Oct. 31 -- OFF TO JAPAN

A team of MLB players, including Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, has arrived in Tokyo for a five-game series against a group of Japanese All-Stars. The series starts Friday and continues into next week in Tokyo (Nov. 2-5), Osaka (Nov. 7) and Fukuoka (Nov. 8). I'll try my best to keep you updated on the events of the tournament with posts on this blog.

For now, Ryan Howard had this to say during a meet-and-greet in the hotel ballroom (the quote comes courtesy of MLB.com): "First, it's a lot of fun just being here. It's an honor to be selected to come over here and play. Just want to come over here and put on a good showing and have a lot of fun doing it."

Here's the roster for the MLB contingent, which is being led by new San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy. Also on the coaching staff is Phillies bullpen coach Ramon Henderson.

Bronson Arroyo, RHP, Reds; Erik Bedard, LHP, Orioles; Chris Capuano, LHP, Brewers; Jermaine Dye, OF, White Sox; Chone Figgins, OF/INF, Angels; Brian Fuentes, LHP, Rockies; Rafael Furcal, SS, Dodgers; Bill Hall, IF/OF, Brewers; Clay Hensley, RHP, Padres; Ryan Howard, 1B, Phillies; Tadahito Iguchi, 2B, White Sox; Kenji Johjima, C, Mariners; Andruw Jones, OF, Braves; Jacque Jones, OF, Cubs; Ray King, LHP, Rockies; John Lackey, RHP, Angels; John Maine, RHP, Mets; Joe Mauer, C, Twins; Mike Myers, LHP, Yankees; Joe Nathan, RHP, Twins; Lyle Overbay, 1B, Blue Jays; Jose Reyes, SS, Mets; Brian Schneider, C, Nationals; Scot Shields, RHP, Angels; Chase Utley, 2B, Phillies; David Wright, 3B, Mets; Chris Young, RHP, Padres

Oct. 31 -- FREE AGENTS

So here we are, less than a week after the Cardinals won the World Series (still can't believe it), and already, the hot stove is blaring. That means it's time to get our Phillies Blog cooking, too.

Beginning tomorrow and continuing each Wednesday until the winter meetings start Dec. 4, we'll take a look at a position the Phillies need to improve. Up first will be the bullpen.

And, as always, I encourage your responses, feedback and input.

Meantime, we'll grease the stove with this partial list of players who have filed for free agency. The list, which includes the Phillies' Randy Wolf and Mike Lieberthal, stands at 122 players through Monday night, and it's going to grow. The filing deadline isn't until Nov. 11.

So far, the surprise is Aramis Ramirez (above), who could have renegotiated with the Cubs but instead filed for free agency. He'll draw significant interest from the Phillies, and keep this in mind: Team president David Montgomery told me he expects payroll will remain in the $90-95 million range, which means, the Phillies should have money to spend.

Starting pitchers: Barry Zito (Oakland), Jason Schmidt (San Francisco), Randy Wolf (Phillies), Woody Williams (San Diego), Ted Lilly (Toronto), Kerry Wood (Cubs), Vicente Padilla (Texas), Orlando Hernandez (Mets), Jason Marquis (Cardinals), Tony Armas Jr. (Washington), Wade Miller (Cubs), Adam Eaton (Texas), Gil Meche (Seattle), John Thomson (Atlanta), Steve Trachsel (Mets)

Relievers: Joe Borowski (Florida), Danys Baez (Atlanta), Miguel Batista (Arizona), Guillermo Mota (Mets), Chad Bradford (Mets), LaTroy Hawkins (Baltimore), Aaron Fultz (Phillies), Arthur Rhodes (Phillies), Rick White (Phillies), David Weathers (Cincinnati), David Riske (White Sox), J.C. Romero (Angels), Rudy Seanez (San Diego), Justin Speier (Toronto), Roberto Hernandez (Mets), Alan Embree (San Diego), Steve Kline (San Francisco), Jamie Walker (Detroit), Octavio Dotel (Yankees), Matt Herges (Florida), Ryan Franklin (Cincinnati)

