http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/37 Recent articles about Erik Bedard en-us July 22, 2008 Pat Gillick, Senior Vice President & General Manager Philadelphia Phillies Citizens Bank Park One Citizens Bank Way Philadelphia, PA 19148-5249 Dear Mr. Gillick, With the recent trade for Joe Blanton from the Oakland Athletics, it has become apparent that the Phillies are not going to acquire an "A List" starting pitcher. I understand that the Phillies just did not have the prospects to get the deal done with the Cleveland Indians for CC Sabathia, and it seems that the Seattle Mariners' asking price for Erik Bedard is just too steep. Rich Harden is obviously no longer available as he was recently traded to the Chicago Cubs, although I do not understand why he is not a Phillie right now considering the Athletics received better prospects for Blanton than Harden. Regardless of why the Phillies were unable to land Harden, it is now irrelevant. What is important now is that we focus on the deals that can be made, and that means Matt Holliday and Brian Fuentes. It has been widely reported that the Colorado Rockies are interested in dealing the pair to the Phillies for centerfielder Shane Victorino, top pitching prospect Carlos Carrasco, catching prospect Lou Marson, and pitcher JA Happ. That certainly seems like a lot to give up, and it is. With Victorino, the Phillies would be losing a quality defensive centerfielder, as well as a switch hitter with some serious speed. Victorino, despite not having as good a season as we all would like, is still a very versatile player that can lead off, hit second, or deeper in the lineup when needed. Most people balk at the idea of trading away a catching prospect because Chris Coste is already in his mid 30's and Carlos Ruiz has been an all around disappointment. This is not an area of serious concern, however, as one of the Phillies' other big prospects is Jason Donald, also a catcher. The Phillies can afford to trade away Marson. Happ was good in his brief stint in the majors this season, but has also had his share of ups and downs. He is a promising young pitcher, but is the type of player you have to give up to get players the quality of Holliday and Fuentes. The obvious big chip here is Carrasco. I can understand your reluctance to part with the top pitching prospect in the organization, especially since there is not a lot of pitching depth in the minors, or the major league club for that matter. Carrasco, however, is the key to the deal. By trading him you lose a lot, but you also stand to gain a lot. Rather than dwell on Carrasco and what the Phillies lose by trading him, I'd rather focus on what they gain by acquiring Holliday and Fuentes. Let us begin with Brian Fuentes. For starters, Fuentes provides the Phillies with that much needed second left arm in the bullpen. As the only left hander in the pen, J.C. Romero is relied upon more than is probably healthy. Fuentes will be able to carry some of that load and take the pressure off Romero. Likewise, with 101 career saves, Fuentes can step in and get a save once or twice a week to give some time off to all star closer Brad Lidge. He would also take the pressure off of Tom Gordon as the 8th inning set up man. Fuentes is arguably more important to the Phillies right now than Holliday. That's not to say that Matt Holliday wouldn't be a huge acquisition for the Phils. As you already know, Holliday is batting .338 this year with 17 home runs and 58 RBIs. Add on top of that 13 stolen bases and you have one of the most complete players in the major leagues. Holliday has hit over 30 home runs in each of the last two seasons and is well on his way to eclipse that mark again this season. The most impressive aspect to Holliday's game is his ability to hit for average despite being one of the premiere power hitters in the league, hitting above .300 in every season of his career except his rookie year in 2004, when he hit a paltry .290. Since it is apparent, as I said before, that the Phillies are not going to be able to land that ace starting pitcher, then you need to position this team to outhit their opponents. This team currently has the type of pitching that will at the very least keep them in every game. With the addition of Holliday, it would give you a starting lineup that looks like an all star roster. Here's an example of what a Phillies' batting order could look like: SS Jimmy Rollins 2b Chase Utley RF Matt Holliday 1B Ryan Howard LF Pat Burrell CF Jason Werth 3B Pedro Feliz C Chris Coste P Cole Hamels Mr. Gillick, I think that that lineup speaks for itself. This is the year that the Phillies have to go for it as the National League is the weakest it's been in year. The only contenders this year are the Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, and by default the Arizona Diamondbacks. That's not a list of teams that are going to make the playoffs; that's a list of teams that are any good in addition to the Phillies. The Phillies need to put themselves into a position to make it to the World Series this year and not worry about four or five years from now. With the aforementioned lineup, and the number of talented pitchers eligible for free agency this coming off season (including Sabathia and Ben Sheets), the