The Adversaries in Atlanta

Posted by Corey Seidman, Wed, December 23, 2009 04:14 AM

While Jack Zduriencik, and to a lesser extent, Ruben Amaro Jr., have been stealing headlines this offseason by wheeling, dealing, shuffling, and replenishing, Frank Wren is quietly assembling a formidable team in Turner Country.

For eight years, Wren was as an understudy to long-time Braves GM John Schuerholz, a man whose name is usually written in sentences that contain the words “genius” or “legendary.” After seventeen successful seasons as the General Manager of the Braves, Schuerholz, the architect of a team that won an unprecedented fourteen consecutive division titles under his watch, assumed the role of team president.

Wren took over then, but the club he inherited was more of a second- or third-place team in the NL East; the Braves had slowly fallen behind the Phillies and Mets in terms major league talent level, despite producing and sustaining an above-average farm system.

An injury-plagued 2008 season led to a 72-90 finish in Wren’s first year as GM. The Braves lost 14 of 18 games to the Phillies and ended the season with a record closer to that of the last-place Nationals than the Phils.

In 2009, the team fared much better, going 86-76 and winning 23 of 36 against the Phils and Mets.

But after watching the Phillies hit (and occasionally pitch) their way to two World Series berths, Wren has attempted to stockpile as much firepower as humanly possible through trades and free agency. And to make things even scarier for Philadelphians, he doesn’t seem to be finished piecing together his 2010 puzzle.

Wren got to work early by signing righthanded reliever and former Joe Torre-workhorse, Scott Proctor, to a minor-league deal. A week later, an agreement was reached that will keep Tim Hudson in Atlanta for three more seasons. On the second day of December, Billy Wagner sold himself to a third NL East employer by agreeing to a one-year pact with the Braves. And one day later, former Dodgers closer Takashi Saito signed a deal.

When the team’s 2009 closer, Rafael Soriano, agreed to arbitration, the Braves had a strange dilemma on their hands, as they all-of-the-sudden possessed a glut of late-inning relievers. Keeping Soriano and his $8M price-tag would have been difficult, so Wren shipped him off to Tampa Bay for Jesse Chavez, a righthanded reliever who pitched 67 solid innings for the Pirates in ‘09 before being traded to the Rays in the offseason.

On December 11, the Braves and outfielder Matt Diaz agreed to terms, allowing the unquestionably underrated Phillie-killer to avoid arbitration.

Finally, on December 22, Wren and Yankees GM Brian Cashman worked out a trade that sent the great Javier Vazquez back to New York in exchange for outfielder Melky Cabrera. Reliever Boone Logan was also traded to New York, and pitching prospects Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino went to Atlanta.

By trading Vazquez, the Braves lost an extremely effective starting pitcher who struck out ten batters per nine innings pitched in 2009, while walking only two-per-nine. Every single number Vazquez compiled last season was extraordinary (1.02 WHIP, 238 K’s in 219 innings,) as evidenced by his fourth place finish in the race for NL Cy Young. It’s difficult to call the Braves “winners” in a deal that loses them such a dominant starter, but the Vazquez trade benefits the Braves in multiple ways.

For starters, his $11.5M salary is wiped off the books. Secondly, it allows Atlanta to enter the 2010 season having a set rotation of Jair Jurrjens, Derek Lowe, Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson, and Kenshin Kawakami. While the 2009 Phillies and Red Sox proved that you can never have enough starting pitching, the Braves had an excess at the position and used that advantage to patch up an ugly hole in the outfield.

Cabrera hit .274/.336/.416 last year with 13 homers and 68 RBI in 485 at-bats. His defense was just about middle-of-the-pack and he was worth 1.6 wins above replacement. The Braves outfield was terrible in 2009, but the addition of Cabrera solidifies it. If the outfield were to be left alone from this point forward, Cabrera would be flanked by Diaz (a player who deserves to play everyday) and Nate McClouth.

But, unfortunately, Frank Wren isn’t interested in leaving the outfield as is.

