils are hopeful that he'll be ready to pitch at full strength by spring training.

Just in case, though, they're shopping for a back-of-the-rotation starter. They've expressed interest in Japanese right-hander Hiroki Kuroda, and Amaro said they've contacted agents for several other pitchers. With about $10-12 million left to spend before they reach their projected $105 million payroll, the Phils will gauge whether they can re-sign Rowand or upgrade at third base only after they address their remaining pitching needs.

But I can't stop thinking that if Eaton were healthy and effective last season, they may feel like those needs already have been met.

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Believe it or not, Jon Lieber's tenure with the Phillies may not be over. Rex Gary, the agent who represents Lieber and Lidge, said yesterday that the door may not be completely shut on Lieber re-signing with the Phillies. Amaro also wouldn't totally rule out the possibility either. And while I still believe it's a long shot, I think the Phillies would consider bringing Lieber back if the 37-year-old right-hander is willing to accept a one-year deal with a low base salary and performance bonuses. Gary wouldn't discuss Lieber's demands.

"I know he's not happy, at this point in his career, with how things ended last year," Gary said, referring to Lieber's season-ending foot surgery in July. "He wants to show somebody, wherever it is, that he's the pitcher he was when the Phillies signed him three years ago."

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Talked baseball the other day with Harry Mayes and Jamie Yannacone (a.k.a., the 700 Level Fanatics) on Sports Radio 950. Download the podcast here.

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Oh, and Scott Rolen returning to the Phillies? Don't bet on it. They'd have a better chance of landing Barry Bonds.

Nov. 15 -- NO LOWELL

So, the Phillies just held a press conference at the Bank to formally introduce Brad Lidge, which gave many reporter types a chance to ask Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro Jr. about the ESPN.com and ESPN radio rumor that the Phillies are hot and heavy into negotiations for Mike Lowell on a lucrative, multiyear and back-loaded contract.

Untrue, Gillick said.

"We're concentrating on our pitching right now," Gillick said.

But what about those ESPN reports?

"You can't believe everything you see on ESPN.com," Gillick said without cracking a smile. "Our concentration is pitching. That's where we're going to concentrate right now."

For the record, Gillick said the Phillies are still looking for two more pitchers. They prefer a starter to a reliever, and they prefer a lefty reliever to a right-handed reliever.

Time for me to start writing for the 50-center, but for now, I'd like to hear your thoughts. Are the Phillies making a mistake by pouring so much of their available cash into pitching?

Nov. 14 -- MANUEL FINISHES SECOND

Charlie Manuel began 2007 on the proverbial hot seat.

He'll end it as runner-up for the National League's Manager of the Year.

Manuel, the often ridiculed Phillies skipper, finished second today to Arizona's Bob Melvin in balloting announced by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Manuel received seven first-place votes and appeared on 26 of the 32 ballots submitted by two writers from each NL city.

Overall, Manuel finished with 76 points. Melvin, who guided the Diamondbacks to the NL West crown, received 19 first-place votes and finished with 119 points. Colorado's Clint Hurdle finished third with 58 points.

Manuel, 63, led the pitching-poor and injury-riddled Phillies to 89 wins and their first NL East crown since 1993. He worked as a lame-duck manager in 2007 before receiving a two-year contract extension last month. Never the most popular choice to lead the Phillies when he was hired in November 2005, he took criticism in April for the club's 4-11 start. But an April 21 team meeting in Cincinnati sparked a turnaround. Despite injuries to several key players that forced the Phillies to use a franchise-record 28 pitchers, including 14 starters, they went 85-62 over the final 147 games and rallied from a 7-1/2-game deficit with 17 games remaining to overtake the New York Mets in the NL East.

In three seasons with the Phillies, Manuel is 262-224 (.539 winning percentage). He's the first Phillies manager to post three straight winning seasons since Danny Ozark (1975-78) and reached 250 wins faster than any manager in team history since Pat Moran (1915-18).

Nov. 13 -- FREE AGENT FRENZY

It's an annual formality, but it's always worth noting: Starting today, about 150 players who have filed for free agency hit the open market, raising the temperature on the hot stove and kicking off shopping season for GMs.

Think Christmas shopping is crazy? Check this out.

