Philadelphia Phillies Aren't Done Shuffling Lineup? Au Contreras

With the Philadelphia Phillies signing of Jose Contreras, late of the Colorado Rockies, the Phillies had most of their 2010 lineup set.

(A small item I saw on my MLB.com site on my iTouch, Tyler Walker signed a contract with the Nationals.)

The defending National League champions have not set pat but should get kudos for locking up their rotation until 2012, improving their bench, and solidifying their bullpen.

Gone are Walker, Chan Ho Park, Clay Condrey, and starter/reliever Brett Myers.

The Phillies bullpen consists of Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, J.C. Romero, Danys Baez, Chad Durbin, and Jose Contreras.

Contreras may open spring training as a starter and I am not sure Romero will open the season.

No "starting" promises were made to Contreras as were Park, so early on Baez should be closing, with Madson pitching the eighth inning and Durbin the seventh inning.

I would not be surprised if Contreras closes until Lidge gets back so Baez could fill in for the seventh or eighth innings.

The starters are Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ, with Jamie Moyer and Contreras competing for the fifth starter.

The Phillies, this offseason, have shown that a lot of time and effort went into the starting rotation by expanding the security of a "core" of everyday starters and locking up Shane Victorino for three years.

I had pretty much put away my hurt for losing starter Cliff Lee, until slimmed-down manager Charlie Manuel talked about calling Lee after the trade and imagining what it would be like having Halladay and Lee in the rotation.

It turns out that either management talked to Manuel, or he was just thinking out loud (the latter I believe), but trading away Lee gave the Phillies more flexibility.

J.A. Happ was often mentioned in trade talks with the Blue Jays for Halladay, but he stayed. If the surprise moving of Lee had not happened, Blanton might have been moved for salary reasons, but instead was given a three-year extension.

The Phillies have been one of the elite teams in the Major Leagues for the past three seasons.

They must have done something right.

And believe me, if Cliff Lee would have stayed in Philly it would have lasted only one season before testing the waters for CC Sabathia-type money in the 2011 offseason.

And can you imagine with Halladay and Lee on the staff if the Phillies went on a seven-game losing streak? The din would be deafening.

Be patient. The Phillies are in the hunt for the next two seasons and maybe three with that starting pitching staff.

I can imagine the smell of burning leather in the cool breeze and hot Clearwater sun.

Play ball.