Phillies can put themselves in a position to win and compete for the World Series for at least three more years. That is why you need to pull the trigger on this deal and bring Matt Holliday and Brian Fuentes to Philadelphia. Sincerely, Jonathan Atwood HSP Senior Writer Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:33:29 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294074 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294074 Who are the top 2-start pitchers this week? One is Rich Harden, who had an impressive debut as a Cub. Possible sleeper in Florida's Chris Volstad. Also, compete pitching rotations for the upcoming week for every team to help your fantasy team. Sun, 20 Jul 2008 14:28:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292854 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292854 Any trade talks involving Seattle Mariners pitcher Erik Bedard are pretty much dead now. Bedard hasn't pitched since July 4th and actually didn't even attempt to throw a baseball over the All-Star Break, attempting to rest his left shoulder. But now, the All-Star break is over and the Mariners have decided to shut down the lefty for a few more days. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:11:38 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292416 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292416 The Seattle Mariners may have missed their chance to trade Erik Bedard, but there are some teams that could make some sense. The New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals are mentioned in this post. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:25:06 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292410 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292410 The first half of the 2008 Major League Baseball season has been full of surprises, from the Tigers to the Rays to the Padres to the Braves. Most surprising of all, at least to the Phillies faithful, is that at the All Star break the Phillies were in first place atop the National League East. The Phillies are currently a half a game ahead of the Mets and one a half games up on the Marlins. Lets go through the majors and recap the season so far. AL East Perhaps the biggest story in the majors this year is the surprising play of the Tampa Bay Rays, who at the break were just half a game behind the first place Red Sox, and that's with a seven game losing streak. The Rays have been bolstered by one of the most talented young lineups in the majors in years, as well as some timely defense and a great, young rotation led by ace Scott Kazmir. They are definitely the Cinderella, the darlings of the 2008 season, much to the chagrin to their division rivals the Red Sox. Boston fans are upset that some of the media focus and the limelight has been diverted from their beloved Sox. The reigning champs continue to be one of the best teams in baseball, despite losing pitcher Curt Schilling for the year (and perhaps for good) and a decline in production from slugger David Ortiz (including a stint on the disabled list). It looks like this could be the first time in years that the New York Yankees won't make the playoffs. They currently sit six games back of Boston and it just looks like there is too much talent in Tampa and Boston for the Yanks to make up enough ground. That being said, I am loathe to ever count the Yankees out of anything. Red Sox win division. If it wasn't for the Rays, the debacle in the AL Central would be the biggest story of the season. The Tigers, whom I picked to win the World Series, are a disappointing .500 on the season. Even more surprising, the Indians are in last place, 12 games under .500. The Chicago White Sox are sitting pretty atop the Central at 14 games over .500, led by 10 game winner, and former Phillie, Gavin Floyd. Erratic closer Bobby Jenks, despite being on the DL, has 18 saves with a 1.95 ERA. On offense, the White Sox have a tandem of heavy hitting outfielders in Jermaine Dye and Carlos Quentin. I have to admit, I'm not overly impressed by the White Sox. In large part, I think they have overachieved so far this season. I think they will come back to earth, which will leave an opening for the Minnesota Twins to step in and take the division. The Twins, led by first baseman Justin Morneau, DH Jason Kubel, and catcher Joe Mauer, are right on the tail of the White Sox, just a game and a half back, and with star pitcher Francisco Liriano waiting in the wings of AAA, the Twins are poised to move into the post Santana era. Twins win the division. AL West Until the Texas Rangers find someone who can pitch (Vicente Padilla currently leads the team in wins with 10), the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are the prohibitive favorites to win the division for years to come. The Rangers can hit, led by the top individual story of the year Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler and Milton Bradley, but their pitching is a joke. They boast a rotation of Kevin Millwood, Padilla, Jamey Wright and Kason Gabbard. Until they can get at least one pitcher, they could have all the offense in the world, they still won't be able to compete with Los Angeles. The Angels' pitching rotation, which boasts John Lackey, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders