Phillies Offseason Talk

[Father Demon]

Thought the newer version had a few more details in case anyone cared.

[WEST is GOD]

Demon you should be ashamed of yourself for being late on posting a story.

[Father Demon]

I will banish myself to my own personal hell for 21 minutes and 18 seconds as my penance.

[PhillyGirl]

I will banish myself to my own personal hell for 21 minutes and 18 seconds as my penance.

[MDS]

I'm a douche

We know that we have work to do this offseason. Getting the right person as the General Manager is step No. 1. From there, we need to make the necessary improvements to get our win total over 90 games, capture the division title, and play in the postseason.

How 'bout we just need to win the world series? You suck. Quit.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I'm a douche

I think you need a new avatar and under-avatar catchphrase.

[MDS]

tisk, its football season

[SunMo]

Phillies up ante for Wagner

BILLY SAYS NEW OFFER WORTH MULLING, BUT SO IS FREE AGENCY

By MARCUS HAYES

hayesm@phillynews.com

NOW, THEY'RE talking.

Billy Wagner received the Phillies' latest, best offer yesterday when agent Bean Stringfellow drove from Richmond to visit Wagner's alpaca farm outside Charlottesville, Va.

Wagner liked it.

He wouldn't say exactly what it was, but acknowledged that it met or came close to most of his current demands: 3 years for $30 million, all guaranteed money, with a full no-trade clause.

"They made a nice offer. It's the one we expected would be the first offer," said Wagner, whose price tag went from $24 million at the All-Star break to $27 million after the break, then rose to $30 million when the season ended.

The Phillies' previous offer, delivered in person by president David Montgomery and assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. 7 days before, was thought to be less than $22 million of guaranteed money; Wagner wasn't interested.

"This time, they made a legitimate offer," Wagner said. "It's one you definitely look at. Sarah [his wife] and I will take a few days and look at it."

He also won't jump at it. Why?

He wants to test free agency. He wants to know who the Phillies' new general manager will be, and be assured that the new GM will bolster the bullpen in front of Wagner. And he'd love it if the new GM turns out to be former Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker, who traded Wagner to the Phillies after the 2003 season.

"This is a positive step, but I've never been a free agent. You finally get to pick a place you want to go," said Wagner, 34, the best of a glut of closers hitting the market next month - a market rife with rich buyers such as the Red Sox, Mets and Phillies. Not that Wagner plans on auctioning himself, exactly: "I just want to see what's out there."

He wants to see exactly who will be back in Philadelphia, too. The Phillies gave him pedigreed setup men the last two seasons in Tim Worrell and Ugueth Urbina, both of whom were complemented by Ryan Madson.

Worrell is gone. Urbina is under investigation in his native Venezuela for an altercation after a party held in his honor last weekend. Amaro yesterday said the Phillies, who are interested in re-signing Urbina if they don't re-sign Wagner, would have no comment until they knew more about the incident. Regardless, Urbina, who usually is a closer, has said he won't return to the Phillies as a setup man.

League sources indicate that the Phillies plan to move Madson from the bullpen, where he has spent his first two seasons, and make him a starter, most likely to replace enigmatic talent Vicente Padilla. The Phillies are not expected to offer arbitration to Padilla. Madson probably would join 2001 first-round pick Gavin Floyd in the back of the rotation.

Wagner wants to make sure that he likes that rotation and, more important, that he has bullpen protection. He figures Hunsicker would supply that if the Phillies hire him.

"I love Gerry. That would encourage me," said Wagner, who acknowledged that he and Hunsicker "butted heads" when Wagner was an Astro. Wagner, however, has always maintained that Houston owner Drayton McLane, not Hunsicker, was the reason Wagner complained. Hunsicker reportedly left the Astros after last season because of McLane, too.

"I know what he's about," Wagner said of Hunsicker. "The respect I hold for him is more than I hold for a lot of people. Gerry would address the needs. He would do it the right way. That Astros team there in St. Louis [for the NL Championship Series] - they're there because of Gerry. You give him the freedom to make the right trades, he'll win for you."

