Phillies Should Take a Chance on Sheets

It’s no secret that the Phillies are in need of another reliable starting pitcher, because you can’t count on Cliff Lee being as great as he was down the stretch and carry the entire pitching staff throughout a full season.

We all can hope that Cole Hamels finds a way to focus on baseball rather than the off-the-field issues and prove to everyone that last year was just a hiccup in what will turn out to be a brilliant career.

But how far does hoping get you in sports? It doesn’t get you far, I can tell you that. Being a Philly sports fan,  I’ve hoped for a lot of things and more often than not, I’ve come out disappointed.

Is anyone comfortable going into spring training with a rotation consisting of Lee, Hamels, J.A. Happ , Joe Blanton , and Jamie Moyer or Kyle Kendrick ? I’ll be surprised if someone answered yes to that.

The Phillies will have to add some insurance to the rotation, even though their bullpen remains the top priority in the pitching department and bringing back Pedro Martinez isn’t a solution either.

I’m not calling for the Phils to sell the farm to acquire an elite pitcher like Roy Halladay; they’re not in need of an ace. Nor am I saying go out and sign John Lackey who is the best starter available to buy.

Considering the fact that the Phillies have $106.75 million committed to 12 players next season, they should take somewhat of a risk like they did with Pedro and there are a couple of guys out there whom I’d like to see them take a chance on.

What I am suggesting is the Phightens take a look at Ben Sheets who has been a free agent since last winter after opting for surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon in his elbow in February.

I don’t know the market for Sheets because he didn’t pitch last year and has a poor injury history, but I don’t see the harm in signing the former Milwaukee Brewers ace, at the right price, of course.

Sheets, 31, built a reputation of being one of the league’s premier pitchers strictly based on his stuff and his stuff alone. He’s like another free agent, Rich Harden , who has dominant stuff, but finds his way to the D.L. every year.

The Baton Rouge, Louisiana native has a career record of 86-83 with a 3.72 ERA, and made four All-Star teams in his tenure with the Brewers, who have been pretty bad except for the couple of the years Sheets spent there.

His best season was the 2004 campaign, when he posted a 12-14 record with a 2.70 ERA, five complete games, and 264 strikeouts to just 32 walks in 237 innings.

Sheets threw at least 200 innings in three of his first four years in the league, but then ran into arm and ear troubles, which forced him to hit the disabled list five times from ’05 to ’07.

In 2008, Sheets had a 3.09 ERA with a 13-9 record in 198.1 innings while striking out 158 batters and tossing five complete games, three of which were shutouts.

He lasted pretty much the entire season for Milwaukee, however, he did find himself getting hurt in late-September forcing him to pitch just 4.1 innings in his final two starts.

According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com, Ben Sheets’ agent, Casey Close, believes that there will be a decent market for his right-handed client. Close said that he already had a “number of teams inquiring” about Sheets.

It’s highly unlikely that the Phillies are one of those teams, but I think they should take a chance on Sheets and at least explore the option of signing him. Adding a healthy Sheets would strengthen the rotation easily.

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Lost in the Mix: Phillies Should Get Atkins

While the big fish in the pool all seem like good fits for the Phillies vacant third base hole, the answer may be someone who could be had in a trade or become available via free agency in a couple of days.

And with all the Phillies faithful calling for the team to sign Adrian Beltre , Mark DeRosa or Chone Figgins to man the hot corner for the Phils in 2010 and beyond, I’m thinking they should go a different route.

The Colorado Rockies are exploring the market for third baseman Garrett Atkins , and if they fail to find a new home for him in the trade market, they’ll simply release him, and hand the gig to Ian Stewart .

Atkins had a miserable year last season after being one of the Rockies key run producers the previous three seasons. In 126 games last season, Atkins hit a lousy .226 with eight home runs and 48 RBI.

In 2008, however, he hit hit 21 homers with 99 RBI while batting a respectable .286, and 56 extra-base hits compared to just 22 hits last year.

The 29-year-old finished 14th in the N.L. MVP voting in 2006 when he hit .326 with 29 dingers and 120 RBI while having 78 extra-base knocks, and a .409 on-base percentage.

