There’s no need to argue, Ruben just don’t understand

I get that GM Ruben Amaro Jr. doesn’t want to give up Kyle Drabek as well as J.A. Happ in a trade for the much-coveted Roy Halladay. But the Blue Jays organization has made it incredibly clear that a trade without both of them involved is going to be nearly impossible to negotiate. They made this clear by quickly rejecting a four-for-one trade with three of the Phillies best prospects and Happ. Now, the burning question is this: who cracks first?

The Phils latest offer was Happ, OF Michael Taylor, RHP Carlos Carrasco, and SS Jason Donald. This isn’t a terrible trade, except for the fact that Toronto wants Happ, Drabek and OF Dominic Brown. I get why Drabek was removed from the deal, but Brown? If Ruben’s going to get Halladay on the cheap, it’s not going to be off the $.99 cent rack: we have to give them SOMETHING that they want. Brown is going to have to be in this trade whether the Phillies like it or not.

And call me crazy (you wouldn’t be the first) but if we’re grabbing Halladay to make us a favorite for a run this year then I say screw keeping Drabek and let’s keep Happ who’s had an amazing 2009. He recently tied a Phillies record of eight-straight wins, which included a win from 2008, and except for a sub-par showing on Friday night he’s been lights out all season.

If you trade away Happ then our rotation is only slightly better than what it is now. There’s still going to be a hole somewhere, and I’m not completely convinced that Pedro Martinez is the Mighty Putty we’ve been looking for all season. There’s a reason why he was still in the Dominican Republic halfway through the season, but the Phils front office is too desperate to realize that right now.

Here’s the thing: if the Phillies are welcome to a four-for-one trade, then there’s no reason why they don’t come out of this on top. Toronto is in some tight binds financially and they know Halladay won’t be there when it comes time for free agency. All they want is something that’s going to let them save face in trading away the only active pitcher with 100+ wins and no playoff appearances.

So Rube, if you’re listening, make them a four-for-one they can’t refuse: Drabek, Brown, Taylor and Donald. They would be getting four outstanding prospects, all of whom were once on your “untouchable” list, and we would get to keep both Happ and Carrasco. Prospects are a dime a dozen and every team out there has the next Nolan Ryan somewhere in their farm system.

The truth is, no one knows how good Drabek will be until he stops pitching to wannabes and starts pitching to the big boys. Let them be disappointed, as most “untouchable” prospects do disappoint, and we’ll be laughing all the way to our second straight World Series win.

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Ruben, it's a no-brainer

Friday night J.P. Ricciardi and the Toronto Blue Jays made public their list of demands from the Phillies for pitcher Roy Halladay. The Blue Jays are asking for pitcher J.A. Happ, minor league pitcher Kyle Drabek, and minor league outfielder Dominic Brown. Reports out of Philadelphia, however, are that the Phillies and General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. do not want to make the deal for fear they are giving up too much, and honestly, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

If that is all Toronto is asking from the Phils, I will gladly pack each of their bags and drive them to Philadelphia International Airport. Yes, the Phillies would be getting rid of new fan-favorite J.A. Happ, who is a potential Rookie of the Year candidate. Yes, the Phils would be giving up their top prospect in the minors in Kyle Drabek, whom most fans in Philadelphia think is the second coming of Nolan Ryan but who also have never seen pitch. Yes, the Phillies would be trading away minor league outfielder Dominic Brown, who I am certain most Philadelphians couldn’t even tell you on what minor league team he plays. But, what the team would be getting in return far outweighs what they would be giving up.

For the fans who want to hold onto the minor leaguers like Eagles coach Andy Reid holds on to draft picks, they need to remember that prospects are players that scouts and minor league managers think have the potential to be impact players in the big leagues. They are not guaranteed stars, so to treat them as if they are, especially the pitching ones, is ridiculous. For every Cole Hamels there is a Tyler Green. Sure, there might be a player or two you don’t want to trade away, but sometimes you have to be willing to take that gamble and hope it pays off. When you have an established major league team that is already winning (like the Phillies), then the talent in the minor leagues become the pawn pieces used to tweak or bolster a roster for a playoff run.

In that case, the trade essentially becomes Halladay for Happ, which should be a no-brainer for the Phillies GM. In his start Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays, Halladay pitched nine innings and struck out 10 on his way to a no-decision, and the Blue Jays ended up losing the game 4-2 in 10 innings. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, J.A. Happ gave up five earned runs in six innings of work against the Cardinals on his way to his first loss of the season. Happ is good, and he has the potential to be a decent starting pitcher in the majors, but Halladay is an ace, and aces don’t exactly grow on trees.

And if that doesn’t sell Ruben, instead of looking at who the Phillies would be giving up in a trade, look at who they would be keeping. They would be keeping Lehigh Valley outfielder Michael Taylor, who is hitting bombs in the minor leagues like Ryan Howard used to do. They would be holding on to minor league pitchers Joe Savery, who is 12-3 for Reading, and Carlos Carrasco, who I think now may be included in a deal to get a right-handed bat off the bench. The Phillies would also be keeping shortstop Jason Donald and catcher Lou Marson, who could be with the club next season with Chris Coste gone and Paul Bako being 37 years old himself. Plus, the Phillies still have newly signed and former three-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez they can plug into the rotation, and there are even talks about the injured Brett Myers rejoining the squad (probably in the bullpen) some time in August.

The Phillies are built to win now, so they need a player that can help them win now. Their core players are in their prime and are actually signed for the next couple of years. If the Phillies were an up and coming team, then I would encourage Ruben Amaro, Jr. to hold on to the prospects in the minors, but they are not. They are a defending world champion looking to repeat, and acquiring arguably the best pitcher in the American League makes the Phillies the hands-on favorite to do so.
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