Roy Halladay-Phillies: Trade Very Similar to Carlton Deal

The Phillies’ recent trade for Roy Halladay has been the talk of the town.

They acquired baseball’s premier pitcher. The only pitcher who could be better than Halladay right now would be Tim Lincecum.

The Phillies made a risky move trading away their ace pitcher Cliff Lee, but that makes the deal all the more interesting. Will the big risk equal a big reward? Or will it go down in flames?

The deal is very similar to a deal the Phillies made in February 1972. The St. Louis Cardinals were trying to trade away disgruntled left-handed pitcher Steve Carlton and were looking for a good team to trade with.

The Phillies, on the other hand, had fan-favorite Rick Wise, who was coming off his best season yet.

The Cardinals proposed a deal to the Phillies that would send Carlton to the Phillies in exchange for Wise. No other players would be involved, just a swap of aces.

The deal was the best in Phillies history as Carlton was 27-10 with a 1.97 ERA the next year. He would go on to win 241 games as a Phillie and became a Hall of Famer in 1994.

Now, Wise didn’t do so bad himself. He won 32 games for the Cards in the next two seasons and finished with a career record of 188-181.

Both of these deals are very similar. In 1972, Carlton was 27 while Wise was 26. Right now, Halladay is 32, and Lee is 31.

Both deals involved trading an extremely dominant pitcher for a fan favorite.

Both involved a pitcher who wanted to be traded.

Both involved a lefty and a righty (which isn’t a big deal, just coincidental).

Do I expect Halladay to pitch as well as Carlton? No, of course not, but I would be extremely happy if he did. Carlton won four Cy Young Awards as a Phillie. Who wouldn’t love that?

Of course, Lee isn’t going to the Blue Jays. He’s been traded to the Seattle Mariners, who will be formidable with Lee and Felix Hernandez leading their rotation.

But with Halladay and Hamels, the Phillies won’t be too bad themselves.

All I can hope for is that Halladay will be half as good as Carlton, but I’ll be happier if he can do just as good.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Thanks, Cliff Lee: It Was Good While it Lasted

Though it isn’t official yet, the Phillies have reportedly traded for Toronto Blue Jays’ ace Roy Halladay.

The only con is that the Phillies likely have traded away ace Cliff Lee in the process. There is still a chance he may not be included in the deal, though it is unlikely.

The deal will certainly be followed with mixed emotions from Phillies fans, especially considering what Lee did for them last year.

Lee was traded to the Phillies on July 29. He was an immediate success in Philadelphia, winning his first five starts. During that span, he had a 0.68 ERA.

During the regular season, he pitched in 12 games. He had a record of 7-4 with a 3.22 ERA. He struck out 74 batters in 79.2 innings.

He also threw three complete games, including one shutout.

During the postseason, Lee pitched in five games and was absolutely flawless. He was 5-0 with a 1.56 ERA and 2 complete games.

But now, the Cliff Lee era (which last three months), is over. Bring on Roy Halladay!

But thank you Cliff, it was good while it lasted.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Trade Cliff Lee For Roy Halladay? The Baseball Debate

Roy Halladay has been the talk of the town recently in the baseball world. He’s on everybody’s Christmas list, but only one team will get him.

The Phillies are the top contender to get him, but they will have to sacrifice some talent.

The original thought was that for the Phillies would get him they would need to trade left-hander J.A. Happ, outfield prospect Dominic Brown, and another prospect.

The other thought was that it would be a swap of aces, Cole Hamels and another prospect for Halladay.

Either of those deals I would take in heartbeat. It would give the Phillies two aces in Cliff Lee and Halladay.

But news came out recently that there is a third option, and it is one that I never wanted to think about.

Cliff Lee for Roy Halladay.

To most Phillies fans, it sounds absurd. This is the guy who helped lead them to the World Series. The guy who helped turn a struggling rotation around. The guy who dominated down the stretch.

