The Papelbon deal takes up $11 million for the Phillies in 2012.

Here is a revised look at the Phillies 2012 roster and payroll projections. The numbers for the arbitration players and players lacking service time are subject to change. They are merely educated guesses.

According to the Associated Press, it appears the MLB Luxury Tax will not be going up as it had the previous five seasons. It will remain the same as it was in 2011; $178 million. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Phillies won’t go over it, but in the past they’ve seemingly been reluctant to do it. It had gone up $8 million per season over the last five years of the old CBA. That’s no longer the case.

Included in the new CBA is a provision that will raise the minimum salary from $414,000 to $480,000. That could change some things for the Phillies with guys like Mayberry and Martinez. In the projections below, I’ve made those changes.

Blue: money that the Phillies owe in 2012
Red: educated guess as to how much player will earn in 2012 (arbitration or otherwise)

Infield/Catchers

-Ryan Howard: $20MM
-Chase Utley: $15.286MM
-Jimmy Rollins: $11MM
-Placido Polanco: $6.417MM
-Carlos Ruiz: $3.7MM
-Ty Wigginton: $2MM
-Jim Thome: $1.25MM
-Brian Schndeider: 800K
-Michael Martinez: $480K

$60.933MM (9 players)

Outfield:

-Hunter Pence: $10.4MM
-Shane Victorino: $9.5MM
-Laynce Nix: $1.15MM
-John Mayberry Jr.: $480K

$21.53MM (4 players)

Starting Pitching:

-Cliff Lee: $21.5MM
-Roy Halladay: $20MM
-Cole Hamels: $15MM
-Joe Blanton: $10.5MM
-Vance Worley: $480K

$66.48MM (5 players)

Relief Pitching:

-Jonathan Papelbon: $11MM
-Kyle Kendrick: $3.59MM
-Jose Contreras: $2.5MM
-Chad Qualls: $1.15MM
-Dontrelle Willis: $1MM
-David Herndon: $575K
-Antonio Bastardo: $575K
-Michael Stutes: $480K

$21.05MM (8 players)

Payments:

-Roy Oswalt: $2MM
-Brad Lidge: $1.5MM
-Ty Wigginton: -$2 million from Colorado

Estimated Total: $171.29 million (25 players, two buyouts, Wigginton money from Rockies)

Luxury Tax: $178 million (in 2012)

——————————————-

The Phillies are getting closer to the luxury tax but with the signing of Jimmy Rollins and the settling of contracts for Hamels and Pence, it appears they have a full 25-man roster ready to go at this time. Juan Pierre and Scott Podsednik will duke it out for that final outfield spot, so one of the eight relievers will likely not stay.

With this 25-man crew the Phillies look to be somewhere in the $171 million range, so there isn’t much room to maneuver with the MLB luxury tax just ahead.

UPDATE: Here is a better breakdown of the new luxury tax rules in the new MLB CBA.

NOTE: According to USA Today’s salary database, the Phillies spent a shade under $173 million in 2011, Cot’s Contracts says the Phillies spent $165 million.

*(Cot’s Contracts, USA Today, and Baseball-reference, as well as a myriad of articles, were used in this payroll rundown)

(PHOTO: AP)

Jayson Stark of ESPN.com said in a series of tweets that the Phillies were attempting to unload Joe Blanton in an attempt to clear salary space to keep Roy Oswalt.

Verrrry interesting, to say the least. Who would that taker be, if they were able to find one? Undoubtedly, the Phillies would have to eat some, if not ALL, the remaining money on Blanton’s contract. Right now there does not seem to be any sort of market for Blanton, which significantly hurts the Phillies chances of re-signing Little Roy.

]]> http://philliesnation.com/archives/2012/02/2espn-phillies-tried-to-move-blanton-to-keep-oswalt/feed/ 19 http://philliesnation.com/archives/2012/02/lidge-to-97-3-espn-fm-my-heart-is-still-here/ http://philliesnation.com/archives/2012/02/lidge-to-97-3-espn-fm-my-heart-is-still-here/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:02:15 +0000 Pat Gallen http://philliesnation.com/?p=28025

Lidge leaves for the Nats. (MLB)

Washington Nationals reliever Brad Lidge joined “The Sports Bash with Mike Gill” on 97.3 ESPN FM on Tuesday. Lidge was very candid about the Phillies not wanting him back and the team’s signing of Jonathan Papelbon over friend Ryan Madson.

