As Ken Rosenthal has reported, the Phillies are one of two finalists to sign free agent Geoff Jenkins.  The other team fighting for his services is the Padres.  Those same Padres who have beat out the Phillies for Wolf, Iguchi, and Rusch.

     As Ken Rosenthal has reported, the Phillies are one of two finalists to sign free agent Geoff Jenkins.  The other team fighting for his services is the Padres.  Those same Padres who have beat out the Phillies for Wolf, Iguchi, and Rusch.  
     Geoff Jenkins, for much of his career with the Brewers, has been a starting corner outfielder.  If he were to sign with the Phillies, his role would most likely be reduced to a platoon partner with Werth in right field.  Taking a quick look at both Werth and Jenkins' stats throughout their careers would reveal that the two would combine to produce at a near all-star level.  Jenkins, a left-handed batter, has a career line of .288/.358/.525 against right-handed pitchers.  Werth has a career line of .284/.378/.486 against left-handed pitchers.  Even more impressive, Werth authored a .375/.467/.591 line against lefties in his first and only season as a Phillie.  If both played their home games in cozy CBP, a combined .290/.375/.525 could reasonably be had, which would easily be considered all-star level.  By comparison, Rowand hit .309/.374/.515 in 2007.
     Playing devil's advocate, let's say the Phillies had to go three years at 7 million a year with Jenkins, which would seem very high when compared to all estimates currently floating around the internet.  Also, Werth played for $850,000 in 2007 and is arbitration eligible in 2008.  Werth will be due a slight raise to a little over one million on `08.  Even in this worst case scenario, the Phillies would be receiving all-star caliber production in right field for fewer than 9 million dollars a year.  More conservative and reasonable estimates on the length and value of Jenkins' contract would lower the total cost of right field to well below 9 million dollars.  All in all, I feel that this is an opportunity the Phillies can ill afford to pass up.  In the best case scenario, the platoon will replace or even surpass Rowand's production.  Worst case scenario, the Phillies add outfield depth to a group that sorely needs it.
     Other names out there that the Phillies have been linked to are Benson, Otsuka, and Prior.  All of these pitchers obviously have injury issues.  I am not sure if any are worth the risk of signing.  Otsuka has been a very productive reliever, but several reports say his forearm injury from '07 still hasn't healed.  Prior has great potential, but baseball fans and general managers have been saying that for the past 5 years.  Benson has been league average at best, but is it worth sinking valuable resources into an injured player whose ceiling is league average?  Like I said, all these pitchers have question marks.  I guess it really comes down to what kind of contract these players are going to demand on the open market.  Does anyone else have any thoughts on these players?  
     I hope my first post on this site has intrigued a few of you out there.  I would love some feedback.  Thanks.