I wonder if Tom Gordon will be back in April to pick up his World Series ring or if he'll be pitching somewhere. Wish you well, Flash, wish you health.
Last night was the deadline for tendering contracts. The Phillies signed utility guy Eric Bruntlett, who had a fair share of key moments in the playoffs, and yeoman righty Clay Condrey to new contracts and non-tendered RHP Scott Mathiesson, then signed him to a minor league deal as he continues rehabbing from his second arm surgery. Now on the arbitration clock: Joe Blanton, Gregg Dobbs, Chad Durbin, Cole Hamels, Ryan Howard, Ryan Madson, Shane Victorino, and Jayson Werth. Should be fun.
I wonder how many of the fans screaming about the Ibanez signing were booing Pat Burrell a couple of years ago. Or how they endured Burrell's half-season slump this year without wanting to jump off a bridge. Many also seem to be the ones who speak blithely about trading Ryan Howard right now for some fantasy package of young studs. Like Pat Burrell is irreplaceable offense and Ryan Howard is not. Or is it that they want to be Pat Burrell more than they want to be Ryan Howard? I don't know how Raul Ibanez will work out as a Phillie for three years but he seems at the least to be the kind of hitter that the Phillies need, if not the age we'd like. Burrell reportedly wanted more time and money than the Phillies wanted to give him, but I think it was his half-season slump that that pretty much decided his fate in Philadelphia. The sabermetrics crowd will continue howling about stats but they should look at it this way: Burrell, unlike lots of other players, gets to leave on a high note.
How amusing to hear talk of Abreu or Burrell in the Mets' outfield. Wouldn't that get a lot of panties in a twist?
