kruker wrote:I have no idea if he is actually available, but if I was running the team, I'd have a conversation with the White Sox about Nick Swisher. He had a falling out with Ozzie Guillen this season, so they might be willing to move him after just one season with the Sox (a down season after they paid a decent price for him--Ryan Sweeney and Gio Gonzalez).

He's coming into his age 28 season, he's a switch hitter who can play 1B and all 3 OF spots. Signed through 2011 with a 2012 option year. He put up a 92 OPS+ this season, but in the previous two had OPS+'s of 125 and 127.

Again, no idea if he is available, but he did have a down season and issues with Ozzie, so perhaps Ken Williams would consider moving him.

I love the idea. Give them Kendrick, all while talking about what a bad attitude the guy has, and how he's completely uncoachable, a la Gavin Floyd.

kruker wrote:

Some baseball people believe that Zduriencik will lean toward Ned Yost, his former colleague with the Brewers. Yost, who helped restore the Brewers to legitimacy, would be a reasonable choice. But shouldn't the Mariners — and every other team, for that matter — be looking for the next Joe Maddon?

The Mariners' clubhouse is highly factionalized, and a Maddon type is necessary to bring the various cliques together. White Sox bench coach Joey Cora, who possesses the advantage of being bilingual, at least deserves a look.

The next Maddon is out there; the M's need to go find him.

From real Ken.

Maddon, Maddon, Maddon, yet no mention of him getting out coached by one Charlie Manuel.

The next Charlie is out there. he's out in the woods right now, cutting wood and speaking Japanese.

My offseason approach to the Phillies:

Sign Cole Hamels to a long-term extension. Let Pat Burrell test the free agent market. Accept Adam Eaton's contract as a sunk cost and release him.

Convene a meeting with Ryan Howard and his agent(s) ASAP. Try to sound him out about whether he is interested in signing here long-term, or whether he has his eye on going year to year and testing free agency. If it's the latter, begin talking trade with certain other teams.

Hopefully, during this process, the Manny Ramirez situation will get resolved. If Ramirez leaves the Dodgers, I then would approach the Dodgers with this proposal: Howard, Ryan Madson and Geoff Jenkins for Matt Kemp, James Loney and James McDonald.

Obviously, the Dodgers taking back Jenkins' contract would be part of our return in this deal. I'd include Madson because (1) I think he's found his correct role, set-up guy, but he's about to become a very expensive set-up guy, particularly since (2) his agent is Scott Boras. I'm not eager to lose Madson but with Boras in the picture I figure it will be sooner or later.

With both Kemp and Loney, I know their OPS numbers dipped a bit below .800 this year, but they are both 24 and have posted strong OPS numbers at the major league level before - I'm willing to take a chance on their potential while giving the Phillies a chance to get younger and cheaper at both first base and left field. McDonald gives the Phillies a new plus arm for the bullpen - he might eventually be a good replacement for Madson.

With the money saved in getting rid of Jenkins, and no longer having to pay Burrell and Howard, I'd then go after Derek Lowe is free agency. This also would create a tough call regarding Jamie Moyer, who I like and would prefer to keep. But I can't justify more than a one-year deal, especially with JA Happ in the fold. But I suspect Moyer would accept a fair one-year deal, with some incentives in case he outperforms expectations again.

My lineup:

Victorino CF
Rollins SS
Kemp LF
Utley 2B
Werth RF
Loney 1B
Feliz/Dobbs 3B
Ruiz/Marson C

Hamels
Lowe
Myers
Moyer
Blanton

Lidge
Romero
Durbin
McDonald
Eyre
Happ
Condrey

The bench might or might not still include Coste and Bruntlett. Stairs and Dobbs would be back, and Marson would more or less split time with Ruiz. If the Phils went with 11 pitchers, keeping Coste as a third catcher and backup for Loney could work. I'd intend to have Golson be the 25th man, like Michael Bourn two years ago. I might non-tender Bruntlett and see if a better-hitting middle infielder shakes loose among the non-tenders and late unsignees.

I just had a moment of panic when I realized that I could see the Phillies using Jenkins as Burrell's replacement. But then I remembered that Charlie benched him most of the year, so there's that, but then I also thought that everyone could have a short memory and only remember his leadoff double and not the other hundreds of awful at bats during the year.

I'm content being happy about winning the World Series. Getting worked up on November 3 about giving Pete Orr a MLC or re-signing Shinez or Amaro as GM or Marti Woelverer having a stick up his ass or whatever....can't do it.

We won.

Trent Steele wrote:I'm content being happy about winning the World Series. Getting worked up on November 3 about giving Pete Orr a MLC or re-signing Shinez or Amaro as GM or Marti Woelverer having a stick up his ass or whatever....can't do it.

