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Rumor: Phillies Interested In Mark Loretta

Moving on from arbitration talk, the Phillies have been rumored to show interest in infielder Mark Loretta.

At 37, Loretta would make a feasible option as a stopgap infielder while Chase Utley recovers from hip surgery. In 2008, Loretta played 101 games, hitting .280 with four home runs and 38 RBI. Always having good plate discipline (close to a 1:1 career BB:K ratio), Loretta is also a pretty good fielder, committing a career-high 15 back in 1997.

Loretta would likely cost the Phils $2M or so for a year, or $5M for two. He was denied arbitration by the Astros yesterday.

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.