Third basemen: Aramis Ramirez (Cubs), Aubrey Huff (Astros), Shea Hillenbrand (San Francisco), Aaron Boone (Cleveland), David Bell (Milwaukee), Julio Lugo (Dodgers), Scott Spiezio (Cardinals), Tomas Perez (Tampa Bay), Geoff Blum (San Diego), Jeff Cirillo (Milwaukee)

Outfielders: Alfonso Soriano (Washington), Carlos Lee (Texas), Barry Bonds (San Francisco), Juan Pierre (Cubs), Gary Matthews Jr. (Texas), Shannon Stewart (Minnesota), Cliff Floyd (Mets), Jose Guillen (Washington), Trot Nixon (Boston), Jay Payton (Oakland), Moises Alou (San Francisco), Rondell White (Minnesota), Luis Gonzalez (Arizona), Frank Catalanotto (Toronto), Mark DeRosa (Texas), Dave Roberts (San Diego), Ricky Ledee (Mets)

Catchers: Mike Lieberthal (Phillies), Rod Barajas (Texas), Gregg Zaun (Toronto), Todd Pratt (Atlanta), Einar Diaz (Dodgers), Chris Widger (Baltimore), Sandy Alomar (White Sox), Doug Mirabelli (Boston)

Oct. 24 -- STANDING PAT?

I've gotten a few e-mails already this morning about Pat Gillick's remarks yesterday concerning Pat Burrell. I think most Phillies fans out there are ready to jump off the Delaware Memorial Bridge (or maybe the Walt Whitman?) if Burrell is back in left field next season.

Well, don't start working on your diving. Not yet, at least.

If you missed it, here's a transcript of what Gillick said. The question was, "Do you see Pat Burrell as your left fielder next season?"

"He’s certainly a strong possibility. You don’t find 29 home runs or 95 RBIs in the street. Even though offensively he didn’t produce the way he would like to or we would like him to, there’s a very strong possibility that Pat will be in left field."

OK, reading between the lines, here's what I think Gillick meant:

He's going to continue to aggressively shop Burrell. But, given Burrell's contract situation ($27 million over the next two seasons) and lack of production in the clutch (.222 average with runners in scoring position in 2006), moving him won't be easy.

Thus, Gillick's comments were made for two reasons:

a) To warn fans that Burrell may well be back in Philadelphia, so brace yourselves for more called third strikes and gimpy plays in left field.

b) To remind other teams that 29 homers and 95 RBIs are nothing to scoff at. In the right situation (somewhere other than Philly), Burrell may thrive.

Gillick is very savvy. Everything he says has a purpose. So, while there's a good chance Burrell's financial circumstances will keep him right where he is, Gillick is also trying to drum up more interest by singing Burrell's praises.

Stay tuned. This will only get more interesting.

OCT. 17 -- HOT STOVE STUFF

The World Series hasn't started yet, and already, the rumor mill is churning at warp speed. And, don't kid yourself: At this point, anything you read or hear is strictly a rumor. Players haven't even begun to file for free agency yet.

With that in mind, Phillies GM Pat Gillick made an offhand remark yesterday during a teleconference with his new coaches that, evidently, raised the eyebrows of some reporters on the call. In a reiteration of his comments from the final day of the season, Gillick said the Phillies are looking for a big bat to hit behind Ryan Howard. In many ways, it's an indictment of maligned left fielder Pat Burrell.

Here's the comment:

"We're going to have to continue to look for a little more offense," Gillick said. "We know that at this point, Pat has had a difficult time protecting Howard. We're going to have to continue to have to make an adjustment in that area."

So, who could the Phillies get? Here are a few ideas.

1. Gary Sheffield: Indications are the Yankees probably won't pick up their $13 million option, making the 37-year-old right fielder a free agent. And, coming off an injury-plagued season, he'll likely have to take a pay cut. Could the Phillies get him for one or two seasons at a lower base salary with incentives? Why not?

2. Alfonso Soriano: This is a long shot. Soriano will be looking for a long-term contract in the $15 million/season range. That's too rich for the Phillies. Also, some members of the organization have indicated they have doubts about Soriano's work ethic and defensive ability in the outfield.

3. Aramis Ramirez: He'd be an ideal fit, both at third base and in the No. 5 hole behind Howard. But the Cubs have already started negotiations with him, and unless they think they can land Alex Rodriguez in a trade, they'll make every effort to keep Ramirez.

