And you say he's just a friend

More cowbell?

I think I will miss David Bell in 2013.

I didn't think I would ever say that.

He’s a winning baseball player. He’s had the opportunity to be in big games in the playoffs and he just fits real well.

Career 655 OPS in the playoffs.

But at the same time, even when his numbers aren’t extraordinary - and they were still pretty darn good last year, maybe better than anybody we had on our club

Hilarious.

He's such a great clubhouse guy, the Rangers are paying $10 million to get him out of their clubhouse!

You just can't have enough of those guys who know how to play baseball.

"He has all the elements we’re looking for,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “First of all, the makeup is extraordinary."

What is this, RuPaul's Drag Race?

By May 15th, Phillies fans will realize the level of toastiness and start complaining...

Amaro is just Ed Wade with an increased budget to play with.

Somebody tell Rube the Phils need a "difference-maker", not more "what difference does it make"-ers

Somebody tell Rube the Phils need a "difference-maker", not more "what difference does it make"-ers

Disagree. A -2.4 WAR is definitely a "difference-maker".

Michael Young has electrolytes? Or, Michael Young: The Third Base Mutilator.

“He has all the elements we’re looking for,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said.

"Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Calcium, Phosphorus, and a bunch of other trace elements. Our medical staff confirms Young has them all," Amaro continued.

By May 15th, Phillies fans will realize the level of toastiness and start complaining...

This is quite the hyperbole. May 15th, 2014 maybe. The team was really good when everyone came back from injury last year. Young is better than Placido Polanco's corpse. So is Kevin Frandsen. I don't see why moves with a short-term focus wouldn't work in the short term.

I'm reminded of the scene in Monkey Business where Chico Marx is getting a manicure from a starlet. "You're a pretty nice girl," he tells her. "You got It." {beat} "And you can keep It."

maybe better than anybody we had on our club

I checked this, and while obviously most of even the Phillies had better numbers than Young at anything predictive, there were only two (Ruiz & Pierre) with a higher batting average, two (Ruiz and Rollins) who had more RBIs, and only by one RBI; and one (Rollins) who scored more runs. I think sometimes people just look at counting stats and plug them directly into a new team without the slightest thought. General managers should not, but whatever :)

I think sometimes people just look at counting stats and plug them directly into a new team without the slightest thought.

Even if he's doing that, Ruiz clearly had a better season.

Because the Phillies only won 81 gaes last year despite fine hitting, pitching, and fielding, due to lack of wining team players. Oh wait, the facts don't agree with that narrative. Durn those pesky facts.

You know what amazes me about the 2012 Phils? How AVERAGE everything was. Could there have been a more hum-drum average offesne than one that generated alsmot a 100 OPS+ from every position? Polanco was crap at 3rd but Fransen somehow chiped ina lot. Utley was good bu this backup wasn't. Ruiz was great, so he was there one above-average player. Everyone else contgributed enough to make sure they had league avg batting, league avg OBP, legaue avg slugging, & so they scored a league avg number of runs.

Thier pitching, long a strong suit, was brought down to (yo uguessed it!) average when Halladay came up with a stinker of a season.

Oh, and tgheir park factros for 2012: 100. And 100. No joke.

Michael Young may rebound enough to have an avg OPS and maybe the team's arms will return them to the playoffs. I just hope, if it happens, that somehwo a narrative forms in which Utley gets all the missed credit due him from years paat, plus he steals any positive credit due (if that is possible) from Howard and Young.

Yes, and I expect a Porsche on Dec 25 too, Santa.

He knows how to play baseball.

Pick me! Pick me! Pick me!

Career 655 OPS in the playoffs.

To be fair, Amaro only said Young has had the "opportunity" in big playoff games, he didn't say Young had taken advantage of those opportunities. The phrasing was curious as if Amaro knew he was gonna get called on his BS if he didn't choose his words carefully.

Amaro is just Ed Wade with an increased budget to play with.

Ha. I giggled a bit. But, the bullpen isn't 12 deep with a payroll to match.

Michael Young has electrolytes?

He's got what plants crave.

Michael Young has electrolytes? Or, Michael Young: The Third Base Mutilator.

I bet Phils fans would be a lot happier about this deal if Amaro had negotiated a clause where Young had to make an appearance on Ow! My Balls! if his OPS is below .700 in 2013.

...“I think that’s just part of the process of being a major league player,” Amaro said of Young’s statistical drop-off in 2012.

Retirement is also part of the process of being a major league player. Amaro better hope that part isn't the way Young could best help the 2013 Phillies.

By May 15th, Phillies fans will realize the level of toastiness and start complaining...

i think march 15 might be a more realistic target date. the phillies just had their worst year in a decade, the eagles are a combined 7-17 over the first 12 games the last 2 seasons, there is no such thing as the NHL, and the sixers have pinned all their hope for the future on an invalid. there is a ton of negativity built up in philly sports right now, and unless they come out of the gates something like 20-7, things could get ugly fairly quickly.

I bet Phils fans would be a lot happier about this deal if Amaro had negotiated a clause where Young had to make an appearance on Ow! My Balls! if his OPS is below .700 in 2013.

if you really want to light a fire under his ass, book him for monday night rehabilitation.

Lets nominate the anti saber, not as valuable as traditionalists think all star team.

I start with Michael Young at 3rd and Juan Pierre in Left.

Who's next ?

James Shields?

James Shields actually fares much better in fWAR than bWAR. fWAR strikes me as more sabery (although bWAR counting all runs allowed instead of just earned runs is pretty damn radical, man).

Ryan Howard is the guy at 1B for sure.