Comments on: Gameday: Phillies (50-38) vs. Marlins (46-46)

By: NJ

NJ — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:36:09 +0000

Trying to look at it objectively I don’t know if Riccardi is backed into a corner, he was certainly on the hot-seat but I think the collapse of the Canadian dollar and injuries coupled with some decent more recent acquisitions has given him somewhat of a reprieve.

I think he can get a deal done with a team in the Central but headed by only the one major prospect. I find it hard to believe if a deal is struck with the Phils it won’t include Drabek but it’s going to certainly take some kind of middle-ground and there’s no way the Phils give up both Drabek and Knapp.

As Gammons said today Riccardi expects things to heat-up later in the week, to me he’s posturing to go into the off-season with Halladay as Jay but I don’t know how he gets a team to give him most of what he wants with Peavy sitting there and Lackey as a free agent all the while having Halladay’s camp gnawing at him.

Am really surprised Riccardi is acting like such a cool customer, I know he’s from the school of Billy Beane but at least from a PR stand-point it doesn’t look like Riccardi’s camp has been assertive with the situation if Halladay doesn’t get traded.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:13:15 +0000

Yeah hes painted himself into a corner. Look around all the suitors and NOBODY wants to meet the asking price. That means NO Ja Happ, no Kyle Drabek. No Mat Gamel or Alcides Escobar from Milwaukee. No Brett Wallace from St. Louis, no Brandon Wood from the Angels, etc.

Then starting tomorrow the price will come down, which favors quantity and that favors the Phillies.

By: NJ

NJ — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:02:24 +0000

All I can think is the Twins are fare more experienced in acquiring young talent in trades and look at what they got for Johan Santana who was at that point hands down the best pitcher in baseball AND they agreed to a negotiating window. Riccardi’s asking for so much it kind of seems like he doesn’t really want to trade the guy…

By: Griffin

Griffin — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 01:05:53 +0000

The more I think about it, the more I agree with NJ, The Dipsy and others who think that Ricciardi will have to settle for a package of “good” prospects instead of the “great” prospects he’s currently asking for.

What team right now is going to offer premium young talent and has the flexibility to add payroll?

Buster Olney had a good article today about how the Jays have to trade Halladay now or else face the possibility of getting a lot less for him after this season.

It looks like Ruben isn’t giving in and if he can land Halladay for a lesser package then originally thought, he comes out the big winner.

By: The Dipsy

The Dipsy — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:37:34 +0000

I agree. He just might play himself. If Halladay is forcing the trade then JP can’t wait until the deadline lest he finds himself without a chair when the music stops if he doesn’t play it right. No prospects and a very pissed off Roy Halladay.

The Dipsy

By: NJ

NJ — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:09:30 +0000

Figure Ruben’s offers pretty good but Riccardi looks like he’s got a vulturous attitude towards the Phils. He knows no-one else can offer as good a package since few teams have the same amount of top prospects and major league ready ones and no-ones going to give guys off their roster as well as top prospects.

There’s no reason to not look at Drabek like the Sox do at Bucholz, Brown is our Maybin and the Jays want to take them both, Knapp who’s also on everyones radar and then a major league ready catcher in Marson as well… Get real JP! No-ones offering you 3 prospects in baseball prospectus’s 100 list plus a major league back-stop…

By: The Dipsy

The Dipsy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:40:52 +0000

If I were J.P., I wouldn’t be so sure that I would be around in the offseason. I think the Phils will know come the deadline if any other team is in it with them. The Jays will say that Boston has interest. Its been said that St. Louis has actually handed over their minor league rosters and told Riccardi to start circling names. I say the Phils, if they want him, should put out their best offer, the one they could do today, without the pressure of other teams, and leave it there the whole time and let him know you’re not coming up. If Riccardi has no takers and comes to the Phils at the 11th hour, you get Drabek and you didn’t bid against yourself.

The Dipsy

By: NJ

NJ — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:55:12 +0000

Halladay has been grumbling since the Jays made no real effort to extend him at a number he thought was fair, there’s a rumour he’s been very unhappy since the Jays made it know they would field offers for him. I don’t see anyway the Phils give up all of their top tier talent plus additional major-league ready talent when no-one else seems to be willing to give up anywhere near that amount. Riccardi knows he has the off-season and next trade deadline to get a deal done but he’s not exactly playing the game well or at least isn’t articulating himself well through the baseball media.