4. Manny Ramirez: Phillies fans are allowed to dream. But any deal involving Ramirez coming to the Phillies likely would have to include Burrell going to the Red Sox. It's hard to believe Theo Epstein has lost his mind, only two years after building a World Series champ.

OCT. 16 -- COACHING CAROUSEL

The Phillies just made the following announcement on their 2007 coaching staff. Interesting additions, don't you think? All of you Charlie Manuel bashers out there now have three potential successors to consider.

And, remember this: Jimy Williams worked as a manager for Pat Gillick in Toronto. Something to chew on.

Check tomorrow's paper for more details.

By SCOTT LAUBER
The News Journal
PHILADELPHIA -- Three former major-league managers will join the Phillies coaching staff in 2007.
Art Howe, Davey Lopes and Jimy Williams were hired today to assist manager Charlie Manuel, the team announced. Howe will be the third-base and infielders coach, Lopes will be the first-base, outfielders and baserunning coach and Williams will serve as the bench coach.
Each signed a one-year contract. Manuel has only one season remaining on his three-year contract.
“We’ve added three guys with a tremendous amount of experience,” said Manuel. “I expect them to have a very positive effect on our team.”
Howe, 59, will be back in uniform for the first time since 2004, his final season as manager of the New York Mets. In two seasons with the Mets, he led them to a 137-186 record from 2003 through 2004.
For Howe, it marks his third stint as a major league coach. He served as first base, third base and dugout coach for the Rangers, 1985-88, and was the Rockies’ hitting instructor in 1995. He owns a career managerial record of 1,129-1,137 (.498) with the Astros (1989-93), Oakland Athletics (1996-2002) and Mets (2003-04).
A veteran of 11 major league seasons as a player, Howe batted .260 with a combined 43 home runs for the Pirates (1974-75), Astros (1976-82) and Cardinals (1984-85). Defensively, he appeared at first base, second base, third base and shortstop during his career.
Lopes, 61, will reprise the coaching roles he held last season with the Washington Nationals. Under his supervision, Washington had 123 stolen bases, tied for fourth-most in the National League.
He spent parts of three seasons managing the Milwaukee Brewers, finishing with a record of 144-195 (.425) from 2000 through 2002. Lopes also had two separate stints as a coach for the San Diego Padres (1995-99 and 2003-2005) and coached for the Baltimore Orioles (1992-94) and Texas Rangers (1988-91).
As a player, Lopes was a four-time All-Star and a Gold Glove-winning second baseman during 16 seasons in the majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1972-81), A’s (1982-84), Chicago Cubs (1984-86) and Astros (1986-87). He finished his career with a .263 average, 155 home runs, 614 RBI, 1,023 runs scored and 557 stolen bases and played in four World Series. He was a member of the 1981 World Champion Dodgers.
Williams, 63, returns to the majors as a coach for the first time since 1996. Williams also will coordinate spring training. Since his stint as the Braves’ third base coach (1990-96), Williams managed the Boston Red Sox (1997-2001) and Astros (2002-2004). He also managed the Blue Jays from 1986 through 1989 while Phillies general manager Pat Gillick was Toronto's GM. His combined managing record stands at 910-790 (.535).
They will be replacing former bench coach Gary Varsho, first-base coach Marc Bombard and third-base coach Bill Dancy, who were dismissed after the season ended two weeks ago.
Pitching coach Rich Dubee, bullpen coach Ramon Henderson, hitting coach Milt Thompson and catching instructor Mick Billmeyer had their contracts extended for one more season.
Contact Scott Lauber at slauber@delawareonline.com.
Complete coverage in Tuesday's News Journal and at www.delawareonline.com.

OCT. 11 -- REMEMBERING LIDLE

Unfortunately, covering sports in 2006 isn't what it used to be. For some reason, athletes and reporters don't fraternize like they once did, and there isn't as much trust between the two sides.

Cory Lidle was a throwback to a different time.

From the moment I met Lidle, in February during spring training in Clearwater, Fla., I found him easy to talk to. And not just about baseball. Lidle was an avid poker player, and while I'm not, that didn't stop him from telling me about some winning hand he had the previous night.

