06/07 Phillies Offseason Thread

[MDS]

Couldn't they just be Gillick, Amaro and Arbuckle?

[Geowhizzer]

I hear Larry's got a wicked change.

By the way, the Stooges are awesome. Those three are the best. I didn't like Shemp and it was even worse when they had Joe in there.

Moe throws quite the deuce.

Curley is by far the best.  Shemp is adequate at best, and the rest just plain suck. The fat one (Curley Joe?) was the worst.

Couldn't they just be Gillick, Amaro and Arbuckle?

Wade would be Curley Joe Besser.

[BigEd76]

 

[Rome]

Get me an MVP Award:  CHECK

Get me a smoothe Hawaiian shirt:  CHECK

Get me a dozen big ass banana daiquiri's:  CHECK

Get me a hot bitch:  CHECK! CHECK!

[Eaglez]

Pretty much off topic, but this is by far the worst picture I've ever seen...

[MDS]

Oh my

[PhillyPhreak54]

Gillick, Green on Burrell's side
By PAUL HAGEN
hagenp@phillynews.com

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The drumbeat built steadily through the second half of the season, as frustrated Phillies fans watched leftfielder Pat Burrell take another called third strike, leave a couple more runners in scoring position.

Burrell, convicted in the court of public opinion, had to go.

As baseball's winter meetings swung into action yesterday at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort, two notable voices offered their dissent.

General manager Pat Gillick, who had dinner with Burrell while attending the Arizona Fall League last month, said he "doesn't see any problems" with a player who is guaranteed $27 million over the next two seasons.

And senior adviser Dallas Green, while warning that Burrell has reached a crossroads in his career, said he "still has a lot of faith" in him.

Not surprisingly, Green was more outspoken, adding a stinging caveat to his endorsement.

"I just think it's time for the kid to look in the mirror and recognize what his priorities should be," Green harrumphed. "He's 30 years old now. It's his decision. He's either headed north or south. He's at a crossroads. In professional baseball, if you're going to be the guy, you've got to be willing to sacrifice, to pay attention, to focus on what you're doing every day."

Asked if the reference to priorities was a polite way of referring to Burrell's party-animal image, Green nodded.

"He's a good-looking guy, single, makes lots of money," he noted. "That can be a distraction all by itself whether you think it's hurting you or not. Perception becomes fact. And whether that's true or not, there is only one person who can stop it.

"I've got to assume we've done everything we can to help him. It only takes 6 or 7 months of total sacrifice, but that has to be his priority. Fans see things that are going on and the perception becomes that he's not hustling or maybe staying out too late or whatever."

Green said he wasn't saying anything that he hadn't already conveyed to Burrell. "I write him little notes," he said. "I don't go into the clubhouse much. It's not my position to do that. I've also written Bobby Abreu, Jimmy Rollins and Brett Myers notes."

Gillick did his talking across the dinner table. And while the rumor circulating in the lobby yesterday was that the Dodgers were a dark-horse team that might have some interest, the Phillies' general manager insisted he isn't in a hurry to deal him away.

"I don't think [Burrell] is a problem," he said. "The guy wants to play every day. He wants to do well. He wants to win. He likes playing in Philadelphia. I don't see any problems with him.

"I was [in Arizona] for the fall league and I decided to have dinner with him. We talked about a number of things. Of course, if somebody wants to make an equitable trade, or something we think makes sense, we'll trade anybody."

Burrell had 29 homers with 95 RBI last season. But only 10 of the homers and 37 of the RBI came after the All-Star break.

Ugh.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Eyes of Phils could be on Texas again; also, Gillick says he's interested in a starter

By PAUL HAGEN
hagenp@phillynews.com

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Pat Gillick was sitting at a table off the lobby of the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort yesterday, when new Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington walked up and thanked him for letting Art Howe come to the Rangers.

The Phillies, you might recall, had hired Howe to be their third-base coach but released him from his contract after Washington was hired.

Last winter, the Phillies hired scout Don Welke from the Rangers and later traded righthander Vicente Padilla to Texas. During the season, the Phillies got lefty Fabio Castro from Texas for Robinson Tejeda and Daniel Haigwood.

