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Ranking the greatest anything of all time is not a simple task.

There are so many variables that must be taken into consideration when ranking an item over the course of time, that often, and in this case, teams that are probably deserving of a spot in the rankings are left out. When ranking MLB’s greatest pitching staffs of all time, the first thing that must be questioned is, what is a pitching staff?

Baseball’s pitching staff has changed so much over the course of time that it is extremely difficult to rank such great teams on an even keeled scale.

The first question you must consider is what constitutes a pitching staff? In today’s game, a pitching staff is like an outline: five starting pitchers that rotate throughout the season, a corps of middle relievers usually limited to one inning, and the team’s two best relievers stocked in the back of the bullpen as the eighth inning set-up man and closer in the ninth inning.

Twenty to 30 years ago, the game was a bit different. Starters were relied on deeper into the game, middle relievers were used more frequently, and closers were less important, but equally as vital.

Now, when you travel back 50 to 60 years, it was unusual for a good starter to not throw a complete game every time he took the mound.

So how is a pitching staff calculated in these rankings?

Firstly, the only time that a pitching staff in these rankings should be considered is the year in which they are listed. For example, a team like the Atlanta Braves had many different variations of that great staff in the ’90s, but only the listed year is the one garnering the ranking.

One thing that hasn’t changed over the course of baseball’s illustrious history is the value of a pitcher. How valuable was a pitcher to the team’s overall success, and how vital was a team’s group of pitchers (the staff) to their overall success?

Sure, any number of SABRmetrics like WAR and FIP are okay barometers of a staff’s value, but how valuable was that group of pitchers to their team in a select time period with completely different circumstances, to that of another time period? For that reason, a team’s ranking will be defined by a number of things:

– Staff’s overall talent.
– Staff’s success.
– Depth of a staff.

With those factors in mind, where do the Philadelphia Phillies’ “Four Horsemen” rank among the greatest staffs of all time?

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There sure has been a lot of banter about the Philadelphia Phillies over the past week, and why not?

The Phillies made a splash in the free agent market by netting it’s top prize – left handed starter and former Phillie, Cliff Lee. While Phillies fans have basked in the glory of pairing him with Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels and enjoying their chances for a repeat as baseball’s team with the best record, Lee and others have firmly stated that they won’t settle for finishing second best. Anything other than a World Series title will be a disappointment for the Phillies and their fans alike.

With high expectations from your own fan base comes a lot of negative feedback from those teams that a signing like this will effect. It’s not the perfect situation for the Phillies. As those teams and fans have pointed out, this elite Phillies core is aging quickly. Injuries ravaged the team in 2010, and though they hope for a healthier 2011, they certainly aren’t getting any younger. Add that to the largest payroll in the history of the franchise, and a lot of people believe that the Phillies have a limited window to be successful.

Is that the case?

There are no reinforcements on the way in the Phillies’ immediate future. The organization’s best prospects are all located in the lower levels of the minor league system. The bullpen could possibly benefit from some minor league talent like Scott Mathieson, BJ Rosenberg, Mike Zagurski, Michael Schwimmer and Justin DeFratus in the near future, but that’s about it.

An aging core, payroll that is reaching new heights, and lack of upper level prospects have a lot of fans and foes alike calling for the end of the Phillies in the near future. These factors are somewhat misleading, as many of the Phillies’ lower level minor league talent projects to be quality major league starters over the next few seasons. As the Phillies’ core ages now, an influx of young talent should give the team a nice shot in the arm, and a television contract that expires in 2015 should give the Phillies all the payroll they need. According to one professional scout, the Phillies could go on a “Braves-like” streak of divisional titles.

While the Phillies enjoy their glory days now, the future is always on our minds. So with that, here is a look at Baseball America’s projected roster for the Phillies in 2014.

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At one point in history, the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates had a steaming hot rivalry not all that unlike the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox rivalry that has spanned baseball history.

In the mid-to-late 1970s, two of the National League’s best teams and perennial contenders were the Phillies and the Pirates. Thanks to proximity in geography, there was a burning passion for each of the teams.

If you were a fan in Philadelphia, you absolutely hated the Pirates, and the adverse was true as well for residents of the Steel City.

“During the 1970s, a total of only three teams won the National League East—the Pirates won it six times, the Phillies won it three times and the New York Mets won it once. In all three of the Phillies’ title seasons, the Pirates would finish breathing down their necks in second place.”

That rivalry has long since died out.

Though it is due to many factors, modern-day scheduling has the Phillies and Pirates meeting on an average of six times per season, and with the fact that the Phillies have trumped the National League East over the latter half of the last decade and the Pirates have finished with 18 consecutive losing seasons, the memories of those old rivalries are just that: memories.

However, that won’t stop the two teams from matching up for a trade.

When the Phillies shocked the baseball world by signing free agent left-hander Cliff Lee, it wasn’t a surprise to learn that right-hander Joe Blanton almost immediately became expendable. Rumors had the Phillies and Red Sox discussing a potential deal well into the night before the Phillies signed Lee, but that deal fell through.

In fact, many baseball executives believe that the Phillies won’t move Blanton unless they find the right deal for them, since the backloading of Lee’s deal (he’ll only make $11 million in 2011) gives them some breathing room in the payroll.

So what do the Phillies need, and how do the Pirates make sense?

Before signing Lee and still hereafter, the Phillies have a glaring vacancy in the lineup left by the departure of right fielder Jayson Werth. Though the Phillies made him a fair offer, and general manager Ruben Amaro joked that he could have remained with the team had he accepted arbitration, Werth signed with the division rival Washington Nationals for a mega deal of seven years and $126 million.

