New York Newsday is reporting the Phillies have interest in free agent outfielder Raul Ibanez.  Ibanez is coming off a stong season in Seattle where he hit .293 with 23 home runs and 110 RBI’s.

Ibanez would be a cheaper alternative to Pat Burrell, although I can’t see much truth to this rumor.  While Ibanez is a nice player, he’s also left-handed.  With Ryan Howard and Chase Utley occupying the heart of the order from the left side of the plate, Ibanez would only give the Phillies another everyday lefty (which would possibly occupy 3-5 in the batting order).  Also with Greg Dobbs, Geoff Jenkins, and Matt Stairs all on the bench (and left-handed), it makes no sense for the Phillies to go out and sign another left-handed bat.

The only way this move might make sense is if the Phillies deal Jenkins, bring in Ibanez, and add a right-handed bat.  Given Jenkins struggles in 2008 and his $6.75 million salary, I can’t see many …

From my loft just north of Center City I can hear the crickets chirping at Citizen’s Bank Park. The celebrations have ended, the confetti’s been cleaned up, and now Phillies fans have to wait another 14 weeks until pitchers and catchers report to Clearwater. That’s when the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies (doesn’t that have a nice ring to it?), will begin their defense of their World Series title.

If you’re a baseball fan like I am, you understand that baseball really is a 12 month sport. Although players are only active from March-October, the offseason is a season of its own. Fans look for up to the minute news and rumors about who might be added to their favorite club in hopes to improve the team for the next season.

Well it’s going to be a long 14 weeks for Phillies fans, as not much is expected to happen. Sure the rumors …

As of midnight, major league teams no longer had exclusive rights to talk to their own free agents.  They now have the ability to talk to all 225 free agents, so let the Hot Stove rumors begin.

This also means two of the Phillies biggest free agents, outfielder Pat Burrell and pitcher Jamie Moyer, are now on the open market and can talk to any major league team they choose to.  They will now have to complete with other teams in order to retain their players.

How does that affect the likelihood they’ll both return?

Burrell has been a life long Phillie and was drafted first overall in the 1998 draft. Reports are that the Phillies and Burrell have mutual interest in his return, but I still don’t think it’s likely. At 32, Burrell is looking for at least a four-year deal and at least at the same salary as he received last season ($15 million). Given the fact he’s averaged 31 home …

Sometimes the offseason isn’t only about replacing what’s on the field, but also who replacing the coaches who get the players fired up day in and day out.  With third base coach Steve Smith’s termination, and bench coach Jimy Williams choosing not to return to Philadelphia, the Phillies have some coaching vacancies to fill.  They filled one of those positions yesterday when they hired Sam Perlozzo as a coach.

It’s still unknown whether Perlozzo will be at third base or on the bench.  That depends on who the second coach the front office brings in.

Perlozzo spent last season as the third base coach of the Seattle Mariners, but prior to that was the bench coach then manager of the Baltimore Orioles.  He comes to the Phillies with 20 years experience as a Major League coach or manager.

The one role he will have is as infield coach.  Perlozzo was an outstanding defensive second baseman in both the minor leagues and Japan.  His knowledge will be an asset …

Chicago Cubs’ manager Lou Pieniella was named the National League Manager of the Year Wednesday, getting the nod over Phillies’ manager Charlie Manuel with 103 total points. Manuel garnered 67 points.

Joe Maddon, the manager of the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays, was named the American League Manager of the Year. Maddon received 27 of the 28 first place votes cast by the Baseball Writers Association of America, the other going to Minnesota Twins’ manager Ron Gardenhire.

Piniella’s Cubs won the NL Central and had the most wins in the league. Despite having the best record in the league, the Cubs were swept in their NLDS matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Rays fared better than the Cubs, although the ultimately lost in the World Series to the Phillies.

It is Piniella’s third Manager of the Year award; it was Maddon’s first.

San Francisco Giants’ ace Tim Lincecum has been awarded the 2008 National League Cy-Young award winner, garnering 23 of 32 first-place votes, seven second-place votes, and one third-place vote for 137 points.

The 24-year old righty beat out reigning Cy-Young winner Brandon Webb (73 points), New York Mets’ ace Johan Santana (55), Phillies’ closer Brad Lidge (10), Milwaukee Brewers’ ace CC Sabathia (9), and Chicago Cubs’ pitcher Ryan Dempster (4).

“I thought it would be a lot closer. I was thinking more along the lines of Sabathia or Johan or Webb,” he said.

All three of those pitchers have won the Cy-Young award in previous years.

Lincecum was 18-5 this season on a team that was 18 games under .500, and is the 12th pitcher to ever win the award on a sub-.500 team. He had a winning percentage of .783, the best in the league. He also struck out 265 batters, an all time Giants’ high. Opponents hit .221 overall and .167 with runners in scoring position while averaging 7.22 …

The Phillies re-signed lefty reliever Scott Erye Monday to a one-year deal worth two million dollars with performance incentives.

The Phillies acquired Eyre on August 7 from the Chicago Cubs. In 19 appearances, he went 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 14.1 innings.

