Can the Phillies Make that Big Trade?
Jim Salisbury takes a look at whether or not the Phillies have enough talent to make a big trade before the July 31 trade deadline.
Can the Phillies Make that Big Trade?
Todd Zolecki
So you want C.C. Sabathia.
Who doesn't?
But do the Phillies have enough talent to trade for him -- or somebody like him? Would you trade Shane Victorino and Carlos Carrasco for Sabathia, knowing Sabathia probably won't be back next season and Carrasco is very close to contributing at the big-league level? Jim Salisbury takes a look at what the Phillies have, and what it might take to make a big splash before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
Sabathia obviously would be a tremendous pick up for a team that lacks a clear No. 2 behind Cole Hamels. Sabathia started the season slowly with the Cleveland Indians, but is 5-5 with a 2.14 ERA in his last 12 starts. Could you imagine Hamels and Sabathia pitching the first two games of the National League division series this year?
The odds are against the Phillies to acquire Sabathia. In fact, I'd bet against it. But I think the Phillies are more likely to pick up a mid-level starter like Kyle Lohse in 2007 and Jamie Moyer in 2006. But this certainly wouldn't be a bad time for the Phillies to go for broke. Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard are in their primes. The National League is weak, and there for the taking. They have a potent offense -- despite what we've seen lately -- and a solid bullpen.
One stud starter could put them over the top.
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Utley continues to lead all major leagues in votes for the All-Star Game with 2,179,006 votes. Rollins ranks fourth amongst shortstops, Howard ranks fifth amongst first basemen and Pat Burrell ranks sixth amongst outfielders.
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Utley endorses EAS products. Here he talks to the company about how he trains in the off-season. And, of course, how wonderful EAS is.
Comments (45)
You know, through all of these posts I didn't see the name Erik Bedard. He;s a very good pitcher that still has another year on his contract. With his ERA at 3.97 and his record may only be 4-4 but he's playing for a pitiful team right now (kind of like Schilling for all those years with our horrible teams). His ERA will surely drop by switching leagues because he won't have to face a DH every game. His ERA now is less then Myers, Eaton, Kendrick, AND Moyer. Think of the possibilities if he faced a pitcher every time through the line up. I'm intrigued by Haren and Oswalt also but with Oswalt's 4.84 ERA I'm kind of leery there. I'd honestly try for Harden (the biggest upgrade) or Bedard over Sabathia (he wasn't so good in the playoffs last year...is that a sign?). Plus Harden and Bedard doesn't give up many home runs, 5 and 8 respectively. Oakland may go for Victorino (they love guys that can get on base and create havoc) and Carrasco (a good young pitcher to develop). With Seattle giving up Adam Jones for Bedard to Baltimore, Victorino would be a good arm to strengthen their outfield.— cg- Plus you can afford to give up Carrasco because you have Outman and Bastardo behind him.— cg
- Who would you have to give up for Paul Byrd, Bronson Arroyo, Tim Redding, Greg Maddux, Paul Maholm or a take your pick donkey from the Royals? The Phils are bottom feeders. Their biggest move will likely be to dump Taguchi and use T.J Bohn in that role. I wouldn't get too excited about "the big deal". What's big to the Phils is not big to the rest of baseball.— Nick from the Northeast
- Why do the Phils have to make knee jerk decisions? Let's develop our youth. I see Gavin Floyd is havig a good season. If we had not made a knee jerk decison to sign Garcia to "get us over the top" we would have a good young starter in Floyd to compliment Cole Hamels. I don't like the win now philosophy. Let the Phils build a team the old fashioned way through th efarm system. There are some good young arms. I don't think the enucleus of this team has only a couple years left....they have many years left. Let's concentrate on developing our farm sysytem and finding a good third baseman and good catcher.— rockinrob
- The Phils definitely need to add a top of the rotation starter. They have the pieces to get a deal done(Burrell, Victorino, Howard, Werth, Dobbs, prospects, etc...) I just don't think they are going to do it. Look at the last seven years. We have consistently been a mid to high 80's win team. What are we this year? You got it, a mid to high 80's win team. James TL is absolutely right. If the Phils continue doing business as usual, they will never win a championship. Business as usual has given us a steady stream of mostly middle of the road pickups and a thin farm system. We have been able to become a good team, but not good enough to win a championship. Based on what we've seen over the last seven years, we've probably got to expect more of the same. It seems as though the organization feels like we're too close to being a championship contender to risk any major changes to the roster, but tweaking and tinkering isn't giving us enough to truly reach that level. If the pitching prospects we are so concerned about losing are going to be major contributors to a title run beginning next year, then I say we've got to keep them. It would be foolish to trade away a couple of bona fide top of the rotation starters for a roll of the dice that a half year rental pitcher can get us to the world series. If, on the other hand, Topwonk is correct that Carrasco might be a #3 or #4 starter in a couple years, then we've got to make a deal now. As many have said, we have a small window with Utley, Rollins, and Howard. We can't afford to wait on the pitching we need, especially if it will only be middle of the rotation caliber. If we do make a deal, I would prefer Bedard or Oswalt. They would be around for longer than half a year, which would give us more of a return for what we give up.— bski