Atkins opens my eyes because he has a history of driving in runs for what has been one of the better lineups in the National League the past few years in Colorado, and he could be had for cheap.

Someone with his past history of producing runs in what used to be a hitter’s friendly ballpark, and hitting for average while doing so, is quite intriguing.

On a plus-side with Atkins, he’ll likely cost you under four million bucks because after a dreadful 2009 year, no one will give him close to what he made with the Rox last year, which was a little over seven million.

According to Patrick Summers of the Denver Post , one general manager said: “I know some guys who think he could be a bargain pickup, but other guys think he’s lost his swing.”

Summers also says that the same GM has concerns that his 2009 slump “was not an aberration.”

With Charlie Manuel and Milt Thompson being hitting geniuses, I think Atkins could benefit from having them as his coaches. They would show him what not to do, and help him get out of the funk.

Baseball is all about having fun, and when players are in a bad way like Atkins was last year, having fun is the No. 1 way to get out of it. That’s one thing this Phillies team knows, they know how to have fun.

Another positive for Atkins to the Phillies is that it would reunite him with his college teammate, roommate, and one of his best friends, Chase Utley .

Utley is a great leader, and he leads by example. He’s the first one to the park each day, and players want to be like him. His hard work could help Atkins adopt the same work ethic, and get himself out of his slump.

The Phillies are in need of another right-handed power bat to add to their lineup, and Atkins would be just that. It’s a riskier decision than signing Figgins, DeRosa or Beltre, but it could pay huge dividends.

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A Glance of What’s Going On with the Philadelphia Phillies

David Murphy reports in today’s Philadelphia Daily News that Chase Utley has won his fourth straight Silver Slugger award. Utley led all N.L. second baseman in runs scored, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, home runs, and extra-base hits.

Tom’s Take: Utley is the best second baseman in the league, and it’s not even close. At the end of the day, when it’s all over, Utley could very well go down as the league’s best second baseman in history, but he’ll be considered right on up there with Ryne Sandberg and Jeff Kent.

 

Jim Salisbury says that there are three third baseman that the Phillies are targeting : Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa and Placido Polanco. He also claims that Chone Figgins and Miguel Tejada also interest the Phils, but to a lesser-extent.

Tom’s Take: I like Beltre the most out of the available third baseman because he has some pop from the right hand side of the dish, and is the youngest of the group at 30-years-old. I think he would do great in this lineup while playing at a hitter’s friendly Citizens Bank Park.

 

Philadelphia Daily News Bill Colin believes that the National League should switch to the designated hitter, and it’s time to for both leagues to get on the same page. He says that it would restore the competitive balance that has been lacking from the MLB since 1973 when the American League went to the DH.

Tom’s Take: Personally, I hate the DH, and if it were up to me, the A.L. would eliminate it from their game. There’s no strategy with the designated hitter, and that’s why I love watching baseball.

I like seeing the chess match that N.L. managers play throughout a game. When to pinch hit, when not to. When to pinch run, when not to. Should I bunt or let the hitter swing away. These are all things that N.L. skippers have to make while the A.L. guys don’t.

 

Todd Zolecki reports that Scott Eyre filed for free agency yesterday after successful surgery on Monday. Eyre is considering retirement, and said that he would only pitch for the Phillies. Eyre had a 1.50 ERA in 42 appearances last season.

Tom’s Take: Eyre was great for the Phillies last year, and quite frankly, I did not know how good he was until I checked his stats in Zo’s article. I took a double-take at it, and went to ESPN to check it. I couldn’t believe. Hey, if he’s healthy, and wants to pitch, I think he should be back. He was the team’s lefty this year since J.C. Romero was injured, and suspended.

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Philadelphia Phillies Pursuing Chone Figgins and Mark DeRosa

Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated is reporting that the Phillies are “intent on pursuing Chone Figgins hard,” and that they have already reached out to fellow free agent third baseman Mark DeRosa.

Philadelphia is seeking a replacement at third base after declining Pedro Feliz’s $5.5 million option this past weekend, and Heyman claims that they feel that Figgins presents the biggest upgrade to the Phightens.

Figgins is the cream of the crop at the hot corner on the open market, and will more-than-likely find himself landing a pretty big paycheck whether it’ll be re-signing with Los Angeles or somewhere else.

