It’s been a week since I’ve posted here, and for good reason.
I’m now part of the Nation.
Yes, I’m now contributing to Phillies Nation, one of the biggest and best Phils’ blogs out there. I’ll be posting there almost daily (probably daily once the season gets going), and will be working with the guys there to ensure full fan-focused coverage of our pinstripes.
That doesn’t mean I’m outta here (thank you, Harry).
I’ll be posting at Pheeling Goosebumps as well, but in a more gonzo style. Thoughts, blurbs and rants will go here, while my more thought-out and well-written work will be at the Nation. I’ll continue my SSR ratings and power ratings and such here, as well. Think of it as a side complement to my work at the Nation.
And please, visit Phillies Nation everyday. It’s a fantastic site, and I’m pumped to be a part of it.
Author Archive for T.S.
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The Phillies are reportedly finalists for left-handed outfield slugger Geoff Jenkins.
The Brewer would command about $5M or so over a year, probably no more — well, hopefully no more. He’s a decent slugger, but he’s close to a TTT guy:
2007: 21 HR / 107 H / 116 SO
Here’s what I said about him in November:
Geoff Jenkins
Gives you: Left-handed power bat
Role: Starting right fielder, taking spells against lefties
Jenkins has been discussed as a replacement for Rowand’s outfield spot, but I don’t know why. The Phils would be better off with a starting right-handed bat, and with Burrell in left, there’s no real need for spotty defense on either side of Victorino. Plus, Jenkins can command close to the $7M+ he made with the Brewers.
I stand by all this, and would much rather see a starting right fielder than a Werth/Jenkins platoon. Jenkins had a 2007 SSR of 3.03716. That’s a shade above Werth’s 2.95136. If you’re losing a guy whose SSR was a 3.96728, you’d better make up for it.
Yes, I do think the Phils need more than Chris Snelling in right field, and Jenkins is more. But another TTT-type player on this club? Where does he hit? Sixth behind Burrell? You mean to tell me a Howard/Burrell/Jenkins combo isn’t going to do add to the air conditioning system at Citizens Bank Park?
If getting sufficient substitution for Rowand is a 10, Jenkins would be a 6. Good enough? Maybe. But for years of maybe, is this the right way to go?
The Mitchell Report has been released.
Here’s the list, which I found out of the PDF of the report
Rick Ankiel
David Bell
Paul Byrd
Jose Canseco
Jay Gibbons
Troy Glaus
Jason Grimsley
Jose Guillen
Jerry Hairston Jr.
Darren Holmes
Gary Matthews Jr
John Rocker
Scott Schoeneweis
Ismael Valdez
Matt Williams
Steve Woodward
Nook Logan
Howie Clark
Jeff Williams
Chad Allen
Brendan Donnelly
Jim Parque
Gary Bennett Jr
Matt Herges
Mike Bell
Eric Gagne
Kevin Brown
Fernando Vina
Bart Miadich
Adam Riggs
Paul LoDuca
Stephen Randolph
Mike Stanton
Jason Christiansen
Miguel Tejada
Adam Piatt
Kent Mercker
Cody McKay
Mike Lansing
Kevin Young
Todd Pratt
Phil Hiatt
Todd Williams
Chris Donnels
Ryan Franklin
Denny Neagle
Mo Vaughn
FP Santangelo
David Justice
Greg Zaun
Jason Grimsley
Chuck Knoblauch
Andy Pettitte
Roger Clemens
Rondell White
Matt Franco
Hal Morris
Mark Carreon
Todd Hundley
Josais Manzanillo
Tim Laker
Jack Cust
Brian Roberts
Larry Bigbie
David Segui
Lenny Dykstra
Randy Velarde
Gary Sheffield
Benito Santiago
Jeremy Giambi
Jason Giambi
Bobby Estalella
Barry Bonds
Marvin Benard
Thoughts:
- Paul LoDuca came out at me right away. That doesn’t surprise me. The guy seems to always be close to this kind of junk.
- Todd Pratt makes sense, but upsets me. As does Lenny Dykstra.
- More nothing names than big names. In fact, we already knew most of the big names. Sheffield is one who comes in as a small surprise.
- The list posted last night and e-mailed around is a huge hoax. No Pujols, Varitek, etc.
- Gary Matthews Jr. cashed in at the right time, eh?
- A lot of catchers here. I suppose they were all trying to prolong their careers and aid injuries.
