Phillies Going on Halladay to Repeat As MLB Champs?

I have teetered back and forth over whether I want the Phillies to bankrupt the farm system to bring Toronto Blue Jays ace pitcher Roy Halladay to town.

Upon doing research, my answer is yes.

I did not weigh the pros and cons of losing Kyle Drabek, the linchpin on the part of the Phillies end of the deal. Nor did I look at Halladay’s age, his last loss, or whether I thought the Phillies could win the National League East, then go through the playoffs to even reach the World Series.

Nope. I turned to what I usually depend my arguments in life. I turned to history.

The Cincinnati Reds were the last National League team to win back-to-back World Series titles in 1975-76. The Yankees were the last team to repeat, winning three straight World Series titles in 1998, 1999, and 2000. To base my argument I will look only at the Reds.

Following Cincinnati’s 1975 World Series win, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, Pete Rose, George Foster, and Ken Griffey all had better offensive years, while catcher Johnny Bench’s average dropped from .283 to .234 and his power numbers dropped.

The Phillies could do the same thing, with Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino, and Jason Werth having better numbers, and Jimmy Rollins producing less.

The difference, I feel, was the Reds’ pitching.

In 1975, Gary Nolan went 15-9; Jack Billingham, 15-10; Fred Norman, 12-4, Don Gullett, 15-4, Pat Darcy, 11-5; and Clay Kirby, 10-6. In 1975, Will McEnaney (15 saves) gave way to closer Rawly Eastwick, who had 22 saves.

Darcy only pitched 39 innings in 1976 and was replaced in the starting rotation by Santo Alcala, who was 11-4 in 1976. Clay Kirby was traded to the Montreal Expos over the winter of 1975, and was replaced in the rotation by rookie Pat Zachry.

Zachry did not go on to have a distinguished career, going 69-67 in a 10-year span, but in 1976 he posted a 14-7 record with a 2.74 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 204 innings. He tied with Butch Metzger for the National League Rookie of the Year honors.

His career sounds a lot like Rodrigo Lopez, who had a stellar debut for the Phillies, but was injured in his second start.

Nope. Brett Myers, Antonio Bastardo, then Lopez. Not enough to hang your hat on. Not even Joe Blanton worthy in terms of combined quality starts. Pedro Martinez does not have enough left in the tank.

Roy Halladay is this year’s Pat Zachry for the Phillies. He is 10-3 this season with a 2.85 ERA. He went 20-11 with a 2.78 ERA in 2008, and in 12 seasons, he is 141-69 with a 3.47 ERA.

Winning the World Series two times in a row for a team not named the New York Yankees is difficult.

Something special has to happen.

His name is Roy Halladay.

As I heard on WIP today, Kyle Drabek may become a Cy Young award winner, but he won’t likely do it until after 2011, when many of the Phillies’ big guns’ contracts are up.

Time to pull the trigger and bring home another World Series title…or two. 

Geovany Soto To DL and Jayson Werth To All Star Game

The Cubs are exted to place Geovany Soto on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique muscle, and according to Manager Lou Piniella he may miss a month.

The 2008 NL Rookie of the Year, was injured while taking batting practice Wednesday and an MRI Thursday revealed the injured oblique.

Soto has had a rough year, as his numbers pale in comparison to last season’s ROY Award and it was recently revealed he tested positive for marijuana while at the World Baseball Classic.

In better news, the Phillies Jayson Werth has replaced Carlos Beltrán on the 2009 NL All Star team. Werth is somewhat lucky as his Manager Charlie Manuel selected Werth in conjunction with MLB.

Werth, 30, has better numbers than Beltran this season as his .268 average, 20 home runs, 54 RBI, 59 runs, and 12 stolen bases state.

2009 Philadelphia Phillies Midterm Grades/Review: The Starting Eight

The Major League Baseball season has passed the halfway mark, so I thought it would be appropriate to assign midterm grades to the entire Philadelphia Phillies roster, no matter how much of a contribution the player has made.

 

1B Ryan Howard .253, 21 HR, 63 RBI

Grade: A-

Howard earned his second All-Star nod in 2009.  His defense has improved by leaps and bounds.  At the plate, he is having the year that one would expect from him.  His average could be higher, but it is apparent that his .300+ average from his MVP year was an illusion.

 

2B Chase Utley .307, 20 HR, 61 RBI

Grade: A

What is there to say about Chase Utley that has not already been said countless times?  He has having another great year that has been rewarded with his fourth consecutive All-Star Game start.  He is far and away the best second baseman in the game. 

