Good morning, all. So, I've returned from a weekend in Boston, where I saw some friends, tasted the best Chowdah on the planet here, sat in the upper deck at the Garden for the Celtics' loss to the Nuggets (who needs Allen Iverson, anyway?) and gloated about the No. 1-ranked Boston University hockey team. Good times, folks. Good times.
Now, though, it's back to work, just in time for the announcement of the 2008 NL MVP in a few hours (2 p.m., to be exact).
And, to me, it will be a fascinating vote.
Regardless of whether Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, Manny Ramirez or someone else wins the MVP, it will reveal how several of my fellow beat writers from across the country interpret the award. If the voters believe the MVP should be awarded to the player who had the best all-around season, Pujols will win in a landslide. He batted .357 with 37 home runs and 116 RBIs and led the NL with a 1.115 on-base/slugging percentage -- all with a torn ligament in his right elbow that required surgery last month. It was, indisputably, the finest season of any player in the league.
But, of course, it isn't that simple.
With or without Pujols, the Cardinals didn't make the playoffs. In fact, they finished fourth in the NL Central and four games off the wild-card pace. Howard, meanwhile, powered the Phillies to a second straight division title with 14 homers and 38 RBIs in the last 31 games. And the Dodgers were 54-54 on July 31 when they traded for Manny and finished 30-24 and won the NL West. For true "value," the voters may turn to Howard or Manny and snub Pujols.
Personally, I'd have voted for Pujols (I had an NL Rookie of the Year vote, not an MVP vote, this season). Howard led the league in homers and RBIs, but to me, he wasn't the MVP of his own team. (Brad Lidge, anyone?). And Manny put the Dodgers on his shoulders, but it was only two months. If an MVP award was based on carrying a team for two months, Chase Utley should be considered for what he did for the Phillies in April and May.
So, who's your MVP?
*** Mick Billmeyer, the Phillies' catching instructor since 2004, was promoted Saturday to bullpen coach. He'll replace Ramon Henderson, who left the team last season for personal reasons. Henderson was reassigned to a minor-league coaching position. I'm guessing that few of you are familiar with Billmeyer, so I'll say this by way of introduction: In addition to working with the Phillies' catchers, he's a funny dude. Always quick with a joke (few can be retold here), he keeps the mood light in the bullpen. During the playoffs, in fact, Chad Durbin told me that Billmeyer deserved as much credit for the success of the Phillies' relievers as anyone.
Now that they've hired Sam Perlozzo and promoted Billmeyer, the Phils have one more coaching vacancy. Former major-league managers Jim Tracy and Terry Collins will interview this week for the bench coach position vacated last week by Jimy Williams.
*** Finally, I spoke to an old friend who is privy to the New York Mets' inner workings. Everyone knows the Mets need a closer, and they're planning to make an offer to free agents Francisco Rodriguez and Brian Fuentes (they have concerns about Kerry Wood's health). But they're also exploring trade options. Seattle's J.J. Putz and the White Sox's Bobby Jenks may be available. Their second priority is finding a starting pitcher. So, while the Phils likely will re-sign 46-year-old Jamie Moyer and turn their attention to the bullpen and left field, the Mets intend to make offers to Derek Lowe, A.J. Burnett and others who could serve as a No. 2 starter behind Johan Santana (a.k.a., The Johan) and ahead of John Maine.
OK, you play the part of Ruben Amaro Jr.: Should the Phillies feel satisfied with a rotation of Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Moyer, Joe Blanton and either J.A. Happ, Kyle Kendrick or Carlos Carrasco? Or should they throw some cash at a free-agent starter?
Yeah, I know. You've still got plenty of time. It's not even Thanksgiving, and if you're like me, you wait until the last possible minute anyway. But, for baseball general managers, the holiday shopping begins today. After two weeks of being able to negotiate only with their last team, free agents can start talking dollars and cents (if not sense) with other clubs. So, Pat Burrell, Jamie Moyer and nearly 180 other players are officially on the open market.
OK, before you start to panic, don't worry about Moyer. He may be able to negotiate with other teams, but he doesn't really want to. I'd be surprised if Moyer doesn't stay with the Phillies. In fact, I'd be surprised if they don't have a deal done next week. Ruben Amaro Jr. has been talking to Moyer's agent, Jim Bronner, for the past two weeks, and I think they'll come to an agreement shortly. Burrell is going to take a bit longer, if it happens at all. As we've mentioned in this space and in The Paper, he's bound to get generous offers from American League teams. If Burrell wants a three- or four-year contract, he'll have to go elsewhere. If he's willing to take a one- or two-year deal, he may stay right where he is. That's what the next few weeks will be about.
Here's a list of free agents, updated through Thursday night. Anyone on this list catch your eye?
