Feb. 27 -- EATON RELEASED (WITH QUOTES)

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Quick note before I leave for Sarasota...

Adam Eaton, a colossal disappointment in two seasons with the Phillies, has been released this morning, one day before he had been slated to make his first spring-training appearance. Regardless of where he pitches this season, Eaton will make $8.5 million in 2009. He has 48 hours to clear release waivers (he will). Then, he can sign with another team. The Phillies must pay up to $8.1 million (his full salary less the $400,000 major-league minimum), plus a $500,000 buyout of their 2010 club option, bringing their total financial responsibility for Eaton to as much as $8.5 million.

Eaton, 31, signed a three-year, $24.5 million contract before the 2007 seasons. He went 14-18 with a 6.10 ERA in 51 appearances (49 starts) for the Phillies and was excluded from the playoff roster in both 2007 and 2008. Last year, he agreed to a minor-league assignment in late July and didn't pitch after being recalled in September. He declined to pitch in the Florida Instructional League in October and returned to his Seattle-home area while the Phillies were on their way to the World Series. Eaton didn't attend the championship parade, contending he wasn't invited.

Got a chance to talk to Eaton for more than 10 minutes. Here's some of what he had to say:

On whether he's upset by how his Phillies tenure went: "I don't think upset is the right word. Underachieve? Yeah. I wasn't as healthy as I'd lke to be. That's been my focus this spring, to be healthy so I can do what I'm able to do. Anytime you're weighing [shoulder] surgery options in the offseason before the second year of a contract -- and maybe I should have done it, maybe that would have been the best-case scenario -- but I feel fine now.

On how he'd sum up his tenure here: "Unrealized, both sides, expectations for me coming in. I thought when we signed the deal, that I would be an integral part in any positives on the field. For the most part, it didn't happen that way. I did have moments of success, but for whatever reason they were short-lived.

"Obviously, this organization thought highly enough to draft me [in the first round] in '96 and make a big splash in the offseason going into the '07 season. Thought well enough of me to make a bigger splash signing me to a three-year deal. When I left last time they got Andy Ashby. When I leave now they just get Andy Ashby's contract, I guess. It's sad, but I wish I was able to earn that money while I'm still in this uniform.

On whether he feels like he has something to prove: "I know there's a lot still left in my arm. A blip, yeah. Yeah, it's two-year blip,' but at the same time my career has been spanning since '97 coming into spring training. That's a decent percentage, but there's also a vast other percentage that's very successful. And that's what the Phillies saw when they signed me. I plan to return to that form, and with a few tweaks here and there I’ll be there."

On whether he felt pressure with his high salary: "If given the opportunity, if you're out there working hard, doing the things you can to prepare, you are earning that money. The results, you can have the best teacher in the world, but if the student tries hard, but just can't get a concept it doesn't mean they've failed as a teacher. I failed as performing to how I wanted to perform, but to say I failed as a teammate, I failed as an athelte, no. But we're all tested on a day-to-day basis. I passed a lot of days, but my results weren't very good. I think the test results weren't very good. To have a label put on you to be a certain way is fine. I have a higher label on myself than I think a lot of people do. Especially now."

More later.