“I came back to the Phillies and I said, ‘Let’s talk. My heart’s still here,” said Lidge. “It never left. Let’s see what we can do.’ Unfortunately, at that time, they had changed their mind and didn’t have a contract for me.”

Obviously, the Phillies went in another direction, going after guys like Chad Qualls and Dontrelle Willis. Lidge understood the changes. “Yeah, it’s disappointing. I’m not crying about it or nothing. I understand it’s all business and that’s part of it. But it was disappointing and unfortunate because, of course, I did want to come back to Philadelphia.”

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO LIDGE’S INTERVIEW

Slowly, that seed morphed into a small plant. The small plant became Phillies Nation TV, which Corey Seidman and I shoot on a monthly basis. We began shooting PN TV’s late in the 2011 season and have tried to keep up with it to the best of our abilities. Our hard work and diligence has paid off.

The small plant is now larger than we ever imagined it could be.

We’re excited to announce a new partnership with Service Electric’s 2 Sports in the Lehigh Valley. Phillies Nation TV will go from an 8-10 minute show into a 30 minute program that will be taped once a week and will air three times per week – with days and times to be announced soon. So, those of you in the area of Allentown, Bethlehem, Quakertown, Reading, Northampton, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and parts of Northern New Jersey will be able to see PN TV several times a week, satisfying your need for all things Phillies. You’ll also be able to get it on-demand.

Service Electric Television is a private, family owned cable business servicing over 294,000 subscribers located in approximately 250 communities in Central and Northeastern Pennsylvania and Northwestern New Jersey. 2 Sports, the channel we’ll be on, is the TV home of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs and Reading Phillies. So we’ll feel right at home covering the Phillies and their minor league affiliates while adding a new dimension to the network.

With this new partnership, we’ll be able to give you greater access to the minor leaguers we’ve come to know and love. We’ll also continue to provide the best Phillies coverage possible.

Needless to say, we’re completely stoked and can’t wait to get started on this newest project. Myself and Corey will continue the hosting duties with Ian, Jay, and all of our Phillies Nation contributors involved in some way, shape, or form. The ideas are already flowing, but of course, we’d love to hear from you. What more would you like to see out of Phillies Nation TV? Please, feel free to leave your thoughts/comments/ideas in the comments section below.

Enjoy!

Brown is one of several African-American players on a Phillies roster loaded with them (Photo: AP)

This is a special guest post written by a friend of Phillies Nation, Zaki Edwards, from the always-funny website, PhillyGameday.com. Check out some of his old stuff and have a laugh or two.

———-

Barry Bonds could have hit 100 home runs in 2001 and I still wouldn’t have been able to convince other black guys at my high school that baseball wasn’t wack. No amount of stealing from Rickey Henderson or wall-climbing catches from Torii Hunter could have changed their minds.

To them, baseball wasn’t flashy enough. It wasn’t black enough. It was a “white sport”.

I’m pretty sure I slept through that day in Blackness Prep or something since I always have and always will think baseball is the greatest sport known to man. No one had to convince me that it was cool to take that piece of metal the coach gave you to hit a ball and run as fast as you can. It’s all I’ve wanted to do everyday for the past 20 years of my life.

Of course, I’m in the minority of the minority. And so is every other black baseball player and fan that can name more than five players on their favorite team.

It’s a phenomenon that has been talked about at length for the past few decades, but one that seems to be fading in the City of Brotherly Love as of late: The Phillies are employing more black players and the number of black Phillies fans seems to be on the rise.

Mayberry Jr. (MLB)

Rollins. (MLB)

One explanation for the rise in black fans is that the Phillies’ roster now boasts a whopping five African-American (non-Latino) players: Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, John Mayberry, Jr., Domonic Brown and Dontrelle Willis. Throw in the newly acquired Juan Pierre and outfielder Tyson Gillies (who is currently on the 40-man roster) and the Phillies start to look like the bizarro New England Patriots.

Some people may say it’s racist to watch a team even partially because of its black players, but it goes a little deeper than that.

For people like my father, seeing Howard and Rollins play for the Phillies is a reminder of the progress the team, the sport and this country have made over the years.

“For guys my age, I can remember back in the 1950′s when the Phillies were still one of the most racist teams in baseball,” my father told me. “To see guys like Howard and (Jimmy) Rollins on the team now, that means something.”

