Source: Phillies Aggressively Shopping Domonic Brown

By PATRICK GORDON | Managing Editor
@Philabaseball

As originally reported by the Philadelphia Baseball Review late last week, the Phillies are still aggressively shopping outfielder Domonic Brown.

The 26-year-old  was an All-Star last season, swatting 27 home runs to go along with 83 RBIs and a .272 batting average.

Brown is arbitration eligible in 2015 and won't become a free agent until 2018, but the Phillies and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. believe he's their biggest trade chip as they hunt for a starting pitcher.

The Rays, Giants, and Red Sox have all reportedly shown interest.

- The Philadelphia Baseball Review is Philadelphia's premier baseball news source, providing Phillies news and analysis. 

Read More

Roy Halladay is Retiring

By PATRICK GORDON | Managing Editor
@Philabaseball

Roy Halladay's career is complete.

The 36-year-old will sign a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays and announce his retirement Monday at a 12:30 p.m. press conference in Orlando at the Winter Meetings.

Halladay spent 12 seasons in Toronto before joining the Phillies. 

Halladay's career in Philadelphia truly was the tale of two stories. During his first two seasons he compiled a 40-16 record to go along with a 2.40 ERA. He then battled shoulder issues and went 15-13 over his final two years, compiling a 5.15 ERA. 

CBSSports' Jon Heyman reported the news.

Halladay won two Cy Young awards in his career, his first in 2003 with Toronto and his last in 2010 with the Phillies. 

- The Philadelphia Baseball Review is Philadelphia's top baseball news source, providing Phillies news and analysis. 

Read More

Phillies Connected to Two-Time Cy Young Award Winner Santana

By PATRICK GORDON | Managing Editor
@Philabaseball

The Philadelphia Phillies have reached out to free agent starter Johan Santana, according to a source close to the Philadelphia Baseball Review.

Santana, 34, has undergone two surgeries on his throwing shoulder over the past three years and is a shell of what he once was, but he could be a low-risk, high reward sign.

The left-hander started 21 games for the Mets in 2012, going 6-9 with a 4.85 ERA over 117 innings of work. The club bought out his contract for $5.5 million in October after six seasons in New York.

Santana had surgery on the anterior capsule in his left shoulder in April, but according to his agent he will be ready for spring training.

In addition to the Phillies, the Mets, Twins, and Pirates have also spoken with the two-time Cy Young Award winner about a possible deal.

- The Philadelphia Baseball Review is the top baseball news blog in Philadelphia, providing news coverage and analysis of the 2014 Phillies.

Read More

Phillies Notebook: Some Notes Heading Into the Winter Meetings

By PATRICK GORDON | Managing Editor
@Philabaseball

With the Winter Meetings set to begin in Orlando on Monday, Ruben Amaro Jr. and the Phillies are looking to add some depth to the starting rotation.

The club was in on free agent starters Scott Feldman and Ryan Vogelsong, but both received more lucrative offers elsewhere.

Matt Garza and Ervin Santana are two names drawing interest, but both are looking for contracts in the five-year, $100 million neighborhood and that's traditionally a no-go for Amaro and the Phillies.

"We will pursue plenty of things," Amaro said last week. "We have spoken with several people already and plan to meet with some [in Orlando during the Winter Meetings]. We will be aggressive and creative, but also we have to be smart."

One American League executive believes the Phillies and Tampa Bay have been trying to hammer out a swap involving starter David Price for outfielder Domonic Brown, but the Rays also want Jesse Biddle in the deal and that's slowed talks.

The Phillies have also been connected to Japan's Masahiro Tanaka, but the odds of him landing in Philadelphia are slim. First, the club would have to put up a significant posting fee of something close to $20 million, then negotiate a contract similar to Yu Darvish's six-year deal worth $56 million. This, of course, assuming the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles post Tanaka, and that's not a guarantee (though as of late Sunday, it seemed the club would meet Tanaka's wishes of being posted.)

In addition to Brown, multiple sources believe the Phillies will shop Jonathan Papelbon during the Winter Meetings. The 33-year-old still has two years remaining on his current deal and is owed $26 million, plus he has a limited no-trade clause.

Unless the Phillies pick up a a sizable portion of Papelbon's remaining contract to make a potential deal appealing to another club, it's unlikely he's dealt anytime soon.

- The Philadelphia Baseball Review is the top baseball news blog in Philadelphia, providing news coverage and analysis of the 2014 Phillies. All week we'll have news, rumors, and analysis from the Winter Meetings in Orlando.  

Read More