Philadelphia Phillies Interested in John Smoltz

ESPN‘s Jayson Stark reports that the Phillies have showed interest in 42-year-old free agent pitcher John Smoltz as a low risk, high reward signing, similar to the role played by Pedro Martinez last season.

Smoltz isn’t the same pitcher he was five years ago, but he showed with the Cardinals that he can still be effective despite having a miserable couple of outings in Boston.

The former Atlanta Braves great appeared in eight games with the Red Sox last season, going 2-5 with a 8.32 earned run average in 40 innings before being designated for assignment on Aug. 7.

He signed with St. Louis after being released by the Sox, starting seven games for the Red Birds. He pitched relatively well upon his return to the N.L. Smoltz went 1-3 with a 4.26 ERA.

His control wasn’t an issue last year with either team as he had very impressive strikeout-to-walk numbers, striking out 33 batters while walking just nine with Boston, and 40-to-nine ratio with the Cards.

Smoltz’s trouble with the Bo Sox was that he was giving up way too many hits and home runs. In 40 innings with Boston, Smoltz gave up 59 hits and nine homers.

With Dave Duncan as his pitching coach in St. Louis, he was able to trim down on the hits and long balls. While playing for the Cardinals, Smoltz allowed 36 hits and three homers in 38 innings.

Smoltzy will be turning 43 in May, so he’s on the downside of his career, however the age doesn’t show that he still can’t get batters out. Jamie Moyer is 46 years old, and is still getting it done.

When pitchers get past a certain age in their careers, they have to learn how to use their stuff and trust what they still have. It’s all about location, and utilizing your off-speed stuff rather than your heaters.

At this point in his career, he has to throw his sliders and breaking balls more often rather than falling back on his heater because it’s not that devastating fastball from years ago.

Smoltz isn’t fond of Citizens Bank Park so that could be a hurdle in negotiations with the future Hall-of-Fame pitcher, but that will not be the biggest roadblock in signing Smoltz.

There are two major things that could get in the way of snagging Smoltz. The first whether he would be willing to accept the role as a reliever, and the second is how much money will he be asking for.

In his storied career, he has been both a great starter and a great reliever. At one time, he was among the game’s best closers. Will he go back to the bullpen as a seventh or eighth-inning guy?

I think he’s better suited for the ‘pen because he doesn’t have the stuff or the health to give you five-plus innings every fifth day. And for the Phillies, he would be insurance to Brad Lidge.

He fits with the Phils as a reliever in my opinion, however he could also help the team’s depth at starting pitcher. Maybe the Phils should promise him a chance to earn a starting job like they did with Chan Ho Park?

It’s unlikely that Pedro will be back, and Moyer seems to be a huge question mark so who knows who will be the fifth starter come opening day. Depth is an issue in terms of starters.

Smoltz showed with the Cards that he can still be a serviceable starter, a guy who can give you five quality innings every fifth day. But whether he can he do it over a full season is still up in the air.

With his past history of greatness, Smoltz may think that he’s due a few million bucks even though he hasn’t done anything other than show that he could be an OK fifth starter in the last couple of years.

The Phillies are in the market for bargain-bin type pitchers for both the rotation and bullpen. Rather than overpay for quality, they’ll pay for average, which I have no problem with.

Some fans will have a problem with them looking at players like this because they aren’t “willing to throw out the big bucks.”

To those fans, didn’t they acquire a highly paid pitcher at the deadline?

Great teams are ones who aren’t afraid to take risks, like Phils did when they signed Martinez.

If the Phillies have proved anything in the last year, the best deal doesn’t always come with the highest price tag. Instead of paying the premium to get Roy Halladay, they gave up less for Cliff Lee.

So, instead of targeting John Lackey or Randy Wolf in free agency, the Phils are looking at John Smoltz-type pitchers. Guys who can be bought for low, and possibly give a high return.

Justin Duchscherer anyone?

