Phils do not offer arbitration to Moyer or Burrell

The Phillies did not offer Jamie Moyer or Pat Burrell salary arbitration before last night's midnight deadline, a league source said.

This means the Phillies will not receive draft picks as compensation if either player signs with another team. Both are Type A free agents, which means the Phils would have received two draft picks if either player had signed elsewhere.

But the Phillies, who would not comment last night, must have felt the compensation was not worth it.

The fact that the Phillies did not offer Moyer or Burrell arbitration does not mean the players won't be back in 2009. The team can continue to talk with both and ultimately re-sign them.

If the Phillies had offered the two arbitration and either had accepted by Sunday's deadline, they certainly would have received raises. Moyer, 46, made $7 million in 2008. The lefthander went 16-7 with a 3.71 ERA in 33 starts. Burrell, 32, made $14 million. He hit .250 with 33 home runs and 86 RBIs in 536 at-bats.

The Phillies likely could afford those increased salaries, but if either had accepted arbitration, it could have precluded the team from pursuing other free agents. It also could have precluded the Phils from working on contract extensions for other players.

And if Moyer or Burrell had actually gone to the arbitration table, the Phillies would not know how much they would have to pay them until February.

It also seems possible that the Phillies, who have 10 other players eligible for salary arbitration, did not want to wait that long to find out how much they would have to pay them.

The Phillies, who did not offer arbitration to free agents Tom Gordon and Rudy Seanez, have made it clear that re-signing Moyer is a priority, although talks seem to have slowed. The Phils recently contacted free-agent righthanders A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe. They also have expressed interest in free-agent outfielders Raul Ibanez and Rocco Baldelli, reliever Juan Cruz, infielder Nick Punto, and others.

But while the Phillies have made it clear that they want Moyer back, they have not talked recently with Burrell's camp. It could mean they are not interested in bringing the leftfielder back. It also could mean the Phillies, like other teams, are waiting for some of the biggest free-agent names to fall (in this case, leftfielder Manny Ramirez) to see where the market stands. Regardless, it seems that Burrell would have to agree to a contract that favors the Phils to return next season.

DVD is available. The Phillies announced the release of a DVD called The Perfect Season: The 2008 Phillies Video Yearbook. It will be available for $19.95 today at Phillies.com and through the team catalog at 877-467-4457. It will be available in stores beginning Dec. 12. All-star closer Brad Lidge narrates the 75-minute video.