Philadelphia Phillies Acquire Cliff Lee…

Update:

The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired LHP Cliff Lee and OF Ben Francisco from the Cleveland Indians. The Indians will receive minor-leaguers Carlos Carrasco, Jason Knapp, Jason Donald, and Lou Marson.

This is a great move by the Phillies for three reasons:

1. They get a very, very good LHP in Lee not only for this year, but for next year as well. Lee has a $8 million club option for 2010, which I am sure the Phillies will pick up.
2. They didn’t have to give up top prospects Kyle Drabek, John Mayberry Jr., or Dominic Brown.
3. They get the right-handed bat off the bench they have been searching for since spring training. Remember, they tried to sign Gary Sheffield before he signed with the New York Mets.

I will have more on the players the Indians recieved later.

This trade also means that any leverage the Toronto Blue Jays had in trading Roy Halladay just went out the window.

Original Post:

According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, the Philadelphia Phillies have focused their attention on Cleveland Indians left-handed ace Cliff Lee. While everyone thought the Phillies would land Roy Halladay (still might happen), Lee is not bad fall back option.

Not only would they get last year’s Cy Young winner who is having a very good year this year, but the Phillies wouldn’t have to give up top prospects Kyle Drabek and Dominic Brown for Lee.

Pairing Lee and Cole Hamels would make the Phillies very tough to beat in a short playoff series.

More on this story as it develops.