Free Agents

Now that the Phillies season is officially over, fans everywhere are of course wondering about keeping this core together for another run. While most of the veterans are planning on returning, the Phillies 2011 payroll is already pretty big. The Phillies already have over $135 million committed to just 16 players and several Phillies regulars are on the possible move this offseason. Of course the biggest being Jamie Moyer. Just kidding, I meant Jayson Werth. Here's a look at the six big free agents including my rating of chance of resigning and possible destinations for all.

Jose Contreras, RP
Contreras had a good year and looks to land a gig somewhere in the league in 2011. He's getting up there in age but proved he still has some decent stuff. I was surprised to see him as much as we did in the postseason but obviously Charlie only trusted a handful out of his bullpen and Contreras was one of them.

Chance of resigning: 5%

My guess for destinations: You're guess is as good as mine but look for Contreras to land somewhere in the National League.

Chad Durbin, RP
Durbin has been one of the most consistent relief pitchers on the team for the past few years. He provides a solid setup or mop up role and is always depended on for those big outs in innings 6 and 7. I really hope the Phillies can resign Durbin and I have a feeling they might be able to work something out.

Chance of resigning: 60%

My guess for destinations: Phillies, Rays, Angels all need right handed bullpen help.

Jamie Moyer, SP
Jamie Moyer, the oldest dude in the league, is still hoping to pitch in 2011. I'm not sure after the injuries this year and it will be interesting to see if announcers can come up with better ways to describe how old Jamie is. My personal favorite: When Moyer pitches against the Cubs and announcers remark how Moyer started for the Cubs four years before shortstop Starlin Castro was even born.

Chance of resigning: 50%

My guess for destinations: It's either one more year with the Phils or packing it in. I don't think any other team will give him a chance.

J.C. Romero, RP
Everyone needs a lefty out of the pen and the Phillies are no exception. Bastardo may be the only left-handed option as Romero's price may be too high for the Phils in 2011.

Chance of resigning: 10%

My guess for destinations: Like I said, any team could use a left-handed reliever. All 30 teams would benefit from someone like Romero.

Mike Sweeney, 1B
The midseason acquisitions due to Ryan Howard's ankle injury finally made it to the postseason after long stints in Kansas City and Seattle. It might be short lived though as the Phillies have very little need for Sweeney. It's a shame because Sweeney brings a lot of emotion and passion to the bench and every at-bat he seemed to be fully pumped up. I know he's a clubhouse favorite and will look to either retire or bring his leadership to a young club for another year.

Chance of resigning: 0%

My guess for destinations: Look for either retirement or being a DH or backup 1B for a young team in the American League. I can see the Orioles using a guy like Sweeney perhaps.

Jayson Werth, RF
Ahhh, Jayson Werth. Our number five hitter and really the only power threat we have from the right side of the plate. It will be tough not having Werth in the lineup as top prospect Dominic Brown, a left handed hitter, looks to replace Jayson in right field. Jayson has given the Phillies some great seasons and I'm still shocked that he's tied for the all time National League lead in postseason home runs with 13. If you end up going, you will be missed. Is this a case where loyalty outweighs big bucks? Unfortunately, my guess is no as Jayson has seen huge contracts be given to high profile outfielders the past few seasons in Matt Holliday, Jason Bay and also this offseason, Carl Crawford.

Chance of resigning: 20%

My guess for destinations: Phillies, Yankees, Red Sox. Having the Phils on this list may just be wishful thinking but it's a good guess that Werth is leaving the City of Brotherly Love. The Phillies just cannot afford the length and terms of a contract that Werth will demand on the open market. The Yankees seem to be the odds on favorite for Werth's services assuming they don't sign Crawford. The fact that Werth had lunch with Reggie Jackson during the All Star break in New York speaks volumes about what type of recruiting the Yanks could have on Werth. It's not a hard sell. Imagine if Werth hit his 13 postseason homers in Yankees pinstripes. He'd be a household name by now. Just saying. For now, I'll hold a dim light for J-Dub to return but I feel this moth is heading to a bigger flame. (And yes, the Yankees are big flamers.)

NLCS Preview

For the third year in a row, the Phillies are in the NLCS. And for the third year in a row, they will face an opponent from the NL West as they welcome Pat Burrell and the San Francisco Giants to the Bank Saturday night.

In a series that will feature some great pitching matchups, this NLCS might be the toughest for the Phillies compared to the recent history of beating the Dodgers. Let's face it, Brian Wilson is no Jonathan Broxton and that is not good news for Phillies fans who are used to seeing Matt Stairs or J-Roll just totally destroy any confidence Broxton could ever have.

While I have extreme confidence that the Phillies will be heading to their third straight World Series, this NLCS is scary for a couple reasons.

How the Phillies Could Lose:
1. The Freak. Tim Lincecum's only start against the Phils was all the way back in April when the season was a lot different. Still, Lincecum dominated by going 8.1 innings and struck out 11 while only allowing 2 runs. The game ended in a wild 7-6 win for the Phillies as the typically-sure-handed aforementioned Wilson surrendered a bases clearing tying double to Jayson Werth and the Phils won in extra innings. Still, Lincecum has been nasty against the Phillies and is coming off a superb performance against the Braves (a two-hit, 14 strikeout masterpiece)

2. Pat Burrell. I wake up most nights in deep sweats. Not because of Pat Burrell's sexy eyebrows but because of the karma I'm used to experiencing in the city of Philadelphia. The Phillies have been the luckiest franchise in our cities history if you think about it. It feels like it's time to get completely blindsided. If Burrell has a big series and starts hitting homers, I'm going to feel sick to my stomach. I never had anything against Burrell, but I'm just nervous. I'm as nervous as women who happen to be at the same bar as Burrell after the games. Those women have no chance. (What's worse is possible karma in the World Series. If the Rangers make it through, you know we'll face Cliff Lee at the Bank. Eek!)

