On the heels of one of the most hyped and rumored potential trades in Philadelphia Phillies history, involving acquiring storied right handed pitcher Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. appears to have snuck in the back door and snagged a different front line starter, along with a capable right handed bat, instead of giving up top prospects Kyle Drabek and Dominic Brown, along with major league starter J.A. Happ for Halladay, to help carry his team into the postseason for a third consecutive year.
While there have already been numerous stories printed, written, spoken and blogged about the centerpiece of the deal, 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee, what really puts this deal over the top is that the Phils also made off with a very capable right handed bat to bring off of the bench in the name of Ben Francisco.
Francisco, twenty eight years old from Santa Ana, CA, may be just what the Phils were looking for, aside from a starting pitcher. He is a right handed hitter with pop in his bat and even has some speed to burn on the base paths. In three hundred and eight at bats this season, Francisco is only hitting .250 but has compiled ten homeruns and even stolen thirteen bases so far, numbers that the Phils will be more than happy with from a pinch hitter and utility outfielder.
What may be getting overlooked about Ben Francisco is that he not only gives Phillies manager Charlie Manuel some much needed pop off the bench from the right side, but also some speed as well. In recent years Manuel has loved the ability to put guys like Michael Bourn and Chris Roberson in to pinch run late in games to have that extra burst of speed on the bases that guys like Ryan Howard and Pedro Feliz simply don’t have. For the most part in fact, he has been without a guy like that since 2007, until now.
All in all, the acquisition of Cliff Lee is of course, the thing that puts the Phillies in prime position to at least get back to the post seeason, for a third consecutive year, but in the National League, where the benches are such a factor because of pinch hitting for pitchers, Ben Francisco makes the Phillies, arguably one of the best benches in all of baseball and may help lift them through the playoffs and back into the World Series. Kudos to Ruben Amaro Jr. and the Phillies for going out and doing what it takes to make their already impressive team better without giving away the entire future.
Friday, July 31, 2009
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Don't forget he also didn't have to give triple A corner outfield Michael Taylor either, which is a player I really like. Th only player I wish had stayed in Phila was Lou Marson. he really seemed like the type of kid who had so much potential, but you have to give up something good tog et something good. I agree Ruben did a great job, and he did it quietly. Looks like the Phils have done a good job choosing their GM's, well expect for Ed Wade. (Haha). The only statement I disagree with is that the Phillies could have the best bench in the National League. I wouldn't go that far, but they definitely have improved it with the Francisco-Lee trade.
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