For reasons too numerous to list, a lot of people identify with people of their own race or group, right or wrong. It is this identity that may draw someone to say “hey, there’s a guy like me out there playing baseball and that’s kind of cool.” On a side note, I think professional athletes make so much money these days that the notion of “a guy like me out there” doesn’t apply to anyone, white or black, unless you’re a fellow athlete or CEO–but that’s neither here nor there.

The other explanation–and the one I subscribe to–for why more blacks are tuning in to more Phillies games is a simple one: Because the team is winning.

Winning literally solves everything. It can turn the most wack, boring sport into the coolest and most-watched sport in town. The Phillies won 102 games last year, but see what happens if they win 120 or 140 games. Every black kid in the tri-state area will be rockin’ a Howard or even a Roy Halladay jersey. Houses and cars everywhere would have broken windows from kids playing baseball in the street all day and all night. Winning is cool, and the more teams win, the less cool you become if you don’t keep up as a fan.

Ultimately, I could care less about the number of blacks that watch or play baseball–as long as the reason doesn’t have anything to do with discrimination, of course. But so what if fewer blacks like baseball than in the 1970′s. That’s just the way of things. People get their news online now instead of in a newspaper. Black kids play cooler sports like football and basketball instead of baseball. Who knows, maybe the pendulum will swing back to baseball at some point, but with fans that are more excited by the prospect of a double-switch than a designated hitter, I seriously doubt it.

Chad Qualls (AP)

The Phillies have made what would seem like one final move to try and solidify the bullpen by signing veteran Chad Qualls.

From the Phillies:

Right-hander Chad Qualls signed a one-year, $1.15 million contract with the Phillies, Senior Vice President & General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today.  The contract includes performance and awards bonuses.

Qualls, 33, went 6-8 with a 3.51 ERA in a team-high 77 games for the San Diego Padres last season.  In his final 19 appearances, he posted a 1.96 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .219 batting average.  Qualls made the eighth-most relief appearances among all major league pitchers last year.

Over the past seven seasons (2005-11), Qualls has made more appearances (512) than any other major league pitcher and ranks second in relief wins (34), trailing only Jesse Crain (38).

Originally a second-round selection by the Houston Astros, Qualls has a career record of 38-34 with 51 saves and a 3.78 ERA in 537 games for the Astros (2004-07), Arizona Diamondbacks (2008-10), Tampa Bay Rays (2010) and Padres (2011).

Qualls will wear #50.

I think you’re all well aware of my stance on guys of this ilk. Is he going to be a big difference maker over cheaper, younger, less proven relief pitchers like Michael Schwimer or Justin De Fratus, among others? Not that it’s a waste of over $1 million, but it just seems like an unnecessary investment. Perhaps Ed Wade has his paws on this one, as Qualls is a former Houston Astro. That being said, Qualls has been a decent pitcher in this league for a long time.

Hunter Pence is back. (AP)

According to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, the Phillies and Hunter Pence have avoided arbitration by coming to terms on a one-year, $10.4 million contract. Heyman was the first to tweet the news just after 3 p.m.

Pence had originally asked for $11.8 million, the Phillies countered with $9 million, and the two sides have split the difference.

Now comes some interesting days ahead for the Phillies. Not only is Cole Hamels a free agent after 2012, but Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence will be as well. Who do you keep if it comes down to it? Clearly Cole is the priority, but the Phillies just gave up a boatload to get Pence, you’d think he’d be the second priority. He will obviously command top dollar next offseason. Ruben Amaro Jr. will have his hands full, for sure.

Juan Pierre. (MLB)

The Phillies have inked speedy outfielder Juan Pierre to a minor-league contract.

Last season, Pierre, 34, was still a serviceable player with the Chicago White Sox, although we know he is completely one-dimensional. He will give you slap hits and speed and not much else. Over 158 games, Pierre hit .279 in 711 plate appearances, however, his steals fell from 68 in 2010 to just 27 in 2011.

Among active players, Pierre has the most career stolen bases (554) and ranks 26^th on the all-time list. And according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com, he ranks No. 1 among active players in K/PA ratio (1 every 17.8 at-bats). Not much swinging and missing going on there.

