Moyer Signs Two-Year Deal
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Moyer Signs Two-Year Deal
Todd Zolecki
The Phillies have signed Jamie Moyer to a two-year contract extension.
Both years are guaranteed, meaning there is no club option for 2010.
"We're very pleased to have Jamie back," Ruben Amaro Jr. said today. "He's been a valuable piece of the puzzle for us, and obviously gives us some more starting pitching depth. He was a goal for us from the outset."
Moyer will be 48 when his contract expires.
"There's no question it's a concern," Amaro said of Moyer's age. "For us to go two years guaranteed, I think shows our committment to him, but he's probably one of our best conditioned athletes that we have. His dedication to his craft is as high as anybody's on our club. Jamie is going to do what he can to play out this contract and be an effective pitcher for us. We have every reason to believe with the way he works and the way he pitches that he can do just that, play out his contract."
The Phillies see four-fifths of their rotation complete with Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Joe Blanton and Moyer. The fifth spot? I think you'll see quite a battle in spring training. I think you're looking at Kyle Kendrick, J.A. Happ, Carlos Carrasco, Chan Ho Park and Drew Carpenter competing for that job. Adam Eaton stands almost no chance. The Phillies have been trying to give him away lately, but have found no takers. As far as Park goes, I tend to think Park is entering spring training in a similar position as Chad Durbin last year. I'm sure he's been told he will have a chance to start, but I think you will see him in the bullpen when the season starts.
Here's how I see the pitching staff shaping up entering Opening Day 2009:
Starters: Hamels, Myers, Blanton, Moyer and Kendrick/Happ/Carrasco
Bullpen: Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, J.C. Romero, Chad Durbin, Scott Eyre, Clay Condrey and Park.
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Chase Utley spoke to reporters today and said he expects to be ready to play come Opening Day 2009.
“Rehab is going well,” Utley said. “Things are progressing very well. I don’t expect any setbacks. I feel like I’ll be ready to go, but it’s something I have to be careful of. I want to make sure that we rehab this right. I don’t want to have this problem again. But as of now it’s looking good.”
I think you guys mean Juan Rivera. If so, I'm with you there. Type B FA, so no draft pick.— Jason259- eaton should try to develop a knuckle ball...he has nothing else— Clem
- his grandchildren will eventually replace him in the rotation— mdriban
- Ibanez has put up better numbers than Burrell the last few years. Yes, Burrell has more HR, but thats about it. I know Ibanez has hit 3rd in the lineup, but he has a lot better average. I think that is key. Burrell walks more, but he walks TOO much. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/stats/bycategory?cat=Batting&conference=MLB&year=season_2008&qualified=1&sort=13. Look at number of walks and runs scored. Burrell only scored 74 runs. After Utley/Howard, they need players who hit better for average. More hits by Burrell would have been better than the walks, where he was stranded.— 93phils
- Burrell was 4th or 5th in MLB in walks, but 92nd in runs scored with 74. And 33 of those runs were when he hit a HR. Factor in a .250 average, he either didnt get a hit or was stranded on base a lot. This could be the other team pitching around him, but I dont think he is worth more than $6 mill a year. Ibanez hits for much a better average— 93phils
- Why aren't folks on here getting the fact that Burrell would have cost more money to sign. He was making 14 this year. He ain't gonna take a cut. They save 4 million by signing Ibanez. That can be used to sign draft picks and used in arbitration. Ya know, like giving it to Howard and Hamels?— Deb in Dixie
- "The Phillies have been trying to give him away lately, but have found no takers." You know you suck when you are offered in a trade for nobody AND the Phils will pay your salary and still no takers.— ronin32
- Welcome back, Pop Pop! Personally, if the Phillies were able to move Jenkins or Stairs (preferably Jenkins... I think Stairs is just a better pinch hitter), I would like to see them replace him with Tony Clark. A good, veteran, profesional pinch hitter; a switch hitter, which gives Charlie some flexibility; with decent power from both sides of the plate, so Charlie's bench isn't entirely LH heavy. With Stairs, Dobbs and Bruntlett all able to play in the OF, Dobbs and Bruntlett all able to play IF, and Clark able to spell Howard from time to time, or pinch hit, plus the backup cathcer, I think that would be a quality bench.— RollinsWasRight
- Good call, ronin.— RollinsWasRight
- Chan Ho Park got what Eaton should have received. A one year deal. Good call Deb, it is Burrell's refusal to take a pay cut that cost him. He should have accepted the 2 year, $22 mill offer. It is funny that they said last week on comcast sportsnet that many baseball sources havent even heard a Burrell rumor at all yet...— 93phils
- Good job locking up Moyer..I agree about a rh pinch hit bat..would prefer to move Jenkins. "Jeffso" you need to recheck your stats for Ibanez, hes been better then Burrell except for HRs (the past 4 years). Appreciate all Pat did but this is the right move for the phils.— philsfan in the atx
- STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!......Did anyone remember we won the world series? The Phils got a significant influx of cash. Why don't they sign at least one star. They want steak @ fast food prices. Reuben is worse than Ed Wade. Adding a 35, 36 and 46 yr old players. Maybe we can have Schmidt back at 3rd. Baseball is a game of speed and using your senses. These players are on the decline/downside of their career. You have already see a flash when Moyer got lit up twice near the end. He did have a great post season! One thing I do know is that tickets will be hard to come by and the phillies will continue to remind you they got your money by annoucing another sell out crowd— martin710
- My sister covered the Phils for years and was always impressed with how Moyers tutored the younger members of the staff. With young present day and future stars like Hamels, Myers, Happ/Kendrick/Carrasco and Eyre you need a well respected intellectual old-head like Moyers to show by example how a professional goes about his day-to-day business. Even when he is not pitching you see him constantly coaching other pitchers. I guess you could call him 'old school' in that regard. Next year he will probably lose even more velocity from his 'fastball' LOL. Which only means he will be even more effective against the aggressive young hitters. I love it when he makes strong strapping power hitters feel absolutely foolish as they swing from their heels and come up empty. In two years he either still pitches in spots or starts coaching for a living. He's living that Philly fan's dream. And it couldn't have happened to a classier guy. GO PHILS!!— Barton
- Two years is probably one more than Moyer will be effective but who knows. Either way it's great to keep such experience on the pitching staff with some of these young guys coming into the fold. How many times did we see Moyer chatting with Hamels between innings. I don't thing Hamels would be as effective of a pitcher last season without Moyer's tutelage and guidance.— Phanatic in Beantown
- Hallelujah! Finally the Phils acknowledge a quality player/individual who brings more to the table than stats!! Go Jamie!!— cblank