 

SS Jimmy Rollins .227, 7 HR, 34 RBI

Grade: C+

Rollins has turned around his struggles at the plate recently.  For the first half, he earns a C+ due to his previous hitting struggles, but redeems himself for what he provides defensively. 

All indications are that his approach at the plate has changed for the better, which can only mean good things for this club in the long run.

 

3B Pedro Feliz .292, 5 HR, 41 RBI

Grade: B+

Perhaps the most underrated player on this roster.  Feliz has batted for a significantly higher average than in 2008.  Also, he has become more dependable with runners in scoring position. 

Providing stellar defense at the hot corner is an irreplaceable aspect for any club.

LF Raul Ibanez .312, 22 HR, 59 RBI

Grade: A+

Ibanez exceeded all expectations with his performance thus far.  Earning his first All-Star appearance at age 37, Ibanez is having a career year.  He brings consistency at the plate and with the glove. 

It begs the question: Pat who?

 

CF Shane Victorino .309, 6 HR, 42 RBI

Grade: A

The Flyin’ Hawaiian is quietly having the best year of his career.  The Phillies center fielder is second in the NL in hits and runs scored, but needed the 33rd man vote to make his first All-Star team. 

The speedy Victorino is one of the best in baseball in terms of ability to cover ground out in center field.  His swing has leveled off and, as a result, produced more in the way of line drive hits that are finding holes as opposed to the more prominent upper cut swing he has fallen in love with in the past that produced pop outs.

 

RF Jayson Werth, .264, 20 HR, 54 RBI

Grade: B+

Werth is one of many players in this lineup putting up career years.  The only drawback about Werth is his hitting against right handed pitching, but he has proved that he is an everyday player. 

Defensively, he has a superior glove and brings great athleticism to be able to make the tough plays.

 

C Carlos Ruiz, .239, 3 HR, 18 RBI

Grade: C+

At the plate, Ruiz leaves something to be desired.  However, he has shown flashes of becoming a serviceable hitter in the eighth spot in the lineup. 

What cannot be denied is his worth to the pitching staff.  Ruiz’s defensive contributions make up for his lack of offense.

 

NL East Division Battle: Phils in First, Marlins Fighting, Others Fading

At the exact moment I type this, the Philadelphia Phillies lead the National League East by two games.

The second place team is, surprisingly, the Florida Marlins, who began the season 11-1, only to fade in May and June. Yet, over the last few weeks, the Fish have climbed their way back to second place.

Third place is currently held by the Atlanta Braves, who sit five games back of the Phillies.

And the New York Mets, who are four games under .500, are now 5.5 games behind first place.

The Phillies have held first place longer than any other team in the division this season, while the Marlins, Braves, and Mets have been up and down throughout the standings.

Most surprising halfway through the season in the NL East could be the New York Mets and their inability to win consistently.

This was supposed to be “their year,” as sworn by nearly every Mets fan. Yet, all the Mets have shown is that they are the same disappointing team they have been over the past few seasons.

Is July 10 too early to consider the Mets “out of the race”?

With the numerous injuries the Not-So-Amazin’s have faced, and the continued lack of chemistry and consistency, can the Mets improve to the point where they can overtake the World Champions?

The defense on the part of the Mets has been anything but spectacular, the everyday lineup they take to the field is young and inexperienced, and frankly is not ripe with talent, and finally, the blame is once again beginning to spread to the manager, Jerry Manuel.

While their most polarizing weakness in 2008, the bullpen, has drastically improved, the Mets’ offense has plummeted, and the rotation has been mediocre.

The guarantees from numerous Mets fans that their team would finally lose their choking ways and would relinquish the division are quickly losing steam. How soon can we finally say it’s over for the Mets?

Well, because of what occurred in 2007, a seven-game lead with 17 games left can be lost, so I guess it won’t be over until the Mets are completely out of it.

But with the way the Phillies are playing compared to how the Mets are playing, and the overall talent being put on the field by both clubs, the Phillies look to have the upper hand.

Aside from the Mets, a surprising Florida Marlins team has crept back into second place, and sits only two games back. Their 10-run inning earlier this evening kept the Fish within two games, showing that they should be a force to be reckoned with.

Yet, can the team who actually sat 1.5 games behind the Phillies at this time last season keep themselves from fading like they did in 2008?

That fact remains to be seen. Yet, the Marlins have one more year of experience and are a bit more talented than they were last season. The Marlins just might be the real deal this season.

