Now that Charlie Manuel is signed through 2009, the Phillies need to start making moves to improve their team.
Manuel talked about his wish list yesterday at Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies announced his two-year contract extension with a team option for 2010. Not surpisingly, that list included lots and lots of pitching. Interestingly, Phillies president David Montgomery said that when the season ended the team's payroll was about $103 million (not sure if he's talking about the 40-man payroll or the 25-man payroll), and he expected to at least maintain that number in 2008. The Phillies have had around a $95 million payroll for the 25-man roster the last few seasons, so an extra $10 million should give the Phillies a little more flexibility.
But does that mean they'll be able to improve their pitching, re-sign Aaron Rowand and upgrade at third base?
I'm not convinced.
But it sure beats the alternative, which is going back to $95 million.
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The Phillies are selling the team!
Or not.
Montgomery adamantly denied speculation yesterday that the Phillies were looking for buyers. I've been covering this team for five years, and it seems every year somebody says the Phillies are looking to sell. This seems to be one of those times, if you believe what Montgomery said yesterday and what Bill Giles said last summer before the All-Star Game in Pittsburgh.
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Phil Sheridan would like to see what kind of manager Manuel is ... with a real pitching staff and more production at third base and elsewhere.
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I flew yesterday to Phoenix for the NLCS.
Yes, they're still playing it.
No, we're not sure how many people will be watching.
But tickets for Games 1 and 2 remained available as of late last night. I could actually purchase 25 tickets as of midnight Eastern. Incredible. How come I get the feeling that if the Phillies had beaten the Rockies, there would be Phillies fans scooping up tickets and buying airfare to Phoenix for the next couple days?
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Good news for Phillies fans. Braves general manager John Schuerholz is stepping down.
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Gotta love travel. Got up yesterday at 4:45 a.m. to head to the airport. Got to the airport and checked a bag with US Airways only to find I've got a middle seat for the five-hour flight to Phoenix. Got on the plane and I'm ready to go when the pilot said something about the plane being "dead." Swear to God. Computer problem or something. So he told us to hang tight, relax and wait until they found another plane. They found one. We were in Terminal C. The new plane was in Terminal A. If you've been to the Philly airport, you know that's a hike. So we got off the plane and walked to our new gate only to find there were more computer problems, this time airport-wide. So we waited. We finally got on the new plane. And, yes, I still had a middle seat.
I tried to drug myself to sleep on the flight. Didn't work. Arrived in Phoenix. Went to Hertz to pick up a car. The lady gave me a car that wasn't there. Straight out of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Seriously. One of my favorite movies, so I actually laughed when I discovered this. Went back. Told her the Corrolla she assigned me wasn't there. She said it might not be a Corrolla. Just check the plate number. If the plate matches, take it. I walked back. It didn't match. Went back. She assigned me a new car ... which had just been returned and needed to be cleaned. So I waited some more. Finally it showed up, and I took off for my hotel in Scottsdale.
Got to the hotel. Naturally, the room wasn't ready.
Let's hope the trip to Denver runs a little more smoothly.
Comments (14)
Absolutely disgusting. The folks out West aren't baseball fans.
I've read countless stories from the Denver Post, the Rocky Mountain News, that say Coors was empty all year and now suddenly its mostly full. What gives, you ask? Nobody cares about baseball out there. They're only along for the ride.
It sickens me. I'm not watching a single game of that series.
Posted by V | October 11, 2007 10:39 AM
Posted on October 11, 2007 10:39
I think the owners are going to sell within 2 years. This team is going to get more costly and there is going to be more pressure to win.
This is a great time for them to get out.
Posted by PaulW | October 11, 2007 10:55 AM
Posted on October 11, 2007 10:55
Sounds like you need a personal assistant. Let us know where to send resumes to....
Posted by Larry | October 11, 2007 11:34 AM
Posted on October 11, 2007 11:34
Welcome to Marathon, may I help you?
Posted by B Chambers | October 11, 2007 12:10 PM
Posted on October 11, 2007 12:10
What a nightmare travel story. And it's not that uncommon. Travel used to be fun - the whole airport thing and the flight itself used to be part of a vacation.
For the record, Colorado and Arizona finished 11th and 12th, respectively, in NL attendance, ahead of Cincinnati, Washington, Pittsburgh and Florida (all last and second-to-last placed teams).
Colorado made a late run, but I think Arizona was in contention all year.
