Phillies Rumors

This Date In Transactions History: November 27th

By Mark Polishuk | November 27, 2010 at 11:16pm CDT

Let's hope into the wayback machine and look at a few notable moves that took place on past 11/27s…

The Phillies agreed to terms with Adam Eaton to a three-year, $24.5MM contract on this date in 2006. Since the Phils went on to win the World Series in 2008, this signing was totally worth it, right? Believers in the butterfly effect might agree, but to most, Eaton was a huge bust for Philadelphia. The right-hander posted a 6.10 ERA in 51 appearances (49 of them starts) and the Phillies outright released Eaton before the 2009 season and ate the remaining $8.75MM on his contract.
The Yankees made a much more valuable signing on November 27, 2006, inking Mike Mussina to a two-year, $22MM deal. The Moose struggled in 2007 but bounced back in a major way in 2008 — a 3.37 ERA, 4.84 K/BB ratio and tied for the league lead with 34 starts. Mussina turned 40 in December 2008 and decided to retire, thus missing out on New York's World Series title the next season.
The Dodgers took a chance on the oft-injured Eric Davis when they acquired the Reds star (and pitcher Kip Gross) from Cincinnati on this date in 1991 in exchange for Tim Belcher and John Wetteland. Davis posted just a .677 OPS in 730 plate appearances with L.A. before being traded to Detroit on August 31, 1993. Davis didn't regain his old form until 1996-98, when he delivered three solid seasons with the Reds and Orioles. The key figure in this trade ended up being Wetteland, but the Reds flipped him to Montreal just two weeks after acquiring him from Los Angeles. Wetteland developed into a star closer for the Expos, Yankees and Rangers, and was named MVP of the 1996 World Series.
Speaking of Yankee postseason stars, the Bronx Bombers picked up third baseman Graig Nettles on this day in 1972. Nettles and catcher Jerry Moses were acquired from the Indians for an unremarkable four-player package. The defensively-stellar Nettles made five All-Star appearances in his 11 seasons as a Yankee, racking up 1396 hits and almost as many witty quotes to sportswriters.
Finally, one more New York team made an important addition on this date in 1967. The Mets acquired manager Gil Hodges from the Washington Senators (now the Texas Rangers) in exchange for pitcher Bill Denehy and $100K. Denehy only pitched in 34 more games in the majors, while Hodges went on to lead the Mets to their Amazin' upset win in the 1969 World Series. The former Dodger great managed the Mets for two more seasons before his untimely death of a heart attack at age 47.

Phillies Notes: Werth, Quentin, Willingham

By Zachary Links | November 27, 2010 at 4:04pm CDT

Let's check out some Phillies news courtesy of MLB.com's Todd Zolecki..

For some time we have heard that the Phillies are not serious about keeping Jayson Werth as he is said to be seeking something similar to the seven-year, $120MM that Matt Holliday secured last winter. However, the Phillies could be in position to bring Werth back if his market falls and he instead looks for a deal in the range of four years.
If Werth does not return to Philadelphia in 2011, the club likely won't sign someone to replace him if it's not a clear upgrade. There are several right fielders who will be available via free agency and trade, and one player that reportedly interests the Phillies is Carlos Quentin of the White Sox. However, Zolecki feels that he's not the strong right-handed bat the club wants and we learned last week that Chicago is not shopping him.
Of the names that have been mentioned, Zolecki feels that Josh Willingham, Jeff Francoeur, and Matt Diaz make the most sense for the club as they are affordable and "ideal platoon players."

Phillies Interested In Dennys Reyes

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 26, 2010 at 3:49pm CDT

The Phillies search for a left-handed reliever has led them to Dennys Reyes. Philadelphia has interest in the 33-year-old journeyman, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Reyes appeared in 59 games last year and posted a 3.55 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9.

As I pointed out when identifying some potential bargain lefites, Reyes' 2010 numbers look OK, but they're not as impressive as they seem. He posted a better than average ERA, but he pitched to a 5.91 ERA after posting a 0.54 ERA through May. He can induce grounders, but he walks more than one batter per two innings pitched.

This is the first interest in Reyes we've seen reported this offseason, but he's certainly not the only lefty the Phils are considering. Philadelphia has interest in adding former Mets reliever Hisanori Takahashi to their pen.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Konerko, Jeter, Lee, Beltre

By Mike Axisa | November 26, 2010 at 9:45am CDT

On this date back in 1974, Catfish Hunter met with Oakland A's owner Charles Finley and Peter Seitz of the American Arbitration Association in New York after the team failed to make a $50,000 payment into a long-term annuity fund. The right-hander claimed that his contract had been violated, and Seitz eventually ruled in his favor. Hunter became the first big name free agent in baseball history, later signing a five-year, $3.5MM contract with the Yankees that made him the highest-paid player in baseball history.

