Philadelphia Phillies: Brad Lidge Is Back and Bye-Bye Danys Baez

Tonight, Philadelphia Phillies closer Brad Lidge rejoins the roster after being sidelined for the whole season with a strained rotator cuff and some elbow issues.

For the Phillies, this is a good day, not only because the closer that won the 2008 World Series for them is back, but what’s even better is that the Phillies’ struggling middle reliever Danys Baez has been designated for assignment, meaning he has been cut from the team.

Lidge, who felt something go wrong in his throwing shoulder after making just six appearances in spring training this year (none of which were overly impressive), has been pretty good during his rehab assignment.

In eight games (consisting of, surprisingly, two starts) Lidge posted a 0-0 record with a 3.52 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, 10 strikeouts and allowed batters to hit .267 off him in 7.2 innings pitched.

Has Lidge been fantastic in his rehab assignment? No. But he’s way better than Danys Baez.

If you don’t understand how bad Baez has been, let me explain: during his year-and-a-half as a member of the Phillies, Baez went 5-8 with a 5.81 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP and fanned just 46 batters in 83.2 innings pitched. That sucks. A lot.

While Phillies fans will probably be somewhat excited to see Lidge return to the Phillies, more will almost definitely be thrilled to see the departure of Baez.

With that, I say welcome back Brad Lidge, we missed you, and Danys Baez, we won’t. 

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Philadelphia Phillies: Play John Mayberry, Jr. or Trade for Carlos Beltran?

Philadelphia Phillies bench player and outfielder John Mayberry, Jr. has been on a tear recently.

In the month of July, Mayberry is hitting .256 with two home runs, 12 RBI and has an OPS of .857, consisting of a slugging percentage of .564. He’s also leading the team in extra base hits this month with eight.

Not bad for a reserve player, don’t ya think?

Considering Mayberry’s been pretty good recently, it’s questionable as to what the Phillies will do at the trade deadline this year. Both GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and manager Charlie Manuel have their opinions about what kind of player they want to pursue; however, Manuel has said that he wants both a hitter and a reliever. In the article linked in the previous sentence, Manuel says this in regards to his want for a bat:

“I’m talking about a good one,” he said. “If we’re going to get somebody, I want somebody good that will help us. I don’t want someone we’ve already got. We could use a good hitter.”

Now, it’s funny to see and hear what Charlie Manuel says in these kinds of interviews, but he almost always makes a valid point, regardless of whether his sentence structure makes sense (I like to think Charlie Manuel speaks in phrases, not sentences).

Nonetheless, Manuel is suggesting that the Phillies need a hitter from an outside source. This would imply that Charlie doesn’t believe that John Mayberry, Jr. is the solution to his team’s hitting woes. The Phillies, in Charlie’s opinion, need a bat, most likely a right-handed bat who plays in the outfield.

On a team that’s got a slash line of .249/.322/.381 (batting average, OBP and SLG respectively; OPS would be .703) against left-handed pitching, Mayberry sure isn’t the answer. Against southpaws this season, he’s hitting just .214 with two home runs, six RBI, and has an OPS of .672 in 25 games against them.

If the Phillies plan on making a difference in the second half of the year, Mayberry might not be the guy they’re looking for.

So, what are their options? Outfielders like Jeff Francoeur, Melky Cabrera, Ryan Ludwick and Josh Willingham have at least made their way into the conversations of what right-handed bat the Phillies should target this season.

But in my opinion, there’s one guy who stands out above them all: Carlos Beltran.

Beltran is having a huge comeback year. After playing 81 games or less each of the last two seasons due to injury, the Mets‘ switch-hitting right fielder has already played 92 games this year, in which he’s hit .293 with 15 home runs, 61 RBI, and has an OPS of .917.

For any player, those are awesome stats, and given that he’s in his contract year, he’s surely making a name for himself again. And those stats would be great for the Phillies: as of today, his average would be place second on the team, as would his home run and RBI counts, and his OPS would lead current Phillies’ totals by over .100. 

However, there are some downsides with Beltran. For starters, he hits just .232 against lefties this season compared to .317 against righties. Although he is a switch hitter, that .232 average might not help the Phillies’ terrible offense against southpaws.