Though the Phillies continue to reassure their fanbase that they are comfortable with their options in right field, which as of now will be some combination of Domonic Brown, Ross Gload and Ben Francisco, Werth’s production will not be easily replaced.

In a year in which most of the lineup was plagued by injury, Werth was able to stay healthy in 2010 and would go on to put up a .296/.388/.532 slash line, good for a career high .921 OPS. Though he struggled mightily with runners in scoring position, Werth blasted 27 home runs and drove in 97 runs.

The production of the Phillies’ trio of candidates in 2010? Well, let’s just say that they weren’t as good. They’ll look for an affordable upgrade there.

The key word, of course, is “affordable.”

The Phillies have a ton of money committed to their payroll in 2011, and the major reason they’re looking to deal Blanton in the first place is to clear some of that capital. Though Blanton is owed $17 million over the course of the next two years, he is an affordable commodity to a team that craves starting pitching.

When discussing Blanton, the word “serviceable” comes up often. Though he’s not a top of the rotation arm, he is a valuable option for any rotation. In a full, healthy season, Blanton is going to log close to 200 innings and feature a FIP right around 4.30. He won’t win a Cy Young Award, but he will help a team win games.

The Phillies may have a valuable trade chip, but what do the Pirates have, and why would the Phillies be interested?

Ryan Doumit. The former catcher was forced to move to right field when the Pirates acquired Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Chris Snyder at the trade deadline last season, and Doumit was not thrilled about losing his starting catching job.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Doumit had this to say about the trade: “I was shocked, obviously. I didn’t know how to interpret it. He’s a starting catcher type guy. I’m a starting catcher type guy. I didn’t know what to think of it. You know, obviously, I want to play. I want to play every day. I think I’m an everyday major leaguer and…I don’t know. I’m still kind of taken aback by it.”

Obviously, Doumit was not happy from being moved out from behind the plate, and he had every right to be upset. After he hit .318/.357/.501 with 15 HRs behind the plate for the Pirates in 2008, they rewarded him with a three-year, $11.5 million contract in the offseason, seemingly locking up their catcher.

The deal, which included club options for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, made the acquisition of Chris Snyder, who hit just .231/.352/.426 for the D-Backs before being shipped to the Pirates, seem questionable, to say the least. Speculation surrounding the deal was that the Pirates were concerned with Doumit’s health behind the plate.

Though Doumit’s 2010 numbers over the past two seasons have been somewhat disappointing, a move off a weak Pirates team and a solidified role in the lineup may do wonders for him.

For example, Roy Oswalt was in much the same situation with the Astros in 2010. During the first half of the season, with Houston, Oswalt was 6-12 with an ERA of 3.42. After being traded to Philadelphia, a revitalized Oswalt went 7-1, posting an incredible ERA of just 1.74, making a case for Cy Young consideration and finishing sixth. Could a change of scenery and a spot in right field be just what Doumit needs?

It’s possible, and the Pirates, who are in desperate need of starting pitching, could use Blanton as well.

As it stands on Dec. 17, 2010, the projected ace of the 2011 Pittsburgh Pirates staff is James McDonald. The 23-year-old McDonald was part of a Pirates staff that finished in dead last in many major pitching stat categories in 2010, including ERA, wins, complete games, innings pitched and batting average against.

Joe Blanton, who could easily take the mantle as the ace of that weak staff, could be an interesting option for the struggling Pirates.

Could a deal take place?

It’s a very likely possibility, assuming that each team is willing to bargain. The Phillies will try to move as much money as possible. Blanton will be owed $17 million guaranteed dollars over the next two years, and Doumit, on the other hand, will be owed $5.6 million, including his buyout, over just one guaranteed year in 2011.

The Phillies will need to pitch in a good sum of money for the Pirates to take on Blanton. They aren’t going to take on $11.4 million in a rebuilding phase without a significant return. On the same token, the Pirates may be much more interested in Phillies prospects than Blanton and will only accept him to facilitate a deal. They’ll have to take borderline prospects and not top-of-the-line, projectable prospects.

So it’s not the perfect match, but it is a deal that could work well for both sides. Blanton, who is expendable because of the Phillies’ quartet of aces, could find a new home in Pittsburgh, where Doumit, who has become expendable by the recent acquisitions of Chris Snyder and Lyle Overbay and who will push Garrett Jones back out into right field, will find limited playing time.

If the trade is made and Doumit meets his great 2008 and down 2010 seasons in the middle, the Phillies will have turned an extra arm in that monstrous rotation into a switch-hitting outfielder with decent pop, the potential to hit for average and protection in the bottom half of the order. Not a bad deal. As always, though, dollars rule the day.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The current National League Cy Young Award winner, former American League Cy Young Award winner and three-time 20-game winner. Two-time 20-game winner and a sixth-place finish in the 2010 National League Cy Young Award voting. 2008 National League Championship Series and 2008 World Series MVP. Add to that another former American League Cy Young Award winner with a 20-game win season under his belt, and you’ve assembled an impressive cast of starting pitchers (and a stocked trophy case.)

That’s exactly what the Philadelphia Phillies have done.

When the signing became official on Wednesday afternoon, the Phillies put names to that impressive resume, and effectively assembled one of the greatest rotations, on paper, to ever grace the world of baseball—Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee.

When the Phillies acquired Oswalt at the 2010 Trade Deadline, fans were ecstatic. Added to a rotation that already boasted powerful arms in Halladay and Hamels, the Philly faithful quickly dubbed the new big three with catchy nicknames like “Roy Story 2” and “H2O.” So when the Phillies “lurked on the periphery” long enough to swoop in and sign this year’s top free-agent prize, fans and analysts alike were quickly dubbing the quartet the “Phantastic Phour,” “the Phab Phour,” “Smokin’ Aces” and my personal favorite, “Charlie’s Aces.” On paper, this rotation has the potential to be one of the greatest rotations of all time and take the National League by storm.

