Arms Race

We will withhold our official thoughts on the proposed Jason Michaels deal until its announced later today. Truth is, it's already been covered ad nausium in the phils blogosphere so any critiquing we would do (we don't like the deal all that much) would be repetitive anyways. Suffice to say, the biggest questions surrounding this deal are:

(a) is this the most we could get in return for Michaels alone?
(b) what would have it taken to get what Boston is offering Cleveland for their CF
(c) is Authur Rhodes the de facto player in return because he's a lefty and
(d) does Rhodes, with his low innings count the last 3 years, inability to get lefties out (they hit .286 off him last year), extended personal leave and high number of inherited runners allowed to score in '05 represent an appreciably better candidate to be set-up man than Aaron Fultz?

On point d, consider: Longer career? Yes. However, Rhodes is a rent-a-player with a one-year contract. Can he really be counted on to do something Fultz isn't capable of? Does this mean our 7th and 8th inning guys are left-handed.

For what it's worth, out on the lake, MLB writer Anthony Castrovince says he hasn't gotten a single email supporting this whole inclusive deal from the Indians perspective. On the other hand, despite the usual rumors to the contrary, this almost guarentees that Bobby Abreu will remain a Phillie.

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The Nationals are eyeing former Phils Ugeth Urbina, despite his legal troubles in South America. This signing, outside of the obvious concerns with Urbina's relationship with freedom, would make sense for the Nats. Urbina can still be effective and would benefit from the extreme flyball-friendly RFK stadium for the next 2 years (or however long it takes DC to build a baseball stadium). This would also enable Urbina to be the next pitcher in a long line of vet relievers who tanked in Philly, but followed it up with success elsewhere.

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NY Newsday is reporting that Philly is a possibly landing spot for Mike Piazza, who is seeking a $7 million deal. Let's see, hits .260, can't really throw anyone out, has big contract. Uh, I'm pretty sure we already got one of those.

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Not to open old wounds, but Tim Worrell has left a scar upon this blog from which it probably won't ever recover (of only to make things more dramatic). Let's a take a trip down memory lane:

Nobody ever seems to know what Worrell is thinking, especially the Phillies, who employed him last year. About two months into last season, the ex-Giant asked to be placed on the disabled list to deal with "personal problems." For the next two months, the Phillies paid him about $1 million to not pitch. When they began to press the issue, Worrell asked to be released -- a convenient way out, since he would continue to be paid (if he had retired, he would have forfeited another million or so). That irritated the Phillies, who thought they had been more than fair, but they did him a huge favor by trading him to Arizona, his home state. The Giants took over from there.

Damn him.

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Today's column shows that Bill Conlin is more than capable of amusing himself in the sports doldrums of January.

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The Brett Myers Weight Watch continues.