Can't Make A Deal
The Phillies could make a deal before today's 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline.
Can't Make A Deal
Todd Zolecki
The Phillies couldn't make a deal before today's 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline, although they were close to acquiring a No. 4 or 5 starter in a three-team trade that fell through with about an hour to go.
They didn't get the lefthanded relief pitcher they badly wanted. The didn't get the righthanded bat they could have used, either. But if there is some silver lining for Phillies fans it's that the Mets and Marlins remained quiet, with the Marlins adding only lefthander Arthur Rhodes.
"I'm not disappointed," Charlie Manuel said. "We'll take what we got and work with it. Right now ... we can fight it out with those other two teams. If one of those three teams had made a big deal, it could definitely have made [that team] the strongest team. I think all three of us are pretty even. I've said it all summer. I said it about Atlanta, but they've had a lot of injuries and everything. All three of us can win. We all have weaknesses and it's going to come down to the team that plays the best. We're very similar and very close."
Manuel was asked how this team compares to last year's team for the stretch run.
"I think we're kind of similar, but last year, I thought we generated more offense, especially from the bottom of our lineup," he said. "We had a different lineup."
The offense has shown signs of life recently. Maybe that's a sign of better things to come. First, they try to sweep the Nationals tonight before a challenging series this weekend in St. Louis.
IMO, if you cna not get an impact player than the Phillies did the right thing by standing PAT. I feel that the can win it all if the players play up to their potential and the pitches pitch with consistantcy.— jpelle36- Nice to see Kendrick hit the Nats best player!— Clinton, NJ
- jpelle, I agree, why make a trade just to make a trade. What great pitchers got traded today?? None. Manny R is a great hitter but plays left field and is 36 years old, so take him out of the the equation. Pudge is 37, his numbers have slipped since the steroid era and he wanted to play in NY. Griffey, well he is 8 years past his prime and is probably happy to go to the AL where he can DH half the time. Other than those players, someone tell me what else was out there to mortgage your future on?? Standing Pat was the right thing to do this year. Maybe next year will be a better year based on players coming into their contract years. The only thing I wonder is why the Phillies weren't trying to trade Burrell as a rent-a-player? Maybe they are going to sign to another deal during the offseason.— Bill R4
- Agree, don't just make a trade for trades' sake. No rash decisions needed or we could end up with another Eaton. By the way, if Todd is going to include info like the Phils being close to adding a 4th or 5th starter before it fell through, wouldn't it make more interesting reading to tell us what that deal may have been? Otherwise, it is pointless to mention.— MrPhillie
- They better let Kendrick start the 7th, and also let Happ pitch 2nite too!— Clinton, NJ
- "Nice to see Kendrick hit the Nats best player!" And on the hand! LOL!— Norma