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Detroit Tigers Pass On Arbitration Offer to Placido Polanco

The Detroit Tigers did not offer second baseman Placido Polanco arbitration, which means any team can sign him without having to forfeit a draft pick since he’s a Type-A free agent.

Polanco, 34, hit .285/.331/.396 with 10 homers and 72 RBI in 675 plate appearances with the Tigers last season. He only struck out 46 times last season, which indicates he makes contact most of the time.

He has been linked to the Phillies multiple times thus far this offseason as many believe they’re eyeing him to be their third base this coming season despite him not playing third since 2004.

In his 11-year Major League career, he is a .303/.348/.414 hitter and he has played in Philadelphia before. The Phillies acquired him from St. Louis for Scott Rolen then traded him to Detroit in 2005.

With the Tigers last year, Polanco made $4.6 million. Many believe he will not cost as much as Chone Figgins or Adrian Beltre, but he could give the Phillies something that no free agent third baseman can.

Polanco is a great situational hitter, something the Phillies currently don’t have. The Phillies have a lot of strikeouts in their lineup, and penciling him into the lineup would add a contact bat who does the little things.

How many times have you seen the Phillies fail to get a key hit with runners in scoring position with two outs or unable to move a runner over? That’s where Polanco would help most.

Don’t be surprised if he is playing third base for the Phillies next season instead of Mark DeRosa, who many think is the favorite to land in Philadelphia or Beltre. Now, it will not cost them a pick to sign him.

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

PHILLIES SIGN BRIAN SCHNEIDER

Mandy Housenick of The Morning Call is reporting that Northampton graduate Bran Schneider has signed a two-year free agent contract with the Phillies after passing a physical on Tuesday.

Schneider, who grew up a Phillies fan, hit .218/.292/.335 with three home runs and 24 RBI in 170 at-bats with the New York Mets last season while being slowed down by back, calf and knee injuries.

The 33-year-old left-handed hitting catcher is a career .251/.323/.697 hitter while playing for the Mets and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals.

He’s regarded as an excellent defensive catcher, committing only 36 errors in 877 career games. He caught 437 innings, and had a .997 fielding percentage while throwing out 34% of base stealers.

Schneider has always been a Phillies killer in his career, hitting .273/.354/.412 against Philadelphia while slugging six homers and driving in 54 runs in 108 games.

I think this is a good move on the part of Ruben Amaro Jr. , who has done nothing but good things since taking over as general manager last winter. Schneider provides a bat and defense at backup catcher.

Interestingly enough, this happened one day after former Phillies catcher and fan favorite Chris Coste agreed to sign with the rival Mets.

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies: A Glance at What’s Going on with the Phils

Jeff Kolpack is reporting that former Phillies catcher and fan favorite Chris Coste has agreed to sign a deal with the New York Mets that will guarantee a spot on their 40-man roster come Spring Training.

Tom’s Take: It will be hard to see Coste playing for the hated Mets, that is if he makes the team of course. His story could eventually make it to the big screen, but his best days are behind him at the age of 37. The Phils waived him last year, and the Astros picked him up. Now, he’ll have a chance to earn a job on a bad Mets team. Good luck, Chris.

 

Mike Potter writes that the decision to sign DeWayne Wise to a minor league contract was a good move on the part of Ruben Amaro Jr. He thinks that Wise could contribute to the Phils this coming season.

Tom’s Take: With minor league deals, you never expect anything big to come out of it. Usually, these type of players are guys who are way past their prime or never really showed anything to warrant a guaranteed spot. Wise is a player like that, but who knows, it could pay off or it could not. We shall see.

 

David Murphy thinks that the Phillies will offer Chan Ho Park arbitration when the deadline passes on Tuesday, and he also expects Shane Victorino and Carlos Ruiz to be offered contracts to boot.

Tom’s Take: As much as I want to see Park come back to the Phils’ bullpen, I don’t see it happening. He wants to be a starter so if a team wants him, all they have to do is what the Phillies did last season. Give him a chance to start, and when, not if, he blows, send him to he ‘pen. Victorino and Ruiz will ink deals at some point, at least I expect so.