As a guest on 790 The Zone in Atlanta Tuesday, Wren dropped a few not-so-subtle hints about the Braves plans in the coming days. “There’s definitely some more things we’re doing,” he said, “We’re going to add a run-producer that’s going to round out our offense.”

Now, the “run-producer” Wren mentioned could be a guy like Adam LaRoche (re-acquired by the Braves in July of ‘09,) or Marlon Byrd, but the Braves could also be players in the Jason Bay or Matt Holliday sweepstakes. Holliday will likely be too expensive for the Braves, but not Bay. He’ll get something in the vicinity of $64M over four years, meaning the Braves would only be paying a few million more in 2010 salary than they would have been with Vazquez on the team.

Bay would make much more sense with the Braves than the Mets, because the Braves appear to be headed in the right direction. Bay’s agent recently expressed the free agent outfielder’s disinterest in signing with a third-place club, which is what the 2010 Mets are looking more and more like each day.

Bay is not a superstar capable of single-handedly catapulting a team to greatness, but he is a .280/.376/.520 hitter that is projected to hit 32 homers next season. His defense is atrocious, but with all things included, he’d add about three wins to the 2010 Atlanta Braves. Considering this is the tail-end of Chipper Jones’ career, it makes sense to sign Bay and make the most of a 3-4-5 that would include the two sluggers and catcher Brian McCann.

The Atlanta bullpen was improved by the signings of Wagner and Saito, as was the outfield by trading for Cabrera. In dealing Vazquez, they gave up a surplus for a deficit, but locked themselves into a starting rotation that just about every other major league team should envy.

If Frank Wren can make one more splash by signing Jason Bay, those old foes from Atlanta could give the Phillies a run for their money in 2010, Roy Halladay or not.

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49 Responses to “The Adversaries in Atlanta”

  1. hotstove.com / archive » Early Wednesday Morning Hot Stove Notes: Cardinals, Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, Orioles, more Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 5:59 am

    [...] Cory Seidman of PhilliesNation.com is taking notice of what the Atlanta Braves are doing this [...]

  2. George Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 7:31 am

    The Braves could definitely be formidable in 2010, but they could also fail due to injuries. Wagner and Saito have spent a lot of time on the DL the past couple of years, Chipper Jones is always a health risk, and Lowe showed a few cracks last year. If they’re healthy, though, look out. That rotation scares me.

    Depending on who the “run producer” is, the Braves could also suffer a bit defensively. McCLouth and Diaz aren’t known for fielding excellence, Cabrera is only average, and on the infield, Jones is definitely not the Jones of old.

  3. WFC010 Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 8:02 am

    I have been AFRAID of Atlanta on years when they WEREN’T that good, so frankly…i’m a bit scared right now. At the moment, it looks like Atlanta will be the toughest team for us in the NLEast in ‘10 and I wouldn’t completely write off the Marlins or even the Mets(!) either.

  4. Brian Michael Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 10:18 am

    You should always worry about Atlanta.

  5. Geoff Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 10:19 am

    I agree that the Braves will be the hardest to beat in NLEAST. The Mets are going to suck unles they sign a good starting pitcher and either Jason Bay or Matt Holliday. The Marlins will be pesky but still bad. The Nationals will NOT finish dead last in the division…I predict they will finish 4th, maybe 3rd depending on how Strasburg fares. I like the Nationals’ lineup…they just have no pitching. They signed Jason Marquis, and they have added some decent bullpen arms. They will improve…

    The Braves will be a force, though I think they may still try and move Lowe to the Angels.

    Still, the Phillies are WAY better than anyone else in their division. As they are now, providing the holes left are filled with capable people, a healthy Phillies team will win over 90 games again and cruise back into the World Series.

  6. joedad Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 10:44 am

    I think the Braves have improved the bullpen slightly (lose Soriano and gain Saito and Wagner) and the outfield very slightly (Cabrera is average). Vasquez had a great year last year so it is nice to see him on another team. The Phils have improved #1 pitcher, 3rd base and bench. They still have work to do in the bullpen. Overall, the Phils improved more than the Braves so I think the division will be the Phils (depending on injuries). The Braves will certainly contend for the wild card.

