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Phils Inexplicably Sign Taguchi

This one comes from left field (literally):Â The Phillies today signed So Taguchi to a one-year deal worth about $1MM.Â There’s an option for 2009.

My first thought:Â This move makes no sense.Â My second thought:Â This might be a good move.Â The Phils had Chris Snelling lined up as the fifth outfielder, and though Taguchi isn’t a bad fifth outfielder option, there are so many other holes necessary to fill.

However, last year, the 37-year-old Taguchi went .290 with 3 HR and 30 RBI in 307 AB for Saint Louis.Â He adds some speed and a lot of singles.Â While they already had Snelling for this, Taguchi is a solid contingency plan, much like his brother-from-another-mother, Tadahito Iguchi.Â Taguchi can play all three outfield positions, so that’s also a plus.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.