Monday, November 27, 2006

Gimme, Gimme Some Lovin'

What’ya gonna’ do when nobody loves ya?

Gary didn’t want to come here in the first place. Alfonso politely declined even though at last report Philadelphia was slightly closer to the east coast than Chicago. Carlos took an offer he couldn’t refuse and was last seen laughing all the way to the bank. Randy opted for home cooking, lower humidity and a bigger ball park. It appears that only Pat Burrell wants to stay.

A team subjected to so much rejection could get a real complex if it had half a mind. That’s a big “if” according to most observers. A GM could get one, too. Frankly, the Phils are better off having refused to give in to the patently obscene contracts handed out thus far this off-season to aging veterans, converted outfielders who strike out a lot and overweight sluggers who flat out cannot field.

As for those who felt Randy Wolf owed the Phils for their loyalty to him as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, sorry, fellas, but you were dreaming all along. The Phillies didn’t do anything 29 other major league clubs would have done under the same circumstances. Indeed, had they been able to opt out from the $9 million they forked over to Wolf for less than half a season’s effort in 2006 they would have rushed to do so.

Right now Wes Helms looks like more than a bargain; he represents fiscal sanity if not the big bat the Phils wanted hittting behind All Everything Ryan Howard. He might turn out to be the sleeper of the Hot Stove League, or he may turn out to be the career .269 batter with a stone glove. One thing he won’t turn out to have been is overpriced and over-hyped. Oh, and one other thing that is kind of novel about Helms: he actually wanted to come here.

2 comments:

GM-Carson said...

very disappointing offseason thus far. i am glad gillick isn't overspending like other gm's though. i agree that helms looks like a solid deal, and moyer looks like a steal.

Anonymous said...

Disappointing so far, but it is important to remember that it's not even December yet.

So long, Wolfie. There were times when I thought he was destined to just get better and better. I think CBP really screwed him up as much as the injuries, frankly, and I don't blame him for thinking he'll have a better career elsewhere.