What I meant is if the Phils get knocked out of the play-offs (or if worse they don’t make them) there will be glaring issues be it blown saves, lead-off production, hitting with RISP and not the performance from the number 2 starter.

By: The Dipsy

The Dipsy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:40:41 +0000

I don’t understand. Are you referring to the pen? I really think Halladay gets dealt. If he’s not, then Halladay and the Jays are playing a game with each other, the rules of which I don’t grasp. I truly believe that Halladay has told the Jays he wants out.

The Dipsy

By: NJ

NJ — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:19:33 +0000

Halladay’s not moving unless his agent raises merry-hell in the next week, Riccardi not being very trade friendly.

I appreciate the value of getting a true front-line pitcher or even meeting the demands for a guy like Harang though I suspect if the Phils post-season run is cut short it will be down to greater issues than who’s pitching behind Cole.

By: The Dipsy

The Dipsy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:10:05 +0000

Man, there is like NO ONE out there. Washburn, Bedard, Duke, uhhh, Davis (no), Garland (no way), Harang? That makes Halladay so, almost necessary. Gotta have a solid #2 to go into the post season and there are none. So….make Hamels our 2 and Halladay the 1. I think we’re gonna end up with him unless Boston goes completely apeshit with their offer.

The Dipsy

By: Georgie

Georgie — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:51:47 +0000

Meche was just put on the 15 day DL with back problems that keep flaring up, according to my local paper today.

By: The Dipsy

The Dipsy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:50:06 +0000

Meche is a nice pitcher. Salary is commesurate (sp) and not out of hand. Whats up with Washburn? Having a great year.

The Dipsy

By: NJ

NJ — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:38:37 +0000

Meche has too much left on his deal, Harang would be the best fit but he’s not salary or prospect friendly. Washburn and his type B’s might appealing.

By: Brett

Brett — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:31:47 +0000

I like Meche. I think he’d be great in pinstripes.

By: Tony

Tony — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:31:39 +0000

Are the Phil’s waiting until Bruntlett’s ba drops below .100 before they consider releasing him? He is brutal! I think I could have a higher ba. He must have some photos of Charlie or Ruben.

By: The Dipsy

The Dipsy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:10:51 +0000

If the if the asking price for Halladay is prohibitive then that’s where we’ll be looking. I mean, I guess, given what’s out there, Washburn is as good as anyone. Why not? Thank god he’s a lefty so he can balance the staff out. The good thing about head cases is that they usually like money and Bedard is pitching for a contract. I think if he came over and pulled some of that crazy crap, Pedro and Chase would give him a piledriver. Meche, anyone? Cook is now out. Anyone keen on Dannys Baez?

The Dipsy

By: JL

JL — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:07:05 +0000

“now is the smart time to use JA Happ as trade bait. he’s at the height of his value. much like Kyle Kendrick, he doesn’t have the good enough stuff to continue to get guys out this way. he will come back down to earth.”

Part of me keeps thinking this is the case but Happ continues to get better. Happ is NOT Kendrick though. He has much better stuff. At what point can we say he’s not going to come back down to earth because this is really how good he is.

By: Brooks

Brooks — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 21:02:04 +0000

Bedard has been pitching for 7 years in the bigs now. Only 1 year did he start over 30 games (33) and even then he did not make it to 200 innings (OK, 196).
I think its fair to assume that what you have seen from Bedard to this point is what you are in for. He peaked at 15 wins, had double digit wins only 1 other time (he won 13 in 07, probably his best year as he struck out 221 in 182 innings) when he only started 28 games.
You have to weigh all this in to your decision. He will spend time on the IR, guarenteed!

By: ryan

ryan — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:58:16 +0000

now is the smart time to use JA Happ as trade bait. he’s at the height of his value. much like Kyle Kendrick, he doesn’t have the good enough stuff to continue to get guys out this way. he will come back down to earth. so trade him now at the height of his value. Anybody who doesn’t want Halladay is AFRAID of glory. AFRAID of dynasty.