Monday, October 10, 2011

This is how the season ends, not with a bang, but a Rupture…

            Achilles tendon, that is. As in Ryan Howard’s on the last play of the Phillies 2011 season. The play left Howard sprawled in the dirt, facing surgery, as the season came to a close. Are the current Phillies facing similar surgery? With a record payroll, a roster full of aging, but still productive players, what should they do. What should be there game plan?   Impending free agents Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Madson are in for big paydays, should they be resigned? Rollins almost definitely, unless someone else offers him Jayson Werth crazy money; Madson, it depends. Super-agent Scott Boras represents Madson, meaning his price tag is likely to be astronomical.  Is inexpensive internal solution Antonio Bastardo ready, or his September swoon too scary to entrust the ninth to him?  Roy Oswalt and Brad Lidge have expensive club options, should they be picked up? Oswalt probably yes, Lidge almost certainly no. However, he might be willing to resign at a lower rate, especially if Madson leaves. An inexpensive closer combination of Bastardo and Lidge may do just fine.
            Raul Ibanez’ contract is up, and he almost certainly won’t be resigned, unless he’s willing to come back as Ross Gload. Speaking of Gload, who gamely battled through a painful hip injury that severely limited his ability to play in the field…waive bye bye. He did his job, but he’s expendable. 
            So we’ve reviewed impending free agents , who can or should leave, next time we’ll discuss who can and should stay and what the team should look like.

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