Starting pitchers: Tony Armas Jr., A.J. Burnett, Paul Byrd, Bartolo Colon, Ryan Dempster, Scott Elarton, Josh Fogg, Casey Fossum, Freddy Garcia, Jon Garland, Tom Glavine, Mike Hampton, Mark Hendrickson, Livan Hernandez, Orlando Hernandez, Jason Jennings, Randy Johnson, Jon Lieber, Derek Lowe, Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez, Jamie Moyer, Mark Mulder, Mike Mussina, Darren Oliver, John Parrish, Carl Pavano, Brad Penny, Odalis Perez, Oliver Perez, Andy Pettitte, Sidney Ponson, Mark Prior, Horacio Ramirez, Kenny Rogers, Glendon Rusch, CC Sabathia, Curt Schilling, Ben Sheets, John Smoltz, Randy Wolf, Jamey Wright. Relief pitchers: Jeremy Affeldt, Luis Ayala, Joe Beimel, Doug Brocail, Juan Cruz, Elmer Dessens, Brendan Donnelly, Alan Embree, Kyle Farnsworth, Keith Foulke, Chad Fox, Brian Fuentes, Eric Gagne, Tom Gordon, Eddie Guardado, Matt Herges, Trevor Hoffman, Bobby Howry, Jason Isringhausen, Jason Johnson, Todd Jones, Jorge Julio, Mike Lincoln, Braden Looper, Brandon Lyon, Kent Mercker, Trever Miller, Guillermo Mota, Will Ohman, Chan Ho Park, Dennys Reyes, Arthur Rhodes, Juan Rincon, Ricardo Rincon, Francisco Rodriguez, Rudy Seanez, Brian Shouse, Russ Springer, Julian Tavarez, Mike Timlin, Ron Villone, David Weathers, Matt Wise, Kerry Wood. Catchers: Brad Ausmus, Paul Bako, Gary Bennett, Henry Blanco, Sal Fasano, Toby Hall, Paul Lo Duca, Adam Melhuse, Chad Moeller, Ivan Rodriguez, Jason Varitek, Javier Valentin, Vance Wilson, Gregg Zaun. Infielders: Rich Aurilia, Casey Blake, Aaron Boone, Russell Branyan, Orlando Cabrera, Miguel Cairo, Sean Casey, Juan Castro, Alex Cintron, Tony Clark, Alex Cora, Craig Counsell, Joe Crede, Ray Durham, Damion Easley, David Eckstein, Adam Everett, Rafael Furcal, Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Giambi, Chris Gomez, Mark Grudzielanek, Jerry Hairston Jr., Eric Hinske, Orlando Hudson, Cesar Izturis, Jeff Kent, Mike Lamb, Felipe Lopez, Mark Loretta, Ramon Martinez, Doug Mientkiewicz, Kevin Millar, Greg Norton, Pablo Ozuna, Nick Punto, Edgar Renteria, Luis Rivas, Mark Sweeney, Mark Teixeira, Juan Uribe, Ramon Vazquez, Omar Vizquel, Daryle Ward. Outfielders: Bobby Abreu, Moises Alou, Garret Anderson, Rocco Baldelli, Willie Bloomquist, Milton Bradley, Emil Brown, Pat Burrell, Adam Dunn, Jim Edmonds, Juan Encarnacion, Luis Gonzalez, Ken Griffey Jr., Raul Ibanez, Gabe Kapler, Mark Kotsay, Jason Michaels, Trot Nixon, Corey Patterson, Jay Payton, Scott Podsednik, Manny Ramirez, Juan Rivera, David Ross, Brad Wilkerson. Designated hitters: Cliff Floyd, Frank Thomas.
*** I'm visiting friends in Boston, and the big news up here (aside from the Patriots' loss to the Jets last night) is that the Red Sox have decided not to raise ticket prices for next season. It marks the first time since 1995, my freshman year of college, that the Sox haven't hiked the price of some or all tickets at Fenway. According to team CEO Larry Lucchino, the Sox made the decision because of the poor economy.
That isn't stopping the Phillies, though. Fresh off their 2008 World Series win, the Phils say they'll boost the price of most tickets by $2 or $3 in 2009. The really premium seats, the 100-level infield seats, will cost $6 to $50 more.
*** Got an e-mail from the Baseball Hall of Fame announcing the opening of their annual World Series exhibit on Monday. Included in the display will be Ryan Howard's bat used during Game 4 of the World Series, Carlos Ruiz's batting helmet from his game-winning hit in Game 3, the bat Joe Blanton used to hit his home run in Game 4, and the cap Brad Lidge wore during Game 5.
By the way, if you've never been to Cooperstown, you definitely should plan a trip. I used to live an hour away, and I can tell you, visiting the Hall of Fame never got old.
*** Mike Arbuckle will be a senior advisor with the Kansas City Royals, according to Jerry Crasnick over at ESPN.com. No surprise there. Arbuckle has a long relationship with Royals GM Dayton Moore and lives in Liberty, Mo., a suburb of Kansas City.