  7. Don M Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 10:46 am

    We’ve already seen the best of Derek Lowe, earlier in his career

    Kawakami has BUST written all over him..

    Hanson, Hudson, Jurrjens is good..

    Chipper is aging, and often injured.. Brian McCann is one of the best catchers in baseball… Yunel Escobar looks like he’ll give us problems over the next few years

    they added lots of under-the-radar talent in McLouth and Melky Cabrera.. these guys could be awesome..

    Braves will content.. I had them as a playoff team last year.. knowing the Marlins and Giants were’nt legit … I never saw the Rockies coming last year!!!

  8. psujoe Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 10:59 am

    Looks like the Braves are going to sign Glaus to incentive laiden contract to play first. If healthy he’ll help that lineup.

  9. Don M Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 11:16 am

    What happened to the box on the left-side of the screen that showed you the 4 most recent posts??

    that was the best thing for following conversation…

    All i want for Christmas, is for that feature to come back.

  10. Ryan Hoffman Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 11:23 am

    I’m sorry, but I don’t see it.
    Their rotation is good, but took a huge step back by shipping Vazquez. I don’t think the trade was necessarily stupid, however its not for Cabrera, but for Vizcaino. He is probably the best prospect not named Drabek traded this offseason.
    But the reality is they just lost a a 5-6 win pitcher in Vazquez, and replacing him with Kawakami is a net loss of at least 4-5 wins. On top of that, they are replacing Soriano and Gonzalez with Wagner and Saito. Thats a downgrade, both on the field and finacially. Though Wagner is the kind of pitcher that could be worth twice his contract, Saito is not and these are two pitchers with a combined age of 79. That is a big flashing red light.

    As for Melky and the outfield, I don’t see how Melky Fucking Cabrera “solidifies” an outfield. He is the definition of average.
    Now for the peanuts he will be paid thats okay, but having to pay him thru arbitration in th coming years is gonna diminish any real value this trade has for 2009.
    Jason Heywerd is the best prospect in the game and is on the cusp of coming up. An outfield of McClouth, Heyward and Diaz is better than most teams and if Wren thinks he needs to get someone like Bay (an overpay in doing so) then he is shooting himself in the foot.
    They just signed a decent and affordable Troy Glaus so offensively this team is slightly above average and doesn’t need anyone else, especially Bay.

    Their pitching is above average and all told, losing Vazquez but replacing Garret Anderson’s awfulness with Heyward/Cabrera this team is pretty much right where it was at the start of last season and this is at the very best an 89 win team and at worst a 79 win team. They are definitely the only real competition for the Phils, but I don’t see a problem for us barring a serious injury.

  11. psujoe Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 11:24 am

    Don, that’s it? No relief pitcher, LOL.

  12. j reed Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 11:30 am

    melky cabrera after pulling shennageans by teasing fans with a WS game balls he didn’t toss into the crowd and that spazoid dance he did in the dug out after he injuried his hamstring in the WS deserves to be hit by a dumptruck. Now he has 9 games in our house that is if i don’t rent a dumptruck first.

    lowe is still a sinkerballer and though not in his prime still annoying. Man, can’t we just go to the pitcher – mart and get a few clams for a Moyer trade-in. It’s bad enough I have carpel tunnel syndrome in my right hand from swinging a hammer, I now have it in my left hand with all the hand ringing the guy causes me when he’s pitching and the ump’s strike zone is the size of a smurf. Which is alot these days. Does anyone what to see that retro-fitted Braves line-up against Moyer?

  13. Manny Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 11:31 am

    Marlins weren’t legit? They finished on top of the Braves in 2009… Nobody takes the pesky fish seriously but they’re usually in it. They were contending in 2008, too.

    For 2010, however, I think the Braves are putting together a solid, more balanced team than in previous seasons… so yea this time I expect them to beat the Marlins and Mets… It’s still December though and a signing or two for any of these teams could shift the balance of power easily.

