Phils Were Close to a Starter, Had A Shot at Manny
The Phillies fell short in their quest for a lefthanded reliever and a righthanded bat, but they came closest to a No. 4-type starter.
Phils Were Close to a Starter, Had A Shot at Manny
Todd Zolecki
The Phillies had about an hour left before today's 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline and thought they were close to a deal.
Lefthanded reliever?
Righthanded bat?
Nope. They felt they came closest in a failed three-team trade that would have landed them a No. 4-type starter that apparently would have bumped one of their current starters from the rotation.
“We got agreement from one club and they were trying to get agreement on players from the other club,” Pat Gillick said.
Gillick said the Phillies had a good feeling they would be able to pull off that trade. He also said they had a good feeling at one point they would be able to acquire Manny Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox. Ramirez instead went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-team trade that involved the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“Yeah, we were talking about it,” Gillick said of Ramirez discussions. “We were involved. We couldn’t get where they wanted to be. And we couldn’t get where we wanted to be.”
Did the Pirates seek too much from the Phillies?
“We could please other clubs,” Gillick said. “It’s just that we’ve got to please our club a little bit. We think we know what the value of those players are. Not only the players on one side of the fence, but on our side of the fence. You have to really evaluate that and we just thought maybe that was a little too rich of an ask for us.”
I'm convinced that the Red Sox wanted Carrasco or Happ in a Manny deal. Thank you to the powers that be for NOT moving either. The Phils will need their arms to replace Moyer and the Blanton spots in 2009 and 2010.— Mike H.- uh-oh...the phils have to play the dodgers 8 times!— oz
- We were close to a #4 starter? Don't we already have 6 of those? Gee, I wonder why they didn't pull the trigger?......Maybe we can still sign Manny in the offseason, just lsoing a few draft choices....we could use him once Pat leaves for the AL.....— Mark1npt
- It's going to be interesting how he plays under Joe Torre.— roque32
A #4 starter?What kind of genius admits they were close to a #4 starter? Why do we need another #4 starter? We already have 4 of them already. Unbelievable.Gillick can't retire soon enough for my liking. Good riddance and be sure to take AMARO with you....And Montgomery sell this team you miser.Phillies fans don't deserve you and your cronies. 27 years of ownership.4 playoff appearances. Harden+Sabathia were traded and in all due respect we ended up with Blanton a carrer .500 pitcher who was 5-12 this year. Get out of the business losers.— argonne- Who was the starter?— Phillyfan28
- It's incredible how frustrating this team is considering they are the defending National League East Champions and currently in first place. I wasn't thrilled with the idea of getting Ramirez, however the fact that they didn't do what it takes to get Harden and instead gave up way too much for Blanton - whom they are already trying to REMOVE from the rotation will prove to be this season's fatal error.— guyguy4
- Maybe it was Maddux. I'm just guessing.— scars73
- Happ and moreso Carrasco will be better then number 4 starters. I hate this ownership - thank goodness Pirates or whoever were asking too much. The Phillies just care about this year or next .. take it a step at a time towards mediocracy. Start spending more money on scouts and farm system - the worst farm system in the history of baseball. I wish they would do an expose on all owners in Philly Mag .. Howard big mouth Eskin doesn't rave about this enough -I hate Montgomery and wish he would sell this team - what is wrong with those fans who support Phillies ownership by going to games? By the way, Mitch Williams is intelligent but the most cliched speaker I've heard in a while. Please stop with the stupid cliches.— CheapPhillies
- It's all water under the Betsy Ross at this point. I saw that in the last two months of the year from 2004 to 2007 that the Phils are 135 and 93. If they do the same, that would give them 91 wins. I doubt they miss the playoffs with that record.— Mike H.
- I doubt it was Maddux - he was on the record stating he did not want to go to an east coast team.— fafafooey
- It looks like Seanez is done! Why do they bother bringing in Durbin? Give the guy some rest! Im sure Seanez could have gotten one more out. Whats going on with Happ?? Is he going to rot in the pen or what? There is no room for him in the rotation, so what are they planning. Is he a backup plan for Blanton? Good win 2nite!!— Clinton, NJ
- Manny would have been fun but hitting isn't the first need. And forget signing another #4! Phillies brass should try building the rotation from the top down for a change. It gets old plugging holes in the bottom. Go get an ace and then no one will cry when you trade the best prospects. No, aces don't grow on trees, but a number of aces changed hands and still the Phillies come up empty. Good luck getting an ace through waivers after the deadline. Will the Phillies ever get a true Big Three in the rotation? Maybe it will give me something to live for when I'm clinging to life on my 120th birthday.— xfactor
- hahaah this is such BS...how many times do we need to hear this, 'yeah we were involoved in discussions" sorry, just dont buy it....because if they are always involved in discussions, one of these years theyd land someone...so they are either incompetent, or lying...probably a little of both— TR
- My sources tell me the Phillies were trying to acquire Kip Wells from St. Louis for Victorino, but just as old man Gillick was about to pull the trigger, he had a little accident in his pants, and he couldn't finalize the deal in time.— Leron