3. The offense. They just didn't get it done in the NLDS. They rode great pitching but only scored 6 earned runs and only had a team batting average of .212. We got some timely hits and some big at-bats that produced walks or hit batsmen but we'll need more against the likes of Lincecum, Sanchez, and Cain.

4. The X-factor. Madison Bumgarner? Who? Did you go to high school with him? Sounds like a character from Gossip Girl (not that I watch). But the projected Game 4 starter is a left-handed rookie who the Phillies have not seen yet. They will most likely see him in San Francisco. The ballpark combined with the unfamiliarity with Bumgarner's stuff usually spells trouble for this offense. If the Phillies are leading 2 games to 1 by the time we reach Game 4, a poor offensive output against Bumgarner could mean a shift in the momentum of the series.

Now, like I said, I have the utmost of confidence in the Phils that they can eclipse the Giants and win their third straight pennant. And I have some good reasons.

How the Phillies Could Win:
1. The Doc. The Oz. The Camel. I'm just making up new nicknames at this point but I like them. Otherwise known as H20, I think the combination of Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels might be too much for an already poor Giants lineup. These three guys will give the Phillies a chance to win any game and when that offense heats up, forget about it.

2. Mad-dog and Lights Out. The back of the bullpen was a question mark throughout 2009 and some of 2010. But lately, Madson and Lidge look, dare I say... 2008-esque. Only needed for Game 2 against the Reds, the entire bullpen is well rested and ready to close out some wins in this series. If the Phillies get a lead, they have to feel pretty confident going from a member of H20 to Madson to Lidge.

3. Clooch. Carlos Ruiz is amazing and is one of the most undervalued players in the league. He's our number 8 hitter and has an OBP of .400. He works the count, turns the lineup over, and gets on base. So many little things can add up to big wins in the playoffs. And the clutch-ness carries over to other players too. Unsung heroes like Ross Gload or Ben Francisco can factor into an NLCS too and the Phillies have been known for turning these role players into key figures in October. Just remember Matt Stairs and what he did for the city and you'll know what I'm talking about.

4. The team of destiny feeling. There is just that feeling. The feeling that nothing can stop the Phillies right now. Fresh off their first ever postseason sweep, the Phillies are the "team to beat" as J-Roll once so famously put it. I believe it too. I remember back to my little league days and taking a knee after a practice late in the season. I must have been 13. The coach gave us an impassioned speech about just making into the playoffs. Then anything can happen. We must have listened as we won our next four games and found ourselves in the championship. Unfortunately, my team, "The Orioles", lost to the Yankees in that Game, but it certainly wasn't "Richie the K's" fault. Oh... what were we talking about.

Oh right. Destiny. The Lower-South Orioles were the team of destiny that year and muscled our way to the championship. That's what this team looks capable of and I believe it will happen.

Although it will be tougher than most imagine, I believe the Phils have the guts, experience and talent to go to another World Series. My prediction: Say Goodbye to Burrell and the Giants in 6 games.

You just can't get much better than that

It's taken Roy Halladay almost 12 years of history to get to this point. It's taken him one game to make his own history.

If you haven't heard, Roy Halladay threw only the 2nd no-hitter in postseason history. The other of course, Don Larsen's perfect game in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series agains the Brooklyn Dodgers.

What Halladay did last night at the Bank will be forever ingrained in our memories and his as well. Toiling for so many mediocre seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, Halladay got his wish this past offseason to come to a contender. What he's found in Philadelphia has rejevunated him and has made him the toughest pitcher to face in baseball.

While Halladay's spotlight will be even brighter after this feat, there is a more underrated side to the spectacle achieved last night. That underrated portion, my friends, is battery mate Carlos Ruiz. Besides being one of the most underrated players on the team, the position of catcher is probably the most underrated in the sport.

Chooch consistently gets Roy into a solid rhythm and never looks back. He sets up pitches and knows what type of pitch Roy should throw against certain batters and certain counts. With the exception of a walk to Jay Bruce, Roy and Chooch were perfect last night. They were both dominant and on the same page for all 28 batters and 27 outs.

Chooch's resume is building as we speak. This is a guy who has caught the final strike of a World Series clincher, a perfect game, and now, a postseason no-hitter. While only Halladay and Don Larsen can brag about throwing no-hitters in the postseason, only Chooch and hall of famer Yogi Berra can brag about catching one.

The picture above says it all. Two guys who just know how to get it done and are having a blast doing it. Roy is certainly building his Philly lure and we should all recognize Chooch's as well. Already a fan favorite, I believe this tandem deserves more respect nationally for what they've accomplished so far this season. And there is still more to come as the Phillies have emerged as the...gulp.... World Series favorites. I can't remember the last time a Philadelphia team was ever a favorite for a title.

And who knows what the rest of October holds for Roy and Chooch. Here's to many more celebrations for two guys who really deserve it. Not quite the famous celebratory photograph captured of Berra and Larsen, but certainly a memory and a time we will all be able to share.