But does the addition of Cliff Lee make the Phillies the best team in the National League?

The following 10 slides should show you just why it does.

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Ruben Amaro Jr., Phillies General Manager, is a man of mystery.

Citing the team’s policy against discussing negotiations with players, he often leaves much of the fan base and baseball writers alike wondering about the state of the Phillies’ off-season.

So when rumors of a third team, after the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, were becoming involved in the battle for Cliff Lee, baseball minds immediately began to gravitate towards the ever-secretive Philadelphia Phillies.

But how involved are they?

According to Jim Salisbury of CSNphilly.com, who spoke to the Phillies General Manager at the annual Winter Meetings last week, the Phillies were trying to “shoot for the moon” with potential deals, which Salisbury interpreted to mean the Phillies were laying the groundwork with Kansas City for a potential acquisition of the Royals’ ace, Zack Greinke.

However, a recent report from ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick suggests that the Phillies and Royals haven’t talked about Greinke, making a trade unlikely.

So if not Greinke, then who?

As the Yankees and Rangers await an answer from the free agent class’ top talent, baseball writers have been speculating over news of a third interested team, one that would offer fewer guaranteed years than Lee’s known suitors, but would be a serious threat to the Yankees’ and Rangers’ chances regardless.

That is a hefty assumption, since the Yankees are rumored to have offered the left hander a seven year deal worth about $160 million.

The Rangers, who remain wary of offering the 32-year-old Lee a guaranteed seven years, offered an equally absurd amount of money.

So why would Lee seriously consider another destination?

Though Lee himself has come out to state that the incident may have been blown out of proportion, it is worth noting that his wife, Kristen Lee, had an unpleasant experience at Yankee Stadium in 2010.

While Lee took the mound on the road in New York, Kristen sat beneath a group of disrespectful Yankees fans, who would go on to throw their garbage at and spit on her. While there are going to be rowdy fans in any ballpark, it is worth noting.

The Rangers, on the other hand, do not have anything of the sort worth mentioning.

In fact, new Rangers’ President, Hall of Fame pitcher, Nolan Ryan, is in an excellent position to offer Lee a huge contract.

The Rangers, who just signed a large deal with a local TV-network, are helped by the backing of a new ownership group, headed by Chuck Greenberg, who has made his interest in Lee noticeable after flying to the lefty’s home in Arkansas twice.

While it is noted that both Cliff and his wife enjoyed their time in Philadelphia, how likely is it that the ace could rejoin the Phillies?

Well, that remains to be seen.

The Phillies are a team very reluctant to offer free agents a seven year deal. Outside of Chase Utley’s seven-year contract extension, the team has found comfort in giving its players three-year deals, a la Brad Lidge, Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton, Placido Polanco, Roy Halladay, and Carlos Ruiz. 

So while Jayson Stark of ESPN believes that the Phillies are the third team in the Lee sweepstakes, he also notes that Lee will have to take less then seven guaranteed years.  

Guaranteed is the key word.

Lee, who will be 32 on Opening Day, has faced skepticism about his health, and whether or not he’ll be able to endure a seven-year contract.

The Yankees, who are the only team known to have offered seven years, probably only did so because they are desperate for starting pitching.

The Rangers remain firm at six years, while this elusive “mystery team” is offering less guaranteed years than both.

That’s the Phillies’ motive.

The Phillies, who were unwilling to offer Jayson Werth four guaranteed years, made him a very similar contract offer—three years with a vesting option for a fourth year based on performance.

Who is to say that they can’t offer Lee the same type of deal?

Envision, for a moment, the Phillies offering Cliff Lee a guaranteed four-year deal worth $23 million a year.

A four-year, $69 million deal is not a bad haul for a 32-year-old late bloomer.

Add to that some interesting contractual language, such as vesting options over the next three years, which become club options if the left hander fails to reach the quota, for games started, number of innings pitched, etc., and the Phillies and Cliff Lee could each reach a valuable agreement—a seven-year contract totaling $161 million.

The Phillies have a lot of valuable offers to make Lee, outside of money.

They will enter the 2011 season with the greatest “top three” in baseball, and arguably the best rotation in baseball.

If he were to join fellow aces Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt in red-pinstripes, the Phillies would have a perfectly balanced rotation—Halladay (R) / Lee (L) / Oswalt (R) / Hamels (L) / Blanton (R).

There are no guarantees in baseball, but the Phillies are early World Series favorites, and have assembled the greatest rotation in the history of baseball.

Bringing his family back to a city that showed him great respect and endured months of devastation after he left—all of these are points of interest for the 32-year-old family man, who has now appeared in the World Series twice and has yet to walk away with a ring.

Can the Phillies land Cliff Lee?—Absolutely.

However, it is going to take a bit of compromise from both sides.

The Phillies will undoubtedly be forced to move Joe Blanton or Raul Ibanez to make room on the 2011 payroll, and Lee will have to leave a large amount of money on the table to go to a place he is familiar with.

Any way you slice it, Cliff Lee makes any rotation better, regardless of his price tag.

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Since his acquisition from the Houston Astros in 2008, Brad Lidge has been like a roller-coaster ride for the Phillies and their fans, and we’ve all just been along for the ride.

From the highs of his perfect season in 2008, to the lows of his league leading 11 blown saves in 2009, Lidge has become one of the most unpredictable closers in all of baseball, forcing fans to hold their breath as the ball leaves his hand.

