Sources: Phillies add pitchers Adams, Lannan
BY ROB MAADDI Associated Press
Sunday, December 16, 2012
12/16/12 at 6:08 AM
PHILADELPHIA - The bridge to Jonathan Papelbon could be a little smoother for the Philadelphia Phillies next year.
The Phillies added a setup man and starter, agreeing to a $12 million, two-year contract with reliever Mike Adams and a one-year deal with lefty John Lannan.
Two people familiar with each deal said Saturday each contract was subject to a physical. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreements were not yet final.
Adams is expected to fill the eighth-inning role for the Phillies. The 34-year-old right-hander was 5-3 with a 3.27 ERA last season for the Texas Rangers.
The 28-year-old Lannan replaces Vance Worley in the starting rotation. Worley was traded to Minnesota last week. Lannan was 4-1 with a 4.13 ERA in six starts for the NL East champion Washington Nationals this year.
Philadelphia has been interested in Adams for a few years, and he fits a pressing need. The Phillies had trouble protecting leads before Papelbon took the ball in the ninth inning. Their 4.89 ERA in the eighth was next-to-last in the majors, and they allowed a league-worst 24 home runs in the inning.
Adams had surgery in October for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, a numbing sensation in his fingers that sidelined him the last week of the season, and he's expected to recover by spring training. Adams gave up three home runs in the span of five batters in his last appearance after allowing one in his previous 60 games.
Despite coming off his least-effective season since his rookie year, Adams has been one of the premier setup men in baseball for several seasons. From 2008-12, Adams had a 1.98 ERA in 297 games with 311 strikeouts to 81 walks in 295 innings.
Overall, Adams is 18-15 with a 2.28 ERA in 358 appearances - all in relief - in eight seasons. He pitched for Milwaukee and San Diego before joining the Rangers during the 2011 season.
Lannan was 10-13 with a 3.70 ERA in 2011, and received a $5 million salary when he lost in arbitration. Washington sent him to Triple-A for most of this year, and he entered the rotation in September after the Nationals cut short the season of ace Stephen Strasburg because of a team-imposed innings limit.
Lannan is 42-52 with a 4.01 ERA in 134 games - all starts - in six seasons for Washington. Lannan is known in Philadelphia for being the pitcher who broke Chase Utley's hand in 2007 when he hit him with a pitch. He has struggled throughout his career against the Phillies, going 3-13 with a 5.53 ERA. Lannan is 39-39 with a 3.80 ERA against the rest of the majors.
Original Print Headline: Sources: Phillies bolster pitching staff