Been driving all day (spending the weekend out of town), but I wanted to pass along a few bits of news from the Phillies:
1. Sam Perlozzo has been named to the Phils' coaching staff, although the club hasn't given him a position yet. (My guess: He will be the third-base coach if the Phillies are able to hire a qualified bench coach; otherwise, Perlozzo will be the bench coach). Perlozzo, 57, will definitely handle infield instruction, a responsibility that belonged to Steve Smith for the past two seasons. Perlozzo was Seattle's third-base coach last season, and prior to that, he spent 12 years with the Orioles as a third-base coach (1996-2000), bench coach (2001-05) and manager (2005-07). He also has coached third base for the Mets (1987-89), Reds (1990-92) and Mariners (1993-95, 2008). Interesting tidbit: Perlozzo played in Japan in 1980, the same season Charlie Manuel hit 48 home runs for an opposing Japanese team.
2. Chase Utley has won his third straight Silver Slugger Award, given to the top offensive player at each position. Utley led all NL second basemen in hits (177), RBIs (104), on-base percentage (.383), slugging percentage (.583) and extra-base hits (78).
3. The Phillies have announced their 2009 spring-training schedule. Yes, already! Click here to check it out. Also, the Phillise will host the Tampa Bay Rays in the annual on-deck series on April 3 at 7:05 p.m. and April 4 at 1:05 p.m.
4. Free-agency season opens tomorrow. Players will be able to negotiate with teams other than their own. I don't expect much activity on Day 1 since negotiations supposedly are just beginning. Of course, we could see the Phillies re-sign Jamie Moyer by this weekend or early next week. Negotiations with Moyer's agent, Jim Bronner, have been ongoing.
Two weeks ago, after the Phillies paraded through Center City, Charlie Manuel told an amusing story, as only he can. He recalled a meeting with team president David Montgomery, presumably after the 2006 season when the Phillies finished second (again) in the NL East and wild-card races.
"Charlie, you've got a whole lot of seconds," Montgomery said with a smile.
"Well," Manuel said on Oct. 31, the World Series trophy at his side, "I ain't second no more."
Today, though, he finished second again.
For a second consecutive year, Manuel was runner-up in the NL Manager of the Year balloting. This time, he came in behind Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who got 15 first-place votes, eight second-place votes and four third-place votes for 103 points. Manuel received eight first-place votes, six second-place votes and nine third-place votes for 67 points. Last year, you'll recall, Manuel finished second to Arizona's Bob Melvin. (Keep in mind, the voting is conducted before the postseason, so at the time that ballots were due, the Cubs were a 97-win favorite to reach the World Series, not a first-round choke job). For the full voting, click here.
But, sometime soon, Manuel will have something that neither Piniella nor Melvin will -- a 2008 World Series ring on his finger. He may also have a contract extension. Manuel has one more year, plus a club option for 2010, on his contract. Last week, Ruben Amaro Jr. said the Phils may begin to explore an extension that will keep Manuel in the dugout for a while longer.
"We're very, very pleased with Charlie," Amaro said. "He's proven to everybody that he's the right person for this group of players."
So, Brad Lidge just completed the best season of his life, arguably as good a season as any closer has ever had. And he finished fourth in the Cy Young Award voting.
Fourth.
Actually, it's not really a surprise. As we wrote yesterday in this space and in The Paper today, closers very rarely win the Cy. Since 1989, only one closer (Eric Gagne in 2003) has won the NL Cy Young Award. In the AL, a closer hasn't won since Dennis Eckersley in 1992.
So, even though Lidge, (completely shameless plug alert: he's pictured on the cover of my book with Gary Matthews, "Phillies Confidential: The Untold Inside Story of the 2008 Championship Season," which will be in stores next week), went 41-for-41 in save chances during the regular season and was the major difference between the Phillies and Mets, it wasn't enough for him to win the Cy Young Award. Tim Linecum, the Giants' terrific right-hander, is the 2008 Cy winner, followed by Diamondbacks' 22-game winner Brandon Webb and Mets ace Johan Santana. Lidge got one second-place vote and seven third-place votes. Interestingly, Cole Hamels didn't receive any votes, not even a token third-place vote. Keep in mind, of course, that the voting takes place before the postseason. (Full disclosure: I did not have a Cy Young vote this year; I voted for the NL Rookie of the Year award).
*** Interesting trade in the NL East last night, with the Marlins sending lefty Scott Olsen and left fielder Josh Willingham to the Nationals for young second baseman Emilio Bonifacio and prospects. Makes you wonder about Dan Uggla's future in South Florida, doesn't it? Uggla, like Olsen and Willingham and recently traded first baseman Mike Jacobs, is arbitration-eligible and may be out of the penny-pinching Marlins' price range. Of course, getting Bonifacio may also signal only that the Fish are going to move Uggla to third base and Jorge Cantu to first to replace Jacobs. Regardless, on the surface, at least, the latest trade appears to have weakened the Marlins and strengthened the Nats.
