Cliff Lee Signs With the Philadelphia Phillies: A Bad Decision for Both Sides

Now, even Brett Favre can breathe again with free-agent ace Cliff Lee finally making a decision to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Favre is on a growing list of fans, athletes, sportscasters, beat writers, my doorman and pretty much anyone who reads the NY Post who were annoyed with Lee’s decision making of where he is bringing his talents, basically until his 40th birthday party.

Lee had a serious offer of $160-plus million for seven years on the table from the New York Yankees.

He also has about five different contracts proposals from the Texas Rangers, who went over and above, in attempts to compete with the Yankees resources.

Days passed with no “decision,” so it made perfect sense that another team is in hot pursuit and one that Lee deemed worth the wait.

The Philadelphia Phillies is that team, but Lee just makes no sense for such a heavily loaded ballclub as Philadelphia.

Philly traded Lee’s talents without a hitch last season to attain Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays. Later, the franchise added Houston Astros ace Roy Oswalt to the rotation of Halladay and Cole Hamels.

Halladay has a three-year contract worth $60 million, with a fourth year option but a lot of stats have to be fulfilled for that to happen.

Oswalt is slated to make $16 million in 2011, but his contract is up if the Phillies want it to be. Oswalt does have an option for 2012 at $17 million.

Both Halladay and Oswalt turned 33 years old in 2010, so adding another 32-year-old arm at $20-plus million doesn’t make much sense.

Why?

1. Lee wants years and two offers already on the table are for seven seasons. If Philly didn’t sign Halladay for more than three years, why would they sign a less durable, injury-prone pitcher to more?

2. Outfielder Jayson Werth took his talents to the Washington Nationals a week ago, leaving Philly with a huge gap to fill in their lineup. Werth was clutch for Philly, especially in the last three years and his absence won’t go unnoticed. Philly’s priority should have been re-signing Werth.

3. Another option for Philly would be to go after closer Raphael Soriano. Brad Lidge has proved unreliable for long stretches and it cost the team. Soriano is way better and any team who has him finish games is significantly better. Lidge could setup for Soriano, making a lethal one-two in the eighth and ninth innings.

4. Philly also gave a monster contract of $125 million for five years to 1B Ryan Howard, a year before his current one expires at the end of 2011. This made no sense to me then, and it still doesn’t now. No offense to Howard, as he is a great player, but why not wait till his contract runs out or at least re-sign him in that the same season? It just hog ties money when situations considering can change so quickly.

Looks Lee wants to go to Philly, so my sincerest congratulations.

It’s so hard for me to understand how Lee doesn’t remember how quickly the Phillies said goodbye the first time? It would piss most people off, and Lee is supposedly going to take less to go back to the first team he lost the World Series with.

Nor is Lee a good option for the Phillies to over-spend at a position they already flourish in.

Why does this situation feel all too familiar to me?

Oh right….I am a New York Yankees fan, so over-paying for a handful players age 31 and over is what we used to do.

Good luck to Cliff Lee and thanks once again for using the Yankees to get where you want, but getting what you want (a World Series) will entail beating New York first.

Hey, at least the spending recklessly is catching on around baseball; the difference is the Yankees can afford it.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

A 2010 World Series Rematch and Why the Phillies Would Be Favored Over Yankees

Monday night, the Philadelphia Phillies won the NL East for the fourth straight season in a row.

Up in Toronto, the New York Yankees evening could have been a champagne party too. Instead, AJ Burnett imploded worse than ever on the mound and the Blue Jays won the game 7-5.

Burnett could not even get out of the third inning, and he was to blame for all seven runs scored.

Rock bottom?

I thought that already happened for Burnett, as he showed glimpses of why the Yankees acquired him in the first place just a week ago.

Well, whatever it is holding AJ back seems to be an off the field issue that is eating away at him. The best Yankee fans can do is just hope Burnett figures himself out, as he is a big piece of the playoff puzzle.

Looking at the playoff picture so far, the Phillies are unanimously the NL favorites to make it to the World Series for the third year in a row.

It would be hard for anyone to disagree with that predictions, considering how hot a September the Phillies are having posting a 19-5 record.

A lot of that success has to do with the pitching rotation, which includes Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay, and Roy Oswalt. It is by far the best threesome in baseball and they keep getting better.

This month their combined record is 13-1, pitching just shy of 95 innings, have a strikeout total of 87 and the month is not over yet.

Another critical component on any team is the closer, and the Phillies have been a roller coaster ride with Brad Lidge since 2008 ended.

Now Lidge has found his swagger again. His 27 saves this season don’t do how he is pitching justice, as Lidge only earned the team’s trust back the last two months. He admitted he needed to change due to loss of velocity on his pitches.

No need to explain how good the Phillies hitters are because the proof is in the names alone: Utley, Howard, Werth, Rollins, Ibanez, Victorino, Ruiz, Valdez, and I think you get the point.

So, could it be a rematch from last year’s World Series?

Sure it could, but the Yankees need to clinch officially and for any team to match-up with Philadelphia my advice is to bring your A-Game.