- Eric Gagne’s admission shows he’s more the Sox-caliber pitcher than the Dodgers-caliber pitcher.
- Most of these guys are from the mid- and late-90s. Nothing huge to write home about.
UPDATE: This is not the real list. See above for the list taken from the actual report.
An e-mail circulating the Web has leaked the names that will be revealed today in the Mitchell Report, which was conducted to find MLB players who have taken performance-enhancing drugs. The real list will be released at 2 p.m., so there’s a good chance this list is genuinely fake or speculatory. So take it with a grain of salt. But I’ll post it regardless:
Brady Anderson, Manny Alexander, Rick Ankiel, Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds, Aaron Boone, Rafaeil Bettancourt, Bret Boone, Milton Bradley, David Bell, Dante Bichette, Albert Belle, Paul Byrd, Wil Cordero, Ken Caminiti, Mike Cameron, Ramon Castro, Jose and Ozzie Canseco, Roger Clemens, Paxton Crawford, Wilson Delgado, Lenn y Dykstra, Johnny Damon, Carl Everett, Kyle Farnsworth, Ryan Fr anklin, Troy Glaus, Rich Garces, Jason Grimsley, Troy Glaus, Juan Gonzalez (Juan A.?), Eric Gagne, Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Jose Guillen, Jay Gibbons, Juan Gonzalez, Clay Hensley, Jerry Hairston, Felix Heredia, Jr., Darren Holmes, Wally Joyner, Darryl Kile, Matt Lawton, Raul Mondesi, Ma rk McGwire, Guillermo Mota, Robert Machado, Damian Moss, Abraham Nunez, Trot Nixon, Jose Offerman, Andy Pettitte, Mark Prior, Neifi Perez, Rafael Palmiero, Albert Pujols, Brian Roberts, Juan Rincon, John Rocker, Pudge Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, Scott Schoenweiis, David Segui, Alex Sanchez , Gary Sheffield, Miguel Tejada, Julian Tavarez, Fernando Tatis, Maurice Vaughn, Jason Varitek, Ismael Valdez, Matt Williams and Kerry Wood.
Among the big names in that list:
- Albert Pujols
- Roger Clemens
- Barry Bonds
- Jeff Bagwell
- Nomar Garciaparra
- Jason Varitek
- Sammy Sosa
- Mark McGwire
Some we figured, but Pujols? Wow.
Among Phillies of the past (no current ones named):
- Abraham Nunez
- Lenny Dykstra
- Ryan Franklin
- Paul Byrd
- David Bell
Nunez? Wow. Would’ve never thought.
It seems pretty legitimate, but again, I stress that we can’t say anything official until the real list comes out at 2 p.m. Let’s not burn these guys at the stake yet.
Bye-bye Rowand, Wade goes nuts
Crazy day.
- Aaron Rowand is a San Francisco Giant. The former Phillies centerfielder signed for 5Y/$60M. Too much? Yes. Necessary? For the Giants, it’s hard to say. They don’t have the offense necessary to be a contender, but in the National League West, with that pitching, nothing isn’t possible.
- For the Phillies, however, it’s an alert. Put it to rest: Rowand is too much at that price and length. 2007 was a career season; he matched that somewhat in 2005; every other year came with injury or mediocre play. He’s a gamer, yes; he’s a chemistry guy, yes; but those things don’t equal a five-year deal.
Still, the Phillies need to make some moves. It’s necessary. If they have just $10M to spend, grab a reliever, grab a low-cost starter, grab an outfielder who could play everyday in right field. Or trade some farmhands for a mid-level starter. Whatever the case, do it. Erik Bedard may not be an option — considering Baltimore claims the Phils don’t have the chips — but here’s a name I’ll throw out: Ian Snell. The righthander has an ERA below 4 and could provide a perfect No. 3 in the rotation. Of course, Baseball-Reference compares him to … this guy.
Whatever the case, the Phils need to spend. They don’t need to spend like the Cubs, or even like the Giants. But to win the East, they need to show some force. Be aggressive.
- Also today, Ed Wade continued his demolition of the Astros farm system by acquiring Miguel Tejada for five players, including former Phillie prospect Mike Costanzo. Too much? Yes. Necessary? Yes.
What? Necessary? Let me explain:
The Astros are in the NL Central.