Seeming to have rebounded in 2010, what can the Phillies expect out of Brad Lidge in 2011?

Being able to predict how Lidge will perform in the future is generated through understanding what made him so good, or so bad, in the past.

When the Phillies acquired Lidge from the Astros in 2008, they were expecting to get a dominant pitcher who desperately needed a change of scenery.

After years of mediocre to below average closers, the Phillies sent a couple of top prospects in Michael Bourn and Michael Costanzo, along with reliever Geoff Geary, to Houston for Lidge, and his impact was made immediately.

Over the first three months of the 2008 season, Lidge threw 32 innings as the Phillies’ new closer, posting an ERA of 0.85 and recording 19 out of 19 saves.

He hit his first rough patch in a Phillies uniform in July of ’08, where he allowed 8 earned runs in 15 innings, but thanks to an outstanding offense and a bit of luck, still managed to convert six out of six save opportunities.

Over the final two-plus months of the season, Lidge would make a bit of history for a historic Phillies team. He converted all 15 of his remaining save opportunities, with an ERA of 1.62.

Halfway through a season that saw Lidge convert a perfect 41 regular season save opportunities, then Phillies General Manager Pat Gillick rewarded his closer with a 3 year, $37.5 million contract, with a club option for 2012.

The gesture at the time was sound. After years of closers like Jose Mesa and Tom Gordon, the Phillies were locking up a man who was arguably considered the best closer in the National League.

The contract, signed in July 2008, had Philadelphians excited. Finally, a “lights out” closer in the ninth inning, and over the second half of the 2008 season, Lidge did not disappoint.

However, the following season would have Phillies fans and management alike second guessing their decision.

Lidge’s perfect 2008 season may have had a negative effect on him after all. After piling up 69.1 innings in 2008, he pitched through a sore arm for most of Spring Training in 2009, and questions of his health began to arise after a horrendous April that saw Lidge post an ERA above 7 in 8.2 innings of work.

After posting similar numbers in May, Lidge’s health concerns finally came to a head, when he missed most of June with injuries to both his right knee and pitching elbow.

Expected to bounce back after fully recovering from his injuries, Lidge disappointed. He would finish the 2009 season with 11 blown saves, the most of any pitcher in baseball, and barely clinging on to the role of closer, with set-up man Ryan Madson barking at his heels.

After posting 2009 totals of 0-8 with an ERA of 7.21, many fans were wondering if rewarding Lidge with a contract before his prior deal expired was a good idea. With one fantastic season and one horrendous season in tow, what did 2010 hold for Lidge?

Lidge’s 2010 campaign started like his 2009 season: filled with injuries. He went under the knife in January of 2010, having surgeries on both his pitching elbow and his right knee.

After missing the first month of the season, fans feared for the closer when he surrendered a home run to the first batter he faced in his return.

After struggling to find himself through the first half of the season, the dominant Lidge returned in August and September, where he tossed 24.2 innings of baseball to the tune of a 0.73 ERA.

He managed to turn in a decent season in 2010, going 1-1 with an ERA of 2.96 in 45.2 innings, collecting 27 saves along the way.

Uncovering what kind of season Lidge will have in 2011 is as simple as breaking down what makes him effective.

When the Phillies acquired Lidge from Houston, he was known as a two-pitch closer: a good fastball and a nasty slider. However, before his perfect season in 2008, Lidge added another pitch to his repertoire: a changeup.

These three pitches, over the course of the next three years, would determine in some way, shape, or form, what kind of season Lidge would have.

In 2008, Lidge’s most effective pitch was his slider, which he threw 50.7 percent of the time. What made this his most effective pitch was the number of ways that he was able to use it in different counts.

Able to control it to the maximum extent, he was able to paint both corners to get ahead in the count, or let the bottom fall out and make opposing batters look foolish.

Coming in at 85 mph with a sharp break, hitters had little time to react. Shrinking their reaction time even further was the fact that Lidge threw his second best pitch, a straight, 4-seam fastball, at 94 mph, 43 percent of the time, forcing hitters to “sit on” one of the two pitches: will he throw the sharp breaking slider, or the high cheese?

Realizing that hitters could predict one of his two pitches, Lidge added a third pitch to his arsenal. He threw his changeup a rare 5.4 percent of the time, keeping tough hitters off balance. At 84 mph, the straight chageup was a vast difference from his 94 mph fastball.

This allowed Lidge to become one of the most effective strikeout pitchers in baseball. In just 69.1 innings, Lidge struck out 92 batters, which translates to a K/9 of 11.94, among the league leaders for qualifying pitchers in 2008.

Never known for his control, he was also able to minimize the number of walks he allowed: 4.54 BB/9 in 2008. His greatest statistical advantage was that he gave up the home run on rare occasions (just twice in 2008) good for a HR/9 rate of 0.54.

He left an astounding 82.9 percent of runners on base, one of the most essential roles of the closer. This is what made Lidge so effective. He works backwards, according to most traditional baseball minds.

Instead of throwing his devastating slider off of his fastball, he throws his fastball off of his slider, mixing in an unpredictable changeup. Limiting walks and home runs, and piling up strikeouts is Lidge’s greatest asset. So, what went wrong in 2009?

In 2009, Lidge reduced the rate of his slider (47.2%), throwing it an almost equal amount of times as he threw his fastball (49.3%), and mixed in his changeup even less often than the year prior (2.2%).

Plagued by injuries for much of the year, many baseball minds, including Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee, believed that the increased use of Lidge’s fastball was his way of saying that he was uncomfortable with throwing his other pitches, an unfortunate side effect of elbow and knee troubles that forced him to the DL.

