779 replies to this topic

[Please See Mine]

Francouer to KC

Matt Diaz to Pitt

Dom Brown sent home from winter ball because he was hitting under .100.

Please don't tell me that Ben Francisco is our rightfielder next year.

CLIFF LEE!!!! #### RF!

5 yr, $115m. #### THE YANKS 7 yr/$138 and TX $161!!!

Edited by Please See Mine, 23 September 2012 - 03:03 PM.

[Billy Bats]

I wasn't expecting anything big to happen too soon. Being handcuffed by the payroll, particularly Ibanez' 10m anchor, there isn't going to be a big splash this week.

Franceur, Diaz, meh. Are they really that much better than our current options? Still hearing rumors about Cuddyer for some reason. Not sure why Minny would even trade him, or what we have to offer in return. But I would be onboard with that move, albeit very unlikely.

The one thing that has me confused is Reuben professing that Brown doesn't have a definite roster spot on the big club, stating if we feel he needs more at bats then he's ok with him starting in the minors. Then what the hell did you have him wasting time on our bench in September?? If that's the case then he better add someone to help out in RF.

Gotta get some serious BP help too.

[Eephus]

The Aaron Roward rumors are interesting

[Please See Mine]

On the cusp of signing

**********

DENNYS REYES

**********

The epitome of the journeyman, left-handed specialist.

Which is fine, as they certainly needed to fill that.

[Billy Bats]

The Aaron Roward rumors are interesting

Yea, for you maybe.

[Eephus]

The Aaron Roward rumors are interesting

Yea, for you maybe.

Take my wife, please

[Billy Bats]

While unlikely to happen, at least Reuben has the balls to check into things, and ya never know...

http://www.csnphilly...chive_salisbury

[Please See Mine]

While unlikely to happen, at least Reuben has the balls to check into things, and ya never know...

http://www.csnphilly...chive_salisbury

[Lehigh98]

Lee back to Phils?
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

The top bullets have the latest:

One member of the Phillies organization has said to Jack Curry of the YES Network that Lee isn't in the same class as C.C. Sabathia and Roy Halladay and would be a riskier signing (Twitter link).
A decision is unlikely tonight, but could come tomorrow, according to Heyman (on Twitter).
The Yankees are now "extremely negative" about landing Lee and they believe he is leaning toward the Phillies' offer, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter).
There is a belief Lee is heading to the Phillies, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Phils "look like a very strong candidate to win Lee's services" (Twitter link).
Lee moved closer to a decision tonight, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. The Phillies entered the bidding for Lee after the winter meetings and have presented the lefty with “a spirited late bid,” Crasnick writes.
The Phillies, Yankees and Rangers are finalists for Lee, who appears to be close to deciding on a team, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com (on Twitter).
The Phillies are looking to unload Joe Blanton and the $17MM that remains on his contract through 2012, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link).
The Phillies are still bidding on Lee, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. declined to comment, but a source told Rosenthal that the team is "not out."
Lee has yet to make a decision, Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Tyler Kepner of the New York Times (on Twitter). "He'll make [a decision] someday," Cashman said.
There are still rumblings about a third team, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The mystery team's offer appears to be significantly lower than the Yankees' proposal, but it's from a place Lee "loves."
Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes, "You would be surprised at how many folks [in the game] think there is a legitimate third team bidding on Lee beyond the Yankees and Rangers." Sherman speculates on who that team might be. Less than a third of you believe such a club exists.
Lee's agent Darek Braunecker has been in touch with the Yankees today, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, and he said the process is ongoing.
The unidentified third team is only willing to go four or five years, writes George A. King III of the New York Post.

[otello]

Lee back to Phils?
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

The top bullets have the latest:

One member of the Phillies organization has said to Jack Curry of the YES Network that Lee isn't in the same class as C.C. Sabathia and Roy Halladay and would be a riskier signing (Twitter link).
A decision is unlikely tonight, but could come tomorrow, according to Heyman (on Twitter).
The Yankees are now "extremely negative" about landing Lee and they believe he is leaning toward the Phillies' offer, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter).
There is a belief Lee is heading to the Phillies, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Phils "look like a very strong candidate to win Lee's services" (Twitter link).
Lee moved closer to a decision tonight, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. The Phillies entered the bidding for Lee after the winter meetings and have presented the lefty with “a spirited late bid,” Crasnick writes.
The Phillies, Yankees and Rangers are finalists for Lee, who appears to be close to deciding on a team, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com (on Twitter).
The Phillies are looking to unload Joe Blanton and the $17MM that remains on his contract through 2012, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link).
The Phillies are still bidding on Lee, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. declined to comment, but a source told Rosenthal that the team is "not out."
Lee has yet to make a decision, Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Tyler Kepner of the New York Times (on Twitter). "He'll make [a decision] someday," Cashman said.
There are still rumblings about a third team, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The mystery team's offer appears to be significantly lower than the Yankees' proposal, but it's from a place Lee "loves."
Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes, "You would be surprised at how many folks [in the game] think there is a legitimate third team bidding on Lee beyond the Yankees and Rangers." Sherman speculates on who that team might be. Less than a third of you believe such a club exists.
Lee's agent Darek Braunecker has been in touch with the Yankees today, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, and he said the process is ongoing.
The unidentified third team is only willing to go four or five years, writes George A. King III of the New York Post.

The prospect of this is insane.

[The Goat]

Lee back to Phils?
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

The top bullets have the latest:

One member of the Phillies organization has said to Jack Curry of the YES Network that Lee isn't in the same class as C.C. Sabathia and Roy Halladay and would be a riskier signing (Twitter link).
A decision is unlikely tonight, but could come tomorrow, according to Heyman (on Twitter).
The Yankees are now "extremely negative" about landing Lee and they believe he is leaning toward the Phillies' offer, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter).
There is a belief Lee is heading to the Phillies, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Jon Heyman of SI.com says the Phils "look like a very strong candidate to win Lee's services" (Twitter link).
Lee moved closer to a decision tonight, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. The Phillies entered the bidding for Lee after the winter meetings and have presented the lefty with “a spirited late bid,” Crasnick writes.
The Phillies, Yankees and Rangers are finalists for Lee, who appears to be close to deciding on a team, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com (on Twitter).
The Phillies are looking to unload Joe Blanton and the $17MM that remains on his contract through 2012, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link).
The Phillies are still bidding on Lee, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. declined to comment, but a source told Rosenthal that the team is "not out."
Lee has yet to make a decision, Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Tyler Kepner of the New York Times (on Twitter). "He'll make [a decision] someday," Cashman said.
There are still rumblings about a third team, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The mystery team's offer appears to be significantly lower than the Yankees' proposal, but it's from a place Lee "loves."
Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes, "You would be surprised at how many folks [in the game] think there is a legitimate third team bidding on Lee beyond the Yankees and Rangers." Sherman speculates on who that team might be. Less than a third of you believe such a club exists.
Lee's agent Darek Braunecker has been in touch with the Yankees today, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, and he said the process is ongoing.
The unidentified third team is only willing to go four or five years, writes George A. King III of the New York Post.

The prospect of this is insane.

Holy.

#######.

####.

[Billy Bats]

Well this would certainly shock the world. This is insane.

Man Reuben has some balls, doesn't he?!? Gotta love it.

And to think this was once a francshise that didn't believe in paying for starting pitching, trotting out guys like Robert Person and Omar Daal on opening day. How the times have changed!!!!!!

[The Goat]

Well this would certainly shock the world. This is insane.

Man Reuben has some balls, doesn't he?!? Gotta love it.

And to think this was once a francshise that didn't believe in paying for starting pitching, trotting out guys like Robert Person and Omar Daal on opening day. How the times have changed!!!!!!

He gets the four words that are most important in baseball: Starting Pitching Wins Championships.



Say what you want about the 2010 postseason, but the team with the best pitching won it all.

[Billy Bats]

Well this would certainly shock the world. This is insane.

Man Reuben has some balls, doesn't he?!? Gotta love it.

And to think this was once a francshise that didn't believe in paying for starting pitching, trotting out guys like Robert Person and Omar Daal on opening day. How the times have changed!!!!!!

He gets the four words that are most important in baseball: Starting Pitching Wins Championships.



Say what you want about the 2010 postseason, but the team with the best pitching won it all.

True and true. That's why I love him. #### Ed Wade, Gillick came in and got things rolling and Reuben has jumped on the steamroller. He wants it bad, I admire it.


Someone just tweeted...

"IF you are the Red Sox, aren't you calling the Phils demanding to take Blanton and Ibanez' contracts??"

[The Goat]

Well this would certainly shock the world. This is insane.

Man Reuben has some balls, doesn't he?!? Gotta love it.

And to think this was once a francshise that didn't believe in paying for starting pitching, trotting out guys like Robert Person and Omar Daal on opening day. How the times have changed!!!!!!

