No deal: Phillies deal with Dennys Reyes falls through

UPDATE: The Phillies and Dennys Reyes failed to reach an agreement, meaning the team is still in the market for a lefty reliever. Let's hope they will now search for one that actually gets lefties out.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Making their first significant addition of the offseason, the Phillies have signed left-handed reliever Dennys Reyes to a 1 year contract worth 1.1 million with an option for a second year. Reyes, a 14 year veteran who has played for 10 different teams, figures to slide into the primary lefty relief role, which likely means that J.C. Romero will not be brought back.

While Reyes didn't have great numbers for the Cardinals last year (3.55 ERA, 1.45 WHIP), he has been a reliable LOOGY in the past and is capable of pitching 60 or so games a season. He isn't that old (33), but Reyes' best years were certainly a few seasons back. He also was much better at getting righties (.177 AVG) out than lefties (.307) last year, a trend that will need to be reversed in the lefty-starved Phillies bullpen. Of course, given the small salary and one year deal that they signed Reyes to, he doesn't have to be that good to earn his money.

With the signing of Reyes, the Phillies have moved one step closer to completing their 2011 bullpen. They are still expected another arm or two, with Chad Durbin still a possibility.