Posted: Monday, July 20, 2009, 6:58 PM | 33 comments |
 

Division lead does not change Phils trade outlook
options
 

My big question after last weekend was: Now that the Phils have built a sizable division lead (and, let’s face it, they’d have to totally collapse for one of those other stinky teams to win it) do they still feel the need to sacrifice talented players and make a trade?

The answer: Yes, they do. Very much.
 
Here’s Charlie Manuel: “Of all the talent we’ve got, we need to put some more pieces around it, and once we do that, that will make us better.”
 
And assistant GM Scott Proefrock: “All you have to do is look back two weeks ago. We’ve got a long way to go. This isn’t over by any stretch of the imagination, and we still need to be prepared for a tough battle the rest of the way. 
 
Proefrock implied that the team was also thinking about a potential playoff rotation, not just getting there. That’s where adding Roy Halladay comes in, though of course Proefrock did not mention the pitcher by name.
 
The Phillies clearly believe that a 6 ½ game lead in the NL East should not change their basic goals of improving the rotation, bench and bullpen. Some of you are emailing me, saying, “what about a Hamels/Blanton/Happ playoff rotation, and you get to keep Drabek and Taylor?” Well, fair question, but the front office and manager clearly don’t see it that way.
Posted by Andy Martino @ 6:58 PM  Permalink | 33 comments
33
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:00 PM, 07/20/2009
    I would keep the prospects....unless you dont think Hamels becomes the Hamels of 08'
    — cdedrick05
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:05 PM, 07/20/2009
    This lead is great, but the Mets collapsed 2 years running. Keep working on the spots that need help and don't think anything is in the bag.
    — oldecityslicker
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:28 PM, 07/20/2009
    Hamels is why you do the Halladay deal.
    — JBP
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:34 PM, 07/20/2009
    “We need to put some more pieces around” … scary … just more knick-knacks for Manuel to keep on the mantle over the fireplace … as in bench. Yikes! It’s a tale of two Phillies … On one hand, you have the guys on Charlie’s “A list” who are being managed like a short-sighted Nascar pit-crew where they will either succumb to mechanical, as in health issues or they simply run out of gas just before the finish line. And then there are those bewildered boys on the bench, even some in the bullpen. Unlike their teammates, they have been relegated to “Tin Man” status. However, if this remains the status quo, even an oil can or “Doc” for that matter may not be able to help the 2009 Phil’s earn that victory lap again.
    — get a clue
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:39 PM, 07/20/2009
    Didn't the Phils go 4-13 just a few weeks ago? No lead is safe especially when you consider the past few seasons. If a move can be made that makes sense, makes you much better, and does not require "selling the farm", then I think the Phils should definitely add a starter. Also, Hamels has had a consistently poor season and you cannot expect he will magically be as good as last season's playoffs. I'm not saying to exclude him from the playoff rotation, I'm just saying the division lead is not 100% safe. Also, the Hamels, Blanton, Happ playoff rotation seems a bit shakey, even with Happ pitching like Hamels of a year ago.
    — MrPhillie
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:40 PM, 07/20/2009
    Did you hear Montgomery on Daily News Live? My hunch is based on his interview....they are not going for Halladay....unless it is a great fake out...like Charlie did not want Pedro
    — PaulDeon
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:46 PM, 07/20/2009
    Also, why can't the Phillies seem to improve the bench? It would be nice if the Phillies had a few capable replacements to give some guys a rest and to help the team as pinch hitters and in making double moves. Right now the Phillies have a very, very poor righthanded hitting bench...I don't care how many positions Bruntlett can play, their has to be someone out there more capable than him. Can't Cairo play the same positions as Bruntlett and isn't he hitting over .300 at LV? If he's not hurt I would bring him up to replace Bruntlett right now while still looking at other possible moves. Teams will simply laugh at the Phils every time they send Bruntlett up as a pinch hitter.
    — MrPhillie
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:52 PM, 07/20/2009
    Andy, I don't believe you said what you said in the parenthetical in the first paragraph!!! Don't you KNOW what the baseball gods will do to us, with the Phils' beat writer invoking the ghost of 1964? I had to live through that as a kid; don't make me have to relive history as an adult!
    — marty
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:54 PM, 07/20/2009
    Well, let's go by this out of fannation to gauge what Toronto wants--"Toronto's request of the Mets for star pitcher Roy Halladay was for top outfield prospect Fernando Martinez, young pitchers Bobby Parnell and Jon Niese and shortstop prospect Ruben Tejada, sources tell SI.com." So if we go by that, they'd want either Dominic Brown or Michael Taylor, Jason Donald, and probably Kyle Drabek and another young pitcher..not necessarily Happ. Also, there's a blurb in mlb.com/news--Brett Myers is way ahead of schedule and his doctor says he doesn't see why he won't be pitching in late August--so that's a bullpen piece.
    — bobbyuk
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:16 PM, 07/20/2009
    I'll bet Phils get another starter, not Doc. Front office won't want to pay the price. And I agree with MrPhillie:bring back Cairo.
    — spinmeister
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:37 PM, 07/20/2009
    We are all slightly dumber for having read the comment posted by "get a clue".
    — tony thunder
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:08 PM, 07/20/2009
    Too much is at stake here... Yeah, Drabek is emotional, but he's also a kid. A large percentage of his "temper tantrums" will calm with time. And trading Happ is a horrible idea! He pitched a gem yesterday and is a pillar of the starting pitching staff right now. Happ and Drabek are the team's future. Signing Halladay with his big pay check is no guarantee of a repeat.
    — PhillyfaninFL
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:12 PM, 07/20/2009
    I agree with Mr Phillie that what the Phillies need the most is righthanded pinch hitting. Does the front office really think that Mayberry and Bruntlett can hit major league pitching? They weakened the bench when they released Coste who could hit better than both Mayberry and Bruntlett. To improve the bench they should try Cairo once again.
    — waltZ
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:31 PM, 07/20/2009
    Hey how about bringing up Mike Cervenak from Lehigh Valley. He is batting .400 against lefthanded pitchers this year. He can't do any worse than Bruntlett and Mayberry.
    — waltZ
  • Comment removed.


33 comments | View All Comments | View All By Latest
View comments: 1  |  2  |  3
About Matt Gelb and Bob Brookover












Bob Brookover and Matt Gelb team up for their third straight season covering the Phillies for the Inquirer and philly.com.

This is Brookover’s second stint writing about the Phillies, having joined the coverage team after seven years as an Eagles beat writer. Brookover was hired by The Inquirer in 2000 as the Phillies beat writer after spending 13 years writing about the team for two suburban newspapers. While on the Eagles beat, Brookover, who had covered just two winning Phillies teams in 15 seasons, saw the Phillies move into a cash-cow new ballpark and begin playing a brand of the game he found unrecognizable. Follow him on Twitter here.

Gelb is in his third season covering the Phillies. He was hired by The Inquirer in August 2009 after graduating from Syracuse University. He has also covered baseball at The Star-Ledger and Cape Cod Times. Born and raised in Bucks County, he attended Central Bucks High School West. Follow him on Twitter here.
To submit a question for Matt Gelb's Phillies mailbag, click here.

Join on Facebook    Follow on Twitter

Advertise Here
BASEBALL NEWS FROM PHILLY.COM
The Phillies Zone: 2-year deal for Kendrick
High Cheese: Blanton and the luxury tax
Regular season only half the battle
Amaro true to form in getting Papelbon
The Phillies Zone: Phils to limit Utley's play - 2:00pm
The Phillies Zone: Qualls yet to report
Latest Phillies Videos