The 31-year-old hits for a high average, gets on-base by all means and steals a ton of bases batting mostly leadoff for the Angels in his seven-year career. Last year, he had a career high .395 on-base percentage.

Figgins batted .298 with five dingers and 54 RBI in 158 games for the Halos last year while stealing 49 bases, and walking 101 times. If he was in the Phils’ lineup, he’d lead the team in walks, average and runs.

Over the past three seasons, the 5’8″, 180-pound Figgins has swiped 117 bags while hitting .301 with a .386 OBS. Last season, he set a career high in walks; no other season has Figgins walked more than 65 times.

Should the Phillies sign Figgins, they see a chance to improve the lineup while shaking it up. Heyman quotes an AL executive: “like the idea of putting Figgins at the top of their lineup with Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino.”

Let’s say that he does sign with the Phils, what will Charlie Manuel do with the lineup as Rollins and Victorino have been excellent 1-2 hitters. Should Figgins step in as the leadoff hitter is the next question.

With Rollins and Victorino atop the order, the Phillies have been in the top three in the National League in runs scored. They have been the most important batters in the lineup, and it would change if Figgins’ is added.

Some feel that Rollins is better suited lower in the order, and signing Figgins would allow the Phillies to do it without losing any kind of a spark at the top of the lineup.

Rollins has some power, and hits his fair share of home runs so batting him in the fifth-hole makes a lot of sense because it’ll give him a chance to drive in runs. And at the same time, it doesn’t make sense.

When Rollins scores a run, the Phillies usually win. He’s the heart-and-soul of the lineup even though Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are the team’s best run producers; If Jimmy isn’t going, the Phils aren’t.

Having him bat lower in the lineup would give him less at-bats, but it will also give him a better pitch selection due to batting behind the “Big Piece.” In this scenario, there’s a ton of point-counterpoints.

Here’s a comparison of Figgins and Rollins stats from a season ago:

Figgins:
Average: .298
Home Runs: 5
RBI: 54
R: 114
SB: 42
OBP: .395

Rollins:
Average: .250
Home Runs: 21
RBI: 77
R: 100
SB: 31
OBP: .296

Ruben Amaro Jr. said that there’s a few guys out there that could be upgrades, and DeRosa is one of them. According to Heyman, the Phils are one of eight teams to have reached DeRosa’s agent already.

DeRosa, 34, has enamored the Phillies for a couple of years now. Last winter, they tried to acquire him from the Chicago Cubs in a three-way trade with San Diego, and prior to that, they tried to sign him.

The former University of Pennsylvania quarterback hit 23 homers with 78 RBI while splitting last season with Cleveland and St. Louis. In seven of his 10 years in the MLB, he has made the playoffs.

Adrian Beltre is another candidate to be the new third baseman for the Phightens next season, and Philly has been linked to him in the past. Some think he would be a perfect fit in Citizens Bank Park.

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Philadelphia Phillies: Ryan Madson Deserves a Fair Shot To Win Closer’s Role

I feared throughout the regular season that Brad Lidge would blow the Phillies’ chances at becoming the first team to repeat since the 2000 Yankees.

My fears came to fruition in Game Four of the World Series against the Bronx Bombers. Lidge surrendered three runs as the Phils went onto lose 7-4 a half an inning after they tied the game at four. That game was crucial.

If the Phillies win that game, the series is tied at 2-2. Anything can happen. Instead, New York took a commanding 3-1 lead and went on to win in six games.

While a lot of things went wrong against the Yankees and even that inning, Lidge played his role in losing the Fall Classic.

Lidge will have surgery on his elbows, and might be ready for Spring Training; however, who says he should be automatically handed the closer’s role? I’m not.

Any closer who blows 11 saves in 33 opportunities, has a 0-8 record and a 7.21 ERA doesn’t deserve any kind of security. Charlie Manuel is a loyal man, but sometimes loyalty ultimately costs you championships.

Enter Ryan Madson.

Madson has been one of the better set-up guys in baseball the past two years, and has developed a 97 mph fastball to go along with one of the better changeups in the league among relievers.

