Breaking news this morning: Adam Eaton has been released.


More on that in a second, but another nugget of news came down shortly before the Phillies-Reds game in Sarasota. Shane Victorino will compete for the United States' entrant in the World Baseball Classic.

Victorino, who didn't make the cut when final rosters were announced earlier in the week, replaces Cleveland's Grady Sizemore who opted out with soreness in his left groin. Victorino joins fellow Phillie Jimmy Rollins on the U.S. roster.

"Of course I want to play," Victorino said. "It should be fun."

Now to the bigger news from earlier:

The Phillies have decided to cut ties with the right-hander they signed to a three-year, $24.5 million contract prior to the 2007 season. Eaton, who was left off the postseason roster in each of the last two seasons, was 14-18 with a 6.09 ERA in his two years after signing the deal.

"I think you’re given a lot of opportunities and the opportunities I was given here, I appreciated," Eaton said. "For whatever reason, for both parties, it just didn’t work out. You turn the page - there’s a new chapter to begin, with some blank pages that need to be filled in."

Eaton will now likely wait out the 48-hour window other teams have to make a deal with the Phillies. If no team approaches the Phils during that time frame (which is highly likely, given his salary), Eaton can sign on with another club and join a new spring training camp before next week.

"I think if it were to happen you’d want it to happen now," Eaton said of the timing of being released. "Games have just started and there is still a lot of innings to be pitched. Obviously innings here weren’t in my favor. I’m sure wherever I do go, the team will have enough interest in me (to get innings)."

Eaton was asked if he upset that he did not live up to the expectations that came with signing a lucrative, multi-year deal as a free agent two years ago.

"I don’t think upset is the right word. Underachieve? Yeah," Eaton said. "I wasn’t as healthy as I’d like to be (and) that’s been my focus this spring, to be healthy so I can do what I’m able to do. Anytime you’re weighing (shoulder) surgery options in the offseason before the second year of a contract - and maybe I should have done it, maybe that would have been the best case scenario. But I feel fine now.


"Unrealized - both sides - expectations for me coming in. One was achieved last year, but not in the way we thought. I thought when we signed the deal, that I would be an integral part in any positives going on on the field. For the most part, it didn’t happen that way. I did have moments of success, but for whatever reason they were short-lived."

Eaton said his agent has already contacted one general manager that is believed to have interest, so he may be at another camp before Monday. If a team picks up Eaton after he clears waivers, the Phillies will owe him him $8.6 million of the $9 million he is owed.

Eaton's base salary for the season is $8.5 million, but he also has a $500,000 buyout and the new team would have to pay him, at the very least, the major league minimum salary ($400,000).