There’s also the fact that he’s got his injury history. Having played 81 and 64 games in 2009 and 2010 respectively, there’s a chance that Beltran could re-injure himself in the second half of the season.

And last but not least, there’s also the problem that Carlos Beltran makes $18.5 million this season. Although the Mets have said that they’ll cover most, if not all of the salary, they want some top-notch prospects in return to build their team for the future.

While the Phillies have some good prospects, acquiring a half-season rental who likely won’t re-sign with the team after the season for a top prospect like Domonic Brown, Jonathan Singleton, or Jarred Cosart might not be the smartest move, especially since the Mets are in the same division as the Phillies and such a move could haunt the Phillies in the future as well.

Lastly, Beltran has a clause in his contract that he can’t be offered arbitration after the season, so in a usual instance where a team losing a player would get draft pick compensation for the next year, there would be no such case should the Phillies get Beltran, which would mean that the Phillies really don’t get anything in return for Beltran aside from his numbers, which aren’t anything to laugh at, but such a trade would only weaken the team’s farm system.

Ruben Amaro, Jr. is going to have a lot to think about over the next nine days. He’ll have to figure out whether to prioritize the bullpen or the offense and he’ll have to choose the player he believes will give the team the boost it needs to win its second World Series in the last four years. Knowing Ruben, he’ll get some sort of deal done, but the question is at what price.

Does Ruben intend on sticking with Mayberry or trading for a proven veteran like Beltran?

If I were Ruben, I’d pull the trigger on Beltran instantly, so as long as the deal was right. But what do you think is the best move for the Phillies to make regarding the offensive situation? Trade for talent or continue to try what’s given them the best record in baseball so far? Please share your thoughts below. 

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MLB Trade Rumors: Phillies Are Front-Runners for Padres Relievers’ Services

Earlier today, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that the Philadelphia Phillies are currently the front-runners to acquire any of the San Diego Heath Bell, Mike Adams or Chad Qualls.

The Phillies, who have been looking for another bullpen arm or two due to injuries (Brad Lidge, Jose Contreras and Ryan Madson, who came off the DL earlier today) and struggling relievers (Danys Baez, David Herndon) will most likely do whatever they can to acquire either one of these arms to bolster their bullpen and make a World Series push.

This season, Bell is 2-3 with a 2.43 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP and has recorded 26 saves. He’d most likely close should he go to Philly, although he said that he would set up if asked if traded to a team this season. Bell, who makes $7.5 million in his final season before becoming a free agent, could cost a little more than the Phillies can afford, unless the Padres engulf some of his salary, which would probably mean they would receive a top prospect in return.

Adams, who has gone 3-1 this year with a 1.29 ERA and a 0.71 WHIP, has been the Padres’ best reliever this season. However, due to the fact that he’s still under team control through next season and comes at the low price of $2.535 million this season, he could demand a better prospect than Bell.

Qualls would be a decent fit in Philly as well. This season, he’s 4-3 with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. He probably wouldn’t demand as much in return prospect-wise due to the fact that his stats aren’t as good as those of Bell and Adams, and he only costs $1.5 million this season with a cheap $1.05 million buyout on his $6 million club option next season.

Regardless of how this ends up, it looks like the Phillies will make a strong push to get one of San Diego’s bullpen arms, and that will be sure to give the Philllies more of an edge to win the NL East and potentially even the World Series. One of these guys, along with Ryan Madson, Antonio Bastardo and Michael Stutes would practically be unhittable.

Also check out:

Phillies Trade Rumors: 5 Relievers They’re Looking at to Shore Up the Bullpen

Philadelphia Phillies: 10 Moves They Could Make as Buyers or Sellers This July 

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Phillies Trade Rumors: 5 Relievers They’re Looking at to Shore Up the Bullpen

The Phillies have been absolutely fantastic this season, and if having the best record in the majors at 57-34 doesn’t show how good they’ve been this season, let’s look at what has: their starting pitching.

While the Phillies’ offensive numbers have been lower than expected at the start of the season, the pitching rotation has been nothing but exceptional. Their 2.93 team-ERA is the best in the majors, as is their BB/9 rate (1.82), their starters’ combined WAR (15.4), and their FIP (2.87). Their K/9 rate and IP are also good for third in the majors (7.75 and 598.1, respectively).

