Dec. 12 -- SAYONARA

So, neither Tadahito Iguchi nor Kosuke Fukudome will be Phillies in 2008.

In the latest chapter of "Who Won't Be Coming To Philly," Iguchi has signed a one-year contract to play second base for the Padres and Fukudome will make his major-league debut in center field for the Cubs. The Phillies weren't a serious player for Fukudome, who narrowed his choices to Chicago and San Diego after finally deciding to come over from Japan. But both the Phils and Iguchi wanted to strike a deal that would've made Iguchi the third baseman, sent Greg Dobbs back to a pinch-hitting role for which he's well-suited and placed Wes Helms firmly on the trade block.

It didn't happen, thanks in large part to a tricky MLB rule.

As I wrote ad nauseum last week from Nashville, when Iguchi left Japan to sign with the White Sox before the 2005 season, his contract stipulated that he be allowed to become a free agent after three years instead of the usual six, essentially bypassing arbitration. For that to happen, the White Sox had to either re-sign or release him after 2007. The Phils inherited that contract when they traded for Iguchi on July 27, so after the season, in compliance with his contract, they released Iguchi, who wanted to test the free-agent market.

Anyway, Iguchi didn't find many teams willing to give him a multiyear contract to play second base. So, last week, his agent Rocky Hall told the Phillies over a few scoops of Haagen-Dasz that Iguchi was willing to play third if they offered him a multiyear deal. The Phillies happily offered two years with an option, but there was no way to circumvent an MLB rule that prohibits a player who was released after the season to re-sign with the team that released him until May 15. Iguchi was unwilling to play in triple-A for the season's first six weeks, so the deal fell apart.

Now what? Having failed to lure Mike Lowell or Iguchi, the Phillies can stick with a Helms/Dobbs platoon at third base. They have little interest in trading for Brandon Inge, as long as the Tigers aren't willing to pick up most of the $19.1 million left on his contract. Morgan Ensberg isn't expected to be tendered a contract by the Padres, but the Phillies' interest in lukewarm. Free-agent Pedro Feliz remains a possibility, although several people in the organization aren't keen on Feliz or his .288 on-base percentage from last season.

So, who's on third? Stay tuned.