  14. Don M Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 11:48 am

    Marlins had way too many holes, including no closer..

    they were a good team.. they were not a legit playoff contender in my mind..
    Giants had no offense, and if they correct that with a Jason Bay?? They would be awesome

    Braves got hot down the stretch last year.. they battled early injuries, including Brian McCann and Garrett Anderson .

    they are a really good team

  15. j reed Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 12:01 pm

    Saito, I thought he retired and went back to Japan. I knew he pitched for the B Sox early last year but thought they cut him. Speaking of asian relievers, any word as to whether Chan Ho has come to his senses and want to be part of our BP?

  16. j reed Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 12:07 pm

    Yeah plus the fish will have a new domed park. If that improves attendance then that might give them more revenue to fill in those BP gaps. Maybe we can get something from the for Aumont…at 6′7, you know the fish have a fetish for NBA pitching rotations.

  17. shag beta sigma delta Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 12:53 pm

    Slow day in Phillie land when we are talking about the Braves. I know it is something to talk about, but do they really have an offense that can win a NL East crown. I am going to go out on a limb and say the Phillies will win 98-102 games this year. I think the Mets will be toast, IMO the Fish can win 90 games this year so I think they will be the main competition. Also the Braves are betting on an injured Hudson, and an up and down guy like Lowe to carry their staff I have my doubts.
    Merry Christmas to you all, and though I disagree with many of you more than I would like to, I am glad to have found the Phillies Nation after following this team since 1970. You are all great to argue with and celebrate with and yes sometimes to cry to and with. Have a great Holliday

  18. George Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 1:06 pm

    Get out your Troy Glaus voodoo dolls and start sticking the pins in, because he’s a Brave now. Not sure how good he’ll be at first base, but he’ll likely be fine at the plate, unless he’s injured.

    It seems to me the Braves are signing a lot of injury risks. If they stay healthy, they’ll be fine, but if Wagner’s arm falls off, or Glaus goes down, they’re in trouble. They are obviously signing risks because they can’t afford name players that are healthy, so when their DL list gets long, we’ll see a lot of AAA fill-ins.

    What worries me is that the Phils, too, have injury risks, like Lidge, Romero, and now Moyer. Utley gets hit too much by pitches. Ibanez is old. Ruiz has numerous neck problems. Hamels has had more than one DL stint. Even with Halladay, this could be a difficult season; even with Halladay and Lee, there would be no guarantees.

  19. j reed Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 1:37 pm

    Yep, aint it a bitch. Though Hamels is getting close to his peak years so, a good off season conditioning program I think will carry him thru the year and hopefully give his four seamer some more scoot. I am banking on a rebound year for Rollins. We still produced with our lead dog struggling. Romero has alot of time to heal and is one of the better conditioned players in the league. He seems pretty training saavy and hopefully wouldn’t do something to interfere with his recovery like play video games or guitar hero for hours on end. And Moyer well, he ran his course with me and I’d really like to have seen Kendrick or some type of GB pitcher, Honda Accord type of guy. If more umps were giving the low and away zones of the 90’s I’d be okay with Moyer. He has to be absolutely perfect more often than not with the disappearing corners of today’s strike zone. If they match him up with the right team and umps , then fine.

  20. Chuck Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 1:39 pm

    Yeah…just where IS that box on the left of the page?….I loved it too….now I have to check EACH thread to see where the”action” is…

  21. shawn qwartz Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 2:09 pm

    Atlanta strives to always be competitive. You gotta appreciate them. A team like this is good for baseball, despite the fact that I do not like them at all. I am a die-hard Phillies fan.

  22. D_Bloc Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 2:39 pm

    I like your analysis on this and you are probably right on the fact that this clears room in their payroll to make a serious offer to Jason Bay. But spare me the Sabermetric prediction of how many more wins a team could have with or without a player. You can’t quantify everything in baseball (all sports for that matter).

    Until a time machine is invented, we can never come close to predicting how many wins a player will bring to a team. There are just to many variables.

  23. Maverick Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 2:46 pm

    F-the Braves.