For the Phillies, there's only about $10 million to spend on their remaining needs: Pitching, namely a back-of-the-rotation starter and another setup man for new closer Brad Lidge, and the outfield, especially if they don't re-sign center fielder Aaron Rowand. Speaking of Rowand, offers are already rolling in, and it appears he may get an even bigger contract than initially projected.

If he's out of the Phillies' price range, expect them to look for a left-handed hitting outfielder to platoon with righty-swinging Jayson Werth in right field. Geoff Jenkins would be a nice fit. He had 24 doubles and 21 homers in only 420 at-bats last season. The Brewers didn't pick up his option, and Jenkins definitely won't be back in Milwaukee (tell-tale sign: he took out a full-page ad in the Journal-Sentinel last month to thank fans), and the Phils tried to trade for him last winter. But he won't come cheap. Not after making $7.3 million last season.

Here's a full list of free agents. Any pitchers or outfielders catch your eye?

Starters: Tony Armas Jr., Shawn Chacon, Roger Clemens, Matt Clement, Bartolo Colon, Elmer Dessens, Josh Fogg, Freddy Garcia, Tom Glavine, Livan Hernandez, Jason Jennings, Joe Kennedy, Byung-Hyun Kim, Hiroki Kuroda, Jon Lieber, Kyle Lohse, Rodrigo Lopez, Eric Milton, Brian Moehler, Russ Ortiz, Odalis Perez, Andy Pettitte, Mark Redman, David Riske, Mariano Rivera, Kenny Rogers, Aaron Sele, Carlos Silva, John Thomson, Brett Tomko, Steve Trachsel, Ron Villone, Luis Vizcaino, Jeff Weaver, David Wells, Kip Wells, Randy Wolf, Jamey Wright
Relievers: Jeremy Affeldt, Antonio Alfonseca, Armando Benitez, Doug Brocail, Francisco Cordero, Octavio Dotel, Keith Foulke, Eric Gagne, Eddie Guardado, LaTroy Hawkins, Matt Herges, Jorge Julio, Ray King, Scott Linebrink, Ron Mahay, Jose Mesa, Trever Miller, Mike Myers, Troy Percival, Chris Reitsma, Al Reyes, Arthur Rhodes, Rudy Seanez, Mike Timlin, Bob Wickman, Kerry Wood
Catchers: Sandy Alomar Jr., Brad Ausmus, Paul Bako, Rod Barajas, Michael Barrett, Gary Bennett, Ramon Castro, Mike DiFelice, Sal Fasano, Jason Kendall, Jason LaRue, Mike Lieberthal, Paul Lo Duca, Mike Matheny, Damian Miller, Doug Mirabelli, Jose Molina, Josh Paul, Mike Piazza, Kelly Stinnett, Yorvit Torrealba
First basemen: Sean Casey, Tony Clark, Robert Fick, Julio Franco, Eric Hinske, Ryan Klesko, Doug Mientkiewicz, Greg Norton, Mark Sweeney, Mike Sweeney
Second basemen: Geoff Blum, Miguel Cairo, Luis Castillo, Damian Easley, Jerry Hairston, Ramon Martinez, Kazuo Matsui, Jose Valentin
Third basemen: Aaron Boone, Russell Branyan, Jeff Cirillo, Pedro Feliz, Tony Graffanino, Corey Koskie, Mike Lamb, Mike Lowell, Abraham Nunez, Alex Rodriguez
Shortstop: Royce Clayton, David Eckstein, Chris Gomez, Cesar Izturis, Mark Loretta, Neifi Perez, Chris Woodward
Outfielders: Barry Bonds, Milton Bradley, Mike Cameron, Jeff DaVanon, Darin Erstad, Cliff Floyd, Kosuke Fukudome, Luis Gonzalez, Shawn Green, Jose Guillen, Torii Hunter, Geoff Jenkins, Andruw Jones, Bobby Kielty, Kenny Lofton, Rob Mackowiak, Trot Nixon, Orlando Palmeiro, Corey Patterson, Aaron Rowand, Reggie Sanders, Sammy Sosa, Shannon Stewart, Rondell White, Brad Wilkerson, Preston Wilson

Nov. 13 -- KENDRICK FINISHES FIFTH

Ordinarily, a pitcher who wins 10 games after being called up from double-A in mid-June would be a top candidate for Rookie of the Year.

Kyle Kendrick finished fifth. A distant fifth.