It would be a treat to fans to see a Yankees-Phillies World Series, because if it is anything like 2009, it is sure to be exciting for baseball as a whole.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Four MLB Teams To Watch Down the Stretch

Philadelphia Phillies

 

Phillies have had a lot of bad luck with Jimmy Rollins out twice in first half, Chase Utley out till September and just a string of other continual mishaps. Positive note is that Cole Hamels is pitching like 2008 again…..which is good as the Phillies are winning again.

 

Rumor is the Phillies are offering up OF Jayson Werth on the trade market, but no bites as of yet but surely teams have to be interested in Werth, like the Boston Red Sox. Werth carried the team into two back to back World Series in 2008 and 2009.

 

His production has definitely picked up since the All-Star break, but so far in 2010 he has a .286 batting average, with 13 home-runs, 52 RBIs and seven stolen bases.

 

Just to compare, his 2009 season totals were 36 home-runs, 99 RBIs, 91 walks and 20 stolen bases.

 

His average is better because he has hit 32 doubles, which already tops his 2009 total which was 26. Werth is on track to hit around 25—26 home-runs and steal around 14—15.

 

I had a feeling when the Phillies started to play better Werth would step it up, which is what is happening right now.

 

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

 

Is Dan Haren the answer to pitching problems? Switching from NL to AL  is not going to be easy with 7-8 record, a 4.60 era in the weak hitting NL West. Haren does have a 141 strike-outs which before the trade was on top of the NL. Haren is a three time All-Star and has averages 15 wins in his five seasons. Finally, Haren is pitching on a contending ball-club, with a solid reputation that could be just what this durable pitcher needs to get better.

 

1B Kendry Morales is a huge bat to lose, but they have proved they can win without him when their hot, it’s when they slump that his missing presence is noticed.

 

Now, the Angels bats have to stay hot when the pitching does it’s job more consistently. This team is not the base stealing pests of the past but when the bats get hot, they can win.

 

Definitely sends a message to the AL West leading Texas Rangers, the Angels are going to fight all the way.

 

Boston Red Sox

 

Injuries have run through Fenway Park like a virus, as the DL list is better than the active roster. Slowly, the players are coming back. Once Pedoria and Ellsbury return the team can start to win all the time again.

 

The question remains is there enough time to play catch-up or will the gap in the standings be to wide already?

 

Guess we willl see but GM Theo Epstein has been silent, but I would expect some kind-of move before July 31st trade deadline. That is unless the Red Sox are looking towards 2011, which I would highly doubt.

 

Chicago White Sox

 

As a player, being managed by Ozzie Guillen must be a roller coaster ride because as a fan watching and listening to Guillen is an absolute treat. Guillen never hesitates to credit opponents in defeat and his passion is contagious.

 

As of June 9th, the White Sox were waving bye-bye sitting 9.5 games back, with the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers both in front. Then all of the sudden in total Guillen-style, the team won nine of 10 games and entered the All-Star break .5 game in first-place.

 

To say it was shocking would be an understatement, but with a Manager like Gillen how could you not get emotional. Guillen is the key to this team’s energy, but going forward the team’s weakness is the bullpen.

 

Guillen says all is fine as it is and he plans to use a committee of closers down the stretch. This idea could work in the AL Central, due to the Detroit Tigers recent bad luck of injuries to Brandon Inge, Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen. Also, the Twins M & M boys not at 100 percent, without Mauer and Morneau the Twins October dreams will have to wait.

 

Guillen feels no pity, as the White Sox lost ace Jake Peavy about seven weeks ago and they figured out how to win.

 

Still, the bullpen will get wiped outside the AL Central and overall the White Sox are in this position because of inter-league play and that part of the season is over. The White Sox are only one game ahead of the Twins and two in front of the Tigers making this the tightest three-team division race.

 

Now the White Sox will face all AL teams from here on out. Here is their opportunity, like it or not, to prove this was not just a mid-season surge. I am not totally sold just yet that this could be blamed on quick luck.

 

 

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies Are Dumb To Trade Jayson Werth

The last week before the MLB trade deadline on July 31st is usually an eventful and dramatic couple of days up until the last second.

The players who are on the trading block are not exciting and certainly bring no guarantee.

The only proven difference-maker was SP Cliff Lee, who was traded to the Texas Rangers two weeks ago. Lee was 2010’s diamond in the rough, or technically on the mound, because the fact is, he makes a team better.

The rest of the rumored players on the chopping block, minus Philadelphia Phillies right-fielder Jayson Werth, do not come with any certificate of guarantee. With Lee a goner already, this makes Werth a very popular guy. 

It would be hard to believe the Phillies’ for sale sign is out on Werth. With 2B Chase Uttley on the DL till September and leadoff hitter SS Jimmy Rollins not 100 percent healthy, it doesn’t make much sense to me.

You can bet one thing for sure: The Phillies wish they had never let Cliff Lee go in the first place.

It’s crazy that a pitcher of the caliber and talent of Cliff Lee has worn four different uniforms in less than two seasons. That number be five after 2010 is over because Texas cannot afford Lee, or themselves for that matter.

Going back to Werth, he is not putting up the numbers he is capable of at all. Surely not the best timing, as Werth is a free agent at the end of 2010.

