Charlie Manuel announces that he plans to use Mayberry mainly at first base.
Yesterday, in Clearwater, Phils’ manager Charlie Manuel have told reporters that he plans to use John Mayberry, Jr. more often in left field than at first base. He also said that while the presumption is that he would probably be using a platoon in left field of Mayberry and Laynce Nix, with Nix to face right handers and Mayberry to face lefties, he plans to have Mayberry also face some right handers. That sounds like a good move, as it will give Mayberry a chance to see if he can hit right handed pitching or not.
This means that while Ryan Howard continues to recover from his injury (of which he had told reporters he felt that he was 40% ready), first base would be mainly covered by Nix and Ty Wigginton, with Jim Thome starting one or two games per week. Hopefully that’ll be enough before Howard’s return at some point in May.
Other news: Rich Dubee announced that Jose Contreras threw a bullpen session off of the mound on Tuesday, and appear to have shown no signs of trouble with his right elbow, doing very well. If this is the case, and he continues showing no sign of trouble after his surgery, he should be the front runner for the role of the team’s eighth inning specialist. Let keep our fingers cross on that.
The Phils have promoted Marti Wolever to assistant scouting GM.
The Phils have today announced that they have promoted Marti Wolever to the position of assistant general manager of amateur scouting, to replace Chuck Lamar, who last September had resigned from that position.
Wolever, who had started out as a scout in the Tigers organization in 1984, had been involved in the Phils’ scouting operation for the last nine seasons, helping to oversee the drafting of Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, Kyle Kendrick, Vance Worley, Michael Stutes and several others, including players who would later be used in trades to bring to the ballclub such players as Brad Lidge, Roy Oswalt, Roy Halladay and Hunter Pence.
Congratulations on your new postion, Marti.
Raul Ibanez have signed a one-year deal with the Yankees, as a DH.
The New York Yankees have announced earlier today that they have signed former Phil Raul Ibanez to a one-year, $1.1 million dollars contract, as a designated hitter.
Ibanez, who was the Phils’ left fielder for 2009-11, last year played in 144 games, hitting .245 (131 for 535), hitting 31 doubles, 1 triple and 20 home runs, knocking in 84 RBIs, while scoring 65 runs. During a 16-years career, while includes stints with the Seattle Mariners (two) and the Kansas City Royals, Ibanez would appear in 1817 games, hitting .280 (1791 for 6387), including 377 doubles, 43 triples and 252 home runs, as he knocked in 1054 runs, while scoring 928. He also has a career slugging percentage of .471 and a career on-base percentage of .342. As he joins the Yankees, Ibanez is expected to be their left-handed designated hitter, while also adding some depths to their outfield.
With the signing, as far as the Phils are concerned, it should give them a draft pick based on Ibanez’s free agent status.
Wish you luck with the Yanks, Raul.
Phils announce that they have given Kyle Kendrick an extension on his contract.
Yesterday, as the Phils’ pitchers and catchers begin their first official workout at Carpenter Field in Clearwater, Florida, the Phils announced that they have extended Kyle Kendrick’s contract.
Kendrick, who had about a month ago avoided arbitration by signing a one-year contract worth $3.585 million dollars, will now receive a two-year contract worth $7.5 million dollars plus incentives.
The move shows how much the Phils value his versatility as being a starter, a spot starter, and a long man out of the bullpen. Hopefully this will also mean that they have enough money to later give Cole Hamels an extension on his one-year contract. Time will tell on that one, I guess.
Glad that you’ll be sticking around, Kyle. Do not mess up.
Oh, and welcome back Baseball! Go PHILS!!!
This just in: The Phils have announced a new radio agreement.
Via a press release, the Phils have announced that they have just signed a new multi-year radio contract with CBS RADIO’s Talk Radio 1210 WPHT and SportsRadio 94WIP, to cover live play-by-play broadcast of all Phillies pre-season, regular season and post-season games, starting with Spring Training later this month. Financial terms have yet to be announced.
Announcers Scott Franzke and Larry Anderson, who for the last few season have been announcing the game for 1210 WPHT will, starting this year, also be broadcasting on 94WIP.
In general, this means that the Phils will be having their games broadcast on both the AM and the FM dial on the radio.
Sounds to me like the Phils won’t be worrying about where the money stream for their players’ contracts will be coming from for the next few years. Especially if they can continue to win. That’s good news.
Phils add more depth to the pen as they sign Chad Qualls.
The Phils today have announced that they have just signed former Padres righthander Chad Qualls to a one-year, $1.15 million dollars contract.
Qualls, who had pitched for the Padres last season, will be joining the Phils’ bullpen of Jonathan Papelbon, Jose Contreras, Antonio Bastardo, Michael Stutes, Kyle Kendrick and Dontrelle Willis, along with several others, for spring training. Last season, as a member of the Padres, Quads would appear in 77 games, going 6-8 with a 3.51 ERA, as he pitched in 74.1 innings. He would strike out 43 batters while working only 20. An eight year veteran, Qualls had also pitched for the Astros, the D-backs, and the Rays, appearing in 537 games for a total of 543 innings, compiling a 38-34 record with an ERA of 3.78, as he would save 51 games in 89 attempts. Career-wise, he would strike out 426 batters while walking only 150.