Welke returned to the Rangers this offseason and was replaced by Charlie Kerfeld, who had been working for Texas. Howe was replaced by Steve Smith, who - you guessed it - had been in the Rangers' system. The Phillies signed free-agent righthander Adam Eaton, who pitched last year for (all together now) the Rangers.

And Phillies manager Charlie Manuel is close to Rangers bullpen coach Dom Chiti, who is married to the sister of Manuel's fiancée.

As they say in these parts, it's a small world after all...

So when reliever David Weathers re-signed with Cincinnati yesterday and rumors surfaced that Joe Borowski, who had agreed to a deal with the Phillies before an MRI on his shoulder raised concerns, was close to coming to terms with the Indians, it was natural to wonder if another Texas-Philadelphia trade might make sense.

The Rangers have a surplus of relievers (Joaquin Benoit, Josh Rupe, Ron Mahay). And while the Phillies aren't looking to trade centerfielder Aaron Rowand, they might have to consider it to address their pitching needs.

Gillick, meanwhile, dropped an intriguing hint. Even though the rotation appears set with Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Jon Lieber, Jamie Moyer and Eaton, he said he was stalking another starter who would upgrade the rotation.

"It might not be a No. 1 or a No. 2, but it might be a guy we think is better than what our No. 4 or our No. 5 might be right now," he said.

There aren't many pitchers who might be available that fit that description. The Rockies will trade Jason Jennings, but they don't appear to match up with the Phils. The Braves are said to be shopping Tim Hudson, but might not want to deal him to a division rival.

While this guessing game was going on, elsewhere on the property White Sox general manager Kenny Williams was being asked a loaded question about whether he'd be interested in bringing back a nameless player who had been with the Sox before and was considered a good clubhouse influence.

"Like Aaron Rowand?" Williams responded. "He's someone else's property. But would I be interested in somebody like that? Yeah, I would."

Hmmm. The White Sox could offer either Mark Buehrle or, more likely, Freddy Garcia. Both pitchers can become free agents at the end of the 2007 season and Chicago would like to make room in its rotation for Brandon McCarthy.

Gillick shrugged off a question about trading Rowand, noting that it would leave the Phillies short on outfielders.

Unless... the Phillies got Garcia (or somebody like him) and then turned around and traded Lieber to the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielder Kevin Mench, a Delaware product who flopped after being traded from (no fair, you peeked) Texas to the Brewers last season. And what if the Brewers were persuaded to throw in a reliever, maybe former closer Derrick Turnbow?

The Orioles and Phillies are among the teams believed to have approached Milwaukee about Mench, who is available after batting just .230 in 40 games after going to the Brewers in the Carlos Lee deal.

Hey, it could happen. Or maybe not. There are many more rumors to be floated before the winter meetings end Thursday.

In other Phillies news:

• Gillick confirmed the Phillies could make an offer to free-agent righthanded reliever Octavio Dotel. "We have some interest," the general manager confirmed. Dotel, 33, pitched only 14 games for the Yankees last season because of arm problems, but has a 3.75 career earned run average.

• At the moment, Carlos Ruiz is projected as the starting catcher with Chris Coste as the backup. "I wouldn't say that's etched in stone. I would say that's what our plans are at the moment," Gillick said.

• There have been whispers the Phillies could be interested in veteran catcher Benito Santiago, 41, who didn't play in the majors last year but has been contemplating a comeback while playing winter ball.

• Gillick said the Phillies aren't pursuing free-agent lefthander Barry Zito. "I don't want to go [5 or 6 years] for a pitcher," he explained.

• Gillick also said the Phillies weren't willing to give up a compensatory first-round pick for Mark Mulder. "Not for a guy who's broken down," he said.

Interesting. I would take Benoit and Dotel in the 'pen. I wanted them to sign Dotel last year as he was recovering from arm surgery.

Benito said last week he wanted to make a come back and mentioned Philadelphia as a place he'd like to go.

Rowand for Garcia? Yes.
Lieber for Mench? Yes.

I'd do those deals.

