The Trade Deadline Approaches
Pat Gillick said the Phillies are "cautiously optimistic" they can make a trade before Thursday's non-waiver trade deadline.
The Trade Deadline Approaches
Todd Zolecki
Pat Gillick thinks the Phillies have a chance to make another trade before Thursday's 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline.
He used the words "cautiously optimistic."
Can you really be cautiously optimistic? Isn't that an oxymoron? I mean, if you're cautious about your optimism, how optimistic are you? Yes, we're deep thinkers here, so chew on that one for a while. But Phillies fans shouldn't get their hopes up for Manny Ramirez, Matt Holliday or Brian Fuentes. Gillick indicated yesterday that none of those players will be wearing red pinstriples anytime soon.
But he still hoped they could add another lefthanded pitcher to their bullpen. If they don't find a lefthander from outside the organization, the Phillies could convert lefthander J.A. Happ into a reliever. In fact, he could be announced today as Adam Eaton's replacement in the bullpen. Happ was pulled from Sunday's start after just 2 2/3 innings. Mike Arbuckle explained why, "We pulled him as a precaution. We really don't know what's going to happen at the trade deadline, and we didn't know if we were going to need him in the big leagues or weren't or whatever. We just wanted to keep all our options open, and we thought the best way to do that was limit his outing just so that he might be ready in case we needed him or there was a trade. A lot of different things could happen over the next couple days."
In other words, they might need him tonight in DC against the Nationals and they might need him as a trade chip and didn't want to risk injury.
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Eaton is scheduled to start Thursday for single-A Lakewood. He isn't expected back to the big leagues until Sept. 1, when rosters expand. There's no question at this point that he has been one of the worst free agent signings in franchise history. Why not just cut him? Well, for the simple reason that he's under contract and making $8.5 million next season. I also think the Phillies will keep him around -- I can't imagine anybody trading for him unless the Phillies eat almost his entire contract -- because they might want to have an extra arm in spring training. Who's knows what the future holds for Jamie Moyer and Brett Myers? Moyer could retire. Myers might not be successful as a starter and could become a full-time reliever next season. They might want to create some competition in the rotation next spring, even though Eaton hardly has provided much of that.
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Myers goes tonight. The Phillies desperately need him to pitch well. If not, the Phillies have said they can't sit around and do nothing.
"He's going to have to perform well," Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "We're trying to win our division, so we're going to try to put the best starters out there we can to win. We have to keep our minds open with what we're going to do. We're not locking ourselves in with anything. We believe he'll stay in the rotation, but we have to keep our options open, and we will."
Could we see Myers in the bullpen at some point? It's possible. But that wouldn't be good. The Phillies think an effective Myers is the second-best pitcher in the rotation and gives them a better chance in the postseason. If Myers moves to the bullpen and Happ takes his place, who's the No. 2 starter come the postseason?
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Chase Utley has "mild soreness" in his hip. It's not serious, and doesn't require surgery.
