Sources: Phillies, Aaron Nola agree to 7-year, $172M deal

The negotiations between Nola’s agents, Garrett Parcell and Joe Longo, and the teams pursuing him ratcheted up going into the weekend. Despite the fact that no free agents had signed since the market opened, Nola didn’t want to dawdle. Philadelphia and Atlanta were the final two suitors, and Nola wound up receiving the biggest contract for a pitcher in Phillies history and the 11th largest overall.

As Nola grew into a pitcher who twice finished in the top five of NL Cy Young voting, the Phillies moved out of a rebuilding phase, added stars around him and followed a World Series appearance in 2022 with an NLCS berth this season.

While Nola’s ERA regressed to 4.46 this year amid a spike in home runs allowed, he still threw 193⅔ innings, struck out 202 and walked 45. His ability to chew innings, strike hitters out and limit walks made him one of the most desirable free agents this winter, a fact reflected in the size of his contract. Nola is now the sixth Phillies player with a nine-figure deal, joining first baseman Bryce Harper, shortstop Trea Turner, right-hander Zack Wheeler, catcher J.T. Realmuto and outfielder Nick Castellanos.

D-backs embrace the chaos, advance to World Series

Two years ago, Arizona lost 110 games. Rebuilt behind rookie Corbin Carroll, a more developed rotation and a wholly unrecognizable bullpen, the D-backs turned around their fortunes and won 84 games this season. They have since won nine more to reach the World Series, becoming the first NL team with a negative run differential to win the pennant.

Quiet for so much of the NLCS, Carroll broke out with three hits, two stolen bases, two runs scored and a sacrifice fly. It was Carroll’s RBI single off Ranger Suárez in the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park that scored the tying run, and his stolen base moments later that allowed him to score on Gabriel Moreno’s hit to right. With that, the D-backs took a lead they would never relinquish.

Rookie Brandon Pfaadt, who held the Phillies to two runs over the game’s first four innings, gave way to a small army of relievers to hold one of the league’s top lineups at bay. The Phillies never stopped pressing, most notably drawing two walks with one out in the seventh. But Kevin Ginkel extinguished that rally to maintain the lead for Arizona.

The D-backs will face the Rangers in the World Series beginning Friday in Arlington.

Nick Castellanos slugs 2 home runs as Phillies advance to NLCS

The Phillies steamrolled the Braves in Games 3 and 4—first by taking it to young starter Bryce Elder on Wednesday then following it with three home runs against ace Spencer Strider in the clincher. Philadelphia gave Atlanta a taste of its own medicine, outhomering the Braves 11-3 in the series, including nine in the two home games, tying a postseason record for home runs in back-to-back games. The Braves led MLB in long balls during the regular season but came up short in this series.

“Well, to start with, Trea and Harp and Nick, I mean I can’t tell you how big they are on our club right now,” manager Rob Thomson said. “I don’t think the moment gets them at all. In fact, the moment, I think, helps Harp a little bit. But Trea has been unbelievable. That home run he hit today was huge. Nick’s two home runs were huge. Harp’s two home runs yesterday were huge. Those guys just—they step up.”

Meanwhile, the Braves, who topped the majors with 104 wins in the regular season, are left with unanswered questions. Like, why have they dominated the regular season but can’t get it done against their division rival in the postseason?

“That’s a good question,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I wish I had the secret sauce for that. I feel like last year all of a sudden, they got everybody healthy. And they got big-time players on this team. Yeah, I don’t know. I really don’t know.”

Ex-Mets catcher: Clubhouse ‘sanctuary’ violation started postseason Phillies-Braves beef

The Braves clubhouse resembled a stunned boxer after getting pummeled in a 10-2 loss to the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLDS on Wednesday. Players were searching for answers.

One player, former Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud, thought the media provided extra motivation for Philadelphia after Bryce Harper was thrown out at first base to end Game 2.

After the game, Braves infielder Orlando Arcia was heard in the locker room saying, “ha-ha! Atta boy, Harper,” according to according to FOX Sports’ Jake Mintz. Soon after, the quote was spread by various outlets, gaining millions of views and making its way into the Phillies clubhouse and into Harper’s ears,

As a result, the two-time MVP responded with a three-run home run, his first of two on the night, that traveled 408 feet, staring down Arcia as he rounded second base - an image that has since been turned into t-shirts.