Even on the days he started, Lidle would chat with anyone who passed by his locker. Most pitchers are too superstitious for that.

About pitching, Lidle was passionate, and as much as any pitcher, he'd talk your ear off about the science of throwing a good breaking pitch. Lidle didn't throw 95 mph, and he knew he wasn't going to overwhelm any major-league hitters with his stuff. Instead, he tried to out-think the batter.

And make no mistake, Lidle was a thinker.

After being knocked around in an early-season start, Lidle flummoxed reporters by insisting that, upon further video review of his performance, he didn't pitch as badly as his line indicated. The joke among the media became that, in his mind, Lidle never threw a bad pitch. But the reality was Lidle believed so much in what he was throwing that, at least to him, he usually made the right pitch at the right time.

Lidle had one other passion: Piloting an airplane. By now, after his single-engine four-seater crashed into a 50-story building in Manhattan earlier today, killing him and a flight instructor, everyone knows about his fondness for flying and his insistence that it was a safe hobby. I once asked if he had any reservations about flying, especially after the tragic death of Thurman Munson, who perished when a plane he was piloting crashed near his home in Canton, Ohio, in 1979.

But in his 34 years, Lidle wasn't afraid of anything.

Not after he wasn't drafted out of South Hills (Calif.) High. And not after he was relegated to playing in the independent Pioneer League in 1993. He crossed a picket line in 1995 because the Milwaukee Brewers pressured him to pitch only to release him anyway before the 1996 season, and because of that "transgression," he never was allowed membership into the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Lidle played in the Twins, Brewers, Mets, Diamondbacks, Devil Rays, Athletics, Blue Jays, Reds, Phillies and Yankees organizations. He survived Tommy John elbow surgery in 1998 and went 82-72 with a 4.57 ERA in his major-league career.

You don't overcome so many obstacles without trusting yourself.

Often, Lidle took heat from teammates for speaking his mind. Many of the Phillies didn't like it when, after being traded to the Yankees, Lidle questioned their will to win. In spring training, Lidle criticized Barry Bonds for his alleged steroid use and said Bonds' homers shouldn't count.

But Lidle also was loyal to his friends. After the news broke today, I phoned Phils catcher Chris Coste, who was home in Fargo, N.D., watching the tragedy unfold on television, and he told me the following story.

In early June, Coste was sitting with Lidle during a game in Washington. Coste was upset because, since being called up to the majors a few weeks earlier, he wasn't getting much playing time. Lidle remarked that, after pitching to Coste in spring training, he discovered Coste was a much better catcher than he thought. Lidle said he wanted to pitch to Coste more often, and he marched into manager Charlie Manuel's office and expressed that desire.

Within a few weeks, Coste had become Lidle's personal catcher. He went on to bat .328 with 32 RBIs and become one of the most pleasant surprises in the Phillies' season. But without Lidle's endorsement, Coste isn't sure he wouldn't have been sent back to the minors before he ever got the chance to open anyone's eyes.

That, more than anything, is what I'll remember about Cory Lidle, whose life ended far too early because he insisted on doing something he loved.

Misty water-color memories

I grew up a Mets fan in New York, and I used to despise the Cardinals. With that said, I have a different feeling with the two teams set to begin their NLCS tonight. Sure, I want the Mets to sweep the Cards, but I don't have that same dislike for them that I did back then because they're not in the same division anymore.

But I'll never forget the mid-1980s. In 1985, the Mets went into the last week of the season trailing the Cards by 3 games and playing in St. Louis. The first game was an absolute must-win for the Mets, and they played that way. Ron Darling pitched for the Mets and he was virtually untouchable. So was Cards starter John Tudor. (Remember, this was before ESPN was televising baseball games every night, so I sat glued to the radio in my room listening to Ralph Kiner and Bob Murphy describe the action _ I know, I didn't have a life). The game was scoreless through 9, and both starting pitchers were still in. It was scoreless through 10, which was Darling's last inning. Then in the 11th Darryl Strawberry hit a monstrous shot off the scoreboard in right-center and the Mets won 1-0. The next night, Dwight Gooden, who was 24-4 with a 1.53 ERA that season, beat Joaquin Andujar and the Mets were within 1 game. That left the third game. If the Mets win, they're tied. If the Cards win, they're up 2 with 3 games left to play. That night, however, the Mets decided to go with a rookie in Rick Aguilera rather than go with Sid Fernandez or Ed Lynch. Aguilera pitched OK, but the Cards won 4-2 and clinched the division the next night.

