Aaron who?Less than two weeks after Aaron Rowand defected to San Francisco for five years and $60 million, the Phillies have re-stocked their outfield and seemingly set their bench by signing free agent Geoff Jenkins last week and adding So Taguchi today.
Taguchi, 38, agreed to a one-year, $1.05 million contract with a club option for 2009. Just talked to assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr., who said Taguchi will be used similarly to Michael Bourn last season. Translation: Taguchi will give the Phillies a late-game defensive replacement for left fielder Pat Burrell and insurance against injury to center fielder Shane Victorino. He also will provide a right-handed bat off the bench, a role he performed well for the St. Louis Cardinals.
As a pinch-hitter last season, Taguchi batted .406 (13-for-32). He also batted .323 (21-for-65) with runners in scoring position. Overall, Taguchi batted .290 with three home runs and 30 RBIs in 130 games and played all three outfield positions.
"We like the versatility that he adds," Amaro said by phone. "He's a plus defender across the board in the outfield -- left, center and right. He's had what you'd call surprising offensive numbers especially last year as far as being a bench player and such. He kind of flies under the radar a little bit, but he's a solid offensive player."
With Burrell, Victorino, Jenkins, Jayson Werth and Taguchi, the Phillies' outfield is set. Assuming they keep 12 pitchers, their five-man bench with include backup catcher Chris Coste, utility infielder Eric Bruntlett, Taguchi, either Werth or Jenkins and either Greg Dobbs or Wes Helms, depending on who starts at right field or third base.
So, let's hear it: Is there a better group of position players in the NL than this group of Phillies?
Catchers (2): Carlos Ruiz, Chris Coste
Infielders (6): Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Greg Dobbs, Wes Helms, Eric Bruntlett
Outfielders (5): Pat Burrell, Shane Victorino, Geoff Jenkins, Jayson Werth, So Taguchi
11 comments:
I don't believe this bench is better simply because of the lack of a power hitter to simply a late game pinch hit homerun. It's ashame Tony Clark is purely a 1B, because his power would be a nice fit. I still like the idea of getting a real 3B to replace Wes Helms, and letting Dobbs be purely a pinch hitter.
Scott,
The offense is set....what will we do at pitching? Who is the lefty we will get? parrish? Trever Miller?
Are we looking at Livan Hernandez at all...I feel we are one starter and one reliever away from being the team to beat in the entire NL
I don't know how much Livan Hernandez would help, to be honest. I feel really good about the bench this season, I'd feel even better if Dobbs would be allowed to just pinch-hit. His average when pinch-hitting was outstanding, as was the time spent when he filled in for Howard at first.
The only thing Hernandez would do would be to soak up innings, but with four guys signed, why eliminate the competition for that fifth starters' spot?
Durbin's quite capable of filling that role, as (apparently) is Eaton, Blackley, or even Mathieson.
As far as lefty relievers, I'd like to see the Phils make a run at Miller or maybe Guardado. He's a lefty with closing experience and would come cheap -- sounds like a definite target on Gillick's radar screen to me.
Gillick is having a really good under the radar off-season thus far. People will get on him for not making the "big move," but there really isn't one out there to make.
I would be ecstatic if we got Crede, Josh Towers, and another reliever (Otsuka most likely, if healthy) before ST and I believe we would be the favorites to win the NL with just our pitching staff having to be average.
I am not so concerned about being 'favorites' as I am with the Phils having a decent April. I like this bench ... especially when you consider that Coste be used as a catcher/3B or 1B. I don't want to give away the farm for a broken down triplebagger like Crede. If we can get him on the cheap, thats great. Otherwise, I'll take my chances with Dobbs and Helms.
Of course we wouldn't be giving up the farm to get Crede. He was rumored to be on the verge of getting non-tendered but the Sox decided to keep him. It probably would take a mid level prospect to get him. My point is that in the NL we are not that far off. You don't have to be a great team in the NL, you just have to be good enough to stick in it and get hot at the end of the year.
I think Gillick should look into getting Towers and Otsuka and then that would set our pitching for the year. With all the pitching prospects we have in the minors, I think we are set for years.
Scott,
What do you think about the players I mentioned in my earlier posts?
Also, why didn't the Phils invite Adrian Cardenas to Spring Training? The kid's their best position prospect and I think working with Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Jimmy Rollins (along with the other infielders) could only help him. It'd also be excellent to see how he handles major-league pitching.
We have the best Position Players in the NL.
I think we will have Jaramillo who is a switch-hitter with more pop from left side replace Coste as the back up Catcher, and
I think we will see Crede replace Helms at 3B putting Dobbs on the bench as the top lefty.
The Phillies can't help but finish ahead of the Mets in 2008. The Mets continue to make lame brain moves. The Milledge for Ryan Church trade, while not as bas as the Ryan for Fregosi trade, or even close to the Kazmir for Zambrano trade (uhg!!!), will be a huge bust of for the Bums from Queens. Even if Milledge is immature, he has huge potential. Under the right direction, he could flourish. Hey, Church is no prize either given his past comments on religion, especially at Shea Stadium where Glatt Kosher hot dogs outsell the regular dogs.
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