 

Sam Donnellon says that Chone Figgins would fit nicely atop the Phillies’ lineup this season, and that they should sign him to be their third baseman.

Tom’s Take: Figgins is everyone’s top target this off-season at the hot corner, however I’d rather not spend the money on a 32-year-old who relies on speed, especially if he wants four to five years at $50 million. I would rather go with a guy who has some power like Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, or Miguel Tejada; however, I do agree that Figgins would be a good fit with the Phils.

 

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Report: Phillies To Sign Juan Castro

According to several media outlets, the Philadephia Phillies have agreed to terms with free agent Juan Castro on a one-year contract with a club option for 2011 pending a physical. The signing is expected to be announced next week.

Castro is listed as a shortstop, but he’s a utility player who will replace Eric Bruntlett on the roster for the 2010 season. In 2009, Castro played 20 games at second base, eight at third, and two in left field.

The 37-year old hit .277, with one home run, and nine RBI in 112 at bats with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also had a .311 on-base percentage and scored 18 runs after signing a minor league deal with Los Angeles.

In 15 seasons paying for the Dodgers, Reds, Twins, and Orioles, Castro is a .230 career hitter with a .270 OBP. He’s a journeyman infielder, but he’s a guy who fits what the Phillies were looking for.

Philadelphia’s bench struggled all season long last year, and Bruntlett had one of the worst seasons a player could have. In 105 at bats last year, Bruntlett hit .171 with a .224 on-base percentage.

Charlie Manuel loved Bruntlett’s versatility in the field, which was the only reason Bruntlett stuck around the entire season. They Phillies hope Castro can provide a modest offensive upgrade over Bruntlett.

The Phillies are still in the market for a third baseman and bullpen help, but with the signing of Castro, they can cross the utility player off their to do list.

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Halladay Will Not Re-Sign With Toronto

ESPN.com reports that Roy Halladay will not re-sign with the Toronto Blue Jays after his contract expires at the end of the 2010 season assuming that he is still a Blue Jay for this coming season.

Toronto went public during the summer that they would listen to offers for the right-handed pitcher, and it ultimately got to a point to no return for the Blue Jays.

Halladay wants to play for a winner, and that’s not Toronto. At this point in his career, he’s made enough money. Every player’s goal is to win a World Series, and Halladay knows that won’t happen with the Jays.

He’s not the kind of guy that would use the media to help him get out of a bad situation. Throughout the craziness that was July, Halladay never once said that he wanted to be traded, or that he wanted out of Toronto.

Instead, Halladay said all the right things, but if you can read body language, it shouted “get me out of here”. After the trade deadline past and he was still a Jay, you could see the disappointment in his face.

Toronto can no longer salvage the situation, they have to get something for the six-time All-Star and 2003 A.L. Cy Young award winner. He’s too good to let go without receiving something other than a draft pick.

Former Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi failed to find a proposal that floated his boat, and it cost him his job among other reasons like signing Vernon Wells and Alex Rios to terrible extensions.

In case you haven’t realized with the multiple rumors thus far into the off-season, Toronto is desperate to trade Halladay. Why else would they say that they would trade him to Boston or New York?

And while thinking about it, why would they call the Chicago Cubs, who have never really been linked to Halladay before, to seek their interest. The Jays are said to be talking to the Dodgers to boot.

Yesterday, I wrote that the Phillies should jump back into the Doc Halladay sweepstakes stating that they have the assets, drive, and financial flexibility to do so.

Despite having over $100-million committed to 12 players next season, the Phils have no financial restraints from the ownership. They’ll spend money if they see it as a way of making the team better.

That may surprise you depending on if you believed that a few years ago, David Montgomery was unwilling to spend money for big-name players, but that’s this new era of baseball in Philadelphia.

Winning a World Series in 2008 opened the eyes of Montgomery, showing him that spending money to go for the crown every year will lead to more money made from attendance and merchandise.

