Bad Rumor Alert: Phillies want Fuentes, but Fabio Castro isn't enough

The Phillies have long coveted another left hander for their bullpen, and it has been no secret that Brian Fuentes of the Colorado Rockies is on their radar. As I talked about back in March, the Phillies would love to get their hands on the former closer. Rumors are starting to pick up around Colorado that the Rockies are serious about trading him, and the Phillies have been labeled the front runners. Unfortunately, the rumor making the rounds right now has very little merit, considering it says the Phillies "would include 22-year-old righty Fabio Castro", and that somehow makes them the leading candidates for Fuentes.

There are three problems with that statement. First of all, Castro is left handed, and second, he's 23 years old, so someone out there has their facts wrong. Finally, and most importantly, there is no way the Rockies would give up a perfectly useful pitcher like Fuentes for Fabio Castro, someone who has problems pitching in Double A this year, posting an ERA of 4.91 and walking 31 batters in 58 innings pitched. Castro is not a piece that would make the Phillies the front runners for anyone, so this rumor is way off base.

The Phillies still might get Brian Fuentes, but it is going to take something much more enticing than Fabio Castro.

Phillies Remove Castro, 3 Others From Camp

The Phillies have finally dropped a player from camp who had a solid chance of making the major league roster. They sent Fabio Castro, the diminutive lefty, down to the Double-A camp today. Castro has shuttled back and forth between the big club and the minors for the last few years, but has never done enough to stick. The Phillies still need another lefty in the pen, but Castro must not have done enough this spring to prove he could be relied upon. Castro throws with some serious heat, so I would expect him to develop into a LOOGY (Lefty One Out GuY) sometime down the road.

The Phillies also sent three position players to the minors: catchers Jason Jaramillo and Pete Laforest and third baseman Brennan King. None of them were expected to make the team this year, and will likely toil in the minors for a while, although Jaramillo could be a useful backup catcher in the future.