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Gillick: I Might Negotiate Deals During Season

Despite being outta here at the end of the season, Pat Gillick said he wouldn’t be opposed to talking to players about their stays in Philadelphia post-2008. The two players in question are Brad Lidge and Pat Burrell.

Lidge (0.00 ERA, 9 SV) has been perhaps the Major Leagues’ best closer this season. Burrell (.298 AVG, 9 HR, 31 RBI) has been one of the league’s best run producers so far. Gillick agrees:

“I’d say at this point they’re both having above-average seasons. They probably would be somebody we would have to consider retaining.”

So there’s hope Burrell and Lidge could be negotiated with during the season. If I’m the Phils, I think about a 2Y/$24MM deal for Burrell loaded with incentives and a 3Y/$30MM deal for Lidge.

The question remains: Will they stand “Pat” on Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels?

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.