Here's a helping of links that go well with Thanksgiving leftovers…

In the spirit of the holiday, Wahoo Blues lists ten things Indians fans have to be thankful for.
Bucs Dugout lists some Rule 5 Draft possibilities for the Pirates.
Baseball Time In Arlington examines the Paul Konerko option for the Rangers.
Phillies Nation looks at Matt Thornton as a potential trade target for Philadelphia.
We Should Be GMs wonders how much Derek Jeter is worth.
Pine Tar And Pocket Protectors believes Justin Upton should be traded.
The Blue Jay Hunter wants to see Toronto sign Chad Qualls to be their closer.
Examiner tries to figure out what would constitute a fair return for Gavin Floyd.
Sports of Boston explains why Cliff Lee should sign with the Red Sox.
Meanwhile, The Ghost of Moonlight Graham tries to figure out who will catch for Boston in 2011.
Halos Heaven dispels the Adrian Beltre contract year myth.
A Diehard Cubs Fan Speaks Out and wonders if the Cubs should shift Starlin Castro to second base.
SPANdemonium lists every player eligible for the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Rosenthal On Lee, Konerko, Huff, Burrell, Hudson

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 24, 2010 at 8:29am CDT

The Yankees’ “lack of tact” in their negotiations with Derek Jeter isn’t helping them, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Here are Rosenthal's latest updates on the Yankees and other teams around the league:

Even Cliff Lee’s representatives would be surprised if the left-hander received a seven-year offer like C.C. Sabathia did.
The Rangers were in on Victor Martinez “big,” according to Rosenthal.
The Rangers are talking to Vladimir Guerrero and showing interest in Paul Konerko. The White Sox offered the first baseman arbitration, so it will cost a top pick to sign him.
The Dodgers showed serious interest in Aubrey Huff before he re-signed with the Giants, according to Rosenthal.
The Phillies discussed the idea of bringing Pat Burrell back to Philadelphia, but decided against it.
Type B free agent Orlando Hudson almost certainly agreed in advance to reject the Twins’ offer of arbitration, Rosenthal says. The Twins agreed not to offer the second baseman arbitration if he was a Type A free agent, so Hudson may have agreed not to accept if he ended up a Type B.
The Marlins have between $3-8MM to spend, depending on which one of Rosenthal’s sources you ask.
Eric Hinske is close to deciding between the Braves and Brewers, who have both offered him contracts.

Phillies To Offer Werth Arbitration, Not Durbin

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 22, 2010 at 6:17pm CDT

The Phillies will offer arbitration to Jayson Werth, but not to Chad Durbin, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. There's no reason not to offer Werth arbitraiton. The Type A free agent will turn down the Phillies' offer in search of a multi-year deal, so Philadelphia stands to pick up two top picks for losing him.

The Phillies are interested in bringing Durbin, a Type B free agent, back, but they're reluctant to give him a significant raise. The right-hander earned $2.125MM in 2010 and would likely have earned more in 2011 through the arbitration process. If Durbin had turned down an offer of arbitration to sign elsewhere, the Phillies could have obtained a supplementary round pick in next year's draft.

Click here to vote on which Type A free agents will be offered arbitration and here to vote on which Type B free agents will be offered arbitration.

Odds & Ends: Mets, Collins, Minaya, Pirates, Rays

By Steve Adams | November 21, 2010 at 10:49pm CDT

Some links on a Sunday evening:

SI.com's Jon Heyman tweets that Chip Hale will be on Terry Collins' coaching staff after losing out on the Mets' managerial job. Meanwhile, Andy Martino of The New York Daily News tweets that both Mookie Wilson and Dave Wallace will "definitely be considered" for the coaching staff as well.
ESPN's Adam Rubin offers up ten tidbits about new Mets' manager Terry Collins.
Omar Minaya is in no hurry to accept one of the many offers he's received, writes ESPN's Enrique Rojas. The former Mets GM says he's received offers for various positions from several teams, including some to be an assistant general manager.
Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tells us that the Pirates are set to hire four coaches for Clint Hurdle's new staff: Ray Searage as the pitching coach, Gregg Ritche as the hitting coach, Jeff Bannister as the third base coach, and Nick Leyva as the bench coach.
Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times feels that the Rays will hang onto B.J. Upton this offseason and likely won't trade a pitcher (candidates include James Shields, Matt Garza, Jeff Niemann, or Wade Davis) until July, unless the offers get "crazy good" once Cliff Lee signs. He does believe, though, that Jason Bartlett will be traded by Spring Training.
Bartlett's availability will likely have a negative impact on the market for Marco Scutaro, writes Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal.
Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer looks at Ruben Amaro's five best and five worst moves, and says the jury is still out on the Philly GM.

