The trade winds are blowing in and its with rumors of the Phillies looking to acquire closers such as the Padres’ Heath Bell, and the Royals’ Joakim Soria.
The question is…WHY!?!
The Phillies as a team have only blown three saves all season. When Ryan Madson returns the Phillies will have Michael Stutes for the 7th, Antonio Bastardo for the 8th, and Madson for the 9th, that is a solid back end of the bullpen. Combined the trio is 9-2 with 20 saves.
The Phillies top three starters (Halladay, Lee, Hamels) combined have thrown at least 7 innings in 44 of their 57 starts. A Phillies pitcher that goes 7 innings leaves the Phillies three solid pitchers for the final two innings. The Phillies have the top save percentage in Major League Baseball and are one of the top teams in baseball when leading after 7 innings. So why waste prospects on a closer?
Pitching is not the Phillies problem, hitting is, pitching was not the reason the Phillies lost to the Giants last season in the playoffs hitting was, yet it looks like the Phillies are continuing to neglect hitting and beef up pitching.
Fan shouldn’t expect the Padres to give away Heath Bell for a rally towel and some baseballs. Bell is an all-star; the Padres are going to want a prospect that can be a key piece in the future.
Sure the time is now for the Phillies and half the prospects never pan out, but that doesn’t mean trade prospects for a luxury in the bullpen. If the Phillies are going to use the farm system they need to trade for the obvious need on the team. A RIGHT HANDED BAT!
Why you say! Because Lidge & Contreras are cooked, Herndon, Baez, & Carpenter suck monkey nads, Madson, although good this year, is unproven as a closer in the long run, Stutes is an unproven kid, with less than a half of a season of pro ball, & Bastardo has less than a year, of ups & downs with a hand full of health issues. Charlie is going to have to depend on the bullpen, because he has over worked the starters the first half of the season. Does that answer your question. They actually need a closer & another quality arm, for the front of the bullpen.
BTW, Jerry do a little research, Soria has had the Phillies on his no trade list for two years now. Bell is a little more realistic, but where the hell do people on here think the Phillies are going to get the money & players for these trades. They need an outfielder too. Unless the owners are willing to pay a high luxury tax, it ain’t happening!
I don’t want to see the Phils make a move for the sake of making a move. None of the OFs that that have been mentioned are an upgrade except Cuddyer. There is little chance that they could get Pence who could really make a difference.
DDCar, why do you think Soria suddenly put the Phillies and all the other teams allegedly looking for closers on his No trade list? Could it be that the Phillies inquired about him?
Bugsy, you don’t think Francour, Pence, Kemp, Quenton, or Ludwick are better than Brown & Mayberry? Are you nuts? That’s names being mentioned. I don’t want Willingham or Cuddyer, because they are just veteran platoon players now.
The Phils need at least 1 more proven arm and possibly 2..
Remember that Stutes and Bastardo are very young and inexperienced and though they have pitched very well this season, How will their arms hold up over a 160 Game Season which is an unknown. Madson is also coming off an injury so how is his velocity and movement on the ball going to be affected and the remainder of the Bullpen is suspect at best.. Contreras return will be a nie help but at his age and injuries, who knowswaht he has left in that right arm and I also believe that Lidge will most likley not PItch at all this season and appears that the Phils Brass are not counting on him to make a big contribution.. Having Stutes,Bastardo and Madson is not enough to compete in all the close games/extra inning games the Phils will likely play down the Stretch..
DD, the Phillies and my Yankees have been seeking Soria since this past off-season (Ken Rosenthal)–ya gotta do your research before you use your Philadelphian sarcasim..God I love reading Phillies fans post! So quick to comment! Dont matta we’ll pick up Soria to set up number 42, despite his No trade to NY, he just wants us to offer him a ton of $$$ which we will GLADLY do
Great points Jerry. In order to close out a game you gotta be on top of the score board and with this team you can beat teams like the Marlins and the Mets with great pitching but in games like the Brewers, Braves (with their aces) Yankees, Red Sox you gotta score. Why fix something thats not broken. Like me saying Dom Brown is hitting .320 with 15 homeruns but he is inexperienced and needs to be replaced?????? makes no sense.
they do NOT need a closer. definitely a right handed bat. I’m sick of francisco.
