Phil Brock Climbs On Board

The Flash let one of their best role players go in the offseason in CF Brady Pickett. A speedy defender who could only hit lefties, Pickett actually led the team in batting average (with limited at-bats, of course) for most of the season. To fill the hole, however, the Flash were very pleased to find CF Phil Brock on the open market for 3-years and $10.0 million.

Brock is another solid defensive CF, with blazing speed and good IQ on the basepaths. He is much younger than Pickett, and actually a bit cheaper as well. And he can switch hit, as if all of that were not enough. Brock has spent the past 3 years in the minor leagues of the Minnesota North Stars franchise, and will be making his big league debut with the Flash this year when the time comes. But management believes he can hit lefties even better than Pickett, and is likely to post a high OBP as well.

At 25, Brock provides versatile backup to the already talented Philly outfield, though he does not come without risk. He has been injury-prone throughout his career and enjoyed two DL stints during his 3 years in the North Stars minors. However, given the limited reps he is likely to receive this year as a bench player, the Flash believe it is a lessened risk than otherwise.

Takada Receives Extension: Coming off a Silver Slugger year, SS Richard Takada, 27, received a 5-year extension as opposed to going through the arbitration process. The deal features a mutual option for the 5th year at $7.8 million, and the remaining 4 years are worth $22.1 million. Takada has become, over the years, the most dangerous power threat in the Flash lineup. While not the surest defender, the Flash felt it proper to reward one of their best homegrown talents with a deserving long-term contract, both to lock up his big bat and to show the younger kids that talent does get rewarded in Philadelphia.