Odds & Ends: Pirates, Royals, Sizemore, Matsui

By Mike Axisa | November 20, 2010 at 10:37pm CDT

Links for Saturday…

MLB Network's Peter Gammons hears from an agent that the Pirates and Royals are "offering big" this offseason, and that the "Angels, Red Sox, [and] Mets could be left behind." (Twitter link)
In a mailbag piece, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer says he doesn't believe Grady Sizemore has any trade value until he shows he can play after having microfracture surgery on his left knee. Sizemore will earn $7.5MM in 2011, then the team will have to decide between his $9MM option for 2012 or a $500K buyout.
Jason Coskrey of The Japan Times passes along another report indicating that the Rakuten Golden Eagles have interest in both Kazuo Matsui and Kenshin Kawakami (Twitter link).
Matt Gelb of The Philadelphia Inquirer says you can bet on the Phillies adding an "older pitcher on a non-guaranteed contract" to compete with Kyle Kendrick and Vance Worley for the team's fifth starter spot.
MLB.com's Carrie Muskat lists some pitching coach candidates for the Cubs in the wake of Larry Rothschild leaving for the same position with the Yankees.
Troy Renck of The Denver Post passes along some quotes from Felipe Paulino about joining the Rockies. Colorado acquired Paulino from the Astros on Thursday.

Odds & Ends: Rangers, Greinke, Ordonez, Rays

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 19, 2010 at 3:20pm CDT

Links for Friday, exactly one year after the Cubs signed John Grabow and traded Aaron Heilman to Arizona…

Vladimir Guerrero is talking to the Rangers and three other AL teams, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
Heyman reports that Bengie Molina wants to play another year (Twitter link).
Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. suggested that Raul Ibanez and Jayson Werth are comparable hitters, according to David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News. That's probably not the first comparison agent Scott Boras would make about Werth.
An AL executive explained to Sherman that he believes the Royals will trade Zack Greinke sooner rather than later for two reasons: the demand for ace-level starters is high and the Royals don’t want to see a personal or physical issue reduce Greinke’s value.
Boras tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that Magglio Ordonez has finished rehabilitating his fractured right ankle and "returned to full workout routines"
Rays president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman tells Cork Gaines of Rays Index that he's likely to hold onto his starting pitching because it's so hard to come by.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Uggla, Rollins, Giants, Upton

By Mike Axisa | November 19, 2010 at 11:30am CDT

On this date 20 years ago, a 26-year-old Barry Bonds took home his first National League MVP Award thanks to a .301/.406/.565 season with the Pirates. He went on to win the award again in 1992, his final season in Pittsburgh, and then five more times with the Giants. The latter part of Bonds' career was clouded by PED allegations, but he did hit .301/.424/.566 in his final three seasons with the Pirates and .305/.438/.600 with far more unintentional walks (825) than strikeouts (685) from 1990-1998, age 26-34. Barry could have retired at that point and waltzed into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

Here's a look at the best the baseball blogosphere had to offer this week…

We Should Be GMs celebrates Omar Vizquel, the last remaining active player from the 1980's.
Capitol Avenue Club wonders what's next for the Braves following the Dan Uggla trade.
Pittsburgh Lumber Co. contemplates Jorge de la Rosa.
Meanwhile, Pine Tar And Pocket Protectors pieces together Pittsburgh's 2011 rotation.
Baseball Analysts looks at Japanese pitchers and the hot stove.
Crashburn Alley says that right now is a prime opportunity for the Phillies to sign Jimmy Rollins to a contract extension.
Fenway Faithful Reports thinks that Victor Martinez is destined to sign with the Tigers.
Splashing Pumpkins breaks down some shortstop options for the Giants.
Baseball Time In Arlington explains the regression that the Rangers could experience.
FanSpeak believes the Nationals should go all-in to acquire Justin Upton.
Boston Sports Pulse provides a blueprint for the Red Sox offseason.
Phoul Ballz looks at Matt Rizzotti, a Phillies' farmhand that will be eligible for this year's Rule 5 Draft.
The Sports Banter finds some interesting minor league free agents.
Cubs Billy Goat Blog lists some minor moves that could have a big impact on the Cubs.
SPANdemonium muses about why teams have to wait a year before trading drafted players.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

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