http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/17644/20091118/source_phillies_lead_race_for_derosa/

Personally I was hoping for Beltre, but I guess we'll see what happens. DeRosa is definitely a solid player but I see him as about the same average, a little better power, worse defensively when comparing him to Feliz. I just think Beltre could also have an Ibanez-like season. Not only because he is coming from Safeco as Ibanez did, but also because he will be hitting with much better protection in our lineup.

PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Utilityman Eric Bruntlett(notes), who scored the winning run in the final game of the 2008 World Series, became a free agent after refusing a minor league assignment from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Bruntlett batted just .171 (18-for-105) in this season after hitting .217 in 212 at-bats in ’08. Bruntlett got more playing time last year because of an ankle injury to shortstop Jimmy Rollins(notes) in April and because he was a late-inning defensive replacement for former left fielder Pat Burrell(notes).

Bruntlett scored the go-ahead run in Game 5 of the World Series against Tampa Bay after entering as a pinch runner for Burrell in the eighth inning.

Pitchers John Ennis(notes) and Tyler Walker(notes), catcher Paul Hoover(notes) and infielder Andy Tracy(notes) were sent outright to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, the Phillies said Monday.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-philliesmoves&prov=ap&type=lgns

All I can do is laugh, he thinks hes better then a AAA contract.

Promoted from FanPosts. -- WC

No breakfast links today, so I have to vent. These Halladay to Philly rumors are getting more and more ridiculous. According to Jim Salisbury, Ruben Amaro emerged from the GM meetings yesterday and stated, in no uncertain terms, that the team’s three off-season priorities are: "third base, bullpen, bench." When pressed about starting pitching, he reiterated that "we’re more bullpen-intensive than anything else." No Halladay. Case closed, right?

Nope. Despite Ruben’s clear words, Salisbury nevertheless claims that "more than one baseball official" with knowledge of the teams plans insist that the Phils are very much in the running for Halladay. So do we taken Ruben at his word, or he just blowing smoke? The Philadelphia media is certainly doing their part to fan the flames. The Inquirer posted an on-line poll asking whether the team should acquire Halladay without consideration of cost or consequence to the farm. Comcast Sportsnet Philly even speculates that we may be dangling Cole to get the trade done. And the new GM in Toronto has now reiterated his predecessor’s mantra that he’ll have to be "wowed" to trade Halladay. Sigh.

The alleged rationale for pursuing Halladay is the "win-it-now" theory before our core players leave or decline. Basically, we would trade players or top prospects for a one year rental, not unlike what the Brewers previously did with Sabathia. But is there any precedent for Philly ever doing this? Wouldn’t this be a radical departure from the way in which the team does business? This organization is finally firing on all cylinders with great players, a good front office, and a promising farm. I wish Ruben would just say we’re not pursuing Halladay and be done with this nonsense.

Now that a decision has been made to cut Pete Happy loose, at least for the time being, the major question of this offseason has become what Amaro will do to fill the hole at the hot corner.

Basically, it boils down to this: Get an upper-level free agent to play everyday, get a platoon bat to go with Greg Dobbs, or trade prospects for an Alex Gordon type or a true upper-tier third baseman.

Thoughts after the jump.

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I am a Phillies fan, but I am tired of the Yankees spend too much argument. I am only tired of it, because I see fans on here wondering what the Philies are going to do at third base and pitching. Our fans have poured millions and millions of dollars into that stadium the past five years. The Owners can't use that small market  nonsense anymore. Just off the money they made this postseason they should be able to lock up Lee and make a run at Lachey, and overpay for Figgins. Instead of complaining about how the Yankees spend too much we should be complaining that our ownership is still to stingy. I don't want to hear the lame argument that revenue is not garanteed, and how the postseason is not a garantee. We are not Pittsburgh, We are not going to go away if we have a down year or two as long as we know the ownership is making efforts to give us a winner. In the down years the Vet was a toilet and the ownership bailed out on all of us. They said they needed a stadium and they got it.

If you take a number like 70 dollars for a playoff ticket and multiply it by 45,000 and multiply that by the 8 home games. That's 25 million, there is probably another 12-15 million in concessions, and another 60 million in merchandise, I am sure there is money from FOX and TBS. They should spend it, the Yankees do.