More news from the Phils: Lefty reliever Scott Eyre has re-signed with the Phillies. He agreed to terms on a one-year contract worth $2 million, plus performance bonuses.
Eyre, 36, went 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA in 19 appearances after coming over Aug. 7 in a trade with the Cubs and gave the Phillies a strong second lefty reliever in front of J.C. Romero.
More in a bit.
(Updated, 9:05 p.m.): Couple of interesting points: Eyre could've signed with the Phils in 2006. He even had a recruiting luncheon with pitching coach Rich Dubee. Instead, he opted for a three-year, $11 million contract from the Cubs. But Eyre fell in love with Philly after being traded here in August (winning a World Series will have that effect), and the negotiation between agent Tommy Tanzer and GM Ruben Amaro Jr. couldn't have gone more smoothly.
"We got him at the right time when our bullpen was going through a rough time and probably was overworked, and he did a good job against righties and lefties," Charlie Manuel told me tonight. "He played a big role down there."
Jimy Williams, Manuel's bench coach for the past two seasons, has opted not to accept an invitation to return to the Phillies' coaching staff in 2009. No further details were provided by the club (working on getting more info). Williams is 65 years old. He has not been mentioned as a candidate for the Mariners' managerial vacancy.
Hitting coach Milt Thompson, pitching coach Rich Dubee and first-base coach Davey Lopes have agreed to terms on contracts for 2009.
(Updated, 7:27 p.m.): Just talked to Manuel, and he said he's surprised that Williams isn't returning. As far as he knows, Williams doesn't have any serious health problems and doesn't believe he is thinking of retiring.
"I talked to him right at the end of the year, and I told him how good a job he did and that I was looking forward to having him back," Manuel said. "He wasn't upset or nothing. It was one of those things that I think he wants to see what he wants to do. As far as I know, it's not like that he left on a bad note. He was pretty happy. I guess there's things he wants to think about. He had a bad hip, and his knees bothered him at times. I don't know if he's looking to retire. I think he's definitely thinking about some things. He's at the stage of his career where he thinks about what he wants to do. I plan on talking to him in the next couple days and kind of feeling him out and find out what's going on."
I asked if it's possible that Williams may change his mind.
"To me, it doesn't seem that way," Manuel said. "But I'll call him in a couple days and see where he's at. I think Jimy will stay in the game. It's not one of those deals where a guy was upset. That's not the case at all."
Manuel said he and Amaro will move quickly to replace Williams and third-base coach Steve Smith, who was fired last week.
To the victor go the spoils -- and the privilege of opening your season on national television.
This just in from ESPN: ESPN2's 2009 Sunday Night Baseball Opening Night telecast will feature the defending World Champion Philadelphia Phillies hosting the Atlanta Braves on April 5 at 8 p.m. ET. Additionally, the game will be available in high definition on ESPN2 HD and via ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes, ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV. The complete Sunday Night Baseball schedule will be announced at a later date.
Over the next week, while players continue to file for free agency and Cole Hamels makes even more guest appearances on television, the Baseball Writers Association of America will unveil its annual postseason awards. Just today, in fact, the announcements began with the AL and NL Rookie of Year (no surprises: Rays third baseman Evan Longoria and Cubs catcher Geovanny Soto won in landslides that rivaled Barack Obama's).
Anyway, a few of the Phillies may pick up even more hardware.
On Tuesday, perfect closer Brad Lidge could cop the NL Cy Young Award, and on Wednesday, Charlie Manuel could be crowned NL Manager of the Year. And although neither is favored to win those awards, Ryan Howard has emerged as a leading candidate to be named NL MVP next Monday. If he wins the award, it'll be his second MVP trophy in the past three years and the third straight for a Phillies player.
Here's a quick look at the top competition for each award:
CY YOUNG Leading candidates:Tim Linecum (Giants), Lidge, Johan Santana (Mets), CC Sabathia (Brewers), Brandon Webb (Diamondbacks). Why Lidge will win: He went 41-for-41 in save opportunities during the regular season and was the only full-time closer in either league without a blown save (the Yankees' Mariano Rivera was the next-best at 39-for-40). If Lidge was with the Mets, they would've won the NL East. Why Lidge won't win: Since 1989, only one closer (Eric Gagne in 2003) has won the NL Cy Young Award. In the AL, a closer hasn't won the Cy since Dennis Eckersley in 1992.
MANAGER OF THE YEAR Leading candidates:Lou Piniella (Cubs), Joe Torre (Dodgers), Fredi Gonzalez (Marlins), Manuel. Why Manuel will win: The ballots were due on the final day of the regular season, one day after the Phillies clinched the NL East. At the time, no team in the NL was hotter. Why Manuel won't win: The ballots were due on the final day of the regular season, so the Cubs' playoff implosion hadn't occurred yet. At the time, the Cubs had the NL's best record (97-64) and were favored to go to the World Series.