and Jered Weaver, not to mention closer Francisco Rodriguez who is on pace to shatter the single season saves record, is arguably the best in the majors. Their offense, while not being the power heavy lineup that Texas or Boston has, plays small ball like no other team in the majors. The obvious offensive leader is Vladimir Guerrero, accompanied by Torii Hunter. But the offense works so well because of intelligent baseball guy like Chone Figgins, Howie Kendrick, and Garret Anderson. The Oakland Athletics have basically traded themselves out of contention and the Seattle Mariners have the worst record in baseball. Needless to say, Angels win the division. I think the Rays win the AL Wild card this year. They are too talented to fall behind the likes of the White Sox or Rangers. In the end however, the Red Sox have too much experience and skill to be taken down. They beat the Angels to go on to the World Series. NL West Many commentators are calling this the NL Worst, and it's hard to argue with that. After starting out red hot, division leading Arizona is now one game below .500. That's right. The division leader has a losing record. Need I say more? The reigning NL Champion Colorado Rockies are fourth in the division with a record of 39-57, topped only by the San Diego Padres, an incomprehensible 37-58. The Dodgers are one game back of the Diamondbacks, trailed by the San Francisco Giants in third place. This division is a crapshoot at this point, but the Diamondbacks' pitching, led by Brandon Webb and Dan Haren is just too good and the offense is not going to continue to struggle in the mighty fashion it has over the past month or so. With up and coming stars like Mark Reynolds, Conor Jackson and Chris Young, the Diamondbacks are going to eventually right their ship. Arizona wins the division. NL Central This is the best division in baseball. The Cubs are tied with the Angels for the best record in baseball. Four and a half games behind them are the Cardinals, with the Brewers just a half game behind them. All three of these teams are going to be better in the second half. The Cubs traded for Rich Harden last week, and the Brewers added reigning AL Cy Young Award winner CC Sabathia. The Cardinals are getting ready for the return of Adam Wainwright and former Cy Young Chris Carpenter. Both pitchers are aces on almost any other team in the majors. The Cubs and Brewers already have bona fide aces on their teams in Carlos Zambrano and Ben Sheets, respectively. This is, without a doubt, the toughest division in baseball in some time. I think the Cubs are ultimately the most complete team in the league, and certainly the division. Now let me just say, here and now, there is no way Ryan Dempster continues to pitch this well. He just isn't this good. He will come back down to earth. But even with The Dumpster coming back to reality, the Cubs are bolstered by some serviceable pitching in Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis, in addition to Zambrano and Harden. On offense, the Cubs' lineup reads like it's very own All Star roster, led by Derek Lee, Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, and Geovany Soto. Cubs win the division. NL East The Phillies came into today with a half game lead over the Mets. The Marlins sit just one game behind the Mets. It is a division up for grabs to say the least. The Marlins boast a talented, young roster rivaled by only Tampa Bay and Arizona. Led by Hanley Ramirez, Mike Jacobs, Dan Uggla and Josh Willingham, they have an offense that puts the in a position to win every night. That being said, their pitching is thin, with Ricky Nolasco leading the team with 10 wins and a 3.70 ERA. The Braves are most likely looking to scrap this year and go into rebuilding mood, if only temporarily. First baseman Mark Teixeira is a free agent at the end of this year and chances are that the Braves are going to move him before the trade deadline. Their pitching is pretty banged up, and old. John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Mike Hampton are all currently on the disabled list. Not to mention that they are six and a half games out of first place. The Mets pose the biggest threat to the Phillies' playoff hopes. Winners of nine straight coming into the break, the Mets are batting .320 as a team during that time. They also only gave up a total of 19 runs over the same span. They are hot, no doubt, led by Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, and Fernando Tatis. But therein lies the problem for the Mets. They have been winning in large part as a result of the contributions of usual bench players like Tatis, Endy Chavez, and Damion Easley. The Mets' pitching is also suspect after you get past Johan Santana and John Maine, neither of whom have been stellar this season. After having a impressive season last year, Oliver Perez is 6-5 with a 4.44 ERA. His record is somewhat deceiving, as he has been wildly inconsistent this year. Pedro Martinez continues to battle being really old. Originally set to return this week, his next start is being skipped. I just don't think the Mets have the talent to overcome a Phils team with a much more potent offense and what could end up being a more stable pitching rotation. The Phillies acquired Joe Blanton from the Athletics