Touch 'Em All: Astros, Blue Jays make 10-player trade

Houston and Toronto pulled off a massive trade Friday - at least in the number of players involved - and the deal included a couple of names familiar to Phillies fans.

In the 10-player deal, the Astros got former Phillies outfielder Ben Francisco and closer Francisco Cordero plus four minor-leaguers (and the ever-popular player to be named), while the Blue Jays acquired former Phillies lefthander J.A. Happ, plus righthanders Brandon Lyon and David Carpenter.

Francisco hit .244 in 23 games for Toronto this year.

Cordero has 329 career saves, second among active major-leaguers to Mariano Rivera, but he's 37 years old.

Happ is 7-9 with a 4.83 ERA in 18 starts for Houston.

It's probably the only time either team is likely to grab some attention this season. The Blue Jays, entered Friday at 45-47, but they're in last place, 12 games back of the New York Yankees in a very tough AL East. The Astros had the worst record in baseball at 34-59, and are rebuilding after a fire sale over the last few seasons left them with no position players who were on the team full-time before 2010.

The 'Stros are set to move to the AL next season. Maybe they figured they could use guys with junior-circuit experience.

San Diego's Edinson Volquez, who dropped a comebacker by the Astros' Matt Downs and ended up with a one-hit, 1-0 win on Thursday instead of a no-hitter: "I've got to work on my backhand."

Baltimore and Kansas City exchanged fading former star pitchers, with the Orioles getting Jonathan Sanchez and the Royals taking Jeremy Guthrie. . . . Rick Ankiel, the former pitching star who reinvented himself as a slugging outfielder after developing control problems in 2000, has been designated for assignment by the Washington Nationals. We hope his great story isn't over.