That’s it. With Tejada on board, the Astros feature a nice lineup. Their order goes from Bourn to Pence to Berkman to Lee to Tejada. Now, I don’t think Tejada is the same player he was five years ago (which is why I think Wade gave up far too much, not to mention Tejada can ask for a trade at the end of 2008), but as the tertiary compliment on a team, he becomes valuable. And for one year, the ’stros can bash the heck out of the Central, using mediocre pitching and powerful hitting to win their division.
Sound familiar?
Phillies reject Helms to Florida
Wes Helms isn’t going to Miami yet.
The Phillies reportedly rejected Florida’s offer of Scott Nestor for the overrated third baseman.
Helms was paltry in 2007 — well, paltry is maybe too generous. Still, the Phils could’ve received a mid-quality prospect capable of making relief appearances. I can understand that the Phils probably would’ve wanted the Fish to eat some of Helms’ salary, but Helms is making about a third of the entire Marlins payroll this year. Seriously. To get Helms, the Fish may need to dangle a bit more.
As it stands, the Phillies are scoring a solid C on the offseason scorecard. The Brad Lidge deal brings a fresh arm to the city, while JC Romero’s re-signing is solid enough to warrant justification. But they’ve done nothing to really shore up all their holes. Call it a wash. Getting Nestor for Helms probably would’ve brought it up to a C+. And still, C or C+ isn’t good enough for a World Series contender.
The Winter Meetings ended yesterday, and here’s what the Phillies have to show for it:
LHP – Travis Blackley
RHP – Lincoln Holdzkom
The two “who’s that?” pickups were taken in fhe Major League round of the Rule 5 Draft, baseball’s annual pickup game of “we’re gonna take your team’s crummy close-to-being-prospect guys.”
The Rule 5 has been around for a long time; in fact, Christy Mathewson was a Rule 5 pickup. Amazing, huh? The game doesn’t have instant replay, yet we’ve had this hodgepodge Minor League castaway draft for 100 years.
Anyway, Blackley is your run-of-the-mill last chance pitcher. He’s a Seattle farmhand (of course) who last pitched with the Giants. He spent much of 2007 with AAA Fresno, recovering from shoulder surgery:
2007 – 162.1 IP, 10-8, 4.66 ERA, 121 K, 68 BB
In San Francisco, he struggled during two starts, but not as badly as the time he spent in Seattle in 2004. There, as a 21-year-old, he managed to post a 10+ ERA and a WHIP over 2. That’s hard to do. He managed to do it.
Holdzkom, meanwhile, had Tommy John in 2003, but since, has been relatively strong in the Boston farm system. In 2007, the 26-year-old pitched fine for AA Portland and AAA Pawtucket:
2007 – 63.2 IP, 5-1, 2.96 ERA, 54 K, 44 BB
Both players would need to be on the Phillies 25-man roster for the entire season to remain Phils. So what are the chances? Probably slim; however, it’s possible we could see one of these guys on the Big League roster all year.
Looking at the rotation, this is the current setup:
SP – Cole Hamels
SP – Brett Myers
SP – Jamie Moyer
SP – Kyle Kendrick
SP – Adam Eaton
RP – Brad Lidge
RP – Tom Gordon
RP – JC Romero
RP – Ryan Madson
RP – Shane Youmans
There’s probably two more spots up for grabs, and even Youmans isn’t penciled in yet. I’d think Mike Zagurski and Scott Mathieson have the inside track, but I could see Holdzkom get a good shot at the ‘pen, considering the guy can pitch. Meanwhile, Eaton’s potential injury could spell him more time than originally planned, giving Blackley a chance to make the roster. He’s been said to get a tryout for the fifth spot in the rotation — he’ll be up against a healthy Eaton, JA Happ and JD Durbin, unless no one else is acquired.
Still, I couldn’t see these two making it all year. Money for nothing.
***
Of course, “money for nothing” has been the mantra of Pat Gillick, Ruben Amaro and the brass upstairs. They don’t want to just throw around dollars to free agents and trading chips. So they’ll take fliers on question marks, has-beens and unproven youth. Now, just to put it out there, these guys do cost money too.
Bottom line is no matter what, winning costs money. Whether you’re signing Andruw Jones to an absurd $18M/year deal, or picking up ex-Pirates, you’re spending. Having one breakout player that could change your team’s position is the same as having six guys who might slightly change your team’s position.