MVP Leading candidates:Albert Pujols (Cardinals), Howard, Manny Ramirez (Dodgers), Ryan Braun (Brewers), Carlos Delgado (Mets). Why Howard will win: Few players finished stronger. In the final 31 games, Howard batted .354 with 14 home runs and 38 RBIs. Why Howard won't win: Few players started slower. Through May 7, Howard batted .163 with six home runs and 16 RBIs in 35 games. The lowest batting average for a non-pitching NL MVP was Marty Marion's .267 in 1944. Howard batted .251. Pujols batted .357 with 37 homers and 116 RBIs, likely the best all-around year for an NL player.
So, the other day, I spoke to a scout from an NL team (not the Phillies) who has been watching Arizona Fall League games for the past few weeks. He was kind enough to offer this scouting report on Jason Donald, the Phils' 24-year-old shortstop prospect who has been playing third base in Arizona.
"He's a decent hitter. Decent power, but probably not enough power to say this guy is a starting third baseman. I think he goes to Triple-A [next year], comes up for part of the year, and they see where they are with [Pedro] Feliz. Maybe this guy could play third if you don't want to spend a lot of money on a third baseman. He's got a nice swing. I think he'll hit. Do I think he'll hit .280 or .300 with 20 or 25 homers? No, I don't think that. I think he could hit .260 or .270 and hit 10 or 12 homers. Then, the case is he's probably not a slick-enough-fielding shortstop. He's a nice player, but he's kind of caught in the middle."
In 2008, Donald batted .307 with 14 homers and 54 RBIs for Double-A Reading. He was the best hitter on the U.S. Olympic team in Beijing, and he has been raking in Arizona (.400, three homers, 13 RBIs in 21 games through yesterday). Most people I've talked to, including the aforementioned scout, project Donald will be a utility infielder in the majors. But, because the Phillies get above-average offense from their second baseman (Chase Utley) and shortstop (Jimmy Rollins), they believe Donald may hit well enough to handle third base when Feliz's contract runs out after next season. Donald undoubtedly will get a good look during spring training, although he'll probably start the season at Lehigh Valley.
*** Talked to a scout from a rival NL East team who had this unsolicited advice for Ruben Amaro Jr.: "If I was him, I'd take the $14 million [Pat Burrell's 2008 salary] and sign a Derek Lowe or a Ryan Dempster. They need to get a frontline pitcher. [Brett] Myers, for me, is a No. 3. They need a guy to go with [Cole] Hamels and give them a combination like [Boston's Josh] Beckett and Dice-K [Daisuke Matsuzaka]."
So, what do you think? Should the Phils concentrate on bolstering their pitching staff, or should they be more concerned about re-signing Burrell or replacing him with a right-handed-hitting outfielder?
*** Want to know what it was like to cover the Phillies' month-long postseason run? News Journal colleague Martin Frank compares it to running in the New York City marathon. I'll take his word for it, although surviving four weeks of crazy travel itineraries only makes me feel slightly better about being woefully out of shape.
Depressed about the Eagles' loss to the Giants? This ought to cheer you up. Shane Victorino and Cole Hamels were guests last week on The Best Damn Sports Show. They discuss, among other things, Chase Utley's choice of words during the Phillies' parade, Victorino's double-ear-flap helmet, their childhood athletic exploits, and Clay Condrey's golf skills.
So, Barack Obama is making appointments to his Cabinet, and in a way, Ruben Amaro Jr. did the same thing this week at the GM meetings. Amaro set the Phillies' front-office staff today by hiring Benny Looper and promoting Chuck LaMar to assistant GM positions.
Looper, 60, will oversee the scouting and player development areas, responsibilities previously held by Mike Arbuckle, who resigned last weekend after Amaro was named GM. Looper has worked for the past 23 years with the Mariners, so he has a history with Pat Gillick. For the past three seasons, Looper has been the Mariners' VP of player personnel. For the previous three years, he was the Mariners' VP of player development and scouting. And, if his name sounds familiar, it's probably because he's the uncle of Cardinals pitcher Braden Looper.
Lamar, 52, will manage the player development department and will work with the pro and amateur scouts. He joined the Phillies last October and spent the past season as director of pro scouting. Gillick has given LaMar great credit for his advanced scouting of the Rays before the World Series. He spent 10 seasons as Tampa Bay's GM, so he has significant experience in this area.
In other moves: Mike Ondo has been promoted to pro scouting coordinator. Ondo, 33, is kind of a rising star in front-office ranks, and he has spent the past two years as the Phillies' assistant minor-league director. He also has assisted the major-league staff on scouting reports and statisitcal analysis. Dallas Green (senior advisor), Charley Kerfeld (special assistant), Gordon Lakey (major-league scouting director), Steve Noworyta (minor-league director) and Marti Wolever (scouting director) will remain in their positions.
More on this in tomorrow's News Journal.