Their relievers’ stats, on the other hand, aren’t so good.

In fact, the Phillies have the NL’s worst bullpen K/9 rate at 7.38. While that’s among their worst stats, none of the others previously mentioned are even close to matching up to their counterpart starters’: the Phils’ team bullpen ERA is sixth in the NL at 3.24, their bullpen FIP is 12th in the NL at 3.88, their bullpen WAR is 11th in the NL at 1.1, and their BB/9 rate is 14th in the NL at 4.06.

Based upon these stats, it’s evident that the Phillies need some bullpen help. And while they have some deep bullpen talent in the minor leagues (Justin De Fratus and Phillippe Aumont, for example), many of those guys won’t be able to help until the end of the season, if they’re even available this season at all.

This means only one thing: the Phillies must look for outside help for their bullpen.

And that means they must trade for a relieving arm or two.

Let’s face it: between injury-prone closers (Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge, and Jose Contreras) and guys who just can’t seem to get the job done (Danys Baez, David Herndon), there are a quite few holes to fill in the Phillies’ bullpen.

While a few guys have been bright sparks in a dim bullpen (Madson, Antonio Bastardo, Michael Stutes, and Juan Perez as of late) this season, a contending team like the Phillies will need to add some bullpen arms if they plan on remaining in first place in the NL East, what with the Braves’ great rotation and their fantastic bullpen.

While it might be difficult for the Phillies to add a ‘pen arm to their relief corps this year due to the Phils’ close proximity to the luxury tax threshold, we’ve seen in the past that Ruben Amaro, Jr. isn’t afraid to make a move, and he’ll get it done in most any way possible. 

Here are five guys whom the Phillies could go after should he acquire another bullpen arm for the Phillies. 

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Philadelphia Phillies: 10 Moves They Could Make as Buyers or Sellers This July

Now that the All-Star Break has ended, there is one big thing left to watch for in baseball in July: trades.

Since Ruben Amaro, Jr. has taken over as Phillies general manager following the team’s World Series championship in 2008, he has been the backbone behind many of the team’s big splashes near the July 31 trade deadline.

In 2009, he traded minor league prospects Lou Marson, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, and Jason Knapp to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for pitcher Cliff Lee and outfielder Ben Francisco.

Last season, though he himself did not do this deal (Phillies president Dave Montgomery dealt with Houston alone), the Phillies acquired ace Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros for pitcher J.A. Happ and two prospects, outfielder Anthony Gose and shortstop Jonathan Villar (Gose was then traded by the Astros to the Toronto Blue Jays for first baseman Brett Wallace).

Regardless of who has been behind these big deals that have boosted the team’s depth, namely in starting pitching, the Phillies have been a team to reckon with at the trade deadline in July. They have learned how to get a deal done and how to do it right.

Although the Phillies do not need to acquire another starting pitcher this year, there is always the possibility that they could trade for someone big or small. The Phillies could make a splash by acquiring someone the likes of Jose Reyes of the Mets, or a less notable reliever to strengthen the bullpen.

Here in July, anything is possible for this Phillies team, although Amaro has said that he doesn’t expect to make any big deals this year. Though earlier in the season he hinted that he plans on making a big trade this year, so either way such discussions are arising…

However, there are also a few players who the Phillies could attempt to sell at the trade deadline.

Joe Blanton, the Phillies’ fifth pitcher and their only “non-ace,” could be a very nice option for other teams looking for pitchers. Since Blanton would be a second or third starter on most other teams, his abilities could come in handy to a team looking for a starting pitcher, especially since the upcoming free-agent market is slim in starting pitching depth, with little behind current Texas Rangers lefty C.J. Wilson.

The problem with Blanton is his salary. According to Cot’s, he is expected to make at least $17 million through this season and the next (more than that if Blanton meets incentives).

But, of course, there’s that small problem that he’s had a couple of stints on the DL this year, and now that he’s out at least through the end of the month, he could lose some trade value if any was left at all.  

Another option is 39 year-old left-fielder Raul Ibanez.