It was much the same way in 1987, when the two teams went down to the wire, with the Cards taking the division the last week of the season. Just think, the Mets could have won the NL East 4 years in a row (they won it going away in 1986 and 1988) if not for the Cardinals. They could have been a dynasty then. Of course, if it was today, chances are they would have won the wildcard in those years and then who knows?

Oct. 5 -- MYERS CHARGES DROPPED

Here's an update on Brett Myers' court appearance today, courtesy of the Associated Press. Per his wife's wishes, charges were dropped. Check tomorrow's News Journal for more details, plus local reaction.

By MARK JEWELL
Associated Press Writer


BOSTON (AP) - An abuse charge against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Brett Myers was dismissed Thursday after his wife said she did not want her husband prosecuted for hitting her in the face during an argument near Fenway Park.

Boston Municipal Judge Raymond Dougan accepted as fact that Myers struck his wife on June 23, yet dismissed the charge _ despite the objection of prosecutors _ after Kim Myers agreed to an "accord of satisfaction" showing she did not want the charge pursued.

"There's no violence in our family. That night in Boston we had both been drinking," Kim Myers told the judge. "I was not hurt. I was not injured."

Authorities say the two were arguing when Brett Myers struck his wife. One witness told investigators he pulled her hair.

Police responded to a 911 call and found Myers' wife crying and with a swollen face, prosecutors said. Officers found Myers nearby and arrested him. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Myers was booked by Boston police, and his wife posted his $200 bail.

"There appears to be no coercion or pressure that resulted in this being filed," Dougan said of the accord, though he acknowledged it's hard to identify coercion in domestic violence cases.

The judge noted the couple has been in marriage counseling since shortly after the fight.

Assistant District Attorney Susan Terrey had wanted Myers to plead guilty to assault, serve two years of probation, enter a program for spousal abusers and undergo alcohol abuse evaluation.

Kim Myers said the counseling has helped the couple, who have two children, and she denied other physical abuse.

"This is not something that happens on a daily basis," she said. "Or ever."

Myers, a right-hander and ace of the Phillies staff, finished the regular season 12-7 with a 3.91 ERA. He was treated as a celebrity by court officers, who shook his hand and patted him on the back. One told him, "Good luck, it will be all right" while another said, "Nice seeing you again."

Myers did not speak at the hearing and the couple refused comment afterward.

Paul Richardson, the best

It's often said the Phillies don't have a cheer.

That was because of Paul Richardson, who died Monday. He was the Phillies' organist at Veterans Stadium and briefly at Citizens Bank Park.

You never heard "Let's go, Phil - lies," an oh-so-creative chant used by any team in the free world that has a two-syllable mascot, because we had Richardson prompting us to shout "Charge!" at always the right moment. He knew when to hit once, and he knew when to go for three or four in a row.

And how about when your favorite Phillie drew a walk on four straight pitches, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. You know what's next from Richardson... that song actually has a name, "Tarantella," but you probably called it "that Italian song they play during Phillies rallies."

There were so many more musical cues Richardson had, such as that one when the Phillies got out of an inning when the other team definitely should have scored. And we can't forget "Havah Nagilah," another rally song.

It's hard to spell these out here, but I can still hear all of them to this day.

I wish I heard them more often when the Phils moved to the big Bank, but the team only gave Richardson a spot on the concourse, where he couldn't see the game. An unfortunate decision.

Maybe organ music at baseball games is too 20th century for these kids today. But with the passing of Richardson, I remember today how much fun I used to have going to Phillies games.

Oct. 1 -- GILLICK SPEAKS

Before today's game, Pat Gillick addressed the newspaper reporters who cover the Phillies. Here's a transcript of what he had to say, including an extremely cryptic series of answers about Charlie Manuel's job status.

Check Monday's News Journal for more details.

