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Carlos Zambrano, 31, is a career 132-91 in his career with the Cubs and Marlins, but does have a history of anger and temper tantrums. (Chicago Tribune Photo)

Three days ago, Ruben Amaro Jr. vehemently denied any rumors that the Phillies had already agreed to a contract with former Cubs and Marlins’ pitcher Carlos Zambrano. At the time, Amaro said the Phillies would give him a look, but nothing was imminent.

So three days later, a deal is done.

Zambrano and the Phillies have agreed to a minor-league deal. Zambrano will report to extended spring training later this week.

Zambrano is a career 132-91 with a 3.66 ERA. In his early 20s, Zambrano was among the best pitchers in baseball. In three of four seasons from 2004 to 2007, he finished in the top five for Cy Young voting.

However, Zambrano also has a history of tantrums and anger. He’s been ejected on numerous occasions and also taken out his frustrations on umpires, teammates and Gatorade coolers. In terms of a clubhouse guy, a player like Zambrano would probably scare you.

But the 31-year-old probably still has something to offer in terms of pitching. He went 7-10 with a 4.49 ERA with the Marlins in 2012.

Mike Adams was introduced as a Phillie after signing a two-year, $12 million deal. Adams will wear No. 16. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The closer of any baseball team is always subject to scrutiny at some point during the season. Blown saves and losses will happen. And when they do, you can’t hide from them. You have to address them.

In a season where the bullpen was one of the major reasons for failure, Jonathan Papelbon didn’t hide anything. If he blew a save, he answered the questions. If he lost, he collected himself to answer them.

Closers have to have that mentality. And if Mike Adams is going to be the “closer for the eighth inning” – as he called it – then he must have the same mentality.

At his introductory press conference this afternoon. He certainly appeared to possess a closer’s mentality.

Adams passed his physical thus completing a two-year, $12 million deal that has a third-year vesting option.

Adams has been the elite set-up man for several years. And at this point in his career, the 35-year-old reliever has embraced the set-up role.

“I’m very excited about coming here,” Adams said. “I think I’m really going to have a good opportunity to not only fill that void at the back end of the bullpen but to help this team get to the next level.

“I think we’re starting to see the importance of the eighth inning guy really starting to show up here in the last couple years. A lot of people call it the setup man, but it’s almost like having a closer in the eighth and ninth innings.”

2012 was a down year for Adams, who had to deal with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Adams described the condition and the process to treat it this afternoon.

“It’s the first rib, which is below the clavicle,” Adams said. “So what happens is that first rib starts squeezing the clavicle. You have a main artery and a nerve that runs through there, so when you start squeezing those, that nerve starts shooting pain through your body. I was having headaches constantly for three weeks. My trap was hurting, my pec, the middle of my back was hurt. I was having some numbness and tingling in my bicep and forearm and it was something that was pretty bad.

“I didn’t have a good feel for the ball. There were times when I didn’t know how to grip a fastball because I didn’t have the feel. That’s the symptoms of TOS. By the end of the year, it really caught up to me. My arm felt like it weighed five or six pounds more than it normally did. The ball felt like it weighed three pounds.”

One of the concerns with signing Adams was the offseason surgery. There were questions about whether Adams would be ready to start the season on time with the impending rehab. Adams made his case, saying he would be ready to go hopefully at the start of spring training.

Additionally, there was no lack of interest for the reliever. He admitted to turning down several offers of greater value, including one from a division rival.

“There was an NL East team that was really in on it,” Adams admitted. “It was a tough choice between the two, but from what I’ve heard from other players that have been in this organization, what they think about it, where I think it’s headed, that played a huge part into my decision.

“I had more guaranteed money elsewhere, but I don’t think just because it’s a vesting option … I’m counting that as guaranteed money. I plan on fulfilling my contract for three years and hopefully beyond that.”

After wearing No. 37 for a large part of his career, Adams will wear No. 16 for the Phillies. No. 37 was worn by Antonio Bastardo last season and Adams cited his fandom of Bo Jackson as a reason for choosing the number.

John Lannan went 4-1 in six starts with the Washington Nationals in 2012. After six seasons with the Nats, Lannan has signed with the Phillies, pending a physical. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)

When the Phillies run to glory began during the 2007 season, there was an afternoon in July that many thought might derail it.

Chase Utley took a pitch off the knuckles, breaking a bone in his hand. That left him out of action for a month. Right after Utley was hit, Ryan Howard was hit in the back.

That was the end of John Lannan’s major-league debut.

Now, perhaps Lannan’s career to this point has come full circle.

Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly is reporting that the Phillies and Lannan have a deal also pending a physical. Jon Heyman reports the deal is for one year and worth a guaranteed $2.5 million with up to another $2.5 million in incentives.

Lannan went 4-1 with a 4.13 ERA in six starts for the Nationals last season.

Lannan is likely the Phillies pick for the fifth starter option, something the Phillies were going to try to get a veteran pitcher to fill. Lannan would enter his seventh major-league season in 2013 after spending his entire career with the Nationals.