That being said, I would rather the Phillies have inked Pierre and gone with him over signing Laynce Nix to a two-year deal. I feel as though this contract makes much more sense. Pierre will provide no power, but with your final outfield spot up in the air, plus the addition of mashers like Jim Thome and Ty Wigginton, it’s hardly a necessity.

All-in-all a low-risk, high-reward move by the Phillies that could pay dividends should one of the starting outfielders go out for an extended period of time. Pierre is clearly declining as a player, but for the price, it’s worth it to take a shot that he’s got something left in the tank as a backup. That said, the Phils still need to address the middle infielder spot that sits empty after the trade of WIlson Valdez. At this point, Michael Martinez is the only legit option.

Pierre’s numbers the last three seasons:

Injuries have wrecked his career as of late, but Washington decided to take a flier on him to help guide a young bullpen down in D.C. Lidge is one of the nicest people, baseball or not, and is filled with the wisdom of nearly a decade in the majors.

Lidge reportedly received a low-ball offer from the Phillies to stay in town, so he decided to take the better financial deal rather than try to make the team on a minor-league contract.

We wish Brad well in Washington, except for when he faces the Phillies. Can anyone else feel the remnants of 2008 slowly slipping away? Kinda depressing if you think about it…

If you’d like, please share your thoughts on Brad Lidge in this space.

And if you stick around, at about the 9 minute mark, there are some pretty cool/funny/awesome viral videos. Enjoy!

So long, Wilson. (AP)

According to the Cincinnati Reds twitter profile, they’ve struck a deal to acquire Wilson Valdez from the Phillies for lefty Jeremy Horst.

Here is the statement from the team:

Horst, 26, made 12 relief appearances for the Reds last year and went 0-0 with a 2.93 ERA.  He spent most of the season with triple-A Louisville, where he posted a 1-4 record and had a 2.81 ERA in 36 games, while holding opposing hitters to a .219 batting average.  On six occasions for Louisville, Horst pitched at least 3.0 innings and had a 0.83 ERA (2 ER, 21.2 IP) in those games.

Originally selected by the Reds in the 21^st round of the 2007 draft, Horst will be a non-roster invitee to major league spring training for the Phillies.

Valdez spent the last two years with the Phillies, hitting .249 this past season with one home run and 30 RBI in 99 games.  The 33-year-old played second base, shortstop and third base for the Phillies and went 1-0 in one pitching appearance on May 25 against the Reds.

The Phillies are now at 38 players on their 40-man roster.

This certainly opens things up for the Phillies when it comes to the roster. They can go out and sign another utility guy or scour the minor league level for someone of that ilk. Some middle infielder names still available are Aaron Miles, Bill Hall, Jeff Keppinger, Ryan Theriot, Edgar Renteria, Miguel Tejada, and Felipe Lopez, among others.

So long, Wilson. We’ll always have that 19-inning game.

Among the winners is Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence, the recipient of this years “Good Guy Award.” The Philadelphia Phillies were named “Team of the Year” for their 102-win season and playoff berth.

He also joins an outstanding lineup at this year’s awards dinner, including Flyers center Claude Giroux (Pro Athlete of the Year) and Villanova cross country star Shelia Reid (Outstanding Amateur Athlete). The Phillies will be honored as the Team of the Year, and both Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and Flyers coach Peter Laviolette will be in attendance.

Join Pence at the PSWA Awards Dinner Jan 30.

Other awards, including Living Legend, Native Son and Humanitarian of the Year, among others, will be announced in coming weeks, as will a couple of memorable surprise presentations and some “Special Achievement” awards. The most coveted award—Most Courageous—is kept secret until the night of the dinner.

Comedian Joe Conklin will also perform at the dinner, the oldest continuing sports awards banquet in the nation.

The public is welcome at the dinner. Tickets are $95 apiece, and are available by clicking here.

Doors to the banquet open at 5 p.m.. with the dinner starting promptly at 6:30 p.m.

Francisco Cordero. (MLB)

UPDATE, 8:43 pm: Cordero is set to sign a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays to be their set-up man. That leads me to believe the Phillies were never serious suitors, because I assumed it would cost more than that to acquire Cordero. If the Phillies had offered $3-3.5 million for Cordero, I’d be happy with that number. Alas, he heads north.

———————

It’s not that I don’t like the two relief pitchers. Brad Lidge will always have a place in my heart. He’ll go down as one of the best relievers in Phillies history, not to mention the most famous for his pose after throwing that beautiful slider to Carlos Ruiz in the 2008 World Series. We’ll always have those memories.