- ROCKINROB: I would be more than happy to not make knee jerk decisions and develop our farm system. First, you need to answer two questions for me. 1) How long do I have to wait? 2) Who am I waiting for? If your answers are 3 years, Brandon Duckworth, then I say no thanks, let's make a deal right now for a starter. Look, the Phils have supposedly been committed to building up their farm system for years. Mike Arbuckle was brought in for that express purpose. He is supposed to be a phenomenal evaluator of talent and we have been told he is doing a bang up job. So much so that every off season The Phils are biting their collective fingernails worrying that Arbuckle may take a GM job with another organization. Arbuckle has been with the Phils for what 6 or 7 years? If he's so fantastic, why is our farm system still so thin? This is the main reason why they can't go out and land a top of the rotation starter, right? We can't trade away the only two major league ready pitching prospects we have because our already thin farm system will be wiped out. Where are all of our top notch pitching prospects? Another thing, one of Gillick's top priorities was to rebuild the farm system. So, to sum it up, we have a top notch assistant GM who has been here for about 7 years and a top notch GM who has been here for 3 years, both of whom consider rebuilding the farm system to be a top priority. So, I'll ask again, where are all of our fantastic pitching prospects? We HAVE been waiting for years and have seen next to nothing with regard to pitching coming up through our farm system and making major contributions on the big league level.— bski
- I'm not sure I really like that trade. Shane (I cant make a productive out) Victorino although pretty good now could end up being a great player in this league and I'd like to see him here if hes going to do that. I don't know much about Carrasco but I'm curious to see if this kid is the real deal. Why not keep at least 1 of them (include a reliever, and So, then move Myers to the pen) and go after Oswalt or Bedard? Don't get me wrong though I would love to see a Cole CC combo in October with our lineup behind him but I'm not sure I see the value in giving up Victorino and Carassco to rent the big boy for 4 months when theres no way in hell we're going to give him that much money to stay when we should be signing Ryan and Cole to big deals.— davemarsh
- I don't know if it matters - if they trade Carrasco, he'll go on to win a Cy Young award. If they keep him, he'll be mediocre. Kind of like Gavin Floyd. They might as well just trade him.— fafafooey
- Sorry to break the news but this team is more than 1 pitcher away. Anybody remember last year's playoffs when our bats went silent?!?!?! How bout the last few series against teams they would face in the playoffs when they went 2 and 7?!?!?! Keep building the team through the farm system and pick up a guy like Lohse, they aren't winning anything except maybe the division this year....— MICKDONAHUE
- There's no way I'd trade Victorino and Carrasco for Sabathia. Talk about mortgaging the future for the privilege of renting a player for four months. The Phillies are in first now, and arguably improved from last year, when they won the division. I, for one, think Victorino, when he's on, is better than Aaron Rowand, and will get a lot better.— Tactful
- If I could trade Victorino and Carrasco for Sabathia I would do it today. Winning in the playoffs is about pitching, pitching and pitching. if the Phils had Sabathia and Hamels available to pitch 5 gamers in a seven game series, I like the odds. If your concern is building through the farm system the Phillies would get two additional high draft icks next year if they trade for Sabathia and he signs somewhere else since he will be a type A free agent.— KMG
- Another great job by Charlie. Way to leave a pitcher in too long. Unbelievable. Guess he learned nothing from the game Myers threw the other day. At least Durbin looked nice in his uniform while in the bullpen. Who knew a 45 year old pitcher would be gased after 100 pitches. Ugggghhhhhhhhh— timm
- Another thing, if Charlie thinks Pat is such a defensive liability that he has to pull him every night then wy isn't Pat the DH? Shouldn't charlie be jumping at the chance to use Pat's bat but not his glove? Good enough early but not late i guess. Absolutely maddening.— timm
- Make the Big Trade, Nah, when it comes to pitchers the Phils like to wait until the bar is ready to close and take what is left which always looks good to them that late.— atp2007
- BSKI's on the loose. Where's Mrs. Puff when we need her?— Nick from the Northeast
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The Phillies Zone is the place for up-to-the-minute Phillies coverage from the Inquirer.
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