A couple weeks ago, we at Fire Eric Bruntlett conducted an interview with new BBA blog The MLB Blog, about the state of the Phillies, and what is expected out of Ruben Amaro, Jr. this offseason. Here are some of the questions we asked.
This is our standard first question – what are your thoughts on Eric Bruntlett?
I think he has been a viable assets for the Phillies as he can defensively play several positions. However he brings no real offensive assets to the team. After last spring training I thought he turned a new leaf as he hit about .345 with a few extra base hits. But after his underachieving regular season performance I think we have to let him go.
Which of the 3rd-base candidates do you think would best fit the team? Who do you think will be at 3B next year?
Wow, I could write a short book on this subject but it depends what management wants to do. To be honest the best fit would be Chone Figgins as his on base percentage and pitches per plate appearance are far superior than Rollins. However if the Phills are not interested in moving Rollins down the lineup and hit 2nd behind Figgins, I think the next best candidate would be Mark DeRosa. He is a local guy, grew up in Jersey and went to Penn. He played over 150 innings at third base last year with no errors. I would not expect that but I guarantee he would be a fan favorite as he plays with a lot of hustle and heart and would fit in perfectly behind Werth.
Which of the free agents will be back next year?
Bako, Feliz, Stairs, Cairo and Myers are definitely gone. Eyre will be back if he chooses so (depends on his family). I would love to see Park come back but he and his agent still believe he can be a starter somewhere.
Were you surprised by any of the free agents not getting picked up?
I actually was hoping that Myers was given an offer as he can be a starter and a reliever. However for the kind of money he has made and the kind of money he is looking for I think the Phillies did not make a low ball offer as it could have been viewed as a slap in the face.
Do you buy into the “Hamels will rebound” party or the “Trade him now!” campaign?
I would not trade him but I would not expect him to win 20 games next season. He and Lee are one of the best 1-2 punches in the game. If he develops a cutter this off-season and only uses his looping curve for strikes and not to strike people out, he will rebound just fine.
Rank these in order of how the Phillies most need to improve: lineup, defense, rotation, bullpen, bench.
Bullpen, Bench, Rotation, Defense, Lineup
Who are you most concerned about going into 2010?
The Braves. They have the best starting rotation that I have ever witnessed going into a season.
To continue reading, this interview head over to Fire Eric Bruntlett.
Thanks again to The MLB Blog for participating in this for us, and look for us to address some of these questions ourselves before the new season starts in April.