It’s amazing to me how the Yankees and Red Sox, despite all their spending and trading, somehow have the best chips required to grab Johan Santana. How did they get Phil Hughes, Jacoby Ellsbury and Melky Cabrera? How did this happen?
I’ll tell you how — scouting, drafting, coaching.
The Phillies don’t have a great base of prospects. Carlos Carrasco figures to be a solid No. 3 starter; Adrian Cardenas could be an above-average second baseman; Josh Outman has No. 4 starter potential; Kyle Drabek and Joe Savery have huge upsides, but the risks are real. Everything else is a crapshoot — from Golson on down to Carpenter.
The stark truth is the Phillies won’t have Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Carlos Ruiz, Shane Victorino, Pat Burrell and Kyle Kendrick much longer. These guys are all (excusing Victorino, a Rule 5 guy) draftees, all Phils prospects, all guys made into stars (or close) through the system.
So figure those last two paragraphs — we don’t have the talent in the low levels; we have the talent in the highest level. Repeat that: We don’t have the talent in the low levels; we have the talent in the highest level.
In 2006, the Phils won 85 games. In 2005, they won 88. In 2004 and 2003, 86. In 2001, 86. This team is close. Damn close. And last year they broke the bubble. This year — this year — is the year they’re supposed to break the next bubble. They’re at least — at least — supposed to win the National League. And we’re playing cautious?
We’re worrying about the future?
Newsflash: This team won’t be the same next year. It won’t be the same in 2010. Judging by what’s down in the system, it may very well be worse. So the time is now.
The Winter Meetings showed the Phils lack the cajones to piece together a champion. Instead of going all in for Kosuke Fukudome; instead of putting together a package for one of the higher-tier pitchers (maybe Bedard could’ve been had?); instead of offering Hiroki Kuroda, they did nothing. Now they’re looking to maybe get Kris Benson. Maybe Nate McLouth is part of their plans.
Yes, the market isn’t great this year, but this team won’t be great for much longer. The chemistry is tremendous; the talent is tremendous. It’ll take years to rebuild the farm system no matter what’s the case. It’s still not a good farm system, and it wasn’t four years ago.
I’m worried the Phils are letting the boat drift off without ever giving it enough reinforcements. They could’ve grabbed David Riske for cheaper than JC Romero; instead, he’s a Brewer, and the Phils have Shane Youmans in the bullpen.
Maybe Youmans becomes a stud in 2008. Maybe these Rule 5 guys are lights out. Maybe. But to often the Phillies rely on “maybe,” and too often we get the same results:
89
85
88
86
86
Jimmy Rollins is saying 100 wins for the Phillies in 2008.
100?
Maybe he’s counting Spring Training.
Time to cleanup some of the Winter Meetings mess:
- Aaron Rowand won’t be offered five years from the Phillies. Though he will be pricey, there’s still an opportunity the Phillies could slightly overspend to retain him in a three-year deal. The Dodgers have been rumored to be talking with Andruw Jones (EDIT: DODGERS SIGN JONES TO 2Y/$36M DEAL) and the Cubs look like frontrunners for Kosuke Fukudome. While there are about 10 teams interested, the other major contender for Rowand seems to be the White Sox; expect the Phils and Sox to battle for his services.
- The most valuable player the Phils have been rumored with is Erik Bedard. There was some talk on 610 WIP about a deal for Bedard, including Carlos Carrasco, Shane Victorino, Jason Jaramillo, and Kyle Kendrick. Though some have laughed at that proposal, I don’t find it a bad deal for either side (in fact, we’re giving up too much there). Still, one can’t assume the Phils are frontrunners for the Orioles’ lefty.
- Multiple sources have said the Phillies are out of the running for Hiroki Kuroda, as the Mariners, Dodgers, and Diamondbacks are among the finalists. That can be taken as truth.
- Tadahito Iguchi remains open to playing third base; the Brewers have reportedly also expressed interest. And despite the release, Iguchi can be obtained through waivers and play for the Phils on Opening Day; therefore, forget a report that signing Iguchi is unlikely. More than anything, it shows the Phillies are looking hard at third base options, despite having two committed to that position in 2008.
- The Phillies released Julio Mateo, the midseason transaction who never saw time in Philadelphia, paying merely in AA Reading. Rumors are he never got a call — despite his Major League playing time — because of a pending domestic assault case. That’s a very likely claim, and dumping him before he goes to trial seems like the type of PR the Phillies regularly practice. That’s a shame.