In first remains the World Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies.

After going into mid-June with the second best record in all of baseball, the Phils hit a major speed bump that is interleague play, going 6-12 against the American League, including a 1-8 home stand against the AL.

Since their return home and to their regular National League schedule, the Phillies have won six of seven, including a three-game sweep of the Mets. The Phillies most recently took three-out-of-four from the Cincinnati Reds to keep their momentum going.

If it had not been for their most recent slump, the Phillies could be five games or more in front of second place in the division, and possibly seven or eight games above the Mets.

Yet, what happened is not reversible and the Phillies are in first with just a two game lead.

Will the Phillies clinch the division earlier than they have the past two seasons? Will the Mets even come close to the wildcard? Can the Marlins stay in the picture for most of the season? Finally, can the Braves quietly make a run for a playoff spot?

It’s all up in the air. There is only one sure thing in this division:

The Washington Nationals have been out the race since Spring Training.

Pedro, Halladay, Victorino, and Other Philadelphia Phillies News

For the past several days, Ruben Amaro and the Phillies have been in close contact with free agent pitcher Pedro Martinez. The team is reportedly close to a deal that would put Pedro in a Phillies uniform as the club’s fifth starter.

 

The fireballing right hander isn’t what he used to be—a future Hall of Famer with three Cy Young awards, eight All-Star selections, and four ERA titles. He is on his last life as a starting pitcher.

 

Maybe even past his last life.

 

In limited action last season for the Mets, Pedro posted a 5.61 ERA and new career worsts in home runs per nine innings (1.6), strikeouts per nine innings (7.2), base runners per inning (1.5), and adjusted ERA (75).

 

His velocity of his fastball—a pitch that hit in the upper 90s a decade ago—is down to 91 or so, according to reports from the Phillies’ front office who watched him throw a few simulated innings on Tuesday.

 

Martinez has started just 25 games over the last two seasons, and it’s doubtful as to whether the 37-year old can even stay healthy at this point in his career.

 

There have been conflicting reports coming from Philly, with some sources saying Martinez has already been signed and others saying nothing is official yet.

 

I don’t know if Martinez can provide anything to this club that Anthony Bastardo or even a prospect like Andrew Carpenter or Kyle Drabek couldn’t.

 

I wouldn’t waste my time with a pitcher who is a shell of his former shelf.

 

Now Roy Halladay?

 

That’s pretty tempting.

 

Halladay is 32—a little older than I realized, and he is a workhorse, having compiled over 220 innings pitched in three straight years—but he is a pretty good option.

 

His trade value right now is at an all-time high, but rightfully so.

 

Last year, Halladay won 20 games, posted a 2.78 ERA, and led the American League in innings pitched (246), complete games (9), shutouts (2), WHIP (1.053), and strikeout to walk ratio (5.28).

 

This year, his 10 wins put him just one behind Tim Wakefield’s 11 for the league lead in wins. Halladay also sports an impressive 2.79 ERA and an AL-best 1.3 walks per nine innings.

 

He is arguably the game’s top pitcher.

 

From what I hear, the Phillies would have to give up a lot to get Halladay. I have heard rumors of two or three top pitching prospects, plus the team’s top offensive prospect (Lou Marson), and J.A. Happ as well.

 

That’s a lot of prospects to give up, but Halladay is a fabulous pitcher who would provide an instant upgrade to the Phillies’ staff.

 

With Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels, the Phillies would feature arguably the top 1-2 pitching punch in all of major league baseball.

 

And I think it would make the Phillies the best team in baseball, putting the defending World Champions in prime position to repeat.

 

In other Philly news, Shane Victorino secured the final spot on the National League All-Star team, beating out Giants’ third basemen Pablo Sandoval.

 

Victorino is hitting .308 for the season, including .464 over the last week. He ranks second in the NL in runs scored (61), sixth in stolen bases (15), and second in triples (6).

 

Add in his lights out defense for the first-place Phillies and Victorino is more than a worthy All-Star candidate.

 

Phillie fan favorite Chase Utley made the team as a starter for the third straight year. Utley is having his usual under the radar, MVP quality season, with a .306 average, 19 home runs, and 60 runs batted in.

 

Raul Ibanez made the team as a starter, the first time in his career the 37-year old has qualified for the Midsummer Classic. Despite time on the DL, Ibanez has 22 home runs and 59 RBI to go along with a .312 batting average.

 

Ryan Howard made the team as a reserve.

