The Zo Zone

Ponson is a cancer to every team he goes to. I'd rather wait it out for Benson or bring up a AAA pitcher than have Sidney come over.

I can't understand why we'd go after Cameron. Doesn't anyone remember his stint with the Mets? He clearly can't perform with a big market team. Second, we've been told that Victorino would make an excellent center fielder, so why not give him a chance (now that we let Rowand get away). Third, Cameron will miss the first 25 games next season for testing positive for banned substances a SECOND time. Beyond potential 'moral' issues (what would the Phils organization be saying to fans by signing him), doesn't it seem likely that someone who gets caught twice will either a) get caught again, or b) stop using performance enhancing drugs and end up displaying their real skill level (rather pedestrian in Cameron's case). I vote for Jenkins as a platoon option/back-up outfielder. Just my two cents...

I really don't see much difference between Cameron and Jenkins. Cameron has more speed, but that's really about it. Even their stats are pretty similar, with the exception of triples and steals (the "speed" stats). The Phils are probably looking at Roberson as the fifth outfielder. Would it be too much to try to sign both, especially since both should come pretty cheaply?

I'd rather have Jenkins over Cameron. (Doesn't Cameron start the season on suspension?)

Sidney Ponson = King Hippo

Regarding Benson, it looks like 10 teams are watching him tomorrow, so it's probably nothing.
story here: http://mlbfleecefactor.com/2007/12/16/kris-benson-update/

I think Cameron fits the Phils' needs better. They definitely don't need another LH bat. They do need a RH bat with some semblence of proven power. Otherwise, it's just Pat Burrell. I worry the Phils are going to get dominated by good LH pitchers -- especially by late-inning specialists. Furthermore, they need an OF who can play CF. Victorino isn't a durable guy. I don't know that he can play 150 games. Jenkins certainly isn't a CF. Whether it's a Jenkins/Werth platoon or a Victorino/Werth doesn't seem to make much difference. The 25 game suspension would seem to make Cameron even more affordable.

Well if Cameron will come in cheap and with the Phillies losing 2 outfielders, I could see them going for both. I'm suprised to the see the split favortism between the both. I'd figure the steroid thing wouldn't favor Cameron but I guess I was wrong.

Todd's buddy, Scott Lauber is reporting that the Phillies have interest in Bobby Kielty, who was recently cut loose by the Red Sox. Watch this guy because Jenkins and Cameron represent champagne tast while Kielty is more suitable to their beer pocketbook. Kielty is a switch hitter who can play all three outfield positions. His skills have eroded to the point where he will draw next to no interest making it possible he will sign a minor league contract. If he makes the club out of spring training the Phils will only have to pay him peanuts. This is the most likely scenario although Hot Stove is always good. Remember we can't compete with other clubs with our lowball offers.

Zo Zo,

I love the blog, but why is it always so hard to find the "on baseball" report on the website. Its never listed in the Phillies Section. When it is, is about three weeks late. Can you get your webmaster to get this fixed?

So the Phillies let Rowand go because he might lose some skills when he reaches 35 and will replace him with a 35 year old whose skills have already gone south. Typical Phillies move.

The situations are not even close. They'd be talking a short contract of maybe $7 million annually for Cameron. Whereas Rowand would be making $12-14 million by that point.

Cameron didn't get caught doing steroids. He got caught doing greenies. Also against baseball rules. Also against the law. But a much different impact on performance. You don't have to worry about a guy giving up greenies and suddenly losing 15 pounds of muscle and hitting 15 fewer homeruns. That said, I'd rather have Jenkins.

Read your column. No doubt Roger Clemens is the biggest fish reeled in. I think the hall of fame voters obsession with long, productive careers created a huge incentive for excellent ball players to resort to steroids and HGH. When Clemens left Boston, his career was on the ropes despite having won 3 cy youngs. He hires the right trainer, earns another 4 cy youngs, stretches his career out another decade, and has absurd career numbers. For pitchers, the juice is almost required to lengthen a career to the point where you could compile HOF numbers.

Jenkins. Livan Hernandez. And a midseason move for a quality starter. There's no better young nucleus in baseball than Rollins-Utley-Howard-Hamels. I like our chances. Play ball!

