Not only does this say something about 2009, it says something to Utley and Howard and Hamels when it’s time for them to finally cash in on a big FA deal — it says big money will not come in Philly. Frankly, if we let Howard walk when it’s time, that would be fine with me, but Utley and Hamels are 2 of the premier players in the league, and I wonder if we’ll be able to keep either when it’s time to pay them 15M/year. It’s a shame. Sustaining good teams requires not only getting those good “young and controllable” guys (even the Mets have Wright and Reyes) but also opportunistically acquiring and paying for key talent, making smart deals even when the pickings are slim. Can you win without it? Yes. Are you likely to keep winning without it? No.

Wade talks = disregard. Amaro talks = disregard. George W. has more credibility.

Go WORLD CHAMPS PHILS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111

To be brief what I’ve been trying to say in the above is the Phils FO has to emulate what the Red Sox have done by constantly extending the window of opportunity by finding young controllable and cheap talent to then be able to pay big for the right guys (would point to Howard and Hamels). Unless your the Yankees, Mets and Cubs living off FA then your better served by focusing on creating a support core that look forward to and not back on arbitration years so you can lock up and add big guns.

NJ, have you notice on Phillies telecasts, their are plenty of fans from outside of PA, I noticed that in Florida there are plenty of transplants but they remain Phils fans, I noticed the Phils are probably one of the fastest growing fan base in the Majors right now, even before wining the World Series because people are tired of the Mutts, Skankees. Beaneaters, Squaws, the Pale Hose etc., but also Angels are also growing in fans.

I don’t see all Myers, Moyer and the 5th starting having miserable years as well as the bullpen falling apart and if it does I don’t think 1 more decent arm in the rotation would stop that from happening. If we’re going to reach by overpaying on a pitcher I hope it’s Tawaza which would show a commitment to sustaining the ‘window’.

Philly has a great local market for it’s teams but it doesn’t attract fans outside of PA in the way NY, LA and Chicago teams can (and does). I say that as a fan outside the PA/East coast area where people are Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and Cubs fans.

I agree with you wholy on the drafting and recruitment front. I think the reports on the prospects from the last two drafts are extremely promising but the Phils have to do more, considering so much of the leagues elite talent is earning under $1m because of the recent success of the draft we have to follow that trend rather than hand-cuf ourselves to free-agents.

We are not the best team, the best funded team, most supported and marketable team to create BoSox money and we have to respect that our margin of error is small and next years success will rely on better years from Howard, Utley and Rollins who did not have good years. If the $12m Myers isn’t going be the number 2 he was down the stretch then you trade him and then there’s an arguement for going after Lowe, that’s management now onwership.

I agree the ownership has been cheap in accepting reaching on guys like trading for Garcia or adding Eaton or Jenkins instead of paying that bit more, but the ownership is nothing like the Marlins and if the way there were doing things with the people the appoint didn’t work…

When we hand’t won in 28 years is was all about that, now straight after it’s about how we’ve only won twice in our history. We critisize the players pressing but encourage so many fans pressing in the pursuit of a dynasty or nothing has been achieved in the recent history of the club.

I have a lot of issues with J-Roll’s attitude but he was right, this teams focus had to be to re-write history and step out of the shadow of the 1980/1993 team. When Sox won Red Sox nation was about what history they could create after breaking the curse, we on the other hand seem to have the attitude “yeah we won but who cares it’s not good enough”. At this point stablising the system is more important than how big the names are in it.

I think we’ve become so fixated on winning windows and frankly I expect this team to competitive for a half decade past the ’3 year window’ and impatient dealing in the high stakes end of the market just results in a team being dismantled before the ‘window’ closes. We won in spite of bad deals and I’d rather see us play high-stakes with a winning hand. What do the teams above us in payroll have to show for flashing the cash?

Last years payrolls-
NY Yankees—–209,081,579…
Detroit—–138,685,197: Trying to shed any payroll they can from bad acquisitions
New York Mets—–138,293,378: Putrid depth because they keep piling money into big names to appease their narrow minded fans
Boston—–133,440,037: The best development system right now in the majors
Chi.White Sox—–121,152,667: Trying to shed bad deals and bad attitude players.
LA Angels—–119,216,333: On the verge of loosing the core of their team because they can’t afford to retain all of their players.
Chi.Cubs—–118,595,833: Jack of all and masters of nothing with a rotation with major health concerns
LA Dodgers—–118,536,038: Can’t afford to maintain payroll
Seattle—–117,993,982: Doing great aren’t they…
Atlanta—–102,424,018: Far from being the perrenial power house we remember
St. Louis—–100,624,450: still have to slot in unknowns even with that payroll number
Toronto—–98,641,957: ” ”

Would you feel good in 3 years time when your wondering why Howard’s long gone, their are massive holes because no-one was groomed being blocked by giving in to guys who demanded long-term deals and then scratch your lead at how a 39 year old Derek Lowe’s the highest paid player on the team… Sign that FA number 2 and ‘top’ outfielder plus the arbitration raises and we’d be in the top 3 in payroll and be locked into multi-year deals.

I’d rather see us get active in developing the next Ryan Braun of David Price to extend the window of opportunity.

I know his contract isin’t ideal, but I would love to make a deal for Juan Pierre. For one, he is only 31, which would make him younger than Ordonez, Dye and Burrell. Second, he is a career .300 hitter and he averages 54 steals a season. This would be the perfect bat to put in our order. He could bat leadoff, second, sixth or seventh. I’d like him to bat in the 7 spot, and break up all those righties at the back end of the order.

1. Rollins
2. Victorino
3. Utley
4. Howard
5. Werth
6. Pierre
7. Feliz
8. Ruiz
9. Pitcher

Pierre could be had for cheap, and could really help the back of the lineup. He doesn’t have a strong arm, but he has a ton of range in the outfield and would allow flexibility in the other positions. Because Pierre would be taking Burrell’s roster spot we could play him in left, but he has a weak arm. We could also play him in center, move Victorino back to right, and Werth over to left.

The only issue I see with Pierre is his contract, I believe he is due like 10 million next season. Contract aside, he is exactly the type of player we need in the lineup – speed – contact – defense.

The guy does play everyday, and even plays through injury, but in no way does he merit a contract bigger than the Phillies have already offered him. He makes the routine play in the easiest position to play, but he has absolutely no range, and can not run the bases to save his life.

I have said it before, we can not let our emotions get the best of us here. Burrell has been through a lot with this team, and he has become a fan favorite, but he is not what is best for our team. We need to get faster in the outfield, and we have to add another contact bat to our lineup.

Bring back Pat and Jaime, add by trading some of the deadwood in the farm system.