Many people may oppose this, and many will try to find a way around it. But at this point, it may be the only logical option.

I, and every other Phillies fan, would love to have both, but that may not happen.

The question is, who would you rather have? Lee or Halladay?

If you look at the stats, you’d take Halladay. If you look at recent dominance, you’d take Lee.

I, honestly, would take Halladay.

This is because Halladay has been the best pitcher in baseball since he became a full-time starter in 2002. He is an innings eater and will get a lot of wins. Oh, and he’ll have a low ERA.

Both have a Cy Young Award. Halladay has finished in the top five in voting five times.

Halladay has won 20 games twice, while Lee has won 20 games once.

Based on the last two years’ stats, the one with the better stats is Halladay, but not by much. He has more innings, more strikeouts, and an ERA lower by 10 points.

Another thing that doesn’t factor in is security. Both have one year remaining on their contract. That means that no matter what, next year the Phillies will try to retain their ace pitcher.

Either of the two will help Philadelphia. If there was any other way, then I’d go for it.

But, right now, it looks as though Philadelphia won’t have pocket aces.   

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

The 2010 Baseball Hall of Fame Election Predictions

The 2010 Baseball Hall of Fame election is coming up and there is a lot of buzz surrounding this one.

There are a few first year players on the ballot that will surely cause some commotion.

And of course there are players that have been on the ballot forever.

My top picks for election this year are Andre Dawson, Bert Blyleven, Roberto Alomar, Lee Smith, Jack Morris, and Barry Larkin.

My top two out of them are Dawson and Blyleven.

Dawson has been on the ballot for nine years. He received 67 percent of the vote last year and is the most likely to make it this year.

He spent most of his career as an outfielder for the Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs. He batted .279 with 438 home runs, 2774 hits, 1591 RBIs, 314 stolen bases, and 1373 runs scored.

He won the 1977 NL Rookie of the Year Award and the 1987 NL MVP Award. He won eight Gold Gloves and made eight All-Star teams.

Blyleven was a starting pitcher for a number of teams during his career. He was called up to the bigs when he was 19 and had instant success.

During his career, Blyleven had a record of 287-250 with a 3.31 ERA, 4970 innings pitched, 3701 strikeouts, and 60 shutouts.  Last year he won 62 percent of the vote.

Roberto Alomar, who is on the ballot for the first time had a stellar career. He batted .300 with 2724 hits, 210 home runs, 1134 RBIs,474 stolen bases, and 1508 runs scored. He made 12 All-Star teams and won 10 Gold Gloves.

Barry Larkin, who is also on the ballot for the first time, also had a great career as a shortstop. He spent his entire career in Cincinnati.

He had a lifetime average of .295 with 2340 hits, 198 home runs, 960 RBIs, 1329 runs scored, and 379 stolen bases. He was the 1995 NL MVP. He also made 12 All-Star teams and won nine Silver Sluggers.

Lee Smith, who has been on the ballot for eight years, was a closer mostly for the Cubs during his career. He finished his career with a 71-92 record and a 3.03 ERA. He also saved 478 games, which is third all-time.  He also struck out 1251 batters.  He received 44 percent of the vote last year.

Jack Morris was the dominant pitcher for the Detroit Tigers during his career. He had a record of 254-186 and posted an ERA of 3.90. He struck out 2478 batters and threw 3824 innings during his career. He made five All-Star teams.

I say Andre Dawson and Bert Blyleven are in.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Roy Halladay Holds Key for Kyle Kendrick and Jamie Moyer’s Future

Last year, the Phillies had a battle for the fifth starter spot. It was mainly between Chan Ho Park, JA Happ, Kyle Kendrick, and Carlos Carrasco.

Well things have changed.

There is still a battle for the fifth spot in the rotation, but it has different contenders. Chan Ho Park is a free agent, Carrasco is with the Indians, and Happ is in the rotation.

So far the Phils rotation is Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, JA Happ, and Joe Blanton.