Ibanez could provide some power to a club that needs another outfielder or even a DH. Although he has emerged out of his hitting slump, he is getting older and may be reaching the point where he can’t play every day anymore. The other problem is that, like Blanton, he’s due a good amount of money this season—$11.5 million to be exact—and what’s more is that he has no-trade protection.

If either Blanton, Ibanez, or someone else along those lines were to be dealt, the Phillies might have to eat a good chunk of their remaining salaries in order to get some deals done.

I should mention that this isn’t your average, Joe-Schmoe trade deadline slideshow that names targets the team will acquire or players the team will deal. It’s very different.

This slideshow is an in-depth analysis of 10 possible trades: five in which the Phillies will be acquiring a key player (and/or minor league prospects), and five in which the Phillies will be dealing a key player (and/or minor league prospects).

This slideshow will present not only the players involved, but if any minor league players and/or cash is involved, player names will be specific and cash will be included. 

And when I say in-depth, I mean in-depth. These are extremely long slides, and there are 10 deals that are explored, so if you plan on reading all of this, I warn you: it will take a long time.

Here’s how each slide is going to work: it will talk about the key player mentioned in the deal, followed by their appeal to either team involved. Minor league players will also be described in-depth, but they will be described more as how they can/will benefit its receiving organization in the coming years.  

Some names may be tossed around more than once, though I’ll try to keep things to minimal repetition. In addition, some of these possible trades may seem impossible, but as we’ve seen from Ruben the past two years, anything can happen. And one last thing: not all of the following trades are realistic, but they are just deals that could happen, albeit by a long shot.

So, without any further ado…

*Statistics courtesy of any of the following: Yahoo! Sports: MLB, ESPN.com, MLB.com, MiLB.com, FanGraphs.com and Baseball-Reference.com. Salaries courtesy of Cot’s Baseball Contracts.

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Philadelphia Phillies Bullpen Suffers Another Blow: Jose Contreras Hits the DL

Thirty-nine-year-old starter-turned-reliever Jose Contreras of the Philadlephia Phillies has hit the disabled list earlier today. According to NBC’s HardBallTalk.com, Contreras is headed to the DL due to a right forearm strain.

This isn’t the Cuban right-hander’s first stint on the DL, either. He spent time on the DL earlier this year (April 25 to May 26 to be exact) with a right flexor pronator strain. Prior to that stint, he was the Phillies closer, but Ryan Madson took his place and has been fantastic since then.

Since the Phillies have only one lefty in the bullpen at the moment in Antonio Bastardo, they have decided to call up 32-year-old left-handed reliever Juan Perez from AAA Lehigh Valley.

Perez, who has not made any big league appearances since 2007 when he was a member of the Pirates, was 0-3 with a 2.58 ERA in 28 appearances with the IronPigs. He also had four saves, and fortunately, he has struck out 41 batters in 30.2 innings. Even better is that he’s only allowed left-handed batters to hit .184 against him.

The only problem is that Perez, as a big leaguer, is 0-1 with a 5.17 ERA in 24 appearances. Especially since he was with the Pirates (who, at the time, weren’t so good a team), this doesn’t show much promise.

Since this is Contreras’ second DL stint in three months, does this signify a downward spiral for him? He’s still signed through next year with the team, so this could prove to be a problem, especially since he’s not too young either.

Here’s hoping that Perez can do the job in Contreras’ place. 

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MLB Trades: Michael Cuddyer on the Trading Block, but Should Phillies Jump In?

Earlier today, Minnesota Twins utilityman and long-time member Michael Cuddyer stated in an interview that he would be willing to waive his limited no-trade clause to go to another team, so as long as it “helps the organization (referring to the Twins).”

Cuddyer has been on the Twins his whole career, having been drafted by them with the ninth overall pick in the 1997 MLB draft. His professional career has spanned 10 seasons (seven in which he played over 100 games, including this one if all goes well). In that time, Cuddyer has posted a .271 average, hit 131 home runs and hit 537 RBI. His OPS is a decent .793.

While Mauer is now the face of the Twins, one cannot deny that Cuddyer comes in at a close second. He’s been with the team for 10 years, and he’s been very faithful and has loved his time there.

