Via Phillies Nation, the Phillies sign Brian Schneider to be their backup catcher.

“We feel Brian is ideal for our ballclub,” Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “He has played in the NL East for this entire decade, so he knows the opposing hitters in this division well and he has also proven he can handle the bat. He’s a guy that we would feel comfortable with playing for an extended period of time, if needed.”

Schneider is known for being one of the game’s top defensive catchers, having made just 36 errors in 877 career games (.994 fielding percentage) he played defensively. He has caught 38 percent of would-be base stealers (209 of 547) and has allowed only 35 passed balls.

It’s a two-year deal, so this is more than a stop gap. He’ll play 2010 as a 33 year old, and after suffering a back injury in 2009, the backup role is likely a better option for him.