Cuddyer should be Phillies primary focus
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Cuddyer should be Phillies primary focus
Bob Brookover, Inquirer Baseball Columnist
They held a parade for the Cardinals in St. Louis on Sunday and any time a team celebrates a championship, it's quite natural to hold that team up under the light to see if there is anything to learn.
It's of no consolation here in Philadelphia that the World Series title still goes through this city. Since 2008, the Phillies have either won the World Series or lost in the postseason to the team that won the World Series. The focus here is that the Phillies have only won once and the postseason losses have come earlier in each of the last three seasons.
None of that matters now. The planning for 2012 has begun and the Cardinals did do some things that should make the Phillies and every other team take notice. The thing Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. fixated on during his team's five-game division series loss to St. Louis was that the Cardinals had a lot of guys who could grind out at-bats.
Amaro was so impressed that he has made it a mandate for the Phillies to pattern themselves more after the Cardinals next season. Scrappers like Ryan Theriot, Skip Schumaker and mostly World Series MVP David Freese were certainly impressive and part of the reason why the Cardinals were able to complete their unlikely run to the franchise's 11th World Series title.
Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa also received a lot of credit for maneuvering his role players during the postseason, but maybe the man who made the most important move for St. Louis was little-known general manager John Mozeliak.
He was the guy who decided to take a chance on Lance Berkman even though the former Houston slugger appeared to be on the decline physically and at the plate. Add in the fact that Berkman was mostly considered a first baseman at this stage of his career and the Cardinals already had some guy named Albert Pujols at that position and it was an even more of a gamble.
As it turned out, Berkman was a sensational $8 million free-agent signing and the biggest reason the Cardinals emerged with the best offense in the National League in 2011. Berkman was even better in the postseason, hitting .313 with 17 runs scored and 11 RBIs in 18 games.
If Amaro wants his players to improve their approach, then it is his job to try to find somebody like Berkman this offseason to add to the Phillies' roster. Chances are, he won't find somebody that good or with such an established track record, but it was an uncelebrated addition like Jayson Werth that once helped push the Phillies over the top.
Minnesota's Michael Cuddyer, a free agent who may command more than the $8 million the Cardinals paid Berkman last season, seems like the best fit for the Phillies. He can play first base, second base, third base and the outfield and has the kind of bat that would make manager Charlie Manuel's lineup better.
Given the uncertain injury situations of Placido Polanco and Ryan Howard, Cuddyer should be the Phillies' most sought-after free agent from another team.
Another veteran maybe worth taking a risk on is San Francisco's Mark DeRosa. He'll be 37 in February and injuries have limited him to 73 games the last two seasons, but he should come cheap and is a great on-base guy when healthy. Other free agents who could help improve the Phillies bench are Jamey Carroll from the Dodgers, Jerry Hairston Jr. from the Brewers and Nick Punto from the Cardinals.
A celebrated addition like Roy Halladay via trade two years ago and Cliff Lee via free agency last year is not likely to happen during this offseason, but sometimes a seemingly lesser move can help a team just as much. For proof, see the Cardinals signing of Lance Berkman.
VOTE: Phillies: Stay or Go?
Therearea lot of things the phillies need to change if we are going to win another World Title before Doc and Lee are done. We are over paying Howard Ido agree with that. We need a better Relief Pitchers and better bench players. Now if Jimmy wants a 2- or 3 year deal at say 27 Million than I would do it as long as he is told he will not be the leqad off batter. He isbetter to hit 6th. Iwould resign Oswalt to a two year deal at 9 million a year so in the end he would of made 4 million more and ac hance to win 2 World Titles before he retires to his ranch. We need to finda 3rd baseman with 25-30 Homer Run power look at David Wright maybe 3 year deal at 27-30 million. Until Howard comes back Play Polly if healthy at second Utley at 1st Marberry in Left and we play who we have at Short if Jimmy isn't resigned. As for bench players we need to upgrade over last season. Need two players who play many positions and can hit for base hits and steal when needed.— srcdaddy1216- DeRosa? Are you on crack? He's a permanent IR name, he hurts something just getting dressed.— jimmymack
- Zwarte. Let me refresh you memory, Park wanted to start and decided to sign with the Yankees for less money ($1.5) the Phillies offered ($3.0) How that turned out? Well, he was DFA after struggling with a 5.60 ERA. Then was claimed byt the Pirates in August ofthe same year. Last year he pitched in Japan. Eyre retired. Baez was a bust, but you are forgetting Charlie had some input in Amaro signing him. Remember, Charlie had him in Cleveland. As for Contreras, he was pretty good reliever until this year when he was given the closer job over Madson, and you can't say, he wasn't up to the challenge physically to throw heat after heat a few games in a row. You can't blame Amaro for that. And Condrey really? The one with the 5+ ERA in the Twins minor league system in '10, the year after the Phillies let him go. He didn't pitch this year.— EL Zorro
- You can't blame Amaro for signing old guys like Moyer, Ibanez, Contreras, Polanco etc. only to see them get injured. Who could see that coming? Who- other than every GM and pundit in baseball- could see Howard's demise coming? Rube is just snake bit. — jtj06
Comment removed.- you can say he wasn't up to the challenge... I meant.— EL Zorro
- Punto? Get real. i'd take Harrison though.— phillyceltic
- Phils need to find a a valid no. 4 hitter it they plan to compete next year.— Borkey
- Whooo???— DavezMental.Com
- Comment removed.
- Let's find more 40 year old broken down players, so the Phils can CHOKE again in October. Instead of Red Octobers in Philly, the Phils, after 2 consecutive disappointing seasons being heavily favored to win it all - can be known as CHOKE-TOBER!— johnpaulcpa
- Polanco will have a big bounce back year when he gets healthy, he will be huge!— JBP
- If they really want to help the team they should keep Charlie away from the batting cages. Mr "I know I'm a good hitting coach " has taken a few .300 hitters and turned them into .260 hitters. Show me one hitter who has improved under our so called hitting guru. The only reason Mayberry got better this year was when he was sent to the minors.— REL3
- I like the youth movement idea. I like martinez, valdezz, mayberry, and brown give them a chance. Of course mix in a few vets to spice up the pot. Whatever happened to the lead off man taking pitch after pitch to get on base and have the number two man bunt him over. the table is set for the big guns. RH has shown over and over again he has trouble with lefties. I don't like to see anyone get injured like that but this could be an opportunity to see someone else on first and in the batter's box. I am anxiously waiting to see what JR is going to ask for a salary and # of years.— ryter
- This paper was taking about DeRosa about 3-4 years ago....when he was 3-4 years younger. Please, no more late 30's going on 45 washed up players. And I still cannot be convinced this team as currently set up will start grinding out at-bats when those fences are oh so close in the summer, when the heat and humidity kick in, making CBP a launching pad. I just can't buy it!— DelawareRiverRat