What shows this more is that he’s willing to take one for the team. He said in the interview (and I quote): “I care so much about this organization…I do…I care so deeply about this team, that if it helps the organization…” meaning that he’ll take a trade if it benefits the Twins. That says a lot about the guy, and I highly respect him for his loyalty to the Twins, especially in a time where they’re struggling within the division (although they’re climbing back now).

According to the MLBTradeRumors.com link (the first one), the Twins would understandably have to eat a significant portion of his $10.5 million salary this season in order to appeal him to other clubs. Cuddyer, thanks to his current contract, has a limited no-trade clause, and when I say limited, I mean limited. His clause counts for three teams that, if a deal arises with them, he must approve. Cuddyer said he can’t even remember all three of them, although he believes that the Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays are two of those three teams.

This means that Cuddyer can be traded to all other 26 teams in the majors.

Well, as I always say, why don’t the Phillies jump into the mix?

Cuddyer is 32 years old and is in the final year of his contract. While he would love to remain a member of the Twins, he’s willing to go to another team.

As I’ve also previously stated, the Twins would have to eat a significant portion of Cuddyer’s contract in order for most teams to take him.

If the Phillies traded someone…oh, I don’t know, Joe Blanton…to Minnesota, such monetary issues would not apply.

Here’s how it goes down: Blanton is due $17 million through 2012. However, this season, the Twins have the fifth-worst team ERA at 4.22. They’re also dead last in strikeouts with 383 and in innings pitched with 592.1 and are tied for fourth-worst batting average allowed, that standing at .263. Lastly, their K/9 and K/BB ratios are both second-to-last in the majors, those standing at 5.82 and 1.82, respectively.

In short, the Twins’ pitching staff is terrible.

And with constant trade rumors of Francisco Liriano being dealt at the deadline this year, the Twins might need another starting pitcher or two.

In this case, Joe Blanton might be their guy.

A Blanton-for-Cuddyer deal would ease up the Phillies’ salary issues and not only allow for a free-agent signing, but also for more room to extend lefty ace Cole Hamels.

But that’s not even the best part: the Phillies, who have been hunting for a right-handed bat this year, would get a great return. Cuddyer’s batting .282 this year with 10 home runs and 27 RBI. Even better is that he’s versatile: he’s played all infield positions except shortstop and both corner outfield positions this season alone. Imagine how he could impact the Phillies.

Another great stat is that Cuddyer has batted .291 against lefties this year. That could appeal to the Phillies as well, who, as a whole, have struggled to hit against southpaws.

The only problem with Blanton in such a scenario is that he’s currently on the DL and most likely won’t be back until July, which might be too long a wait for the Twins. But hey, who knows, Ruben is always able to at least bring such a deal into discussion.

While this is just trade speculation, I think a Blanton and prospect for Cuddyer deal could be one that neither side would regret in the long run.

What do you think?

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Philadelphia Phillies: Is There Any Point in Keeping Their Minor League “Aces”?

As we all know, the Philadelphia Phillies have one of, if not the best, pitching rotations in MLB history on paper. With the exception of Roy Oswalt due to his leave of absence and eventual DL stint, the Phillies’ staff of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Oswalt, Cole Hamels, and their fifth starter (who this year has been either Joe Blanton, Kyle Kendrick, or Vance Worley) has, for the most part, been fantastic.

According to ESPN, this season, the Phils have the second-lowest ERA in the majors at 3.09, just four points behind the Atlanta Braves, whose team ERA stands at 3.05. They lead the majors in fewest walks allowed, with 179, and in strikeouts, with 555. They also lead in quality starts, with 46, and complete games, with six. Lastly, they are in the top five in innings pitched (634.0) and the top six in opponents’ batting average (.245).

In brief, the Phillies’ pitching staff has been absolutely dominant this year.

Some of the Phillies’ pitchers are also locked up for the long-term. According to Cot’s, Halladay is owed $60 million through the 2013 season ($20 million a year).

Halladay also has a vesting option for an additional $20 million in 2014. His option vests if he pitches for either 225 innings in 2013 or for 415 innings from 2012-2013, and Halladay cannot be on the disabled list at the end of the 2013 season. If he is able to meet all said requirements, Halladay will pocket an extra $20 million.