That leaves Jamie Moyer and Kyle Kendrick to fight it out for the fifth spot. The Phillies are also considering resigning Pedro Martinez. That would make it a three-way battle.

The most likely option right now is Jamie Moyer, who won 12 games last year. Let’s face it, the guy isn’t that bad. In my opinion, its his job to lose. Kendrick will have to take it from him.

There is only one way that both Kendrick and Moyer will get their way, and no it’s not by going to Burger King.

The answer is Roy Halladay.

If the Phillies trade for him, they will likely give up JA Happ. It would also mean they would likely trade away Joe Blanton to get rid of money.

This would leave two open spots in the rotation, and both Kendrick and Moyer would likely win a spot.

It all comes down to who you’d want to have. JA Happ, Joe Blanton, and Moyer or Halladay, Moyer, and Kendrick?

Halladay is an ace in himself and adding him would give the Phillies two aces, and hopefully Cole Hamels can bounce back. That would give the Phillies the best three-man punch in the league.

Moyer can hold his own, and Kendrick did pretty good last year in triple-A and in his major league games.

If the Phillies can make a deal for Halladay, they should be in good shape

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Jamie Moyer: Future Hall Of Famer? Part Two

To see Part One, click here .

Jamie Moyer, 47, has been in baseball for almost 25 years. Before he was in drafted, he pitched for Souderton High School, which is very close to my house. He then went on to pitch for St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.  

 Moyer was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1984 when he was 21. He dominated in the minors during his first three seasons. He was called up in 1986 and pitched against the Philadelphia Phillies and his childhood idol, Steve Carlton. He collected his first win that day.

He found limited success over the next few years. After being traded to the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals, Moyer found himself back in the minors in 1992.

At this point, with a record of 34-54 and an ERA of 4.56, Moyer was considering retiring. His father-in-law told him to retire, but Moyer remained faithful to baseball.

In 1993, Moyer, found rebirth with the Baltimore Orioles. He had a record of 12-9 and posted a 3.43 ERA. He then spent two more mediocre years with the Orioles before signing with the Boston Red Sox.

Moyer now 33 years old, was a starter and reliever for the Red Sox and did a pretty good job but was traded to the Mariners before the trade deadline. This was a move that he will never regret.

Moyer became a full-time starter and finished the season strong. He then had a record of 59-32 with an ERA of 4.08 over the next four years, including winning 17 games in 1997.

Jamie then had a terrific year in 2001. He was 20-6 with a 3.43 ERA and finished fourth in Cy Young Award voting. He continued his dominance the next year as well.

In 2003, Moyer had his best season. He had a record of 21-7 with a 3.27 ERA and made his only All-Star team. He also finished fourth in Cy Young Award voting.

Over the next few seasons, Moyer began to fall from grace. He had yet another rebirth after being traded to the Phillies in 2006. During his career in Seattle, he had a 145-87 record with a 3.97 ERA and 2093.0 innings pitched.

After helping the Phillies with an unsuccessful playoff push in 2006, Moyer helped them make the playoffs in 2007. He didn’t have the best season, but he managed 14 wins and an ERA of 5.01. He also won the last game of the season for the Phillies, which clinched them the division title.

In 2008, Moyer had his best season since 2003. He was 16-7 with a 3.71 ERA. Yet again, he won the division clinching game for the Phillies that year. He also became tied with Phil Niekro for most wins by a pitcher who is 45 or older.

Moyer then pitched a pivotal game in the World Series for the Phillies, which helped them win their second world championship.

In 2009, Moyer had a drawback. He won 12 games, but lost his starter’s job and injured himself in the last month.

At this point, Moyer is set to pitch in spring training. He is under contract for next year, and has every intention of coming back. Unless his injury sets him back, he will be ready for 2010.

Beyond that, it is unclear for Moyer’s future. He will be 48 when his contract ends and will have to show the Phillies that he can still pitch next year to let them consider resigning him.

