Reports: Phillies sign John Lannan
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Reports: Phillies sign John Lannan
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Phillies filled two holes Saturday, first with the addition of setup man Mike Adams, and then John Lannan as the fifth starter.
Lannan agreed to a one-year, $2.5 million deal as reported by CSNPhilly.com and CBSSports.com. The 28-year-old is the favorite to slide into the rotation spot vacated by Vance Worley. At $2.5 million, the risk is small, and Lannan could shift to the bullpen as a long man if ineffective in the rotation.
The lefthander fits the description of a "low-risk, high-reward" starter Ruben Amaro Jr. said he was seeking. Marginalized in Washington, Lannan made only six starts in 2012. He has a career ERA of 4.01 in six seasons.
He is not a strikeout pitcher (4.7 per nine innings) and has struggled with control (3.4 walks per nine innings). His career numbers mirror that of a typical fifth starter, if not better. Lannan's fastball typically averages 88-89 m.p.h. and he relies on a change-up while also throwing a curveball and slider.
The Phillies usually crushed Lannan to the tune of a 5.53 ERA in 19 career starts. But remove his pitiful numbers against the Phillies and his career ERA drops from 4.01 to 3.80. He has a 6.49 ERA in eight career starts at Citizens Bank Park.
Lannan is perhaps best known among Phillies fans for breaking Chase Utley's hand with an errant pitch in his major-league debut five years ago. Eleven of his 30 career hit batters have been Phillies.
After being hit, Utley then said he did not think Lannan was throwing at him.
"I don't think he was trying to hit me," Utley said that day. "It kinda got away from him. He's a young guy. He hit two guys in a row. I don't think he was throwing at us."
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102 wins to 81 wins to. ???. It sure doesn't look like the trend will be up. I liked Oswalt as 4th starter and Blanton as 5th. Now it's Kendrick and Lanham. Quite a step down the quality ladder.— fafink- This guy seems pretty iffy. I think there's another "low-risk, high reward" starter coming.— p-diddy
- 102 wins to 81 wins to. ???. It sure doesn't look like the trend will be up. I liked Oswalt as 4th starter and Blanton as 5th. Now it's Kendrick and Lannam. Quite a step down the quality ladder.— fafink
- should put Lanman's locker next the Utley.....— Bigbirch
- The Phils will make Lannan feel better than the Nats did, just by spelling his name right. (First week with the Nats, they misspelled his name on his uniform; later they blew it again in the scoreboard.) Let's hope he gets comfortable quickly, and fills the Blanton spot well.
- Phillies are wanna be Nats, taking The NL East Champs table scraps. My, how the mighty have fallen.— ByeBye
- World series here we come! Seriously, every time I have watched this guy pitch, he was getting hammered. Not a lot of money, but Lannan stinks, plain and simple.— Hemingway
- We'll, you can't have too much pitching depth, but I'd just as soon have given one of the minor leaguers a shot first.— Frank S.
- I'd still like to see them sign Marcum, then trade Kendrick, Galvis & Valle to the Twins for Willingham & Jamey Carroll. 2013 roster all set.— The Pack Leader
- a guy with a career 4.01 ERA is going to be battling for our 5th starter spot...to the tune of a whopping $2.5 million...OMG WE'RE SPENDING SOOOO MUCH
how is anyone complaining about this?— AlexSp - Gave up a lot of homers in a pitchers park . At CBP it can get ugly— twpman
- This is a good acquisition. Lannan's best years are still ahead of him. He is young, strong and has a very good ground ball percentage. He needs to develop much better control and, with time, experience, and a good defense behind him, he probably will. Considering Lannan's very low salary, the Phils should acquire another starter, like Jair Jurrjens or Jeff Karstens. This would give the Phils tremendous flexibility. They could move Kendrick to the bullpen where he might help the Phils more as a reliever and spot starter. This would also improve the Phils chances of making trades in the future. A team can never have enough pitching, and the Phils would be wise to stock up while a few good pitchers are still available at bargain basement prices. Lannan is a good start.— onthebucks
- I'm inclined t say this was a good signing, cheap with experience, but CBP dosen't seem to be the best park for Lannan to pitch in..but he is low risk high reward for sure— TexasYankee
- Not sold on Lannan. Amaro's off-season hinges on a corner OF and, quite possibly, another starter. Having said that, a lot of post-ers here have been complaining for YEARS that Amaro shows no discipline with signings. They've cited: Lee; Rollins (a joke; his extension already is a steal, one year later); Pence; Papelbon; Polanco; even Thome's $1 million deal last year.
This winter, what's he done? Traded for a 24-year-old CF who makes $585,000 and is under club control through 2017; obtains Michael Young and thumps Texas into paying for $10 million of his $16 million contract; signs Lannan on an afforable deal that bides time for Pettibone or Biddle to get ready or Cloyd to overcome the doubters; and the Adams deal seems expensive on an annual basis, but it's only for two years.
Meanwhile, he steered clear of Hamilton and seems to be avoiding Swisher, who will want and likely get $17 million a year for 5 years. Now, Amaro's thumped for not doing enough.— eman
