Matt Klentak started his reign as Phillies general manager bring in some pitching help and now today he has added his first position player in Peter Bourjos. The Phillies claimed OF Peter Bourjos off waivers from the Saint Louis Cardinals earlier today and though it’s a small move, it’s a quality one to add some stability to a young outfield. This move, however, could diminish fan-favorite Jeff Francoeur’s chances of returning to team. It’s not that big of a deal, but Francoeur was entertaining to watch and he’s the type of player you want on your team.
Bourjos, 28, batted .200 last year for the Cardinals with four home runs and 14 RBI’s. Bourjos is certainly not known for his bat, but he is a top notch defender and is sure to be a regular in the starting lineup. In six seasons in the majors, Bourjos has made a total of only ten errors in over 3,700 innings of game action. The Phillies have had their eye of Peter Bourjos for a long time and they were finally able to get him without giving up a single thing. I think with Bourjos getting consistent bats in the starting lineup, he will be able to revive his bat a little bit and get back to being a gap-hitter.
As I was in the middle of writing this article, The Phillies just announced they have signed Peter Bourjos to a 1-year contract worth $2 million to avoid arbitration so he is officially a Phillie. I really like this move and the starting outfield for next year doesn’t look too shabby with Bourjos in left, Odubel in center, and Altherr in right.
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