Madson could be a very capable ninth inning hurler because he certainly has the stuff to handle the job, and I believe that he has the mental makeup to do so too if he knows he is the closer

The 29-year-old righty had 26 holds, 10 saves, 78 strikeouts and a 3.26 ERA in 77-1/3 innings. He was 10-for-16 in save situations. He was 1-3 in save situations with a 3.48 ERA, and 14 strikeouts in 10-1/3 innings. .

The Phillies played musical roles with him a few years ago, yanking him from the bullpen into the rotation and back. He was shaky at best as a reliever and a starter when he didn’t know what he was.

Then, in 2008, Madson knew that he was going to be the eighth inning guy; that he was going to be the guy that gets to Lidge. We called him the “Bridge to Lidge,” but that was when Mr. Perfect was on his A game.

If you think that Madson doesn’t want to be a closer someday, you’re crazy. Every reliever wants to be the guy that his club turns to when the game is on the line.

For me, I don’t think Lidge deserves anything for 2010. He pitched terrible, and blew a lot of games and a big one in the postseason. Madson deserves, and should get a chance to become the Phils’ closer.

What’s the harm having an open competition? It can’t possibly hurt, can it?

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Phillies Decline Pedro Feliz’s Option: Who Should Play Third?

The Phillies have declined their $5.5 million option on third baseman Pedro Feliz, which means that the 34-year-old will become a free agent and likely won’t return to the Phils in 2010.

Feliz quietly hit 12 home runs and drove in 82 runs last year batting in the seven-hole of the Phils’ potent lineup. He was the team’s best hitter with runners in scoring position, hitting for a .336 average.

In two seasons in Philadelphia, Feliz slugged 26 homers and knocked in 140 runs.

I always thought of him as a steady player who would be good for a few homers, but would make his biggest impact playing the field, which he he did. Feliz’s glove work is among some of the best in the league.

He was by far the best third baseman that the Phils have had since Scott Rolen.

By not picking up his option, it shows that Ruben Amaro Jr. finds that there are a few options available on either the trade or free agent market who could provide either more or the same production at a cheaper price.

Here’s a look at who’s out there and where they played last season:

Chone Figgins, Los Angeles Angels — Figgins hit .298 last season with five homers and 52 RBI, but he’s a true lead-off hitter. The 32-year-old has hit .301 and has a .386 on-base percentage over the past three seasons while stealing 117 bases.

Adrian Beltre, Seattle Mariners — Beltre had seven homers and drove in 44 runs in 111 games last year with Seattle. His average was Feliz-like, and he has a good glove, but he has had a poor injury history. He has a lot of pop in his bat despite only slugging eight dingers for the M’s last year.

Mark DeRosa, Cleveland Indians/St. Louis Cardinals — DeRosa has been on the Phillies wish list for a long time. They tried to sign him when he was a free agent, but he decided to go to the Cubs. DeRosa hit .250 with the Cards and Tribe last year while smacking 23 balls out of the park and bringing in 78 runs.

Placido Polanco, Detroit Tigers — Remember me? Polanco came over to the Phils in the Rolen trade with St. Louis, but was later traded to the Motor City because of Chase Utley’s emergence. Polanco hit .285 with 10 homers and 72 RBI last year. He hasn’t played third since 2005.

Dan Uggla, Florida Marlins — Acquiring Uggla would have to come by means of a trade. He plays second base, which some may see as a problem with Utley occupying that space.

But some think Uggla could benefit by moving to the hot corner. The 29-year-old hit 31 homers and drove in 90 runs, but doesn’t hit for a great average as he hit only .243 with the Fish.

Other candidates: Melvin Mora (Baltimore) , Troy Glaus (St. Louis) , Garrett Atkins (Colorado)

The question to you, who should be the Phillies third baseman in the 2010 season?

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A Glance at What’s Going On With The Phils

Rich Hofman has an article in today’s Philadelphia Daily News saying that the Phillies should acquire Roy Halladay . Hofman also points out the obvious that the Yankees won the World Series because they had the better pitching, which is nothing but the truth. He also says that retooling the bullpen, and adding to the bench are other priorities.

Tom’s Take: I can’t say that I disagree because the Phils could use another reliable starter since Cole Hamels is a wild card, and you can’t count on J.A. Happ to repeat his rookie season. Could you imagine a rotation of Cliff Lee, Halladay, Hamels, Joe Blanton, and Happ?

