» Phillies Re-Sign Moyer, Sign Free Agent Chan Ho Park

Phillies Re-Sign Moyer, Sign Free Agent Chan Ho Park

The Phillies announced late on Monday evening that they re-signed 46 year old veteran lefthander Jamie Moyer to a 2 year, $13 million deal, reward for his 16-7, 3.71 ERA, 33 start season in 2008. Moyer was a critical cog for the 2008 World Series champion team, including his big 6 1/3 inning effort in the Phils’ 5-4, World Series game 3 win.

The Phils also solidified their starting pitching corps and/or their bullpen by acquiring of free agent former Dodger Chan Ho Park in a 1 year, $2.5 million deal – subject to the team physical.

In addition, an AP report noted that the Phils were also buoyed by news;

All-Star second baseman Chase Utley said he is recovering well from hip surgery and hopes to be ready for opening day.

The report also went on to say;

He is 35-21 with a 4.33 ERA in 74 starts since the Phillies acquired him from Seattle in August 2006, and the Souderton, Pa., native has 246 career wins.

“I’m sure if you ask Jamie, he’ll say that he will play out a few more contracts,” Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Monday. “I know on paper it probably says this is his last contract, but it will be fun to see how it plays out.”

Amaro is confident Moyer will find a way to win at an age when some players are in their second decade of retirement. Moyer depends on pinpoint control and offspeed pitches.

“If his stuff does go backward, he’ll try to figure it out and how to pitch through it,” Amaro said. “That’s the beauty of Jamie Moyer.”

Possibly the oldest player to receive a guaranteed multiyear contract, Moyer would earn $20 million over the two years if he pitches 190 innings and makes 31 starts each season.

He will receive base salaries of $6.5 million in each of the next two seasons, and he can make an additional $1.25 million in performance bonuses each year: $250,000 each for 150, 160, 170, 180 and 190 innings pitched.

In addition, his 2010 base can escalate by up to $4.5 million: $250,000 each for 150 innings and 23 starts, and $500,000 each for 160, 170, 180 and 190 innings, and 25, 27, 29 and 31 starts.

The initial club press release on the Moyer re-signing noted;

He allowed three runs or fewer in 14 straight starts, from June 6 through Aug. 21, becoming the first Phillie to do so since 1967.

Since being acquired by the club on Aug. 19, 2006, Moyer has gone 35-21 with a 4.33 ERA in 74 starts, with the Phillies going 46-28 (.622) in his outings.

MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez reports on the Park signing;

In his 15th Major League season in 2008, Park went 4-4 with a 3.40 ERA in 54 games with the Dodgers. In five starts, he went 1-0 with a 2.16 ERA. Park owns a career 4.34 ERA as a starter, and a 4.44 ERA as a reliever.

Going into 2009, the Phillies know Cole Hamels, Brett Myers and Joe Blanton will fill three spots in the rotation with the fourth… being filled by 46-year-old Jamie Moyer… The fifth spot could see Kyle Kendrick in the rotation again, but he could get competition from Park, J.A. Happ and prospect Carlos Carrasco, who posted a 1.72 ERA in six starts for Triple-A in 2008.