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My Phillies holiday wish list: More starting pitching!
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Big CC deserves a big picture. He will also be getting a big contract this winter.
As we transition from a long baseball season into what figures to be a long winter, the baseball world still revolves.
For the Philadelphia Phillies, it is a shorter off-season than they are used to, which means there is precious time to work on a repeat performance of the 2008 championship run. With the changing of the season comes many a rumor that fails to hold true; basically the off-season for many teams is all bark with little bite.
This past season, the Phillies strength was their pitching, something that had been a major concern during spring training. Their offense was not as potent as it should have been, due to the fact that they left many runners on base. And while it is currently unknown what the Phillies will do regarding Pat Burrell and the left field situation, it still all about pitching.
At the top of my wish list for the upcoming holiday season is a newly packaged, top-notch starting pitcher. The Phils brass may leave me begging, but it has to be their number one priority. You could say that the Phillies will be set up nicely with their rotation for 2009, assuming Jaime Moyer will return. If Moyer is to return and take his position as the number four guy, there is still an opening ready for a top-of-the-line pitcher to slide in. And there are plenty of arms on the market.
The big name out there is CC Sabathia, formerly of the Indians and Brewers. He is the premier left handed pitcher in baseball and just happens to be out on the open market just after the Phillies have won the World Series. That means the Phillies have the money to lure him in, even though at this point it seems very unlikely. If the Phils are smart, they will take a good, long look at Sabathia. While the team still has to try and secure long-term deals for their superstars Cole Hamels and Ryan Howard, among others, how enticing would it be to see CC and Hamels back to back in the rotation for the next four or five years. Two of the most amazing lefties in the league would cause a lot of fits for a lot of teams.
While that may be a pipe dream for myself as well as countless Philadelphians, there is still a slim possibility of it. More likely, the Phillies will look at the cheaper options on the open market. One name that strikes me is Jon Garland.
Garland is 29 years old, which is still very young by pitching standards, has pitched in a World Series, and won 14 games last season with the Los Angeles Angels. While his ERA was in the high four’s, one would think that could come down if he were to pitch in the National League. Garland wouldn’t come too cheap ($12 million salary in ’08), but would cost a great deal less than Sabathia. Hey, Garland couldn’t be any worse than Adam Eaton, and he has a better track record.
A few other names that may surface in the coming weeks or months are Ben Sheets, A.J. Burnett and Ryan Dempster.
Sheets may be the most frustrating of the three, having been on the disabled list in each of the past four seasons. Last season for the Milwaukee Brewers, Sheets went 13-9 with a 3.09 ERA. However, he ended the year on the DL and did not pitch in the playoffs. This season he will look for a suitor to throw him a long-term deal, and while many will be reluctant to do so, he could come at a relatively decent price. Sheets made $12 million last season and if he comes at that price for three seasons, he may be worth the investment.
Burnett might very well have the best stuff of the trio, but he too is an injury risk. He will come at a steeper price, probably at least $15 million per year. While Burnett has the potential to be a superstar pitcher with the right team, the Phillies pockets probably aren’t that deep.
Dempster had a breakout season in 2008 after being relegated to bullpen duty the previous four seasons. His numbers were incredible for the Cubs this past season, going 17-6 with a sub-three earned run average. His asking price will be high as well, and while it seems that the Cubs will bring him back, all three of these men will cause the Phillies to lose their top pick in the MLB Draft.
Many raises will be given to Phillies players who are eligible for arbitration, so the more expensive options would seem unlikely at this point. However, it’s always possible knowing that with the revenue brought in from a title run, the Phils front-office could very well open up the wallets. If it is not in the cards to obtain the services of a Sabathia, Sheets, or Burnett, don’t forget the name Garland. Some other names you may hear in the near future are Randy Wolf, Braden Looper, or Derek Lowe. Each would cost less and could still give the Phillies that extra-starter they covet. If free-agency is out of the question in the end, the job could belong to J.A. Happ or Carlos Carrasco.
But whatever happens, its always nice to draw up a wish list as the holiday season creeps close. And while the collective wish for a title has been fulfilled, it’s now time to wish for back-to-back. To make it there, the starting pitching needs to get stronger. The time to upgrade begins now.
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