The prospective of making it to the dance three years in a row, and becoming a dynasty in the process, is something that has never been a reality with the Phillies in their history.

Acquiring Halladay will not be as hard as it was during the regular season as the asking price will not be as high, and if it is, look for Toronto to screw the pooch once again with the handling of Halladay.

At this point in time, they have to get one top prospect, or a Major League ready player in return for Doc. In July, they could have got a high return, now they could still get one, but it seems unrealistic.

Look at the Twins a few years ago, and how they handled trading Johan Santana. They didn’t ship him at the deadline when they could’ve got a big package, but waited until the winter, and got nothing.

Toronto already failed to get the most they can get for him since they didn’t trade him at the deadline, but now they have a chance to redeem themselves while getting a top prospect.

The Jays have no leverage, however, so finding a partner who is willing to give them a blue-chip prospect or a ML-ready player like J.A. Happ, who they could still realistically get if they were to trade with the Phils.

Ruben Amaro Jr. doesn’t have starting pitching as a top priority this winter as they have to find a new third baseman, restructure the bullpen, and strengthen a crappy bench.

However, if Toronto came calling offering Halladay for Happ, and two mid-level prospects, it’s hard to believe that Amaro wouldn’t pull the trigger.

Come to think of it, it’ll cost more than Happ and mid-level prospects to get Halladay. The Yankees or Red Sox will probably get him by trading Joba Chamberlin or Clay Buccholz.

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies Should Get Back in on Roy Halladay

So, last week, the rumors resurfaced that the Phillies are still trying to acquire Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays, and the memories of the hours leading up to the trade deadline in July relinquished.

All throughout the middle month of the season, all the talk surrounding Major League Baseball was whether or not Toronto would stick to their word and trade Halladay.

Then general manager J.P. Ricciardi said that he would listen to offers for the right-hander at the start of the month, and Philadelphia had the need and the financial flexibility to make a blockbuster.

For a couple of weeks, Ricciardi played a game of chicken with the Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr . as everyone in Ricciardi’s position would. Toronto was asking for the farm while the Phils weren’t willing to meet the demand.

In the end, the Phillies ended up acquiring another former Cy Young winner in Cliff Lee for far less than they would have had to give up to get Halladay, who isn’t much better than Lee.

With Halladay still under contract for another season, Toronto felt that they could wait until the offseason to trade him and still get the same value they would’ve if they shipped him at the deadline.

I believe that the way that Ricciardi handled the whole ordeal ultimately cost him his job. It got to a point where they kind of needed to trade Doc because he wanted out, and mentally, he was gone.

The Blue Jays hired Alex Anthopoulos as the general manager after firing Ricciardi in October, and Anthopoulos has the responsibility to dealing a bona-fide ace before things get worse for Canada’s only baseball team.

A few weeks into the offseason, we already know that the Jays are willing to trade inside the division, and that the Yankees and Red Sox both are players in the sweepstakes.

On Friday, we learned that the Jays called the Chicago Cubs to seek their interest in adding the 32-year-old starter. And then Yahoo Sports Tim Brown tweeted that Toronto is talking to the Dodgers about Halladay.

It’s obvious that the Blue Jays want to trade Halladay this winter, and not wait until next season’s trade deadline where they would have to settle for a sub-par package instead of getting a top prospect or two.

Toronto is looking pretty desperate to get rid of Doc while getting the best possible package they can at this point in time; remember Minnesota lost value when waiting until the offseason to trade Johan Santana .

This is why I think the Phillies should re-enter the Roy Halladay sweepstakes: They have the assets to complete a trade, they have the need to acquire another top-of-the rotation guy, and it makes (some) sense.

The Jays already know who they like in the Phils farm system from the scouting they were doing when the two sides were negotiating in July, and Philadelphia can afford trading away one top prospect.

In order to land Halladay during the summer, the Phillies were going to have to part ways with top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek , a Rookie of the Year candidate J.A. Happ , and outfielder Domonic Brown .

That was entirely way too much then, and it’s way too much now. The circumstances have changed in the four months since the two teams have talked trade, and the Phils don’t need an ace anymore.

