Philadelphia Prepared for Some Different Phillies News

Philly’s yanking us around right now.

Sometimes its 60 degrees, other times you can’t escape the feeling that you’re just immersed in a pool of still, freezing cold water, as the wind sweeps down your neck hole and chills your spine past any and all repair.

Sometimes your GM tells you something’s nothing but rumors, and the next thing you know, you’re in Seattle.

Which was probably on J.A. Happ’s mind all throughout this Halladay madness.  Apparently, as all of these pointless details seep out (What exactly is accomplished in publishing an article on how sad Cliff Lee is to leave Philadelphia? Sadness?  Regret?  Who sees that headline and can’t stop from excitedly jamming quarters into a newspaper vendor?), Ruben Amaro decided he didn’t want J.A. Happ to think he was worthless.

“He said, ‘Listen, you’re a Phillie. You’re going to stay a Phillie. All these rumors are just that, they’re rumors.’  That was definitely a nice phone call to get. That kind of goes a long way. That’s a big step for the organization, kind of the biggest step they’ve had a far as him reaching out to say, ‘Hey, we want you on this team.’ That was definitely nice.”

-J.A. Happ

Maybe Ruben was just overwhelmed with unimaginable guilt because he had to keep giving a smile and thumbs up to old Cliffy, who was out hunting in Arkansas days before jetting off to Costa Rica, and had to be informed by his wife that the television has shouting all sorts of rumors about a relocation to Seattle.

You can’t blame the guy for assuming his job security was through the roof.

At a time in Philly where nothing really seems for certain anymore, J-Roll was signed through 2011.  That’s what 31 steals and three straight Gold Gloves will get you.  Jimmy’s part of that squad that needs to hit the ground running, and hitting, in 2010, if we’re hoping to have an effective first half.  Cole?  Brad?  You’re in there too.