Why Roy Halladay Is the Best Pitcher in Baseball Today

Phillies starting pitcher Roy Halladay is no stranger to greatness on the mound during his career.

Recently, Halladay, or “Doc” (taken from the western gunslinger Doc Holliday) received his second Cy Young award for his utter dominance on the mound during the ’10 season.

However, to describe his efforts this past season as utter dominance is a large understatement when you take a look at some of his actual numbers that he put up throughout the course of the year.

Halladay won an NL leading 21 games and had an anemic ERA of 2.44, which was the second-lowest total of his stellar 13-year career.

The stat that sticks out the most about “Doc” from not only in the ’10 season, but also throughout his time in the majors, is his abnormally high number of complete games and shutouts that he manages to get each campaign.

For example, he has lead the major leagues in both of these categories over the last two seasons with, a whopping nine complete games and four shutouts during each of the two years.

From a career prospective, he has been first or second in his league seven different times in complete games, and also six different times in shutouts as a ML starter.

I don’t think that there are two stats that show more of how a pitcher just takes control of games and his opposition than complete games and shutouts, and Roy Halladay is the best in the game because he gets many of these each season.

Also, Roy lead the majors this year in innings pitched with 250.2 innings, and is as durable as ever after logging 220+ innings each of the last five years that he has taken the hill.

If you look further into his numbers, you will see he has been steadily improving each and every year, and is becoming more and more unhittable each and every time he toes the rubber.

Add all this together and you have a dominant starting pitching force that is still getting stronger and has catapulted his game up to the very best in his sport.

If you don’t believe me, re-watch Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS, where Halladay made a mockery of the Cincinnati Reds’ offense as he delivered only the second no-hitter in postseason history.

That game was Halladay at his best, getting ground balls, making hitter looks foolish, and not letting anyone get on base against him for nearly the entire night.

In a hitter-dominated league that exists today, Halladay shines brighter than others, as he not only had a no-hitter and perfect game during the 2010 season, but he also sets the standard for all pitchers that start for their respective teams today.

Halladay is simply the best there is today, and after this season, he put this argument to rest.

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The Jayson Werth Saga Continues To Consume Philly Fans

In last week’s episode of As The Werth Turns, writers and fans were simply trying to make heads or tails out of whether or not the Philadelphia Phillies had a chance of retaining outfielder Jayson Werth. And while the saga continues to consume Philly fans, the organization continues on a slow and steady pace in their offseason wheelings and dealings.

The latest news is the signing of relief pitcher Jose Contreras to a two-year, $5.5 million contract.

This comes as a huge helping hand in the Phillies’ primary quest for quality upgrades to the bullpen, especially since the team has declined J.C. Romero’s option.

Phillies GM Rubin Amaro Jr. has already made it clear that settling the bullpen is of the utmost top priority, while supplementing that statement by also saying they haven’t closed the doors on any free agents—Jayson Werth included.

But open doors tend to let flies in or at least that’s what my mother used to yell.

The free-agency market is wide open right now, especially regarding outfielders. So the Phillies are afforded a nice stroll down Non-Tendered Way as they sip on their lattes and window shop. Players such as Magglio Ordonez, Josh Willingham, Aaron Rowand and even Carlos Quentin are all currently on display at your local MLB free agency store, so act now!

While the Phillies really don’t need to do anything out of haste, there is a growing sense of urgency as to what will be the end game.

Werth’s presence limits prospect Domonic Brown’s ability to be plugged into the starting role, but the expected heavy contract that Werth is gambling for ($120 million over six or seven years) is not something the Phillies will even remotely offer.

At best, they’ll slide a three-or four-year deal worth between $60 and 70 million across the table.

Another issue is the free agents I previously mentioned. Ordonez is like aged cheese at 36, Willingham was having a nice season in 2010 until the all-too-familiar injury bug bit him again, Rowand isn’t really an option and neither is Quentin, despite rumors of the Phillies thinking of making a run for him.

So here we are…left in the menacing grip of speculation and hope (for some).

But in my opinion, when you really gauge the free agency market, and what the Phillies still have to do in the bullpen, retaining Jayson Werth just makes perfect sense.

The almighty dollar seems to be the only real stepping stone. The Phillies know that Raul Ibanez has one more year left tops, and that’s if he even makes it through a full season.

