Three Young’ns and No Figgins

And the Rumor Express rounds another bend as the Phillies continue their search for a man to put in the hot corner.

How much would you pay to be able to click Chone Figgins into an infield that already includes Jimmy Rolllins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard?  $50 million?

Then you would be paying more than the Phillies are willing to, as their interest in the former-Angel and current free agent seems to be deflating thanks to his price tag. With $106 million spent on 12 players already, the thought of dropping that kind of cash on one player is enough to make Ruben Amaro start chewing his fingernails off in deep thought.

And, after shoving Eric Bruntlett out of the car yesterday, the Phillies upped their roster to 30 with a couple of minor league additions:

• Quintin Berry:  A 25-year-old CF whose been .266’in it up down in Double-A Reading, along with 5 HR, 28 RBI, and 48 SB, adding to his four year total of 173 SB.  “I’m not going anywhere,” said Shane Victorino, unprovoked.
• Yohan Flande:  Now this is interesting.  A starting pitcher who spent the year migrating from Reading, PA to Clearwater, FL with a 10-5 record and a 3.40 ERA in 135 innings?  I’ll have what he’s having:  A solid year of starting pitching.
• Jesus Sanchez: Similar numbers to fellow starting pitcher Flande (10-6, 3.44 ERA in Lakewood), Sanchez is even more interesting because he was just transformed from a catcher into a pitcher.

A conspiracy in baseball?!  Surely I jest.

But jest I do not.  Shortly after the Rookie of the Year balloting came to a close and Chris Coghlan, a terrific young player, came out on top despite not being the best, I was prepared to let it go, because… you know, who cares?

My advocation (outside of J.A. Happ of course) was for Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates CF who made us in Philly look like jackasses a couple of times this year.  Rum Bunter’s been talking conspiracy for a few days, and I’ve got to say I agree with him (though I’m not sure what the conspiracy accomplished in giving Coghlan the award).

It’s not impossible, and he and Marlin Maniac are certainly not wrong in suggesting they got the wrong guy, and seeing as how Happ came in second, I should probably care more.

Definitely not the first time a poor decision has been made in baseball this year.  It’s the season of bad calls that wouldn’t end.