(Updated, 4:38 p.m.): Just spoke with Amaro and got a better sense for the division of responsibilities in the new front office. Looper essentially will replace Arbuckle, while LaMar will, in Amaro's words, "run our minor-league department," with assistance from Noworyta. Amaro plans to hire another assistant GM, likely from outside the organization, within the next 10 days. That person will be responsible for handling Amaro's old responsibilities, namely negotiating contracts and preparing arbitration cases.
Even before Ruben Amaro Jr. took over as general manager, it was the policy of the Phillies' front office not to comment on rumors. To a reporter, like myself, that's disappointing. But, of course, it's also rather understandable, especially at this time of year when the rumor mill churns faster than usual.
To wit: The GM meetings ended yesterday in Dana Point, Calif., and in reality, not much happened. The Dodgers made a two-year, $45 million offer that Manny Ramirez, at the advice of Scott Boras, surely will turn down. There was some procedural discussion of instant replay and maple bats, but that was about it. But any time 30 major-league general managers gather at a resort hotel, the rumors are bound to fly. Sprinkle in a bunch of agents and a few reporters, and the rumor mill cranks into overdrive.
SI.com floated a doozy of a rumor yesterday involving the Phillies and Matt Holliday, and it has caught on like wild fire. Basically, though, here's what we know: Yes, the Phillies and Rockies had discussions in July about Holliday, and any talks always began with Shane Victorino and included a few prospects, namely Carlos Carrasco and Lou Marson. At that time, the Phillies weren't compelled to trade Victorino, and the flat-out refused to move Marson. To my knowledge, those feelings haven't changed. But, if they aren't inclined to re-sign Pat Burrell (and they haven't been exhibiting much urgency in that area), would they consider packaging Jayson Werth and a prospect or two (not Marson) for Holliday, who would give them a scary right-handed bat in the middle of the lineup to go with lefties Chase Utley and Ryan Howard?
Sure, it's possible. If I was Amaro, I'd certainly consider it. But here are a few things to keep in mind:
1. For as great as he is, Holliday has undoubtedly benefited from hitting in Coors Field. He's a .357 career hitter with 84 homers and 307 RBIs at home. On the road, he's a .280 career hitter with 44 homers and 176 RBIs. Of course, Citizens Bank Park is a pretty darned good ballpark for hitting, and in his career, Holliday has four homers and 12 RBIs in 14 games at the South Philly Bandbox.
2. Holliday will make $13.5 million next season (Burrell made $14 million in 2008), so for one year, he'd seemingly fit into the Phillies' salary structure. But he'll become a free agent after 2009. Should the Phillies package Werth and two prospects (Carrasco and J.A. Happ, perhaps) for a player they may not be able to re-sign a year from now?
3. Though he's far from a Gold Glove outfielder, Holliday would be an upgrade over Burrell. What, though, would the Phillies do in right field? It's rather obvious that Geoff Jenkins is no longer an everyday player. Neither, it seems, is Matt Stairs. And while the Phillies believe Greg Dobbs may be able to handle the defensive responsibilities of left field, their opinion of him in right field is much different.
So, clearly, the Holliday possibility sparks as many questions as it does answers. OK, put yourself in Amaro's new GM shoes: Would you trade for Holliday? If so, what would you be willing to give up?
*** Burrell and Jamie Moyer filed for free agency yesterday. No shock there. Strictly a procedural move, and quite frankly, I'm surprised they waited as long as they did.
Throughout the season, Jimmy Rollins never concealed how he was planning to vote in the presidential election. Rollins was a staunch backer of Barack Obama, and on Monday night, mere hours before the election, he even campaigned in South Philly with Joe Biden.
"We took the curse off by winning the championship," Rollins told the crowd at the rally. "Now it's time to take the curse off America. Go out there and vote Obama. Go out there and vote so that we can have the next vice president -- Mr. Joe Biden, who happens to be a great Phillies fan."
Looks like Rollins' winning streak continued.
*** Mark your calendars: The Baseball Writers' Association of America will begin unveiling its annual awards next week. Keep in mind, the awards were voted on before the postseason. I think Charlie Manuel has an outside shot at Manager of the Year, but Ryan Howard has a legitimate chance to cop the NL MVP award. We'll handicap the awards within the next few days. All awards will be announced at 2 p.m. on the following days:
Monday- AL and NL Rookie of the Year Tuesday- NL Cy Young Wednesday- AL and NL Manager of the Year Thursday- AL Cy Young Monday, Nov. 17- NL MVP Tuesday, Nov. 18- AL MVP
Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino have won Gold Glove awards.
Rollins led all shortstops with a .988 fielding percentage in 132 starts and made only seven errors, fewest among NL shortstops. It marks his second straight Gold Glove, and he's the second Phillies player to win back-to-back Gold Gloves since Scott Rolen (2000-01).
Victorino returned to his natural center field this season, replacing 2007 Gold Glove-winner Aaron Rowand, and won his first career Gold Glove. He made a career-high 138 starts and led the team's outfielders with a .994 fielding percentage. Victorino committed only two errors in 337 total chances.