While averaging similar velocities on the speeds of both his slider and fastball, Lidge also showed a tendency to overthrow his changeup in 2009, increasing its average speed to about 85 mph.

Though it doesn’t seem like a major change, a decreasing disparity between the speeds of his fastball and changeup made a world of difference in the eyes of opposing batters.

Lidge’s 2009 struggles were very closely related with his control, or, lack there of it. His BB/9 increased from 4.54 in 2008 to 5.22 in 2009.

Pair that with a K/9 that decreased from 11.94 in 2008 to 9.36 in 2009, and the result that you get is that opposing batters are putting more of his pitches into play, evidenced by a ridiculous BABIP (Batting Average on Balls In Play) of .369.

With those numbers fluctuating from years prior, it was important for Lidge to keep runners off base, and if they were to reach, to leave them there. However, his LOB% was way down from 2008 to a sad 62.8% in 2009.

Runners who reached base against Lidge weren’t often left there for long: he surrendered 11 home runs in his worst season as a closer.

In 2010, it appeared as though Lidge figured something out. Feeling good coming off of surgery, he returned a lot of confidence to his slider, using it more than ever (58.3%).

While nearly completely throwing his changeup by the wayside, he threw his fastball 38.6% of the time.

He made up for the lack of a changeup by slowing his slider down, now averaging about 83 mph, and throwing his fastball at an average 91 mph.

“Back to basics” was the 2010 theme for Brad Lidge, as he also saw a rise in his K/9 (10.25) and a decline in his BB/9 (4.73). 

While home runs were still a problem, he was able to decrease their damage against him, limiting his HR/9 to 0.99. He stranded 82 percent of runners left on base, and his astronomical 2009 BABIP came back down to .260.

So what can we expect out of Brad Lidge in 2011? “Lights out” or “Lit Up”?

The amount of Lidge’s success seems to be synonymous with how confident he is in throwing all three of his pitches.

While he’s shown over the course of his career that he can be successful while throwing just his fastball and slider, the presence of a changeup puts another thought in an opposing hitter’s mind.

The first thing that he will need to do is get back to pitching “backwards” in the count, for instance, throwing his slider in fastball counts, and his fastball when the hitter can expect a slider.

One promising note from Lidge’s 2010 season is that he realizes that his slider is his true bread and butter.

If he throws his slider 50-55 percent of the time, while mixing in his fastball and changeup, he will get back to being the strikeout pitcher that threw a perfect 2008 season.

Control is also going to be a major factor going forward. Lidge has shown in years past that he works much better with the bases empty.

Once a runner reaches first, Lidge’s slow delivery makes him very susceptible to stolen bases.

Keeping his home run totals down, and leaving runners on base were two of the things that Lidge did best in 2008, and will factor largely into his success, or failure, in 2011.

Bill James, who is a well recognized stat projection analyst, has little faith in Brad Lidge for the 2011 season. Used as a “best case scenario” by most baseball experts, James’ stat line for Lidge reads 4-3, with a 3.45 ERA and 30 saves.

However, if the last two months of Lidge’s 2010 season are an indication of anything, Phillies fans are in for a treat from a healthy, confident Brad Lidge in 2011.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Phillies made some progress in their offseason crusade to revamp their bullpen today by signing left-hander Dennys Reyes to a one year contract worth $1.1 million, with a mutual option for 2012 worth $1.35 million, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes.

Reyes, 33, spent the 2010 season with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he appeared in 59 games as a left-handed specialist, and threw a total of 38 innings. Over that span of time, Reyes was 3-1 with a 3.55 ERA.

Reyes had a streaky campaign with the Cardinals last year. After posting an ERA of 0.71 over the first three months of the season, he struggled in June, posting an ERA of 12.46 in 4.1 innings.

After bringing his ERA back down to 3.24 in July, Reyes saw limited action in the final months of the season, posting an ERA of 6.08.

What is sure to interest the Phillies the most about Reyes is his continued success against left-handed hitters. In 2010 alone, Reyes threw 19 innings combined versus left-handed hitters, striking out 20, walking 11 and allowing a total of six earned runs. He posted a K/9 percentage of 9.21 against left-handed hitters, but also walked 5.21 lefties per nine.

His streaky control is sure to be his biggest concern entering the 2011 season, but the Phillies have traversed this path before—he is very similar, statistically, to former Philly J.C. Romero.

In total in 2010, Reyes walked 4.17 batters per nine. While that is an improvement over Romero’s 7.12 BB/9 percentage, the Phillies would like to see Reyes bring his walks down so that he could be relied on in late innings against tough left handed hitters.

Nicknamed “The Big Sweat” for obvious reasons, Reyes brings a standard repertoire of pitches to the table. He throws a straight, four-seam fastball that averages 90mph and loves to throw a tailing slider away from left-handed hitters off of that.

Over the course of his career, he has also been known to mix in a two-seam, moving a fastball, changeup and average curveball.

We first learned of the Phillies interest in Reyes around noon yesterday, when reports from the Winter Meetings in Florida indicated the Phillies had met with his agent, and showed strong interest in the left-hander, along with the Florida Marlins.

The Phillies emerged as the favorite to sign Reyes last night, and Ruben Amaro Jr. and Co. hammered out the contract details this afternoon.

Even with Reyes and fellow left handed reliever Antonio Bastado aboard, the Phillies will continue looking at different ways of upgrading their bullpen.

They have been in touch with the agent of free-agent right-hander Chad Durbin, and made an offer to left-hander George Sherrill before he signed with the Atlanta Braves this afternoon.

