Romero becomes free agent as Phils decline option
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Romero becomes free agent as Phils decline option
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
In an expected move, the Phillies have declined their $4.5 million option on J.C. Romero's contract, making the veteran lefty a free agent.
Romero, who will be paid a $250,000 buyout, logged just 53 1/3 innings over the last two seasons after posting a 2.75 ERA in 59 innings in 2008.
"No clue," the 34-year-old lefty said on Saturday night when asked of his chances of returning. "I'm blank right now. Don't know what's going to happen."
Romero said he thinks he has many years remaining in baseball.
"I just turned 34," he said. "I just got a brand new arm," referring to surgery to repair a flexor tendon that he underwent last offseason.
Romero appeared in 60 games in 2010, pitching well in some stretches and struggling with his command in others. He posted a 3.68 ERA, but walked a career-high 7.1 batters-per-nine-innings. He struck out 6.9 batters-per-nine, a full batter lower than he retired in 2008, when he posted a 2.75 ERA, 7.9 K/9 and 5.8 BB/9 in 59 innings over 81 appearances.
The Phillies have only three relievers under contract for 2011: Closer Brad Lidge, set-up man Ryan Madson, and veteran righthander Danys Baez, who struggled during the 2010 season and was left off the roster for both rounds of the postseason.
The Phillies now have six players who will become free agents, assuming they do not agree to contracts with the Phillies in the five days between the end of the World Series and the start of the signing period.
The others are Jayson Werth, Chad Durbin, Jamie Moyer, Mike Sweeney and Jose Contreras.
Jose can you sign.....— stan the man too
The only name on that list you can expect to be on the team next year is Contreras, and onlt if he'll come as cheap as he did in 2010. Moyer would make a good coach in the organization.— jpk- Might be a GOOD idea to get Wilson Valdez signed for a couple more years.....
— TBear - I'd like to see Sweeney return.— sdlmedford
Comment removed.- Good riddance. Take Zagurski w/ you.— misterhman
- Time to wave goodbye to Baez,Dobbs,Moyer ,Sweeney,Durbin,Kendrick and to find a REAL Hitting Coach.Let's trade either Rollins or Utley in the face of continually declining production.— DONDEN31
- Utley declined shockingly this year....if you compare him to Uggla or Robinson Cano, he comes up way short....for someone who just two years ago was considered the best, he's fallen off a cliff....very, very shabby play in the field and lots of weak groundouts. He's physically not a stud any longer.....Rollins is just old, the team is on the decline, age wise...Victorino tailed off badly, as well. Ibanez is done. Werth should be re-signed but for a reasonable sum...too many k's by a lot.— boasocal
Everyone needs to get a clue. The Phillies won the most games in baseball, even with the all the injuries. They aren't going to trade Rollins, they aren't going to trade Utley, and they surely aren't going to trade Howard. All will be back next year. I do hope that Werth will also return as a Phillie but if not, I trust Ruben will make something else happen. Great year, Phils, sorry it ended when it did, we'll certainly be back next year, you can take THAT to the Bank.— DaveCicc- Keep Contreras. Wish they could dump Baez. Durbin will likely be too expensive. Vic is the most overrated Phillie on the team. His D is the only thing that saves him from being a complete bust on the extension he just signed. If you flip flopped his extension with Ruiz's, you could tolerate Shane's. The hip has to be an issue for Utley, who's a warrior, but hopefully he's not just breaking down since he's on the wrong side of 30. There's little the team can do, unfortunately, about Ibanez. No way the team eats $11M+. Not going to happen.— Steve Jeltz
- So long J.C. keep chewing that gum real hard and acting like a tough guy as you walk batter after batter. You are a legend in your own mind.— jking91
- Werth, Romero, Moyer, Baez, Kendrick, Dobbs and Durbin are all gone. The question is if they will make a move to further shake up the roster, especially with the starting eight. The only players that I would say are untouchable in a trade are Halladay, Oswalt (until next years trade deadline), Hamels, Madson and Ruiz.— joeyc444
- Good move----a 1 batter pitcher who crossed himself hopeing to throw a couple strikes and when he didn't walk his 1 batter and got a out he walked to the dugout pounding his chest like he did something great--as laughable as NFL players when they make a tackle and carry on like jacka##'s. Moyer needs to go the same route this year.— jwatson
- Many of your players don't want to play for a losing team like the Phils after what happened. they want to go to a better team where they can win. Bye Bye Werth, Romero, Moyer, Kendrick, and I'm sure many more. Sorry losers!— MRD
- Thanks for 2008, buddy. Wish I could get a quarter million for leaving my job!— Philly Fan in Kuwait