In addition, recently re-signed free-agent Cliff Lee is due more money than Halladay. Although Lee is only making $11 million this season, his salary jumps to $21.5 million in 2012, then to $25 million from 2013 to 2015.

Lee also has a vesting option in 2016, worth a staggering $27.5 million. It vests if Lee pitches 200 innings in 2015 or 400 innings from 2014 to 2015. Additionally, Lee must not be on the disabled list at the end of the 2015 season, specifically with an injury to his left elbow or shoulder. Even if Lee doesn’t meet the requirements, he is still paid a $12.5 million buyout.

Meanwhile, fifth starter Joe Blanton is also owed $17 million through 2012, and in the state of the Phillies’ current rotation and the amount of money he is due, Blanton isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Roy Oswalt, who was acquired at the trade deadline from the Astros last year for J.A. Happ, Jonathan Villar and Anthony Gose, has a mutual option for next year worth $16 million. If either he or the Phillies declines the option, he receives a $2 million buyout.

And last, but certainly not least, there’s Cole Hamels. As a Super Two player, he will receive an added fourth year of arbitration eligibility this coming offseason. Seeing as how Hamels has been dominant this year, he could come at a high price unless the Phillies lock him up long term before then. Even so, he won’t be cheap.

Well, after describing all those contracts, you’re probably wondering why they’re even relevant to the title of this article. I’ll bet you also looked at the title again after reading the last sentence, though I’m not going to bet my life savings on it.

I’ll tell you why it’s relevant: the Phillies have four fantastic starting pitchers (who have been dubbed in the past as the team’s “baby aces”) in their minor league system at the moment.

The baby aces are: Jarred Cosart (currently ranked as the 43rd-best overall prospect and as the team’s third-best prospect,) Brody Colvin (currently Phillies’ fourth-best prospect,) Jesse Biddle (Phillies’ 2010 first-round draft pick and team’s sixth-best prospect) and Trevor May (currently team’s seventh-best prospect).

What does this mean?

It means the Phils have a huge crop of starting pitchers in their farm system, and, more importantly, the Phils might not have a lot of room in their rotation for all four of these pitchers.

Here’s the Phillies’ outlook for the future: They have Halladay and Lee locked up at least past 2013, Blanton through 2012, and unless the Phillies unexpectedly don’t have Cole Hamels in a few years, he’ll be here, too.

With at least the top two spots in the rotation occupied for at least two more seasons, the Phillies won’t have a need for four starting pitchers. While it’s unfortunate, as they all rank in the Phillies’ top ten and are all projected to make the majors by 2013 (with the exception of Biddle, whose ETA is a year later), the Phillies most likely won’t need all of them.

All are currently at Single A-Advanced Clearwater Threshers, except for Biddle, who is at Single-A Lakewood BlueClaws.

This season, in 11 games started, Cosart is 6-3 with a 2.83 ERA and 56 strikeouts. Opponents are batting .216 against him. Not bad.

After pitching in eight games this season (seven started), Colvin is 0-2 with a 4.70 ERA and 31 strikeouts. Opponents are batting .259 against him. He was on the 7-Day DL from April 11 to May 13, which accounts for the lack of starts. 

This year, May has started 13 games and is 4-4 with a 3.55 ERA and 88 strikeouts. Other teams are batting .220 against May this year. That’s pretty good, too.

Lastly, Biddle is 3-6 this season in 13 starts with a 4.03 ERA and 60 strikeouts, with the opposition batting .232 against him. That’s decent, given this is his first full year.

Of these four pitchers, Cosart is clearly the most dominant. May seems to be second in line, and he has been striking out many batters as well. Biddle is okay, but he needs more time to develop.

Colvin, having been on the DL with a back injury for roughly a month, is a little more difficult to judge. After all, injuries can always persist later, and if his back continues to be a problem throughout the season, Colvin could face a serious fallback. 

With all this minor league starting pitcher stock, the Phillies most likely won’t need all four. When a baseball team (in this case the Phillies) doesn’t need or want players anymore, they do one of two things: they either cut them, or they trade them for other prospects or current talent.

Well, one thing’s for sure: The Phillies won’t be dropping any Top 10 prospects any time soon. By process of elimination, that leaves one option available—trades.