  24. Amazinsux Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 2:56 pm

    I’m with you, Maverick! The Braves will still be looking up at the Phillies in 2010!

  25. rc Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 3:01 pm

    This is one of the worst articles I ever read. They did not improve their bullpen replacing Soriano and Gonzalez with Wagner and Saito. I’m not sure it isn’t a lateral move. Jayson Werth is way better than Melky Cabrera who barely put up Pedro Feliz numbers.

    They have not picked up Jason Bay yet and even if they do it’s not enough for them to catch the Phillies unless they get career years from their pitchers.

    I’m not saying these are terrible moves but come on. You’re thrilled with Wagner and Melky Cabrera? I’d rather have Soriano than Saito so that’s a wash absolutely.

  26. Corey Seidman Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 3:05 pm

    Rc – They stabilized an already effective bullpen, traded Vazquez to fill a hole, improved the lineup, will have a full-year of Tommy Hanson, another full-year of Jair Jurrjens, who hit his prime immediately.

    The Phils couldn’t hit Atlanta starting pitching last season, and now the Braves have improved, and will continue to improve their offense.

    Not sure why you’re comparing Melky Cabrera to Jayson Werth, that has absolutely nothing to do with anything. Under that logic…Alex Rodriguez is better than Placido Polanco, so the Yankees MUST be better than the Phillies!!!

  27. Don M Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 3:05 pm

    and if “rc” says it.. it must be true

  28. psujoe Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 3:08 pm

    Phils are better, but what is tough to swallow is what the Braves got in return for Vazqez. How in the heck does one year of Vazquez at 11.5 million get a major league outfielder, a good AAA reliever and a stud 19 year old pitcher when the Phils got 3 upside prospects for one year of Lee at 9 million?

  29. Maverick Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 3:11 pm

    “Alex Rodriguez is better than Placido Polanco, so the Yankees MUST be better than the Phillies!!!”

    Pretty sure the Yanks proved that last year so his argument might have some validity

  30. j reed Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 3:14 pm

    rc-
    I think he was saying as Soriano was already gone and that Saito improved there bull pen not relative to Soriano. but by the fact that their was a hole which made the BP worse and it improved once Saito or who ever filled it.

  31. Corey Seidman Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 3:19 pm

    Good point, psujoe. Arodys Vizcaino is a highly regarded minor league pitcher, so this trade wasn’t as one-sided as it may look on the surface.

    All I can say in regard to the Braves getting more for Vazquez than the Phillies did for Lee is that the Phils were not looking for major-league talent like Melky Cabrera, they were *looking* for upside prospects. Had they been looking for major-league ready players, the trade would have looked a lot different.

    And oh-by-the-way, to those confused by the Brandon Morrow trade, you may have some clarification…

    Dave Cameron of USS Mariner posted an article basically theorizing that the Morrow deal was part of the Halladay and Cliff Lee deals all along, but since the teams were given a 72-hour window by MLB, Seattle and Toronto didn’t have enough time to hammer out who would be going to Seattle in return for Morrow.

    In other words, the Blue Jays wanted a major-league ready pitcher in the Halladay/Lee deals, and they wanted Morrow all along, but they weren’t given enough time to get him.

    This is why the Morrow trade looks so lopsided from afar. And this is why the Phillies didn’t seek another bidder for Cliff Lee or wait to trade him. This all makes MUCH, MUCH more sense now, and Jack Z doesn’t look like as big a genius as he did last week.

  32. j reed Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 3:25 pm

    Corey need some advice . I am look for a good book[s] on sabrmetrics that shows how the math is derived. I prefer to learn from books than the computer screens. I read alot of the primers at fangraphs but would be more comfortable with actual printed text. Done enough higher math , some probability theory, basic stats., boolean algebra, logic….blah blah. Anyway if could recommended some books I’d appreciate it.

  33. Corey Seidman Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 3:43 pm

    J Reed – Ironically enough, Eric Seidman wrote a book on this exact topic, called “Bridging the Statistical Gap.” It explains basically everything you need to know about sabermetrics, and it does so in layman’s terms. The foreword was written by Jayson Stark.

