***The Official Philadelphia Phillies 2012 Thread***

The Fixer wrote:

francoeur to KC, Sherrill to Atlanta. Good day for the Phils :thumbup:

The Jeagler wrote:

7 years 155m now is the asking price for lee?

i guess things kind of worked out well for us regarding our rotation. one of those teams is going to be paying him 22m or so when he's 40? wow!

Really. As Fixer likes to tell us, we've got enough contract baggage already. I like Lee and all, but come on.

The Fixer wrote:

The Jeagler wrote:

7 years 155m now is the asking price for lee?

i guess things kind of worked out well for us regarding our rotation. one of those teams is going to be paying him 22m or so when he's 40? wow!

I think boston is 'in' on lee solely to drive the price up for the yanks. I will be shocked if he doesn't end up a yankee

Has to now. Rangers are scaring me, I just dont see them going to 7 years.

The Fixer wrote:

I don't think you have anything to worry about. I think Lee wants to be a yankee.

I hope so. He made some comments after a gem he pitched for Seattle at Yankees stadium last year that made it sound like he wanted to be a Yankee.

The Fixer wrote:

Cliffy6745 wrote:

The Fixer wrote:

I don't think you have anything to worry about. I think Lee wants to be a yankee.

I hope so. He made some comments after a gem he pitched for Seattle at Yankees stadium last year that made it sound like he wanted to be a Yankee.

And he could have stated otherwise when his wife got abused at the game. He brushed that off because he knew he was gonna be playing there in 2011.

He is being smart...I think he is just using texas, DC, and boston. Like I said, I will be floored if he doesn't end up in pinstripes.

True true. Me too, just getting nervous with the Boston moves.

Phillies signed Reyes. You like it? Not exactly a LOOGY.

The Fixer wrote:

Cliffy6745 wrote:

True true. Me too, just getting nervous with the Boston moves.

Phillies signed Reyes. You like it? Not exactly a LOOGY.

meh. It's tough to get excited about these fringe relief pitcher signings. You really don't know what you're getting from year to year with most of these guys.

Reyes struggled vs lefties last year, but during his career I think he's been pretty solid.

1 year deal for a little over a million, so it's a low risk move. better than sherrill. I'm on board with this move

Sure, make sense. And if he blows in June you cut him. Bullpens are such patchwork.

I get the impression that amaro likes to plant these seeds in an effort to get the fans to think he's trying to make stuff happen. No way in hell they get greinke. The more Rowand's name comes up, the more worried I get. Hopefully Durbin is another 1 year deal...that would be sweet.


Shooting for the moon, Amaro considers Greinke

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Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Posted: 8 p.m. | Updated: Dec. 9, 9:24 a.m.

By Jim Salisbury
CSNPhilly.com

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. likes to aim high when it comes to acquiring players.

A year ago, Amaro’s think-big style led to the acquisition of Roy Halladay. In July, it led to Roy Oswalt. Before that, Amaro landed a guy named Cliff Lee.

“Our mantra is kind of, ‘If you’re not trying, you’re not trying,’” Amaro said.

On Day 3 of the winter meetings Wednesday, Amaro admitted that he is still living by that mantra.

“We have explored and tried and talked about acquiring some significant players,” he said. “We’ve tried to shoot for the moon on some things and laid some groundwork, but the possibility of them happening is kind of remote.”

As per his policy, Amaro would not discuss his shoot-for-the-moon targets, but two people with knowledge of the Phils’ thinking say one of them is Kansas City Royals right-hander Zack Greinke.

“They’ve talked about it,” said a person with knowledge of the situation.

Internally or with the Royals?

“Both,” the person said.

Now, before you get too excited about the possibility of adding the 2009 American League Cy Young winner to an already star-studded starting pitching force, remember this: Trades are difficult to make, and Greinke would require the Phils' parting with a number of prospects from a system that has been hit hard by trades in recent years. The Phils are reluctant to further drain their minor-league system. Nonetheless, they have considered what it would take to get Greinke. In the end, any team that gets Greinke might have to add a third team to the deal to get it done.

The Royals are not under pressure to deal Greinke, but it has become clear that they would move him for the right package. Greinke, 27, is signed for 2011 and 2012 at $13.5 million per season. He becomes a free agent after that. He has a 15-team no-trade clause, and the Phillies are not listed on it. One person with knowledge of the pitcher’s thinking said Greinke would accept a deal to Philadelphia.