Negotiating is all about leverage, and at this point in time, the Blue Jays have none on any team because everyone knows they need to get rid of Halladay.

When someone knows that a product will eventually come down in price, they will, more often than not, wait the wave out until the price drops to within their range. It’s the same thing when trading in baseball.

Since Toronto has pretty much came out and said that they’ll trade Halladay, the rest of the league aren’t going to pay full price. The longer it goes on, the further the asking price drops.

This soap opera has been going on for a few months now so you have to think that the Jays will not be able to pony a team to give up top value for the six-time MLB All-Star.

Let’s go back in time when the Phillies were aggressively trying to acquire Halladay. Several reports indicated that the Phillies offered the same package for Lee, however included Happ in the offer.

It’s well known that Amaro didn’t want to part ways with Drabek because of his potential. Despite already having Tommy John surgery, Drabek is a blue-chip pitching prospect who has been dominating the minors.

Drabek is an untouchable to the Phillies as is Brown, who the Jays want(ed). Brown is a five-tool prospect who has the potential to become a superstar for years to come.

The package the Blue Jays asked for was the roof, and would have been the best return in any trade for Halladay; however the Phillies weren’t going to do that trade, and come to think of it, neither would anyone else.

While the Phils don’t have the prospects like they did in July since they traded Lou Marson , Jason Donald , Carlos Carrasco , and Jason Knapp for Lee, they still have the crop to get Halladay, and afford it.

Even with trading four pretty respectable prospects to get Lee, Philadelphia still has a lot of depth in the organization for once in a very long time. When was the last time the farm system was this good?

Toronto asked for the Phils top outfielder prospect in Brown, but the Phillies also have another top-tier prospect in Reggie Taylor , who seems to have been the forgotten one.

At one point last season, many people Taylor to be the better prospect than Brown. Both guys are five-tool prospects, and one day could potentially turn out to be a superstar.

Some people think that it would be wise trading Happ this offseason because of the economical concept, which applies in this scenario, of buy low, sell high.

Happ was tied for the team lead with 12 wins in 2009 with a 2.93 earned run average. He was never considered to be anything more than a back-end-of-the-rotation pitcher, but he was performing as a No. 2.

I would have traded him at the deadline, and I would trade him now for Doc. Let’s face the truth that Happ will never accomplish as much as Halladay has thus far into his career from a statistical standpoint.

The asking price for Roy will not be as lucrative as it was before, but it will still cost a team some high prospects. Offering Happ, Taylor and a mid-level prospect for Halladay would give the Jays what they want.

Of course, Anthopoulos will want a pitching prospect who has a lot of potential like Drabek, but adding Happ, who is 27-years-old, would give them an immediate impact on their rotation.

Taylor would be ready to be called up in as soon as 2011, and would give them a player to replace Vernon Wells in the outfield, and would let them dump his salary at the deadline next July.

While the need for an ace is no longer as pressing as it was before the deadline, the Phillies certainly need another reliable starting pitcher since Cole Hamels is an uncertainty after a miserable 2009 season.

Lee was able to carry the rotation into the World Series, but he will not be able to do so again throughout an entire campaign. Hamels needs to return to form that got him the W.S. MVP in 2008.

The Phillies want to win as many championships as they can with their current core because they know how special this team is. Halladay presents a great chance of getting to their third straight Fall Classic.

With that being said, I’m not saying that Halladay is the only way the Phillies make it back to October baseball, and better yet, contending for a title. They have a great chance as it stands, but Halladay would make it better.

For both sides, the move makes sense. Toronto will still get a great crop of players while the Phils get another ace that would give them as strong as a rotation than the Yankees with Halladay-Lee-Hamels.

It would be a bold statement by the Phillies to the rest of the MLB, and to their fans. We know they are trying to win the World Series, and do whatever it takes, but acquiring Halladay would just reaffirm it further.

