Gillick: I Might Negotiate Deals During Season
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Mon, May 12, 2008 07:45 PM | Comments: 14
Posts
Despite being outta here at the end of the season, Pat Gillick said he wouldn’t be opposed to talking to players about their stays in Philadelphia post-2008. The two players in question are Brad Lidge and Pat Burrell.
Lidge (0.00 ERA, 9 SV) has been perhaps the Major Leagues’ best closer this season. Burrell (.298 AVG, 9 HR, 31 RBI) has been one of the league’s best run producers so far. Gillick agrees:
“I’d say at this point they’re both having above-average seasons. They probably would be somebody we would have to consider retaining.”
So there’s hope Burrell and Lidge could be negotiated with during the season. If I’m the Phils, I think about a 2Y/$24MM deal for Burrell loaded with incentives and a 3Y/$30MM deal for Lidge.
The question remains: Will they stand “Pat” on Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels?
Posts: 0 geoff
Oh, hell resign both burrell and lidge this season. but i dont know if hell even screw with the idea of locking up hamels or howard. hell leave it to amaro or brian cashman, whoever is the gm.
Posted: 10:33 PM on May 12, 2008
Posts: 0 Mark
Seems to me, the best move is;
Pat Burrell: 3 year/$40 Million loaded with incentives
Brad Lidge: 3 Year/$30 Million is right-on with innings, saves, ERA incentives
Cole Hamels: I’m no moneybags, but 5 Year/$60 Million with $15-$20 Million in Wins, innings, ERA, injury-free incentives
Ryan Howard: Let’s see where he is in two months…
Posted: 03:36 AM on May 13, 2008
Posts: 0 Lewisauce
Mark’s got the idea. I’d make a serious run at Burrell and Lidge now. I’d also give Hamels a big offer with lots of incentives.
No chance in hell I’d consider Howard right now. Come July, if he’s back to last year’s production, then maybe. But even then, if I’m the Phils, I’m a bit scarred by his last arbitration round, when he openly talked about A-Rod money and followed it up with Steve Jeltz numbers.
Now that I think about it, even if he unleashes his fury with a serious vengeance in the next two months, I’d just wait on Howard until the off-season. If he continues to stink, they have leverage for arbitration. If he turns it on, then you think about bypassing arbitration and negotiating long-term.
Posted: 05:23 AM on May 13, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
Maybe they really did miss their chance to cash in on howard. man i hope not. i really hope he can turn it around and show some value. Id keep burrell and lidge for sure. I would then keep quiet for a few weeks and then offer hamels a long term deal. by then it will be nearing the trade deadline and they can go make a move for another good (hopefully number 2) starting pitcher, another decent bullpen arm and another bat off the bench who puts the ball into play.
Posted: 08:26 AM on May 13, 2008
Posts: 0 Bill
I like your contract proposals. Any chance of you going for the GM job when Gillick retires? I would give Burrell of third year option based on performance.
http://myteamrivals.typepad.com/phightin_phils_phorum
Posted: 09:29 AM on May 13, 2008
Posts: 0 chris m
burell doesnt need incentives with 3 yrs/40 mil…thats what hes worth if not less… every1 is in love with him right now. hes already started to slump
Posted: 10:35 AM on May 13, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike T.
This day every year, the first game of the season vs. Atlanta, always reminds me of how much I hate Ted Turner and his Braves. Less now because of the Andruw Jones and Renteria departure – but I still hate the Braves.
Posted: 10:47 AM on May 13, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
If they let Burrell get to free agency… they’ll lose him. Lots of teams need a power-bat from the RIGHT. and this year especially, there won’t be any out there. Last year you saw Tori Hunter, Andruw Jones, Rowand.. maybe not classic “power” guys, but def all with 25+ HR potential.
