Failed Physical Won’t Delay Trade
Posted by Corey Seidman, Wed, December 16, 2009 01:05 PM | Comments: 173
Posts
It looks like this overly complicated series of events has just taken another turn.
According to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun, someone involved in the trade has failed their physical. This will further delay any announcements. Everything was supposed to be sorted out by Wednesday, but it is not looking like that will be the case.
This is just my hunch, but given the fact that a Toronto reporter broke the story of the failed physical and nobody else seemed to have it, I’m assuming that the failed physical came from either Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, Travis D’Arnaud, or Brett Wallace, the Athletics’ top prospect who is likely headed to Toronto in exchange for Taylor.
It could have been anyone, but that’s my hypothesis.
Of the nine players involved in the Halladay/Lee deals, Drabek and Aumont are the most likely to have failed a physical. Drabek had Tommy John surgery in 2007 and was shut down toward the end of the year as a precaution. Aumont dealt with elbow problems in 2008 and was shut down.
The good news is that Roy Halladay is definitely a Phillie. His extension is sealed and he’s passed his physical. The longer this thing plays out, the more chance there is that Cliff Lee could stay put. Or am I just being too optimistic?
UPDATE: Larry Stone of the Seattle Times is reporting that none of the Seattle players involved (Phillippe Aumont, Tyson Gillies, and Juan Ramirez) appeared to have failed their physicals.
In addition, disregard the “definitely” written above in regard to Roy Halladay being a Phillie. ESPN has changed their headline from “Halladay agrees to extension with Phils” to “Phillies GM hopes to finish Halladay deal soon.” I still remain convinced that Halladay will end up with the Phils when this is all sorted out.
The Blue Jays cannot afford to keep him and a failed physical does not guarantee the collapse of a trade. Freddy Garcia was once traded to the Phillies despite failing a physical.
Scott Lauber is reporting that Michael Taylor suffered a mild elbow strain and missed ten days during the Mexican Fall League this October, in which he hit .308.
So much confusion. Stick around, you’ll know when we know.
BREAKING NEWS: Two tweets may have cleared this madness up. Todd Zolecki just delivered the message that a “failed physical won’t kill this deal. An announcement is still expected today.”
In addition, Jeff Blair of the Toronto Globe tweets that, “Well-placed baseball source on failed physical reports involving a player coming to the Jays? ‘Totally false rumour.’”
Finally, Jim Salisbury of CSN just sent the following message via Twitter, “Deal done!!!! 5 p.m. press conference…. who brings the hoagies???”
Posts: 0 Don M
Halladay is probably getting paid $5 M less per season than his market value right now
and the Phillies weren’t going to spend $100 Million on ANY pticher.. and would have been out-bid on either of these guys on the Free Agent market
Cliff Lee will be a Mariner, Dodger, Cub, Yankee, or Angel next year… because those teams have money to spend..
Instead of paying Lee $25 for 5 years.. we’re paying the better pitcher, Halladay, less money, for less year
Thank you Ruben!
Posted: 03:47 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
Halladay IS the best pitcher in baseball who accepted $4 million PER YEAR less to play for the Phillies in a relatively short term deal. Lee was not going to sign with the Phils long term so why take a chance of losing the opportunity to sign one of them? They have the best pitcher in baseball for the next 4 years. So quit yer bitching and enjoy your PERRENIAL PENNANT WINNING TEAM!!!
Posted: 03:48 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 griffin
Fightinphils, drabek and Taylor are better prospects than Carrasco ever was. They dominated AA which is more than Carrasco can say. Happ was never a big time prospect.
Posted: 03:49 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
Seattle’s pitching look great now ‘cept they stand to loose Lee in 1 or Felix in 2 years and both are going to make the Halladay deal look minuscule!
Posted: 03:50 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 fightinphils
by the time any of these prospects are able to make a significant impact much of a core will be gone.
