Plan B?

Wow...okay...so after we all find out that Mcnabb's, hence the Eagle's, season ended in November, I get the message that Soriano signed a sick sick sick sick contract worth 136 million for 8 years! And under a week after talking myself into wanting Soriano, I have to revert back to my "Soriano Sucks" attitude. My first thought when hearing that the cubs got him was "Shit....SHIT....SHITSHITSHIT!!!!!!" Then I thought "Who the hell are the Cubs? 8 YEARS!!!! For a 31 year old!" I was shocked and I feel like this is horrible for baseball. If players are getting insane contracts worth 136 million dollars, how are half the teams in baseball possibly going to be able to contend? But I am not writing here to talk about my hopes of putting a salary cap on baseball, I am hear to talk about the Phillies future.

Was Soriano the answer? Was he the only possible way the Phillies were going to be able to get over the playoff hump? Let me make this as clear and profound as possible: NO. There is not one player in baseball who, if added, instantly makes a team a contender. Sure, there are players who instantly make a team dangerous and with the right men around him can allow them to contend. But no one, no matter how good they are, can carry an entire team (although Howard came close). Now, while saying all of this and reiterating that Soriano wasn't the only way to get us to the playoffs, he would have helped a shitload. Fast, powerful, right-handed...all things the Phils would have loved. He would have been a nice batter to place behind Rhyno and could have hit close to 50 here in Philly. But let us not think of what could have been...let us focus on the future.

What do we do with all this money we have? We traded Abreu to free up salary, right? How do we spend it wisely? Well, I don't personally have all the answers. For one, I am not a GM...nor do I think I am smart enough to be one. Secondly, I am not a genuis....although I am pretty damn close. I just hope Gillick is, because I am pretty sure he is already a GM. I also hope Gillick doesn't follow in Wade's footsteps and sign big money for the bullpen. I know it is a MAJOR concern for the team, but look at the past and you will notice it rarely works out. I also hope Gillick definitely does not trade away Burrell. I never wanted that in the first place, but now look at the situation. There isn't really any other big name outfielders, besides maybe Lee or (gasp) Drew, out there to sign. And can you honestly be happy with an outfield of Victorino, Rowand and Conine? I know I can't. Combined they probably won't even hit Burrell's (apparently awful) total of 29 homers. Maybe we can now make those rumors reality and trade Rowand for Crede. Crede can protect Howard, right? Oh...wait...Helms will be playing 3rd base. So where do we go? How do we get a big bat to protect our big boy? Free agency is doubtful and Phillies have little bargaining chips to trade away anyhow.

But now the true question...Is a batter to hit behind Howard our biggest offseason need? One could argue that it is, however, it is not a definite "YES." Pitching has been and will continue to be our biggest concern. Because the lineup, as of this moment, could possibly look something like this: Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, Burrell, Rowand, Helms, Coste. Isn't that horrendous? Isn't it the worst lineup EVER put on the field? Doesn't it make you not want to exist anymore? Absolutely not...it is still a formidable lineup that could easily win you ballgames. We all got so caught up in this Soriano Hype that we overlooked our biggest needs. I came to think that we couldn't do anything without his bat. Now, I realize we still can win. It is just going to take some smart moves by our man. I just pray we don't sit on the money and throw a 65 million dollar team on the field in 2007. In Gillick we trust?...I hope so.



"I look like death"