THE PHILLIES will return seven of eight position players - once Ryan Howard recovers - and four of their five starters from last season.
But that does not mean the team has not undergone important changes this offseason - the bench and the bullpen have been substantially overhauled.
Beginning today, the Daily News will provide snapshots of the key Phillies newcomers as the days until spring training continue to dwindle..
The Phillies also have a large pool of players invited to spring training but not on the 40-man roster who could win jobs - outfielder Juan Pierre and righthander Joel Pineiro among them.
Every offseason, though, means out with the old and in with the new.
Here is a look at where the players who finished the 2011 season with the Phillies ended up. Three players - Roy Oswalt, Raul Ibanez and Ross Gload - remain free agents:
* Roy Oswalt: Remains a free agent and a FoxSports.com report over the weekend said the Red Sox, Reds and Phillies are interested. Oswalt's preferred destination, according to reports, is either St. Louis or Texas, but neither of those teams seems to have the money to finalize a deal. Oswalt met with Texas last Monday, and according to a report in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, is looking for a 1-year, $10 million deal and is not interested in moving to the bullpen. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer yesterday, the Reds said they spoke to Oswalt last week, but would need to move payroll to sign him. Boston's trade late last month of Marco Scutaro and his $6 million option was presumed to be a move to clear payroll for Oswalt, but general manager Ben Cherington told reporters last week that he has not had a meeting with Oswalt. Of course, that does not mean that Oswalt-to-Boston is not a possibility.
* Ryan Madson: The reliever might end up being the biggest loser of free agency. He agreed to a 1-year, $8.5 million deal with the Reds with a mutual option for 2013. Where it all derailed for Madson in a crowded marketplace depends on whether you believe there really was a 4-year, $44 million deal on the table with the Phillies, something Ruben Amaro has vehemently denied. Madson has put a happy face on how it all worked out, telling reporters in Cincinnati he was "very excited . . . to start a new chapter." He said he wants to "bring all the energy I can to this team.''
* Brad Lidge: Signed a 1-year deal worth $1 million with incentives with Washington on Jan. 26. He was limited to 19 1/3 innings last season because of elbow and shoulder injuries, but will always be a folk hero in this town for his perfect 48-for-48 in the 2008 season. "I enjoyed the hell out of my time there," Lidge said. "I'd thank every fan personally if I could."
* Ben Francisco: Traded Dec. 12 to Toronto for 26-year-old minor league reliever Frank Gailey, a product of Archbishop Carroll and West Chester University. After being unable to cement himself as the starting rightfielder in the first month, Francisco became a little-used bench player. He hit .244 with six homers and 44 RBI in 100 games. He will be remembered for the pinch-hit, three-run homer in Game 3 of the division series loss to St. Louis.
* Wilson Valdez: The 33-year-old utility man was traded on Jan. 25 to Cincinnati for lefthanded reliever Jeremy Horst, a 26-year-old who made 12 relief appearances last season and will attend spring training as a non-roster invitee. Valdez batted .249 last season, but was a valuable defensive option who filled in at three spots in an aging infield. The Phillies felt they had other - cheaper - options to fill the role that Valdez played.
* Ross Gload: Remains a free agent after finishing a 2-year, $2.6 million contract with the Phillies. Appeared in 93 games last season and hit .257. In his two seasons, he hit .227 and .243 as a pinch-hitter.
* Raul Ibanez: The 39-year-old outfielder remains a free agent, although his name has recently been connected to the Yankees. Manager Joe Girardi brought up Ibanez' name last week when he said he was looking to add a lefthanded bat as a potential candidate at designated hitter. The Yankees are looking to replace the at-bats that would have gone to Jesus Montero, who was traded to Seattle. Ibanez hit .245, with 20 home runs and 84 RBI in 144 games last season with the Phillies.
* John Bowker: The first baseman/outfielder was released to sign a 1-year contract with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan, the same team that signed pitcher Scott Mathieson. He did not have a hit in 13 at-bats (seven strikeouts) with the Phillies after being acquired from the Pirates on Aug. 31.
