Choose your staff ace

[barzilla]

It looks like Kevin Millwood has one foot out the door (Boston, New York) so the Phillies have an opportunity to replace him and his ten million salary or do what they can to keep him.

There is a poll here to stir your interest, but I already have my vote.

Javier Vazquez would be my vote because he is young and underrated (read: underpaid) in comparison with the other staff aces. When you factor in the savings from dumping Mesa/Williams in the pen and the savings between Millwood and Vazquez and you essentially break even after the addition of Wagner.

[PopTop]

The guy who should be the Opening Day starter for Philly next year and the past few is Curt Schilling ... But that's water under the bridge since the Phils displayed the same amount of intelligence as the Orioles and Astros before them in letting Schilling get away.

I like Vazquez as well as far as the names on that list, and for just about all of the same reasons ... Interesting that you left Randy Wolf off the list ... He's the guy who, assuming he can ever put together a full season without an injury or prolonged slump, could prove to be the most pivotal arm in their mix in 2004 and seasons after that.

[barzilla]

I think the prevailing "wisdom" says that the Phils need to replace Millwood if he does leave. Personally, I think they could do just as well if not better picking up two pretty good pitchers versus one very good one.