Posted: 03:50 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
by the time next year’s draft picks are ready to play in the majors.. it will be 2015-2016
Phillies needed to bring prospects back into the mix that could potentially be ready in 2-3 years
…
Why is everyone having so much trouble figuring out this deal?
We didn’t have the money for both..
Lee wanted too much money..
Halladay settled for a team-friendly contract…
We got prospects in return for Lee, instead of draft picks, which will help us much sooner..
oh yea, and we now have the best pitcher in baseball playing for the Phillies
Chris Carpenter and Tim Lincecum don’t have SHIT on Roy Halladay, NL CY YOUNG 2010
Posted: 03:51 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
“by the time any of these prospects are able to make a significant impact much of a core will be gone.”
AND to add to your point we still have prospects coming through at every level of the organisation in spite of both the initial deal for Lee and this deal for Halladay.
Posted: 03:52 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 griffin
What I don’t understand is why people think Halladay took so much less to be a Phillie now but would have gouged the Phillies had he been a free agent after the ’10 season. If he wanted to be a Phillies wouldn’t he have given them a sweet deal after this season as well?
Posted: 03:53 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 fightinphils
that was my point griffin look how well happ turned out!! Carrasco was are top picthing prospect till last year followed by Bastardo. Some prosepects pan out and some don’t!! Less than 10% of them make it to the majors
Posted: 03:54 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
Theyll re-sign Felix In Seattle I think.
This was a good deal given the fact that Lee wasnt going to resign. Its a good deal given any facts…its Roy Halladay.
Also, I predict Lowe will get traded to the Angels within three weeks.
Posted: 03:55 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 fightinphils
Griffin no player is going to give a team a discount just because he likes the organization.
Posted: 03:56 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 griffin
Taylor and Drabek are ready to contribute THIS YEAR. It’s not like they are far off.
Posted: 03:56 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Hugh
NJ, your right of course, the futures are uncertin, but those of us in Seattle are looking forword to the 2010 season. Have to look forword to something. The Seahawks suck. Cant wait for APRIL!
Posted: 03:56 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 griffin
Fightinphils, then why did Halladay take a discount to come to the Phils before ever throwing a pitch for them?
Posted: 03:58 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 shag beta sigma delta
Like the some people are saying the phillies were never going to be able to keep Lee and Halladay, and would get nothing for Big Joe. So IF you keep LEE for one more year and let him walk you would have no idea who you would get from those drafts, and would not have anything in the farm system. And I am sure none of you even know anything about the guys we got from Seattle, that is why they had to trade Lee to keep the farm strong for the future. Also that is why they did not trade these guys last year for Doc. So I know it is against your nature as Phillies fans, but for now can you just be happy that the Halliday season has just begun in PHILLY.
Posted: 04:00 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 psujoe
Don’t we all wish we could have been a fly on the wall. I would hope Amaro would’ve contacted the Angels and said “.. were about to trade Lee to you intra division rival. Here’s who we want from you Trevor Reckling, Alexander Torres and one of your Single A 3Bs. or Call the Red Sox and offer Lee for Bucholtz, and ?? Glad they told the Yankees to pound sand though.
Posted: 04:00 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
Hugh good luck to you guys, better the M’s than the A’s to challenge the Angels. Just hope it doesn’t fall apart on you like the aftermath of Erik Bedard…
Posted: 04:02 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
Ill almost guarantee that the Angels go after Lowe actually…they have to…
Posted: 04:02 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 griffin
Again, I don’t have a problem with the Halladay trade as much as I have a problem with the Lee trade.
If you have the attitude of “some prospects turn out and some don’t, it’s a crapshoot” then you would like upgrading from Lee to Halladay. You also would have probably traded a skinny 2B prospect named Chase Utley for a cy young winner like Mark Mulder in 2004, but that’s another story.
But if you actual check out some prospect rankings or go to a site like phuturephillies.com , then you will be severely disappointed by what the Phils got from Seattle.