The Phillies also know to get that true relief arm that can “seal the deal,” you have to have a hefty coin on hand. If the Phillies can come to some sort of happy median, however, you kill two birds with one stone while still saving enough to enjoy that latte and a nice morning bagel from South Street Philly Bagels (613 South 3rd Street…it’s a wonderful little place, take your kids!)

But the hitch is on Werth’s agent, Scott Boras, and Werth himself regarding their willingness to accept a three- or four-year deal if offered.

The market should rear its ugly head soon and show Werth that it isn’t what he perhaps thought it was going to be for free agents looking to score that monumental deal.

But until something comes to a head, the fans will continue to chomp at the bit, while the organization continues to take it easy.

To be honest, it will all be “Werth” it if the Phillies find a way to retain the Philadelphia mainstay while beefing up that pen.

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Duke-Ing It Out: Can Zach Duke Help the Phillies Rotation in 2011?

At first glance, the answer would be a resonating no.

When discussing Zach Duke, though, it is important to take a glance behind his outrageous 2010 numbers and look deeper into what he would really mean to any organization moving forward in 2011.

At age 27, Duke has surpassed a point in his career where most pitchers at the major-league level have established themselves as talented assets, moving into the prime of their careers.

Duke’s case is quite unique, however, as the once-highly anticipated Pittsburgh Pirates prospect has regressed into obscurity.

Following a 2010 campaign where Duke pitched to a record of 8-15 with an ERA of 5.72, he was designated for assignment by the Pirates on Friday afternoon.

With numbers like that, it is hard to make a case for Duke to be an effective part of any pitching rotation in 2011, but with the Philadelphia Phillies, I’ll make a special case.

The Phillies will be heading into the 2011 season in the conversation for having the best rotation in baseball.

Anchored by 2010 National League Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay, the Phillies will follow their ace with dominant pitchers in their own right, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt, and serviceable right-hander Joe Blanton to round out their rotation.

One through four, the Phillies have a solid rotation. However, the fifth starter’s position is going to be up for grabs, and the Phillies have little organizational depth to create competition.

This is where a guy like Zach Duke could become beneficial to an organization like the Phillies, who undoubtedly will try to round up some competition to compete for that fifth starter’s spot and draw the best out of each of the competitors.

A few in-house names will compete for the job, headlined by guys who have each started a game for the Phillies in 2010: Kyle Kendrick, Vance Worley and Andrew Carpenter.

The trio features a couple of unique angles. On one hand, Kendrick has been a serviceable starter for the Phillies over the course of his career, posting a career record of 35-24 and an ERA of 4.69.

However, some of Kendrick’s 2010 numbers have become a cause for concern in the organization, highlighted by the worst strikeouts per nine Innings (K/9) among qualifying pitchers in Major League Baseball (just 4.18).

A lot of minds surrounding the Phillies organization believe that Kendrick isn’t even the favorite to win the job out of spring training, bestowing that honor upon another Phillies’ right-hander, Worley.

Although his time in the major leagues was brief in 2010, Worley impressed all the right people, including manager Charlie Manuel.

Worley logged a total of 13 innings with the Phillies in 2010, posting an impressive ERA of 1.38.

Worley showed that he doesn’t have to rely on his fastball to retire professional hitters, throwing his breaking pitches, an overhand curve-ball and a slider, a combined 29.9 percent of the time, mixing in a low-90s fastball and a change-up as well.

The final member of the obvious, in-house trio is the least likely of the three to break with the big-league club, right-hander Andrew Carpenter.

His time with the 2010 Phillies was very brief, as he only saw three innings of work with the big-league club, and allowed three earned runs over that span.

While only one of these three has a chance to crack the rotation, it’s likely that at least one other will make the Phillies bullpen as well.

So, where does Zach Duke fit in all of this, you wonder?

Duke has lived in basic obscurity over the past couple of seasons with the bottom-dwelling Pittsburgh Pirates, for a while serving as the ace of a weak pitching staff.

Called up to the major leagues at a young age, only 22, Duke provides what many 27-year-olds don’t in the big leagues—experience.

A team like the Phillies will be interested in bringing in experienced starting pitchers to show what they’ve got in spring training, providing competition to young guys like Vance Worley and Drew Carpenter, while sending Kyle Kendrick the subliminal message that he won’t just be handed a spot in the 2011 rotation.

Over the course of the past three seasons, Duke has had success pitching in Citizens Bank Park, one of the reasons the Phillies may give him a look.

