LAS VEGAS -- Most of the Phillies' delegation -- dubbed here as "Amaro's Eleven" -- is scheduled to leave Vegas today. So, as I walked along the Strip last night, I half expected to see Ruben Amaro Jr., Pat Gillick, Scott Proefrock, Benny Looper, Chuck LaMar, Charley Kerfeld and the rest of the Crew standing in front of the Bellagio and wistfully watching the fountains, just like everyone's favorite Hollywood thieves. (I'll let you decide which ones would be played by George Clooney and Brad Pitt.)
Anyway, the 2008 winter meetings are over, and for the Phillies, it was a week of near-misses. They spent considerable time and energy tying to nudge the Padres and Cubs toward the completion of a three-team trade that would've brought versatile Mark DeRosa to Philadelphia. Alas, it didn't happen. The Cubs balked at having to move DeRosa, and the deal is dead (for now).
The Phillies' contingency plan, according to sources, is to sign free-agent Raul Ibanez to play left field. Ibanez, 36, would be the first corner outfielder to sign, and thus, he'd likely set the market for those that follow. But he figures to command a multiyear contract and a sizable raise from the $5.5 million that he made last season. Ibanez is an underrated player, a .286 career hitter who seems to be getting better with age. Over the past three seasons, he has averaged 26 homers and 113 RBIs, comparable to Pat Burrell's average of 31 homers and 99 RBIs over the past four years. (Sources have said that Burrell is seeking a three-year contract, but surprisingly, nobody seemed to be talking about him at the Bellagio this week.)Ibanez is a left-handed hitter, which wouldn't make him a particularly good fit in the Phillies' already lefty-loaded lineup. But he batted .305 (60-for-197) against left-handed pitchers last season. Was that an aberration? Ibanez is a .268 career hitter against lefties, but few know him better than Gillick and Looper, who were backers of Ibanez during their tenures with the Mariners. Indications are that a deal with Ibanez could happen quickly, once "Amaro's Eleven" return to Philly.
Don't like Ibanez? The next-best option appears to be trading for righty-swinging Delmon Young. But the Twins are asking for 24-year-old infield prospect Jason Donald, and the Phillies aren't eager to move him.
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Amaro said he figured Jamie Moyer was talking to other teams, but he didn't know which ones. Well, now we do. Moyer has gotten interest from the Brewers, who lost CC Sabathia this week and almost surely will lose Ben Sheets, too.
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Within the notebook, we have more on Cole Hamels' comments about the Mets to WFAN and Omar Minaya's refusal to declare the Mets are the "team to beat" in the NL East. There's also some more information on the Phils' Rule 5 draft picks.
I'll be traveling home for most of the day, so updates to The Blog will be sparse this afternoon. Meanwhile, I'd like to hear from you regarding Ibanez. Should the Phillies sign him to replace Burrell in left field?
3 comments:
No way, he is older than Burrell but wants a contract about the same length and avg annual value. He's a lefty which would mean our only consistent right handed bat would be Werth. He's almost 37 now, how is he going to age at the tail of this contract? Lastly, his defense is about as bad as Burrell's which is the main reason we are being told the Phils are looking at other options.
Was Ibanez offered arbitration? Losing a draft pick for Lowe is one thing, but for a slightly above average and aged left fielder is another.
Sure, why not? I was thinking the Phils wouldn't replace Burrell to begin with and we'd be stuck with a platoon of Bruntlett/Stairs/Jenkins/Werth. I'll take him. The only question I have is that it will be another lefty in the lineup ... Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, Ibanez, ... hope they pick up a right-handed hitting third baseman!
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