The Phillies have completed assembling their new look bench with the addition of  former Marlin Ross Gload, erupting in a myriad of bad jokes by sports writers and bloggers alike (see above title).

Gload is likely the final addition to Charlie Manuel’s 2010 bench, which will have a very drastic look than the one that helped win a World Series in 2008. Greg Dobbs is the only bench player left from that team. Gone are Eric Bruntlett, So Taguchi, Geoff Jenkins, Chris Coste and most likely Matt Stairs, although he will probably be offered an invitation to Spring Training on a minor league ocntract.

That squad has been replaced by Ben Francisco, Brian Schneider, Juan Castro, Dobbs and now Gload.

Gload, 33, is a eight year journeyman who has spent time with the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, and recently the Florida Marlins. He hit .261 in 125 games last season for the Marlins, and is a career .283 hitter. However, he led the majors with 21 pinch-hits last season, batting .318 with two homers and 15 RBIs in pinch-hit situations. And according to Scott Lauber of the Delaware County Times, Gload is a career “.300 hitter with five homers and 29 RBIs off the bench.”

The deal for the left handed hitting Gload is reportedly for two years.