Upon winning the American League Cy Young Award last week, Kansas City Royals ace Zack Greinke endeared himself to new-age statistical analysts everywhere.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. was on his way to Citizens Bank Park at 8 a.m. on Thursday to make final preparations for baseball's free-agent signing period, which got under way at midnight Friday.

Want to know the most amazing stat of this postseason? It wasn't Cole Hamels' or Cliff Lee's ERA, or Carlos Ruiz's batting average, or Ryan Howard's RBIs in the first two rounds or strikeouts in the World Series.

Ita s no secret that the Phillies are in need of another reliable starting pitcher, because you cana t count on Cliff Lee being as great as he was down the stretch and carry the entire pitching staff throughout a full season.

Once the Phillies had clinched the National League East title and secured a playoff berth, Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge told each other it was their time for redemption after dismal individual performances in the regular season.

While overshadowed by the postseason exploits of Cole Hamels in 2008 and Cliff Lee in 2009 and the most powerful lineup in the National League, the Phillies owe plenty of credit to their defense for back-to-back World Series appearances.

Hey, Philadelphia Flynnie, why the long face? Before we leave the Phillies alone for the winter, let's fix them first.

19, 2009. View full size photo>> A friend of mine who is a Phillies fan emailed me today saying he was watching Comcast Sports Nite earlier this evening, and during the show, they were talking about the Phillies interest in Roy Halladay .

We waited nearly three decades to celebrate a winner in Philadelphia. A quarter century of tormenting couldaa TMs, maddening wouldaa TMs, and hopeless shouldaa TMs.

At the annual general managers meeting on Monday, Ruben Amaro Jr. told our colleague Jim Salisbury that the Phillies' priorities this off-season are upgrading third base, the bullpen, and the bench.

Charlie Manuel knows how quickly the window for success can close on a team. Manuel was the Cleveland Indians hitting coach from 1994-99, a span when the team seemed destined to reach great heights with sluggers like Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez and Albert Belle.

Just another day at baseball's general managers' meetings but now there is a bigger wrinkle.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro will have a 12 p.m. press conference to discuss potential changes to the Philliesa roster next season.

It has been a World Series of misunderstandings for Cole Hamels. First, after his dismal Game 3 performance, the Phillies' embattled left-hander chose his words poorly while explaining his eagerness to end a season that has been personally disappointing.

I wrote an article last week arguing that J.A. Happ doesn't deserve the National League Rookie of the Year.

The Phillies' 2009 season has been over for less than a week, but the questions already are pouring in.

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Vicente Padilla is recovering from a bullet wound in his leg after a target shooting instructor accidentally shot him.

Brett Myers, the pitcher who was sometimes loved and other times loathed during an eight-year run with the Phillies, filed for free agency yesterday after being told he was no longer in the team's plans.

If the Phillies are going to get back to the World Series in 2010, they will need Cole Hamels to pitch like Cole Hamels and quit channeling his inner Tyler Green.

Follow Morning Call Sports Reporter Mandy Housenick as she follows the Fightins in the 2009 MLB Playoffs in the Phillies Files blog... Visit the Phillies Files blog More Baseball News Manuel surprised by Hamels' comments Cole Hamels made a strong statement after Saturday's World Series Game 3 loss to the Yankees.