There was an extraordinary crop of rookies in the National League in 2007. So, although Kendrick shocked even the most optimistic team executives by going 10-4 with a 3.87 ERA and winning more games than any Phillies rookie since Pat Combs won 10 in 1990, he got only one second-place vote and four third-place votes in an election announced yesterday by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Over the next few days, you'll be hearing a lot about the BBWAA, which votes on the four major postseason awards (MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year). Here's how it works: Each market in each league gets two votes for each award. In Philadelphia, no writer votes for more than one award. (Full disclosure: I voted for the NL Cy Young Award. Jake Peavy got my first-place vote, followed by Brandon Webb and Jose Valverde). Votes are due no later than the final day of the regular season, so postseason performance isn't a factor. Trust me when I tell you that most writers take their vote seriously.

Hard to argue with the Rookie of the Year decisions. In the closest vote since the current system was adopted in 1980, Brewers third baseman Ryan Braun edged Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. Astros outfielder Hunter Pence finished in third place, while Diamondbacks center fielder Chris Young was fourth, leaving Kendrick fifth. Over in the AL, Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia won easily over Devil Rays outfielder Delmon Young and Royals pitcher Brian Bannister.

Where would you have put Kendrick in the packed NL rookie field?

Nov. 10 -- BREAKING NEWS: ROMERO RE-SIGNS

With only a few more days to negotiate exclusively with J.C. Romero, the Phils have re-signed the lefty reliever to a three-year, $12 million contract with a $4.75 million club option for 2011. It's a more lucrative deal than I thought Romero would get when the season ended, but to retain him in this weak free-agent market, the Phils had to pony up serious cash. Romero would've gotten similar money -- maybe even more -- if he'd hit the open market this week.

Quick story: A few days ago, I received a 19-page e-mail from the publicist for free-agent Ron Mahay, who may be the best lefty reliever remaining on the open market. In the portfolio, Mahay's agent assembled stats that demonstrate how he fares against prominent left-handed hitters, including Ryan Howard (0-for-3), David Ortiz (1-for-7) and Carlos Delgado (0-for-13).

Also, there are statistical breakdowns that compare Mahay with other lefty relievers, including Romero. Over the past five years, here's how they match up:

ERA
Mahay: 3.51
Romero: 4.03

Opponents' batting average
Mahay: .239
Romero: .246

Strikeouts per nine innings
Mahay: 7.71
Romero: 7.22

Walks/hits per innings pitches (WHIP)
Mahay: 1.38
Romero: 1.54

It'll be interesting to see if Mahay gets a bigger deal than Romero. For now, I'll ask you, are the Phillies better off with Romero, or should they have gone after Mahay?

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The wave of postseason awards kicks into gear this week. Here's a schedule of the award announcements by the Baseball Writers Association of America:

Monday -- AL Rookie of the Year, NL Rookie of the Year
Tuesday -- AL Cy Young
Wednesday -- AL Manager of the Year, NL Manager of the Year
Thursday -- NL Cy Young
Monday, Nov. 19 -- AL MVP
Tuesday, Nov. 20 -- NL MVP

Nov. 10 -- SILVER SLUGGERS FOR ROLLINS, UTLEY

Sorry for the delay on this announcement. I'm visiting friends in Boston, but wanted to mention that Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley won the Silver Slugger award yesterday. Utley was the obvious choice among NL second basemen. I'm guessing Rollins edged Hanley Ramirez among NL shortstops.

So, Rollins now has a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger. Could an NL MVP award be coming next? Mark your calendar: The MVP will be announced Nov. 20.

Since The Blog won't be particularly active this weekend, I'll leave you with this question: if you had an MVP vote, would you have picked Rollins? If not, who would you have chosen? Have a great rest of your weekend.

Nov. 8 -- MYERS SPEAKS

Don't mean to distract you from weighing in on the Brad Lidge trade (love all of your thoughtful comments so far, by the way), but I wanted to pass along a few thoughts from Brett Myers about moving back to the rotation.

Spoiler alert: He's a little disappointed.

"I’m upset," Myers said ,"not with the Phillies because I understand the situation. I’m upset because I think I found myself and my role this year as a closer. I know because I‘ve been told that I'm best suited to be a closer.