- Pitchers the Phillies are rumored to have interest with: Mark Prior, Damaso Marte, John Grabow, Kris Benson, Livan Hernandez, Bartolo Colon, Anthony Reyes, Julian Tavarez, Carlos Silva. That’s a real collage of guys, but two things stand out — fourth-tier starting pitching and lefthanded relief. Judging by the list, Gillick may be thinking about JC Romero as an inning guy, not a LOOGY. Of the starters, I like Colon most (we know this already), but if he can’t be had, I could see Benson in there. Reyes is a project that could be worth the flier.
- Hitters the Phillies are rumored to have interest with: Pedro Feliz, Kosuke Fukudome, Hank Blalock, Geoff Jenkins, Nate McLouth, Tadahito Iguchi. Smaller list, but it’s third base and right field up for hire. Rumors are Jenkins is out of the price range, so a guy like McLouth would be fiscally fitting. I expect the Phils to try and shore up third base by the end of the offseason.
The Winter Meetings end tomorrow, and despite all this above talk, not all of it may be even close to truth. The Phillies may be the most guarded team in baseball when it comes to transactions, so for all this, it could be an intriguing day tomorrow. Which in a way, I expect.
My recent post concerning the 2008 Hall of Fame nominations urged voters to take a good, hard look at Dale Murphy.
Today, I want to take a look at the Hall of Fame prospects of current Phillies.
Looking at the current 25-man hybrid (excludes free agents and adds acquisitions), here’s what we can assume:
Will never make Hall of Fame:
- Chris Coste
- Wes Helms
- Greg Dobbs
- Eric Bruntlett
- JC Romero
- Tom Gordon
Has extremely small glimmer of hope:
- Jayson Werth
- Chris Snelling
- Adam Eaton
Too early to tell either way:
- Carlos Ruiz
- Shane Victorino
- Kyle Kendrick
These 12 figure not to make any Hall of Fame discussion. Of course, Kendrick can prove to be a solid starter for his career, etc.,etc., but as it stands now, there’s no reason to even consider these men.
With those guys out of the way, we have another eight candidates for Hall glory. None are shoo-ins, but none aren’t completely out of reach at the moment.
Here are my predicted 2010 benchmarks for pitchers:
W – 260
SO – 2,750
SV – 400
And the candidates:
Brett Myers
Age: 27
Experience: 6 seasons
W: 59 (260)
SO: 774 (2,750)
SV: 21 (400)
He gets in if: He can put together another 10 solid, above-average seasons, at least. His best comparison now is John Smoltz, who was ahead of him by about 15 wins after his age 26 season. Of course, Smoltz had his worst season ever at age 27, so there’s hope yet for Myers. He’ll need to rack up his strikeouts, however, as that could be his best way to Cooperstown. So 10 seasons of 14-win, 180-strikeout baseball. That puts him at over 200 wins and over 2,500 strikeouts. Sprinkle in a two or three light seasons, and you may have a case. But it’s a hell of a case.
Odds: 35:1
Brad Lidge
Age: 31
Experience: 6 seasons
W: 23 (260)
SO: 561 (2,750)
SV: 123 (400)
He gets in if: He has eight seasons of 30-plus-save ball. So far, he’s had two. And he’s already 31. With his injury history, I can’t really see him putting that type of resume together. By comparison, Trevor Hoffman was coming off his fourth-consecutive 30-plus-save season (53 in 1998) at age 30. Then he rattled off another eight of them (only one season below 40) in the next nine years. Yeah, Brad, try that.
Odds: 48:1
Jamie Moyer
Age: 45
Experience: 21 seasons
W: 230 (260)
SO: 2,125 (2,750)
SV: 0 (400)
He gets in if: He retires today. No, really. By waiting one season, Moyer could be jeopardizing himself the Hall because of possible retirements from better bets (Clemens, Glavine, Smoltz, Maddux, etc.). Also, not one Cy Young (and just 2 top-10 finishes) hurts as well. Of course, who knows what the Mitchell Report may bring, but that’s a different story for a different time. As of this writing, Moyer is a great pitcher with an amazing resume of iron (he’s started 30 games in 10 of his last 11 seasons) and incredible success at a late age (21-7 with a 3.27 ERA at age 40). He won’t hit the benchmarks (unless he goes until 50), but longevity says a lot. Still, his Hall call depends more upon his peers than anything else.