 

Howard is batting just .252 for the year. His walks are down, his slugging percentage is down, and he only has two intentional walks, but the fact of the matter is Howard’s 21 home runs and 63 RBI make him one of the most dangerous hitters in the league for his ability to crank one at any given time.

He Wanted it More: Shane Victorino’s an All-Star

Shane Victorino was not the All-Star on that list.

A simple comparison of the stats is going to show you that out of the five, he was the least likely to be voted in.

According to the stats.

Two years ago, I sat in the stands at Citizens Bank Park, while the Phillies were embarrassing themselves in that way they sometimes do, or “Lidge-ing” it, as we’re calling it these days. Having just lost the lead late in the game, someone behind me yelled, “Remember this! Remember this in September when we’re a game or two out!”

This was followed by a hurricane of garbage being chucked from the outfield stands onto the grass below, while the Phillies were still on the field.

I peaked over the fence and looked down from the 400 level. There was Shane Victorino, kicking trash off the field, looking up and shaking his head, asking us, “Why?”

Another year, another game, and Shane hit the walk-off home run on a day they were handing out bobble heads with his likeness. I was carried out of my section by screaming fans simply because I was wearing a Victorino jersey.

Guess what, San Fran, L.A., Arizona, and, uh … Washington. You can put up a hissy-fit about how he doesn’t deserve it; how his batting average was the lowest and the whole “Bran Torino” thing was cheap.

Here’s the difference: Shane just wanted it more.

Who else of the five prospective All-Stars went door-to-door with the Mayor of their city, asking nicely for a simple click of the mouse next to his name? Who else smacked a game-winning base hit to prove their worth?

The guy’s got heart, talent, and an attitude that doesn’t make you want to throw up.  He’s fast, he’s clean, and when he isn’t throwing out Gregor Blanco at home to end the game, he’s shoving pies into a teammate’s face during an interview.

OK, yeah, Pablo Sandoval had that grand slam. Whatever.

Shane could have been elected president today if he wanted to. It’s just a matter of finding the city with most jobless, open-scheduled, OCD baseball fans.

Well, here we are.

So, Pablo, sorry about all that. But, come on, you get some time off. go home, see the family, take it easy. Shane’s going to be in St. Louis, a town most famous for having a giant parentheses within its borders. 

He’ll be relaxing on the bench, his eyes doing that weird thing where they almost bulge out of his head because the adrenaline is pumping through his veins like a dog on a chain, just out of reach of a rubber ball.

Mark Reynolds, honestly, I was scared of you the most. When that endorsement popped up on John McCain’s Twitter, I thought, “Wow, John McCain twitters? What a horrible waste of a politician’s time.”  Surely, your stats would speak for themselves, and having a presidential candidate say you were the one to vote for would be the end for us in Philly.

Cristian Guzman, I’m only apologizing to you because you’re on the Nationals.

Finally, Matt Kemp, being a Dodger, you should be used to your fans leaving before victory is achieved. 

What I’m trying to say is, no hard feelings. I am perfectly willing to acknowledge that yes, Shane was not the league leader on that list. But he did get the most votes. And you can’t get mad at a guy who’d rather play ball than have time off so badly, he jump starts his own grassroots campaign. It’s all I’m trying to say.

That, and apparently, John McCain’s opinion is worthless.

 

Conflicting Reports Say Phillies Sign Pedro Martinez, GM Says “No”

 

According to Candela Deportiva, the Philadelphia Phillies have signed free agent pitcher Pedro Martinez to a one-year contract worth $4 million.

The 37-year-old, right-handed throwing hurler threw for the Phillies in the Domincan Republic this week. According to reports, Martinez was throwing his fastball between 88 and 91 MPH with good secondary pitches.

Phillies’ general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has said he hasn’t signed Martinez; however, he had no comment on an agreement or pending physical, according to Todd Zolecki.

That sounds a lot like they have agreed to a contract pending a physical for the former New York Met.

Martinez is a three-time Cy Young Award winner and was one of the most dominant pitchers in his time. But he is well past his prime and is nothing more than a No. 5 starter at this point.

If this does happen, does this mean that the Phils are out of the Roy Halladay sweepstakes?

I’m going out on a limb here and saying no.

Let’s say the Phillies sign Martinez, does that make J.A. Happ expendable in a trade for Halladay? No one knows exactly what the Blue Jays would want for Doc, but Happ would probably be atop the list they would be asking for.

