Free-agent catcher Brian Schneider and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed Tuesday to a $2.75 million, two-year contract. Schneider, who spent the last two seasons with the rival New York Mets, will be a backup to Carlos Ruiz for the NL champions. "We feel Brian is ideal for our ballclub," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "He's a guy that we would feel comfortable with playing for an extended period of time, if needed." The 33-year-old Schneider hit .218 with three homers and 18... Read Full Story
I think everyone with at least one finger on the Phillies’ bandwagon would say ‘yes’, Cliff Lee would probably be our number two starter right now if Jamie Moyer retired either during or after last season.
I’m not necessarily saying that Moyer is the sole reason why the Phils will not march into the World Series with a stacked lineup and rotation this season, but he’s certainly not helping the situation. The Phillies owe Moyer around $8 million for 2010 to compete to be our fifth and final... Read Full Story
The 2007 NL MVP will make $7.5 million next year, the final season originally guaranteed under the $40 million, five-year extension he signed in June 2005. A three-time All-Star, Rollins hit .250 with 22 homers, 77 RBIs and a team-high 31 steals last season as the Phillies won their second straight NL pennant. The shortstop was voted his third straight Gold Glove. Read Full Story
That travel team back in Virginia a decade ago must have played great defense on the left side of the infield. Ryan Zimmerman succeeded boyhood friend David Wright as the National League's Gold Glove third baseman on Wednesday. In high school, when Zimmerman was a shortstop, the two played together on a youth team. "Hopefully if we're lucky enough to continue doing what we're doing, this will be a yearly thing," Zimmerman said. "It's fun for us." A college teammate from the University of... Read Full Story
Chase Utley ripped a no-doubt-about-it shot to right, put his head down and ran around the bases so quickly he nearly passed Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino. Even in the World Series, Utley doesn't pause to admire his homers. He's had plenty of opportunities, too, connecting five times to tie Reggie Jackson's record set in 1977 with the Yankees. Another big swing from Utley got the Philadelphia Phillies started, and they broke out of their hitting funk in an 8-6 victory over the New York... Read Full Story
Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada drove in the deciding runs with two outs in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees beat Philadelphia 7-4 to reach the brink of a World Series title. The Yankees broke a 4-4 deadlock on a double to left field by Rodriguez and Posada plated two insurance runs with a single to centerfield as the visitors seized a commanding 3-1 lead in Major League Baseball's best-of-seven final. New York could stretch their record to 27 World Series titles with a victory in... Read Full Story
The New York Yankees took a 2-1 lead after three innings in Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday night as Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch for the third time in two games, prompting umpires to warn both teams about throwing inside. Joe Blanton, making just his second postseason start this year for Phillies, retired eight straight hitters after hitting Rodriguez. Blanton, the Game 4 winner against Tampa Bay last year, struck out three in the first three innings, all called. He needed just 32... Read Full Story
Florida Marlins left fielder Chris Coghlan won the National League Rookie of the Year award in a close vote Monday, and Oakland Athletics closer Andrew Bailey took the AL honor. Coghlan edged Philadelphia Phillies pitcher J.A. Happ, receiving 17 first-place votes and 105 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Happ, the only player picked on all 32 ballots, had 10 first-place votes and 94 points. Bailey, an All-Star in his first major league season, was selected... Read Full Story
A.J. Burnett started walking briskly off the mound before manager Joe Girardi even got there. The erratic right-hander already was finished — and he knew it. With a chance to pitch the New York Yankees to their first World Series championship in nine years, Burnett was a major bust in Game 5 on Monday night. He gave up a three-run homer before retiring a hitter, and was chased with nobody out in the third inning. After battering Burnett, the Philadelphia Phillies held on for an 8-6 victory... Read Full Story
CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee began texting each other a week ago, but kept their notes private. Now that the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies are set to meet, the former teammates can share their message with everyone: See ya in the World Series, buddy! Broad Street vs. Broadway, cheesesteaks vs. cheesecake. Six months after Sabathia and Lee opposed each other in the first game at the new Yankee Stadium, they return to the Bronx for higher stakes. Ryan Howard and the defending... Read Full Story