On the season, he held lefthanded hitters to a .220 average with one home run allowed in 50 at-bats.

In addition to re-signing Eyre, Phillies’ GM Ruben Amaro announced that pitching coach Rich Dubee, first-base coach Davey Lopes, and hitting coach Milt Thompson would all be returning for the 2009 season.

Bench coach Jimmy Williams, who was invited to return next season, has decided not to. Third-base coach Steve Smith will also not be returning, as it was announced last week that the Phillies decided not to renew his contract. Bullpen coach Ramon Henderson is also not likely to return, as he missed the second half of last season due to personal reasons.

According to John Heiman, the Colorado Rockies have reportedly traded slugging leftfielder Matt Holliday to the Oakland Athletics. This has yet to be confirmed by either team, and it is not yet known what else was part of the deal.

If a deal has in fact been completed, it will most likely involve some pitching going to Colorado. Rockies’ GM Dan O’Dowd was recently quoted as saying,

“There is not much pitching in the market available. Period. And any pitching we get will likely be projection pitching. Not that guy that has been there, done it. We are completely open-minded to anything.”

This is bad news for the Phillies, who were seen as the other team likely to land Holliday. The Phils took a long hard look at the 2007 MVP runner-up during this season, but ultimately decided not to pull the trigger. Now, with the impending loss of Pat Burrell, the Phillies were thought to be a heavyweight contender.

That’s not to say they can’t or won’t re-sign …

Two Philadelphia Phillies players will have 2008 Gold Glove Awards to go along with their World Series championships.

Centerfielder Shane Victorino and shortstop Jimmy Rollins were each awarded the top defensive commendation at their position.

“I can’t believe it,” Victorino said during a telephone interview with Philadelphia Inquirer staff writer Todd Zolecki. “It’s definitely an accomplishment. To win an individual award after winning a team award definitely is an honor. To be recognized as one of the best defensive players in the game. . . . I’ve always taken pride in my defense. You can always find a way to help on defense. You can be 0 for 20 and still find a way to help your team win defensively.”

With the departure of Aaron Rowand last offseason, many in Philly wondered if Victorino would be up to the task of playing the tough defensive position day in and day out. No one is wondering that anymore. Victorino had just two errors in 337 chances this …

Pat Gillick made it clear at the beginning of the 2008 season that this would be his last season, and his goal was to finish his tenure in Philadelphia with the winning the World Series. With the Phillies winning the World Series, and Gillick officially retired, the Phillies ended any speculation who would be his successor, naming Ruben Amaro Jr. new General Manager.

This is hardly a surprise, as most expected Amaro to take the reigns from Gillick. Amaro spent a majority of this season being groomed by Gillick, and handling most of his interactions with the media. It couldn’t be made official until General Partner David Montgomery informed the other candidate for the position, Mike Arbuckle, his decision.

A native Philadelphian, Amaro has spent a majority of his life with the Phillies. First as a bat boy when his father was a Phillie. Then as a player when the Angels acquired Von Hayes. Upon his retirement after the 1998 season, …

The parade has ended, and the flag has been flown. Like Chase Utley so eloquently put, the Phillies are “World ****ing Champions”. Although some Philadelphians are still celebrating the Phillies World Series win, the 2008 baseball season is officially over.

The playing season that is; now comes the offseason.

With only one day into the offseason, the Phillies have not wasted any time shaping up their 2009 team as they have announced they will not pick up the options on pitcher Tom Gordon and outfielder So Taguchi.

Gordon appeared in 32 games for the Phillies this season going 5-4 with a 5.14 ERA. He was sidelined since early-July with a sore elbow, which required surgery earlier this month. Most likely he will not be ready for the start of the 2009 season.

Taguchi had somewhat of a disappointing season for the Phillies. Sporadically used, Taguchi struggled at the plate, and make a few key defensive errors, which led Charlie Manuel to use infielder Eric Bruntlett …

Ending a 25-year championship drought, the Philadelphia Phillies are the 2008 Major League Baseball World Champions, beating the Tampa Bay Rays four games to one in the best of seven World Series.

Closer Brad Lidge’s last devastating slider of the season, striking out Eric Hinske, wiped away the ghosts of lost championships past.

Gone are Mitch Williams (version: mullett) and Joe Carter.

Gone are Ronde Barber and Joe Jurevicius.

Gone are Eric Lindros and Scott Stevens.

Gone are Donovan McNabb and his throw up.

Gone are Derek Fisher and Tyrone Lou.

Here are Cole Hamels, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Lidge and Jimmy Rollins. Here are Pat Burrell (hopefully for a while longer), Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, and Shane Victorino. Here are Jason Werth, Geoff Jenkins, Matt Stairs, Greg Dobbs, and Ryan Madson.

We have all new moments to remember.

Victorino’s grandslam against CC Sabathia.

Stair’s towering shot off of Jonathan Broxton.

Burrell’s numerous clutch homeruns throughout the playoffs.

Both of Rollins’ leadoff homeruns in each of the clinching games in the first two rounds.

Howard’s two homerun game; …