Philadelphia have basically called Drabek an “untouchable,” manager Charlie Manuel said so. But does that open the door for Happ to be the centerpiece for a Halladay deal?

That’s a question that I am asking to you Phillies fans. Would you trade Happ for Halladay?

My answer is yes!

 

A King’s Ransom For Roy Halladay: Why I Would Make The Move

Ask any baseball fan what it takes to win a world series and at some point, pitching will come up. Last year Cole Hamels won the World Series MVP, but it took four games to win it all. Joe Blanton, Brett Myers and Jamie Moyer all stepped up at different points to provide a solid pitching foundation during the playoff run.

Toronto Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi announced Tuesday that he’s willing to listen to offers for All-Star Pitcher Roy Halladay. Since Brett Myers went down with a hip injury, the Phillies have been on the look out for pitching help. Seems almost like synergy at work for the Philly faithful.

Yes you will have to come up with a trade offer that forces the Blue Jays to take notice. Here’s my reasoning why you find a way to make this deal.

I can not remember a time when the NL east was as weak as it currently is. Teams like the Braves and Marlins are only going to improve, but appear to be a few years away. The Mets free spending has backfired. They are trapped in bad contracts, and could be gun shy, as money has not translated to wins.

It is the perfect time to try and put yourself above the rest of the division. Getting Halladay would put the fightin Phills in a position to dominate for this year and next. The Phillies are holding onto first place with a very average 44-38. Hamels is still trying to find his comfort zone, and no pitcher has been consistent. Add Halladay and you know what your getting every fifth day. That puts the Phillies is a position to dominate a weak division for the next year and half, and that’s if you don’t resign Halladay.

Halladay is a ground ball pitcher, which would serve him well at Citizens Bank Park. Of the pitchers being mentioned as available this year, Halladay is the perfect fit for the Phillies, even over Jake Peavy.

His overall presence would rub on the entire staff. For a youngster like J.A. Happ, he can learn. For an established star like Hamels, he’ll have help in the rotation and hopefully pick up some work habits.

and of course, for you stat junkies:

Halladay is 10-2 with a 2.79 ERA, 116 innings pitched, in 16 starts.

He has 98 strikeouts and three complete games. Oh, and for the boo birds, he’s given up just 10 homeruns.

compared to the Phillies starting pitchers:

Jamie Moyer leads the team in wins with seven.

Joe Blanton’s 85 strikeouts and 96 innings pitched are tops on the team, in the same amount of starts as Halladay, 16. That’s 20 more innings. That’s an extra 1.25 inning per game. The bullpen will be thankful, trust me.

Hamels and Happ each have one complete game. For the entire staff.

The lowest ERA among starting pitchers is 3.04 for Happ. He’s only started nine games after replacing Chan Ho Park in the rotation. There’s a strong chance he would be included in a deal for Halladay, as he’s 5-0 this season.

I feel the Phillies should sacrifice some of the future to win now. There is a window that will only be open for the next few years, where the Phillies can move ahead of the division, and put themselves in a position to win more than just one World Series title. Dare I dream and use the word dynasty?

 

Why Roy Halladay Must Be Acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies

Roy Halladay could be on the move.

Ken Rosenthal first reported yesterday that the Toronto Blue Jays will listen to offers about their stud ace Halladay. Speculation started to fly around the sports world as if Brett Favre was considering a comeback.

ESPN picked it up and ran with it, and Comcast SportsNet ran with it as well. Just about every source for baseball did as well, like they did last season with CC Sabathia.

This time last season, Sabathia was already traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. However, for weeks prior to the blockbuster between the Cleveland Indians and the Brew Crew, there were rumors that he would land in one of eight different cities.

The Philadelphia Phillies were one of those teams and were believed to be the front runners for his services for a long period of time. But they lacked major league-ready prospects to offer to Cleveland.

Sabathia was eventually dealt to Milwaukee for Matt LaPorta, Rob Bryson, Taylor Green, and Zach Jackson.

This year, for the longest time, it looked like there weren’t going to be any big-name, bona fide aces on the market like a Sabathia.

The names thrown out there were guys like Erik Bedard and Roy Oswalt. While both are terrific pitchers in their own way, one is a free agent after the season, and the other has a no-trade clause.

But they weren’t good enough to really give up one of your top prospects to get.

In Bedard’s case, he’s often injured and has a bad attitude. While he’s a great talent and is having a tremendous season for the Seattle Mariners, he’s not worth a top prospect.

