Source: Phillies acquire Pence
Ruben Amaro Jr. struck at the deadline again. Charlie Manuel finally has the righthanded bat he has craved since spring training. And the best team in baseball just added the final piece to its World Series-or-bust hopes.
Source: Phillies acquire Pence
Matt Gelb and Bob Brookover
Ruben Amaro Jr. struck at the deadline again. Charlie Manuel finally has the righthanded bat he has craved since spring training. And the best team in baseball just added the final piece to its World Series-or-bust hopes.
The Phillies, permanently in a win-now mode, acquired outfielder Hunter Pence from the Houston Astros for four minor leaguers late Friday night, a source told The Inquirer. Two of those players — Jonathan Singleton and Jarred Cosart — were rated as the top prospects in a farm system depleted annually by summer blockbusters.
But such is the life for a franchise that had already invested $175 million in its major-league roster. The expectation in this city is to win a championship, future be damned.
Pence is not a superstar, but he is the complementary righthanded bat the Phillies have missed once Jayson Werth bolted for his mega-millions deal in Washington. He will be inserted into right field and the middle of Manuel's lineup.
In Pence, the Phillies have long-term certainty. The 28-year-old has two years of arbitration remaining. That doesn't mean he will come cheap; Pence is already making $6.9 million in 2011 and will be due a significant raise in 2012 and 2013. But with his addition, the 2012 outfield of Pence, Shane Victorino and Domonic Brown is set.
It's unclear whether the Phillies will pay the remaining $2.2 million on Pence's deal this season. If they do, it could put them dangerously close or over baseball's luxury tax limit of $178 million. No National League team has surpassed that threshold since instituted in 2003.
In the end, while top farmhands were sacrificed, no young pieces at the major-league level were required to complete the deal. The two players to be named later will come from a list that does not include Brown or 23-year-old pitcher Vance Worley.
FOXSports.com first reported the trade.
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I definitely consider Ed Wade the most loyal of alumni!...Great job Ruben!— bearsfriend
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- RAJ has closed the deal. Pence has been removed from the game tonight with the Brewers. And, his teammates were shaking his hand, etc. That means the deal, while not announced, is done. I guess Ed Wade held out for that last marginal minor league piece. I'd like to see the other two pieces that completed the deal. It will be interesting if that last guy Ed Wade was waiting on amounts to a significant major league player. It will be interesting to see how Pence reacts to the pressure of a pennant race and post-season play.— RunningTheBases
- This is great. So, what's the lineup?
JRoll
Polly
Utley
Howard
Pence
?
?
?
Pitcher— Cheesedog - Best day ever— Ted Mosby
- Where do I start, with $170,000,000 committed to this team and with the best pitching staff in our lifetime, and 3 of the best players position wise in our lifetime, the time is now to go for it. We need to make a run in the next 2 years and win another title. Of all the prospects we have traded in the last 4 years only one is making any contribution on the major league level, and that is Michael Borne, well Oaland has Outman from the Blanton trade too, but ask yourself would we have won the title without Lidge, the answer is no. Prospects are just that, propects, there are in A ball for god's sake. This move will help us this years and in the next 2 years, as the outfeild is set. Now let's keep Mayberry and send Fransico down this time. Maybe pick up a relevier and we should be set. I have been watching this team since 1970, and there have been a lot of lean years between 1980 and 2008, I commend Ruben and Gillick before him, along with our best GM in the last 30 years, Ed Wade, if we win another title, we will have him to thank again. Hopefully he will have a job with the Phillies after he is fired in Oct.— the cell
- great job ruben now get reyes or hanly and will be set for a couple years.— ocpop
- I just spoke to a Diamondbacks fan whose team is within range of overtaking San Francisco but badly needs a reliever. I'm not sure if any time remains before deadline but a Madsen (rental whose contract runs up) for prospects deal seems like a good way to restock the farm, especially in non-outfield positions, while reducing payload and thus opening other opportunities. Phils managed well in Madsen's absence so maybe they can survive such a trade. They also have other good relief prospects for next year who won't cost a bundle. Finally, if Madsen can help the Diamondbacks knock SF out of the playoff picture, I think the Phils would be better off.— FG
- If we win it all, Wade should get a ring.— Ed3
- WOW! NOT a rental like Giants got. NOT a cast-off. A guy who can still bloom.
- Fingers crossed that this guy hits .300+ and 25 homers ... he'd better or he'll be booed big time!— petergou
- Vic has to be 6th. Ibanez and then Ruiz. Vic is batting .300. He can't go lower than 6th. Maybe Polly is 6th until he gets back into the swing of things and Vic is 2nd.— atsipras
- Vic has to be 6th. Ibanez and then Ruiz. Vic is batting .300. He can't go lower than 6th. Maybe Polly is 6th until he gets back into the swing of things and Vic is 2nd.— atsipras
