Archive: January, 2009
Daily News staff
As noted in an earlier post, Chase Utley appeared on the Hot Stove Report on the MLB Network tonight. The Philly area media had talked to him Saturday, so there was not much new there, but he again reiterated his intention of being ready for Opening Day following hip surgery.
“I’ve been working extremely hard. I think that you want to do what’s best for your body, but I want to be ready [for Opening Day] and I think I will be,” he said.
Other topics:
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Three quick things for you this afternoon:
1) Chase Utley will be on MLB Hot Stove tonight on the MLB Network from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Philly area media just talked to him on Saturday, so I don't expect much new news to come out of the appearance. Still, it is probably worth checking out, if only to confirm that his right hip is still attached to his body.
2) Catcher Carlos Ruiz has reconsidered his decision to pull out of the World Baseball Classic and will now compete for team Panama.
Daily News staff
Ryan Howard has been working out in Clearwater, Fla., since Jan. 5, he said tonight on Comcast SportsNet's "SportsNite" program. He also talked about his salary arbitration situation with the Phillies.
Howard asked for $18 million while the Phillies offered $14 million. If the sides cannot agree on a contract, the case will to go arbitration. Howard said he was hopeful of a deal without arbitration. "Maybe we'll be able to get something worked out," he said.
He was asked about the possibility of a long-term deal with the Phillies. "That would be beautiful," Howard said. "That would be beautiful. That would be something we would want to see happen."
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Well, this should just about settle any talk about Adam Eaton's role, or lack thereof.
Asked today whether Adam Eaton had any chance at establishing himself as the Phillies' No. 5 starter, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said, well, no.
"Based on what we've seen, it is a four man competition," Amaro said, "and he is not involved in that competition."
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
A small bit of news yesterday as Phillies general manager said that lefthander Mike Zagurski is behind a bit in his rehab, and that his status for Opening Day is now questionable. Zagurski was expected to be one of a handful of candidates to replace J.C. Romero in the bullpen during his 50-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. I was asked yesterday on Daily News Live to handicap the Phillies' options, so I figured I would expand on that here.
We're assuming that the Phillies keep 12 pitchers, five of them starters:
First, the definites: Closer Brad Lidge, right-handed set-up man Ryan Madson, lefthander Scott Eyre, and righthander Chad Durbin are all in.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
The Phillies have reached a multiyear deal with Jayson Werth, although exact terms of the deal are yet unknown. SI.com is reporting that it is a 2-year, $10 million deal, with $3 million this season and $7 million in 2010.
Werth was eligible for free agency after this season. He had asked for a $4 million salary in arbitration, while the Phillies had offered $3 million. Werth made $1.7 million last season, when he produced the best season of his five-plus year career, hitting .273 with 24 home runs and 67 RBI.
Werth still must fly to Philadelphia to take a physical.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
UPDATED: Jan. 23, 2009, 4:14 p.m. to include new deals for Jayson Werth and Chad Durbin.
Doesn't it seem like just eight years ago that the Phillies had a $42 million payroll that ranked in the bottom 10 in the majors? Wait. . .it was eight years ago. But times have changed. Now, the Phillies could very well find themselves in the Top Five in all of baseball in payroll, according to our projections for 2009.
Based on our calculations, the Phillies payroll could range anywhere from $132 million to $137 million, largely depending on how much they wind up signing Ryan Howard for.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
The gap between the Phillies and slugger Ryan Howard is bigger this year than it was last year, when the two sides took their $3 million difference into the court room. There, Howard was awarded a record $10 million. This year, he is seeking $18 million, which would make him among the game's highest paid players.
The request is a monster. Not only is it the third-highest arbitration request ever (behind Roger Clemens' $22 million in 2005 and Derek Jeter's $18.5 million in 2001), it would make him among the highest-paid players in the game - at least in terms of 2009 salary - period.
An interesting note: Jeter was represented in 2001 by Casey Close, who is also Howard's agent.
Daily News staff
Phillies centerfielder Shane Vicotorino has avoided arbitration by agreeing to a 1-year, $3.125 million contract.
Victorino is among the team's most popular players and emerged as a postseason hero with a grand slam off Milwaukee's CC Sabathia in the NL Division Series and being on the receiving end of a pitch near the head against the Dodgers that led to the benches clearing and helped spark the Phillies.
Victorino replaced Aaron Rowand in centerfield and hit .293 with 14 home runs and 58 RBI in 146 games.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Ryan Madson will take a physical either tonight or tomorrow, according to one source, at which point the Phillies will announce the new three-year deal that they have reached with the right-handed reliever. The physical, a formality, should be scheduled soon with team doctor Michael Ciccotti.
The Phillies now have the entire back end of their bullpen - Madson, J.C. Romero and closer Brad Lidge - signed through the 2010 season.
I still don't have concrete confirmation on the exact terms of the deal, but it is in the neighborhood of the three-year, $12 million deal he reportedly turned down just a couple of days ago.