After 23 major league seasons, Moyer has a record 258-195, which is surely good enough for the Hall of Fame, considering how many others have made it with a worse record. He also has plenty of innings pitched and plenty of strikeouts.

The only thing that could keep him from the Hall of Fame would be his ERA. You could also make the argument for his lack of awards, yet he has won the Hutch, Lou Gehrig, and Roberto Clemente Award, which the voters will surely look at because they also look for character.

Plus, he’s made an All-Star team, though he should’ve made more in my opinion. He’s had the stats to be on the team many times.

You could say he wasn’t a dominant pitcher during his career, yet that would be false. Dominance isn’t defined by strikeouts. It is defined by a pitcher’s ability to get outs. That’s exactly what Moyer did. He got outs. The only reason he wasn’t as known was because of the other pitchers in the league.

Anyway, back to his ERA.

During his career, Moyer has a 4.22 ERA, which won’t go away soon. If he was elected, yes he would have the highest ERA of all Hall of Fame pitchers. The fact is though, ERA isn’t everything. Sure, it’s important, but the fact is that it doesn’t define a pitcher.

Also, Moyer had only 34 wins by the time he was 30, and he didn’t pitch in the bigs when he was 29. That means that over the last 16 seasons, he won 224 games. That’s not half bad, especially if you believe a pitcher gets worse with age. He’s sixth all-time in wins after the age of 30.

94 of those 224 wins came after he was 40. That’s third all-time, and he’ll be second all-time next year. All he needs is two more wins to pass Jack Quinn.

But the main thing to look at is the stats. Here’s a quick look:

Record: 258-195 ERA: 4.22 IP: 3908.2 K: 2342 GP: 667

That seems like Hall of Fame stats to me. But there is another stat I want to mention. His 491 home runs allowed.

Out of the top ten players with the most home runs allowed, six of them are in the Hall of Fame, and two of them are Randy Johnson and Bert Blyleven, who are both future Hall of Famers.

Coincidence? Maybe…maybe not. No, I’m not suggesting you make the Hall of Fame by giving up a lot of home runs. I’m only saying it’s something to look at.

I also want to add that in the poll conducted in the other article, 62% said Moyer is a future Hall of Famer. (It was out of 98 votes.)

If Jamie Moyer can manage to stick around in baseball until he’s 50, then great. It’ll help add to his Hall of Fame resume.

All I can say is good luck to Jamie Moyer.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Baseball Short Stories: Race To the Plate

This is a short story I wrote in sixth grade. I thought I might as well post it on here for you to read:

 

The stadium was filled with people. The Braves were playing the Mets to decide who would dominate the National League East. In the clubhouse, the room was full of uncertainty.

 

“I’m so nervous!” exclaimed rookie Jeff Barber.

 

“Don’t worry,” the first baseman, Lawrence Slade said. “You’ll do fine.”

 

“I remember my first game,” recalled Garrett Flynn. “I came up with the bases loaded in the sixth. I got a great pitch and crushed it. It went into the gap and I got a triple out of it.”

 

“Okay guys,” the Braves skipper, Pat Moran said. The docile team turned toward Moran.

 

“This is probably the most important game of your lives. All of you have the potential to be someone great. Prove it tonight. Winning this game will bring us closer to achieving our ultimate goal—winning the World Series. So let’s get out there and win us a ball game!”

 

“Yeah!” shouted the team in response. With that, the players ran out onto the field.

The first inning started with Jeff at second base.

 

“Okay,” he said to himself. “You can do this. It’s just like at Reading only here the players are less fickle.”

 

The first pitch was sharply hit to the third baseman, Merle Lovett. He fielded it cleanly, but then had a wild throw to first. The runner stayed where he was at first base. The next batter stepped up.

 

“You cover on a steal!” Jeff shouted to Sung-Hoo Shim, the shortstop.

 

On the next pitch, the runner was off. Jeff ran to backup Shim.

