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Even as they try to win the National League wild card this season, Brett Myers and Jimmy Rollins are thinking about how the Phillies can become better next season.
Long before closing out the Phils' 8-5 win over Florida yesterday, Myers watched the first couple of innings in the video room behind the dugout. Rollins happened by, and the two started talking about the man the Phillies were in the process of roughing up - Marlins lefty Dontrelle Willis.

"We were trying to figure out why he was so erratic," Myers said. "Then we started talking about how we'd like to have him and what a force we could be."

Two years after finishing second for the NL Cy Young, Willis is a candidate for this year's Sigh Young.

The Phils pounded him for his 15th loss yesterday. He has just one win in his last 19 starts. His ERA is 5.27.

Who'd want a stiff like that?

Lots of teams.

There's a feeling around baseball that this might be the winter the money-conscious Marlins trade Willis, lest risk paying him about $9 million in arbitration.

You'd never get a Phillies front-office official to talk about potential interest in Willis - there are fines for tampering - but Rollins does not work in the front office.

When asked if he believed his buddy Willis would be traded, Rollins said, "I hope so. I hope we get him."

Rollins, 28, and Willis, 25, are both from Alameda, Calif., near Oakland, and were a few years apart at Encinal High School. Though they were never teammates, Willis remembers watching Rollins come in from shortstop to close out games with high heat.

Rollins has heard Willis might go on the trading block.

"I've asked him, and he says he wouldn't mind coming [to Philadelphia] if the situation presented itself," Rollins said.

Could the situation ever present itself? That's a legitimate question. Surely, the Phillies need starting pitching. They've had interest in Willis in the past and even dispatched a scout to watch him last season, when there were rumblings he was available.

There are some variables, though. First, the Marlins don't necessarily have to deal Willis, who won't be a free agent until after 2009, and might fetch a higher price if he can rebound next year. Second, some teams might have reservations about dealing for Willis after such a poor season. One of those teams might be the Phillies. The Marlins are looking for catching and outfield help. Shane Victorino has piqued their interest in the past, but it's difficult to envision the Phils moving Victorino when he could be their cheaper alternative to Aaron Rowand next season.

Making matters even more complex from a Phillies standpoint is this: Several scouts (and one Phillies hitter yesterday) have commented that Willis' velocity is down a notch, to the low 90s, this season. After being burned by Freddy Garcia, whose velocity was also down last season, would the Phillies dare give up value for Willis? Cold feet would certainly be understandable.

mets87 wrote:wildly overrated.