Hagen forgot about Dellucci being traded for and made it sound like Fidel Castro went for both Haigwood and Tejeda.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Lieber and Rowand could go to acquire extra pitching help.
By Jim Salisbury
Inquirer Staff Writer

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - When the Phillies signed righthander Adam Eaton last week, it became widely accepted that the team's five-man starting pitching rotation was set.

Maybe not.

Multiple baseball officials said yesterday that the Phillies have made it known to other clubs that they would trade righthander Jon Lieber.

Any deal would be contingent on the Phillies' acquiring another starting pitcher, either through a free-agent signing or a trade.

There were strong indications last night that the Phils were looking to get a starter from the Chicago White Sox, who have depth in their rotation and could be looking to reacquire outfielder Aaron Rowand.

The Phils are not actively looking to deal Rowand, but Shane Victorino's emergence in center field late last season has them believing they could get value for Rowand or a package that included him.

The White Sox are said to be willing to trade Freddy Garcia, Mark Buehrle or Javier Vazquez. The Rangers also like Rowand, but sources say they don't have the pitching the Phils would require in such a deal. Colorado, which may deal righthander Jason Jennings, is another possibility. The Phils also remain interested in free-agent righthander Miguel Batista, who wants to start. General manager Pat Gillick said the team is not pursuing Barry Zito, the top starter on the market. Zito is looking for at least a six-year deal.

"I don't want to go that long on a pitcher," Gillick said.

If the Phils landed another starter, they would try to trade Lieber for desperately needed bullpen help. Gillick said moving Lieber to the bullpen was not an option because of the pitcher's suspect fielding.

"There are too many plays late in a game that a reliever has to make," he said.

Gillick and his lieutenants spent the first day of the winter meetings focusing on acquiring pitching, both starting and relief.

As for getting a starter, Gillick said, "If we can upgrade what we've got, we'll try to. It might not be a No. 1 or 2, but it might be better than we've got at 4 or 5."

In the bullpen, the Phils need a back-end arm to be insurance for 39-year-old closer Tom Gordon. The Phils remain interested in signing Joe Borowski to a one-year deal, but they have company in the Indians and Red Sox. The Phils backed off a multiyear proposal with Borowski last week because of concerns about his right shoulder.

Righthander David Weathers re-signed with Cincinnati yesterday. Gillick said no offer was made.

Gillick said he had some interest in reliever Octavio Dotel, though no contact had been made, according to Dotel's representatives.

The Phils, according to Gillick, still plan to use Carlos Ruiz as their catcher, but sources say they have talked about free-agent Rod Barajas.

In addition to finding pitching, the Phils will continue to discuss trading Pat Burrell at these meetings, and they will look to flesh out their outfield, an area in flux given the uncertainty surrounding Rowand and Burrell. The Phils would like to add a lefthanded-hitting outfielder, ostensibly to replace David Dellucci. They have considered free agents Luis Gonzalez and Trot Nixon, but at this time might not be able to guarantee enough playing time. If the need arises for a righthanded bat, the Phils have interest in Milwaukee's Kevin Mench, a former University of Delaware star.

For the record, Gillick said he had no interest in Barry Bonds or Sammy Sosa.

Gillick is so focused on putting together the 2007 roster that he hasn't made a priority out of long-term contract extensions for Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.

"Probably at some point this winter we'll take a look at it," Gillick said.

The Phils plan to interview Jeff Maier for an entry-level scouting or front-office position tomorrow. Maier, 23, became a household name in 1996 when he interfered with a ball at Yankee Stadium, turning a Derek Jeter fly ball into a home run in a playoff game between the Yankees and Orioles. Gillick was the Orioles' GM at the time.

Maier, a North Jersey native, graduated from Wesleyan University in May as the school's all-time hits leader. He had a scouting internship in the Cape Cod League last summer.

Jeffrey Maier? Ha!

[PhillyPhreak54]

Jim Salisbury | Green Bashes Burrell
By Jim Salisbury
Inquirer Columnist

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Dallas Green is out of the penalty box and mixing it up in the corners again.

His target this time isn't Charlie Manuel. It's Pat Burrell.