After the game, d’Arnaud took issue with Arcia’s comments being made public.

“The clubhouse is a sanctuary and I think when things like that get out it doesn’t make people want to talk to the media at all,” he said, via Kelly Crull of Bally Sports South. “It affects the people who have been great to us all year. It is what it is.”

Bryce Harper hits 2 of Phils’ 6 HRs, stares down Orlando Arcia

Phillies star Bryce Harper wouldn’t exactly admit he was fueled by comments Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia made about him after Game 2 of the teams’ National League Division Series, but he certainly heard about them.

Harper responded with two home runs in a Game 3 blowout by Philadelphia on Wednesday, staring down Arcia both times he rounded the bases.

“It’s a super competitive game that we play, from both sides of the ball,” Harper said after the Phillies’ 10-2 victory put them up 2-1 in the best-of-five series. “And I enjoy commentary and things. ... Anytime anybody says something, right? I mean that’s what it’s all about.”

Arcia’s comments came while celebrating in the Braves’ clubhouse after Harper was doubled off first base to end Monday night’s game, in which Atlanta rallied from a four-run deficit after being no-hit into the sixth inning. Arcia could be heard yelling, “ha-ha, attaboy, Harper!” several times.

The barb got back to the Phillies veteran.

“Yeah, just [from] my teammates,” Harper said. “That’s about it. They just kind of told me, and they looked at me, and they were like, ‘What are you going to do?’”

Braves catcher discusses controversial call vs. Phillies, manager says fan response was ‘uncalled for’

The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies opened the National League Division Series at Truist Park on Saturday, and Philadelphia’s Game 1 win (PHI 3, ATL 0) featured some late-inning controversy. In the eighth inning, Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto was awarded first base on catcher interference—his swing made contact with Sean Murphy’s glove—which forced in a run with the bases loaded.

Here’s the play. It sounded like Realmuto’s swing hit Murphy’s glove and Murphy reacted like the swing hit his glove, though there there was no clear replay on the television broadcast showing the bat hit the glove:

The Braves challenged the play and, a few moments later, the replay crew in New York ruled the catcher interference call stands. “Stands” is official terminology, it should be noted. “Stands” means the replay crew did not see enough conclusive evidence to overturn the call on the field. “Confirmed” means there was clear evidence to support the call on the field.

“All I had was the big board,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said about the catcher interference. “I looked and Murph didn’t say anything, and I don’t know that a hitter reacts like that. Things happen too quick for a guy to react like that if it didn’t happen, but I couldn’t tell off the video there.”

After the game, Murphy said, “I didn’t feel it, but I heard it.”

Braves fans throw stuff on the field after home plate umpire Brian O’Nora calls Sean Murphy for catchers interference on J.T. Realmuto pic.twitter.com/AtingMIaIA

— MLB Clutch Moments And Walk Offs (@MLBWalk_Offs) October 8, 2023

Rox sign Jaime Moyer to Minor League deal

Fun fact: When the Rockies came into existence, Jaime Moyer was in his eighth Major League season.

The Rockies’ search for a veteran for the starting rotation could take them to the ultimate veteran, 49-year-old left-hander Jamie Moyer.

Colorado and Moyer have agreed to a Minor League deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training, the club announced on Wednesday. The agreement is pending a physical.

Moyer underwent Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow in 2010 and didn’t pitch last season. The lefty worked as an analyst for ESPN in 2011 but stated that he intended to try to pitch again in ‘12.

Moyer went 9-9 with a 4.84 ERA for the Phillies in 2010.

Jimmy Rollins Travels to Uganda to Play with Kids, Freestyle Raps Along the Way

Shortstopyo: Game Beginning.

ESPN The Magazine’s Steve Wulf wrote about Rollins’ experience with the kids. Not surprisingly, the trip seems to have meant as much to Rollins as it did for the kids, who will hopefully get a nicer ball field due in part to Jimmy’s efforts.

The whole story is worth your time, for sure, but we thoroughly enjoyed one nugget in particular. Jimmy was pulled onto a stage during a lunchtime gathering on Martin Luther King Day and busted out a freestyle rap that went something like this, according to ESPN:

“One two one two, in Uganda baseball comes through

Big D Lee in the house and so is me doing it everyday casually

Because we like to play and get down, Uganda, Nsambya, the big towns

I’m not done, we get it down, we get it too, I stand up and push, it’s on you

And when the ball leave the field I’m gonna clown

Walk down the baseline, throw a pound

To the sky, up high, to my fans, we got a plan

Everybody just say baseball … baseball

Everybody say baseball … baseball”

MLB Trade Rumors: Bartolo Colon Agrees to Sign With Unknown Team

Bartolo Colon has agreed to a deal with an unknown club reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter). The right-hander wouldn’t divulge the team because he has not yet passed his physical.