***

Q: How should this team be looked at? A team that had a run or one that had it and didn’t get there?
A: I think it should be looked at as a team that let it all hang out. They did the very best they could and came up a game or two short. As far as their dedication, aggressiveness, and passion on the field. I think, as I said, let it all hang out. Unfortunately, some people [Padres, Dodgers] played a little better than we did.

Q: You couldn’t have expected this when you made the trades. You were looking to the future and all of a sudden you were in it. You must be proud, with what the team showed.
A: I was thinking about it the other day. It was sort of, we made some moves that we thought would be further down the line, would prove out to be the direction we should go because, again, it takes time for young pitching to come forward. At that time, we had [Cole] Hamels and [Scott] Mathieson, and you didn't know what they were going to do. You're going to have ups and downs with young people. We gave some opportunities to people and they went out and played. I sort of think about like a movie. You have high-budget movies that don't do well, and you have low-budget movies that once in a while hit the jackpot. Fargo was a low-budget movie that kind of hit the jackpot. We were the low-budget movie that almost got there. There was an opportunity for [Shane] Victorino to play more. [Abraham] Nunez to get in there. Matt Smith is guy we can look at for the future. There's a lot of positive things, even though we came up short.

Q: What kind of movie are you going to be next year? You said 2008 when you were at the podium was the year to shoot for?
A: It's all about pitching and how much pitching you have. I mentioned this before, We got consistent pitching in the last couple of months, and anytime you get that and it keeps you in the game, it gives your offense an opportunity to win. It all comes down to pitching and defense and as we know defense is pitching, but that’s what it will come down too. When we don’t score and we think we should score, like in that game in Washington the other night, you think you should score more but that’s going to happen. Overall, we score enough runs it's just keeping the opposition from scoring more than us.

Q: At the deadline you changed the chemistry by getting rid of some of the old contracts. How much more do you need to do before this is exactly where you want it?
A: I don't know how you put a percentage on energy. The one thing that I will say is got rid of a heck of a player in Bobby [Abreu]. A real professional guy that was around here for a while. He went over to New York and played exceptionally well. One thing I think it did change on the club was a little bit of the leadership role as well as the energy level. I think we took our energy up a bit. I think we might have taken a step back in overall talent, but I think how you measure energy - our energy level day in and day out is better. I think that's important when you play a schedule like that to have a high energy level day in and day out.

Q: Do you still have work to do as far as getting this team to where you want it?
A: You never really get 'em like you want 'em. There's always an area you need to improve on. And that area you may want to even improve on more. You'd like to get the best players possible at every position. But we have to keep improving and we have to add some more dimension. We don't steal a lot of bases. We don’t have a lot of guys that steal, We have some guys with speed, but don't steal a lot. We have to increase our arsenal. We have to take it to the other club a little with our guys that can run. Jimmy [Rollins] and Victorino, people like that.

Q: What’s your take on Pat Burrell and this season and his future with the ball club?
A: When it gets down to it he's probably going to be pretty close to 30 [home runs] and 100 [RBIs]. He’s what, 29 with 95 or 96, I don’t know. Overall through the entire season he’s been good, but he's gone through a few dry spells, and I don't think he's been as consistent as you'd like him to be. But you look at his overall numbers, and I think his overall numbers are pretty darn good, but there are just times when Pat, I think, didn't hit the way that he was capable of. I don't know why, but he didn't. But looking at the numbers overall, I think he had a good power season.

Q: Do you think in your experience in baseball needed a change of scenery and is he one of them?
A: Pat Burrell is with us. He's got two more years. He's a power hitter. We'd like to get him back on a day-to-day, consistent basis. You don't find guys with that type of power, those run-producers. Hopefully, he can find a key and turn his season around.

Q: Will you be given the money to go out and get like a [Aramis] Ramirez or an impact guy at say third base?
A: Let me put it this way, we’ll have the money to go out and get somebody. I'm not sure what that position might be. It could be a another position other than third base.

Q: Does that mean you’ll sign at least one player to a big-dollar contract?
A: Let me say this, if we think it's a wise expenditure, we'll make it. If we think it's an unwise expenditure, we're not going to spend it just to spend high dollar. We're going to do what we think makes sense for us for '07 and past '07.

