The Philly Phanatics

The rumors surrounding the Phillies remain constant as the off-season continues. Sadly though, the big names most of Philadelphia would like to see in red pinstripes next season are not included in this list of possible signings.

Aaron Rowand signed this past week with the Giants closing the book on the three big name center fielders available this off-season via free agency. The Phillies essentially struck out this off-season in center field. Rowand, Andruw Jones, and Torii Hunter have now already signed, essentially locking the Phillies into starting Shane Victorino in center field. This would not be a horrible move…if the Phillies planned on spending some of the savings on big name free agents.

Would replacing Wes Helms, Jayson Werth, or Adam Eaton be that horrible a move?

The most recent rumor concerning the Phillies outfield for next season is the possible addition of Geoff Jenkins to platoon with Werth and occasionally substitute for Burrell in left. The left-handed hitting Jenkins is a career .277 hitter who had an off-year last season hitting only .255 with 21 home runs and 64 runs batted in.

There is no doubt that Jenkins is capable of being a good player still. A few seasons ago, he consistently put up 25 home runs and 90 RBIs. However, who knows for certain that the 33 year-old Jenkins will revert back to his prior successes in this outfield, especially in a platoon with Jayson Werth. I have to applaud the Phillies for recognizing the outfield as a weakness, but is Geoff Jenkins really the big name outfielder that fans are looking for to take the place of Rowand?

Rumors also have the Phillies interested in free agent reliever Akinori Otsuka who was just released by Texas. Otsuka, a 35 year-old righty, has a career 2.44 ERA and has spent one of his four season in the majors (he spent 7 years in Japan prior to crossing the Pacific) as a closer, posting 32 saves and a 2.11 ERA two seasons ago.

Sounds like a good acquisition, right? Hold on, the Rangers had to have had a reason not to offer him a contract. The reason: Otsuka only pitched in 34 games last season before being missing the entire second half of the season with right forearm inflammation.

Finally, the Phillies are one of the teams interested in former Oriole Kris Benson. Benson, a former first overall pick by the Pirates in 1996, has a 68-73 career record with a 4.34 ERA. He missed all of the 2007 season after having season-ending shoulder surgery last March. In his most recent season (’06), he was 11-12 with a 4.82 ERA. (Honestly, I think most fans probably want Benson in Philly more so for the possibility that his outspoken wife shown here will attend the games.)

Is this the Phillies being the same old Phillies? Does management really say to themselves: “Let’s chase after the crapshoot players coming off bad seasons and injuries and pray that they are better than everyone else expects.” If management plans on chasing after every gamble possible, why not consider Mark Prior, the ultimate boom-or-bust pitcher? But instead, the Phillies have expressed no interest in the “ever-intriguing, but oft-injured” starter.

Sometimes this organization just makes me shake my head and wonder what management is thinking. Honestly, though, considering the corner that the Phillies are backed into at this point in the off-season, defending their NL East title will require more than Werth starting in right and having to bring back players like Mesa and Alfonseca to piece together some semblance of a working bullpen.

So I say, go for it. Hopefully the Phillies are able to land at least some help in the outfield and the bullpen for next season. It is just very disappointing that none of these potential acquisitions have names like Haren, Rowand, Hunter, Cabrera or Willis.