Pointless At Best...

...counterproductive at worst:

NAPLES, Fla. - The Phillies have reached agreement with free-agent infielder Wes Helms on a two-year deal worth approximately $5.5 million, FOXSports.com has learned.

The deal includes a club option for a third year that could raise the total value of the package to approximately $8.5 million, according to a source with knowledge of the deal.

So the Phillies have gone from Scott Rolen to Placido Polanco to David Bell to Wes Stinking Helms at third base. This is how they're spending the shiny new dollars from the shiny new ballpark the taxpayers of Pennsylvania built for them.

Gillick said Phillies scouts liked the progress that Helms has made as a hitter. It showed in the second half of 2006, when he hit .385 in 130 at-bats after the all-star break.

If Helms hits .385 over any stretch of 130 at-bats in the next 2 years, I'll eat my hat. Sample size, boys, sample size. He's a career .268 hitter who'll be 31 in May and has been a regular exactly once. Poor Harry Kalas is going to run out of ways to describe the inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Meanwhile, they continue their pursuit of the new Juan Samuel, Alfonso Soriano. Presumably he would play leftfield, with whipping boy Pat Burrell moving to Washington or Tampa Bay or some damn place for pennies on the dollar. I have no great desire to defend Pat Burrell, but you know what? He's put up more runs than Soriano. Even last year, when Burrell was injured, marginalized, platooned and demoralized, and Soriano was having his best year, they were essentially equal in value. Prior to that, Burrell had a slight advantage. He's also a year younger. I would bet that Burrell will be the better player over the next 5-7 years as well. It'll cost the Phillies $100 million plus to find out. They do love to do things the hard way.