Philadelphia Phillies: Hunter Pence Shows Just How Far Club Has Come

With a couple of days to spare before the Major League Baseball trade deadline expired, the Philadelphia Phillies made a move that many thought was becoming less likely to happen.

The acquisition of Houston Astros outfielder Hunter Pence was made in such a way that ensures outfielder Domonic Brown and pitcher Vance Worley remained in Phillies pinstripes. Instead, the Phillies have packed top prospects Jonathan Singleton and Jared Cosart with Josh Zeid and a player to be named.

It was not all that long ago the Phillies were the team selling off established players in exchange for prospects.

The 2008 World Series champions were built on a homegrown foundation. Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and World Series MVP Cole Hamels all came up through the Phillies farm system. That championship team also consisted of a couple guys the management took a chance on with Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth, and was supplemented by a couple of trade acquisitions in pitchers Joe Blanton and Jamie Moyer.

The team’s final piece of the puzzle came in closer Brad Lidge, who was traded from the Houston Astros in exchange for a couple of system products highlighted by center fielder Michael Bourn.

Just three years later the Phillies are led by a number of free-agent signings and traded players. Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee both cost the Phillies a number of prospects over the past two years, and Roy Oswalt sent another couple of prospects and J.A. Happ out of town. This latest move to bring in Pence required giving up top pitching prospect Cosart and top hitting prospect Singleton.

In the move to acquire Halladay the Phillies had to give up former top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek and one of the top offensive prospects in Michael Taylor. When all was said and done, the Phillies got to hold on to Domonic Brown, who was sent down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for Pence.

It is no secret to anyone who follows baseball that the Phillies are playing like a champion on and off the field. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr., since taking over the job, has made it clear that he will make the moves needed to give the Phillies the best chance to win possible. He has done his job, but it will ultimately be up to the players to follow through.

The Phillies were thought to be the World Series favorite last season with a starting rotation with Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels. Now with Lee in the rotation as well, the Phillies have put together the best record in the majors, and Amaro knows that adding Pence to the roster fills the biggest hole in the team. He certainly is not standing pat, which is what Hall of Fame general manager and Amaro’s predecessor Pat Gillick was often known for doing.

Former general manager and current Houston Astros GM Ed Wade set the foundation for the Phillies by retooling the minor league system. Wade’s roster decisions at the big league level were often criticized but the work he did in stocking the revamping the farm system should not go unrecognized.

Wade was in charge when the Phillies drafted a number of the players that would become a key part of the 2008 World Series championship team and he is the one who hired current manager Charlie Manuel.

It was Gillick’s job to get the team over the hump and in to the playoffs. Trading fan favorite Jim Thome was a tough but necessary decision as it brought in Aaron Rowand, who is often said to be responsible for changing the attitude in the clubhouse, and allowed Howard to emerge as an everyday first baseman. Gillick initiated the move to acquire Lidge, although Amaro was said to be the one pushing the negotiations.

Now Amaro has taken the next steps needed to put a tormenting past behind the Phillies. 

Not even 10 years ago I walked up to Veterans Stadium minutes before a doubleheader against the Florida Marlins. As my friend and I walked up to the ticket sales booth to buy some tickets for the day, a fan offered us his tickets. For free. As we reached for our money to offer him the face value, he started running off so he could do whatever else he had planned for that day. He didn’t want to waste his time at a doubleheader.

Today fans would pay high prices for any game in Citizens Bank Park. If that doesn’t tell you how far this organization has come, what does?

Let’s enjoy the ride.

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