Elvis has left the building

The Phillies have found their man to play left field as they try to repeat as World Champions in 2009. No word yet whether he's got a bull dog to completely replace Pat Burrell and Elvis in Philadelphia.

I'm sure Raul Ibanez is a capable replacement and that he's as underrated as everyone says he is. But is it really better to sign a 36-year-old, who is really just a glorified Jeff Conine or Kevin Millar, to a three-year $30 million contract as opposed to whatever Pat Burrell is going to wind up with?

I completely agree with jettisoning aging stars to avoid stagnating a championship team (see: Martinez, Pedro; Damon, Johnny). But what's the point if you're just going to get older and probably just as expensive?

I know I should give the benefit of the doubt to the brain trust that's coming off a World Championship, and that Pat Burrell has his flaws, but I don't like this. And I'm not going to like watching the Phillies clinch their third straight division title without Elvis on the field.

In her online chat today, Amalie Benjamin put the kibosh on the once-rumored Julio Lugo for Eric Byrnes deal. So it looks like neither of our teams will have a bull dog.

This just in: It looks like the Yankees bought another one - A.J. Burnett. Won't they ever learn?

[Photo credit: Jose F. Moreno, Courier-Post - it's an old photo so I can't say for sure he still works there]