So here is the deal. The Philadelphia Phillies have 10 games left, are 1.5 games out of the division lead, the New York Metropolitans are in a tailspin and not to mention the Padres are only 2.5 games ahead in the Wild Card race. It looks good. Truly does. But I’m not here to get you all pumped up about the 2007 Phillies. I want to talk about the 2008 and on Phillies. There are plenty of blogs and articles out there concerning how this season could turn out and a whole bunch of if-then calculations that really get you know where. So if you are high on the Phillies for this year and that is all you are concerned about right now, fair enough. Just stop reading now. But if you want to hear my idea of what the Phillies could and should do for the 2008 off season, then read on.
Now notice I said could and should. There is a reason I use these words specifically. Because I without a doubt in my mind know they will not do it. They can’t. It doesn’t come down to just one thing either. They don’t have the balls, gumption, or image to do something like this. They have terrible spending habits and have admittedly done zero research to justify certain player transactions. I.E. Freddy Garcia and his 10 million dollar arm. Think about that. They spent 10 million dollars this year for Freddy Garcia and did absolutely no research to justify that. The Chicago White Sox, knowing or unknowingly, offered us damaged goods and we did not give him a physical. We literally took the White Sox’s word for it that he was a fine addition to our starting rotation. Now let me quickly put into perspective what 10 million dollars was to the Phillies. It would have been roughly 11 percent of our 2007 salary which this year on opening day was 89.3 million dollars (14th among MLB franchises). Want to know what that was the equivalent too? How about Joe Borowski, a relief pitcher that the Phil’s claimed couldn’t pass a physical and is leading the American League in saves with that raggy arm of his. He signed with the Cleveland Indians for 4.25 million dollars. Along with that we also could have signed Keith Foulk, who is also a Cleveland Indian for 5 million dollars. We would have saved 750k and possibly been able to spend that on some sort of amateur free agent player out of the Domenican Republic which is something that they Yankees have been doing for years. I.E. Alfonso Soriano and Robinson Cano.
Now notice I said could and should. There is a reason I use these words specifically. Because I without a doubt in my mind know they will not do it. They can’t. It doesn’t come down to just one thing either. They don’t have the balls, gumption, or image to do something like this. They have terrible spending habits and have admittedly done zero research to justify certain player transactions. I.E. Freddy Garcia and his 10 million dollar arm. Think about that. They spent 10 million dollars this year for Freddy Garcia and did absolutely no research to justify that. The Chicago White Sox, knowing or unknowingly, offered us damaged goods and we did not give him a physical. We literally took the White Sox’s word for it that he was a fine addition to our starting rotation. Now let me quickly put into perspective what 10 million dollars was to the Phillies. It would have been roughly 11 percent of our 2007 salary which this year on opening day was 89.3 million dollars (14th among MLB franchises). Want to know what that was the equivalent too? How about Joe Borowski, a relief pitcher that the Phil’s claimed couldn’t pass a physical and is leading the American League in saves with that raggy arm of his. He signed with the Cleveland Indians for 4.25 million dollars. Along with that we also could have signed Keith Foulk, who is also a Cleveland Indian for 5 million dollars. We would have saved 750k and possibly been able to spend that on some sort of amateur free agent player out of the Domenican Republic which is something that they Yankees have been doing for years. I.E. Alfonso Soriano and Robinson Cano.
But I’m over the past years mistakes. Let’s look to the possible future. This is where the old adage of addition by subtraction comes in. Look at who(and how much) is coming of the books for next year. Jim Thome (7 million), Jon Lieber (7.8 million), Freddy Garcia (10 million), Kyle Lohse (4.2 million), Rod Barajas (2.5 million), just to name a few. That’s a lot of money coming off of the 2007 salary which leaves a significant amount of spending money. Now I know what you are thinking…”We need pitching!” or “There are no pitchers out there to sign.” Well actually people, we don’t need to sign any pitchers and please, please, please…hear me out.
Let’s start with the bullpen since that seemed to be our biggest rollercoaster throughout the season. This is who I want: Ryan Madison, Closer (he needs to step into the roll that the Phillies envisioned for him), J.C. Romero, Set Up man, and in relief, J.D. Durban, Tom Gordon, Julio Mateo, and Michael Zagorski. I’m sure along with the rest of you 15 people reading this Romero has impressed us down this past stretched and Gordon has shown me that he can still give about one inning of relief here and there. Zagorski was molding into something nice and with some off-season development can help create a deep bullpen. Julio Mateo was picked up at the trade deadline and barring any(more) domestic disputes can also be as effective as he was 2 years ago. J.D. wasn’t a very good statrting pitcher this year but over the past 2 weeks has shown he can come out of the bullpen and provide some long relief help for days that the pitchers can’t get into the 5th.
The starting rotation would consist of Cole Hamels as the ace, Brett Myers, Kyle Kendrick, Adam Eaton (you are stuck with him for 2 more years so deal with it), and Jamie Moyer. I know Eaton and Moyer do not get you too excited but with the potential offense can make up in their lack of pitching just like it has all year and with the offense that I plan to add will only further my point that they will do. There isn’t much else to say here. I know some like Myers out of the bullpen, but he will be much more valuable to us getting us 7 innings a night with 8 strikeouts with 3 earned runs a night.
Now for the big time offense that I know you will all love in theory, but will also agree that the Phils just don’t have the rocks for. And yes…it involves signing Alex “A-God” Rodriguez, and no, it won’t cause the salary to be out of this world. Yes, it will be the highest we ever be, but we are probably coing over one of the most profitable years the Phillies have had in years considering the cut in salaries and their increase in fan attendance. This is what you are looking at in terms of a starting lineup:
Jimmy Rollins(Shortstop), Chase Utley,(Second Base), A-God (Third Base), Ryan Howard (First Base), Pat Burrell (Left Field), Jayson Werth (Right-Field), Shane Victorino (Centerfield) and Carlos Ruiz (Catching).
Go ahead, say it. That is damn scary. And by now I am sure some of you are complaining that Aaron Rowand is gone and to be honest, I am disappointed to. I was there when he slammed his face into that fence. I was in right field, just getting to my seats. But hey, would you rather have a 30 homerun, 100 RBI guy batting 5th, or would you rather have another 50 homerun, 140 RBI guy batting 3rd? I don’t see the difficult decision. Now off the bench you have Wes Helms(one year left), Abraham Nunez(switch hitter), Greg Dobbs, Chris Coste, Michael Bourn and here is something that I think this team needs that is lacking in the last two roster spots. Team Leadership. I would like to see them go out and get Reggie Sanders(I know he is old as dirt) and Jason Kendall(Veteran as it gets). You want to know what the projected salary would be for a team like this? Drum ROLLLLLL!!It is 107.59 million dollars, roughly. Now, yes I know they have never spent more than 95 mil. in a year, but that was in 2005. Inflation is at about , what? 4 percent? Compounded over 3 years? Equals 106.5 million dollars. You a believer yet?
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