The Philadelphia Phillies have had a lot of drama in the offseason. However, one player hasn’t been involved in any of it. Outfielder Shane Victorino has been active in his community causes and recently hosted his annual toy drive for Christmas. With Victorino appearing in the news for the right reasons, it made me think of something. This is another guy the Phillies would be wise to re-sign before the 2012 season begins. As a Phillies fan, I hope it is settled as soon as possible.

Victorino is in the final year of his three year contract. In my opinion, he was the offensive MVP for the team in 2011. Victorino brings a lot to the table. He is an excellent defensive outfielder. He has speed on the base paths. He can hit at the plate. Victorino has been one of the biggest bargains for the Phillies over the past few years. His production in relation to his salary is among the best in baseball. Not only that, but he is a vocal leader of the team. Along with Jimmy Rollins, Victorino brings a solid personality to this team. That is pretty valuable.

Victorino is a hard worker that paid his dues before his big chance with the Phillies. It is safe to say he has made the most of those chances. I hope the team can find a way to give Victorino a deal that works for both sides. It is clear that he wants to play in Philadelphia and it is clear that Philadelphia wants him. There is no reason something can’t be worked out.

Anyone in Philadelphia can tell you how great Victorino is. He has great character on and off the field. He’s the kind of player that embodies what Philadelphia fans look for in athletes that play here. With any luck, he will have another great year at the plate and on the field. He will no doubt have a great year continuing his work off the field. Hopefully, his great year will be rewarded with a new deal.

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PHILADELPHIA — Three men who fatally attacked a man outside a Philadelphia Phillies game in a brawl police say was sparked by a spilled drink have been sentenced to prison terms.

Francis Kirchner, Charles Bowers and James Groves each pleaded guilty in October to voluntary manslaughter and criminal conspiracy in the July 2009 death of 22-year-old David Sale Jr. outside Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies were playing the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kirchner, 30, was sentenced Tuesday to consecutive terms totaling nine to 18 years. Bowers, 37, got consecutive terms totaling five to 10 years. Groves, 48, was sentenced to concurrent terms of two to four years.

Sale and some of his friends were at a bar attached to the Phillies stadium when they had an altercation with the defendants, authorities said. Both groups were told to leave the bar, and the confrontation escalated in the parking lot.

A trial that began in September ended in a mistrial after a prosecution witness identified Kirchner as the person who fatally kicked Sale. Defense lawyers said they weren’t told the witness could identify Kirchner.

More than two dozen of the victim’s relatives and friends attended Tuesday’s eight-hour hearing and spoke about his loss, and many said they did not believe the sentences represented justice.

“I thought I was going to come in and get some sort of closure,” Sale’s father, David Sale Sr., told the Philadelphia Inquirer outside the courtroom. “I am disappointed. I am angry. I am empty.”

Dozens of supporters of the defendants also crowded into the packed courtroom. All three defendants apologized to the family of the victim.

“I’d like to apologize wholeheartedly,” Bowers said. “I know I have to live with the things I could have done and should have done, but, unfortunately, I made a different decision.”

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Three men who fatally attacked a man outside a Philadelphia Phillies game in a brawl police say was sparked by a spilled drink have been sentenced to prison terms.

Francis Kirchner, Charles Bowers and James Groves each pleaded guilty in October to voluntary manslaughter and criminal conspiracy in the July 2009 death of 22-year-old David Sale Jr. outside Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies were playing the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kirchner, 30, was sentenced Tuesday to consecutive terms totaling nine to 18 years. Bowers, 37, got consecutive terms totaling five to 10 years. Groves, 48, was sentenced to concurrent terms of two to four years.

Sale and some of his friends were at a bar attached to the Phillies stadium when they had an altercation with the defendants, authorities said. Both groups were told to leave the bar, and the confrontation escalated in the parking lot.

A trial that began in September ended in a mistrial after a prosecution witness identified Kirchner as the person who fatally kicked Sale. Defense lawyers said they weren’t told the witness could identify Kirchner.

More than two dozen of the victim’s relatives and friends attended Tuesday’s eight-hour hearing and spoke about his loss, and many said they did not believe the sentences represented justice.