In two starts there, Duke pitched to a 1-1 record, with an ERA of 2.57. The only ballparks he’s been more successful in were AT&T Park in San Francisco and Petco Park in San Diego.

The Phillies will consider a number of variables. Can Duke regain his form? Is his 2010 decrease in velocity going to be a constant decline? Are his numbers in the Bank a fluke?

Can he perform better as a bottom-of-the-rotation arm, in the shadows of decorated aces like Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels?

Surely, he’ll be on the Phillies free-agent radar in a weak market. Who knows? Maybe Duke wins the job out of spring training and reclaims his 2005 form, when he was 8-2 with an ERA of 1.81.

The Phillies will need to take a chance on him to find out.

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MLB Trade Rumors: Can and Should the Philadelphia Phillies Trade Raul Ibanez?

The Philadelphia Phillies left-fielder Raul Ibanez may be on the trading block. 

At the finish of the general managers meetings, Ruben Amaro Jr. has not made any significant moves.  There are no good signs for Philadelphia fans related to Jayson Werth and the team has yet to add a proven left-handed reliever. 

However, Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com is reporting that Amaro may be attempting to trade Raul Ibanez. 

The Philadelphia general manager was talking up Ibanez and compared his numbers to those of Werth’s. 

Is Ruben trying to downplay the potential loss of Werth?  Or is he attempting to make Raul look more appealing to other MLB teams? 

“He was still a pretty productive player and when you look at his numbers, they’re not all that different from Jayson’s last year. What did he have, 83 RBI? Jayson had 85. He didn’t have as many opportunities as Jayson did to drive in runs. Clearly Jayson had more runs scored and his on-base percentage and stuff were better, but [Ibanez] had 37 doubles and five triples. The difference in their production was not all that great.” 

These comments may be directed to Werth’s agent, Scott Boras.  Several general managers and Boras are most likely having heated discussions about how much his client is worth, so it makes sense for Amaro underemphasize the importance of retaining Werth. 

Ibanez did have a great second half of the season.  In the 70 games after the all-star break, Raul hit .309 with nine home runs and 44 RBI.  Although, he did not play well in the playoffs.

Clearly, Ibanez has been a valuable piece to this Phillies lineup the last two seasons. Ruben just needs to compare that value to other needs on the team and decide whether or not to move him.

Should the Philadelphia Phillies Trade Ibanez?

Ibanez is due $11.5 million next season and the outfielder will turn 39 years old next summer.  He got off to a very slow start last season, but finished the second half strong. 

Which Raul should Philadelphia fans expect to see next season? How much will his production and skills diminish, if they diminish at all? 

Trading Ibanez could be beneficial to the Phillies in a couple ways. 

One, the team could use the now available $11 million to added left-handed relief and possibly a solidified No. 5 starter. 

Two, the Phillies could anticipate the loss of Werth and sign a right-handed outfielder that could play left field or platoon with Dominic Brown in right field.

Three, Amaro could use the extra money and attempt to sign Jayson Werth.  Boras is seeking a seven-year, $120 million contract for his client.

The ideal scenario would be to have Werth, Victorino, and Brown in the outfield next season.  Brown replaces Ibanez’s left-handed bat and the team still has Werth’s right-handed power in the middle of the lineup.

However, do the Phillies necessarily want to give Werth a seven-year contract?

If Ruben could pull off a miracle, he would trade Ibanez and sign Werth for a three or four year contract worth more money, especially in the first year.

I may be dreaming right now, but hopefully Werth feels some loyalty to the Phillies.  

The future of his career as a MLB player looked doomed before arriving in Philadelphia, as he has benefited from Philadelphia’s strong lineup that includes Ryan Howard and Chase Utley.

Raaaauuuullllll would certainly be missed by Philadelphia fans, though.  He is a great, hard-working guy whose performance has never lacked in effort.  

Which Teams Will Trade for Ibanez?

In Salisbury’s article, he mentions the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and San Francisco Giants as possible suitors for Ibanez. 

Once again, it will be a difficult task to move the 38-year-old outfielder.  He is due $11.5 million next year and he also has a partial no-trade clause. 

Ibanez can play in either the National League or American League.  He is not the fastest, most athletic outfielder, but he is still solid out there and hardly makes errors.

If he is moved to an AL team, he could switch game-by-game between either starting as the DH or in left field.