Wagner offered no opinion about Brian Cashman, who might leave the Yankees at the end of the month and find himself on top of the Phillies' list, alongside Hunsicker. He just wants to make sure he likes the new boss.

Montgomery was not available for comment last night. Amaro called Wagner the team's "top priority" after 2 days of organizational meetings - top priority, of course, along with securing a new GM.

"It's comforting to know who they have in a GM," Wagner said.

Then again, if the Phillies make another, better offer, maybe that issue dissolves, too. Or maybe not.

"It was good," Wagner said. "We're in no hurry."

Reading between the lines

The Phillies aren't issuing missives containing the minutes of the lion's share of their organizational meetings Tuesday and yesterday, but president David Montgomery issued an e-mail to ticket buyers that gave plenty of clues as to what went on.

First, Ryan Howard isn't going anywhere. He was listed as Exhibit C in the list of "positive signs for the future," essentially enticing fans to buy a bunch of ducats to see the kid who took over for Jim Thome and made a rookie of the year run.

Second, the general manager who replaces Ed Wade had better get to the playoffs, but you probably won't know who he is for a few weeks. Interviews might not even start until after the World Series. WTF are they waiting for!

League sources indicate that the Phillies haven't officially contacted anyone yet - not Gerry Hunsicker, and not Brian Cashman, whom they would have to ask permission to talk to. Cashman's contract with the Yankees expires at the end of this month, at which point the Phillies likely will pounce on him if he is interested in the job.

As for the playoffs issue, Montgomery reiterated his comments offered the day Wade was fired last week. The new GM's job will be to "get our win total over 90 games, capture the division title, and play in the postseason."

Montgomery left his office for a family function soon after issuing the e-mail yesterday evening. He was not available for comment.

[ice grillin you]

wagner would be doing himself a huge disservice if he didnt go to free agency...especially when you have some huge money teams like the red sox looking for a closer

[PhillyGirl]

League sources from Marcus Hayes is like League sources from Mark Eckel.

[SunMo]

i don't like giving Wagner a full no trade on a guarentee 3 year 30 million dollar deal

too much

[ice grillin you]

i wouldnt have a problem with it if they were going to improve the team elsewhere and give it a legit shot to make the playoffs...but throwing that kind of money at wagner just to appease the fan base and help attendance without improving other aspects of the team is wasting money

[PhillyPhreak54]

A friend and I at work last night got into a debate over this Wagner situation...

I'll ask you guys what I asked him...

Do you remember the days of Ricky Bottalico and Jose Mesa and the other clowns the Phils trotted out there as a closer before we got Billy Wags?

I do. And I do not want to re-live those days. Wags is a stud.

What's $30 million over 3 years in the grand scheme of things? You have to remember...this is going to be a team that is run by a REAL GM (assuming Hunsicker is hired) who will make the right moves.

They'll obviously dump salary in other places (Burrell? Abreu? Thome? Bell? Lieby?) so giving him this fat deal will not be bad.

We NEED a stud closer.

[PhillyGirl]

A friend and I at work last night got into a debate over this Wagner situation...

I'll ask you guys what I asked him...

Do you remember the days of Ricky Bottalico and Jose Mesa and the other clowns the Phils trotted out there as a closer before we got Billy Wags?

I do. And I do not want to re-live those days. Wags is a stud.

What's $30 million over 3 years in the grand scheme of things? You have to remember...this is going to be a team that is run by a REAL GM (assuming Hunsicker is hired) who will make the right moves.

They'll obviously dump salary in other places (Burrell? Abreu? Thome? Bell? Lieby?) so giving him this fat deal will not be bad.

We NEED a stud closer.

I have to agree wtih this 100%. I can't deal with another season like the Blowtalico and Mesa days. And back then, EVERYONE was screaming for a stud closer. Now, he's expendable?

[PhillyPhreak54]

Exactly.

Trade one of the corner OFs. Not only will you get a SP in return, but you'll be dumping salary in the process. They Phils have trading chips to use and subsequently dump salary at the same time.

If they get a #1 SP, re-sign Wags, dump salary and sign a few role players then I am happy.