Jim Salisbury broke the news that Brett Myers will not return to the Phillies in the 2010 season . Myers was told by general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. that they will not renegotiate a contract with the 29-year-old right-hander. Myers said he’ll be open to starting or relieving for his new team.

Tom’s Take: Brett Myers is best suited to be a closer. He has the stuff to do so, and did it well in 2007. He has the stuff to be a decent starter, but he’s not an ace or even a No. 2 that people have made him out to be. He can be at times, but he’s too inconsistent to be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher. A team looking for a closer may be where Myers ends up.

The Phillies exercised the option on Cliff Lee , which will pay the southpaw $9 million this upcoming season. Lee posted a 4-0 record with a 1.56 ERA in 40 1/3 innings in the playoffs for the Phils.  His contract expires after this upcoming season, and the Phillies will want to offer him an extension. Also, the Phils have until Monday to decide whether to pickup Pedro Feliz’s option.

Tom’ Take: Sweet relief even though everyone knew it was going to happen. Lee is the best pitcher on the Phillies roster, and his deal ends following this upcoming season. Look for the Phils to talk extension with him this offseason or during next year because he’s a guy who they pretty much have to sign. I don’t expect to see Feliz back because of the $5.5 million he’ll be on the books for next year.

David Brown of Yahoo Sports suggested yesterday that the Phillies sign Mark DeRosa and John Lackey . In his scenario that DeRosa would replace Feliz at third base, and Lackey will add some postseason experience and stability to a rotation that needs it.

Tom’s Take: Phillies will need another starting pitcher, and Lackey is a work-horse when he’s healthy. Putting Lackey with Lee and Hamels would give the Phillies a solid three-man rotation. Of course, that is counting on Hamels to right the ship. DeRosa is a good guy to have since he’s versatile and is a decent hitter. As Brown points out, six of his 10 seasons in the MLB, he has made the playoffs. Chone Figgins, Garrett Atkins, and Adrian Beltre are other options.

 

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Philadelphia Phillies Acquire Cy Young Winner Cliff Lee

Philadelphia fans wanted Roy Halladay. I wanted Roy Halladay. Some have said they don’t care what it took to get him. It had to be done. It became an obsession. It became so big that if it didn’t happen, Ruben Amaro Jr. would have a good deal of explaining to do.

It didn’t happen. Instead the Phils obtained the services of another Cy Young winner in Cliff Lee and a not-too-shabby right-handed hitting outfielder in Ben Francisco from Cleveland for Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, and Lou Marson.

The reaction by the fans is somewhat unexpected—they approved.

At first glance, I had mixed emotions about the deal. To get a pitcher of Lee’s caliber is out of this world, but in the same token, not getting Halladay stung. It took a little bit for the storm to settle, and for the positives to outweigh the negatives.

Like many other Phillies fans, I was a little sour that they didn’t get the guy we deemed to be the guy. Knowing the Phils passed up the best pitcher in baseball when they had the prospects to get a deal done angered me just a tad bit.

My feeling was that Amaro dropped the ball by not getting Doc Halladay. Then I let everything calm down, and really started to think about it. Philadelphia dropped the ball on Halladay, but picked it right back up by adding Lee.

The soon-to-be 31-year-old is quietly having another solid season for the Indians after winning the AL Cy Young last season with a 22-3 record and a 2.54 ERA.

Lee has a losing record for Cleveland but that has much to do with his lack of run support. With the Indians, Lee received on average 5.03 runs per game—which ranks ninth worst among pitchers with at least 100 innings pitched.

In 22 games with the Tribe this year, Lee is 7-9 while posting a 3.14 ERA. He leads all of baseball with 152 innings pitched so he’s the work horse they’ve been seeking for some time now.

Lee has 107 strikeouts to just 33 walks. Even more impressive, he hasn’t walked a batter in 27 2/3 innings dating back to July 10th against the Detroit Tigers.

In his last four starts, Lee is 3-1, with a 1.97 ERA, while striking out 22 batters in 32 innings. After a rough first two starts of the season, Lee has a 2.66 ERA in 20 of his 22 starts.