Francisco Cordero has been one of the best closers in all of baseball, posting 327 saves in his 12 seasons in the majors, including 30 or more in five straight. But with a run of ninth-inning pitchers flooding the marketplace this offseason, there just aren’t enough jobs out there.

Enter the Phillies, who look to be willing to add another veteran arm for the bullpen if the price is right. Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times says the Phillies are one of a handful of teams inquiring about the longtime closer. Inquiring is where it should end. The same goes for Lidge.

I’m one of Brad Lidge’s biggest fans; the dude was super-clutch for the Phillies in their title-winning year. He was one of the main reasons they have a ring. It was perfection from start to finish, something you don’t often see. However, who knows what is holding that arm together.

Lidge was sensational last season in only 19 appearances as he got a late start due to injury. He finished with a 1.40 ERA and held batters to a .225 average. Still, there are red flags.

Not only is his arm possibly glued together (lost count of how many cortisone shots he’s had), but he can’t get out righties. As odd as it may sound, lefties hit .097 against Lidge in 2011 with a miniscule .372 OPS. Against same-handed batters, Lidge allowed them to hit .325. It’s a small sample size and it’s also unlikely to be sustainable, but if Lidge can no longer get righties out – because he’s not fooling them any longer – then what good is he? He’s not going to shut down lefties and become a specialist.  It just doesn’t work that way.

What also doesn’t make much sense for Lidge is the money. If he’s looking for a major league, guaranteed deal, then that’s just too much. Anything more than $1-2 million for an aging arm would be a bad move for the Phillies, especially with the back end of the ‘pen mostly above 30. And knows how old Jose Contreras is at this point.

As for Cordero, do you really need two closers? He’ll likely command (just guessing) at least $5 million on a one-year deal, and will turn 37 this year. You’ve got a top three closer, one of the best lefties in baseball, and a bunch of young arms just waiting to break out. Look, not every bullpen is like the Atlanta Braves. But it doesn’t have to be. The Phillies won 102 games last year with a merry-go-round of guys. They’ll likely be fine without spending that sort of coin.

Really, I want to see Michael Schwimer, Justin DeFratus, or Joe Savery take the job and run with it. The Phillies can afford to take their chances this year as they’ll still have the best 1-2-3 rotation in baseball. Those guys will eat innings.

Hopefully, Ruben Amaro will stay away from the glow that Cordero will bring. And there’s no longer any sort of glow coming from Lidge, but it’s easy to call the guy back. That, too, would be the wrong move.

Phillies President David Montgomery issued a statement:

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Andy’s family, especially his wife Eun Joo, his son Allan and his daughter Luanne.  Andy was a dear friend to many, an absolute gentleman, and a true professional.  I had the pleasure of working with him for 26 years during which time he made a significant contribution to our club.  Additionally, along with thousands of Philadelphia sports fans, I admired his versatility  in announcing not only Phillies games but also his work with the Eagles, Sixers and Villanova Basketball.  Since leaving the Phillies broadcast booth in 2001, Andy remained close to the club.  We will all miss our dear friend.”

As I was just becoming a Phillies fan, I recall Andy’s nasal delivery and his gentlemanly style. He was never too high, never too low. He always seemed to me like an odd fit in this town, but he did fit in – for 26 seasons. And to do that in Philadelphia, you must connect with the fans and he did. Musser was smooth and kind, just as Harry Kalas was. He wasn’t in your face and didn’t need to be.

I recall sitting out on the porch, watching my dad cook on the grill, listening to the Phillies on his POS radio plugged into the lamppost. And I recall Andy’s voice. Many of you will remember the same.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, a memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. ET on Jan. 31, in the Sanctuary of Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, 625 Montgomery Ave., Bryn Mawr, Pa. 19010. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church Foundation.

Please share your memories of Andy Musser…

Join the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association as they hand out awards to local athletes and teams during their 108th annual banquet.

"Let's go eat!"

Among the winners is Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence, the recipient of this years “Good Guy Award.” The Philadelphia Phillies were named “Team of the Year” for their 102-win season and playoff berth. The Phillies will be honored as the Team of the Year, and both Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and Flyers coach Peter Laviolette will be in attendance.

Comedian Joe Conklin will also perform at the dinner, the oldest continuing sports awards banquet in the nation.