Thursday, and while Blanton has not had much of a year so far this season (5-12, 4.96 ERA), he has show some real talent and a change of location could be all he needs to break out. More importantly, the addition of Blanton means that Adam Eaton is out of the starting rotation. Brett Myers is progressing nicely in AAA and is set to return to face the Mets on July 23rd. JA Happ threw a no hitter today in his minor league start and it is only a matter of time before he is brought up to the major leagues for good. The biggest cause for concern for the Mets is that the Phils' struggles have in large part been due to a lack of offense. This coming from one of the most offensively talented teams in the league. Jimmy Rollins, Chasey Utley and Geoff Jenkins are eventually going to turn things around. Ryan Howard continues to lead the league in home runs and RBIs. Pat Burrell is going to eclipse his usual 30 home runs and 100 RBIs. And that's without the possible addition of another bat, like Matt Holliday or Jason Bay. I say this with the caveat that I generally have no faith in the Phillies in ever winning anything, and at the risk of tempting fate, I pick the Phillies to win the division. I pick the Brewers to win the NL Wild Card this year. I'm going to be very cliche and pick the Cubs to win the NL Pennant over the Brewers. I think unless the Phillies add a serious starting pitcher, ala Erik Bedard, they are not going to be able to compete with the Brewers in the playoffs. That will bring us to the ESPN's ultimate dream, a Red Sox Cubs World Series. Bristol could fawn all over the lovable losers from Chicago and Boston. Seriously though, just thinking about it makes me want to throw up. Boston wins, again. (Just threw up again) Should be a very exciting second half. Continue to check out Hot Stove Philly as we bring you all the latest scores, trades, rumors, and general sports drama. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:54:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292015 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/292015 The trade that sent Joe Blanton to the Philadelphia Phillies hurts the Seattle Mariners two-fold. Read on! Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:58:34 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291920 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291920 The Phillies have been actively working the phones over the past several weeks trying to make a trade that would bolster their pitching rotation. The Phillies lack of serious starting pitching was made to look even weaker after the Milwaukee Brewers traded for Indians' ace CC Sabathia and the Chicago Cubs traded for Oakland star Rich Harden last week. The Phillies were one of a number of teams that were in negotiations with Cleveland to acquire Sabathia's services, but in the end they just didn't have enough to offer. Instead of being able to trade for Rich Harden, who when healthy is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, it looks like the Phillies will wind up acquiring Joe Blanton from the Athletics. Blanton is Oakland's number two starter and despite showing some serious talent in previous years, has really struggled this season, going 5-12 with a 4.96 ERA. The Phillies have reportedly been negotiating with the Seattle Mariners over the past couple weeks in an attempt to acquire their disgruntled ace Erik Bedard, but it appears that they're not going to be able to pull off that deal, and Bedard is currently on the DL and wants out of Seattle. Even more importantly, Seattle wants Bedard out of Seattle. And all indications point to the Phillies not bringing him back to the East Coast. Why are they having such a hard time bringing in a legitimate quality starting pitcher? Because the Phillies have a very weak farm system. As you have noticed, I'm sure, by reading Jay's On The Farm columns, the subject of his pieces are the same handful of players over and over again. This is not to say that the Phils don't have any talent in the minors. There are several highly touted players in their farm system, most notably Carlos Carasco and Adrian Cardenas. Carasco is the Phils' most highly touted prospect. He has been rated as the number one pitching prospect in organization two years in a row by Baseball America. Cardenas is the most likely prospect to be traded as his primary position is second base, which is in all likelihood going to be occupied by Chase Utley for many years to come. Cardenas is ranked the number two prospect in the organization, and is batting .309 with 16 stolen bases. Other prospects are SS Jason Donald, C Lou Marson, LHP Josh Outman, 2B Brad Harman, OF Greg Golson, and LHP Antonio Bastardo. Other than Carasco or Cardenas, no one really blows you away, although the upside potential is definitely there will all of them. Nevertheless, the farm team is not teeming with trade bait. But the Big Show is. Ryan Howard is prime trade bait. In Howard's short career he has been named the NL Rookie of the Year, NL MVP, Home Run Derby Champion, and he has led the league in home runs and RBIs over the past three years. He also broke the single season record for strikeouts last year and is on pace to shatter that record this year. Howard, in his second year, demanded that the