Phillies release Geoff Jenkins; Have interest in Sheffield
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Phillies release Geoff Jenkins; Have interest in Sheffield
Daily News staff
The Phillies have released outfielder Geoff Jenkins and are hoping to sign Gary Sheffield, who was released by the Detroit Tigers today. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the Phillies have contacted Sheffield's agent and are in a wait-and-see mode.
Jenkins appeared in 115 games and hit .246 with nine home runs and 29 runs batted in. The lefthanded-hitting Jenkins signed a 2-year, $13 million deal as a free agent before last season and seemed likely to platoon with Jayson Werth in rightfield. Jenkins landed on the disabled list in August with a quad injury and was largely an afterthought for the end of the season and the playoffs. He will, however, be remembered for the double in the resumption of Game 5 of the World Series that led to the go-ahead run.
Jenkins seemed to get caught in the glut of lefthanded hitters coming off the Phillies bench.
"I knew there were a lot of left handed hitters so it seemed like somebody was going to be the odd man out at some point," Jenkins said. "So it's real tough. I care a lot about those guys in the clubhouse. We'll just deal with this. It's like anything else, and try to find a new spot. It's obviously something I've never had to deal with before. But I guess what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. But I don't regret anything from one moment that I was here."
The Phillies owe him the remainder of his $6.75 million salary for this season, plus a $1.25 million buyout for next season. Any team can pick him up, but they will likely owe him the veterans minimum of $400,000, which will be deducted from the Phillies' obligation.
Speaking with reporters moments ago, Jenkins said he was planning to take a couple of days to clear his head after flying back to his home in Arizona.
Jenkins said he had no hard feelings toward the Phillies.
"Absolutley not," he said. "What's there to be mad about? I picked a great year to be here. Obviously I wish things had worked out better and I coudl be with them. But I don't regret one minute. I wouldn't change a thing. Being with these guys, going what we went through last year, was tremendous."
The Phillies now have 29 players in the running for the 25-man roster. That 29 includes suspended reliever J.C. Romero, who will miss the first 50 games. The move to release Jenkins, for the moment, gives second baseman Miguel Cairo a spot on the squad, although the Phillies could still add a right-handed bat. Outfielders Wily Mo Pena and Gary Sheffield were both recently released by the Nationals and Tigers, respectively.
Bad move, when the injury bug hits, we could've used him— Onlineps2beast- Don't understand this move. The guy is a better all around player that Stairs and he can hit the long ball too, the only thing Stairs brings to the table.— EL Zorro
- Please, no Shefield. He's not compatible with a happy team first clubhouse.— joey bagadonuts
- I really liked Jenkins. He palyed the game right. Glad he was here for the World Series victory. Him and Burrell were the biggest kids in the doug out when Stairs hit that homerun. Hope the Brewers pick him up for the year so he can retire there. Good luck.— Beef69
- Everyone in Milwaukee said he was done last year. He never gave us much but he did contribute at some key moments. They need more right handed hitters. Stairs should not be buying any green bananas at this point.— Steve2181
stop with the sheffield rumors, this team doesn't need a cancer in the clubhouse...— dpcoz- To 93phils ... I hear what your saying about Pat Gillick's sour roster moves, but I'm not feeling so critical of the guy. (Please take this as a friendly -- not an in-your-face -- difference in the way we view it.) I suspect that if we sat down and looked at the roster moves of every World Series champion in the free-agent era -- for the two or three seasons before they won -- we'd consistently see several real clunkers mixed in with some real gems, and a whole lot of solid, above-average (but not spectacular) moves. Barring injury or some major change of circumstance (e.g., drug abuse, legal trouble, etc.) the main factor a GM has to go by is past performance or, in the case of young players, projections of future performance based on the best assessments (i.e., guesses) of scouts, minor league coaches, and personal observation. Couple those variables with the fact that baseball just may be the most difficult sport in which to predict future development (or deterioration) of skills, and I think the one thing that withstands all criticism is that Pat Gillick put together a World Series champion. Yeah, he rolled the dice and lost a few -- but he won more than he lost. And God knows we loved every minute of it! I'll take four bad roster moves and a World Series title any time.
- The guy will never pay for his own beer in any bar that I'm in. I will never forget his "lead-off" double (a few feet from a home run) in the WS or his awesome celebration at 2nd base after he hit it. I have chills right now remembering it. That was an absolute rocket he launched. Thanks, Geoff. That hit was worth $6.75M to me (of course I'm not paying the bills).
- Goober, I definitely see (and agree) with your response. I wasnt saying he was a bad GM, just that a World Series makes people forget about all of your bad moves. If Ed Wade won a World Series, would he been seen as bad as people see him today? No way. He made some questionable moves, but it didnt cost them as much money (trading Rolen and Schilling for nothing, the Polanco deal, etc)...— 93phils
- LATER!!!!— gallen024
Comment removed.- Thanks for that double!!!— mikemimbs
- Zorro, I agree with you. I don't get why they released a player who can play the field and PH instead of a guy who can only PH and only hit HR at that. If one of our 3 outfielders gets hurt, we have 3 players who can play the OF but aren't real outfielders, or we have to call up mayberry from the Minors. I would have rather they get rid of stairs. Mark: no need to being on a new player. with Jenkins gone, our bench is now 5(Dobbs, Coste, brunlett, Stairs and Cairo) this + 8 starters and 12 pitchers is our roster— jeff gross
- NO NO NO ON SHEFFIELD...PRIMA DONNA CLUB HOUSE CANCER— dmurphy2103
- Peace be the journey.— COBL77