Q: How important is it to find a guy to hit behind Ryan Howard?
A: I think it's important to get somebody who can protect him on a consistent basis. You never know, you might change your batting order around and provide that protection. But if you get another player, insert another player the lineup that consistently can be someone for the opposition to worry about, that can be pretty important.

Q: Do you think to some degree, Burrell’s troubles are related to his foot injury and that he could go to the AL and be a DH?
A: I keep asking [trainer Jeff] Cooper and Pat, and I don’t believe his foot is an issue now. I don’t think it’s an issue.

Q: In the off season last year the priority was pitching. Has that changed or going forward is that still your top priority?
A: Pitching is till the top priority, but you guys are smart enough to know there aren’t a lot of A-list pitchers out there. Your priority may be pitching, but as I say, you have few guys. I don’t want to say their names because they’re still under contract, but there ain’t a long list out there. Your priority may be pitching, but you might have to settle for something else.

Q: What kind of assessment would you give yourself?
A: I give you a Joe Girardi answer, you guys do the assessing.

Q: How would you assess the coaching staff?
A: I think overall, they’ve done a good job. They’ve been very upbeat and supportive of the players. I think there has been some improvement, and sometimes improvement takes a long time to come around. But there has been improvement.

Q: Will Charlie be back next year?
A: Charlie is under contract through 2007.

Q: Does that mean he’s guaranteed to come back?
A: He has a guaranteed contract through 2007. Right.

Q: You said you had to re-evaluate guys all the time. Is there a process you need to go through or have you already made your decision?
A: I said he’s under contract, and if he’s under contract it sounds like maybe a decision has been made. I can’t really comment any more than that.

Q: He was under contract before you got here.
A: Yeah. And when I came here I could have made a change if I wanted to, and I decided not to make the change. He’s under contract and he’s our manager.

Q: Has he done a good job?
A: I think overall that Charlie has done a very good job. One of the things that I think is very, very important is he keeps the players in the right frame of mind day-in and day-out. I think that’s very important. I think he keeps the players in a great frame of mind.

Q: It sounds like you're stopping just short of saying he’ll be there on April 3. Is there a reason for that, is he under evaluation?
A: I can’t say there’s any reason for that. As I say all of us, no matter what our contract status is, mine or anybody else, we’re all under evaluation. Right now, he’s our manager.

Q: Will there be any changes to the coaching staff?
A: I can’t say right now.

Q: There are fans that wanted Jim Leyland and now they see him in the playoffs, what can you say to Philly fans to get them behind Charlie?
A: There was a guy that said, a manager of the Dodgers, that no matter what decision you make 1/3 will be with you, 1/3 will be against you and the other 1/3 won’t give a damn. It doesn’t matter who the manager is, there will always be people that say you should have done this or done that. That’s the great thing about baseball.

Q: If pitching is the most important thing, you have two guys that are lefties and free agents, how do you rank your pitching those guys?
A: I think [Jamie] Moyer did a good job when he came over here and did what he was supposed to do. I think Randy [Wolf's] arm is healthy, and he’s still basically at the tail end of spring training right now. If you look at how pitchers progress in spring training, maybe he’s in the first two weeks of the season. I think he‘s throwing very well right now. He’s definitely proved he’s healthy and that he’s made a recovery from the surgery.

Q: You said last year you didn’t like long-term contracts. Do you still feel that way?
A: I’m not a fan of them but that’s not to say, we won’t give them. If you ask me if I’m a fan of a player or another, I might be a fan but I might have to do something. You have to go where the competition is. You have too many long term contracts, too many no trades, they lead to problems and you have to maintain flexibility.

Q: You said it would be doubtful to contend for a playoff spot next year. Has you opinion changed.
A: It depends on the pitching. As somebody brought up, we have two free agents and it just depends how our pitching staff goes.

Q: Will you bring back the pitching staff as it is?
A: Well, it’s probably a better rotation than we open the season with in 2006. It’s a more consistent rotation. You're talking about one guy 4-something years old. There not in a category where you would think there would be a problem with Myers or Hamels.

Q: Where would you rank a set-up guy on your list of priorities?
A: It’s on the list. I wouldn’t rank the list.