"I was bred, from the time I was born to win for the team. I understand what’s going on and I understand that for this team me going back to being a starter is the move to make. ... There are positives in this. I think I’ve proven myself as a closer and as a starter. I can be 'Slash,' the next Kordell Stewart. If the time comes and I’m on the market as a free agent, instead of two teams needing a starter and two needing a closer, I can make myself available as both to 30 teams. This doesn’t mean I’m unhappy in Philly. I love the team and I love the fans, but from a personal standpoint, this certainly can help me in the long run.

(Note: Myers agreed to a three-year, $25.75 million contract extension in February and can't become a free agent until after the 2009 season. He'll make $8.5 million in 2008 and $12 million in 2009).

"I definitely like closing more. I like having the ball in my hands four of five days. The only thing I don’t like in starting is I may go nuts those four days in between getting the ball."

(Update, Nov. 9, 10:30 a.m.)
Here's more from Lidge, who spoke to reporters via a conference call yesterday. Interesting that he thinks his turnaround in 2007 began at Citizens Bank Park.

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Talked on Thursday to a spokesman for Dan Lozano, J.C. Romero's agent, who was unable to confirm that a multiyear contract for the lefty reliever is imminent. But I think something will get done within the next few days.

Nov. 8 -- ANATOMY OF A DEAL

For months, even before the July 31 trade deadline, the Phillies were talking to the Astros about making a deal for one of their relievers. Sometimes, they were focused on Dan Wheeler. Other times, they discussed Chad Qualls. But there was one pitcher who really captured their attention.

Brad Lidge.

In 2004 and 2005, Lidge was among baseball's most dominant closers, collecting 71 saves in 79 chances and posting a 2.07 ERA. But he has struggled since allowing a towering homer to Albert Pujols in Game 5 of the 2005 NLCS. In the past two seasons, he's converted 51 of 66 save chances and posted a 4.37 ERA.

The Phils inquired about Lidge in April, when their bullpen was in such disarray that they turned opening-day starter Brett Myers into a reliever. Lidge, who turns 31 next month, had blown a save on opening day, allowed six runs in his first two appearances and fumbled the closer job for a second straight season. But then-Astros GM Tim Purpura insisted on restoring Lidge's confidence, not trading him.

Lidge pitched better and reclaimed his job (he blew eight saves in 27 chances but finished with a respectable 3.36 ERA). But with the Astros on their way to a 73-89 finish, Purpura was fired late in the season. And when Ruben Amaro Jr. interviewed for the Astros' GM job in September, he saw they wanted to rebuild with young players. Former Phillies GM Ed Wade, Amaro's close friend, got the job and showed more of an interest in dealing a reliever. And although the Phillies would've been perfectly content to go into 2008 with Myers as their closer, they concluded that the paper-thin market for starting pitching left them better suited to obtain a reliever and move Myers back into the rotation.

So, Wade and Amaro began discussing the framework for a deal last week, with Qualls being the centerpiece. But, over lunch Wednesday in Orlando at the GM meetings, they worked out the particulars that would send Lidge and utility infielder Eric Bruntlett to the Phils for Houston native Michael Bourn, once-reliable reliever Geoff Geary and strikeout-prone third-base prospect Mike Costanzo.

"Me interviewing in Houston and having a relationship with Ed, there may have been more of a familiarity there," Amaro said by phone late last night. "It probably made things flow more quickly than other deals might. But we had been talking with Houston for several months regarding the back end of their bullpen. Ed and the Astros were looking to get younger, get faster. Michael Bourn was an ideal fit for them with regard to getting a young player who is under their control. With [Shane] Victorino on our club, we had a little bit of a redundancy there. We felt like we had the right piece to move."

There were only two more issues to resolve.

1. After getting burned in the Freddy Garcia trade last year, the Phils wanted to check Lidge's medical condition, especially since he underwent knee surgery last month. But after consulting his doctors, they felt comfortable that he'd be ready for spring training. And Amaro said Phillies pro scout Gordon Lakey, a longtime confidante of GM Pat Gillick who lives near Houston and scouted the Astros all season, reported that Lidge's fastball velocity was up in September, an indication that his arm is healthy.

2. Gillick and Charlie Manuel phoned Myers at his home in Jacksonville, Fla., to make sure he was cool with moving back to the rotation. Myers, a starter throughout his career until April 18, had grown to relish the closer role, even choosing entry music ("Lights Out" by P.O.D.), and took great pride being on the mound for the final out Sept. 30 when the Phils clinched the NL East title. "While I think in some ways he was somewhat reluctant, he’s the ultimate team player," Amaro said. "We’re tying to bring a championship-caliber club to Philadelphia, and he's a big part of that."