Pretty sure it’s either the All-Stars or the Champs.

Phillies Top-15 Prospects List

1. Trevor May | RHP | Age – 21 | Grade – B

2. Jesse Biddle | LHP | Age – 20 | Grade – B

3. Phillippe Aumont | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – B/B-

4. Maikel Franco | 3b | Age – 19 | Grade – B-

5. Justin De Fratus | RHP | Age – 24 | Grade – B-

6. Sebastian Valle | C | Age – 21 | Grade – C+

7. Larry Greene | LF/1b | Age – 19 | Grade – C+

8. Freddy Galvis | SS | Age – 22 | Grade – C+

9. Austin Wright | LHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+

10. Jon Pettibone | RHP | Age – 21 | Grade – C+

11. Brody Colvin | RHP | Age – 21 | Grade – C+

12. Lisalberto Bonilla | RHP | Age – 21 | Grade – C+

13. Jiwan James | CF | Age – 23 | Grade – C+

14. Tyler Greene | SS | Age – 19 | Grade – C+

15. Adam Morgan | LHP | Age – 22 | Grade – C+

The Greatest Animated Sports .GIFs of 2011

32. Cliff Lee declines to run out his own grounder

I’m a firm opponent of the designated hitter rule, because just as I love to watch a punter try to scoop up a bad snap and try to throw it, or see a 7’1” center with no range try to chuck up a last-second three, I love watching pitchers hit.

Never will I come closer to seeing what it would be like if someone with my skill set tried to perform on a professional level. I mean, how nuts is this: in the National League, five to 10 percent of all at-bats are taken by men who, by everyone’s admission, are profoundly bad at it! It’s Dada performance art, and the ubiquity of such comical nonsense—over the course of a game, a season, and the history of baseball—is unrivaled by anything in any other sport.

This GIF features a delightful bonus: the catcher starts jogging to the dugout well before the play ends. It’s beautiful.

Roy Halladay helps rescue man after snake attack

The snake apparently bit him on the ass but he was able to free himself before the snake wrapped him up. Instead the snake wrapped around his motor on the back of his little 14 foot dugout canoe and tore it off the back of his boat. Doc and I helped him gather his gear and flip the boat back over and then towed him home. You could definitely see the bite mark on his ass, but he was able to fight it off; amazing.

Halladay lifetime vs. the Snakes: 3-1, 2.73, 32/4 K/BB, and now, one save.

Jayson Stark (ESPN): Strange stuff … in the 2011 postseason

The postseason edition of trivia and oddbits that Jayson Stark excels at collecting and presenting…

Here’s one I didn’t know:

All four teams that advanced to the LCS—the Cardinals, Brewers, Rangers and Tigers—got outscored by the teams they played in the Division Series … and won.

Deadspin: Legendary Columnist Bill Conlin Resigns Over Forthcoming Philly Inquirer Bombshell

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s top investigative reporter, Nancy Phillips, has written a story containing what we’re told are allegations of child molestation against sportswriter Bill Conlin, a longtime columnist at the rival Daily News. Conlin resigned just moments ago, according to a source at the Daily News.

Conlin, who turns 78 this May, won the Ford C. Frick Award last May. The story supposedly will drop soon (the newspapers publish under a joint-operating agreement, sharing some resources and a website but otherwise competing for the same readers). Conlin has hired an attorney to defend himself against the piece. We’ll have more details on this. For now, we can tell you that Conlin is at his condo in Largo, Fla.

And Bill Conlin’s articles on BTF...

Ed Wade Returns, Hopefully to Claim His Ring

The Phillies will be living trophies in his diabolical collection!

Wade’s tenure as Phillies GM wasn’t considered to be a particularly good one at the time, but he returns to a team that still fields a talented group of players drafted during his time here, including Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, and even Vance Worley. (Worley opted to go to college, but was again drafted in 2008, this time by Pat Gillick’s regime.) Charlie Manuel was also his guy, and he selected Shane Victorino in the Rule 5 draft (but almost returned him). Wade and his scouts drafted the recently departed Ryan Madson, as well as Pat Burrell.