Posted by Louis DeVizia | October 11, 2007 12:11 PM
Posted on October 11, 2007 12:11
I don't care who owns the team as long as they pick up an everyday third baseman and resign Lohse and Romero. I think that Schilling would come back here. Don't know about the rabidity of Red Sox fans, but Curt KNOWS we are fanatics. I could see him being really pumped up to pitch here.We DESERVE a championship here! All the pathetic teams we've had to watch. The Rockies and their fans don't deserve sh.....!
Posted by James L (Forever a Phillies fan!) | October 11, 2007 12:18 PM
Posted on October 11, 2007 12:18
Hang tight and relax? Good to see you had the Fonz as your pilot, T.
Posted by Civil Negligence | October 11, 2007 12:34 PM
Posted on October 11, 2007 12:34
Todd, sometime in the offseason you have to do a blog or an article about the travel and life on the road of a baseball beat writer. I suspect you have some great stories, good and bad. Look forward to your stories form the playoffs.
The selling of the team...I beleive Monty when he says the owners aren't LOOKING for buyers. But that's just semantics. Somebody makes an offer they can't refuse, they will sell. I'm with PaulW, this payroll is only going to get way bigger (Howard, Hamels) and if they now come up short they will listen to even more noise about not spending. At a much higher volume. The town got a taste this year, they will really be vocal if we step back.
Hochman was on radio this morning and is standing by story and even disclosed that one of the sticking points of the reluctant owner may involve keeping one/some members of the group in position. When asked if that meant Monty, he chose not to answer. I think the story has legs, don't know if it can walk.
Could be a fun winter.
Posted by jimmymack | October 11, 2007 12:43 PM
Posted on October 11, 2007 12:43
I was all over the possibility of getting Lowell at third, but if Garrett Atkins is available, I'd say go with him - younger, cheaper, seems to really fit the make-up of this team (and he was Utley's best man, right?).
Also agree with Jimmymack's comments re: Howard's off-season conditioning. We can go on and on about his final power numbers, but he hit .225 for the first 2 months (and let's not forget the month Utley was out) because he came to camp looking like Shawn Andrews. The weight takes a toll. Brett Myers could also drop a few - looking a tad Wittman-esque. Speaking of Craig Stadler, I guess if Schilling is available he's worth a look. Wait. Hmmm. Is there anybody else I can insult? Oh, yeah, the owners...
Nah, way too easy. Just do the right thing by the fans and the team, gang.
PS: Amen, also, on the beat-writer expose. I heard a rumor they have more groupies than the NBA.
Posted by John in LA | October 11, 2007 12:59 PM
Posted on October 11, 2007 12:59
Don't forget to take advantage of all the vast and diverse cultural opportunities presented in Phoenix.
For instance, did you know that Scottsdale alone has 396 Walgreens?
Posted by David | October 11, 2007 1:08 PM
Posted on October 11, 2007 13:08
I agree with jimmymack, I would love to hear more about the life of a baseball writer on the road. I appreciate all of the good insights on this blog.
Posted by Anonymous | October 11, 2007 1:15 PM
Posted on October 11, 2007 13:15
I was listening to sport talk 950 this morning. They were trying to get everyone to email in letters asking Mark Cuban to buy the team along with Pat Croce. The guys would then forward the mail to Cuban. Can you imagine that? Cuban and Croce....owners of the Phillies. Talk about passion and high strung!
Posted by chelle | October 11, 2007 1:27 PM
Posted on October 11, 2007 13:27
i understand the media competing to break stories. but unless the team has actually been sold and the paperwork signed, i don't want to hear about it. it's cruel. like telling a 5-year-old that we're celebrating christmas tomorrow with lots of presents, then a couple hours later telling him "psych! got you!" has there been any mark cuban sightings in town?
Posted by mike | October 11, 2007 1:38 PM
Posted on October 11, 2007 13:38
That's two awfully big ego's under one roof...ask Pat how that worked out with Ed Snider. Cuban is a force of nature by himself, I think Croce would be redundant in his world, he wants to speak for his team.
Pat's a good front man but I really give him points for when he dumped his GM and manager when he saw it was a mistake. Don't see that too often. If he is fronting another group, I'm good with that. As long as he doesn't have Utley, Howard or Rollins climbing bridges to hang Phillies banners. Bonus: he could work on Hamel's back.
Posted by jimmymack | October 11, 2007 2:12 PM
Posted on October 11, 2007 14:12