We won.

I couldn't agree more. I probably won't care about the 2009 team until late March. Enjoy this now because we don't know when it will happen again.

You guys might want to avoid the thread discussing 2009 then

I don't know, Buddy, that's an awfully big change to a team that just won the World Series.

philliesphhan wrote:You guys might want to avoid the thread discussing 2009 then

It's not a lack of interest, it's a lack of ability to build up venomous bile over Pete Orr 4 days after the first parade in 25 years.

I think this offseason is going to be an interesting one. We have several marketable players. Lets take a look

1. Catchers - Ruiz, Coste, Marson, and Jaramillo all are major league caliber players. Ruiz and Coste being in the majors, Marson later in the year and Jaramillo could be a backup type in the majors. Marson has the most upside and appears to be ready. I believe Ruiz could bring us a solid return, either a leftfielder or perhaps a good late inning reliever

2. Ryan Madson - Last year of arbitration. Won't be resign after this year because he either wants to start or close and neither will happen here. Time for one to sell high on somebody. On a team that needs a closer I am sure we can get back a very good return. Once again a young leftfielder or 3rd baseman should be a must in a deal for Madson

3. Starting Pitching - Even without resigning Moyer we have Hamels Myers and Blanton as the top 3, Then we have a group Carassco, Happ, Kendrick and possibly the likes of Andrew Carpenter types to fill out the rotation. My take is they will resign Moyer and create some good flexiblity as far as trades go

Also we have a couple of other marketable minor leaguers, most high on the list is Jason Donald. Golson has some worth as do some other players like Antonio Bastardo and Edgar Garcia both from AA>

I really dont' see the Phillies as players in free agency this year aside from resigning their own and low level guys like Dobbs and Werth were they got them. I think they will make a deal for a righthanded hitting outfielder with Ruiz or Madson or Donald as the centerpiece of that deal.

philliesphhan wrote:I don't know, Buddy, that's an awfully big change to a team that just won the World Series.

I like some of Buddy's ideas, but it seems like an over haul to me. I am not sure that the Dodgers make the best trading partners being that the Phils scorched them in the NLCS. Then again , it might be attractive for La to look more like Philly in their shallow view of the world.

BuddyGroom wrote:My offseason approach to the Phillies:


Hopefully, during this process, the Manny Ramirez situation will get resolved. If Ramirez leaves the Dodgers, I then would approach the Dodgers with this proposal: Howard, Ryan Madson and Geoff Jenkins for Matt Kemp, James Loney and James McDonald.

.

I don't think we are getting enough for Howard and Madson in this deal. As much as I like the three players you are proposing I think we could get more if we split up Madson and Howard. Alot of teams are going to be calling on Madson as a closer which means we could get probably the equivlent of two of what you are suggesting above. Now shop Ryan Howard and I am positive we could get at least two of the types above plus. Jenkins is not that expensive for a guy who still should be considered an everyday outfielder at 7 mill there will be teams that woudl take a chance on him (with us maybe picking up 2-3 mill of his contract)

I know there is alot of money being saved but just because we save money does not mean Amaro will make the best moves with the extra dollars. Need I point the money saved on Abreu and the way it was spent.

philliesphhan wrote:Phillies are said to be one of the teams interested in Junichi Tazawa. I don't know much about him other than the fact that he's a pitcher, but I do recall hearing about some Japanese player who did not want to be drafted by Japanese teams. That's this guy apparently.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxRKY_Xg5tQ[/youtube]

2 seemer looks killer. curveball looks lame. forkball looks pretty interesting. and hey, 97 is 97. consider me interested.

Hmm. The hardest I saw him throw in that clip was 148 km/h which is about 92 mph according to the Google.

I'd be dangling Madson and Blanton. Maybe Myers. Sell high!

Re: Madson, if he pitches well this season, is he likely to be a Type A or B free agent? I wouldn't be too devastated if he walked and we got some picks.

Bakestar wrote:Re: Madson, if he pitches well this season, is he likely to be a Type A or B free agent? I wouldn't be too devastated if he walked and we got some picks.

Considering Darren Oliver managed to be a Type A this year with a 2.88 ERA, Ryan Madson will probably be one as well if he can pitch that well next year, which I would fully expect him to.

When I say sell high, I mean get something in return significantly better than the draft picks we would get if he walks.

TenuredVulture wrote:When I say sell high, I mean get something in return significantly better than the draft picks we would get if he walks.

I definitely see your point but we (clearly and empirically) have a championship caliber ballclub right now, and I'd rather make another run at it w/ that squad then sell off the high quality players for pieces.

Adding, if the team gets off to a terrible start next season and the postseason appears highly unlikely, then absolutely SELL SELL SELL.