He gets the four words that are most important in baseball: Starting Pitching Wins Championships.



Say what you want about the 2010 postseason, but the team with the best pitching won it all.

True and true. That's why I love him. #### Ed Wade, Gillick came in and got things rolling and Reuben has jumped on the steamroller. He wants it bad, I admire it.


Someone just tweeted...

"IF you are the Red Sox, aren't you calling the Phils demanding to take Blanton and Ibanez' contracts??"

Depending on your source, Philly is either the fifth or sixth largest city in the country. About time they started acting like a big-market club.

[Billy Bats]

OMG


mlbtraderumors MLB Trade Rumors
Phillies Agree To Sign Cliff Lee


Sullivan_Ranger TR Sullivan
by mlbtraderumors
http://bit.ly/icExAK Lee going to the Phillies. Rangers have been told


SI_JonHeyman Jon Heyman
yankees have been told they're out of cliff lee sweepstakes

ToddZolecki Todd Zolecki
Here you go, Phillies fans. RT @Sullivan_Ranger: http://bit.ly/icExAK Lee going to the Phillies. Rangers have been told

[Please See Mine]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Billy Bats]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH, Reuben KNOWS!!!!!!!!

[Billy Bats]

THank you Jayson Werth, enjoy Washington!!!!

[Lehigh98]

Ok, not to be a wet blanket here but who's out to clear payroll?

[Jeff Pasquino]

Holy smokes

[Please See Mine]

#### rf this ####### rules

[Billy Bats]

Ok, not to be a wet blanket here but who's out to clear payroll?

At least Blanton, maybe Ibanez too if Reuben can beg someone to take half of his contract.

[Iron_Far]

Yankees gotta be hating this right now. Missed out on Crawford and Werth because they put all of their energy in getting Lee. Now this.

[Dr. Awesome]

Where does Blanton get dumped?

[Billy Bats]

Four aces.

Four.

Baseball has never seen this before.

I can't sleep. This is insane.

[The Goat]

Four aces.

Four.

Baseball has never seen this before.

I can't sleep. This is insane.

Right there with ya.

*I* could be the #5 pitcher, make 30 starts, and this team would still win 90 games.

[Billy Bats]

Philly Daily News:

"Merry Cliffmas"

[stp-d]

Christmas doth come early this year... Championship!!!!

Edited by stp-d, 13 December 2010 - 10:38 PM.

[Please See Mine]

Four aces.

Four.

Baseball has never seen this before.

I can't sleep. This is insane.

I am ####### freaking out.

And MLBN is supposed to have Hot Stove on right now, but they are actually doing some show aout managers,

[otello]

[otello]

[otello]

Who remembers the Four Aces? They're back!!

[Billy Bats]

My god I just got to work and realized it wasn't all a dream!!!! I'm still not sure I believe it until I see the press conference!!!

Unbeleevable!!!!

[crewmember]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WELCOME BACK CLIFF!

[belljr]

This didn't just happen...

Hell they could sign me to play RF now ......


wow.

[Jaysus]

God bless America!!

[Please See Mine]

I was at the bar last night when this all went down. We were sitting at a table and a guy walked over from the bar and proclaimed "I have an erection right now."

I never thought I'd be happy to hear those words from another man, but as it turns out, it was pretty a damn good feeling.

[Please See Mine]

http://sports.espn.g...e=ESPNHeadlines

Sources said Amaro is trying to trade pitcher Joe Blanton to free up some money

[JaxBill]

Joe Blanton to Boston?

No details what they're getting back or how much salary hey have to eat.

Boston I guess would be looking to flip a pitcher?

[Lehigh98]

Ok, not to be a wet blanket here but who's out to clear payroll?

At least Blanton, maybe Ibanez too if Reuben can beg someone to take half of his contract.

They couldn't trade Blanton when they wanted to originally to keep Lee, not sure they could now without paying some of his salary in the deal which lessens how much that helps. Not sure who would be willing to take Raul at $11.5MM too.

Was already hearing trade rumors for Chase before this and with him at $15MM wondering if they may consider him.

And now that we have Halladay and Lee, does the FO think we need all 4 of those starters?
Are Oswalt and (and to a lesser degree since he's cheaper) Hamels safe?