Odds: 17:1
Cole Hamels
Age: 24
Experience: 2 seasons
W: 24 (260)
SO: 322 (2,750)
SV: 0 (400)
He gets in if: He continues to be Cole Hamels for 70 percent of his Major League career, which, barring injury, could very well happen. Of course, it could very well not happen, but I try to be optimistic. Or, taking the opposite route, he could be lights out for another 10 seasons, ending his career with a freak injury and making him a general shoo-in due to the Kirby Puckett effect. Look at Johan Santana — he’s already being called a Hall of Famer and he hasn’t yet surpassed 100 wins. A slew of seasons of complete dominance could set him on his way. But until we can make any absolute decisions, let’s sit back and watch another couple years.
Odds: 19:1
Here are my predicted 2010 hitting benchmarks:
HR – 530
RBI – 1,600
H – 300
Here are the candidates:
Pat Burrell
Age: 31
Experience: 8 seasons
HR: 218 (530)
RBI: 741 (1,600)
H: 1,032 (3,000)
He gets in if: He amps it up in his 30s, which means he moves to the American League. Burrell is consistent — 30 HR and 100 RBI is nice, but not Hall of Fame-worthy, not in this day and age. He’ll need a few seasons of 40 HR and 130 RBI. It’s not too late, but at his current pace, he’s merely a slightly above-average slugger with a nice OBP.
Odds: 31:1
Chase Utley
Age: 29
Experience: 5 seasons
HR: 97 (530)
RBI: 388 (1,600)
H: 640 (3,000)
He gets in if: He stays the best. Utley is fast on his way to becoming a legend, well — to us. His Hall of Fame Standards and Monitor have him halfway there, but that does that mean another three seasons will have him in Cooperstown. I’d say 10 years of being the league’s undisputed best second baseman will get him the call. Seven more years of it; that is a long time, by the way. He could definitely do it, but it’s still a while off.
Odds: 21:1
Ryan Howard
Age: 28
Experience: 4 seasons
HR: 129 (530)
RBI: 353 (1,600)
H: 425 (3,000)
He gets in if: He doesn’t become Cecil Fielder. Yes, Howard is also halfway there, according to the HOF stats. But Fielder was also halfway there at age 28. Fielder dropped off heavily at 33, meaning it’ll take a bunch of strong seasons for Howard to get in real HOF consideration. Of course, Fielder didn’t take great care of his body, so if Howard can do such and keep it going for another 10 seasons, he’s a shoo-in. Another thing: He already has the MVP that Fielder never won.
Odds: 11:1
Jimmy Rollins
Age: 29
Experience: 8 seasons
HR: 114 (530)
RBI: 485 (1,600)
H: 1,307 (3,000)
He gets in if: He plays this well for another eight seasons. Which isn’t completely difficult. Rollins has been consistent throughout his career, missing only eight games in two seasons, and less in his others. That’s a hell of a solid career. Meanwhile, he’s averaged more than 190 hits the past three seasons; he may not duplicate 212 again (or he might), but if he remains close to that average, there’s no doubt he could hit 2,500, and from there, it’s all determination. One problem may be who he retires with — he could possibly be in trouble with A-Rod, Albert Pujols, Edgar Renteria and David Wright in his jurisdiction. But as it stands, with one MVP on his shelf, Rollins has the potential to become the Phils’ next Hall of Famer.
Odds: 9:1
Todd Zolecki is reporting the Phillies have renewed interest in Tadahito Iguchi.
Pat Gillick told reporters the second baseman who provided a huge lift off the bench during Chase Utley’s injury and beyond may be more receptive about the prospect of playing third base next season. This is after saying about a month ago that he wanted to start at second base for a Major League team. He hasn’t been rumored in much anything since.
Iguchi, who turned 33 today, went .304/.361/.442 for the Phils in abbreviated action in 2007. Total, he went .276/.347/.421 with 9 home runs and 43 runs batted in.
Iguchi doesn’t mean a huge upgrade at third base, let’s get that straight. He isn’t quite capable of a 20-home run season, nor is he truly capable of a .300 season. Is it a cheap solution at a weakness position? Yes. Is it overwhelmingly strong? No.
Of course, one can’t think Wes Helms will duplicate the same terrible play he exhibited in 2007. But if the Phils brought back Iguchi, Helms would become immediately expendable. But he’s likely worth something greater than a bag of balls and something less than an actual Major League-ready player.
