Philadelphia Phillies: Polanco’s Injury Worth Ransom Plan

When you are two-time National League champion, there is little room for non-roster players looking to make the squad.

As a Phillies fan, I am no longer looking hopefully as Ricky Ledee or John Wockenfuss are added to the squad, with past potential or successes leading to a promising Phillies season.

Nope. I am in baseball hog heaven. These are the gravy years.

So when the Phillies added six non-roster players to their squad over the winter, I was most impressed initially by DeWayne Wise, who made a game-saving catch in the White Sox Mark Buerhle’s perfect game last year.

Among the “invited” six was Cody Ransom, who filled in for the Yankees when Alex Rodriguez went down at third last year. In 79 at-bats, he hit just .190 with no homers.

He is hitting .294 this spring. For his career in 262 at-bats, he has a .233 career average with seven home runs and 34 RBI.

Obviously Juan Castro, late of the Dodgers with 2,484 Major League at bats, and Greg Dobbs with 926 at bats, are the primary backups at third.

But when Placido Polanco went down fielding a pop up on Monday and went off limping with an injured right knee, a slight panic of future trouble crept into my mind.

“Poly” as the Tigers grew to know him, turned out to be an iron man with a good bat as the everyday second baseman with the Tigers. He hovered around .300 with Detroit, hitting .341 in 2007 in 587 at bats.

With the Phillies, Polanco will play third and back up Chase Utley at second.

A long-term injury to Polanco, which fortunately did not happen, would be harmful to the Phillies on offense, in particular, and defense, secondarily.

My buddies and I agree that neither Dobbs or Castro thrill us as long-term solutions at third, which gives me hope that Ransom could be in the mix if a need arises where Polanco is hurt or Polanco has to play second base.

Philadelphia Daily News sportswriting icon Bill Conlin wrote earlier this winter that depth could be a trouble spot for the Phillies.

We all remember what happened to the Mets last year. Injury and lack of depth certainly hurt the Mets.

The year 2010 is a new beginning for all Eastern Division teams.

The Mets got Jason Bay to protect David Wright in the Mets offense. The Marlins kept a good young core, the Braves added offense and pitching depth, and Washington got a top line pitcher, Jason Marquis, among other moves to improve the club.

I am not saying Ransom is a world beater.

I am saying that in a long baseball season, Ransom could see major time with the club.

And that is fine with me.

Even though he is 34 years old, a club needs youth to grow, but also experience to fill the gaps of injury and a need to stay on top of the division.

Even though he will probably start the year in Triple A, Cody will provide needed insurance, and he does not ….

(drum roll)

cost a ransom.

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