Is Werth to blame for his sub-par stats and should teams be proceeding with caution?

Absolutely not, considering the Phillies flipped Werth the bird and handed 1B Ryan Howard a blank check a year before his current contract is up, which isn’t till after 2011.

Werth supposedly turned down a contract offered by the Phillies, but after the five-year, $125 million contract going to Howard, it was said the team was capped out.

It made no sense to sign Howard because timing was off and it keeps the power first baseman till 2017. Philly fans can just watch a Red Sox game, because Howard will be their David Ortiz, at best.

One theory is that Werth is making himself less appealing so the Phillies can’t get as much for him.

This reason made no sense to me, as this is the time Werth should be making teams drool to secure a multi-year monster contract. Everyone is still waiting for him to breakout.

Still, I would be shocked if Werth continued to decline after waving Citizens Bank Park and the Phillies goodbye. Out of sight, out of mind, and out of Philly seems to be the best option for Werth, and no doubt, he will thrive again.

As a fan, it is easy to point out a player who fits perfectly on a team. Call it fan intuition, but it is usually very accurate. An example would be Nick Swisher, who in my mind has always been a New York Yankee.

That is why this Jayson Werth soap opera just feels funny and off track, because he was that guy in Philly.

Well, I guess we will know in a week. FYI, the New York Yankees would be happy to have Werth in pinstripes.

 

READ MORE AT…..Lady Loves Pinstripes .

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Angels and Phillies: Two MLB Teams Not To Give Up On

MLB‘s second half of the season is officially in full swing.

 

Thus far, 2010 is proving to be one for the books. With so many tight division races, fans will have plenty of excitement to keep them occupied.

 

Still, fans tend to throw in the towel and write off their team’s chances of playing in October. A few teams stand out that might not be division leaders now, but still have the potential not to be counted out yet.

 

Remember that pennants are not won in July and that baseball can look decidedly different from week to week.

 

Here are two teams, one from the AL and the other from the NL, that should not be counted out.

 

 

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

 

The Angels lost their best player, 1B Kendry Morales, for the season, and it has finally impacted the team. Still, this is a group who has won the AL West six of the last seven years and it would be foolish to consider them out this soon.

 

Even with the first-place Rangers acquiring SP Cliff Lee, the back of their rotation is not significant.

 

The Angels have an ace in Jered Weaver. Weaver beat Seattle‘s King Felix for the third time this season, but the Angels have to give Weaver some run support. The vets need to step it up now to stay in the mix, especially Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter, and Hideki Matsui.

 

Truthfully, they are not the same Angels from 2009. They lost a lot of speed on the bases, which played a enormous role in their past successes. The Halos should pick up a solid bat before the end of July. The Red Sox‘ Mike Lowell or the Orioles‘ Miguel Tejada are rumored possibilities, and while they could be the difference makers, they are a tad too old to get that excited about.

 

The Angels remain just four-and-a-half games out, and the next two weeks are the time to make a move on Texas. The Angels are a second-half team, with a proven history—now’s time to prove it.

 

 

Philadelphia Phillies

 

The Phillies have been hit with injuries even harder than the Angels. So far, 12 players have seen the DL, including three All-Star hitters, the closer, a setup man, two starters, and both their starting and backup catchers. Things have been far from sunny in Philadelphia.

 

After just two starts, NLCS Rookie of the Year SP J.A. Happ has yet to be back to his 2009 form—but he will be. Then SS Jimmy Rollins, who is the Phillies’ leadoff batter, has been actively on and off the DL.

 

On June 28th, 2B Chase Utley hurt his thumb. Utley had surgery on his thumb on July 1st and will return in a few weeks. Turning to the bullpen, closer Brad Lidge is getting reacquainted after missing April and most of May, but Lidge still can throw heat. Phillies fans need to be patient with Lidge.

 

The Phillies are kicking themselves for letting Cliff Lee go. In 2010, Lee is throwing better than trade-off Roy Halladay, that is just a fact.

 

The positives are that SP Cole Hamels is looking better with each start and Happ should be of use when he is back, which should be any day now. I would also expect that Lidge will be back to being the dominating closer by mid-August again. Getting Lidge on the mound more often will help keep him strong.

 

Now what to do about Jayson Werth? Werth is not hitting like his usual self, but can you blame a player who knows the team did not want him? Not particularly well-executed by the Phillies management, who handed Howard a monster contract and made Werth aware that he has no worth. There’s no doubt this is taking a toll on Werth, whether he knows it or not.

 

1B Ryan Howard is currently on a hitting tear and is confident the Phillies are getting back on their feet. Rollins will start to get hot now that he is fully recovered. Utley will be back in three weeks, along with Happ and Placido Polanco, who will rejoin the team shortly.

 

The Phillies are a half game behind the New York Mets and five-and-a-half behind the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves. Remember that the last three seasons, the Phillies have had about the same record, and they have been to the World Series the last two years.

 

The Phillies will make a run at the division for sure and with so much baseball left, winning it is not out of left field by any means.

 

Read more on….Lady Loves Pinstripes .

 

 

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com