By Jared Trexler
What's Been Accomplished: That answer is easy: Freddy Garcia. The right-hander's HR rate last year (32 in 216.1 frames) is slightly troubling, but surprisingly enough, and against all public perception, U.S. Cellular Field was more of a bandbox than Citizen's Bank Park (The Bank ranked 6th in home runs allowed, U.S. Cellular 2nd). Garcia is a proven winner, at least 12 wins in five of the last seven seasons, and his WHIP was a respectable 1.28 in 2006. Alex Cora said Garcia's early-season struggles were due to fatigue stemming from pitching in the World Baseball Classic. Once he got his arm under him, the results were dominating.
Don't overlook GM Pat Gillick's love affair with the Rule V draft. Alfredo Simon was clocked at 98 mph in winter ball and was formally part of the Phillies organization. Jim Ed Warden was a huge loss for Cleveland, as its scouting staff loved the 6'7" right-hander's delivery. Warden throws from the side and his fastball hovers around 97 at times. Remember, Fabio Castro, who was excellent in minimal appearances last season and is having a great winter ball season as a starter, was a Rule V player as was outfielder Shane Victorino.
The addition of Adam Eaton prior to the Garcia trade has left Gillick with a loaded gun, one which should bring back help for a bullpen that needs it. Eaton's health history is a concern, and the trade of Gio Gonzalez and Gavin Floyd leave two minor-league options off the table if a starter goes down, but keep an eye on Justin Germano. He has excellent control, walking just 189 batters in 968.1 innings at Triple-A Louisville last season, and boasts a 3.73 career minor-league ERA. More importantly, while well traveled, the right-hander is only 24. Overwhelming stuff? No. But a late-breaking curve ball, league average heater and the development of a third pitch make him an intriguing September call-up (if not sooner).
Wes Helms has never hit more than 10 home runs in a season, but he has never played on a mostly regular basis like he will this upcoming campaign. Expect Helms to bat sixth, behind Pat Burrell -- unless he's traded -- and in front of the right-field platoon, whoever that entails. Abraham Nunez is great with the glove and will regularly come in to the game as a defensive replacement. His .303 OBP, well below the league average for his position, just doesn't constitute an everyday job.
What's Still on the Table: Plenty. Really, one could argue the Phillies were the most active team at a Winter Meetings stuck in a deep freeze. Yet, Gillick has made it abundantly clear (before he lost his voice) that relief help is still the top priority. The plethora of starting pitching will net a reliever, possibly two, and the names are limitless.
Derrick Turnbow: Another former Phillie farm hand, Turnbow followed a dazzling 2005 with an awful 2006, where he lost complete control of the strike zone. 24 walks in 67.1 frames during 2005 don't compare favorably to 39 walks in 56.1 frames last season. The problems didn't end there. Quite frankly, he was hit harder, possibly due to batters facing him more often. He gave up about a hit an inning and his ERA climbed from 1.74 to 6.87. An aberration or trend? Turnbow is a high-risk high-reward player. Can the Phillies take that chance with an already aging closer?
Jose Capellan: Not as proven as Turnbow, but better stuff and three years younger. Control wasn't an issue in 2006 -- 31 walks in 71.2 innings -- but he was susceptible to the long ball -- 11 homers allowed during that frame. He is a piece, not the overall solution, to the back end's troubles.
Akinori Otsuka: My personal preference is Jon Lieber to Milwaukee for Geoff Jenkins and Capellan, then flip Aarond Rowand to the Rangers for Otsuka. Given a chance to close for the Rangers when Francisco Cordero was blowing games left and right, Otsuka responded with 32 saves. He is steadier than Turnbow, calmer on the mound and streamlined in his stats from season to season. You pretty much know what you are getting, a solid relief arm who is durable -- he appeared in 73 games two seasons ago for San Diego -- and keeps the ball in the park, allowing jut three home runs in 59.2 innings last season.
Brian Fuentes: Conventional wisdom says the Phillies still want another right-hander and southpaw for the pen, which throws my ideal plan of Capellan and Otsuka to the wind. They are extremely high on Matt Smith, but would like to add a battle-tested lefty who can show Smith the ropes and take off the burden. Fuentes fits the Phillies' criteria: saved 30-plus games the last two seasons, keeps the ball in the park for the most part and doesn't fade down the stretch -- posting a 2.93 ERA after the All-Star Break in 2006.
Gillick also is looking to add a David Dellucci clone to the mix, likely to platoon with Rowand or Jeff Conine in right field. Names such as Aubrey Huff and Ryan Church have been mentioned, but the first will probably get a full-time gig and the second would have to be acquired via trade. Trot Nixon would be a fan favorite for his rough demeanor and even rougher play.
Grade: A. Gillick pulled off a trade that helps the club two-fold. He improved his starting staff, to the point where it may be the best top-to-bottom in the NL, and added a surplus of baseball's most coveted position -- PITCHING. He can pawn off Lieber, making a reasonable $7.5 million in an escalating market where Gil Meche is getting over $11 million a season, to a club for bullpen help then add a lefty platoon partner with the right-fielder and call it a day.
That would be an offseason success. Maybe the patient among us, those who cautioned that Gillick entered a financial mess last season and needed a year to figure it all out, were right. When your two best players aren't making their worth, you have to implement a win-now strategy. Gillick's moves thus far have supported that sentiment.
