Phillies Nation

I think it says alot about whats about to unfold in the next few weeks. The Phils are looking to win now and I really think they’ll end up with CC or Bedard. Great on both sides to get it done in season. Lidge sells high and the Phils probably get a bargain. Cordero signed for similar numbers fro Cincy.

Good signing, it’s nice for them to be agressive for once, but I that’s a lot of money for a guy coming off arm problems and has only proven himself for half a year. I wonder if this shuts the door on Burrell coming back?

They also saved a few MM/yr and guaranteed years on the deal by getting it done in-season.

Best move I’ve seen the Phils make since getting him to begin with! Very happy today!

Oh yea…….CC too. :)

Durbin walks for a big pay day. If he pitches this way all year, he deserves it. Hamels isnt going anywhere, Howard will be year to year until we trade him, and Burrell is a toss up.

The Lidge signing is reat news, now it’s time to sign Burrell and Durbin. I am okay with going year to year with Howard and Hamels since both probably won’t want to come back when they become free agents anyway. Howard will end up in the AL as a DH and Hamels will probably go to his hometown San Diego and their pitcher’s park.

I would only trade Howard straight up for CC if the Phillies could sign him, and for no more than 5 years guaranteed.

I really hope this doesn’t mean Burrell is gone. We aren’t going to be able to find a power righty anywhere else.

Brian Michael says…”He (Howard) has a lot to prove before his next contract is signed.”

Another curious hit and run question from Mr. Michael. What does Howard have to prove? Sure, we all like to see Howard cut down on his strikeouts and improve his BA and OBP. However, that is of lesser concern(s) to me than his fulfilling the primary role of a 4 hole hitter in the lineup. Brian, what do think is the main responsibility for Howard in the lineup?

The obvious answer is to drive in runs for which there is no one better than Howard in the NL. He leads the league with 76 RBIs. 64 of those RBIs came with runner on base (56 with RISP). He leads ALL hitters in the lineup with a .340 BA for RISP.

Personally, I’ll tolerate his strikeouts and low BA so long as he delivers in the clutch as he done all season.

Next year theyll have 7mm from thome and 2+mm from helms off the books. also, if they trade myers thats 12mm off the books next year. that would seem obvious because theyre not going to pay a setup man 12mm. so hes definitely gone this year or at the winter meetings.

so thats basically 20mm freed up. that will get you chad durbin and pat burrell. if they trade for starter that money has to be taken into account. sabathia is worth 20mm per year, but ill bet they take the draft picks for him if they trade for him. werth and victorino will get salary boosts.

um, they HAVE to get rid of geoff jenkins. next year he will make 6.75mm, WaY too much for the garbage performances he turns in. he has an 8mm option for 2010. just a terrible contract. they have to liverate themselves of some of that. im thinking theyll have to pay at least half his salary to someone to get him out of here in the offseason.

you seriously cannot bring him back for that amount of money, he isnt worth 1mm let alone 7.

feliz is actually signed cheaply 3mm this year, 5mm next year, club option for 2010. theyre hoping hewitt or someone will be prepared to replace him by then. considering his defense and rbi numbers, i can live with that for another season or two. thats a decent contract actually.

if so taguchi is still on the team after this year, he has an option for next year which can be bought out for 125k (see ya pal).

so, theyll have some money next year if they take the right steps to keep a few more guys and jettison some garbage that is still floating around the payroll.

Geoff, we’re going to have to eat some of Myers’ contract too if we move him (I’m not saying that we absolutely will move him, but right now, it’s the most likely scenario). No one is going to pick up his $12 million next year in a trade unless we shoulder some of it (or unless we get someone else’s overpriced bust in return).

I agree with you on Feliz: his contract is acceptable considering he plays gold-glove D and so far is on pace for exactly the amount of offense everyone thought he’d produce (in the area of 20 HR, 80 RBI).

And I agree on Jenkins. He is this year’s Wes Helms/David Bell/Lance Parrish. (Do other teams annually carry an overpriced loser the way we do?)