Yankees, no s#!t, didn’t I already state that fact, you nitwit. Take your YankMe loven a$$, off our Philly web site, & go jump off the Verazano Bridge, you front running swamp a$$. F^@k #42 & all your so called $$$. Your meal ticket is dead & buried. His A$$ Clown kids don’t have a clue. BTW, eat s#!t & croak. Have a nice day.. 🙂
News just broke on WIP, that Polanco has been officially been put on the DL. Played out like I said over the weekend. All the old heads are breaking down. Between the injuries to Utley & Polanco & the outfield debacle, I bet you Amaro is regretful now, for not getting Young like we all wanted. F^@K YOU AMARO!!!
Madson was activated from the DL, also. That should help alot, if he is healthy & regains form quickly.
Paulman reported in Feb/March that this Philly everyday line-up was aging and that the injuries would continue to mount throughout the Season and it has reared it’s ugly head.. Polanco’s Elbow has not been right for almost 2 years now, it’s to the point where he can’t squeeze the bat and swing thru the ball like he normally does, instead, he’s been relagated to slapping at the ball and his batting average has dropped .50 pts the last 6-7 weeks.. He has 1 more season under contract for about $6 Million next season and will be untradeable (similar to Ibanez’s situation this year) and yes Polanco will be 36 years of age next Season with a lot of wear and tear on his body..
Paul, I agree with you, but please stop referring to yourself, in the 3rd person!! You sound like an egotistical tool. Or is it the other guy in your head again?
😀
Again Paulman you’re out of control. DD you’re absolutely right. Paulman the 3rd person reference is over the top. If you’re going to give yourself a pat on the back for Polanco, then acknowledge your incorrect “mock drafts”, bogus trade rumors that never happen and your ridiculous prediction about how bad the Phillies were going to be at this point. Yeah the same Phillies with the best record in baseball. That is the same Paulman right??
DD, let’s be real here. I think that Braun, Holliday and Cargo are upgradestoo, but that is about as likely as the Phils getting Kemp or Quenton. And I think that Pence is a huge longshot, because Houston would be stupid to trade him. He is tearing it up this year, he is what 25 and he has 2 years left on his deal. What could Houston possibly want for him? I would bet way more than the Phils are willing to give. Ludwick is not enough of an upgrade and he is a butcher in the field.
Need a possible backup for Polanco, too…Pedro Feliz is playing in Camden…How about picking up his contract as an insurance policy and assigning him to the the Iron Pigs?…Wouldn’t cost much, not much at all…And the guy did play on a World Series winner, correct?
I wish I could reach into my computer screen, drag paulman’s ass out of Boone, NC, and give him a good ol philly ass whoop, just tired of his ridic predics, third person refs, when phils lose “i told you so”, when phils win its weak praise, and dd, paul’s disciple of doom and gloom, why don’t you find yourself a good bridge, you will feel better after you jump and scream one final fu to amaro
Jake, I’m no one’s disciple. I don’t follow. I just speak what is on my mind. If you don’t agree, that’s your right. I’m always consistent what I say & I give credit where it is due, & rip accordingly. I don’t flip flop or jump on & off bandwagons like alot of people. Like I said before, just because they are in 1st, doesn’t mean I have to sit & blindly wave pom poms, like some of the stepfords on here, & ignore all the facts. I’m brutally honest, & if anyone on here doesn’t like it, too bad, I don’t give a s#!t. What do you think because people disagree with me, call me names, sling insults, & tell me to jump off a bridge, that it’s going to hurt me, & i’m going say boo hoo & off myself? Think again my brother! All I know in the end, I’m a 4 for 4 guy & I love my Philly teams, & will route until the end. I don’t just waste my hard earned $$$ on partial season tickets for the Phils & Flyboys for nothing. So i’m negative at times, big deal, get over it, the truth hurts, doesn’t it. Bring it on. Can’t wait.
I never said the Phils were not a very good team,
I stated that I thought the Braves were a better team from Top to Bottom and after a 6-7 month Season, will win out over the Phils, though I do believe the Phils make the Playoffs as a Wild-Card. I also Stated that this “Phillie Light”
did not have the consistent Hitting to make it back to the WS let alone win the NL Championship and I still stand by it…
Time will tell but the Braves get their best hitter back in Martin Prado, have a rookiod of the year in the making for Ryan Freeman, getting a solid consitent year from Catcher B McCAnn and SS Rodriquez and if OF J Heyward and 2B D Uggla get hot in the 2nd Half, they will score runs and surpass the Phils ..