The other end of this argument is as much as it sucks too watch the Yankees buy title after title it is way better to watch them lose to the Marlins and the Diamondbacks.

the most important thing the phils can do this offseason is to trade an outfielder .. Werth is coming into his own as a star so i think its safe to say we keep him. that leaves victorino and ibanez. if someone would give us value for ibanez i would do it in a second, however given his age and declining numbers there wont be many takers. that leaves us to victorino. shane put up decent but not great numbers this season, and is very good defensively. however, michael taylor is ready now. he will easily give us similar output to shane with more upside. he has better power and just as good speed, the guy really is a 5 tool player. so the phils can ill afford to pull a howard and leave him sit in minor leagues. trading shane for a pitcher would improve our pitching and not lose much in our lineup. the giants were rumored to be sending cain this way for victorino and a prospect. that ship has long sailed and i dont expect our average outfielder to fetch a star like cain, but there our guys such as javier vasquez and erik bedard who would bolster our rotation. which outfielder would u trade and for who?

whats going on guys? my first post here (obviously im on bleeding green), but i wanted to bring up some of the phillies minor league tallent. Who do you think will come up? and what predictions of them do you have?... this is also baring any trade speculation.

-honestly i  am starting to think that Drabek is ready to be a fifth starter. it pains me to think Moyer will be starting again next year (although i have the utmost respect for him). I believe the rotation of Lee, Hammels, Blanton, Happ, Drabek has the "potential" to be a great one. i put that in " " because it depends on how Drabek can pitch in the majors and if Happy can not have a sophomore year slump.

-between brown and taylor i feel that one of them is ready to make an impact on our roster. I was also hoping they would do a platoon between Ibanez and one of the two during the season like they did with Werth/Jenk.

beside that i thought the season was great guys. while i am disheartened that they lost the world series it puts a chip on our shoulder next year. GO PHILLS!!

Promoted from FanPosts, some laughs on an otherwise gloomy day... WC

This week, the Inqy's Frank Fitzpatrick wrote an article claiming that there was simply "not enough Philly" in Cole Hamels, and that this would eventually get to him.  I realized that this impenetrable logic also spells doom for many other Phillies, who just may not be Philly enough to make it in this town.

1. Jimmy Rollins
He's too busy doing Red Bull endorsements and bowling for charity to really get his head in the game. And he loves Jay-Z, who's from NY. What kind of Philadelphian listens to Jay-Z?? Or hip-hop, for that matter-- god knows it's not blue-collar enough, always talking about champagne, bling, and whips that couldn't even haul a half-ton of gravel.

2. Shane Victorino
He's from Hawaii (if that IS his real birth certificate). Plus, he replaced Aaron Rowand: the greatest Philadelphia athlete of all time. Shane runs too fast and plays too well to ever have to run into a wall to make a catch, and that's not how we get it done in Philly.

3. Chase Utley
Much like his Hollywood pal, Cole Hamels, Chase Utley is just another slicked-back Cali pretty boy.  And he never smiles during games, which just shows that he doesn't have the heart or love of the game that great players need to succeed.

4. Ryan Howard
The man does ads for Subway cheesesteaks. Nothing he could do on the field can make up for that.

5. Jayson Werth
Ok, I want to give it to him because he really does have the facial hair to be Philly enough.  But who the hell spells a nice normal name like Jason with a Y? Way too fancy, if you ask me. And he almost looks like he's having TOO much fun.  He should take a page from Chase Utley's handbook, and get more serious about the game.

6. Raúl Ibáñez
Seriously, what Philly fan wants a jersey with that many accents on it?

7. Pedro Feliz
No one likes him anyway.  Also, Geno's wouldn't even serve him a steak.

8. Carlos Ruiz
He's from Panama.  Isn't that where Abreu was from? And we all know how THAT worked out.

9. Cliff Lee
Did you hear him the other day when he said he wasn't nervous before the WS? That just shows he doesn't take the game seriously enough. Everyone knows Happ should've started Game 1 instead.

10. Brad Lidge
He's not performing as well as he used to, but gosh darn it does he try hard! He's got a great face of hair. Despite us being the defending champions, he makes us look and feel like underdogs.  And if there's one thing Philly loves, it's an underdog.  There you have it-- Brad Lidge is the Philliest Phillie we've got.

My last few playoff fill-ins on Breakfast Links were wonderful opportunities, for which I remain grateful. This morning, however, I have been passed a bitter cup: Skipper has tapped me to take one for the team on the morning after losing the World Series. Per Skip: Post some links and get out of there. Get on with the offseason while the Blog Lords get a head start cleaning out their lockers. But it breaks my heart. Just hard to watch. Just, just...Hurt.

So I tried to give the Yankees props. I'll even cop to the notion that they were the better team, and think that Matsui being the first Japanese player to win Series MVP is a great story, way better than this one, even though it came at the expense of Chase Utley.  And if you thought last night sucked for you, imagine if you were this guy. Even, to a lesser degree, this guy. 

But then I took a look at this:

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Who's excited for next year?

Full year of Cliff Lee?

Hamels will return to form.

Chooch turning into a stud.

More Werth antics.

Beating the Mets!

How long til pitchers and catchers report?