Phillies general manager Rubén Amaro, Jr. has recently stated that he plans on making no high-profile trades at the deadline this year, if any moves at all.

Knowing him, however, this could easily change when July rolls around.

It looks like Amaro is getting ready for the deadline early this year, as he’s designated lefty reliever J.C. Romero for assignment to make room for Vance Worley.

Worley is expected to start Saturday night against the Mariners in Seattle. Protocol in such a case means that Amaro must trade him within the next 10 days. If he fails to do so, Romero is released into free agency.

Back to the main point. Since the Phillies have this plethora of starting pitching in the minors, they might as well take advantage of it on the trade market. Teams such as the Mets, Cubs, and Blue Jays all need starting pitching help. However, there is one team most Phillies fans would like to see Amaro work with.

You guessed it. The Houston Astros.

The Astros are currently lacking in pitching depth. Since the Phils acquired Oswalt last year at the trade deadline, the Astros have been in dire need of a quality pitcher. While Brett Myers was fantastic for the team last year and even garnered a few Cy Young votes, he has been underwhelming this season, and having him as the “ace” of a staff is…well, pathetic.

Myers this year is 2-6 with a 5.03 ERA and 63 strikeouts. He’s walked 29 batters and has a WHIP of 1.40. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound like an ace to me.

Wandy Rodriguez, the Astros’ No. 2 in their rotation, has not been awful this year. He’s posted a 4-3 record with a 3.13 ERA and 58 strikeouts. He did miss some starts, however, so the fact that he’s also walked 20 and has a WHIP of 1.31, means in general, he has not been great.

While I could also talk about Bud Norris, Jordan Lyles, and J.A. Happ, I won’t go into specifics since the Astros’ specific pitchers aren’t the main point of this article.

However, I will say this: The Astros have one of the worst staffs this year.

Their team ERA is second to worst at 4.65, they’ve walked the sixth-most batters (239), they have the fourth-fewest quality starts this season with 33, and they’re dead last in opposing batting average, having allowed a .269 average to opponents. Surprisingly enough, they are ranked ninth in strikeouts, with 498 this season.

While I’d love to see the Phillies go after Hunter Pence, I know it’s out of our reach, especially since they are trying to avoid the $178 million luxury tax. However, the Phillies have previously dealt with Ed Wade, as he was the team’s GM in the past, and…well, he still loves the Phillies.

The Astros need pitching and we need a right-handed bat. If only he’d take Blanton off our hands, we’d be set. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen.

New owner Jim Crane most likely won’t allow Wade to trade the face of the franchise. For all we know, Crane could fire Wade after the season.

In conclusion, the Phillies need a solid right-handed bat, regardless of who they choose. It would be unlike Amaro not to make any sort of deal this year, but if he sticks to his word (which I don’t see happening), there won’t be any trade.

However, with all this minor league pitching depth the team has, why not explore a deal to give one of these guys a chance to make it to the big leagues?

With the rotation currently blocking off any chance for an upcoming starter, this would be the right move for both the Phillies and any one of these minor league pitchers, especially Cosart (who I’d like to see stay), Colvin or May.

If the Phillies want to see their minor leaguers reach their potential, they have to get them to the majors. For these starting pitchers, a trade seems like the only possible way they can do that.

What do you think? Should the Phillies explore a trade with another team involving one of these pitchers? Please share your opinions in the comments below. 

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Roy Oswalt Leaves Phillies for Personal Reasons

Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. announced earlier today that starting pitcher Roy Oswalt would be taking a leave of absence from the team for personal reasons. Although Oswalt’s reasons were originally unknown, Amaro released to the public that this is due to a tornado that struck Mississippi near his hometown of Weir.

According to an article published by ESPN less than an hour ago, before last night’s start against the Arizona Diamondbacks—where he gave up five runs on six hits in just three innings with no strikeouts and picked up the loss—Oswalt received a phone call in the dugout. He was involved in the phone call for quite some time, and even manager Charlie Manuel commented after the game that something “just wasn’t right” about Oswalt.

In the statement released by Amaro, he stated that Oswalt’s timetable for return is “day-to-day” at this point, and that he has taken time off to make sure that the family situation is okay—primarily his wife and kids.