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

A Glance at What’s Going on With the Philadelphia Phillies

Paul Hagen wrote a story in yesterday’s Philadelphia Daily News informing fans to expect a few fireworks in free agency. Hagen tells us that he doesn’t think there will be any introductions of any new Phillies anytime soon.

Tom’s Take: It’s not really much of a surprise that he writes that; no one is really expecting the Phillies to come out of the gate to sign a top-notch free agent. They’re looking at third base, bullpen and bench, and all three positions will require some homework being done before jumping on the perceived top option.

Mike Potter reported that Omar Vizquel is no longer an option for the Phillies as he signed a one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox as the first notable free agent signing. Vizquel will be a backup in the Windy City.

Tom’s Take: Vizquel was an intriguing player that many believed that the Phils could be targeting to come off the bench, and backup Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley at shortstop and second base. Players like Jerry Hairston Jr. and Fernando Tatis as potential targets.

Hagen reports that the Phillies say that the rumors of Pat Gillick returning to the baseball front office with the team that he built his reputation, the Toronto Blue Jays, are all false .

Tom’s Take: Gillick is a god in Philadelphia for putting together the pieces that Ed Wade left him, and getting the city their first championship since 1983, and the organization’s second title in their history. He knows how to build winning baseball teams, and I hope he goes to Toronto if he does return because my god, I don’t want him anywhere close to the National League.

Yoon Chul, a staff reporter for the Korean Times, writes that free agent Chan Ho Park wants to start in 2010. Park is a free agent, and the Phillies want him back, but only as a reliever.

Tom’s Take: It’s so obvious to everyone that Park is best suited for the bullpen. The Phils know it, every MLB team knows it, and Park knows it himself. He wants to start so his friends and family in Korea can see him pitch, and I understand that, but you also want to pitch in the States so he’ll ultimately end up in the ‘pen.

Todd Zolecki relays that FOXSports.com reported that the Phillies are the favorites to land Mark DeRosa . Zolecki says that it makes sense that he signs with the Phils because he’s a Penn graduate and has been linked to the team before.

Tom’s Take: Anyone surprised? A lot of people thought that he’ll be the guy that he Phillies would be going after in free agency. They’ve liked him in the past, and he’s now available for them again. You know what they say, third time’s a charm.

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Can Brandon Lyon Help the Phillies?

For more Phillies coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Not Happ-y With Rookie of the Year Award

J.A. Happ was the favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year, however that wasn’t the case when the award was announced on Monday afternoon.

Florida Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan beat out the Phillies left-hander by receiving 17 first place votes compared to Happ’s ten first place votes.

Final count: 105-94.

Coghlan hit .321 with nine home runs and 47 RBI in 128 games during his first season in the big leagues. After the All-Star break, the 24-year-old hit .370 with a MLB-leading 113 hits.

There are a lot of Phillies fans irate that Happ didn’t win the award, but his slow finish to the season didn’t help him out in the voting process. Awards are determined in late-September, not in June-July.

Happ finished the season with a 12-4 record with a 2.93 ERA in 166 innings. He led all rookies in innings pitched, strikeouts (119), ERA and complete games (5).

The 27-year-old didn’t have a strong finish to the season as he missed two starts in Sept. with a strained rib-cage, and had a 4.84 ERA in the last month of the regular season.

While I thought that Happ would come back down to earth, which he did, and that I would have parted ways with him to get Roy Halladay , he got snubbed with the Rookie of the Year voting.

I’m not taking anything away from Coghlan because he had a great season, and he was just as deserving, but Happ was arguably the Phillies’ best pitcher not named Cliff Lee .

Happ was a big part of the Phils winning their third straight division title, and making it to the World Series.

Okay, maybe he wasn’t that big of a piece during the postseason, but you get the point.

It stinks that he didn’t get it, but who really cares if he was given a trophy that is worthless. All that matters is that he pitches well on the field, and the Phillies win games. I don’t care about these awards too much.

For more Phillies’ coverage, please go to my blog: Phillies Phandom

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

« Previous Page — Next Page »