Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports that, in the wake of Friday's Jim Thome signing, the Phillies appear to be looking seriously at signing his former Twins teammate, Michael Cuddyer.
Cuddyer, 32, has a career line of .272/.343/.451, and has the added ability to play several defensive positions, albeit none of them particularly well. If you're looking for an adequate bat to spell Placido Polanco at third base, Cuddyer is probably not your guy -- he hasn't played the position regularly since 2005. Imagine the defensive butchery of a Jimmy Rollins-less infield with Cuddyer and Thome at the corners. Good thing Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels rack up the strikeouts.
With a Cuddyer deal (as with any contract), the devil is in the details -- number of years, money, etc. -- but to me this just feels like the 2008-09 offseason again, jumping the gun on the market (Raul Ibanez) when there were other options out there. Further, Cuddyer is a Type A free agent, meaning the Phillies would forfeit their first round draft pick if/when the Twins offer him arbitration (and they will).
Still, the guy can hit well enough and may benefit from the switch to the National League.
And maybe they can do a remake of this commercial with a Philadelphia twist. Thome as Benjamin Franklin? Hunter Pence instead of Joe Mauer?