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In recent years, the Philadelphia Phillies have made most of their offseason noise in big trades and free agent signings, bringing names like Roy Halladay, Placido Polanco, Raul Ibanez and Brad Lidge to the City of Brotherly Love. However, in the past, the Phillies structured their roster in different ways, including a plethora of minor league deals, trading big names for young potential, spending heavily on the first year player draft and taking a gamble in the Rule 5 Draft. Which, in recent years, has landed All-Star outfielder Shane Victorino and long-relief man David Herndon.

Though the Rule 5 Draft has changed over the course of Major League Baseball history, the concept has remained the same—prevent teams from stockpiling players in their minor league system when other teams are willing to give them a chance to play at the Major League level. When the following conditions are met, a player becomes unprotected, and is then exposed to the rest of the league.

• If signed at age 18 or younger and the player has been in the organization for five years, he is eligible.
• If signed at age 19 or older and the player has been in the organization for four years, he is eligible.
• The player is not added to the Major League organization’s 40-man roster.

Drafting a player is not free, however. Any team that wants to take a gamble on a player must keep two very strategic conditions in mind: Are they willing to pay the $50,000 fee and are they willing to keep this player on their Major League roster for an entire season?

The rules of the Rule 5 Draft states that once a player is drafted, he must remain on the Major League club for the entirety of the forthcoming season. If a team wants to demote him, they must first offer said player back to his former team. If the former team denies to accept the player back, or a team keeps the player on their Major League roster for the entire season, they are then able to option him to the minor leagues.

The Rule 5 Draft is a calculated risk. Recent history has shown that the risk is well worth the reward, however, as names like Johan Santana, Evan Meek, Dan Uggla, Joakim Soria and Shane Victorino, all taken in the Rule 5 Draft, have flourished into all-stars. 

So with that in mind, the following five pitchers could all contribute to the Phillies some way in 2011, but will any of them be a true diamond in the rough?

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Over the past couple of seasons, Jayson Werth has become immensely popular, both in the city of Philadelphia and around Major League Baseball, for his crazy hair and beard combo, power from the right side of the plate and his strong arm from right field, among other things, making him one of the prime free agent targets this offseason.

Rumors of seven-year contracts and the asking price of $100 million have forced people to forget that in the not so distant past, Werth was but a simple platoon player in the Phillies’ outfield, begging for a chance to become an everyday player.

Now that he is one and is likely to leave the Phillies via free agency, there has been much ado about his replacement in right field.

Despite general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. voicing the team’s need to find a right-handed platoon partner for up-and-coming right fielder Domonic Brown, there aren’t too many attractive options available through the free agent market. Even more so, the Phillies already have an in-house, right-handed hitting outfielder who bears a lot of similar traits to those of Werth.

With a lack of significant upgrades and his cost effectiveness in mind, is Ben Francisco poised for a breakout year in 2011?

Let’s set the stage a bit.

After a disappointing first round exit at the hands of the Colorado Rockies in the 2007 playoffs, the Phillies were facing a few contract options before the 2008 season began, the most notable of which was a bidding war over free agent outfielder Aaron Rowand.

While en route to becoming a National League powerhouse, the Phillies were still a moderately conservative team entering the offseason prior to 2008 and unwilling to commit five years to Rowand despite their interest in retaining the outfielder. It was reported that the Phillies offered Rowand a three-year deal, but he was not interested.

In the long run, the San Francisco Giants offered Rowand a five-year, $60 million contract, which he accepted.

Despite Rowand being a Type A free agent offered arbitration, the Giants’ first round pick in the upcoming First Year Player Draft was protected, and thus, they did not have to surrender the pick to the Phillies as compensation for signing Rowand.

The Phillies instead received a supplemental first round pick, slotted behind the first round. Giants fans should be grateful, as they would go ahead to pick catcher Buster Posey with the fifth overall pick, while the Phillies drafted a bust in the outfield in Zach Collier.

Without Rowand, the Phillies went a different route in shoring up their right field situation, ironically similar to what is happening with Jayson Werth in 2010. Werth was already under contract as a reclamation project in 2008, and the Phillies liked what he brought to the table from the right side of the plate.

In 2007, Werth had absolutely mashed left-handed pitching, hitting .375 with five home runs, all the while compiling an on-base percentage of .467 and slugging a cool .591. The Phillies saw Werth as the ideal player to platoon, as his numbers against right-handed pitching were significantly weaker.

The Phillies set their sights on a longtime Milwaukee Brewer who had been known for his success against right-handed pitching and turned a couple of heads by signing right fielder Geoff Jenkins, who they’d already designated as Werth’s platoon partner, to a two-year, $13 million contract, with an option for a third year that could push the total value of the deal to $20 million.

The Phillies were paying Jenkins to play like a full-time outfielder while reducing him to a platoon role.

Nonetheless, Jenkins played some uninspiring baseball for the Phillies in 2008. Signed to specifically contribute against right-handed pitching, Jenkins only managed to hit .256 with nine home runs for the Phillies from the left side of the plate.

It became quickly apparent that Jenkins’ numbers against-right handed pitching were not all that better than Werth’s, and by the All-Star break, Jenkins had been reduced to a bench player. The Phillies handed the job to their new, full-time right fielder, Jayson Werth, who, after helping the Phillies to a World Series title in 2008, went on to establish himself as one of the best right-handed hitting outfielders in baseball in 2009 and 2010.

All of that is ancient history now.

However, if history has taught us one thing, it’s that it often repeats itself. Just as they did entering the 2008 season, the Phillies have one half of a platoon seemingly committed to right field in 2011, that being lefty Domonic Brown. Heralded as one of the game’s top prospects in 2010, Brown is looking to finally break free from the shackles of “prospectdom” and into the spotlight as a starter in the major league.

