Still basking in the glow of making the post-season for the first time in 14 seasons, yet sorely disappointed with the speed with which they were dispatched from the playoffs, the NL East Division Champion Phillies begin planning and preparing for a 2008 season in which they seek to reach the next level and perhaps beyond.
Inquirer staff writer Todd Zolecki reports;
The Phillies will hold their organizational meetings today and tomorrow at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies front-office officials, scouts, and coaches from the major and minor leagues will be in attendance. They will go through the talent at every level in the Phils’ system.
This post will deal with free agency; both Phillies’ free agent retention and some of those players deemed prospective free agency acquisitions as well as those who qualify for arbitration and a few of my own observations.
It looks as if the major discussions could center around these players;
Phillies Entering Free Agency;
Centerfielder Aaron Rowand
MLB.com’s Ken Mandel reports;
Rowand is coming off a season in which he hit .309 with a career-high 27 home runs and 89 RBIs.
It has been reported that Rowand is seeking a six-year deal worth $85 million, a price the Phillies can’t afford. Though general manager Pat Gillick said there’s money in the budget to retain Rowand and still address pitching, the team is likely willing to be in the three-year, $30-33 million range that Eric Byrnes received from Arizona this season.
If Rowand leaves and the Phillies don’t add another center fielder, the team will shift right fielder Shane Victorino to center field and could end up with a three-headed monster of Jayson Werth, Greg Dobbs and Michael Bourn in right field.
Reliever lefthander JC Romero
MLB.com’s Mandel comments;
Romero rescued the Phillies’ bullpen after being claimed off waivers on June 22. The lefty posted a 1.24 ERA in 51 games for the Phillies, allowing five earned runs in 36 1/3 innings. He appeared in 20 of the team’s 28 September games and didn’t allow a run.
In my humble opinion, without Romero in a middle-relief or setup role down the stretch, the Phillies don’t catch and overtake the Mets.
2nd baseman Tadahito Iguchi
MLB’s Mandel reports in a piece that Tadahito Iguchi also enters the free agency market.
Iguchi’s clutch performance, once acquired by the Phillies after all star 2nd baseman Chase Utley went down for 30 days with an injury and where the club scarcely missed a beat, endeared him to Phillies fans and is worthy of reward. The question I have, is Iguchi exclusively a 2nd baseman? Or does he have the flexibility and range defensively to play 3rd base, or to take a utility role? His performance in 2004 and 2005 with the Chicago White Sox proves that he has some pop in his bat.
Utility infielder Abraham Nunez
Phillies declined a 2008 option on Nunez whose hitting improved in 2007 but not enough to be competitive with either a Mark Loretta, or a Tad Iguchi, if he can handle a utility role.
Other Free Agent Prospective Acquisitions;
Starting pitcher Curt Schilling
As was previously posted on this blog, Schilling indicates that he may not remain with Boston in 2008. And the Phillies are one of two teams on Schilling’s short list according MLB Rumors.
Inquirer writer Todd Zolecki comments;
The Phillies definitely are interested in Schilling, although they did not say that publicly yesterday. And Schilling has said he is interested in the Phillies should the Red Sox not re-sign him. But here’s what makes Schilling even more attractive to the Phillies, other than his success as a big-game pitcher and ability to help this team over the hump: he said on his radio show yesterday that he is looking for a one-year contract. Now, Schillling made $13 million this season. It’s unclear how much he is looking for next season, but a one-year, $13 million contract for Schilling sounds a little better than the three-year, $24.5 million contract Adam Eaton signed last season, you know what I mean? At least if Schilling would struggle, the Phillies only would be on the hook for one season … unlike Eaton, who is on the hook for another two.
As I see it, with Schilling signed as a starter, I envision the rotation at this early date to be something like this; Cole Hamels, Kyle Kendrick, Schilling and Jamie Moyer with Kyle Lohse and Adam Eaton as spot starters.
3rd baseman Mike Lowell
20 124 .324 and about even with Helms fielding %. The definite preferential fit for the Phillies at 3rd base if he goes on the open market.
Closer Francisco Cordero 3.29 lifetime ERA 9 seasons.
Closer Mariano Rivera
MLB.com’s Ken Mandel comments;
Another topic… what to do with Brett Myers. The stated preference has been to leave him in the bullpen, but a thin market for starting pitching and the possibility of signing Rivera or Cordero could push Myers to the rotation.
Acquisition of either Cordero or Rivera could result in jetisoning of 41 year old reliever Tom Gordon either via trade or by other means, thus handing Romero middle relief, with Myers setting up Rivera, or Cordero setting up Myers.
Utility infielder Mark Loretta — He’s played all infield positions, including 3rd base. His lifetime BA is .298, lifetime fielding % .987 — definitely would be an upgrade of offensive capability over Nunez.
former Phils hand starting pitcher Carlos Silva, an Adam Eaton clone with lifetime ERA 4.31 and a proclivity to give up dingers.
Possible Trade Acquistions;
3rd baseman Garrett Atkins
With stats like 25 111 .301, why Colorado would consider moving Atkins with those numbers is beyond me, except that his fielding stats indicate he might not have the glove or range defensively of Helms or Lowell.
3rd baseman Scott Rolen
Yahoo’s MLB Rumors reports;
Now that the Philadelphia Phillies have a new stadium, are competitive, and spend more money than they did when Curt Schilling and Scott Rolen were on the team, it’s reasonable to wonder whether they would come back, fill some holes, and help this team get further than the first round of the playoffs.
Rolen was thought to be the next Mike Schmidt with the glove in addition to some pop with the bat (not as much as Schmidt) during his 9 seasons with the Phils before he and Schilling were traded in 2000. Rolen has been saddled with left shoulder woes and his offensive stats have diminished in recent years. I have doubts whether, at this stage of his career, he is the fit at 3rd base that the Phillies need.
Arbitrations;
1st baseman Ryan Howard
Phillynews.com reporter Steve King comments;
When the Phillies renewed Howard’s contract for 1 year at $900,000 last season, the 2006 MVP, who hit .268 with 47 homers and 136 RBI in 2007, was seeking a multiyear deal.
“We have a pretty good idea of what we want to do with our players arbitrationwise,” said general manager Pat Gillick. “With Ryan, we will look at what some of his pluses and some of his minuses are and decide what we have to do to improve him and what we have to do to support him throughout the season.”
Howard has just got to cut down on the number of strikeouts. To cut down to an Albert Pujols level of 50-60 seems too much to ask. But if he can cut the K’s down to say, a Pat Burrell-type level of 120-130, he and his numbers will be absolutely devastating.
Outfielder Jayson Werth
Werth produced some pop with the bat and gave the fans some thrills, was a defensive asset in the outfield and earned respect for his arm in his first season with the Phils.
Reliever Geoff Geary
Geary was inconsistent throughout 2007 and shuttled to the minors a few times to try to get his act together.
Reliever Ryan Madson
Madson performed well with a 3.05 ERA after a poor start but was hampered by right shoulder woes and was put on 60 day DL on July 30.
Source: Phillies Off-Season; Free Agency, Arbitration and Other Acquisition Moves