If the Phils were to acquire Greinke, they would likely have to clear some salary by dealing either Raul Ibanez or Joe Blanton. The Phils’ payroll projects above $150 million for the coming season. While there are limits, club officials have said the payroll could be stretched for the “right opportunity.” Once upon a time, Jim Thome was the right opportunity. A talent like Greinke would probably be the right opportunity as well.

Like Amaro said, chances of these “shoot for the moon” deals are remote, but this situation bears watching. If nothing else it sure beats the days when big-time talents became available and the Phillies would dismiss the possibility of acquiring them without even being asked if it was possible. That happened in 1998 when Mike Piazza was on his way from the Dodgers to the Marlins to the Mets. As Piazza made a pit stop in Miami waiting for the Marlins to trade him, the Phillies preemptively told reporters that they would not be pursuing the superstar slugger.

While Greinke is a longshot, two others pitchers are not. The Phils have agreed to a one-year deal with left-handed reliever Dennys Reyes, and there seems to be a decent chance that Chad Durbin returns to the club.

Durbin quietly sneaked into these winter meetings on Wednesday and met with officials from several teams, including the Phillies. The Phils are believed to have made an offer to Durbin, who has spent the last three seasons with the club.

Reyes became the Phils’ primary focus when another lefty, George Sherrill, reached an agreement with Atlanta on Wednesday.

Reyes could fill the role of departed J.C. Romero, joining Antonio Bastardo as the two left-handers in the Phils’ bullpen.

While bullpen remains the Phils’ priority, the team would still like to add a right-handed hitting outfielder. The Phils have considered bringing back Aaron Rowand to be their fifth outfielder – if the Giants were to pick up a significant amount of the $24 million that remains on his contract, which runs through 2012.

Giants general manager Brian Sabean told reporters that he has nothing going with the Phillies regarding Rowand, but sources say the two teams have talked about a deal at some point this offseason.

Free-agent outfielders Jeff Francoeur and Matt Diaz, who had been targets of the Phillies, signed with Kansas City and Pittsburgh, respectively.

Jearlpam0925 wrote:

F Werth leaving, there's worse news! Apparently rumors are abuzz of Franzke leaving. God fucking damnit. Hopefully this isn't true. THAT would be the biggest mistake they've made.

EDIT: Yep, interviewing for the TV play-by-play job for Texas. Fuck. There's goes the hope of Baldy McMantits getting ousted and Pedophile McRughead being replaced by LA. We're going to be telling our grandchildren how we once had this guy Harry Kalas who was the best in the game.

i thought he turned them down in october or something?

if the phils are stupid enough to tell him they're going to keep wheels and tmac on tv---i can't really blame him for wanting to leave though.

Jearlpam0925 wrote:

F Werth leaving, there's worse news! Apparently rumors are abuzz of Franzke leaving. God fucking damnit. Hopefully this isn't true. THAT would be the biggest mistake they've made.

EDIT: Yep, interviewing for the TV play-by-play job for Texas. Fuck. There's goes the hope of Baldy McMantits getting ousted and Pedophile McRughead being replaced by LA. We're going to be telling our grandchildren how we once had this guy Harry Kalas who was the best in the game.

I just heard about this too. I think jim jackson would take over on the radio. I like him a lot. I'd love to see JJ take over on TV and get some new blood on the radio. anything is better than mccarthy and wheels. except joe theismann...listening to him for 3 hours tonight made my ears bleed

The Fixer wrote:

Jearlpam0925 wrote:

F Werth leaving, there's worse news! Apparently rumors are abuzz of Franzke leaving. God fucking damnit. Hopefully this isn't true. THAT would be the biggest mistake they've made.

EDIT: Yep, interviewing for the TV play-by-play job for Texas. Fuck. There's goes the hope of Baldy McMantits getting ousted and Pedophile McRughead being replaced by LA. We're going to be telling our grandchildren how we once had this guy Harry Kalas who was the best in the game.

I just heard about this too. I think jim jackson would take over on the radio. I like him a lot. I'd love to see JJ take over on TV and get some new blood on the radio. anything is better than mccarthy and wheels. except joe theismann...listening to him for 3 hours tonight made my ears bleed

i do not enjoy jj doing baseball play by play. pre/post game--fine. play by play.....eh, he gets a little shtick-ish with his calls.

losing franzke would suck.