What's Been Accomplished: That answer is easy: Freddy Garcia. The right-hander's HR rate last year (32 in 216.1 frames) is slightly troubling, but surprisingly enough, and against all public perception, U.S. Cellular Field was more of a bandbox than Citizen's Bank Park (The Bank ranked 6th in home runs allowed, U.S. Cellular 2nd). Garcia is a proven winner, at least 12 wins in five of the last seven seasons, and his WHIP was a respectable 1.28 in 2006. Alex Cora said Garcia's early-season struggles were due to fatigue stemming from pitching in the World Baseball Classic. Once he got his arm under him, the results were dominating.
Don't overlook GM Pat Gillick's love affair with the Rule V draft. Alfredo Simon was clocked at 98 mph in winter ball and was formally part of the Phillies organization. Jim Ed Warden was a huge loss for Cleveland, as its scouting staff loved the 6'7" right-hander's delivery. Warden throws from the side and his fastball hovers around 97 at times. Remember, Fabio Castro, who was excellent in minimal appearances last season and is having a great winter ball season as a starter, was a Rule V player as was outfielder Shane Victorino.
The addition of Adam Eaton prior to the Garcia trade has left Gillick with a loaded gun, one which should bring back help for a bullpen that needs it. Eaton's health history is a concern, and the trade of Gio Gonzalez and Gavin Floyd leave two minor-league options off the table if a starter goes down, but keep an eye on Justin Germano. He has excellent control, walking just 189 batters in 968.1 innings at Triple-A Louisville last season, and boasts a 3.73 career minor-league ERA. More importantly, while well traveled, the right-hander is only 24. Overwhelming stuff? No. But a late-breaking curve ball, league average heater and the development of a third pitch make him an intriguing September call-up (if not sooner).
Wes Helms has never hit more than 10 home runs in a season, but he has never played on a mostly regular basis like he will this upcoming campaign. Expect Helms to bat sixth, behind Pat Burrell -- unless he's traded -- and in front of the right-field platoon, whoever that entails. Abraham Nunez is great with the glove and will regularly come in to the game as a defensive replacement. His .303 OBP, well below the league average for his position, just doesn't constitute an everyday job.
What's Still on the Table: Plenty. Really, one could argue the Phillies were the most active team at a Winter Meetings stuck in a deep freeze. Yet, Gillick has made it abundantly clear (before he lost his voice) that relief help is still the top priority. The plethora of starting pitching will net a reliever, possibly two, and the names are limitless.
Derrick Turnbow: Another former Phillie farm hand, Turnbow followed a dazzling 2005 with an awful 2006, where he lost complete control of the strike zone. 24 walks in 67.1 frames during 2005 don't compare favorably to 39 walks in 56.1 frames last season. The problems didn't end there. Quite frankly, he was hit harder, possibly due to batters facing him more often. He gave up about a hit an inning and his ERA climbed from 1.74 to 6.87. An aberration or trend? Turnbow is a high-risk high-reward player. Can the Phillies take that chance with an already aging closer?
Jose Capellan: Not as proven as Turnbow, but better stuff and three years younger. Control wasn't an issue in 2006 -- 31 walks in 71.2 innings -- but he was susceptible to the long ball -- 11 homers allowed during that frame. He is a piece, not the overall solution, to the back end's troubles.
Akinori Otsuka: My personal preference is Jon Lieber to Milwaukee for Geoff Jenkins and Capellan, then flip Aarond Rowand to the Rangers for Otsuka. Given a chance to close for the Rangers when Francisco Cordero was blowing games left and right, Otsuka responded with 32 saves. He is steadier than Turnbow, calmer on the mound and streamlined in his stats from season to season. You pretty much know what you are getting, a solid relief arm who is durable -- he appeared in 73 games two seasons ago for San Diego -- and keeps the ball in the park, allowing jut three home runs in 59.2 innings last season.
Brian Fuentes: Conventional wisdom says the Phillies still want another right-hander and southpaw for the pen, which throws my ideal plan of Capellan and Otsuka to the wind. They are extremely high on Matt Smith, but would like to add a battle-tested lefty who can show Smith the ropes and take off the burden. Fuentes fits the Phillies' criteria: saved 30-plus games the last two seasons, keeps the ball in the park for the most part and doesn't fade down the stretch -- posting a 2.93 ERA after the All-Star Break in 2006.
Gillick also is looking to add a David Dellucci clone to the mix, likely to platoon with Rowand or Jeff Conine in right field. Names such as Aubrey Huff and Ryan Church have been mentioned, but the first will probably get a full-time gig and the second would have to be acquired via trade. Trot Nixon would be a fan favorite for his rough demeanor and even rougher play.
Grade: A. Gillick pulled off a trade that helps the club two-fold. He improved his starting staff, to the point where it may be the best top-to-bottom in the NL, and added a surplus of baseball's most coveted position -- PITCHING. He can pawn off Lieber, making a reasonable $7.5 million in an escalating market where Gil Meche is getting over $11 million a season, to a club for bullpen help then add a lefty platoon partner with the right-fielder and call it a day.
That would be an offseason success. Maybe the patient among us, those who cautioned that Gillick entered a financial mess last season and needed a year to figure it all out, were right. When your two best players aren't making their worth, you have to implement a win-now strategy. Gillick's moves thus far have supported that sentiment.
**Photo courtesy of the Associated Press***
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