    When he wrote it, the tagline was something like “Explaining advanced statistics easy enough that my girlfriend’s mother could understand.”

    You can find it here.

    http://www.amazon.com/Bridging-Statistical-Gap-Eric-Seidman/dp/1435720407

  34. psujoe Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 3:46 pm

    Cory, that’s interesting. My guess is if the Jays don’t get Morrow they have to get Happ since they wanted a major league ready arm. The Phils figured Lee and Blanton are gone after 2010 so the rotation would have too many holes to fill without Happ. Makes sense to me.

  35. Geoege Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 4:09 pm

    I’m not so sure about that Morrow trade theory. If I were looking for an ML ready pitcher, I’d certainly want someone with fewer injuries than Morrow. League doesn’t seem like much, but to me, niether does Morrow, which makes the trade more or less even.

    As far as what the Braves got for Vasquez as opposed to the Phils’ return on Lee, I agree with Corey Seidman. You go for what you need. The Phils weren’t looking for help for this year, but for the future. Vizcaino may be highly regarded, but the other prospect is just a prospect. All three guys the Phils got are highly regarded, and will probably be ready by the time they’re needed. So what if the Braves got Cabrera? They’re already saying they don’t know what his exact role will be. He too might be traded for a prospect–and how much does a forth outfielder bring?

  36. George Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 4:12 pm

    Don’t ask me why, but for some reason my last comment was posted as being by Geoege. Stupid internet!!

    Writing “forth” instead of “fourth,” however, was my own stupidity.

  37. psujoe Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 5:01 pm

    Vazquez was a basic salary dump and Viscaino is a heck of a prospect albeit a young one. I wouldn’t doubt they flip Cabrera if they can get some more prospects. I’m just hoping they don’t sign Bay or another big bat.

    Phillies have agreed to terms with a reliever according to CSN Philly. No clue who. Physical next year.

  38. j reed Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 5:17 pm

    Corey thanks for the book titles. I didn’t know if you were being sarcastic or genuine about holding Jayson Stark in high esteem when calling him as your hero. (I think it was you) But anyway he’ll be at the Willow Grove Barnes and Noble with Ray Didenger and Glen MacNow of 610 WIP for some book signing from 6 PM to I believe 9 PM.

  39. j reed Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 5:19 pm

    MacDougal from the Nats maybe. Skinny tall kid…

  40. j reed Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 5:21 pm

    Psujoe – By physical next year do mean the next season or sometime after Dec. 31, 2009?

  41. WFC010 Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 5:35 pm

    I really want to know what reliever this is, but they better be worth the money regardless!

    If all they have available are crappy and/or overpriced relievers, the Phillies may be better off looking in their own system for somebody, or I don’t know what!

  42. j reed Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 6:57 pm

    well there is bastardo as a left hander. he’ ours

  43. mikemike Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 9:55 pm

    just match the atlanta starter with our starters. pitching and defense win and they now have it if hamels doesnt come back if halladay and what unproven happ, joe hitmachine blanton and 49 year old moyer. Man I Know y are phillies fan so am I but lets be real here the braves have improve there pitching and the fact is if heywood is ready they could have a Chase utley type in there lineup by mid season to go with there other players.

  44. shag beta sigma delta Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 10:08 pm

    Mikemike put down the pipe, how is Happ unproven, he has pitched well in his short stint in 08, and again for a long period of time 09 until the oblique injury, and the braves rotation is not as good as last year, Lowe is inconsistent, Hudson is coming off major surgery, and is questionable, hanson, and Kawami(sp) are not better then Happ and Blanton. And really they just got ride of their best starter.

  45. AdamEaton21 Says:
    December 24th, 2009 at 4:14 am

    Resign Chan Ho Park, he needs the money…

    http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/2009/12/chan_ho_park_suing_former_catc.html

  46. derekcarstairs Says:
    December 24th, 2009 at 5:36 am

    The scariest thing about the 2010 Braves was supposed to be the pitching staff. With the Vazquez trade, the Braves are not so scary. Vazquez was easily the Braves’ best pitcher in 2009. Losing Soriano and Gonzalez and adding Billy Wagner is also a net loss for the pitching staff.