 

Wait, Jeff thought. Shim doesn’t speak English! Jeff started to run towards second. He caught the throw coming in from the catcher and dove for the bag. He put the tag on the runner.

 

“Yer out!” shouted the ump.

 

“Yeah!” shouted Jeff. That was close, he thought. The next batter struck out and the batter after him grounded out to Shim. Jeff grabbed a bat because he was leading off.

 

“Well if it isn’t the rookie,” the catcher said as he stepped up. “Don’t miss, okay?”

 

“Don’t let him tamper with your mind!” shouted Slade from the on-deck circle. “Ignore him!”

 

The first pitch was way outside. The second and third pitches were strikes and the two after that were balls. The count was full and Jeff swung at the last pitch. He missed strike three.

 

“Forget it,” Slade said as he walked back to the dugout. “You’ll get it next time.” No one threatened to score until the fifth inning when the Mets had men at second and third with one out.

 

“Come on!” Jeff shouted at his second base position. “We can get out of this!” The first was hit sharply to him. He fielded it masterfully and gunned it towards home plate. The catcher caught it and put the tag on the runner.

 

“Yer out!” shouted the ump.

 

“Yeah!” Jeff shouted. “What a play!” The next batter grounded out and the inning was over.

 

In the bottom of sixth, Jeff had his third at bat. In his second at bat, he got a double. He crushed the first pitch to deep center. The centerfielder got a great jump on it and made a great shoestring catch near the wall. It was the last out.

 

“Aw!” Jeff whined. As the centerfielder jogged in, he said, “Nice catch.”

 

“Thanks,” the centerfielder replied. Jeff decided to be tactful to everyone while I played because that was the way the game should be played.

 

In the bottom of the ninth, the score was still tied, 0-0. He came up one last time with two outs and no one on. He was incredibly nervous.

 

“Okay, I can do this,” Jeff said over and over. He stepped up to the plate. The first pitch was a ball and the next, a strike. The third was in the dirt and the fourth wasn’t much better. The count was 3-1 and the fifth pitch looked good so he swung. He crushed it into the gap and took off for first.

 

As Jeff rounded first, he saw that the ball was still in the outfield. He put on the afterburners and slid head first into third. He was safe.

 

“Oh yeah!” Jeff shouted. One run and the Braves would win! He looked at the pitcher’s delivery and found the error that he was looking for. On the second pitch, he took off for home. The pitcher was so shocked that he threw the ball too high. Instead off sliding, Jeff barreled into the catcher. The ball rolled out of the backstop’s glove.

 

“SAFE!” shouted the ump.

 

The other Braves charged out to meet Jeff at the plate. He helped win a substantial victory for the team by stealing home! The Braves were going to the playoffs!   

 

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins: Future Hall of Fame Candidates

The Philadelphia Phillies have been fantastic over the last two years, repeating as National League Champs and winning the World Series in 2008.

The main reason why they have done so well isn’t because of their pitching. It’s because of their three core players in Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard.

All four of them have been key parts of the Phillies success since they joined the team.

The first to join the team was Jimmy Rollins in 2000.

He won the starting job in 2001, and had a terrific rookie year, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting, leading the league in stolen bases, and making the All-Star team. He also was an All-Star the next season.

His greatest successes came from 2004-2007, when he had at least 190 hits and scored at least 100 runs each season. He made the All-Star team in 2005 and won the 2007 NL MVP Award.

In 2007, Rollins became the fourth player to have at least 20 home runs, doubles, triples, and stolen bases in one season.

His past two seasons haven’t been as stellar, but he will surely bounce back soon.

The next to join the team was Chase Utley in 2003.

He became a full-time starter in 2005 and has been the best second baseman in baseball ever since. He has been the starting second baseman for the NL All-Star team the past four years and will surely be elected many more times unless another player steps up.