I love, love Harry, and growing up listening to him and Whitey was something I'll always cherish. But I listened to him today call the Colts-Raiders game on Westwood One. Mistake after mistake after mistake. It was bad, really bad. Maybe he'd be sharper doing less ininngs per game this upcoming season. He's had a hall of fame career, but it's time to move on and let us remember you for the decades of brilliance.

They'd be better off in this situation going cheap with Kielty and spending every available penny upgrading that pitching staff. Neither Cameron or Jenkins will be as cheap as people here think and both are clearly on their downsides.

Hey Miso,

You said the juice is almost required to compile HOF numbers. What did pitchers do before the juice came about? I guess it makes numbers more impressive from pre-juice baseball.

"For pitchers, the juice is almost required to lengthen a career to the point where you could compile HOF numbers."

In case anyone hasn't noticed there have been no pitchers coming our way (other than the Lidge trade). Gillick has said a number of times that it is most likely that the Phils will have to trade for pitching. Why is that? Free agent pitchers are not going to sign with the Phils because our beautiful bandbox ballpark. Pitchers don't want to pitch here.

Now, are there exceptions? Why, yes. Pitchers will significant arm or shoulder injuries that somehow fly under the Phils medical radar. Examples? Sure how about Gordon, Garcia, and Eaton. Maybe the better strategy is to load up on stick and just outscore the other teams. Biggest problem with that is you win games in the regular season and then get swept (if you make it) in the playoffs. Choose your poison.

If the Phils somehow manage to sign Benson, I hereby request every blog entry by Zo to have pics of Kris' hot wife!

Quixote should stick to windmills.

If ballparks meant more to free agents than money, Boston wouldn't have any pitching. The Green Monster is a pitcher's nightmare and the Pesky Pole in right field is a whopping 302 feet -- that's 100 yards, folks -- away. Howard could bunt home runs there.

Yet, they have Beckett, Schilling, Dice-K, (home-grown) Papelbon, Timlin, the Japanese set-up guy... Why is that? Two reasons: They pay more. And pitchers there can win world championships. With an emphasis on paying more.

Pitchers now know the Phillies can win too. They'd have to love pitching with Rollins, Utley and Victorino up the middle.

We need to pay a premium for a HEALTHY starting pitcher and one more position player. That's it.

Enough crap about the ballpark. If that were the answer all the pitchers would beg to go to San Diego and Seattle.

good story on 3rd base options below. i like the idea of mcpherson. hate the feliz idea. atkins would be great, but i doubt that will happen.

http://mlbfleecefactor.com/2007/12/12/morgan-ensberg-to-be-non-tendered/

eman's got it: money talks. Also, I think the hitter-friendly nature of CBP may be exaggerated. According to these overall stats, CBP rates about in the middle for overally hitter/pitcher friendliess:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stats/parkfactor

Who are all the free-agent pitchers that have signed with the Phils the past few seasons? Since when does money talk with the Phils? Who have they thrown money at?

The Phils signed Flash Gordon, Adam Eaton, and Francisco Rosario. Randy Wolf twice snubbed the Phils efforts to resign him. Schilling snubbed them. They backed out of the competition to sign the Japanese pitchers, except possibly the Rangers' pitcher who spent the last 4 months on the disabled list.

Until the Phils actually sign a free agent pitcher of note, there is little to debate.
Money talks but b...sh.t walks. Whose doing the walking?

Hey Todd,

Did you hear anything about a possible deal with Seattle for Beltre? I heard second hand that 610 WIP said that the Phillies could be close to a deal. The deal would presumably send Adam Eaton along with pitching prospect Carlos Carrasco over to the Mariners for Beltre and Horacio. Common sense says this is b.s., but I still want to know if you heard anything, before I start day dreaming.

Hi Todd, did your exclusion of Mike Cameron from this morning's article imply the Phils are no longer looking at him, but only Jenkins?

jrquixote - gordon and eaton weren't exactly cheap so they did throw money at them. rosario was a trade so he had no say in anything.

What is this Beltre thing? I haven't read anything about it.