Amaro summed up the deal thusly: "We were able to fill two needs, and we did it with one move." And what did they really give up? Bourn hasn't had a chance to prove anything other than he can run and play solid defense. The Phils lost faith in Geary last season. And Costanzo has raw power (27 homers last season at double-A Reading) when he makes contact (157 strikeouts in 508 at-bats).

The move also may give the Phillies some payroll flexibility to re-sign Aaron Rowand, acquire additional pitching and maybe even find some help at third base. Lidge made $5.35 million last season and is eligible for salary arbitration. He can be a free agent after next season, but Amaro said the Phils will hold off on any contract extension until after he pitches for them. Amaro said the Phils will keep looking for pitching -- starters and relievers. Their primary goal is to re-sign lefty J.C. Romero (they continue to maintain exclusive negotating rights for a few more days). If Romero re-signs, the Lidge deal leaves the pitching staff looking like this:

ROTATION: Cole Hamels, Myers, Kyle Kendrick, Jamie Moyer, Adam Eaton
BULLPEN: Lidge, Tom Gordon, Romero and Ryan Madson, with openings for three other relievers (Scott Mathieson may be ready to rejoin the bullpen, and the Phils may still have their eye on a few low-cost free agents).

So, what do y'all think? Are the Phillies better for making this deal?

Nov. 7 -- BREAKING NEWS: PHILS TRADE FOR LIDGE

For anyone who's still awake, the Phillies have just completed a trade with the Astros, acquiring closer Brad Lidge and utility infielder Eric Bruntlett for speedy outfielder Michael Bourn, reliever Geoff Geary and hit-or-miss third-base prospect Mike Costanzo.

Yes, this means Brett Myers is headed back to the starting rotation. (Posted this update on delawareonline.com).

Have to write -- quickly -- for the 50-center. MUCH more on this later tonight and tomorrow.

Nov. 7 -- GOING GLOBAL?

"We have to try to be creative with regard to acquiring pitching. We have

to keep our mind open and try to extract all the information we have."

-- Phillies assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr.

So, Curt Schilling is off the market.

Now what?

Well, pitching remains the Phillies' No. 1 priority. It's clear from talking to Pat Gillick and others in the organization that the Phils realize they can't go through another season trying to outslug themselves, even though they play in a hitter's ballpark and have the league's most feared lineup. They barely made the playoffs last season despite scoring nearly 900 runs because their pitching staff posted a 4.73 ERA, fourth-worst in the NL. If that happens again, chances are, the Phillies won't defend their NL East title.

But where should they turn for pitching help? As we saw when we did our position-by-position look at the Phils' rotation, the free-agent market is filled with aging veterans (Tom Glavine, David Wells, Kenny Rogers) and middling starters who will get overly lucrative contracts (Kyle Lohse, Carlos Silva). And everyone is looking for pitching. The cost for free agents will be outrageous, and any team that may actually trade a pitcher (White Sox with Jon Garland, Marlins with Dontrelle Willis) will demand a hefty ransom. The Phillies, who don't have much bait, likely would have to part with at least Shane Victorino and one of their few pitching prospects.

That's why they keep talking about getting creative.

If the Phillies are going to upgrade their pitching, they may have to think outside the box. How? Well, assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. confirmed in an e-mail Tuesday night that they may look toward Japan. Last winter, the Red Sox turned up reliever Hideki Okajima, the less heralded countryman of phenom Daisuke Matsuzaka. And while Dice-K got the big contract and offseason acclaim, Okajima became an All-Star and possibly baseball's top setup man.

Right-handed starter Hiroki Kuroda (pictured above) and reliever Masahide Kobayashi are the top potential free agents who could be lured to the majors. Unlike Dice-K, neither will require a posting fee before negotiations can begin (the Sox bid $51 million just to negotiate with Matsuzaka). Now, we're not going to pretend to know anything about these pitchers, although 33-year-old Kuroda appears to be a control artist and 33-year-old Kobayashi has been an effective closer for several years. But we will give you their stats in Japan and let you judge for yourself: In lieu of the limited free-agent or trade options, should the Phils pursue a Japanese pitcher?

