Results tagged ‘ Delwyn Young ’
Almost Home …
Hola, amigos.
I’ve been blog-less since Friday morning because of a conversion to new blog software. But the conversion didn’t work as planned, which left me unable to post. I apologize for that. But we went back to the old software for the next 24 hours or so, which should allow me to post through tomorrow’s Grapefruit League finale at Bright House Field.
I want to mention a few things before the Zo Zone goes dark again:
The Phillies have not named a closer to replace Brad Lidge, but my guess is Jose Contreras gets the nod. Why? It’s just the feeling I get from being in camp the past few days. Rich Dubee also sounds like he wants to keep Madson in the eighth inning, where he has thrived. I asked Dubee yesterday if he thought Madson was better prepared to close this season than previous seasons.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “Ryan Madson is Ryan Madson. What did he do? Take a crash course in how to close? We’re in Spring Training here. … I think the game speeds up on him sometimes. He doesn’t get to the same comfort level. There’s a little anxiety there. The ninth inning is a little different than the eighth. There have been a solid eighth-inning guys that haven’t been able to pitch the ninth. One day they learn how to do it.”
Castillo Agrees to Minor League Deal
Luis Castillo has agreed to a Minor League contract with the Phillies, although it is not finalized, a source said tonight.
The Mets released Castillo on Friday and the Phillies immediately expressed interest. Castillo cleared waivers this afternoon.
Interesting move.
The Minor League contract certainly suggests the Phillies are not prepared to just hand a Castillo a job. He will have to earn one, although there is not much time. Just 12 days remain before Opening Day.
If the Phillies had offered Castillo a Major League contract they would be on the hook for $414,000 of his $6 million salary, regardless of his ability to play. The Minor League deal guarantees Castillo even less money, which means if the Phillies feel Castillo cannot play they can let him go at little cost. Of course, if they decide he can help and place him on the 25-man roster they would have to pay him $414,000.
But repeat: If he cannot play the Phillies are on the hook for less than $414,000. How much less? I’m not sure, but it’s a low-risk, high-reward move the Phillies like to make. If he can play, bonus. If he can’t, buy-bye.
Kendrick Agrees to $2.45 Million Deal
Kyle Kendrick avoided aribtration today when he agreed to a one-year, $2.45 million deal with the Phillies.
The contract includes award bonuses.
Kendrick, who was eligible for salary arbitration for the first time, went 11-10 with a 4.73 ERA in 33 appearances (31 starts) last season. He is 35-24 with a 4.69 ERA in 93 appearances (83 starts) in his career.
Gotten a few questions about how the Phillies and Kendrick’s agent came up with that number. Well, it’s actually pretty simple. Look at some of the other first-year eligible pitchers out there and what they got from their teams: Detroit’s Armando Galarraga ($2.3 million) and Toronto’s Brandon Morrow ($2.3 million) are two examples. Arbitration numbers typically are about service time. A notable exception was Ryan Howard a few years ago.
Kendrick, 26, could end up in the bullpen if the Phillies do not trade Joe Blanton before the season starts. He could take Chad Durbin‘s role as the team’s multiple-inning middle reliever. But if the Phillies trade Blanton, Kendrick would be the favorite to be the fifth starter, although he would get some competition from Vance Worley.
The Phillies have no more players eligible for salary arbitration. They agreed to a one-year, $1.175 million deal Saturday with Ben Francisco.
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Here are the contract details for J.C. Romero and Delwyn Young:
Seven More Players Invited to Spring Training
The Phillies have invited seven more players to Spring Training as non-roster invitees, bringing the total to 19. Here is the information from a Phillies news release:
Brian Bass, RHP: Bass, 29, spent the majority of the 2010 season with triple-A Indianapolis where he went 4-4 with two saves and a 3.26 ERA in 41 games (one start). He also made four appearances in the majors for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, all in relief. For his major league career Bass has gone 9-7 with one save and a 5.16 ERA in 101 games (four starts) between the Twins (2008), Orioles (2008-09) and Pirates (2010). Following the season, Bass pitched for Tigres de Aragua in the Venezuelan Winter League where he went 1-1 with a 2.68 ERA in seven starts.
Tuffy Gosewisch, C: In 97 games for double-A Reading last season, Gosewisch, 27, hit .241 with nine home runs and 32 RBI. Also a non-roster invitee to Phillies spring training in 2008 and 2009, he batted .289 with four home runs and 15 RBI over his final 28 games of the season. For his minor league career, Gosewisch, an 11th round selection by the Phillies in the June 2005 draft, has hit .234 with 27 home runs and 176 RBI in 472 games.
Todd Zolecki
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