"Winning a Gold Glove is a tremendous honor for me in what was already an amazing season with us winning the World Series," Victorino said in a statement released by the team. "I take a lot of pride in playing defense and to get the recognition of the managers and coaches around the league is a great compliment."
"It is an honor anytime you are recognized as one of the best defensive players in the league,” Rollins said in the statement. "It's something I work very hard at and I understand the importance of playing on both sides of the ball. I would like to thank all the managers and coaches for believing that I am one of the best."
You could've made a compelling case for third baseman Pedro Feliz (.974 fielding percentage, 8 errors), but the Mets' David Wright won the award despite having only a .962 fielding percentage and making 16 errors.
Here's the full list of Phillies' Gold Glove winners: SS- Bobby Wine (1963); SS- Ruben Amaro (1964); 1B- Bill White (1966); SS- Larry Bowa (1972, 1978); OF- Garry Maddox (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982); P- Jim Kaat (1976, 1977); 3B- Mike Schmidt (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986); C- Bob Boone (1978, 1979); 2B- Manny Trillo (1979, 1981, 1982); P- Steve Carlton (1981); 3B- Scott Rolen (1998, 2000, 2001); C- Mike Lieberthal (1999); OF- Bobby Abreu (2005); SS- Jimmy Rollins (2007, 2008); OF- Aaron Rowand (2007); OF- Shane Victorino (2008).
So, if the Phils don't re-sign Pat Burrell, how will they replace him?
Burrell has not yet filed for free agency (he will), and the Phillies haven't opened negotiations with his agents (they will). But, already, this has become the question of the offseason, sort of the way Aaron Rowand's impending free agency occupied our hot-stove talk last year. The Phillies have three in-house options (Greg Dobbs, Matt Stairs, Geoff Jenkins), but they're all left-handed hitters. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley make the Phillies' lineup lefty-dominant, and although righty-swinging Jayson Werth will be more of a fixture in the offense next season, Charlie Manuel and GM Ruben Amaro Jr. will want to replace Burrell with a right-handed hitter in order to maintain middle-of-the-order balance.
Here, then, are two suggestions, and an examination of each:
a) Milton Bradley b) Casey Blake
BRADLEY The upside: A switch-hitter, he notched career-highs with 22 home runs and 77 RBIs for the Rangers, and although he struck out 112 times, he also drew 80 walks and had a .436 on-base percentage (Utley led the Phils at .380). He also has been classified as a Type B free agent, which means the Phillies wouldn't forfeit their first-round draft pick for signing him. (Burrell is a Type A, so the Phils will receive a first-rounder if they lose him.) The downside: Bradley wants a multiyear contract and insists he'll sit out the 2009 season if he doesn't get one. He was mostly a DH last season. His fiery temper is well-known, and the perception, at least, is that he's a clubhouse cancer. Keep in mind, though, that Bradley was a high-school teammate of Utley's and played for Manuel in Cleveland in 2001-02. If the Phils trust that Utley and Manuel can keep Bradley in check, it may be worth the risk.
BLAKE The upside: For all the talk of Manny Ramirez at the trade deadline, the Phillies made an equally strong (if not stronger) push to get Blake. Instead, Cleveland dealt him to the Dodgers, for whom he had 10 homers and 23 RBIs in 58 games. Also a Type B free agent, he can play right field (Werth would move to left) and third base, giving the Phils additional versatility. The downside: He's 35, and he hasn't played the outfield full-time since 2006 with the Indians. Then again, for two seasons, the Phils have been replacing Burrell late in games. If they don't trust Blake's defense, they'll still have Eric Bruntlett for the late innings.
Your thoughts?
*** Much is being made of the fact that the Phils haven't opened negotiations with Burrell. Two things: 1. Burrell hasn't filed for free agency yet; 2. When he inevitably does, possibly as early as today, he's going to test the market. Yes, the Phillies enjoy a 15-day window from the end of the World Series to negotiate exclusively with Burrell. But, rest assured, very few free agents actually re-sign during that window. Players must wait at least six years to become free agents. Because he signed a lucrative contract extension in 2003, Burrell waited nine years. And for as much as he may want to stay with the Phillies, I'm sure he also wants to see what kind of offers he can get elsewhere. Can't blame him for that. So, even if the Phillies came to Burrell today with an offer, it's doubtful that he'd accept it.
Never got to this yesterday. Too busy voting, and then, too riveted to the election coverage, I suppose. But there were a few things that struck me from Ruben Amaro Jr.'s press conference Monday. We'll go through them now, point by point, and I'm interested to get your thoughts.
