Phillies sign fomer Met Luis Castillo to minor league deal

With Chase Utley still ailing, the Phillies have made a move for some insurance, signing former Met second baseman Luis Castillo to a minor league contract, according to Jim Salisbury of CSN. While Castillo is so washed up that the Mets released him even though they owe him 6 million dollars, the Phillies are hoping he could be a possible fill-in until Utley is ready to play.

Castillo will never be confused with a good hitter, and, at age 35, is well past his prime, but he is above average in the field and is certainly an upgrade over the Phillies other backup second base options. Castillo has lost a step or two due to some foot issues but he still has a bit of speed and can get on base at a decent clip. He will likely be competing with Josh Barfield for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

With Castillo only signing a minor league deal, this signing really comes with no risk. Should Castillo have one last good year left in him, the Phillies will look like geniuses; should he fizzle out and not make an impact this year, the Phillies won't be paying him much, anyway. If you can get over the fact that Castillo was a Met for four seasons, you'll see a player that could be a minor contributor at virtually no cost to the Phillies.