    No matter what else the Braves do this off-season, the Phils’ offense will remain far stronger. Melky is not a regular outfielder on a good team. He is a fourth outfielder.

    The NL East should be an easy win for the Phils. With Halladay (or Lee) for a full season, a bounce-back season for Hamels, and Lidge simply being an above-average closer, the Phils look good for 100 wins in 2010.

    The Phils will also be the class of the NL. The Dodgers will be weaker. The Cubs haven’t improved. The Cards will be weaker if they don’t re-sign Holliday. The Giants have great pitching and could be tough if they make the playoffs. Posey should be a good addition to the Giants’ lineup, but their offense remains weak. Nobody else has made any big moves.

  47. Don M Says:
    December 24th, 2009 at 10:39 am

    Melky Cabrera is actually pretty damn good… alot of people think he just gets overhyped because he played in New York

    but he’s a good defensive outfielder, hits for a decent average, and with regular playing time could probably be a 15-15, or 20-20 guy with HRs and Steals

  48. Corey Seidman Says:
    December 24th, 2009 at 2:08 pm

    You’re all pretty much spot-on, but the one thing I’ll disagree with is ‘Shag beta sigma delta’s comment that Happ and Blanton are better than Tommy Hanson and Kenshin Kawakami.

    Hanson will be a very, very good pitcher for a long time. He is much better than Happ and will show that in 2010, when Happ regresses slightly to his true talent level and Hanson gets even better with another year of experience.

    Kawakami had a solid year as both a starter and reliever, and got better as the year went on. He was great in May, June, August, and September, but bad in April and shaky in July. That said, this is the same guy who was being bidded on by numerous teams last offseason, the Phillies being one of them, and ultimately signed a 3 yr/$23M contract.

  49. psujoe Says:
    December 24th, 2009 at 2:10 pm

    jr,
    After the new year.

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Phils news:

MLB.com: Phillies Update
Phils Trade Rumors
ESPN News
MLB Trade Rumors
Inquirer Phillies News
Phillies Transactions
Phillies Free Agent Tracker
Scout.com - Phillies

academic:

Baseball Diplomacy
Baseball and the American City
Gospel on the Mound: Our National Pastime and the Culture of Religion

Mitchell Nathanson
Economic Issues in Sports
Business of Baseball Data and Documents
Baseball Hall of Fame Research Department
Phillies Wikipedia

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2009 salaries:

Charlie Manuel - $3 million
Ryan Howard - $19 million
Chase Utley - $15 million
Roy Halladay - $15.75 million (Toronto pays $6 million)
Brad Lidge - $11.5 million
Raul Ibanez - $11.5 million
Jimmy Rollins - $7.5 million
Jayson Werth - $7 million
Cole Hamels - $6.65 million
Jamie Moyer - $6.5 million
Placido Polanco - $5.25 million
Joe Blanton - $5.475 million
Ryan Madson - $4.5 million
J.C. Romero - $4 million
Shane Victorino - $3.125 million
Chad Durbin - $1.635 million
Greg Dobbs - $1.35 million
Ross Gload - $1 million
Brian Schnieder - $1 million
Juan Castro - $750,000
Clay Condrey - $650,000
Chris Snelling - $450,000
Kyle Kendrick - $445,000
Carlos Ruiz - $425,000
Chris Coste - $415,000
Francisco Rosario - $395,000
Mike Zagurski - $392,500
Fabio Castro - $383,000
J.D. Durbin - $380,000
Anderson Garcia - $380,000
Scott Mathieson - $380,000
J.A. Happ - $380,000
Yoel Hernandez - $380,000
Scott Mathieson - $380,000
Chris Roberson - $380,000
Brian Sanches - $380,000
Zach Segovia - $380,000
Matt Smith - $380,000
Joe Thurston - $380,000

Phillies Contracts and Salaries

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