Philadelphia has a abundance of quality starting pitchers on their roster, even more so with Lee. The Phils now have Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer, J.A. Happ, Rodrigo Lopez, Pedro Martinez, and now, Lee.

Not only did Amaro get Lee for relatively cheap, he managed to fill another need at the same time. Francisco, 27, is exactly what the Phils have been looking for since Amaro took over as GM: a right-handed bat.

Francisco is hitting .250 with 10 homers and 33 RBI for the Indians as an everyday outfielder. Coming over to the Phils, he’ll be the fourth outfielder, but in the same token, he’ll be a very valuable piece.

Think about the job Amaro has done in this deal. He managed to get a Cy Young winner without giving up one of his top three prospects: Dominic Brown, Kyle Drabek, or Michael Taylor. And he didn’t have to trade Happ either.

To acquire Halladay from the Blue Jays, it would have required Drabek and one of the other three prospects mentioned above, along with one or two more prospects. There are a good amount of people that would be upset with that type of package, but the majority would be ecstatic.

This past weekend, we learned that the Blue Jays wanted Brown, Drabek, and Happ. To me, that’s a fair offer. The Phils didn’t want to trade Drabek; that’s evident with the Lee acquisition. But to me, what has he proved? Nothing, exactly.

For all we know, Drabek could be another Carlton Loewer, Tyler Green, Gavin Floyd, Pat Combs or Adam Eaton. The list goes on for the Phillies with producing pitching prospects.

I understand why people didn’t want to trade Drabek, but what gets me is the sudden love-fest with Happ. While he’s having a great season, he’s a mid-rotation pitcher. He certainly isn’t a deal breaker.

But at the end fo the day, to acquire Lee without giving up those prospects was the best course of action, and for that, I have to give props to Amaro for surviving the pressure to get Halladay by acquiring the next best thing in Cliff Lee.

Who says they still can’t get Halladay, they still have the assets to get Doc. Could it happen? Yes. Will it happen? No.

Could you imagine a rotation of Halladay, Hamels, and Lee?

I couldn’t.

Should the Philadelphia Phillies Sell the Farm To Acquire Roy Halladay?

Last year, the Phillies were one of the top suitors for C.C. Sabathia. All the fans were saying that he was the missing piece to the puzzle. Rightfully so, he was the best pitcher available at the time.

Philadelphia didn’t win the sweepstakes, and Sabathia went to Milwaukee. The Phils had to settle for Joe Blanton.

Well, we all know how that turned out.

The Phillies, with Blanton, went on to win the World Series, giving the Brewers the boot in the first round of the playoffs.

Which brings me to the topic at hand this year: Roy Halladay.

The Toronto Blue Jays admitted that they were going to listen to offers for him. That happened on July 7. It has been 15 days since that became public knowledge, and every hour brought a new team into the mix.

But from the get-go, the Phillies were deemed the favorite.

Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated says the Phils and Jays have already talked about prospects Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, and Michael Taylor. But that Kyle Drabek might be the key to the trade.

And yesterday, Heyman reported that the Phils have decided not to trade Drabek in a four-player package for Halladay.

At first glance, it wasn’t good news. It left many fans thinking that maybe it’s not going to happen. But that’s not the case, because for the first time in a very long time, the Phillies have a farm system.

Imagine that.

A few years ago, they couldn’t make any big deals even if they wanted to, thanks to a subpar farm system.

That has changed, and their farm system has depth, unlike before. Instead of having just a few top prospects, the Phils have a lot of talent that other teams want.

The Phillies beat writer for MLB.com Todd Zolecki wrote in his blog yesterday that it doesn’t mean the Phils are out of the Halladay race.

So Drabek is an “untouchable” as of right now. But what about Dominic Brown? Jason Knapp? Or Taylor?

Are any of those three untouchables as well?

If the Phillies want Halladay, which they do, they will have to bite the bullet and endure the pain that it will take to acquire him. That means that Brown or Taylor will have to be in the package, and Knapp may have to be in it as well.

Another topic of talk has been whether J.A. Happ should be in a package for Doc.

