and i couldnt agree more with your posts on here. i too think beltre for about 3/24 to get it done.

philledphillie–cabrera still has 125 mil left on his current contract. the phils would not be able to afford that and ryan howards big contract that will be coming up next year. the money is just not there. this isnt the NYY

shag beta sigma delta–you cant so easily compare feliz and beltre as you look to 2010 and beyond. just look at age if nothing else. can beltre still put up above average numbers for the next 2-3 years? probably. can feliz still put up above average numbers for the next 2-3 years? very unlikely, probably not. you cant make it seem like apples to apples as you look into future plans.

psujoe–i like the kouzmanoff idea too under one condition -heath bell would have to be part of the deal. that would knock out two of the voids the phils need most. the ideal plan would be centered around bell with kouz as sort of a bonus. both would come cheap and we could spend money somewhere else–that would be an awesome deal. problem is neither guy is getting paid anything at all by san diego. the padres would be very unlikely to get rid of either of these guys since they cost next to nothing.

and i see beltre was just offered arbitration. so the phils will be givin up a pick if they sign him

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=6072271

The Phils can afford to go with youth at 3B as long as they also bring in a high quality utility infielder like a Jerry Hairston to fill in for an extended period if the young guy slumps.

All of the candidates for 3B have flaws. So do Gordon and Wood, but their upsides are higher than the free agents.

Call me crazy, but the Halladay situation just got more interesting when he said no trade by the Spring then no trade, period. Lee (9) + Moyer(7) + that 4 million = 20 in 2010. hmmm.

If Polanco isn’t offered arbitration, he’d be the best option, in my mind. Beltre might hit for more power, but Polanco would probably be on base more, would strike out less, still play slightly better than passable defense, and be a lot cheaper. The picture changes, though, if he’s going to cost a draft pick. Let’s see what happens at tonight’s arbitration deadline.

But there is a HUGE difference between the pitching in AA and the pitching in the Majors …. the Phillies know what they have, and since they consider their biggest need to be a 3b .. I would imagine that they can’t see him ever contributing to the big league club

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I heard that Andy Tracy is a likely candidate for a bench role though, as he’s hit more than 20 HRs, in EIGHT different season in the minors.

He’s 36 years old in a few weeks.. but he’s got very good power, pretty decent average, and very good On-Base Percentage..

If possible, however, I prefer trading for a young potential stud like Alex Gordon or Brandon Wood. Since he is not likely to play much in 2010 and Brown may be ready sometime in 2011 to replace Ibanez, Taylor could be trade bait.

By 2012, in Brown and Gordon/Wood, the Phils would have two young, talented, cheap players filling two positions where the team has aged. That approach is how the team can stay good for an extended period.

Having said that, neither Gordon nor Wood is a lock to succeed.

Gordon was supposed to be an immediate impact player when he came up in 2007, but he has yet to break out. He also had injury problems in 2009, and his defense needs to improve.

I think Wood is the better defensive player of the two, and he can play SS or 3B. He also has excellent power. His main problem is that he strikes out at an alarming rate.

Wood is 24; and Gordon is 25.

Who said that? Howard is lefty, and I can’t see anyone seriously suggesting that. I think you read something incorrectly.

Felix hit an abismal .208 againts LEFTIES last year. Adiran Beltre hit .298 against lefties and Mark DeRosa hit .278 against lefties as well as Lowell who hit .301 so they are all upgrades in that category. In a lineup where your three of your BEST hitters are lefties, (Utley, Howard, Ibanez) you need a guy that can hit them. Pedro has not been getting the job done there. That’s the main reason why Amaro is looking elsewhere to fill the 3rd base job.