That’s not to say he didn’t also make some critical missteps. It’s hard to think of anyone who was less popular during a Philly tenure than Wade. But, in its own cruel way, history has been increasingly kind to his legacy. The guys listed above finally did win us a World Series. While Wade couldn’t himself put it all together, he drew the prototype on the cocktail napkin and saw through it the startup phase. I certainly didn’t appreciate what he had put in place at the time, how close he was.

The Gillick Era will be seen by many, particularly as years pass, as the phase in which the Phillies went from being the bums who were a constant letdown to the heroes who have owned the city’s sporting hearts from 2008 ‘til question marks. But Gillick would be the first to credit Wade for the work he did leading up to that.

Boston Red Sox - Red Sox have more competition than ever - The Boston Globe

This week’s Boston Globe Sunday baseball column.

ESPN: Rollins re-signs with Phillies for 3/33

Philadelphia narrowly avoids giving playing time to someone under the age of 33.

The Philadelphia Phillies have reached agreement with shortstop Jimmy Rollins on a three-year, $33-million contract, according to a baseball source.

The contract also contains a vesting option for a fourth year worth $11 million, the source said.

Dontrelle Willis joins Phillies, leaves admirers in Cincy

Whatchoo talkin about Willis?!?

After word of his move to Philadelphia got out Tuesday, Willis expressed his gratitude to the Reds via Twitter.

“I just want to say I owe the whole reds organization a great deal,’’ he wrote. “Great staff top to bottom and I wish those guys all the best.’‘

Willis actually pitched better than his record indicated with the Reds, at least initially. He had no wins but a 3.41 ERA through his first six starts and allowed more than three earned runs only once in his first 10 starts before posting an 8.27 ERA in September.

Phillies Trade Francisco to Blue Jays for Local Product

The ‘Cisco Kid was a friend of mine.

Outfielder Ben Francisco was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for left-hander Frank Gailey, the Phillies announced today.

Gailey, a 26-year-old native of Philadelphia, split last season between single-A Dunedin and double-A New Hampshire in the Blue Jays’ minor league system where he combined to go 5-6 with a 3.41 ERA in 45 relief appearances.  For his minor league career he has gone 23-15 with a 2.45 ERA in 175 games (one start).  Gailey, Toronto’s 23rd round selection in the June 2007 draft, attended Archbishop Carroll High School and West Chester University.

Bill Conlin: Rollins in the Cards

I once had a fleshy Conlinesque druncle who’d freak out whenever I’d flick juice-less, hence disposable, boogers his way at the dinner table. Strange man.

When I’m King of the World . . .

Manager Mike Scioscia likes to run. He has a lineup filled with rabbits, including Erick Aybar and two of the game’s fastest players in outfielders Peter Bourjos and Millville’s Mike Trout, 19.

With that kind of speed in front of him, if Trout is ready to lead off or bat No. 2, Pujols might drive in 150 runs.

Ah, but what has the Pujols signing done for a Rollins re-signing that seemed close to dotted-line time until the Angels surfaced as the “Mystery Team” that had been lurking in the shadows while the Cardinals and Marlins tried to wrap him up? No doubt it will get him a fourth year and a better price from the Phillies. Or, horror of horrors, the Cardinals, who just saved themselves $250 million, go all in and decide to upgrade their shortstop situation with the best infielder out there? Could happen. Be very afraid.

When I’m King of the World . . .

Phils will dive into the deep end of the International talent pool just to see what it’s like . . .I’m talking a big, expensive, defecting Cuban five-tooler like Yoenis Cespedes, who is said to be the centerfield equivalent of 106 mph power arm Aroldis Chapman. They say the 26-year-old has the opposite-field power of Vlad Guerrero and the size and running speed of No. 1 prospect Trout. And all he wants is $30 million, a bargain considering you don’t have to pay a “posting” bounty to Fidel Castro, the way suitors for Japanese phenom Yu Darvish must pay the Nippon Ham Fighters just for the right to negotiate with their gas-pumping righthander.