HIROKI KURODA
2007 with Hiroshima: 12-8, 26 starts, 7 CG, 179.2 IP, 176 H, 42 BB, 123 K, 3.56 ERA
Career: 103-89, 271 starts, 74 CG, 1700.1 IP, 1706 H, 445 BB, 1,257 K, 3.69 ERA

MASAHIDE KOBAYASHI
2007 with Chibba Lotte: 49 G, 47.1 IP, 53 H, 12 BB, 35 K, 27 SV, 3.61 ERA
Career: 445 G, 580.1 IP, 507 H, 170 BB, 463 K, 227 SV, 2.79 ERA

KAZUO FUKUMORI
(31-year-old reliever)
2007 with Tohoku Rakuten: 34 G, 36 IP, 44 H, 17 BB, 33 K, 17 SV, 4.75 ERA
Career: 377 G, 662 IP, 670 H, 243 BB, 460 K, 72 SV, 3.68 ERA

Nov. 6 -- GOLD FOR ROLLINS, ROWAND

For years, Jimmy Rollins has been one of the best defensive shortstops in the National League. And, for years, he has watched as Omar Vizquel, Edgar Renteria, or someone else won the Gold Glove Award.

No more.

Rollins and center fielder Aaron Rowand were named today as NL Gold Glove winners, marking the first time the Phils have had multiple Gold Glove winners since 1982 (Garry Maddox, Mike Schmidt, Manny Trillo). NL managers and coaches vote for the award each year.

Rollins, who likely edged Vizquel and Rockies rookie Troy Tulowitzki, made 11 errors in 717 chances, ranked third among NL shortstops with a .985 fielding percentage, started every game and played all but 17 innings. Rowand, meanwhile, made only two errors in 405 chances and led NL center fielders with 11 assists.

Here's the full list of winners:

National League: C- Russell Martin, Dodgers; 1B- Derrek Lee, Cubs; 2B- Orlando Hudson, Diamondbacks; SS- Jimmy Rollins, Phillies; 3B- David Wright, Mets; OF- Carlos Beltran, Mets; OF- Andruw Jones, Braves; OF- Jeff Francoeur, Braves; OF- Aaron Rowand, Phillies; P- Greg Maddux, Padres.
American League: C- Ivan Rodriguez, Tigers; 1B- Kevin Youkilis, Red Sox; 2B- Placido Polanco, Tigers; SS- Orlando Cabrera, Angels; 3B- Adrian Beltre, Mariners; OF- Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners; OF- Torii Hunter, Twins; OF- Grady Sizemore, Indians; P- Johan Santana, Twins.

Trivia question: Rollins is the fourth Phillies shortstop to win the Gold Glove. Can you name the other three? Answer later this week.

Nov. 6 -- SCHILLING RETURNS TO SOX

So, after all that talk of Curt Schilling possibly returning to the Phillies, he has reached a preliminary agreement with the Red Sox on a one-year, $8 million contract.

He got his wish.

Schilling didn't even have to open his mouth yesterday at Green Valley Country Club for his first choice to be obvious. The blue Red Sox pullover with the World Series patch on the sleeve that he wore on the golf course was a dead giveaway. More than anything, Schilling wants to finish his career in Boston, and now, it appears he will. Somehow, even with Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and Tim Wakefield under contract, the Sox found room for Schilling for one more year.

So, where do the Phillies turn now? They never had a chance to negotiate with Schilling, who could deal only with the Sox until next Tuesday. And with Schilling never reaching the open market, the free-agent pickings are even slimmer. Carlos Silva, anyone?

I've talked about this with assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr., and he keeps saying the Phillies need to be "creative" about how they fill their pitching needs. But he also says they may have to live with the uncomfortable feeling that comes with signing someone like Adam Eaton to a mega-deal. Within the next month, Silva, Kyle Lohse and others will get offers that make the Phillies and other teams feel uncomfortable.

Check tomorrow's 50-center for more on where the Phils may turn to fill their pitching need. OK, your turn: With Schilling off the market, which pitchers top your list for the Phillies?

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As Pat Gillick predicted last week, GMs voted 25-5 today in favor of using instant replay on boundary calls. It will be interesting to see how commissioner Bud Selig reacts to this. Selig has been a longtime opponent of replay.

