Philadephia Phillies: 5 Less Outside-the-Box Trade Ideas
October 15, 2012 by Tom Mechin
Filed under Fan News
Earlier this week I wrote an article suggesting some very outside-the-box, crazy trade ideas. Most centered around well-known players with expensive contracts, and I understood that all were unlikely to occur. However, after the backlash I received—more than one person questioned what I was smoking—I’ve decided to attempt again, and this time give five possible trades that are not so outside-the-box.
In a couple of the trades I proposed in my earlier piece I suggested moving Ryan Howard. The only way Howard gets moved, at this point in his career and with his contract, is for another bad contract. That was the idea behind packaging him in a deal for Joe Mauer (his contract is even worse).
Other than taking back an equally bad, or worse, contract, the Phillies are not going to move Ryan Howard. And they probably shouldn’t.
The Phillies’ two best trade pieces, on their major league club, are pitchers Cliff Lee and Vance Worley. While their minor league system has been gutted in recent years in an attempt to continue winning division titles, it is not completely barren.
However, if they were to attempt to deal for a player like Chase Headley or Jacoby Ellsbury, it would probably rob them of what talent they have left in their minor league system.
All that being said, the Phillies do have the pieces necessary to upgrade their team. They may not make a franchise-altering move, but they have a chance to get someone who can help them.
Without anymore babbling, here are a few deals the Phillies could possibly make this winter.