It should be pointed out, that Ibanez may be more much valuable to other teams than to the Phillies. 

Philadelphia does not need another left-handed power bat.  In fact, too many left-handed bats has been a liability.

However, other teams would kill for a player like Ibanez in the middle of their lineup.  His value should not be under-estimated, as he did hit for 16 home runs and 83 RBIs last season.

It would be a great move to trade Ibanez, as long as Amaro can re-sign Werth, add left-handed relief, or a solid, younger right-handed outfielder.

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MLB Trade Rumors: Why Philadelphia Trusts Ruben Amaro Jr.

Philadelphia fans are among the most loyal in sports.  Though if you cross them, they will never forget it and make sure you won’t either.   But Philadelphia Phillies‘ GM Ruben Amaro Jr. won’t ever have to worry about this.  Amaro has been the catalyst behind the Phillies’ reign and has continuously put them in a position to succeed.  That’s right, year after year the Phillies are contenders and build upon the previous season.  A lot of this credit deservedly goes to Amaro, the conductor that steers the Phillies to league supremacy.  

But why exactly do fans tend to put all their trust into this man? 

Certainly, his efforts to keep the Phillies’ window open are admirable, but Amaro’s impact goes beyond this.  During his tenure as Phillies’ GM, they have become the face of the league and synonymous with the “team” dynamic.  Not only has Amaro created a top contender in Philadelphia, but perhaps equally as important, he’s formed the closest team in all of sports.  

The idea of “team” was what mattered most to Amaro in terms of building the Phillies.  He didn’t just go out and look for talent, but also role players that add to a championship team atmosphere.  With a homegrown mind like Amaro in the fold, Philadelphians feel comfortable with the direction of thier Phillies.  

Must Read: Top 10 Postseason Moments in Philadelphia Phillies History

 

Ruben Amaro Jr. hasn’t been held under any type of serious microscope as so many sports personalities are in Philadelphia.  The way fans see it, Amaro extends his freedoms as GM to make the team better, even if it means raising ticket prices annually.  One thing is for certain though, without Amaro, the past few years wouldn’t have been as successful.  

Even though Pat Gillick laid out the groundwork for Amaro beforehand, Amaro’s responded swiftly.  He’s taken the ball and sprinted with it.   Amaro’s ruthless pursuit of talent has gotten them into the exclusive elite club of MLB.

It’s clear that Philadelphia fans want a winner and so does Ruben Amaro Jr.  With Amaro at the helm, fans are safe in their feelings that he knows what it takes to produce a winning product year in and year out.  The trust that they have instilled in Amaro has become more than just from a fan standpoint though.  Most of these fans have a vested interest in this team.  

As stated earlier, the Phillies raise ticket prices every year and fans expect a better product because of this.  It’s no secret that the Phillies have ruled over the NL the last few seasons and look to continue to do so in the future.  Without Amaro’s gutsy efforts through free-agency and in-season deals, this wouldn’t be possible.  

The Phillies now look to continue to go to work with their gunslinger GM.  Whether you agree with some of his deals is up to you, but Amaro’s ballsy approach can’t be denied.  The Cliff Lee deal was one thing.  Highway robbery was just about the only thing that could describe that.  However, when he followed it up by moving Lee to get his original Plan A Roy Halladay, Amaro had done the unthinkable.  Though he’d traded a fan favorite in Lee, and a top-of-the-rotation ace to boot, he acquired an even better pitcher in Halladay.

Halladay, a man who pitched nearly two perfect games this past season, is in a prime position for an even better 2011.  Amaro wouldn’t stop there though.  By the 2010 trade deadline, he would acquire another ace from Houston in Roy Oswalt.  This gave him the fantastic H2O trio that we know today.  These were all steals in one way or another at the time in which they happened and have helped Amaro’s legacy grow.  

Agree with him or not, Ruben Amaro Jr. is the best GM this town’s seen in quite some time.  There are so many reasons to trust him with the Philadelphia Phillies.   

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Roy Halladay Celebration: Doc Is Unanimous NL Cy Young Award Winner

The man they call Doc Halladay had a mighty impressive first season in the National League, and the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) certainly took notice.

Roy Halladay, the ace of aces for the Philadelphia Phillies, won the National League Cy Young Award unanimously, taking home all 32 first place votes. He easily outdistanced Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals and the Colorado Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez— who seemed like a lock to win it when he arrived at the All-Star Game with a 15-1 record.