Happ has been the Phils’ most consistent pitcher this year; that’s been duly noted. At 7-0 with a 2.68 ERA, Happ is a strong candidate for N.L. Rookie of the Year.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. He’s not an ace or even a No. 2 pitcher as well.

At best, Happ is a No. 3 pitcher.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the guy just as much as everyone else. He has some potential, and couls be a decent pitcher for the Phils over the years if he is not traded.

But at the same time, he’s getting overrated by a lot of the fans.

For instance, Andrew Sexton believes that he should be an “untouchable.”

Actually, Mr. Sexton thinks he has been better than Halladay. While I respect his opinion, I think he’s flat out wrong.

In his piece, Sexton says that Happ has been better than Halladay because of his 2.68 ERA to Doc’s 2.73 ERA, and that Happ is 7-0.

There are several things wrong with that theory.

First off, Happ faces fairly less opposition each time out there while Halladay faces the league’s top offensive talent most of the time. Toronto plays in the very strong A.L. East while the Phils play in the very weak N.L. East.

Halladay faces the Yankees, Rays, and Red Sox a lot over a span of the season. New York ranks first in the league with 512 runs, Tampa ranks third with 498 runs, and Boston ranks sixth with 477 runs scored.

Eleven of the top 15 offensive teams in the Majors are in the American League, which means that the chances of Halladay having to face one of them are great.

Happ faces a much less talented National League, with only four teams of the top 15 in runs scored.

Guess what?  He’s on one of these four.

That means that the chances of him facing one of the better offenses are slim to none because those three other teams aren’t in his division.

For Halladay to have a 2.73 ERA in the American League—more importantly, the A.L. East—is pretty damn impressive. It’s more impressive than Happ having a 2.68 ERA in a very weak National League.

Happ is the only pitcher in the Majors that has at least 80 innings pitched with an undefeated record, winning seven games to none.

But look at the team he plays for, that’s the biggest reason he is 7-0. The Phillies are the defending champions with one of the most prolific offenses in team history.

And look at the Blue Jays, who are a decent team but aren’t a playoff team in the American League.

But why are we really discussing Halladay and Happ on the same level?

Halladay is the best pitcher in baseball, and that’s the consensus around the league. Happ is a nice young pitcher, but is a mid rotation starter and that’s also the feeling around his league.

It’s not a debate.  Happ isn’t on the same level as Halladay.

Should the Phillies gut the farm to acquire Halladay? My answer to that question is:  absolutely.

The Phils don’t need him to win the division—it’s all but won as it is right now. They don’t need him to have a decent chance at repeating as World Champions.

But they do need him.

Philadelphia’s starting pitching ranks 24th in the Majors with a 4.73 ERA, and 12th in the National League. While it has been a lot better of late, it still needs another top of the rotation arm.

Their ace from last year hasn’t been the same pitcher that went 5-0 in the postseason last October. Cole Hamels has had a struggle for a 2009 season, going 5-5 with a 4.72 ERA.

The team needs an ace and, more importantly, someone to complement Hamels.

Happ isn’t the guy; Doc Halladay is.

Sabathia’s trade last year was a rental for Milwaukee; they knew that when they made the trade. However, trading for Halladay isn’t a rental.

Doc is under contract through 2010, when he is due to make $15.25 million after making $14.25 million this year. But money isn’t an issue, as Phillies GM Ruben Amaro, Jr. has pointed out.

Amaro has said they have financial flexibility, and with the track record of the organization, it’s hard to believe they are willing to add another big contract to the team that has a payroll upwards of $130 million.

Halladay has a no-trade clause, but it’s believed that he would waive it to go to the Phillies because he wants to win at this point in his career.

The only roadblock to getting a deal done is whether or not the Phillies want to give up one or two of their top prospects.

I say go for it.

Who knows what Drabek, Knapp, Taylor, or Brown will turn out to be? They could be All-Stars or they could be busts.

Halladay has won a Cy Young award in his career, made the All-Star team many times, and is still the best pitcher in the league at the age of 32.

There are nine days until the MLB trade deadline, and six days until the “Roy Halladay Trade Deadline” that Toronto’s GM J.P. Ricciardi has set.

So…will Halladay be traded to the Phillies, or even at all?

Only time will tell, but the Phils should make the trade without thinking about it.

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!

 

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