Posted: 04:04 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
Fightinphils, I would take less money to work for a company that is closer to my home and is a better company to work for so why do you think a baseball player wouldn’t do the same. I love that Halladay gave the Phils a $4 to $5 million discount!
Posted: 04:07 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
griffin compare the Lee trade to the Santana one and the Twins were shopping him for half a year…
Posted: 04:08 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Jason
lol, Phillies did not get that much of a discount lol.
Posted: 04:09 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Hugh
Thanks, Me too. The good thing is that the GM that did the Bedard trade got FIRED shortly thereafter…… Bavasi put the team back 3 to 5 years withe the bone headed moves he made. Our new guy seems to be making the right moves. We still have the best bull pen in MLB. Also, it did not cost us much for Lee
Posted: 04:09 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 shag beta sigma delta
The difference on why Halliday would take less because he wanted to play here and the Phillies gave shit up for him. If you just wait until he hits the open market some team (Yankees Red Sox Angles) would have put a longer more money offer out there, and he would have a hard time turning it down the Players Union would be all over his ass for taking a smaller $$ amount, along with all the agents out there. That is why you can get a discount on and extension easier then you can when the guy is on the open market.
Just watched some film on the Pitcher from Seattle, and he looks like a stud to me, he has a little control problem, but he is only 20 years old. So can we at least wait and see who is better in the long run Drebek or Aumount(sp).
Welcome to Philly Doc
Posted: 04:10 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Ed R.
The difference is that Halladay has already signed a big contract once before. He took a discount in that one as well but Lee hitting Free Agency next year will be Lee’s first opportunity to cash in. This is Lee’s chance, possibly his only chance to set himself and his family up for their future. That is why he wants a max contract. And he deserves it. He just won’t get it with Philly.
Posted: 04:17 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 griffin
NJ, it’s true, that Johan trade was a joke. I believe that three of the four players the Twins received are no longer with the organization. Now THAT was a crappy trade.
Posted: 04:17 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 psujoe
You have to ask yourself if you’d trade:
Donald, Marson, Carrasco, Knapp for
Francisco, Aumont, Ramirez and Gillies. throw in 2 months and PO of Lee.
Pretty darn good if you ask me.
Posted: 04:23 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Jeff Dowder
This is the first I’ve heard of Freddy Garcia failing a physical. Is this verified somewhere? I had always heard that the Phillies decided that he didn’t require one.
Posted: 04:24 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
Halladay accepted $20 million per year. Sabathia’s contract is $23 million per year. Santana’s is about the same. Halladay would have received at least $23 million per year and likely more. So let’s assume he gave the Phils anywhere from a $3 million to $5 million per year discount.
Posted: 04:25 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
Well said psujoe
Posted: 04:26 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 psujoe
Ken_Rosenthal
Holdup in Halladay trade was TOR concern over Brett Wallace’s shoulder. He had an MRI, everything checked out fine. Goes to TOR for Taylor.
Posted: 04:30 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
I’m willing to bet that the combination of Taylor, Drabek, and D’Arnaud
will produce ZERO MVP awards
ZERO Cy Young awards
ZERO HR or Batting Titles
and probably 3-4 All Star appearances
Halladay will probably win a Cy Young or Two.. and pitch in each of the next Four All-Star games
Cliff Lee has two good seasons on his resume.. he’s not GREAT
Posted: 04:30 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Jason
Does anyone think the Phillies have been a little shady with us? I feel like they are trying to spin this some way to make them look good (lol) and are treating us like we are complete idiots lol
Posted: 04:31 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 griffin
Psujoe, very true. But as Corey Seidman said, in the firsy deal Amaro robbed the Indians blind and in the second deal he got robbed with his eyes wide open.
Overall the results are about even, but it could have and should have been so much better.
Posted: 04:32 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
Taylor has 33 games above the AA level
HE IS NOT READY TO PLAY IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES YET!!!!
we’ll maybe in Oakland, since they suck..