Tim Hudson, of the Atlanta Braves, and the Florida Marlins’ Josh Johnson (the NL’s ERA leader) rounded out the top five.

Halladay made his first NL campaign a most memorable one, as he led the senior circuit in wins (with a 21-10 record), complete games (nine), shutouts (four) and innings pitched (250.2). He anchored a terrific starting rotation that led the Phillies to the best record in all of baseball during the regular season.

The Phillies’ ace was both spectacular and steady. His most spectacular outing, of course, was his May 29 perfect game at Florida, in a game where the Phillies could only manage one unearned run against Josh Johnson.

Other highlights included Halladay’s 4-0 record with an 0.82 ERA and two complete games in his first four starts of the season, and his last regular season start of the season which may have clinched the “Cy.”  Pitching in Washington against the pesky Nationals, he hurled a two-hit shutout without yielding a single walk.

His spectacular performances in 2010 included his first-ever postseason action, even if the postseason does not figure into the balloting. Facing a potent Cincinnati Reds lineup in Game 1 of the NLDS, all Doc did was throw the second no-hitter in MLB postseason history. He was one walk away from a perfecto.

Doc also kept the season alive by winning Game 5 of the NLCS versus Tim Lincecum and the eventual world champion San Francisco Giants. That he did so pitching on one good leg only added to his legend.

Halladay was steady as well as spectacular. In his 33 starts, he failed to pitch at least seven innings only four times. His shortest outing was 5.2 innings in an 8-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox. His next outing:  the perfecto versus the Marlins.

The 6’6” future Hall of Famer, one of the most obscure superstars in the game entering the 2010 season, posted spectacular stats, and continued to do so in a way that furthered his reputation as the ultimate competitor, a workout fiend, and a terrific teammate.

The 33 year-old, still looking to add a World Series title to his trophy case that now boasts two Cy Young Awards (his first was achieved in 2003 while pitching in a Toronto Blue Jays uniform) would appear to have a few prime seasons left and it would surprise nobody in baseball if he authors another Cy-worthy campaign in 2011.

Every now and then, the baseball writers get it right, even if Halladay made it eminently easy for them to do the right thing.

 

GOLD NOTES:

Halladay is just the fourth Phils pitcher to be honored with this award, along with Steve Bedrosian (1987), John Denny (1983) and Steve Carlton (a four-time winner in 1972, 1977, 1980 and 1982).

Doc is now the fifth pitcher in MLB history to win a Cy in both leagues, joining Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson and Gaylord Perry.

Halladay went seven years between Cys, tying the Braves’ Tom Glavine for the longest gap between awards.

New teammate Roy Oswalt finished sixth in the balloting.

 

For more information on Matt Goldberg’s new books, other writings and appearances, please e-mail: matt@tipofthegoldberg.com

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Roy Halladay Runs Away With National League Cy Young Award

My Preseason National League Cy Young Pick: Roy Halladay

2010 National League Cy Young winner: Roy Halladay

At the All Star break, Colorado Rockies’ ace Ubaldo Jimenez was the odds on favorite to win the NL Cy Young award. He was 15-1 with a 2.20 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and even had a no-hitter to his credit.

Halladay, who had a lower ERA than Jimenez (2.19), seemed to be lying in the background. And just like Zenyatta, Halladay made a furious run in the second half to win his second Cy Young.

He received all 32 first-place votes as he joined Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez and Gaylord Perry as the only pitchers to win a Cy Young award in both leagues.

Halladay is really in a league by himself. I always believed Greg Maddux was the best pure pitcher I had ever seen, but what Halladay has been able to do over the last couple years is making me re-think my belief.

My second-guessing comes because Halladay is doing something these days that almost no other pitcher is doing on a consistent basis—throwing complete games. In an era where the complete game is almost nonexistent, Halladay does it without breaking a sweat.

Over the past three years, Halladay has 27 complete games. During that span, no other pitcher has over 20. “Doc” has complete mastery of his craft.

Halladay lead the National League in wins (21), IP (250.2), Complete Games (nine), Shutouts (4), BB/9 (1.1), K’s/BB (7.3), and WAR (6.6). He also finished second in K’s (219) and WHIP (1.04).

