Dynasty building

IF A JOURNEY OF A thousand miles begins with a single step, a baseball dynasty begins with a single signing.

There are two kinds of baseball dynasty: First, short term - bright bursts that can span a decade but will invariably go through the kind of rebuilding that made the club a dynasty in the first place.

Second, the New York Yankees, whose sustained excellence over generations has been interrupted only by short pauses to reload. The 21st-century Yankees have won the AL East nine times since 2000 and have never won fewer than 87 games. In the 80 seasons prior to 2000, the Yankees had just 11 seasons under .500.

The Phillies are enjoying the second short-term dynasty of their 128-year existence and have captured the unbridled devotion of the populace as has no other sports franchise in the region's history, including the Eagles, whose love affair appears to be nearing the lawyers and alimony phase.

Ironically, the first seed of a nucleus about to play in its fifth straight postseason was planted in 1993, a year when Jim Fregosi's rabble-in-arms emerged from the ashes of last place and won a pennant, only to resume mediocrity in 1994.

A large - 6-4, 225 pounds - University of Georgia-bound Hoosier basketball star named Scott Rolen was drafted on the second round by the Phillies. Rolen marked a sea change in the Phillies' scouting and development philosophy. They gambled Rolen could be bought out of his Georgia ride and would learn to play third base as well as he played two-guard. He did and became a Gold Glove defender with great range and powerful arm.

In 1996, the same season they drafted a smallish shortstop from Oakland named Jimmy Rollins in the second round, Rolen was National League Rookie of the Year at age 21. By the time Rollins arrived in 2001, tied for the league lead with 47 steals, made the All-Star team and was third in ROY balloting, the eternally disgruntled Rolen was brokering his escape from a town he detested.

The Phillies obliged him in 2002 after a charade of bad faith bargaining by both sides. What the Phillies got back from Baseball Heaven were sore-armed Bud Smith, middle reliever Mike Timlin and underrated second baseman Placido Polanco. Polly was moved to third, where he played well.

In June 2000, the Phillies drafted UCLA All-American infielder Chase Utley with the 15th pick. They signed his bat and hoped he could learn to play second base at the major-league level. The intense Utley was ready to play full-time in 2003. But where? An awkward shuttle ensued, with Polanco getting the bulk of the second-base starts and Utley even playing 13 games at first base.

With Chase clearly the second baseman of the future and not a candidate for third base, Polanco was traded for redundant reliever Ugueth Urbina. While Oogie failed to set the Phils bullpen on fire, he did, however, set several employees on fire in his native Venezuela and is still doing hard time there.

Look, dynasty-building is never easy.

While the infield was falling into place and the town was still abuzz over the 2003 signing of superstar slugger Jim Thome, a chunky and obscure Panamanian catcher named Carlos Ruiz had been signed in 1998. Chooch was still eight long minor-league seasons away from becoming the piece that gave the great current pitching staff an All-Star level catcher.

The final piece was "The Big Piece."

The first time I saw Ryan Howard, he was playing in a spring training exhibition game for the Clearwater Phillies. He was a huge, lumbering, man with a lethal swing.

"Howard can do some damage with his power," Dallas Green growled, "but that's about it for now. He's a work-in-progress who needs a lot of work."

Thome had led the NL in homers in 2003. He was a revered icon. As Howard continued to destroy minor league pitching, a conundrum developed. The Phillies had an $85 million investment in Thome. If he had not had so much injury downtime in 2005, Howard might have been traded. But the first baseman was a good enough replacement for the disabled Thome to win Rookie of the Year. Swallowing hard, the Phils picked up $22 million of the remaining $44 million owed Thome and reluctantly moved him to the White Sox.

In 2006, Howard was the NL MVP and rewrote the single-season franchise slugging records. With first-rounder Cole Hamels joining home-grown Brett Myers, the farm-built nucleus was locked and loaded, ready in 2007 to begin its epic five division title-run under Charlie Manuel.

Nor was it a one general manager project as are most baseball dynasties. Ed Wade was in at the beginning for the Thome bombshell and Ruben Amaro Jr. at the end, when the amazing pitching staff was assembled through a series of bold, costly and spectacular moves.

In between, there was the Hall-of-Fame mentoring of Pat Gillick, who had made Jayson Werth a first-round draft pick as Baltimore's GM, then acquired him a second time despite the outfielder's daunting history of wrist injuries. Rule 5 pickup Shane Victorino proved to be a high motor burner after being ping-ponged by three clubs, including the Phillies. And when the Dodgers refused to take him back, the Phils were able to option him to Triple A, where all he was International League MVP.

The rest of the ancillary parts that make up this deep and versatile team were put together by Amaro and a staff of assistants that has made few mistakes. The acquisition of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt could not have been accomplished without a rebuilt minor league system brimming with attractive prospects.

But this is an aging dynasty. At 28, spectacular trade deadline pickup Hunter Pence is the kid in a starting lineup where everybody else is a thirtysomething. However, Howard is just 31, hardly ancient for a home run hitter. Rollins, Utley and Ruiz are 32. But Polanco and old soldier Raul Ibanez, a great Gillick-influenced pickup, have more tire marks than a NASCAR speedway.

So, for the sport of it, let's ratchet the time machine ahead to Opening Day 2013. Assuming Charlie is still the manager and Ruben the GM, the lineup could look like this:

-- Shane Victorino, CF. The Flyin' Hawaiian has worked himself into a tremendous all-around player and become the emotional soul of the ballclub.

-- Freddy Galvis, SS. The kid with the Omar Vizquel smoothness was fielding at the big league level as a teenager. He opened a lot of eyes with his offensive improvement at Double and Triple A this season. He's starting to drive the ball and makes contact. (This only happens if the Phillies and J-Roll don't work out a new contract. And Galvis could be moved to 2B.)

-- Hunter Pence, RF. He'll be a 30-35 homer, 100-RBI guy with a drawer full of tools and an antic disposition that has already made him a fan favorite.

-- Ryan Howard, 1B. The Moneyball wannabes will continue to fry their little brains trying to prove there are 30 first basemen better than him in the majors and 30 more in the minors. But they will be voices crying in the wilderness as long as the big guy keeps throwing up 30- and 100-plus seasons.

-- John Mayberry, LF. Power on loan from his dad and a superb baserunner and defender. His time has come.

-- Free agent or trade, 3B. Nobody is on the minor league radar. Time to move Dom Brown while he still has value may be now. A free agent third baseman will be dicey and expensive.

-- Carlos Ruiz/Sebastian Valle, C. Chooch is an institution. Valle should be ready for solid backup duty. But Phils might shop for a lefthanded-hitting backup. Brian Schneider is durable and professional.

-- Free agent or trade, 2B. I have left Chase Utley off this team due to concerns about his health. But if he can get everything fixed, Chase will be just 34. A position up for grabs.

-- Starting pitchers: Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Vance Worley, Trevor May.

-- Bullpen: Ryan Madson, closer; Antonio Bastardo, setup; Michael Stutes, hold. Scads of quality front end candidates, including Joe Savery as lefty specialist.

-- Bottom line: The Phillies will still be one helluva ball club in 2013.

The sellout streak will be pushing 300 by then.

Enjoy.

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