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Dave Huppert, who won championships at low-A Lakewood and single-A Clearwater in the past two seasons, has been named as the Phillies' manager at triple-A Lehigh Valley. Huppert replaces John Russell, who has been hired to manage the Pirates.

Nov. 5 -- SCHILLING SPEAKS

LAFAYETTE HILLS, Pa. -- Spent the afternoon at the Green Valley Country Club in Montgomery County, Pa., where Curt Schilling held his annual golf tournament to benefit ALS. After he came off the course, Schilling sat down with reporters to discuss his continued work with the ALS Association, his impending free agency and his thoughts on possibly signing with the Phillies.

We'll have plenty in the 50-center tomorrow, so I don't want to scoop myself. But here are a few highlights from Schilling's 20-minute Q&A.

On Curt's Pitch for ALS, which has raised $1.4 million in Philadelphia since 1993:
It continues to amaze me the amount of support the Philadelphia community has shown Shonda and I and the ALS Association. This is the 14th year this event has been running. I would question how many other athletes have had an event that has had this much contribution from the community run this long in addition to being gone for seven years and it continues to thrive. I’m so proud of the fact that these people have remained supportive of the association even though Shonda and I haven’t been here.

On being a free agent:
There’s no mystery surrounding what I’m thinking and what we’re doing. We’re working with [general manager] Theo [Epstein] and the Red Sox on getting a contract to finish my career in Boston. If that doesn’t pan out, then [the Phillies] are certainly one of the teams that we would be very interested in discussing a final year with.

On the Phillies now compared to when he left in 2000:
They’re much better as a team. I thought that they were the favorite in my mind as the season wound down. They’ve got an incredibly young, talented nucleus. They’ve got a good manager. I’ve played with some guys that have played for him. They love him. Pat Gillick is a guy that is good at what he does. I’ve heard great things about him. This is where we became major leaguers, my wife and my family and I. This is where I began to establish myself, so there are a lot of good memories here. The philosophy has changed. This city was up in arms this year in a good way as the season wound down. They’re disappointed in how they finished, but I think this is a team that’s going to contend for a significant period of time.

On looking for only a one-year contract:
I don’t want to play more than one more year. These things have never been overly complicated. I’m not going to break the bank. Whatever the number is going to be, it’s still going to be a crapload of money. I want it to be one of the teams. I want it to be Boston. If that doesn’t work out, I’ve heard from enough teams that have expressed significant interest to the point that I don’t think it’ll take very long.

On whether he's heard from Gillick or Ruben Amaro Jr.:
No, I haven't.

On transforming from a power pitcher to a finesse pitcher last season:
It was definitely a challenge. It was a very odd sequence of events that led to the disabled-list stint that I went through in the middle of the season. I came within one out of a no-hitter, and two starts later, I’m throwing the ball 82 mph. There was some physical issues that needed to be addressed. That six weeks off, I began to reassess what I was made of from a physical standpoint and how I was going to go forward. It was a challenge. Coming back, I think there were some games when maybe I was a little bit too stubborn and wouldn’t relinquish to some things that I needed to. Finally, [pitching coach] John [Farrell] and [catcher] Jason [Varitek] and I sat down as the season went along, and we realized that we were at a point where my fastball was going to be what it was and the other stuff was going to be what it was, and how were we going to be able to dominate teams with that stuff. Since ’04, I don’t feel like I’ve had a consistent season start to finish, or a good one. I’m going to put myself in a place going into spring training next year to do that. I have no intention of going out and scraping by and being a 14-11 guy with a 4.20. I’m not made like that.

On changing his training regimen this offseason:
All of the physical stuff will change. I came into spring training in a situation that I was much heavier than I should have been. Nobody to blame but myself. I can’t allow that to ever happen again. Then, there’s other issues working out this winter physically that I’m going to address and take care of. My goal is to come out next year and to win a world championship, a Cy Young and walk away.

On how he'll feel if the Sox don't re-sign him:
What it says is I don’t fit there. That’s how it works. They have an incredibly strong, young nucleus of players. This is going to be a good team for a long time. If I don’t fit, it’s because I don’t fit. I’ve already gotten way past that. I’ll be incredibly disappointed because it’s what I want. But I’ll move somewhere else, and I’ll make the very best of all of it.

OK, I have to start hacking away for the 50-cent edition. Assuming it will cost them at least $10 million and maybe closer to $13 million next season, do you want to see Schilling in the Phillies' starting rotation?