The public is welcome at the dinner. Tickets are $95 apiece, and are available by clicking here!

Doors to the banquet open at 5 p.m.. with the dinner starting promptly at 6:30 p.m.

Will Cole run in the same rotation as Roy past 2012? (Philly.com)

Cole Hamels has signed for one more year at $15 million. That would seem like a good thing. That’s just the feeling on the surface. Look for things to take a turn south if something doesn’t get done before the season begins.

Tom Verducci and Keith Law were both guests on “The Sports Bash with Mike Gill” on 97.3 ESPN FM on Tuesday and both were skeptical that Hamels would re-sign with the Phillies after this one-year pact is up. And to be truthful, I am now as well.

A source close to the situation tells me that Hamels received a low offer during last season that he and his family were not happy with. So that warm, fuzzy feeling you thought was there may not be. From what I’m told, Hamels does enjoy Philadelphia and wants to be here, but also wants to be paid accordingly. Those numbers continue to fluctuate as time moves along.

After Jered Weaver and Justin Verlander inked their five-year deals with the Angels and Tigers, respectively, everyone assumed that the Phillies would have to pay slightly north of that to retain Hamels long-term. That may no longer be the case. Hamels could be looking at a Cliff Lee-esque contract, which well above what both Weaver and Verlander make. Todd Zolecki of MLB.com opines that Hamels can shoot for north of $20 million per season because of his leverage. And let’s face it; he has it.

By waiting it out, Hamels becomes more and more expensive. Ruben Amaro told writers today that there is still plenty of time.

“We can negotiate with Cole from today through the end of November, and then beyond that to get a multiyear deal done,” Amaro said. ”Just because we have a one-year deal in place doesn’t mean we can’t do something long term. As far as Cole beyond 2012, that’s something that’s still very much open for discussion.”

Really, this shouldn’t even be a discussion.

Last season, I was adamant in believing that Hamels would be back because of his love for the city and his love for the Phillies. But now, that could be souring, even if it’s ever so slightly. By waiting so long, and by adding in factors such as the Ryan Howard extension, the Jonathan Papelbon signing, and the Cliff Lee deal, the Phillies may have priced themselves out of their most important part. I say most important because at his age (28) and hitting his prime, he’s a guy you want around for a long time. Everyone is well aware of that, I’d hope.

Before we jump off the new South Street bridge, let’s all take a deep breath and realize that there is still time left for a deal to happen. Let’s just proceed with extreme caution. No taking a turn to negative town just yet!

Below are clips from Verducci and Law talking frankly about the situation:

Tom Verducci discussing Cole Hamels on 97.3 ESPN FM – Clip 1
Tom Verducci discussing Cole Hamels on 97.3 ESPN FM – Clip 2

Keith Law on 97.3 ESPN FM – Howard, Papelbon mistakes by Amaro, hurt Hamels chances Clip 1
Keith Law on 97.3 ESPN FM – Cole Hamels is so important to the franchise – Clip 2
Keith Law on 97.3 ESPN FM – Every MLB team will have eye on Cole Hamels – Clip 3
Keith Law on 97.3 ESPN FM – Odds Hamels signs extension seems low – Clip 4

Hamels and the Phillies avoided arbitration.

The Phillies and Cole Hamels have come to terms on a one-year, $15 million contract, according to a tweet from CSBSports.com’s Jon Heyman.  A source close to Hamels tells me he’s on vacation in Hawaii, so I guess we’ll have to hear from him later on the situation. But, what has been avoided is arbitration, which can sometimes spill some blood between the two sides. Luckily, that was never the case here.

Just before Christmas, I took a stab at the money Hamels would get and was right on in my roster and payroll projections post. This is clearly fair market value for one of the better left-handed pitchers in the game. Now onto bigger and better things.

Next up is a long-term solution. The two sides have been unable to come to terms on that as of now, but that doesn’t mean things can’t change during the season. As we’ve reiterated time and again, Hamels likes it here. And by coming to terms with the Phillies so quickly, it seems like both sides are clearly working in good faith. Always a positive.

Also part of the one-year pact, Hamels also gets $100,000 for MVP, $250,000 for the Cy Young, $100,000 for another World Series MVP, $50,000 for a LCS MVP, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, and an All-Star selection.

Last season, Hamels made $9.5 million in the final year of a three-year contract.