Phillies pay him $1 million. The Phillies wanted to give him $900,000, which was the record for a second year player. The two sides went to arbitration and Howard was awarded a $1 million contract. The next year he demanded $10 million, the Phillies offered $7 million. The two sides went to arbitration again, and again Howard won. It appears that Howard is going to take the Phils to arbitration to each off season until his contract is up in 2011, at which point he is going to demand (and command) a ridiculous contract. This is not the Phillies of old. This team is no longer afraid to shell out some money to bring or keep talent to Philly, but within reason. The Phillies are not going to be able to pay, or willing to pay, the kind of money that Howard is going to demand. And I do not entirely fault Howard for demanding the money he is, or will. How many players have the record that he does? If he continues to hit the way he did the last month before the all star break (.284, 11 HR, 30 RBI, .965 OPS), then he will right in the mix for his second MVP award. The man can hit, no doubt about it. When Howard doesn't strike out, he is hitting over .450. That being said, that stat is part of the problem. Howard has also struck out 129 times this year. He struck out a total of 199 times last year. He has only walked 48 times. That means he strikes out almost three times as many times as he walks. You also have to take into consideration that Howard continues to be among the tops in the league in intentional walks, which decreases the amount of walks that he gets through patience and a good eye. Let's face it, Howard is a one dimensional player, perhaps the most one dimensional player in the majors. He either strikes out, or hits a home run. In the past month, Howard has one double and one triple. So out of 13 extra base hits, 11 of them are home runs. That is terrible. Nevertheless, Howard is absolutely a key part to this team and its offense. You can't ignore the power numbers, which are the best in the game since he's been in the majors. That is why I think it is the perfect time to trade him. Unless Howard has indicated otherwise to Phillies GM Pat Gillick, it does not appear he is really planning on staying here. He wanted to sign a long term deal after his rookie season and instead the Phils offered him a one year deal worth the $900,000, which at the time was the record for a second year player. This disappointed Howard (and for the record, I think the Phillies should have bit the bullet and signed him for at least close to whatever he was asking for) and now I think he is just going to price himself out of Philadelphia. Instead of going year to year through arbitration, the Phils should deal him to either the Yankees or Red Sox. Both teams have the money and the record of giving huge contracts to their players, and both are going to have a void in the next couple years that Howard is perfectly suited to fill. Howard is a mediocre first baseman at best, but he isn't on your team for his defense. He is a player built for the American League and their stupid DH. Both the Yankees and Red Sox are going to be in need of a DH in the next couple years. The Yankees current DH platoon of Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon, and Hideki Matsui are about as banged up a bunch of highly paid veterans as you'll find anywhere in the majors. By 2011, at least two of these guys will be gone, whether through retirement or free agency. He would be the perfect replacement to fill the void that would be left by Giambi's bat. An equally compelling team are the Red Sox. Current Boston DH David Ortiz (33 years old) is not getting any younger and has had a somewhat disappointing year. His power is down this year, and there has been some speculation that this could be related to the release of the Mitchell Report this past off season. Whether Ortiz's power is down due to steroids or because he is having an off year or because he is starting to decline, he is getting older and is not going to start getting significantly better. To the contrary, Ortiz is going to start declining over the next few years, if he hasn't already started. Howard is young enough to play first base for a number of years in Boston, or New York, while the current DH plays out the rest of his career. Howard would bring the Phillies a serious number of prospects that they could use to a) bolster their farm system and help them build for the future or b) turn around and trade them for a serious starting pitcher that is on the same level as Sabathia or Harden. They should trade for Matt Holliday, who would help fill the void left by trading Howard. They can give up some of those prospects in the farm system right now for Holliday. Then by trading Howard, they can use those prospects for a starter. Yes, that depletes the farm system for a number of years, but this team is young enough right now to contend for the World Series for years to come. They don't need the farm system to be bountiful right now with the exception of using those players as trade bait. If Howard does actually want to stay here and will take a deal that won't make it impossible for them to sign and trade for other important pieces, then that's fine. Keep him here. I have no problems with Howard spending his entire career in Philadelphia. But I believe the Phillies are going to lose him eventually to free agency, so they should try and get the most for him that they can before he bleeds them dry and prices himself out of a trade. The time is now, they need to strike while the iron is hot. This is the best opportunity the Phillies have had to make it to the World Series in years and they need to take their shot now. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:42:12 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291715 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291715 Anyone who watches our website and others is, undoubtedly seeing the same names being floated as trade bait leading up to the deadline two weeks from today. While the Cubs and Brewers have made big moves, others are holding off, trying to maximize whatever leverage they have. That is true for the buyers and the sellers. Here are the names that keep getting mentioned as most likely to be traded: Mark Teixeira, AJ Burnett, Joe Blanton, Milton Bradley, Matt Holliday, Brian Fuentes, Erik Bedard, Xavier Nady, Raul Ibanez. It will be an interesting two weeks as the positioning and posturing pick up. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:57:18 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291614 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291614 The day after the Midsummer Classic is always the slowest day in sports. With only the AAA & AA All-Star games going on, it's one of the few days of the year where there's not one major sporting event. It doesn't stop the trade rumors from flying around. The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting the Phillies have begun to look at the Athletics Joe Blanton. Blanton has had disastrous 2008 campaign going 5-12 with a 4.96 ERA. I've always felt Blanton was a pitcher who had more hype surrounding him then actual ability. Entering 2008, Blanton was 42-34 with a 4.09 ERA. Although those numbers aren't terrible, they hardly support the hype that surrounds him. Given his current rough first half, Blanton would come at a cheaper asking price then what he was shopped for last off-season, but I honestly don't see him being traded by the deadline. Athletics GM, Billy Beane, only trades players when he knows he'll get the most value out of them. Since Blanton is under organizational control until 2010, there's really no reason for the A's to trade him, unless they get blown away by an offer. Given how he's performed this season, I cannot see a big offer coming their way. Randy Miller of Philyburbs is reporting the Phillies are also exploring the availability of Giants pitcher Matt Cain. At twenty-three, Cain has had some struggles after his 13-12 rookie season in 2006, going 12-23 since (including 5-7, 4.06 ERA in '08). While his record isn't pretty, he's only twenty-three, and is still prone to mistakes. These should correct themselves with experience. Since young pitchers with the type of talent Cain has don't come along every day, and given the fact he's under organizational control until 2011, I cannot see the Giants making a move here. Should they be willing to part with Cain, Pat Gillick needs to see what the Giants want, and meet their demands. Cain is a stud, and is only going to get better. My take on all the daily trade rumors might be different then most. Although I do think the Phillies will make a move, by the July 31st deadline, they're in no hurry. Most of these offers they've reportedly made to clubs appear extremely insincere, considering their unwillingness to part with Carlos Carrasco, Lou Marson, or Greg Golson. If the Phillies do want to add a pitcher of any caliber, they're going to have to sacrifice some of their top talent. Part of the reason they are keeping their top three prospects "off limits", is because of Brett Myers. Myers will get two starts before July 31st. Should he be impressive in both starts, don't expect the Phils to make a push for a bigger named pitcher (out of the group that is available). Phillies fans might not want to hear it, but if Myers can find some dominance, he'll be the number two pitcher the remainder of the season. Should he struggle, look for the Phillies to push the panic button. To me that's not the mentality an organization looking to win the World Series should have. Even if Myers returns and is dominant, adding a pitcher of substance should still be a priority to strengthen the rotation down the stretch. The other reason the Phillies will hold off for now is they want to see the health of Erik Bedard. He's been the dark horse through the weeks of trade rumors, and is the guy the Phillies would like to land if healthy. Bedard is scheduled to start next week (although his initial July 21st start was pushed back), and he would be the pitcher Gillick & Co. would part with a Carrasco. Honestly he's the only true impact pitcher (attitude perception aside), that had the ability to make a true difference on the mound. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 06:05:10 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291514 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291514 Everyone knows that the Phillies are in the market for a legitimate starting pitcher, especially after their National League rivals the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers made serious acquisitions last week. They have been trying to work out a deal for Erik Bedard from the Seattle Mariners, and have expressed interest in A.J. Burnett, Bronson Arroyo, Jarrod Washburn, and Randy Wolf. As you can tell, there isn't a lot out there in terms of premier pitching talent, with arguably Bedard being the only bona fide ace. Phillies GM Pat Gillick has publicly stated that the Phillies are not willing to part with the few top prospects they have in their farm team for less than acceptable pitching. That basically means they are going to make a deal for Bedard, or they're just going to stick with the pitching they have, unless they can convince a team to deal a "B" or "C" list pitcher for lesser prospects. It appears that as a result the Phillies have turned their sights onto acquiring a significant offensive upgrade. One name that has been out there as being on the block is Pirates' outfielder Jason Bay, who has struggled over the past two seasons but has shown that he is capable of some serious offensive numbers. However, it was reported Wednesday on ESPN Radio 950 Philadelphia by host Jody Mac that the Phillies are in talks with the Colorado Rockies about what it would take to bring stud outfielder Matt Holliday to Philadelphia. Before you get excited, if the Phillies were to make a trade for Holliday, it would most likely require most, if not all, of the team's top prospects, including Carlos Carasco or Adrian Cardenas. That being said, a guy like Holliday could be worth it. This year he is batting .337 with 14 home runs and 51 RBIs. In addition, he has 13 stolen bases and 42 walks. Last year Holliday was the runner up to Jimmy Rollins for the NL MVP when he hit .340 with 36 home runs and 137 RBIs. The addition of Holliday would solidify the Phillies offense as the best in the majors. Unfortunately, adding Holliday will do nothing to help the Phillies' pitching needs. Opening day starter Brett Myers is set to return to the Phillies on July 23rd and former No. 1 pick Kris Benson continues to progress through the majors and could join the Phillies in early August. In a deal for Holliday, the Phillies could also acquire former Rockies' closer Brian Fuentes. He would provide the much needed second left arm in the bullpen and would serve as the team's primary set up man. Fuentes could also give closer Brad Lidge a day off every few games. He has 99 career saves in his seven plus year career. One possibility is that the Phillies could try to trade slugger Ryan Howard for a premier pitcher. By putting Howard on the market, it would open up the market to players not previously available for a trade. Howard has shown, to me at least, a glaring lack of interest to stay in Philadelphia after his contract expires in 2011. He has taken the Phillies to arbitration the past two seasons, winning a $10 million contract this past off season. Howard is currently leading the league in home runs and RBIs. Over the past month he hit a very respectable .284. This is the best opportunity to trade Howard as the Phillies will get the biggest return on him. If they wait, they'll end up losing him with no return, or having to trade him with a gun to their head with a much less significant return. I say trade Howard now for that premier pitcher, or a set of top prospects to replace those lost by trading for Holliday. The time is now for the Phillies to win. The National League is the weakest it has been in years. There are only a handful of legitimately good teams, such as Chicago, Milwaukee, Arizona, the Mets, and maybe the Cardinals. The Phillies need to strike while the iron is hot and get done the deals that will put them in a position to compete and win this year. Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:15:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291220 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291220 The Mariners appear set to cut ties with anemic DH Jose Vidro.. finally, the Phillies still have their eye on Erik Bedard, more teams are looking at Raul Ibanez, the list currently standing at Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, New York Mets. Could Pat Gillick bring Brian Cashman to Seattle with him after the season? Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:22:06 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/290836 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/290836 Last week Pat Gillick told the media that if things on the trade front didn't progress as he hoped, he would have to turn to his "B List". I thought it was just another example of Gillick smoke-screening the media, and not letting them see his hand. Unfortunately after hearing the most recent trade rumors, I'm starting to believe it. The latest rumors are the Phillies are scouting Mariners left-hander Jarrod Washburn. Washburn is 4-8 on the season with a 4.83 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Not exactly the pitcher the Phillies need for a stretch run. In Washburn's defense he struggled early in the season, but has rebounded recently, going 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA in his last six starts. Even so, he's Seattle's version of Adam Eaton. Since signing a four-year deal