Lidge is a different story… they need to decide quickly what they want with Myers. He wants to be a closer, he is more valuable to this team as a closer… so its looking like one of them has to go, because neither should be limited to an 8th inning role. Myers is signed through this year which makes him a prime candidate to stay. OR… if they think Lidge is the guy, get the deal done early, and move Myers at the trade deadline… a definite closer can net you a lot more than Howard would at this time.. he could bring you back maybe 2 top-tier pitching prospects.
Posted: 11:06 AM on May 13, 2008
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
I’m going two years with Burrell because I’m considering his age and the future. While I don’t necessarily see Greg Golson manning left field for this team in 2011, I could see Adrian Cardenas doing it. I do think, however, a lot of Burrell’s feature depends on Howard’s, and vice versa. If the Phils extend Burrell I wouldn’t be surprised if they dumped Howard.
Posted: 11:10 AM on May 13, 2008
Posts: 0 Bruce
I’m wondering how many minds here will be changed about Howard if he duplicates his power numbers (HRs & RBIs) of last season and help the Phillies make the playoffs? ;-)
Also another poster suggested the Phillies “need” to make a choice between Myers and Lidge as closer and trade the other. I’m sure the Phillies’ front office don’t see it your way. :-) Myers is a legitimate starter with a LOT of upside. He has and will continue to accept his role for the good of the team. With 123 games left in the season, Myers will have abundant opportunities to show he belongs as a frontline starter. To give thought to trading a legitimate closer in Lidge who has been OUTSTANDING so far is preposterous. He has given the bullpen a HUGE lift and in turn made it one of the best in the league. With the starters going 5-7 innings, the team lives or die with bullpen. Another words, don’t attempt to fix something that ain’t broke. :-)
Posted: 12:19 PM on May 13, 2008
Posts: 0 Sean P.
It seems like the bottom line with all this talk is if the Phillies are going to try to sign Lidge and/or Burrell do it before the season ends, right?
It doesn’t even make sense to wait for free agency to try to sign someone b/c there is always a team that will give a mediocre player an insane contract and then the Phillies will have not shot any signing either player. Ala Carlos Silva & Andruw Jones (currently batting .174 making 18 mil after hitting .222 last year!)
I think they should lock Lidge and Burrell up before the season ends for sure.
Posted: 12:38 PM on May 13, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike T.
There goes Bruce with this emoticons again.
Posted: 12:39 PM on May 13, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
Brett Myers has stated over and over again that he wants to be a closer, because he hates the days sitting around between starts. Not only that, but look how much more productive he was in that role vs. his career as a starter. Myers has been labled as a start with unlimited potential, the ability to become a staff ACE.. well he’s not young anymore… and the three most important factors are #1 – he wants to be the closer. #2 – he is one of the best in the league in that role, he isn’t anywhere near the best in the league as a starting pitcher. #3 – he still has a few years under contract, Lidge is only signed through this season.
I would much rather see Myers become that solid #2 starter behind Hamels, and we sign Lidge, and live happily ever after… but the reality is that they need to make a decision regarding that closer role. If you keep Myers as a starter you risk his unhappiness, and uneffetiveness… if you move him to the closer for next year, you wouldn’t keep Lidge, because someone will pay him top dollar to close, he wouldn’t stay here to be a setup man.
That is really something that they should decide before the deadline, because Myers would net you a whole bunch as trade bait… more than Howard. I’d like to see him stay, but if you want to keep Lidge instead, and move Myers for prospects, that seems to be a likely scenario
Posted: 01:30 PM on May 13, 2008
Posts: 0 Jeffrey
As recently as spring training, I could not have imagined Phillies fans having a serious discussion about re-signing Burrell. He’s neither the savior he looked like in April nor the devil he looks like at his worst. He is what he is: an inconsistently hitting, poorly fielding corner outfielder with 30-HR, 100-RBI power. If the Phillies can cut a good deal with him, he’s on par with a bunch of other guys with the same skill set, so sure. However, the Phillies already overpaid him once; I hope they don’t do it again.
Posted: 05:39 PM on May 13, 2008