 |
Philadelphia Phillies
| |
|
| Projected Lineup |
|---|
| SS |
Jimmy Rollins |
| 2B |
Placido Polanco |
| LF |
Pat Burrell |
| 1B |
Jim Thome |
| RF |
Bobby Abreu |
| 3B |
David Bell |
| C |
Mike Lieberthal |
| CF |
Marlon Byrd |
| Projected Rotation |
|---|
| RHP |
Kevin Millwood |
| LHP |
Randy Wolf |
| RHP |
Vicente Padilla |
| RHP |
Brandon Duckworth |
| RLHP |
Brett Myers |
| CL |
Jose Mesa |
| |
|
By John Donovan, SI.com
If you can't beat them, outspend them. And then try to beat them.
The Phillies, doormats long enough in the NL East, went on a Yankee-like spending spree this winter and may have spent just enough to knock the Braves off their perch.
The funny thing is, one of the Phils' biggest acquisitions was practically a gift from the Braves.
After signing slugging first baseman Jim Thome (who bolted the Indians for a six-year, $85 million deal) and third baseman David Bell (from the Giants for four years and $17 million) to anchor the infield corners, the Phillies fell into what could end up being one of the greatest steals in the history of their organization. Kevin Millwood, an 18-game winner with the Braves last year, was offered up to the Phillies for backup catcher Johnny Estrada.
Although the arbitration-eligible Millwood would cost plenty ($10 million for one year), the Phillies jumped at the chance to install him as their ace.
The Phillies also locked up outfielders Bobby Abreu (five years, $64 million) and Pat Burrell (six years, $50 million), giving them middle-of-the-lineup punch (in Burrell, Abreu and Thome) until 2007, at least.
In all, the Phillies shelled out more than $265 million in contracts this offseason, all in anticipation of their new ballpark (meaning more revenue) opening in 2004.
It's a lot. Is it enough?
It's certainly enough to make the Braves look over their shoulders.
There may not be a more set lineup in all of baseball. So set, in fact, that there should be no surprises during the Phillies' Spring Training in Clearwater, Fla. Barring injuries, of course.
Manager Larry Bowa has a wonderful, if not entirely proven rotation. Millwood, Vicente Padilla, Randy Wolf and Brandon Duckworth top it off, with the No. 5 spot possibly coming from a spring-training fight. Brett Myers, the young right-hander who went 4-5 with a 4.25 ERA after his call-up last year, is the most likely candidate to bring up the rear of the rotation.
Mostly, though, any questions in Spring Training come from the bench and the bullpen. Former starter Terry Adams probably will stay in the pen, where Jose Mesa (45 saves) will close. New pitching coach Joe Kerrigan should have some say in how everyone else fits. Bench-wise, Todd Pratt backs up at catcher, Tomas Perez is a valuable utility infielder and backup outfielder Ricky Ledee, who hit three pinch-hit homers last season, returns.
Shortstop Jimmy Rollins has all the tools to be one of the game's premier leadoff men. But his on-base percentage -- the number by which all leadoff men should be judged -- dropped to a pedestrian .306 last season. He still doesn't walk enough (54 in more than 600 at-bats) and he strikes out too much (103). Plus, he stole 31 bases last season compared with 46 the year before. But at 24, he has plenty of time to improve. If he can start punching the ball rather than getting it into the air, Rollins could yet be the gas that fuels the rest of the lineup.
After years of putting up with the punchless Doug Glanville, the center-field job finally belongs to stud prospect Marlon Byrd. The 25-year-old speedster took hitting lessons from Tony Gwynn in the offseason, and this was after "slumping" to .297 average with 103 runs scored in Class AAA last year. If he does anything close to that as a rookie, it will be an enormous upgrade at the position for Philly.
Arrivals: 1B Jim Thome (free agent from Cleveland), 3B David Bell (free agent from San Francisco), INF Tyler Houston (free agent from Los Angeles), RHP Kevin Millwood (trade from Atlanta for C Johnny Estrada).
Departures: 1B Travis Lee (non-tendered), 2B Marlon Anderson (non-tendered), RHP Ricky Bottalico (declined arbitration, signed with Diamondbacks), CF Doug Glanville (signed as a free agent with Texas), 1B-OF Jeremy Giambi (traded to Red Sox for RHP Josh Hancock), C Johnny Estrada (traded to Braves for Kevin Millwood), RHP Jose Santiago (claimed on waivers by the Indians), RHP Robert Person (free agent), RHP Mike Timlin (signed as a free agent with Boston), 1B-LF Dave Hollins (free agent).
The Phillies have the talent, but having it and getting the most of it are two different things. Among the unanswerables, for now: How will Thome react to his first time in the National League -- and to the infamously hardened Philadelphia fans when he, understandably, has to go through an adjustment period? And, goodness, what if the 32-year-old tweaks his back? Can Rollins get out of his rut? Can Millwood, the soft-spoken righty, inspire a rotation? Will Bell make the Philly fanatics forget about Scott Rolen? Can Padilla go 200 innings again? Will Bowa's managerial tactics, which may work with a younger team, work with the increasingly mature Phillies? Can this team, which has had only two winning seasons since 1987, withstand the huge expectations?
|
|
|
