The last time Ryan Madson threw a meaningful pitch in the major leagues, it was for the Phillies in the 2011 NLDS.
Injuries have kept the once dominant reliever from appearing in either of the last two seasons, but Madson still wants to continue his career, and will throw for scouts in Arizona today.
General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said today that the Phillies will have someone there to watch Madson throw. The team has reportedly been keeping an eye on their old set-up man, and would be interested in reuniting with Madson.
As much as I loved Madson during his time with the Phillies, I wouldn’t expect much from him if the Phillies do indeed sign him at some point.
The Phillies ran him into the ground during their playoff runs from 2008 through 2011, and he’s now 33 years old and has battled elbow problems over the last two years. Sad to say, but Madson’s best baseball in long behind him and he’s nothing more than a familiar name at this point.
But that likely won’t stop Ruben Amaro, who seems to covet signing broken down former Phillies who are in the twilight of their careers. He’s tried bringing back Jim Thome, Chad Durbin, Marlon Byrd, and Bobby Abreu over the last three years, and he keeps extending his aging stars (Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz), so pursuing a guy who used to be good (if not great) three years ago who is now on the wrong side of 30 and hasn’t played in two years after battling serious injury concerns seems like a move that is right up Amaro’s alley.
yep, 33 years old is the sweet spot where Amaro really begins to become interested in players lately – I don’t think anyone can write or read an article about the Phils and do/ think exactly what Denny communicated in the last 2 paragraphs
Phils GM Rueben Amaro, the Worst GM in all of Major Leagues…
This Phils Franchise will struggle for the next 4-6 Years and is heading for another lost Decade…
Attendance dropped by 500,000 fans last Season and will most likely drop another 500.000 again this Season…
This man (Amaro) has no eye or interest in acquiring Young Talent.. He’s old School, circling the wagons and going to ride on the Coat-Tails of Players that he’s known for 6-8-10 Years regardless if their Skills have Eroded or Injuries have beaten them down….
Phils will win 72-75 Games in 2014 and fall behind the younger, more talented and hungrier Miami Marlins
the NY Mets already passed them last year for 3rd place in east with 74 wins, LOL
Yes and this Year it will be the Marlins who pass them for 4th Leaving
the “Wheeze Kids” in the basement in 5th Place..
The Nats have the Best Pitching and will Win 90-95 Games
The Braves have a balanced Team, good Coaching and young Arms and will will 85-90 Games
The Mets are improved, added 2-3 Solid Players in Granderson,Chris Young and Pitcher Colon to go along with the Young Arms they already have in Neise, Wheeler,Gee & Meija (remember that Stud Pitcher Matt Harvey will be out at least until July) and should win about 80 Games
The Marlins are Young, hungry and have the Talent and Young Arms to Win 75 Games …
The Phils are old, overpaid, and past their primes and outside of Lee,Hamels have Pitching questions up and down their Rotation
Papelbum will implode playing on a loser team and become more of a Cancer than he already is…
Howard Plays in half the Games and puts up weak Power #’s
Utley and Rollins are shells of themselves and put up 75% of their Career Stats which isn’t good enough…
Catcher Ruiz helps with the Young Pitchers, but is not an Impact Player
to build around at his age…
OF D Brown and M Byrd put up decent #’s, but not enough to compensate for the light hitting IF…
F^#@ Ruin 2morrow, .300 Monty, this entire waste of an AARP team, & all of their pom-pom waving apologists!
I heard they’re going to invite Dan Plesac to camp; he’d be a good 7th inning guy.
Word is that MLB Commish Bud Selig is suggesting the Phils move to the newly formed “Senior MLB League” and by replaced by the Charlotte Knights
The 31 Other Owners are meeting and Voting on this over the weekend,
You heard it here first!!!!
Ruben Amaro is apparently dedicated to keeping the core players of the 2008 team together
They are older, less productive
The cardinals wisely cut ties with one of their greatest, pujols
I do not get this strategy of growing old and hoping old will be young again
I will watch and root, there is nothing better than phillies baseball on the island with the radio, then a cold draft from.the porthole cafe, lbi
The big issue I have Jake is that of the Zphils are going to be a
75-80 Win Team, then I would rather see the Young Players out there getting playing experience and building a new “Core”
We all know that Rollins,Byrd, Ruiz,Howard and even Chase
Are in their twilight’s of their Carrers and adding an Abreu, Madson for Spring camp just shows how empty the Minor League System really is
Pkay the young Players every day (Ruf,Ashe, Revere,
And the Young Arms) and say how they compete and then next off-season can have a real game plan of what needs to be done
This year is basically a wasted year for we all know what
Rollins, Ruiz,Byrd,Howard & Chase have maxed out 2-3 Years ago
I’ve stated many times I the past,
The Phils, their Fans and local Media getvtoocattached emotionally to their Players.. Every 20 Years, they will get on a 3-4 Year Run and compete
abd then be average for 5 years and then suck for the other 8-10 Years and I believe they are mired in the 10 Year Suck stage
All compliments if the worst GM in MLB in Reuben Amaro
Do you know how many GM’s would kill for this job and to be able to have the resources, the facility and fan support that the Phils have..
It’s a Damn Shame and a waste..
Critisism of Amaro is a a bit exaggerated and honestly the type of thing you hear from fanboy types. The Phillies offense and defense is going to be pretty good this year I suspect.
Anyway…Madson even if only moderately healthy and can pitch would do well in middle relief spotting an inning or two here and there. Aside from that the Phils need to…damn Arroyo just signed with the D-Backs.
They need to sign Ervin Santana and Suk-Min Yoon ASAP. They better at least have offers on the table.