prior to the 2006 season, Washburn has been a complete disappointment going 22-37 with a 4.56 ERA. In fact, Washburn hasn't had a good season since 2002 when he went 18-6. Aside from his poor play on the field, Washburn is under contract for the 2009 season, and is set to make $10.39 million. Is that the kind of salary the Phillies really want to take on for a player of Washburn's merit? The Phillies would essentially be doing Seattle a favor. The Mariners would receive mid-level prospects and shed themselves of Wsahburn's contract and the Phillies would acquire another underachieving pitcher, who's due over ten-million dollars next season to compete with Eaton & Brett Myers for the 5th spot in the rotation. It's not what you would consider to be an ideal situation. The front office needs to look at adding a pitcher who will help this team win a World Series. Washburn is not that pitcher. If the Phillies cannot add a pitcher who has the ability to win games, should the offense falter, they're better off keeping their prospects and making due with what they have. In the past two weeks, trade rumors have went from CC Sabathia, to Erik Bedard, to A.J. Burnett, and now Washburn. How we have digressed. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:09:22 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/290487 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/290487 The Roster Doctor takes a look at the louder trade rumors out there and how they might affect managers, especially those in NL- or AL-only leagues. After CC Sabathia dropped like a bomb on NL-only leagues, it only pays to be prepared for the next potential move. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:06:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/290461 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/290461 Phillies fans who are hoping A.J. Burnett is the pitcher the Phillies acquire before the July 31st trading deadline shouldn't hold their breath. Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal is reporting the Phillies have minimal interest in Burnett, and the feeling appears to be mutual as the Phillies are one of the 15 teams on Burnett's no-trade list. While I was against the Phillies pursuing Burnett for health reasons, if he could stay healthy he'd be a good addition. I don't view him as the impact pitcher the Phillies need, but he's one of the best available. With the option of Burnett off the table, you'd have to think the Phillies are going to be keeping a close eye on Erik Bedard. Bedard is currently on the disabled list, but he's not seriously injured. It was a move that was made by the Mariners to take Felix Hernandez off the DL without making a major roster move (sending someone down to Tacoma). Bedard is scheduled to start on July 21st. If the Phillies are unable to land Bedard, going to "Plan B" is the ONLY option as there will not be anything else available. Roy Oswalt isn't leaving Houston, and all the rumors about Derek Lowe are unfounded. The Dodger are only two games behind the Diamondbacks in the NL West. The "Plan B" list will not be pretty and include the likes of Jarrod Washburn, Bronson Arroyo, & Tim Redding. These aren't exactly the caliber of players Phillies fans were hoping the team would be looking at this summer. Unfortunately they might not have any choice. Sun, 13 Jul 2008 08:39:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289745 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289745 The trade rumors continue. SI.com writer Jon Heyman has reported the Phillies are in trade talks with the Toronto Blue Jays for starter A.J. Burnett. While it's unknown how far talks have gone, Blue Jays executive Tony LaCava was in Reading this week, scouting the likes of Greg Golson, Lou Marson, and Jason Donald. Burnett, 9-8, 5.33 ERA has was linked to past trade rumors with the Cubs prior to their acquisition of Rich Harden and reports are the Dodgers are also looking at the right-hander. Hopefully the Dodgers make a push. Trading for Burnett is a bad idea. Burnett's contract is terrible. He has an opt-out clause after the 2008 season, so if he puts up a strong second half he could walk. Should he go down with an injury or struggle in the second half, the Phillies could have him under contract for the next two seasons for a mere $24 million. Speaking of injuries, AJ is no stranger to the disabled list. Burnett has made six trips to the disabled list for elbow and shoulder problems. He's averaged only 22 starts per year since coming to the bigs leagues full-time in 2000. Considering he has already 20 starts at the All-Star break, durability has to come into question. Unfortunately Burnett is the typical player the Phillies acquire down the stretch. The guy we over-pay for and see minimal results. I'm not saying he's not talented, but he's not the impact pitcher the Phillies really need. With Harden and CC Sabathia off the market, the Phillies do need to look elsewhere for pitching, but there are better options. Should a trade go through and it involves Marson, Golson, or Carlos Carrasco, the Phillies paid too much. Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:33:46 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289047 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289047