“I thought I was going to come in and get some sort of closure,” Sale’s father, David Sale Sr., told The Philadelphia Inquirer outside the courtroom. “I am disappointed. I am angry. I am empty.”

Dozens of supporters of the defendants also crowded into the packed courtroom. All three defendants apologized to the family of the victim.

“I’d like to apologize wholeheartedly,” Bowers said. “I know I have to live with the things I could have done and should have done, but, unfortunately, I made a different decision.”

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Three men who fatally attacked a man outside a Philadelphia Phillies game in a brawl police say was sparked by a spilled drink have been sentenced to prison terms.

Francis Kirchner, Charles Bowers and James Groves each pleaded guilty in October to voluntary manslaughter and criminal conspiracy in the July 2009 death of 22-year-old David Sale Jr. outside Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies were playing the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kirchner, 30, was sentenced Tuesday to consecutive terms totaling nine to 18 years. Bowers, 37, got consecutive terms totaling five to 10 years. Groves, 48, was sentenced to concurrent terms of two to four years.

Sale and some of his friends were at a bar attached to the Phillies stadium when they had an altercation with the defendants, authorities said. Both groups were told to leave the bar, and the confrontation escalated in the parking lot.

A trial that began in September ended in a mistrial after a prosecution witness identified Kirchner as the person who fatally kicked Sale. Defense lawyers said they weren’t told the witness could identify Kirchner.

More than two dozen of the victim’s relatives and friends attended Tuesday’s eight-hour hearing and spoke about his loss, and many said they did not believe the sentences represented justice.

“I thought I was going to come in and get some sort of closure,” Sale’s father, David Sale Sr., told The Philadelphia Inquirer outside the courtroom. “I am disappointed. I am angry. I am empty.”

Dozens of supporters of the defendants also crowded into the packed courtroom. All three defendants apologized to the family of the victim.

“I’d like to apologize wholeheartedly,” Bowers said. “I know I have to live with the things I could have done and should have done, but, unfortunately, I made a different decision.”

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Ed Wade is back in Philadelphia.

After a tumultuous reign as general manager with Houston from late 2007 until 2011, Wade will return to the place that gave him his start. It’s a reunion that should help the Phillies, even though many argue he was already helping them by giving them players while he was the generalr manager in Houston.

It’s an unfair characterization. Michael Bourn turned out to be a good player in Houston, and Brad Lidge helped the Phillies win a World Series. It was a trade that worked for both sides.

The Roy Oswalt trade netted Houston Anthony Gose, Jonathan Villar, and J.A. Happ, and while Happ struggled last season, Oswalt was never truly at his peak with the Phillies in 2011. His 2010 run was solid, but Houston got a decent return.

The Hunter Pence trade sent Jonathan Singleton, Jarred Cosart, Domingo Santana and Josh Zeid to Houston. Singleton and Cosart have become the team’s top two prospects, Villar is 4th, and Santana is 6th, as per Baseball America.

It’s often said that Wade was helping out the Phillies and that some sort of collusion should be investigated. Not true. Wade did pretty well for the Astros in those scenarios. It’s going to take a while to see if any of those players pan out, but you can’t blame Wade for trying to get top talent. He did fine in that respect.

He will return to Philadelphia as part of the scouting department, and will scout the Majors and minors. He will also help with arbitration cases, something that he was well-known for in his stint as Phillies’ general manager.

Interestingly enough, Wade lost an arbitration case last winter to Pence. Pence is up for arbitration this offseason, but both sides have hopes of settling things before going to arbitration. A long term deal could be in Pence’s future, and four years at around $45-48 million doesn’t sound too unreasonable.

Wade never got the job done as Phillies GM, but he did bring a lot of talent to Philadelphia via the draft. Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Cole Hamels were all drafted under Wade’s watch. There were certainly some flubs and reaches along the way, but the Phillies’ scouting department has been regarded as one of the best in the game over the last decade. Wade will add to that.

His trades were never popular and numerous free-agent signings and mid-season pickups went awry, but Wade seems to have an ability to find talent. He’ll do fine in the capacity the Phillies have brought him back in.

Although, some will say that by looking at the trades he made with the Phillies over the years, it’s like he never left.

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