Bench option?

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The Tampa Bay Devil Rays designated Josh Phelps for assignment about a week ago. Phelps, the all-time MLB hits leader from Alaska (ahead of Curt Schilling, of all people) at age 27, has a career .269/.336/.473 line, and has managed at least 15 HRs each of the past three seasons in less than 400 ABs.

Personally, I think he'd look great sitting on the bench as a Cardinal - after all, he's basically a right-handed John Mabry, and gives the Cards more flexibility backing up Pujols. And with So Taguchi struggling and Abraham Nunez rather weak from the right side, it'd be great to have an effective right-handed bat looming in the late innings. If the price is right, the Cards should make a deal.

Posted by MO Boiler at June 13, 2005 10:07 PM
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THERE ARE WORSE OPTIONS (AND WE'RE EMPLOYING THEM) BUT WHY NOT JUST USE JOHN GALL???!!!!

IT'S NOT BECAUSE HE "NEEDS MORE AT BATS", GALL, LIKE PHELPS, IS PAST THE AGE OF PROSPECT STATUS, BUT MAN, IT'D BE NICE TO GET SOMEONE NEW WHAT HE NEEDS TO GET PENSION...

Posted by: TOLAXOR at June 14, 2005 05:28 AM

MY NAME IS TOLAXOR AND I HAVEN'T HAD MY COFFEE YET!!!

SORRY THAT I WENT ALL "COMMA-HAPPY"

RDF!!!

Posted by: TOLAXOR at June 14, 2005 05:29 AM

That's ok Tol... I often get commaitis before the caffeine kicks in.

:-)

Posted by: Len Cleavelin at June 14, 2005 05:59 AM

I admittedly have a soft spot for Phelps... as a rookie in '02 he caught fire with 15 HR in 74 games as a C-eligible and helped lead my fantasy team to the league title in the second half.

But Gall's career .819 minor league OPS or Phelps' career .809 major league OPS? At basically the same age? Financial commitments aside, I'd take Phelps in a heartbeat.

Posted by: MO Boiler at June 14, 2005 11:51 AM

What do you guys think about Alex Sanchez?

Posted by: Ryan at June 14, 2005 04:42 PM

...Roger Cedeno with a little more pop. If Cedeno had enough seeing-eye singles to be hitting .346 like Sanchez, their rate stats would be eerily similar this season.

Cedeno (+ 11 singles): .351/.377/.368
Sanchez: .346/.373/.466

Sanchez managed only a .335 OBP despite a .322 batting average back in '04. 7 walks in 352 PA! Yikes!

Posted by: MO Boiler at June 14, 2005 04:57 PM