Halladay’s two shining moments during the season were his perfect game against the Florida Marlins on May 29th and, of course, his no-hitter in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds. That was a game for the ages.

It’s very rare that an accomplishment in sports captivates non-sports fans. I manage 12 females during my day job (no, I don’t work at a strip club) and trust me when I tell you, sports conversation is not on the agenda during the day.

However, I did have two of the members of my team come up to me the next day and ask me if I watched the Halladay game last night—it was that kind of sports moment.

Congratulations to Halladay on winning the Cy Young. I would say he is the odds on favorite to win the award next year, as well.

 

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @theghostofmlg

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2010 NL Cy Young: Philadelphia Phillies’ Ace Roy Halladay Is B/R’s Choice

Today, the Baseball Writers Association of America will unveil its choice for the 2010 National League Cy Young Award, making this the first time in the more than three weeks since Bleacher Report’s featured columnists began to release the results of our end-of-season awards poll that Major League Baseball has had the decency to coordinate their announcement with ours.

Yesterday, we did the AL Cy Young, they did the Rookies of the Year. Last week, they announced the Silver Sluggers and Gold Gloves, a full fortnight after we did. And while we’ll be all done by Thursday, they’re going to drag their results out until just before Thanksgiving.

But I digress—here are the results of B/R’s NL Cy Young vote.

As always, the top five vote-getters are featured here, with commentary from the writers who chose them. The full list of results is at the end.

So read on, see how we did, and be sure to tell us what we got wrong!

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MLB Rumors: Five Ways For The Phillies to Solve Life After Jayson Werth

Any day, now Jayson Werth will be wearing a new uniform and a $100-million smile.  You can bet your house on the fact that when the 2011 season begins, Jayson Werth will not be a Philadelphia Phillie.  This much is painfully obvious by now.  What we still don’t know is where exactly he will end up when it’s all said and done.  Werth is already being courted by the Boston Red Sox, though they are not a guarantee landing spot for the star right fielder, they are a very likely destination.

Maybe I need to get off of the Werth case and realize that he will not be back next season.  Well, this is now an admitted fact that he will be somewhere else next year.  The main reason, from Werth’s standpoint, was that the Phillies didn’t offer enough years on their deal.  Money supposedly wasn’t much of an issue.  I suppose that $16.5 million per season suffices, doesn’t it Jayson?  Well, either way, Phillies’ GM Ruben Amaro Jr. apparently doesn’t believe that Jayson is “Werth” this high price tag.  

To their own credit, the Phillies are built and have depth throughout.  Though it won’t necessarily be easy to replace Werth’s five-tool prowess, it is something to acknowledge and prepare for this winter.  Domonic Brown needs to grow up on the fly and Ben Francisco needs to be a solid right-handed bat for the Phillies if this platoon is to work. 

Here are five ways that the Phillies will survive life without Jayson Werth.  

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Juan Samuel Returns To Philadelphia Phillies

Juan Samuel will take over as third base coach and outfield instructor for the Phillies while Sam Perlozzo moves to first base.  When asked about returning the Philadelphia, Samuel told reporters, I couldn’t be happier.  I’m ecstatic going back and joining an elite group of players and manager.  It’s a dream come true.  Samuel was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2008 and has always been a fan favorite.  It will be nice to have him back.

In other news, the Phillies have made a small flurry of insignifigant moves in the past week or so.  They have signed Pete Orr, 31, to a minor league deal.  The infielder has spent much of his baseball career lingering in the minors where he hit .264.

In the catcher category, the Phils re-signed Dane Sardinha who hit .205 in his time with the Phils last year and .207 in the minors.  They also picked up Erik Kratz, 30, who hit .274 in the Pirates AAA system.

Continuing to add minor-league pitching, Eddie Bonine, 29, was added as well after spending time in the Tigers bullpen last year.  Bonine had a record of 4-1 with a 4.63 ERA in 47 appearances and one start in 2010.  His name indicates that he is good at preventing nausea, however, his stats indicate otherwise.  Yuck.  Well, at least they picked up one guy under 30…barely.

As for Jayson Werth, there is still little news.  He and his super-agent Scott Boras are out and about trying to see who is willing to get serious about overpaying the outfielder.  The odds of Werth returning to the Phillies lessen as each day passes.  But truthfully, the odds may have been close to one percent to begin with.  Don’t hold out hope…it is very unlikely that Werth will be back in red pinstripes.

 

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