Photo Courtesy: Steve Trapani
Last week, we saw reports of more than a few major league teams, including the Phillies, watching Ryan Madson pitch. It seemed as though Madson's former team was quite interested in a return after two years apart. Things seemed to take a different turn, though, yesterday, when Ruben Amaro Jr. made a comment on Madson's appearance:
"Our reports were good when we saw him, so he's going to sign somewhere."
Todd Zolecki makes an excellent point about what this note could mean. If the Phillies were really interested in signing their former setup man to a new deal, Amaro would probably have been more quiet about the situation. "…going to sign somewhere," probably isn't the best thing to hear either. Multiple reports are saying that Madson and his agent are seeking a guaranteed major league deal. After such a long layoff between major league pitches, most, if not, all, teams were probably looking to ink a minor league deal, in case Madson wasn't near his former self.
If Mad Dog is really seeking a guaranteed contract, it's probably best for Amaro and the team to steer clear. Being locked into a deal with a highly questionable arm is the last thing the Phillies need going into an already shaky season. However, if they can work out some sort of incentive-laden deal, it really couldn't hurt to give Madson another shot.
– Andrew Gillen
