Phillies caravan stops in Lancaster

Gillick said he continues to talk to “two or three� clubs about trades, but he didn’t sound determined to bolster the Phillies’ roster before pitchers and catchers report to spring training in five weeks.

“It’s always tough to lose a Hall of Famer, and we lost two in Billy Wagner and Jim Thome,� said Gillick, who was in Lancaster on Wednesday for a meet-and-greet news conference. “But I like our club. We need to improve our pitching in the front end and back end. (But) it’s a tough market to navigate.�

It sounded like old news: It’s the money, it’s the market, it’s not the Phillies’ year.

The Phillies named Gillick vice president and general manager on Nov.¤2 — replacing the fired Ed Wade. Much of the blame for the Phillies’ failure to reach the postseason was placed on Wade because he didn’t produce a single postseason team during his eight-year tenure. So the Phillies reached outside the organization to find a GM with a track record of producing winners.

Gillick’s teams reached the postseason in Toronto (1985, 1989, 1991-93), Baltimore (1996-97) and Seattle (2000-01).

After the good-but-not-playoff-good Philly teams of 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005, the Phillies’ front office continued to sound like a team concerned with fiscal restraint — not pennants.

Gillick even mentioned an odd word — “patience.�

Patience? In Philadelphia? For a team that hasn’t seen the postseason since 1993? For a franchise that hasn’t won a World Series since 1980?

“Everybody’s impatient, probably Philly fans are a little more impatient,� Gillick said. “My style is to grind it out. Take baby steps.�

So the answer for this year’s team could come from within. For those questions, Phillies assistant general manager Mike Arbuckle could hold the answers. Arbuckle helped rebuild the Phillies’ troubled minor leagues after he was hired away from the Atlanta Braves in 1992.

Though depleted, the Phillies’ farm system does have some prospects — including two he expects to make the jump to the majors later this year.

The Phillies received two left-handers from the White Sox in the Jim Thome deal, and Arbuckle projects Daniel Haigwood to start the season in Triple-A Scranton and Gio Gonzalez to start in Double-A Reading.

“They could both quickly become big-league pitchers,� Arbuckle said. “Our scouts have said they look excellent.�

But the two biggest names in the Phillies’ system remain lefty Cole Hamels and righty Gavin Floyd — and both could be factors this season.

Hamels is more of a question mark. He suffered back pain last year and had to have an injection of anti-inflammatory drugs — a procedure met with some success.

“His symptoms are less than they have been in a while,� Arbuckle said.

Arbuckle expects Hamels to arrive in Clearwater this week and begin long-tossing. Though talented, he’s projected to start the season in Reading.

“He needs innings if he’s healthy,� Arbuckle said. “He’s missed so much valuable time, but he could be on the fast track.�

And the Phillies still haven’t given up on Floyd. The former cover boy for Baseball America struggled last season, going 1-2 with a 10.04 ERA in seven games for the Phillies.

Arbuckle said Floyd’s problem started with mechanics, then his confidence became an issue. His delivery was off, so he couldn’t get his curveball over the plate. Without his consistent curve, big-leaguers teed off against him.

“Every young player goes through a stage I call hitting the wall,� Arbuckle said. “For some it happens in Double A or Triple A, and for some it happens in the big leagues.�

Last year, could have been one of those years, Floyd learned to adjust. Arbuckle and the Phillies seem convinced that’s all it was.

“There’s a lot of other power pitchers like Roy Halladay and Jon Garland, who people doubted early in their careers,� Arbuckle said.

Notes: Manager Charlie Manuel provided the comic relief on the Lancaster stop. In his opening comments he announced he broke his wrist in the offseason with his first golf swing. He said he didn’t know if it was wise to tell the media something so embarrassing, but joked his honesty only shows the type of “outstanding person� he is. ... Manuel did not announce whether he will ultimately use Ryan Madson as a reliever or starter, but did say Madson will be given a “chance to step up� in the rotation. ... Manuel supported the return of third baseman David Bell, saying he expects Bell to bounce back from a season where he batted .199 against right-handers. “Last year when David made a mistake,� Manuel said, “It seemed everybody saw it, and it was blown out of proportion.