[Phils20]

I'm very pleased with this deal. I think this team is getting closer everyday to staying a strong team for years to come!

The Phillies have reached a multi-year deal with Jayson Werth, although exact terms of the deal are yet unknown. Scout.com is reporting it is a two-year, $9 million deal, although the Phillies could not confirm that.
Werth was eligible for free agency after this season. He had asked for a $4 million salary in arbitration, while the Phillies had offered $3 million. Werth made $1.7 million last season, when he produced the best season of his five-plus year career, hitting .273 with 24 home runs and 67 RBI.
Werth still must fly to Philadelphia to take a physical.
The signing leaves only first baseman Ryan Howard and right-handed reliever Chad Durbin unsigned from a group of arbitration-eligible players that intially numbered 10.
Durbin is expected to sign at some point within the next 24 to 48 hours, but Howard, who has requested a record $18 million salary, will likely take a lot longer.

[njpsufan]

Big signing. You now have a good young core of players so important to keep them. Deals are all short term, so gives team flexibility to reward guys who take it up a level, but doesn't kill us if guy gets hurt or tanks.

[Phils20]

Agreed. This team is pretty much in place for another run at it.

And it seems they are also after a righty off the bench, and another pitcher for the pen!

I'm ready for spring training!

[njpsufan]

Yeah, I saw a breakdown of the payroll, including Howard at $18. Total is ard $135M. But after this year they have a huge sum coming off the books. Eaton $8, Jenkins $6.5, Thome (yes still paying for him) $3, Myers $12 (shocker there). Right there is almost $30M. So I don't see them making any big moves. Plus the year after that Moyer will retire and that's another $6. The fact that they only gave Blanton a 1 year deal makes me think, or hope, that the organization wants to build from within. This year you have Hamels, Myers, Moyer, Blanton and Haap. Kendricks has to show he has his confidence back. If he does then we need to find a way to get him pitching in the line-up. I don't think either Haap or Kendricks are good bull-pen type pitchers. I think the Park signing was a waste... he keeps talking like he is going to start. That guy was good in Dodger Stadium and that's it. He is a flyball guy, horrible for our park. Then after next year you will have an idea of how Haap, Kendricks and Carrasco are all doing. So come 2010 we could see a rotation of Hamels, Moyer, Haap, Kendricks and Carrasco. Blanton is on a 1 yr deal so if he pitches well this year then we have a choice to make, same with Myers....no way he going to get $12m a year unless he goes out and wins a Cy Young. He pitched very well in 2nd half so if he keeps it going then again, we have a gd choice to make. By start of 2010 this team could look very different then now. 1B Utley, 2B Donald, SS Rollins 3B ??, LF Ibanez, CF Victorino, RF Werth, C Marson. But with all the money they would be saving with no Howard, Myers or Blanton.... thats another $30M. We would be able to give long term deals to Vic and Werth, plus have money to sign a FA 3B. Think Amaro is on the right track to keep us at the top for years to come.