Qualls will likely be an insurance policy in case Contreras, who is coming off right elbow surgery, is not able to join the club going north at the end of spring training.
Welcome to the club, Qualls. Okay, junior, how about adding a little bit more depth to the offense?
Pat Burrell retires.
Yesterday, Pat Burrell, who had spent nine years playing for the Phils, and was a member of the 2008 World Series Championship team, as well as being a member of the 2010 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants team, announced his retirement.
Burrell, nicknamed Pat the Bat, was the number one draft choice of the Phils in the 1998 draft, before joining the main club in 2000. Spending 12 years in the majors, nine of which would be spent as a member of the Phils, Burrell would play in 1640 games for the Phils, the Rays, and the Giants, compling a career triple slash of .253/.361/.472, as he had a total of 1393 hits in 5503 total at-bats, hitting 299 doubles, 16 triples and 292 home runs, 251 of which was hit as a Phils, landing him in 4th place on the team’s all-time home run list. He would also collect 976 RBIs, while scoring 767 times.
Burrell will mainly be remembered for his RBI double in Game 5, part 2, of the 2008 World Series, which would lead to the Phils winning their second World Series Championship, before leading the victory parade down Broad Street.
Thanks for the memories, Pat, and wish you luck in your retirement.
Hunter Pence have come to terms with the Phils, signing a one-year $10.4 million dollars deal.
The Phils have just announced that they have signed the last of their arbitration-eligible players, as Hunter Pence have agreed to a one-year deal worth $10.4 million dollars.
Pence, who have come to the Phils in a mid-season trade with the Astros, played in 54 games with the Phils, hitting .324 (67-207) with a .954 OPS, as he hit 12 doubles, 2 triples and 11 home runs, knocking in 35 RBIs, while scoring 35 times. During the 2011 season, he would play in 154 total games, hitting .314 (190-606) with an .871 OPS, as he hit 38 doubles, 5 triples and 22 home runs, scoring 84 runs, while he knocked in 97 RBIs. He would also walk 56 times.
With the Pence signing, the Phils have all of their players signed for the coming season, although they might still be looking for someone to replace Wilson Valdez as a multi-purpose infielder.
Let’s go, Phils!!!
Juan Pierre have just signed a minor-league contract with the Phils.
Earlier today, the Phils have announced that they had signed outfielder Juan Pierre to a minor league contract and have invited him to Spring Training.
Pierre, who was playing left field for the Chicago White Sox in 2011, would appear in 158 games for the pale socks last season, batting .279 (178-639), getting 17 doubles, four triples and two home runs, knocking in 50 RBIs, while scoring 80. He would also steal 27 bases, while being caught only 17 times. During a 12-years career, during which he would also play for the Rockies, the Florida Marlins, the Cubs and the Dodgers, he would compile a career .296 batting average (2020-6823), playing in 1751 games, as he got 234 doubles, 86 triples and 16 home runs, scoring 980 times, while knocking in 484 RBIs. He would also have 554 stolen bases, while being caught just 190 times.
Pierre will be trying to become the team’s fifth outfielder, who will probably be used mainly as a late-inning baserunning threat, which should put some pressure on the defense late in games, as well as a pinch hitter. Pierre is suppose to have good bat control and be able to bunt. He was also a good lead-off hitter while he was with the White Sox, which should come in handy if Jimmy Rollins gets injured at some point during the season.
Welcome to the Phils, Pierre. Wish you luck making the team during spring training.
Brad Lidge is now a Nats as he signs a one-year, $1 million contract with the rising rival.
Yesterday, the Nationals announced that they have signed Brad Lidge, one of the heroes of the Phils’ 2008 World Series Championship team, to a one-year deal worth $1 million dollars, plus incentives. Lidge, who had joined the Phils in an off-season trade with the Houston Astros in 2007, went 48 for 48 in save opportunities during the 2008 regular and post-seasons, before striking out Eric Hinske to give the Phils the championship. Plagued by injuries during the next three seasons (2009-2011), Lidge would pitch in four seasons for the Phils, the first three as their closer, compiling a record of 100 saves in 116 save opportunities, with a win-loss record of 3-11, as he pitched in 214 games, appearing in 203 total innings. During the 2011 season, after coming back from injury, Lidge would perform in mainly middle relief, appearing in 25 games, pitching in 19.1 innings, as he compiled an 0-2 record with 1 save in 1 save opportunity, with a 1.40 ERA. He would strike out 23 batters while walking only 13.
Originally a member of the Astros from 2002-2007, including being a member of the 2005 National League Champs, Lidge would appear in 592 games, all but 1 in relief, compiling a career record of 26-31, with an ERA of 3.44, while saving 223 games in 266 attempts, as he pitched in 594 innings. During his career, he would strike out a total of 789 batters, while walking only 276.
So long, Brad, good luck with your new team, except when you’re pitching against the Phils, of course. 
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