Kyle Drabek gets rocked by Left-handed batters, because his changeup isn’t effective.. he will be good one day.. but it will probably be one day in 2011 or 2012
Posted: 04:36 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 griffin
Don M, that’s like saying Chase Utley isn’t a star since he has no MVPs or batting titles.
Taylor will be in the majors by the end of the season and Drabek will be in th Jays rotation by opening day 2011 at the latest.
Aumont may take over for Durbin in 2011. Yay.
Posted: 04:40 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Maniac
i don’t understand ruben at all. he gets his man, halladay, then immediatley dumps lee off to seattle for 3 prospects. something sounds weird to me. any smart GM would take the best offer for a top 5 pitcher in the league. after his perfromance in the playoffs, cliff lee is worth way more than 3 junk prospects. why not just wait it out a few weeks and see if any good offers come your way ruben? why not look at other players to cut the payroll? blanton at 7 million could have been moved for a couple decent prospects. cliff lee ay 9 million isn’t worth it? i just do not understand this at all. you just gave seattle a diamond ring for christmas and their gift to you is 3 apple seeds. good job…
Posted: 04:56 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=6261176
link to the press confernece
Posted: 05:01 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
Taylor will be in the majors by the end of the season
…for one of the worst teams in baseball..
Drabek will be in the Jays rotation by 2011
… but let me know when he’s good enough to lead a team anywhere, I’m pretty sure the year will be 2014 at the earliest
This is a WIN NOW strategy… and we got some prospects in return to give us a better chance at also winning in the future.
Since when is CLIFF LEE a TOP 5 PITCHER in baseball??
he had a great year in 2008, and very good year in 2009
He isn’t better than:
Halladay, Sabathia, Santana, Lincecum, Carpenter, …you could then make arguements for Beckett, Josh Johnson, John Lackey, Felix Hernandez, Jake Peavy, and a couple other guys too
Cliff Lee is a very, very, very, very, very, VERY good pitcher
But Roy Halladay is GREAT!
Posted: 05:10 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Jeff Dowder
RAJ is really tap dancing in this press conference…
Posted: 05:10 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Andrew
I like what he is saying. It makes sense.
Posted: 05:12 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Andrew
why do you insist on calling the 2 best pitching prospects in seattle junk?
You guys kill me with the bitching. like he said you wanted to lose your entire farm system? He wants to contend in 2013. Thats his job. They have done ok the last few years ? no?
Posted: 05:14 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
Ruben Amaro looks EXACTLY like Ari Gold from Entourage
http://www.deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/ari.jpg
Posted: 05:18 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Andrew
Look at Roy he is so happy and motivated to be here. This is going to be a fun season. How could a phillies fan not be thrilled today?
I wonder if some of you booed the world series parade 2 years ago? They didnt win it by enough or something.
Posted: 05:21 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Morris Buttermaker
It’s pretty obvious that Ruben wanted to keep Lee but the higher-ups would not approve of the $9 million. His hands were tied.
But all I know is that the Phillies just acquired the best pitcher in baseball and are one of the top two teams in baseball.
It wasn’t that long ago the Phillies had guys like Robert Person and Terry Adams in thier starting rotation. I am thrilled to have Roy.
Posted: 05:22 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
Ari Gold and RAJ… Jew massive!
Posted: 05:22 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 The Dipsy
Alright. There he is. The Doctor. I’m pissed about Cliff, too, but now its time to close ranks and get behind Rube. He just got us the best pitcher in the game. I think if he could have kept Cliff he would have. Go Phils.
The Dipsy
Posted: 05:27 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Andrew
Great day cant wait for the season.
Lets hope our Doc doesnt become a crackhead like the Mets Doc did. :)
Just a joke see you all when the season starts!
Posted: 05:33 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 Brian of CO
I hope the failure doesnt affect who goes. I hope we keep Happ.
Posted: 06:03 PM on December 16, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
Most important thing now is to get a Doc Halladay fanclub name going that beats the Wolf Pack and Byrd’s Nest…
Posted: 06:44 PM on December 16, 2009