——-

According to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, the Phillies have also re-signed Wilson Valdez for $930,000.  All that remains through arbitration is Hunter Pence.

Ryan Howard had a tough go last season. (PHOTO AP)

I’m disappointed.

Not in the fact that the Phillies weren’t able to live up to the high expectations of winning a second championship in four years. And not in the fact that Ryan Howard had a down year. Not that Cliff Lee blew a golden opportunity to seal Game 2 of the NLDS or that Ruben Amaro overpaid for Jonathan Papelbon. Actually, I’m a little disappointed in the common fan.

On countless occasions, the fun of a Top Moments list or a player review is tainted with scornful words toward the Phillies. Too often anymore, you the fan deliver a hateful message. That bothers me. (Clearly, I don’t mean every single one of you. We’re all guilty of over-analyzing and caring too much at times. But for the sake of this write-up, I’m going with the common fan-theme).

Let me take you back to 2008. You begged – prayed even – for a World Championship. Hell, it was our time. It had been 28 years and enough was enough. When you sent those little messages to a higher power, the statement usually ended with something like “I’ll never ask for another one again. Just give us this title, God.” You’re prayers were answered as the Phillies ended the city’s streak of futility. Life was good.

One year later, in 2009, expectations were high, but not so stratospheric that they would be impossible to live up to. Phillies fans enjoyed the ride of another World Series trip, and although they lost in six games to the Evil Empire up the road, there was a sense that something special had been concocted and it would be foolish to turn away. That’s when things began to change…

Before the beginning of the 2010 season, vitriol hadn’t yet found it’s way into the everyday life of a Phillies fan. We we’re still living off the high.  Sure, from 1984 up until Veterans Stadium shut down, there were some awful teams worthy of your foul-mouthed spew. I’m guilty of it. But following a championship year that was followed up with a near-miss at another hardly deserves much negative reaction. Yet, here we stand.

We stand here spoiled and teetering on the edge of becoming insufferable. They say fame can change a person when they’re no longer a nobody. Well, winning can change the way a fan sees the game. We as Phillies fans now exude a sense of entitlement.

Since the beginning of the 2010 season, our penchant for complaining has become more pronounced. Not only was Ryan Howard’s contract a bad one, it was “the worst ever.” Not only was Jonathan Papelbon overpaid, it was a “disgraceful” job by Ruben Amaro Jr. Enough is enough.

You said it yourself; you’d never complain again. Even if the Phillies had losing season after losing season, they gave you that championship, that parade, that ever-lasting memory. You basically said you would sell your soul for that ring. Now, 102 wins and a tough loss in the NLDS is not enough. Ninety-seven wins and a graceful bow-out against a tough Giants team in the NLCS is not enough. You’ve gone all or nothing. And that’s sad.

I’ve implored you before to rethink it and I’ll ask you again; stop the madness. Stop making yourself mad over a lack of four straight titles. Enjoy what you have here in Philadelphia. Enjoy what the Phillies brass (Amaro included) has given you.

I understand you are a hard-working, paying customer and can vent if you so choose. That’s what this website is here for. But with the negativity should come positivity. And for many, it has become a one way street.

Go back to loving your Phillies like it was 2008 all over again, because you never know when all this goodness will end. It’ll be gratifying and fun. You’ll be happy you did.

Among the winners is Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence, the recipient of this years “Good Guy Award.” The Philadelphia Phillies were named “Team of the Year” for their 102-win season and playoff berth.

He also joins an outstanding lineup at this year’s awards dinner, including Flyers center Claude Giroux (Pro Athlete of the Year) and Villanova cross country star Shelia Reid (Outstanding Amateur Athlete). The Phillies will be honored as the Team of the Year, and both Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and Flyers coach Peter Laviolette will be in attendance.

Join Pence at the PSWA Awards Dinner Jan 30.

Other awards, including Living Legend, Native Son and Humanitarian of the Year, among others, will be announced in coming weeks, as will a couple of memorable surprise presentations and some “Special Achievement” awards. The most coveted award—Most Courageous—is kept secret until the night of the dinner.

Comedian Joe Conklin will also perform at the dinner, the oldest continuing sports awards banquet in the nation.

The public is welcome at the dinner. Tickets are $95 apiece, and are available by clicking here.

Doors to the banquet open at 5 p.m.. with the dinner starting promptly at 6:30 p.m.