If this move does indeed fill the fifth starter spot or at least provide some competition for Tyler Cloyd, then all that would remain on the Phillies offseason list would be another corner outfielder. Nick Swisher, Cody Ross and Alfonso Soriano remain the leading candidates for the Phillies.

Mike Adams went 5-3 with a 3.27 ERA in 2012. The Phillies and Adams agreed to a two-year deal last night. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

After making trades for a centerfielder and third baseman, the Phillies still had several holes to fill. ESPN’s Jayson Stark reported a few days ago that the relief pitcher they needed for the eighth inning before going after a corner outfielder, still a must this offseason, and possibly a veteran starting pitcher.

They have their set-up man.

Late last night, a Texas television station reported that relief pitcher Mike Adams had agreed to a three-year deal with the Phillies, citing family members as sources.

This morning, more details have come out on the report, but the premise held true. Adams and the Phillies had a deal.

The deal is two years and $12 million with a vesting option for a third year and pending a physical.

The 34-year-old Adams went 5-3 in 61 games in 2012 with a 3.27 ERA.

Adams is coming off an offseason surgery where he had a rib removed to treat Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. This ailment causes a numbing sensation in the fingers which clearly affected Adams last season. He has assured all teams interested in signing him that he will be ready for spring training.

Cole Hamels shakes hands with Phillies’ GM Ruben Amaro Jr. at a press conference announcing a six-year extension worth $144 million to the All-Star left-hander. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)

Just hours after the report surfaced that the Phillies and Cole Hamels were close to an extension, a deal was reached.

The 28-year-old left-hander will avoid free agency as he agrees to a six-year extension worth $144 million. The deal also includes a vesting option for a seventh year.

Hamels got exactly what he wanted. The deal matches Cliff Lee’s annual average value of $24 million per year. The overall value of the deal is along the lines of C.C. Sabathia’s $161 million deal, the highest for a pitcher in baseball history. Hamels’ new deal ranks second.

Hamels now holds the largest contract in the history of the Phillies.

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Spring Training opened instantly with a signing.

Kyle Kendrick, one of the Phillies pitchers in a battle for the fifth starter spot, signed a two-year deal, which will keep him with the Phillies through 2013. The deal is worth $7.5 million.

The Phillies made this deal primarily to erase any raise Kendrick would have been seeking in arbitration prior to next season. But there may be another reason for the deal.

With Kendrick making 3.5 million this season, the new deal specifies he’ll be due 4 million in 2013. With that amount known, the Phillies can at least clear the picture in terms of how much they have to work with in trying to sign Cole Hamels long-term.

The more the Phillies work out next year’s payroll, the more they can do when it comes to bigger contracts.

So who knows? This could be the first of many contract extensions, including one for the big name pitcher the Phillies would like to retain.

Hunter Pence will return to the Phillies in 2012 on a one-year, $10.4 million deal. Pence is arbitration-eligible through 2014. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Within a week’s time, the Phillies took three of their four arbitration-eligible players off the board. That left one player left to deal with before the core of the 2012 team would be signed for the season.

Looks like the Phillies’ will be eating good for another season.

The Phillies have signed Hunter Pence to a one-year, $10.4 million deal, avoiding arbitration.

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Juan Pierre stole a league-leading 68 bases in 2010 with the Chicago White Sox. Pierre will join the Phillies in Spring Training on a minor-league deal. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

The Phillies didn’t have many moves left to make as the countdown to Spring Training turns from months to weeks to days. But Ruben Amaro Jr. did say he wanted one last bench piece for the 2012 Phillies. He specifically noted speed.

The Phillies now have that speedy threat that could win the game with his feet in late-game spots. Juan Pierre, the well-traveled outfielder, has signed a minor-league deal with the Phillies.

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It isn't a long-term deal, but Cole Hamels is back with the Phillies for a one-year deal in 2012. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Two more arbitration-eligible Phillies have agreed to deals, including the Phillies’ biggest free agent to be in 2012.

Cole Hamels avoided arbitration with the Phillies, agreeing to a one-year, $15 million deal. This keeps Hamels locked up with the Phillies for another season, before he enters the free agent market following the 2012 season.

The Phillies also avoided arbitration with utility man Wilson Valdez, agreeing to a one-year, $930,000 deal.

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Kyle Kendrick went 8-6 with a 3.22 ERA last season for the Phillies. He will return in 2012 on a one-year deal worth $3.585 million. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

The Phillies have four arbitration eligible players this offseason to take care before Spring Training begins in just over a month. Today, they took care of one of them.

Kyle Kendrick agreed to a one-year deal with the Phillies, worth $3.585 million, avoiding arbitration.

Kendrick has spent five seasons with the Phillies, posting a 43-30 record and a 4.41 ERA. In 2011, Kendrick went 8-6 with a 3.22 ERA. He started 15 games last season, and is one of the Phillies’ options for the fifth starter spot this upcoming season.

Remaining on their list of arbitration-eligible players are Cole Hamels, Hunter Pence and Wilson Valdez. Earlier this week, the Phillies said they were focused on the one-year deal that would come out of arbitration with Hamels. There are no current progress reports on where the Phillies stand with Pence and Valdez.