Utley is a five-tool player who has had many seasons that could rival as his best. The most likely is 2006, in which he had 203 hits, 32 home runs, 102 RBIs, and 131 runs scored. He also consistently leads the league in hit by pitches and has won a Silver Slugger every season since 2006.

Finally, there is Ryan Howard. He has been the most productive hitter in baseball since he was called back up to the majors in 2005. He already has a Rookie of the Year and an MVP Award under his belt and could very well make a case for more MVPs in the future.

Howard has led the league in home runs twice and RBIs three times. He also is the fastest player to reach 100, 150, and 200 home runs in MLB history.

Now, there is no doubt that by the time all three of these players’ careers are over they will have a long list of achievements and awards. They all will make strong cases for the Hall of Fame after they are done playing.

There are many reasons to support this. For one thing, they aren’t old.

Rollins and Utley will be 31 when the season starts, and Howard will be 30. They already have great stats and will add during the next few years.

Another reason is the number of awards they have and will have. All three already have notable awards and achievements. They will surely get many more before their careers are over.

Also, one of the things the Hall of Fame looks for is whether they were the dominant player at their position. Chase Utley is by far the top second baseman, and Rollins used to be but has fallen from grace of late. Ryan Howard is also up there with Albert Pujols for the top first baseman.

 

Finally, all three have the great stats. Here they are:

Name	Games	BA	H	HR	RBI	R	SB
Ryan Howard	732	.279	750	222	640	465	10
Jimmy Rollins	1406	.274	1629	146	621	945	326
Chase Utley	891	.295	978	161	585	602	83

 

These are already good stats, considering all their playing time. All three will surely make strong cases for the Hall of Fame after their careers are over.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Baseball’s Best: All-Decade Team

Now that the first decade of the 21st century is coming to an end, it’s a good time to look back at the great players of the decade.

Many players have graced the diamond this decade, but only 14 will make the cut for the all-decade team.

*Designated Hitter isn’t actually the position DH. It’s just an extra hitter.

Catcher: Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins

Decade Stats: .327 BA, 844 H, 72 HR, 397 RBI, 34 SB

Mauer has been absolutely since his call-up in 2004. From then to his 2009 AL MVP Award, he has been baseball’s best catcher. He’s led the league in hitting three times. He had a power surge last season, hitting 28 home runs. The best part? He’s only 26.

 

First Base : Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals

Decade Stats: .334 BA, 1717 H, 366 HR, 1112 RBI, 61 SB

Pujols has been by far the most productive player this decade. He has the highest batting average of all active players and has been a home run and RBI machine. He has one three NL MVP Awards and could rival Barry Bonds for the most all-time if he continues on this pace.

 

Second Base : Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies

Decade Stats: .295 BA, 978 H, 161 HR, 585 RBI, 83 SB

Chase Utley has been one of the best players in baseball during this decade. He is the perfect player: Good fielder, hits for power, hits for average, can run, and has a good arm. He is the five-tool player that every team wants. He really hasn’t been as good as he could be, but if he can get even better than the Phillies have a lot to look forward to.

 

Third Base: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees

Decade Stats: .304 BA, 1740 H, 435 HR, 1243 RBI, 179 SB

I know, I know. He took steroids. Well at this point I really don’t care about steroids. I want them out of the game, and sure whoever took it is a cheater, but the fact is they took it. Move on.

Anyway, A-Rod has been a team’s dream third baseman. I know he started out the decade at shortstop, but that’s not stopping him from making the team. He led the league in home runs five times and topped 50 three times. He also led the league in RBIs twice and topped 100 every year.

 

Shortstop: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

Decade Stats: .317 BA, 1940 H, 161 HR, 727 RBI, 219 SB

Who wouldn’t pick him? Jeter has been the Yankees best player for the past 15 years, and he is making a case for being the best all-time (it all depends on what you like more, contact or power).

He has been an all-around great player and has been mentioned in many MVP selections. He could’ve been sold short a few times.