1. Pat Burrell: Asked if the Phillies will aggressively try to re-signing the left fielder, Amaro said, "We haven't made a decision yet." He said negotiations haven't begun with Burrell's agents, Greg Genske and Philly-based Ed Hayes. Burrell has said he'd like to come back, but at this point, he may be best-suited to be a DH. And he figures to get a lucrative contract offer from several teams. Amaro seems to have ruled out Manny Ramirez (too expensive) as a replacement. So, if Burrell bolts, what are the alternatives? Amaro noted two in-house options -- Matt Stairs and Geoff Jenkins -- and several months ago, Charlie Manuel and Davey Lopes expressed their belief that Greg Dobbs' best position may well be left field. Gary Matthews, with whom I have written a book that will be released later this month (have I mentioned that?), is an advocate for free-agent Milton Bradley. Ken Griffey Jr. filed for free agency yesterday. Garret Anderson, Adam Dunn, Raul Ibanez, Emil Brown, Rocco Baldelli and Mark Kotsay are also in the free-agent pool.
Do any of those options interest you?
2. Amaro mentioned that he likely will be interviewing an outside candidate for one of the assistant general manager openings. I'm not sure who it will be, but I know he has a good relationship with former Reds GM Wayne Krivsky, who has been working as a special assistant with the Mets. Chuck LaMar may well step into the other assistant GM spot. Just something to watch for/think about.
3. Jamie Moyer appears to be looking for a multiyear contract ("He wants to pitch until he's 50," Amaro said), and after he led the Phillies with 16 regular-season victories, it would be difficult not to give it to him. That said, I'd be careful about giving Moyer anything more than a two-year contract. When that arm finally goes, it often goes in a hurry. Just ask Greg Maddux.
4. Regardless of what happens with Burrell, Amaro said the Phillies' top priority will continue to be pitching. I think they may look into getting another starter and another reliever to help Ryan Madson, J.C. Romero and Chad Durbin in the setup innings.
Just heard from a source at the GM meetings in Dana Point, Calif.: Ruben Amaro Jr. has announced that Steve Smith has been fired as the Phillies' third-base coach. No word yet on a replacement, although one name to watch may be Juan Samuel, whose two-year contract with the Orioles expired after the season.
Got back a little while ago from the Bank, where it was announced that Ruben Amaro Jr. has signed a three-year contract to be the Phillies' new general manager. Lots to get to, so without further ado ...
1. Amaro dismissed the notion that the Phillies will pursue free-agent slugger Manny Ramirez to play left field. "Manny Ramirez is obviously the finest offensive player out there," Amaro said. "He is going to be extremely costly. I don't want to laugh off the situation, but I think there's other ways to fill the role. We don't know what's going to happen with Pat Burrell yet. We haven't made a decision about whether he'll be our left fielder for next year and beyond. So, I can't really comment on Manny Ramirez at this time because we have to figure out what's going to happen with Pat."
2. Speaking of Burrell, Amaro said he has changed agents from Greg Genske to Philly-based Ed Hayes, and he intends to speak with Hayes within the next few days. Amaro already has contacted the agents for Jamie Moyer and Scott Eyre, and it seems the Phillies are hopeful they'll be able to re-sign both. Amaro said Moyer, who turns 46 in three weeks, seems to be seeking a multiyear contract. "He wants to pitch until he's 50, I think," Amaro said. "We'll have discussions about it, and we'll try to move pretty expeditiously on it."
3. Amaro said Pat Gillick has agreed to stay on as a paid consultant.
4. Assistant GM Mike Arbuckle has, in fact, resigned. Amaro said he expects that most of the other front-office personnel will remain intact. He said pro scouting director Chuck LaMar likely will be promoted (possibly to assistant GM?). LaMar, special assistant Charley Kerfeld, major-league scouting director Gordon Lakey and scouting/player development assistant Mike Ondo will be joining Amaro tonight at the GM meetings in Dana Point, Calif.
5. Gillick said he was extremely confident that the Phillies would beat the Rays in the World Series, mostly because of the job his scouts did during the ALCS. "LaMar, Kerfeld, [Jim] Fregosi [Jr.], Lakey and Hank [King], they did a hell of a job," Gillick said. "I mean, a hell of a job. We shut those two guys [Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena] down in the middle of the lineup. Everyone was like, 'How are you shutting them down?' We shut them down because we had the reports and our guys executed. That's why I felt so good with Moyer and [Cole] Hamels. We knew what we had to do. I figured we'd get three wins out of Hamels and Moyer, and then we've got to find another win from [Brett] Myers or [Joe] Blanton. They pitched great. They didn't get a home run, Longoria and Upton, did they?"
So, the Phillies just confirmed the worst-kept secret in baseball. As just about every newspaper has been writing this week, Ruben Amaro Jr. will be named general manager tomorrow in a 10 a.m. press conference. Amaro, 43, has been an assistant GM since 1998 under Ed Wade and Pat Gillick and was runner-up for the Astros' GM job last year that went to Wade.
Following the announcement, Amaro will leave for the GM meetings in California. Team president David Montgomery and Gillick will attend the press conference. It's believed that assistant GM Mike Arbuckle will be leaving the organization.
BY SCOTT LAUBER
