Identity change for the Phillies?
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Identity change for the Phillies?
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
A report in the Boston Globe today says the Phillies have made a formal offer to free-agent righthander Derek Lowe.
Meeting with reporters this afternoon, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said that the team has had discussions with Lowe's agent, but declined to confirm or deny the Globe report.
Here's an interesting thought to mull over. . .
So much of the focus this offseason has centered on the situation in leftfield, and how the Phillies might possibly replace Pat Burrell. I don't get the impression that the Phillies are sold on bringing him back. All the signals - including not offering him arbitration - lead me to believe that they are going to spend the money they'll save from Burrell's $14 million salary elsewhere.
Obviously, the gut reaction is that the Phillies absolutely must find a way to replace Burrell's production. But what if the team is in for an identity change? At the beginning of last season, the Phillies were considered a team whose strength was its power. Burrell was a big part of that. If they were going to win, they were going to outscore people. But as the season progressed, pitching became more and more of a strength. Plain and simple, it is the reason they won a World Series.
Ruben Amaro Jr. has said all offseason pitching is his priority. And with the Lowe offer in mind, there exists an interesting possibility that the Phillies might decide to make pitching the backbone of this team. That might not make sense, so let me try to explain.
Sure, you'd like to replace Burrell. But are the Phillies really worse off - or, perhaps, even better - if they pour their resources allocated to Burrell into bolstering the rotation. Let's say the Phillies land Lowe. True, that might take away some money that might have been used to bring in someone like Raul Ibanez. But it would give them a rotation that looks pretty darn good on paper:
1. Cole Hamels
2. Brett Myers
3. Derek Lowe
4. Joe Blanton
5. Jamie Moyer/J.A. Happ/Kyle Kendrick/Carlos Carrasco/Andrew Carpenter
Combined with the bullpen pieces they have in place, the Phillies suddenly might not need to be a team that relies so heavily on the power production from players like Burrell. And with a staff like that in place, it might make sense - logical and economic - to go with a platoon of Dobbs/Jenkins/Stairs and another righthanded, one- or two-year type of bat like Rocco Baldelli.
Just some food for thought. . .
I agree. I love Lowe for this ballpark. I've been saying for a couple years now we need low ball, control pitchers. If you got 30 hrs and 90 RBI out of Burrell each year what might you get out of a Dobbs/Baldelli platoon? 25 & 85? The real question is how much does it hurt Howards production with that platoon behind him? It may be time to consider Rollins in the 3/4/5 mix for the rest of his Phillie career. Is Victorino/Baldelli/Werth or maybe Feliz enough protection for Howard? Feliz was good enough for Bonds maybe he's the 5 hole hitter? Pitching & defense is the right mix for championships and I fully endorse the efforts to sign Lowe if in fact that rumor accurate.— Wheelermustgo- completely agree murph...im sure im not in the minority when i say that a triple is much more exciting than a homerun, and, just in my opinion, does more to rattle a pitcher's psyche than a homerun does...also, our offense is only really clicking when rollins and shane get on, so why not go for more speed and obp than just power and wait for someone to smack a ball out of the park to score— thelawschoolkid
- Lowe is a ground ball pitcher ideally suited for here but to outbid the Steinbrenners would be a first for this organization. Though they did do the Phils a favor by taking Abreu of their hands in salary dump that was the turning point in making this team what it has become today. It should be required that the beat writer for hometown Daily of the World Series winner be required to go to the Winter Meetings. Sorry to hear last night on DNL that you are not going!— Dull
- That would be a killer rotation. I'd like to see Moyer come back and take every other start off for the first couple months with Happ or whoever taking the other fifth day and working out of the pen as the mop-up guy to save Moyer for later in the year...not sure if there's precedent for that kind of thing.— B in DC
- Lowe will sign with Boston for more money. But hey, at least we "took a shot". PR move. Anyone remember Mike Lowell?— MTbelly
- and you might not need burrells hrs because lowe would save a bunch from going out. It won't be as exciting, but if that's whatever it takes to repeat or at least compete. By compete it I mean at least make it back to the series.— beezer77
- Lowe would also be perfect to mentor and mold Kyle Kendrick into the sinkerballer he and the organization hope he can be. I saw on MLBTradeRumors that the Phillies are one of two teams that made an offer to Lowe, the Yankees nor Red Sox were the other. Any idea on who the other team is?— mjriley26
- as we proved once again this season, and has been proven over and over again, pitching wins playoff games.— scuba
- as we proved once again this season, and has been proven over and over again, pitching wins playoff games.— scuba
- "Their power," David, not "there power."— rico brogna
- We offered Lowell more money and an extra year and he turned it down to sign with Red Sox. In that case the Phils really did try to get him— pdditty
- anyone remember Lowe complaining after game 1 of the NLCS how the Utley and/or Burrell HRs would not have been HRs elsewhere? Think he wants to come here?— gobirds556
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- "At the beginning of last season, the Phillies were considered a team whose strength was there power." "THERE" power? WTF Murph? You are a paid professional... get the right word in there... or is it their?— PhillyzkidSC