Talking point detective: Must be fair to Myers. He was very good in the pen last year. Had 48 games as a reliever, 21 saves, an WHIP of 1.282. had .325 bb/k when his career ave is .433. bit*h about this year, not last year.— jeff gross- Mark, I did say dreaming, right?— bski
- Today's question: Who are the absolute untouchables on the ML roster for trade bait? Limit 13 names. Mine are Chase, Jimmy, Ryan, Shane, Dobbs, Werth, Hamels, Moyer, Lidge, Romero, Durben, Kendrick, Coste. I'm leaving myself open for slings and arrows, this should be fun.— jimmymack
- It's good to see at least some of the players are relaxed. Unfortunately one of them is a little too relaxed...check out the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h--_dAdRcw— cg - Bski, it's more like hallucinating, lol,lol,lol.....Jmack you are going to take a beating on these names.....Victorino OR Werth has to go to get someone good/great whether it's Manny or a stud pitcher...Jroll may have to go to get a true stud....but not for another Blanton....the Phils track record of getting rid of star players and what we get in return is way past abysmal....what did we get for Schilling? 4 nobody's not even prospects.....Rolen, that's pathetic, worse than nobodys and Abreu? We should have gotten big time prospects for our depleted system, all we got was a salary dump for a productive, yet loafing player......we got nothing.....we haven't come out on the right end of the deal since the Carlton trade in '70...that's 38 years!.....poor talent evaluators and poor negotiators all these years......it's way more than a trend it's a way of life for this organization.— Mark1npt
- Ok, jimmymack, I was thinking about it the other day too. I think that if they fade down the stretch, it may be time to remake the team, ala FLA. The only true untouchables would be Cole (#1s are impossible to find) and Utley (he's their best player, due to his consistency). In the offseason, with the absolute right deals, I'd trade Jimmy and Ryan for 2-3 major league ready prospects each. Same with Lidge. My thinking is this, we lose Burrell and Moyer this season, and we dont sign any top FAs, the team will start to decline, especially since Jimmy and Ryan are pushing 30. If I do this, I'm also calling up Carrasco, Golson, Donald, Marson, Happ, etc. to see what they can contribute.— RG
- Mark1npt: I agree, gotta trade value to get value, but I threw them out there to see what other names came up, entertainment purposes only while we wait for Myers to pitch and the trade deadline. I'll put on a helmet and kevlar vest...LOL.— jimmymack
- KarenA & jeff gross.....Got to talk to Jamie a bit last night at the Phillies Phest. Told him he was "our 45 year old *ace*." He loved that! LOL! Again with Chase's hip *issue*. I thought it was pretty funny that Gillick was the one who brought this up a couple of days ago, saying "it's affecting Chase's swing". NOW he's saying, that's not the reason at all. Thinks Chase is "opening up to soon at the plate". Make up your mind, Pat! LOL!— Norma
- jimmymack.....I agree with your list, except for Werth. Trade him for Matt Holliday. An even exchange.— Norma
- On ESPN.com Jayson Stark is speculating that the Phillies might get Ron Mahay from the Royals. He's a left handed relied pitcher.— hkhund07
- Sounds like its close to happening. Mahay for Donald. Mahay's signed for next year, as well. If you can't get a starter, load up on the pen and shorten the game. Next step would be Happ into the rotation, Myers in the pen, and the DL or release for Seanez.— RG
- He absolutely ruled us when he was with the Braves the latter half of 07. They could have had Mahay last year and cheaper than Romero, they signed Romero, said they were done and set in the BP, now guess what, we need Mahay......hope we don't give up much for him. We could have just signed him outright and not given uop anything except a leter round draft choice. Another bad decision depleting the farm....— Mark1npt
- Assuming Myers is effective in the pen and we get Mahay, it would strengthen an already effective pen. The starting 5 would be Hamels, Moyer, Kendrick, Happ, and Blanton. And in September add Carrasco maybe.— hkhund07
- RG: I agree that Utley and Hamels are the only two true untouchables. I would entertain offers for anyone else as long as we are getting at least equal value in return. I also agree with remaking the team if we fade. Fading is the tricky part however. This team has been constructed to be good but not great for what is now the 8th year in a row. We've had only one losing season in that stretch and we didn't remake the team then. If anything, since we won the division last year, ownership will see this year as nothing more than an anomalous off year. I don't see us fading severely enough for ownership to sign off on a big shakeup.— bski
- You see it as I do bski. Ownerships at about their payroll threshold and frighteningly enough, the Phils have the oldest roster in the league. If they finish 5-6 games out, and lose Burrell, Moyer, etc., they have three choices a) splurge on top FAs b) sign patchwork guys to supplement the core, or c) blow it up. They probably won't do a), so c) is most attractive to me. FLA runs out young guys every year and remains competitive, Phils could do the same, but with an added bonus of being able to take on more salary when needed.— RG