On Day 1 of the winter meetings, Big D, still a prominent voice in the Phillies' organization 26 years after leading the franchise to its only World Series title, challenged the beleaguered leftfielder to put aside his bon-vivant lifestyle and make baseball the priority in his busy schedule.

"It's time for Pat to look in the mirror," Green, an adviser to general manager Pat Gillick, said in the lobby of Disney's Swan and Dolphin Resort yesterday. "His career is really at a crossroads.

"He's got to focus and get a priority. That's No. 1 on the list. He's got to become a baseball player and want to be a contributor and want to be the Pat Burrell that we all anticipated he was going to be when we signed him as a kid. He's 30 years old. Damn, time is slipping by here."

Green hadn't been heard from much since having his wrists slapped for criticizing Manuel last summer. (They've patched things up, by the way. Shucks, we were really looking forward to the wrestling match.)

Off probation and with a well-rested tongue, Green zeroed in on Burrell, who now appears to be in the team's plans after efforts to trade him and sign Alfonso Soriano failed.

"I think Pat's going to have a hell of a year [in 2007]," Green said. "But it's up to him. He has to recognize where his career is. I like the kid an awful lot. I always have. I talk to him all the time. I tell him, 'You've got to get your act together and know what your priorities are.' "

Not that this makes him a bad guy, but Burrell has a reputation for enjoying the Philadelphia nightlife.

"Probably well-earned," Green said. "I've been out with him a couple times in Florida. We have a secret [watering] hole every now and then.

"There's nothing wrong with that. There are tons of guys in the Hall of Fame that were like that.

"It's neat to have money, it's neat to have good looks, and it's neat to have broads all over you. Every place I've managed, I've talked to kids about the same thing. It's a hell of a life. But there comes a time in every player's life when he needs to get his act together."

The Phillies have tried to trade Burrell for more than a year now, with no success. Among the hurdles they have encountered are his blanket no-trade clause (which he'd consider waiving to go to the right club), his salary and spotty production, and his chronic foot injury.

Burrell has two years and $27 million remaining on his contract. The Phils have made it known that they'd pay a significant chunk of that salary to move him, but there have been no takers. Burrell's health and vulnerability to certain pitches (inside fastballs and sliders away) have given opposing teams pause, even though he hit 29 home runs with 95 RBIs in 2006. Baltimore has had continued interest and still needs a leftfielder with some pop, but Burrell made it known last summer that he's not interested in going there. Being benched 17 times in the second half of last season might change his mind, though. San Francisco is another club that has considered Burrell, but it has concerns about his health.

Green believes Phillies fans (he called them "talk-show driven") will accept Burrell in 2007, and he shot down the notion that the Phillies are desperate to trade him.

"I don't think that's the truth," Green said. "Desperate is where you give him away and say bye-bye. We don't view Pat that way."

Last summer, the Phillies seemed to be ready to give Burrell away. They'd still deal him now, but have to be more judicious in making the call after failing to land a righthanded slugger to hit behind MVP Ryan Howard. The need for such a hitter was illustrated late in the season, when the quality of pitches Howard saw deteriorated as his home-run total rose.

Green said the Phils would listen to offers for Burrell this week, though sources say no one is knocking down the door.

"We're here to explore," he said. "But I'm not going to be disappointed if we go out of here and we still have Pat Burrell. I don't think any of us will be. I don't think trading him is a necessity. I hope we keep him.

"I look at where we are in baseball, and it's hard to find guys with 25 to 30 home runs and 100 to 110 RBIs. I think he can fit."

There it is. The gospel according to Big D, out of the penalty box and mixing it up in the corners again.

[MDS]

Benito Santiago? You've got to be kidding me.

[Rome]

It's "neat" to have broads all over you?

Gotta love it.  How long before the National Organization for Ugly Lesbians is all over that comment?

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I think it's funny that phillies.com's top story is that the team is shopping Burrell.  Ha.

[mpmcgraw]

Dallas Green called you idiots. Dallas. Green.

Dallas. Green.

Dallas. Green.

dallas green bahahaha

[Seabiscuit36]

Mpwhatever...you should join the DTC