Phillies Baseball

The 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies have some glaring needs heading into the 2009 season and need to fill these holes if they wish to repeat as champions of the baseball world.

I know it sounds weird to say that the Phillies, who are now the defending champions of baseball, have glaring needs to be filled but it is true.

The team needs to figure out what they want to do with Brett Myers. He has found his fastball again but has he calmed down mentally? That question needs to be answered and soon.

What should be done with Kyle Kendrick? Do the Phillies give him the number five spot in the rotation or send him to Triple-A to start the season after his struggles in the second half of the season this year.

Does the team resign lefties Scott Eyre and Jamie Moyer, whose agents have been contacted by the team, or do they look elsewhere?

What does the team do with Pat Burrell? Do they ask him, or beg him to stay, or do they move Greg Dobbs to left field permanently?

Tom Gordon, So Taguchi and Rudy Seanez have all become free agents after the Phillies declined their options for 2009.

Another question remaining is whether or not the Phillies resign Chad Durbin to anchor the bullpen.

If the Phillies send Kendrick to the minors to start the season where do they get their fifth starter from? Do they give right handed prospect Carlos Carrasco an extended look in Spring Training and give him the job?

If Burrell does leave the Phillies will need to add a power hitting right handed bat off the bench. The bench is already set with backup catcher Chris Coste, infielder Eric Bruntlett, outfielder/first baseman Matt Stairs and outfielder Geoff Jenkins.

If Manuel carries 12 pitchers he will need to find one more bench player unless he decides to carry 13. He could carry 11 at times and up the bench to six players.

That fifth bench player will more than likely come from outside the organization either via trade or free agency. Outfield prospect Greg Golson had a taste of Philly in September this year but should start the 2009 season at Lehigh Valley for some more seasoning.

The fifth bench player will more than likely be an infielder, since Dobbs, Jenkins and Bruntlett can all play the outfield with Jenkins being the obvious first player off the bench.

That extra infielder should be able to play almost any position, a utlilty infielder, with the makeup of Tomas Perez but with a better bat. Perez spent a handful of years in Philly and played all eight positions in one game.

After Carlos Ruiz’s performance offensively and defensively in the playoffs, the Phillies are likely to stick with him behind the plate for at least one more season, especially since he handles the pitching staff so well.

That means that Lou Marson, who traveled with the team during the playoffs, will likely begin the season with Lehigh Valley.

There won’t be many moves made before Spring Training rolls around in terms of trades. One option for the bench if to resign Tadahito Iguchi, who is a free agent, to backup Pedro Feliz at third and Chase Utley at second base.

Iguchi was acquired in 2007 after Utley was placed on the disabled list with a broken hand for pitching coach Rich Dubee’s son, Michael Dubee. He left after the 2007 season via free agency and signed with the Padres.

The Padres released Iguchi towards the end of the season in 2008 and he signed back on with the Phillies and spent the final month of the season in Philadelphia. He originally left after the 2007 season because he wanted to be a starter but the Phillies might be able to convince him to remain with the club in 2009 as a bench player.

He put up subpar numbers with the Padres and Phillies hitting .232 in 85 games between the two teams. He smacked two homeruns and knocked in 24 runs while scoring 29.

The Phillies have a lot of decisions to make regarding personnel before Spring Training begins in March and new GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is responsible for those decisions.

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