Oswalt’s parents live a mile away from him in Weir. His childhood home was destroyed by a tornado last year around this same time.

The whole house was razed, and almost all was lost—including Oswalt’s high school portrait and his 2005 NLCS MVP award, which he had given to his parents. All that was left was a Bible and his parents’ pet Yorkie, Sweetie, who survived with Oswalt’s mother in a closet. His father was away on a hunting trip at the time.

Ironically, the bulldozer Oswalt asked for and received for winning his starts in the NLCS that year was used to clean up the rubble from that twister.

Hopefully, Oswalt’s family and home is okay. While Phillies fans hope he makes it back in time for his next start, let’s all remember that what’s more important is that everything goes all right for Oswalt. 

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Roy Oswalt Has Back Strain: Have No Fear, Philadelphia Phillies Fans

In Friday night’s series opener against the Florida Marlins, Roy Oswalt pitched four innings of no-hit baseball and looked magnificent. After allowing a solo home run to Logan Morrison to lead off the fifth inning, he still pitched well, allowing only one more run through six innings of work.

However, at the start of the seventh inning, something was wrong.

Roy Oswalt was warming up when he called over trainer Marc Andersen and manager Charlie Manuel to tell them that something was wrong. After some brief discussion, Oswalt was taken out of the game and reliever J.C. Romero was called from the bullpen to take over.

From here, the game went downhill. Romero only pitched to one batter, Logan Morrison, and allowed a single before Danys Baez took over for him, and then the nightmare began.

To start, Baez walked Gaby Sanchez, which sent him to first and Morrison to second. Next, he allowed a single to John Buck, which loaded the bases. Although Daniel Murphy popped up in the next at-bat, a pinch hitter came up to the plate and gave the Marlins the lead.

That pinch hitter was none other than Greg Dobbs, one of the Phillies’ worst clutch hitters in recent memory. After the Phillies chose not to resign him this past offseason, the Marlins swooped in and signed him to a minor league contract.

The same Greg Dobbs, who more often than not failed to deliver when the Phillies needed him most, actually hit a two-run single to score Morrison and Sanchez.

The same Greg Dobbs gave the Marlins a 4-3 lead over the Phillies in the seventh inning.

The same Greg Dobbs won the game for the Marlins after neither team scored following his two-RBI single off Baez, who was given the loss.

There are two points to make here: one, that Greg Dobbs actually bothered to do something good for his team after he left the Phillies; and two, that Oswalt most likely would have won the game had he not left following his injury.

Oswalt’s injury was officially diagnosed as a lower back strain and he is currently day-to-day, but he hopes to make his next start. However, Oswalt himself said that it’s more a middle back injury and that he could have pitched the seventh, though he felt it was best to leave before he messed up the game himself. Ironically, it was his fill-ins who did just that.

In the past, Oswalt has spent time on the DL for lower back strains. In 2006 and 2008, Oswalt spent time on the DL due to hip and back problems, and he missed two starts in 2009 because of a lower back strain, which resulted in him being placed on the DL on September 16 of that year, causing him to miss the rest of the season.

Oswalt also said in the same interview mentioned above that he had suffered back spasms through the fifth and sixth innings and his back tightened up after he bunted a ball and ran to first in the bottom of the sixth, something he hadn’t experienced before.

This calls for an obvious question: should Phillies fans be worried about their “ace of clubs“?

Since he has been on the DL many times due to back issues, could this be an addition to an already-long list of DL stints for Oswalt?

Personally, I don’t think there is much to worry about. Since Oswalt has spent time on the DL for these back issues, I would like to think that he would know the severity of a back issue. Then again, there’s always a chance the issue could be more than meets the eye, especially since, as previously stated, Oswalt has not had back spasms nor a “middle back strain” as he claims.

However, Oswalt does expect to move past this quickly and make his next start Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Although there is a chance that this could be a long-term issue, I believe it is slim and that this is a more precautionary move than anything else. Then again, I could be wrong.

I believe, Phillies fans, that this is minor and will quickly pass. Oswalt will start on Wednesday and that is that.

Phillies fans, do not be alarmed.

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