Oswalt’s case is a much different story. First, there’s no way he gets traded if owner Drayton McLane has a say in it. Second, Oswalt determines where he would want to go. Who knows if he’d accept a deal to Philly anyway?

Now, the best pitcher in all of baseball in many people’s minds is on the market, and the Phillies are believed to be the front runners as of right now.

Ed Price of MLB Fanhouse says a source told him that “[the] Phillies are the leaders at this point.” Buster Olney also thinks the Phils are the early favorites to land Halladay. Joel Sherman of the New York Post also believes they are in the lead for the right-handed pitcher.

The thing with rumors is that if it keeps getting thrown out there, there has to be some truth to it. Last year, there were rumors that the Phils were talking trade with Toronto about Halladay. In fact, Rosenthal wrote they have repeatedly asked about Halladay over the past two years.

Jim Salisbury, who is a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, reported in his latest column that one Phillies person told him that they are “serious” about acquiring Halladay.

Phillies beat writer Todd Zolecki for MLB.com posted in his blog what general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said today when he spoke to reporters.

Amaro said that he does have some untouchables in the organization. Although not giving names, those are pretty much common knowledge by now. Those players are Kyle Drabek, Jason Knapp, and Dominic Brown.

But Doc is a different animal.

Roy Halladay is the type of pitcher that you give up a couple of your top prospects for. He’s been the best pitcher in the majors for a while, and yet he doesn’t get much praise because he’s not a Yankee or a Red Sox.

He’s 10-2 with a 2.79 earned run average and 98 strikeouts this season for the Blue Jays. Already, he has three complete games.

If they call Joe Blanton an “inning eater,” then what do you call Doc?

The guy has thrown over 200 innings in each of the last three seasons and racked up 20 complete games in that time span. That’s an old-time baseball pitcher.

Since 2005, Halladay has gone the distance 28 times. In his career he has completed what he started 43 times.

His ground ball-to-fly ball ratio is exactly what the Phils would love to get for their hitter-friendly ballpark. This year, he has a 1.28 ground ball-to-fly ball ratio. He has a deadly sinker, something that Bedard and Oswalt don’t have.

While he’s a strikeout pitcher as well, Halladay is the total package.

Plus, he’s under team control for the 2010 season as well. He makes a lot of money, but that shouldn’t be a factor because Brett Myers, Adam Eaton, and Geoff Jenkins will come of the payroll after this season.

Halladay does have a no-trade clause. However, according to Jon Heyman, one of his friends said, “He’s shy, but thinks he would approve a trade to New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.”

That takes me to my next point: Why would Toronto trade him to their divisional rivals, the Yankees or the Sox? One of the reasons they are open to trading him is because of the division they play in.

The AL East is one tough division to crack with the Yanks and Sox in there. The Rays and the Jays are unlikely to win the division with the team they have now.

Sherman has ruled out the Yankees on his Twitter account, stating a Yankee official told him there is “zero chance” they trade for Halladay for the same reasons they didn’t get Johan Santana.

The Phils have what it takes to get Halladay; it’s just a matter of them putting together the right package to get him in Philly and not giving up way too much.

One of the aforementioned Drabek, Brown, or Knapp would likely have to be in the package, although that’s not a given. Toronto is looking for a top shortstop prospect, and the Phillies have that in Jason Donald.

Something along the lines of Brown, Donald, and Carlos Carrasco with another prospect is likely what the package would have to look like.

I’m in the boat that I don’t care what it takes, as long as it doesn’t hurt the big league club this year or next (i.e. trading J.A. Happ or Jayson Werth).

With the addition of Halladay, Philadelphia would win the NL East by default and be the favorites to repeat.

He’s that kind of pitcher.

 

Tom Dougherty is a Sports Jabber Contributing Author. Read more of his work at 2 Minutes to Midnight Green.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Raul Ibanez on Track to Return This Weekend

According to several reports, Phillies left fielder Raul Ibanez is on track to return to the lineup this weekend after missing 19 games with a groin injury.

Ibanez, 37, is hitting .312 with 22 home runs and 58 RBI in 62 games this season with his new club.

He will play his final rehab game tonight in Lehigh Valley before returning to the team tomorrow if nothing goes wrong.

With the Phillies looking like they are putting things together, Ibanez’s return is great news. His bat will help the Phils score some more runs with Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino starting to get on-base.

Philadelphia concludes a four-game set with the Cincinnati Reds tonight, sending Jamie Moyer to the mound to face Micah Owings. The Phils are looking to take their second straight series.

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