And if we unload Raul or Chase or another position player, who fills in for the on the field and in the lineup?
If the lineup takes a big hit, how comfortable are you with our great starters consistantly handing 2-1, 2-0, 1-0 games to Lidge?
But one thing I'm sure Reuben considered was that if he can load up with a bunch of SP's that can go deep and rack up some CG's it takes the pressure off of the bullpen and you don't have to go out and spend big $$$ on bullpen / a closer.

Also, maybe I'm just not as thrilled with turning into what I hate about baseball (payroll monster).
Not sure if that says more about the Phils or baseball but I guess its what you have to do nowadays to compete.
And I hate that I'm starting to say things that sound like what I've been hearing from Yankee apologists for years.

But I think its obvious that Reuben has given up on his "restocking the farm system so we can compete for years and years" to focus everything on a 2-3 year window... but at least he's built the window about as big as you could hope for.

[/ramble]

Edited by Lehigh98, 14 December 2010 - 06:25 AM.

[JaxBill]

Ok, not to be a wet blanket here but who's out to clear payroll?

At least Blanton, maybe Ibanez too if Reuben can beg someone to take half of his contract.

They couldn't trade Blanton when they wanted to originally to keep Lee, not sure they could now without paying some of his salary in the deal which lessens how much that helps. Not sure who would be willing to take Raul at $11.5MM too.


[/ramble]

But now, it's a year later and Blanton now has only 2 years left and the market has gone up a little which makes his contract a little less onerous.

But, yeah, I don't think anyone touches Raul's contract.

I look at it like this:

I think they were willing to go to 15 Mil for Werth and had budgeted roughly 9 Mil for Blanton. If they can deal Blanton and only eat a couple Mil in salary, it's close to a wash.

[Please See Mine]

Updated WS odds: Phils now the favorites at 7-2

[Billy Bats]

"We're like, 'Whoa,'" Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino said. "I had heard about this mystery team. I was like, 'There's no way it's us.' Then I heard the Phillies were back in it. I texted Cliff last week and he never said anything. I texted him again today when everything started coming out. I'm like, 'Come on.' He finally texted me back, 'I'm back,' and I was like, 'Oh my goodness.' I thought there was no way we're bringing him back.

"You hear about a deal like this and you're kind of shocked. But this shows how much Cliff loved Philly. He turned down money to come back. That says a lot about him."

[Please See Mine]

Possible nicknames (with pictures!) for the rotation

http://www.crossingb.../r2c2.html#more

[otello]

Possible nicknames (with pictures!) for the rotation

http://www.crossingb.../r2c2.html#more

You beat me to it. I like r2c2 alot.

[JaxBill]

Possible nicknames (with pictures!) for the rotation

http://www.crossingb.../r2c2.html#more

Slightly OT, but whatever happened to thefightins blog? All I get is a blank page from the web provider.

[Please See Mine]

Possible nicknames (with pictures!) for the rotation

http://www.crossingb.../r2c2.html#more

Slightly OT, but whatever happened to thefightins blog? All I get is a blank page from the web provider.

I get

"This Account Has Been Suspended - If you are the webmaster of this site please contact us for further information"

Probably blew up the server.

Red Sox and Brewers interested in Blanton.

[DCThunder]

Ok, not to be a wet blanket here but who's out to clear payroll?

At least Blanton, maybe Ibanez too if Reuben can beg someone to take half of his contract.

They couldn't trade Blanton when they wanted to originally to keep Lee, not sure they could now without paying some of his salary in the deal which lessens how much that helps. Not sure who would be willing to take Raul at $11.5MM too.


[/ramble]

But now, it's a year later and Blanton now has only 2 years left and the market has gone up a little which makes his contract a little less onerous.

But, yeah, I don't think anyone touches Raul's contract.

I look at it like this:

I think they were willing to go to 15 Mil for Werth and had budgeted roughly 9 Mil for Blanton. If they can deal Blanton and only eat a couple Mil in salary, it's close to a wash.

We'll take Blanton off your hands down in Baltimore. He'd be a nice veteran addition to a young staff.

[Yankee23Fan]

This is insane. I can't recall a single free agent signing in baseball in the past decade that made me sit down and just go, "Holy ****."

I gotta hand it to this Phillies front office - the Howard contract had me puzzeled but this is just sheer genius. Doc, Lee, Ozwalt and Hamels. That is fricken impressive. All 4 could be considered an ace and lead a team. All 4 can win 20. All 4 can be a Cy Young. And then you add the lineup they get.

If I was a Mets fan, I'd throw in the towel already for this year. No one else in that division has a chance. They are going to fall down into 93 wins without breaking a sweat.