Apparently Phils just signed AJ Burnett

[BigSlizz]

I agree with your sentiment, but the issue would be that if things DO go south, I'm not sure they'd be able to sell. At least not to the point where they could get any value for the future.

[Ground_Meat]

i'll agree with this. we have too many old players but a 1-year deal doesn't harm the future.

dude definitely was a bum with the yankees. how convenient that the entire lineup forgot how to hit against him in game 2 of the world series.

This bunch of old bags is going NO WHERE. I agree with you.

[art vandelay]

I will never understand this mentality. They have a talented nucleus. If they remain healthy there's no reason it cant be a very entertaining beisbol season in South Philly. If they are buried by the all star break then absolutely sell off everybody you possibly can...but they have a chance to be good.

they have a chance to be good if everything goes perfectly and the braves and natitude catch bad breaks. Howard hasn't been very good since he injured is ankle in 2010(I'm talking pre-achilles injuru). Utley hasn't put together a full season since 2010. Rollins has had some 20-HR seasons but as a whole hasn't been very good at the plate since his fluke 07 season. Chooch is the latest in a series of lifetime achievement contracts. I have high hopes for Dom Brown but he hit what, 16 HRs in the 5 months that weren't part of his ridiculous May? Revere coming back is nice but I'm not sure if he's the guy who puts a team over the top. The first 3 starters could be very good but age is a huge concern with Cliff and Burnett. Either could go the way of Doc the last couple years. Middle relief is a huge question mark. They're probably paying Kendrick way too much to go back to long relief. Papelbon isn pretty good, and he isn't going anywhere, but I don't see him getting many 3-run cushions, with which he is much better than 1-run cushions.

If the old men in the infield somehow stay healthy and produce near the way they did 3-6 years ago, and the old arms hold up, and Cole has a good season, and the young guys in the outfield come through, and they find some middle relief, then yeah, they could be interesting. But I'm not counting on half of those things happening.

[Two Gap Penetrator]

I'm waiting for Jerry to weigh in on this

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Irish George]

so why would you start from scratch now?

I just dont see the benefit.

[art vandelay]

because this team won't get all the breaks it needs. burnett isn't a bad signing because he doesn't lock up any long term money, but all the lifetime achievement contracts are really holding this team back. they won't be able to sign young talent without the luxury tax and any young guys in the system are blocked.

[BigSlizz]

I know this was to Art, but I'm responding because I think he is misguided. I think the notion that this team can be blown up and will eventually get better is naive.

Dumping the big money dogs won't make this team better, because they'll get nothing for them. We have to hope they can be coached up into a winner, because it's going to get REAL bad before this team has a young nucleus again.

[Loki]

Even if you forget that their everyday lineup fields their

positions on a Rascal.

The starters better go nine every game because, once again, their bullpen will turn two or three run leads into losses if Ryno takes the ball from the starter after 7 innings.