Sources tell the Philadelphia Inquirer that the Phillies have agreed to send Lou Marson, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald and Jason Knapp to the Indians in exchange for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco.
Cliff Lee could be the missing puzzle piece for a 2009 World Series title (unless Lidge keeps pitching like this. But let's not dwell on that and just enjoy it for now). He is 7-9 this season, but he sports a 3.14 ERA and is coming off an AL Cy Young season.
The Phillies were going hard after Roy Halladay for a while, but Toronto wanted Kyle Drabek, JA Happ and Dominic Brown. So the Phils acquired an extraordinarily good pitcher without giving up any of those guys or the hard-hitting Michael Taylor.
We never know what prospects will turn out to be, but as of right now, you have to love this trade. This is a team built to win right now. And this starting rotation of Hamels, Lee, Blanton, Happ and….ehh…Moyer (they can't all be studs) is awfully formidable when you consider how nasty the lineup is.
The Marlins, Braves and Mets have their collective heads in their hands right now. That seven-game division lead is probably going to get worse before it gets better.
