2009 Phillies Offseason Thread

[Don Ho]

Just saw that.  JRoll and Vic.  Utley?  Bummer.

[PhillyPhreak54]

id be fine with derosa as a top bench guy but no way should he be a full time 3rd basemen

Yes and yes.

He's 35, coming off wrist surgery. He'd be a great bench guy because he can play all INF spots and some OF too. Sign him to start? No. I'd rather have Pete Happy back.

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Jon Heyman is reporting from the GM meetings FWIW:

CHICAGO -- Beyond the "Big Three" free agents (Matt Holliday, John Lackey and Jason Bay), there's still some decent action going on here at the GM meetings. And if there's a fourth coveted free agent, it just might be versatile leadoff man Chone Figgins, who is drawing interest from some unexpected sources.

The two-time defending National League champion Phillies are said to be intent on pursuing Figgins hard as a potential replacement for Pedro Feliz, whose $5.5 million option was declined. Agents were jolted that a seemingly reasonable option such as that was rejected ("That's what we've come to? Pedro Feliz is a $4 million player?" asked one incredulously). But the reality is that the Phillies just want to do something different there, and Figgins, who remade himself into a .400 on-base percentage player, would represent an opposite approach.
One AL executive said the Phillies like the idea of putting Figgins at the top of their lineup with Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino, in effect giving them three leadoff hitters before their big boppers -- though, they could also move down Victorino, as well.

Mets general manager Omar Minaya, who seems to have his hand in everything here as the Mets try to remake themselves, met late last night in the lobby of the Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport with Figgins' agent, Seth Levinson. The Mets are obviously set at third base with David Wright, but Minaya said he envisions Figgins as a player who could fill multiple roles for them (possibly outfield or second base). Though Minaya continually tells people that their main goal is "to find someone to slug" and he also met with agent Scott Boras Tuesday night to discuss Holliday.

Angels GM Tony Reagins said they have been in talks for two months to try to keep Figgins as their third baseman and Reagins is "hopeful'' that something can get done, but the competition appears significant, especially from the Phillies. While Phillies GM Ruben Amaro doesn't absolutely rule out a return for Feliz at a lesser price, and Mark DeRosa, Placido Polanco and Adrian Beltre are among other third-base options, Amaro said, "That was the only spot where we felt we could make a change and do something different. Obviously, Chone is an outstanding athlete and you have to assume he has a lot of suitors. But we're keeping our eyes and ears open."

Should the Phillies sign Figgins -- who shocked folks by leading the AL with 101 walks this past season and is a much better on-base guy now than not only the free-swinging Feliz but longtime leadoff man Rollins, too -- the best lineup in the National League would become that much better.

[Sgt PSN]

figgins has absolutely got to be the main focal point for the phils.  yeah, they need bullpen and starter help, but figgins fills 2 voids....offensive production from 3B and the leadoff spot in the lineup. 

if they do get him, no one is going to benefit from it more than jimmy rollins. 

[mpmcgraw]

Neyer

Rollins is a legacy pick, and so is Orlando Hudson, who won in 2006 and '07 and probably would have won last year if he hadn't spent a couple of months on the DL. Instead, the voters went with Brandon Phillips last season, and while he wasn't my first choice -- Chase Utley was -- Phillips was certainly defensible. This year, the voters returned to Hudson, once again spurning Utley, who still doesn't have a Gold Glove despite being arguably the league's top defensive second baseman for five seasons running. And not over the last five seasons; I mean in each of the last five seasons.

Who cares, right? Well, someday Utley's going to be on a Hall of Fame ballot, and at least a few voters will say, "Gosh, I love the guy's hitting stats, but why didn't he win any Gold Gloves?"

The answer isn't that Utley wasn't a great fielder; the answer is that the Gold Glove voters just weren't paying attention.

[Sgt PSN]

some players do recieve awards and all star votes based on passed accomplishments rather than present performance.  it also works the other way too.  utley was not that strong in the field his first year or 2 and botched some fairly routine plays.  i remember going to a phils game in st louis in 07 when utley had a couple of errors in the 9th inning/extra innings that led to the tying and gw runs coming home. 

utley's a freaking stud right now, but the early perception of him was that he sucked in the field so it will take maybe another outstanding year or 2 before voters realize where he really ranks among the game's other 2nd basemen. 

[ice grillin you]

utley like howard has improved greatly in the field but that makes them both average...or maybe with utleys GRIT included slighty above for him

[PhillyGirl]

LOL at Marcus Hayes talking about how great a signing Lowell would be.

I forgot how much I despise that guy.

[Sgt PSN]

utley like howard has improved greatly in the field but that makes them both average...or maybe with utleys GRIT included slighty above for him

i think utley is a legit top 3 2nd basemen in the field.  he makes the routine plays now and makes a lot of difficult plays look routine.  except when he's trying to flip the ball to 2nd from his glove. 

agree about howard though.

[mpmcgraw]

He hasn't even improved that much.  He's always been good. 

Playing 3rd in the minors for that year really killed his defensive reputation.

[MDS]

id be fine with derosa as a top bench guy but no way should he be a full time 3rd basemen

Yes and yes.

He's 35, coming off wrist surgery. He'd be a great bench guy because he can play all INF spots and some OF too. Sign him to start? No. I'd rather have Pete Happy back.

jason, jason, jason

where to begin....where to begin....

[PhillyPhreak54]

So you would be happy with Mark DeRosa as your starting 3B?

LOL at he Rollins is a legacy pick. That little Billy Beane queef, Keith Law (jihadist monk probably likes him) ripped the Rollins and Vic GG's too. He was using that stupid UZR crap.

Chone Figgins is #1 on my list.

[Rome]

Keith Law is a douchebag.

[mpmcgraw]

Keith Law sensationalizes to get noticed and it works.  He's a douche.

But even he recognizes the awesomeness that is Chase Utley (thinks he is #2 behind Pujols) so I'm cool with him.

[ice grillin you]

id be fine with derosa as a top bench guy but no way should he be a full time 3rd basemen

Yes and yes.

He's 35, coming off wrist surgery. He'd be a great bench guy because he can play all INF spots and some OF too. Sign him to start? No. I'd rather have Pete Happy back.

jason, jason, jason

where to begin....where to begin....

id easily rather have feliz back at 3rd than derosa