Hot off the press from the Phils:

The Phillies have declined the 2010 option on third baseman Pedro Feliz’ contract, Senior Vice President & General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. announced tonight.

Feliz, 34, batted .266 with 12 home runs and 82 RBI in 158 games for the Phillies this past season. With runners in scoring position, he hit a team-best .336, which ranked 13th among all National League players.

“This doesn’t preclude us from bringing Pedro back next season,” Amaro said. “While this allows us to explore other opportunities, we will continue to keep the lines of communication open with Pedro and his representative.”