 

Outfield 1: Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners

Decade Stats: .333 BA, 2030 H, 84 HR, 515 RBI, 341 SB

Ichiro has been the catalyst of the decade. He has topped 200 hits and has batted over .300 every season. He led the league in hits six times and batting average twice. He is also terrific with the glove, winning a Gold Glove every year.

He also isn’t afraid of awards and accolades. He won the AL MVP and Rookie of the Year Award in 2001 and made the All-Star team every year. In 2007, he also won the All-Star Game MVP Award. He also holds the record for most hits in a single with 262 in 2004.

 

Outfield 2 : Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants

Decade Stats: .322 BA, 925 H, 317 HR, 697 RBI, 54 SB

Definitely not the best player due to his steroid use, but he still deserves to make the team. He won four consecutive MVP awards from 2001-2004. He set the record for most home runs in a single season with 73 in 2001. He also set the all-time home run record in 2007. That was his final season in major league baseball.

 

Outfield 3: Vladimir Guerrero, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Decade Stats: .323 BA, 1751 H, 315 HR, 1037 RBI, 147 SB

Vlad has been fantastic since the beginning of the decade. He won the AL MVP Award in 2004 and has been a perfect combination of average and power. 2009 was his first full season without a batting average over .300, without 25 home runs, and without at least 75 RBI.

 

Right-Handed Pitcher: Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays

Decade Stats: 139-60, 3.40 ERA, 1883.1 IP, 1400 K

Roy Halladay has been the arguably the best pitcher in baseball since the start of the decade. He has won one Cy Young Award, and was in the Top Five in voting four times. He led the league in IP three times. He also topped 20 wins twice.

If he can keep on this pace, he will likely be a Hall of Famer.

 

Left-Handed Pitcher: Johan Santana, New York Mets

Decade Stats: 122-60, 3.12 ERA, 1709.2 IP, 1733 K

Santana is the only other pitcher who can rival Roy Halladay for the top pitcher of the decade award. He won two Cy Young Awards with the Minnesota Twins before being shipped to the Mets. He led the league in strikeouts three times and topped 200 k’s five times.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Philles Mid-Offseason Review

The Philadelphia Phillies have been getting it done so far this off-season. They’ve accomplished one of their main goals so far and have made a lot of small pickups along the way.

So far, the Phillies have done a great job, though they can do better.

They replaced defensive master Pedro Feliz with Placido Polanco, who is just as good with the glove. Polanco, who played with the Phillies from 2002-2005, is a great contact hitter and has a .303 career average. He isn’t much for power, but will definitely be an improvement at third base.

They also signed Brian Schneider to be the backup catcher, which eliminates the possibility of Paul Bako returning, though he will likely get a spring training invite.

The Phillies two smaller acquisitions include signing Juan Castro and Dewanye Wise.

I’m not a fan of the Castro signing because it’s barely an improvement. What the Phillies need is a right-handed Greg Dobbs to bat against lefties late in the game.

I am a fan of the Wise signing just because of what the guy did last year. He made a terrific catch to preserve Mark Buerhle’s perfect game. He may not contribute too much to the major league club since he was signed to a minor league deal, but who isn’t a little excited about him?

Also, there has been much speculation about Roy Halladay. Folks, the only way the Phillies are trading for Halladay is if they either get rid of either Joe Blanton or Cole Hamels.

I didn’t throw Hamels under the bus because of last year, and I’m positive he’ll bounce back next season. As for Big Joe, never really a fan. Only time he really contributed last year was in July when he had a string of great games.

Finally, there has been talk of a contract extension with Cliff Lee. That would be a very wise move by the Phillies. I was a fan of him before his Cy Young season, and he is definitely someone you want to secure as quickly as possible.

Hopefully the Phillies will be able to make a move for another good starting pitcher before the spring. But if not, the Phillies will still be in great shape to repeat as National League Champs and will definitely make a shot at winning the World Series

 

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

Next Page »