This isn’t a simple transition, and thus, Ruben Amaro Jr. has stated the team’s interest in finding a right-handed hitter to platoon with Brown in right field. Instead of scouring a weak free agent market for a right-handed-hitting outfielder, the Phillies may be best suited in slotting one of their own into that position—that being Ben Francisco.

Francisco, 29, was acquired by the Phillies alongside Cliff Lee at the 2009 trade deadline, where he has since served as the team’s top right-handed pinch hitter.

Interestingly enough, Francisco is not unfamiliar with a starting role, as he started 98 games in the outfield in 2008 with the Cleveland Indians, proving that he can cut it as a major league outfielder by posting a slash line (average / on-base percentage / slugging percentage) of .266/.327/.441. Crowded outfields in Philadelphia may have reduced his role, but Francisco is poised for a breakout season, if given the chance.

Against left-handed pitching in 2010, Francisco had a respectable slash line of .284/.344/.557. That’s good enough for an OPS (On-base + Slugging Percentage) of .901 against left-handed pitching. Jayson Werth’s OPS against left-handed pitching? .881.

The Phillies have trusted Francisco in big roles before as well. For instance, he served as the designated hitter in New York against the Yankees in the 2009 World Series and spelled Raul Ibanez in left field during the 2010 National League Championship Series.

However, what may appeal most to the Phillies is the money they’d be saving by platooning Ben Francisco and Domonic Brown in right field.

Jayson Werth made about $10 million patrolling right field in Citizens Bank Park in 2010. The Phillies could save about $8.5 million by paying Domonic Brown, who will make the league minimum, and Ben Francisco, who could earn close to $1 million in 2011. That would allow the Phillies to spend money addressing other issues, most notably on the bullpen.

The Phillies may not be creating a super outfielder by platooning Francisco and Brown in 2011, but they are doing a couple of very important things.

Firstly, they are getting Brown used to playing daily at the major league level. They’ll also be giving Francisco a chance to prove himself as an everyday player in Philadelphia after paying his due diligence on the Phillies’ bench. If he proves to do anything similar to what Werth did in 2008, the Phillies will have found their starting left fielder for 2012, when Ibanez’s time will almost certainly have come to an end in Philadelphia.

Not many teams were willing to give Jayson Werth a real chance to be an everyday player, and look at him now. While the Phillies could spend on righties like Jeff Francoeur or Jermaine Dye, they may have a diamond waiting in the rough in Ben Francisco.

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In a season plagued by underachievement, inconsistency, and injuries, one controllable aspect of the Philadelphia Phillies’ 2010 is the bullpen.

From the dominant bullpen that lead the Phillies to a World Series title in 2008, earning the nickname the “Bridge to Lidge,” the Phillies’ relief corps of 2010 took a big step back, finishing 18th in ERA despite pitching the fewest innings in the National League—with only the Seattle Mariners logging more out west in the American League.

It was no surprise to hear that the bullpen was GM Ruben Amaro Jr.’s top priority entering the off-season.

Even though he has already resigned Jose Contreras, the Phillies still have major question marks thus far. Along with left handed specialist JC Romero, Chad Durbin, middle inning work-horse, is a free agent.

The 2010 performances of rookies David Herndon and Antonio Bastardo surely didn’t leave opposing hitters shaking in their cleats. Many questions and few possible answers.

With these variables in mind, many Philadelphia fans are asking the question: “How can we turn this sorry excuse for ‘relief’ into the once feared ‘Bridge to Lidge?'”

Well, it starts with the man himself. The Phillies only have three certainties in 2011: Contreras, set-up man Ryan Madson, and closer Brad Lidge. They were the few bright spots of a weak 2010 campaign.

Contreras was a work-horse out of the Phillies ‘pen in 2010, logging innings and pitching to the tune of a 3.34 ERA. Most importantly, he was able to remain healthy for the entire season, earning himself a two year deal in free agency.

Despite missing time with a self inflicted broken toe, Madson continued his streak of dominance in the eighth inning. The only remnant of the 2008 “Bridge to Lidge,” Madson was stellar in 2010, throwing 53 innings of 2.55 ERA ball.

Of course, there is no bridge without a destination. Lidge finally returned to form in 2010, gathering 27 saves and compiling a 2.96 ERA. Lidge’s best work was done over the final months of the season. However, he threw 24.2 innings to a tune of an 0.76 ERA.

So assuming that these three guys can carry their success into 2011, how can the Phillies complement them this off-season?

The answer is through the free agent market. With Romero not expected to return, the Phillies’ first task in rebuilding the ‘pen will be to add a couple of left handed specialists. Left handers Hisanori Takahashi and Pedro Feliciano, both former Mets, seem to make the most sense.

Takahashi seems to be the best option for the Phillies. He was known best with the Mets for his flexibility in roles. He spent time in 2010 as a starting pitcher, a middle reliever, Francisco Rodriguez’s set-up man, and as the team’s closer, when “K-Rod” became ineligible for the last portion of the season.

The Phillies are expected to make Takahashi an offer, as the team could benefit from help in the areas of starting pitching depth and left handed relief. Takahashi was especially tough against left handed hitters in 2010, striking out more than ten left handed batters per nine innings and allowing only two earned runs from the left side of the plate—neither of which were via the homerun.

The Phillies may be able to lure him to Philadelphia by offering him the same type of deal the team offered to Chan Ho Park—an offer to compete for the fifth starter’s spot and a guaranteed spot in the bullpen. While he may be the most expensive option, he may also be the most important sign.