Rule V Results

1.Astros take Rhiner Cruz from Mets.
2.Twins take Terry Doyle from White Sox.
3.Mariners take Lucas Luetge from Brewers.
4.Orioles take Ryan Flaherty from Cubs.
5.Royals take Cesar Cabral from Red Sox; traded to Yankees for cash.
6.Cubs take Lendy Castillo from Phillies.
8.Pirates take Gustavo Nunez from Tigers.
  21.Braves take Robert Fish from Angels.
22.Cardinals take Erik Komatsu from Nationals.
23.Red Sox take Marwin Gonzalez from Cubs.
  25.Diamondbacks take Brett Lorin from Pirates.
  29.Yankees take Brad Meyers from Nationals.

Brookover: Phillies’ deal for Howard not all that bad in light of Pujols and Fielder situations

Yeah, but doesn’t Ryan Howard’s contract kick in right around the time OSIRIS-REx starts sending signals back from asteroid 1999 RQ36?

Given those circumstances, the Phillies might have been pushing for a deal with Fielder instead of Howard. Fielder, after all, is four years and seven months younger than Howard and is coming off a much better season.

Amaro said he’s perfectly happy to have Howard for a five-year deal because he believes he may have had to pay him over 10 years if he had hit the free-agent market.

“I don’t want to pay him for 10 years,” the general manager said. “I don’t think any of those three guys would be wanting less than the other.”

...But what’s done is done, and the Phillies have to live with what they paid Howard. It’s not as if they are stuck with a bad player. Howard ranked sixth in baseball and third in the National League in RBIs last season with 116, and that’s because he hit .298 with runners in scoring position.

...The clock starts ticking on Howard’s five-year, $125 million deal in 2012, and there is a large population that believes the Phillies overpaid for their slugger. Maybe they could have had Fielder if they had waited. It’s doubtful that Pujols would have left St. Louis unless the Phillies were willing to pay an absurd amount of money.

There are a lot of consolation prizes worse than Ryan Howard.

Brookover: Freddy Galvis remains an option at shortstop for Phillies

Joe Jordan, the Phillies’ new director of player development, recently watched the 22-year-old Galvis play for Zulia in the Venezuelan Winter League and turned in a favorable scouting report to Amaro.

“I really liked the reports I have gotten from Joe Jordan on Galvis,” Amaro said. “The reports were good on how he has progressed offensively.”

...Amaro said he was still in discussions with Rollins and other free-agent shortstops. He also conceded that there would be some risk in starting a rookie shortstop with no big-league and limited triple-A experience on a team with World Series aspirations.

“You never know how a guy is going to react, but we like his maturity level and makeup,” Amaro said. “But, of course, there is a risk, especially when you’re talking about replacing a guy who has arguably been the most steady shortstop in the game for many, many years.

“But I’m not afraid to take a risk. I look back at Kevin Stocker and think about how steady he was defensively and how much better offensively he was than anticipated.”

Neat. I look forward to a Freddy Galvis/Bobby Abreu-type deal.

Hunter: Jimmy Rollins and the Hall of Fame

Rollins: A Night at the Cooperstown Village Vanguard?

Buster Olney of ESPN posed a very interesting question this morning about Jimmy Rollins.  Rollins, who has spent his entire career with Philadelphia and is entering free agency, has put together a very nice career.  How nice though?  Let’s take a look.

ESPN Buster Olney: Within two seasons, Rollins could have 2,100 hits, 200 homers and 400 steals, as SS who won three Gold Gloves and an MVP Award. HOF?

...In all I think these comparisons paint the picture of a very good shortstop, but not a Hall of Fame shortstop.  Rollins can have an incredible finish to his career and prove me wrong, but the current numbers don’t lie.  So to answer Buster Olney’s original question, no, Jimmy Rollins is nowhere near a lock for the Hall of Fame.

Former Mets closer Billy Wagner won’t consider Phillies offer

There’s guns across the Delaware River aimin’ at ya

The Phillies were interested in having Billy Wagner come out of retirement next season, but the star closer passed on both returning to baseball and rejoining the Mets’ arch rivals.

Wagner, who retired after a sparkling 2010 with the Braves, told The Post yesterday the Phillies called him directly after the 2011 season ended.

“It was after the regular season ... just to see if I was even contemplating coming back or had an itch or anything,” Wagner said. “I just told them, ‘No, I do not have an itch.’”

...He says he has zero interest in pitching again.

“No, I’m done. I’ve got a major role on a JV baseball team,” Wagner said of his current post at the Miller School of Albemarle in Charlottesville, Va. “I’m JV baseball coach.”