My initial reaction to this, upon seeing it on ESPNs' ticker 10 minutes ago, was "ugh, that means Snelling's gone." While that's probably true, also true is that Taguchi's known serviceability in the 5th-OF role is probably a smarter bet than the always-hurt Snelling's unlikely upside.

IOW, it's basically fine.

so basically, we swapped rowand and bourne for taguchi, jenkins, and lidge.
..I accept

How many quality innings a year can he pitch?

Maybe it's the Xmas spirit (though maybe not, given the overall relative humbuggery of the Jewish-born agnostic writing this), but reading these comments I feel grateful for our regulars here at TGP. There are sites out in Phillies Blogworld where the negativity is so thick and noxious I can't even navigate it anymore; I was just reading on one of them how Ryan Howard "regressed as a hitter in 2007" and that the Phillies would be very foolish to sign him long-term. Every move the team makes is a mark of idiocy, destined to end in tears; every guy not signed, by contrast, is a near-certain difference-maker who would take the Phillies to the Promised Land if only The Owners weren't so damn cheap.

That's pretty evidently nonsense. Needless to say, we're not blind cheerleaders for the organization. (Well, none of us who write the site, and almost none of you who make it a real community rather than just an empty room where half-smart eggheads come to rant about the greatest game in the world.) They've made plenty of mistakes, and too many of those spring from basic misperceptions of value (Abe Nunez signing, I'm looking in your direction) or systemic failure to conduct due diligence. (Hiya, Freddy Garcia trade.)  But this is a fun team to watch, at one of the high points of its long history. Nothing wrong with acknowledging that, while hoping for even better stuff to come in 2008 and the years that follow.

So, my sincere thanks.