Feliciano has been a thorn in the side of left handed Phillies since 2003, his first full time gig with the Mets. Often called on to face tough outs like Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, Feliciano had become a staple in late innings of Phillies and Mets games. Signing him for that reason may be a plus in and of itself.

He would more than likely be a major upgrade to the oft-injured, oft-inconsistent, JC Romero. Feliciano lead the league in appearances for a reliever last season, logging 62 IP.

While teams may try and drive his price down, by arguing that he has a lot of strain on his arm, his agent will surely try and drive his price up, by proving that he’s been the model of consistency.

Feliciano remained true to his bread and butter in 2010, as he was nearly untouchable from the left side of the plate. Left handed hitters hit only .218 against him, while he struck out over nine lefties per nine innings. His numbers against right handed hitters are awful, but any team with common sense will use him strategically in the latter innings against left handed hitters.

The Phillies have also expressed interest in bringing back Chad Durbin, though they may have been discouraged by rumors that he will seek a multi-year contract as a starting pitcher, despite not having done so since 2007. With that in mind, the Phillies may check in on other options. A couple names stand out to me: Matt Guerrier, Koji Uehara, Dan Wheeler, and Chan Ho Park.

A member of the Twins bullpen in 2010, Guerrier is an interesting case. Despite being a “type A” free agent, he wasn’t offered arbitration, and it won’t cost a draft pick to sign him. He posted an ERA of 3.17, but his FIP of 4.23 suggests that he was extremely lucky.

Any team that values saber-metrics realized this, and it’s most likely the reason he wasn’t offered arbitration by the Twins. He’s not as valuable as his basic numbers appear. If the Phillies can get him at a good price, he’d be a good sign to work in the middle innings, alongside right hander Jose Contreras. 

That puts Uehara in a similar ship.

The Japanese import (a lifetime starter in Japan) was stellar as the Orioles closer in 2010. He only picked up 13 saves for the O’s, but, had they been a winning team, that number would have probably been tripled. He showed impeccable control in 2010, striking out 11 hitters per nine, while only walking one per nine. His ERA of 2.86 was very, very good, and even then, his FIP suggests that he was unlucky, at 2.40.

If I had to have one right handed bullpen arm, this is the guy that I would want.

The Phillies may not be his top choice, mainly because they are already committed to Madson and Lidge at the back of the bullpen, but money talks. If the Phillies can lure him to the City of Brotherly Love, he’d provide much of the same things that Hisanori Takahashi would.

Wheeler and Park round out potential right handed bullpen arms for the Phillies.

Wheeler pitched for the Rays in 2010, and he can be compared to Guerrier. Despite having a good ERA of 3.35, his FIP of 4.11 suggests that he caught some breaks in 2010. His HR/9 is a cause for concern, especially with the way the ball jumps off the bats some nights at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. As long as he’s kept in the middle of the pen, he’d be a good addition.

The same could be said for Park, who would be an interesting minor league signing. The Phillies expressed interest in bringing the 17 year veteran back after the 2009 season, but he chose to sign with the World Series counterpart Yankees. He was traded after a disappointing start, and didn’t exactly turn any heads in Pittsburgh. A chance to rebuild value in a place where he was comfortable might sound appealing to him.

Despite being called a weak free agent market, the market for relievers is surprisingly deep. However, some in house options may be as appealing because of the money they’d save turning to them. Minor leaguers Scott Mathieson and Justin De Fratus will get a lot of looks in spring training.

Mathieson, 27, is one of those “feel good” baseball stories. After two successful Tommy John surgeries, the right handed fireballer came out, well, throwing fire in 2010. In 64 innings with the Phillies Triple-A affiliate Iron Pigs, Mathieson pitched to an ERA of 2.94, earning his cup of coffee with the big league club as a September call up—all the while, averaging 95 MPH on his fastball.

De Fratus, 23, turned some heads in the Phillies organization after splitting time with A+ Clearwater and AA Reading. Throwing a combined 65 innings, De Fratus pitched to an ERA of 1.99, his success culminating with the Phillies—adding him to the 40-man roster to protect him in the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. A surprise in 2010, De Fratus will get a lot of looks this spring, and may break camp with the major league Phillies.

Of course, a plethora of familiar names will get their looks as well.

In the second year of his deal, Danys Baez may be best described as addition by subtraction. He was largely disappointing in 2010, and hopefully, isn’t guaranteed a spot because of the money he is set to make.

On the other end of the spectrum, guys like Antonio Bastardo and David Herndon are making close to nothing. Bastardo has a ton of upside, and it’s clear the organization likes him. However, his change-up is underwhelming, and his fastball/slider combination lacks control.

The long reliever in 2010, Herndon remained on the Phillies roster only because they wanted to keep him in the organization. (They would have had to offer him back to the Angels if they wanted to send him to the minors, since he was a Rule 5 Draft pick.) With guys like Kyle Kendrick, Vance Worley, and Drew Carpenter expected to compete for the fifth starter’s spot in spring training, Herndon may be out of a job once one of those guys loses.

If this article proves anything, it’s that the Phillies have numerous options to replenish the bullpen. Be it adding talented specialists like Feliciano and Uehara, or removing contract albatrosses like Baez, the Phillies can obviously afford to rebuild the bullpen. How they do so may effect the outlook on October 2011. If teams like the ’08 Phillies and ’10 Giants showed us anything, it’s that a talented bullpen goes a long way in competing in October.

With a couple of smart moves by Ruben Amaro Jr. and Co., the Phillies can move from troubled waters, and the Bridge to Lidge can deliver the fans of the Philadelphia Phillies to the promised land once again.  

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