At this point, I’m not sure if I should even devote a post to wrapping up Lehigh Valley. Happ pitched well, he made it to Philly, and at this point, he’s a finished product. Jason Jaramillo struggled early, hit for a decent average in the 2nd half of the season, and isn’t much of a prospect at this point, barring a big turnaround. Carlos Carrasco was promoted from Reading and pitched real well over a small sample. There ya go. So instead of devoting this space to Lehigh Valley, I figured I’d just mention a few things regarding the Joe Blanton trade.
As you may remember, I wasn’t that thrilled with the Blanton trade at the time. I wasn’t happy giving up Cardenas, one of our very best position prospects, and I was actually more disappointed that Outman was considered a throw in, after I felt he was mishandled this season. So, how did it work out? Pretty well I guess. Blanton’s line with the Phillies in the regular season was average, a 4.20 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP, 31 BB and 49 K and 10 HR in 70 innings. He wasn’t overpowering, he was slightly better than a league average starter. But at that point, that’s all the Phillies needed. Despite Cardenas struggling after the trade, we still paid a steep price. But if we end up winning a World Series, and I say if, because I’m superstitious, then the price of the trade doesn’t matter. I’ve always said that I’m more than happy to admit when I’m wrong. Blanton was better that Kendrick, he was better than Eaton. But he’s pitched extremely well in the playoffs, when the chips have been down, and he’s far exceeded my expectations. Oh, and he hit a home run. Incredible. So, hats off to Joe, I’m glad you proved me wrong.
Phuture Phillies 
“Above-average Joe” couldn’t have ended on a better note. If this motivates him to work harder this off-season, (maybe lose 15-20 pounds) he could be a solid mid-rotation starter for the next few years. I didn’t see it at first, but Joe Blanton is a talented pitcher entering the prime of his career.
Maybe Oakland’s decline was demoralizing for Joe, and made him lose focus. He seems to have regained him 2004-2007 form this postseason. If Blanton he can carry over this success, he’ll be a decent #3 or good #4.
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Actually Blanton was supposedly pitching with bicep tendonitis for several games (according to Rich Dubee) so his regular season numbers could have been even better. But obviously his biggest contribution has been in the postseason, which is where most criticism of the trade came from. He wasn’t “Sabathia or Harden” was the cry, well he sure proved them wrong. They surely didn’t shine in the PS for whatever reasons. I guess the kudos have to go to not just Gillick but some unheard of scout who really believed in this guy and pushed for his acquisition. Another unsung hero for the Phillies.
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It says something about a AAA team when you only have to devote 3-4 sentences and all of us undertsand and agree with it.
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It seems that AAA around baseball is simply a holding pen. Your “almost, but not quite players” play there along with your uber talents that just don’t have an open position on the big club. The true pools of talent are in AA; not quite ready for the big leagues players along with “anything is possible with a good showing” types
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Blanton actually sounds like a really good guy too. He seems very happy to be playing for the Phils.
Go Phils!
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Couldn’t agree more. At the time I thought moving Cardenas, one of our few good prospects, for what i thought was a mediocre pitcher was a little foolish. But after what Blanton has done this postseason, I don’t care if Cardenas ends up being another Ryne Sandberg, it was the right move for this team.
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As I said at the time, the key is controlling Blanton for two more years. He’s a big strong guy and even a 4.20 ERA is very valuable for a guy who makes a guarenteed 32 starts. He’s more valuable to me than a Chris Carpenter, Rich Harden or AJ Burnett, or another of these fragile guys who may or may not make it through a season with 2-3 trips to the DL.
I think Blanton has the stuff to be a No. 3 starter.
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They have Blanton through 2010, which is a big plus if he regains his 2004-2007 form. They paid a price that indicated that was what they were expecting. If they win the WS it makes everything feel better, but if you really sit down and look at it it was a good trade, not terrible as it was made out to be by some, and that hasn’t changed. It was what had to be done at the time for this team to compete.
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Thats the beautiful thing about winning. Nobody cares who was wrong or who was right. Joe the Pitcher came up huge last night and if the Phillies can (knocking on wood as I type) pull this out, he’ll be every bit the Philly legend as Bob Walk or Marty Bystrom. One more win, baby.
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Unless Cardenas or Outman become Hall of Famers, the Joe Blanton trade was great.
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Elaborating on what gkit said:
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080915/SPORTS01/809150334/1021
And I’ve always taken the wait and see approach to this trade. It’s looking like the trade was totally worth it though. UNO MAS!
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well said james. and very big of you to put it out there.
i still can’t believe we are this close to winning a world series. i never thought i would see it again.
ONE MORE WIN!!!!
p.s. i also really love that golson and marson are witnessing this from the bench. i keep seeing these guys. just being around the big league players and seeing how they go about their business can only help them. a shame that donald couldn’t be there too, but he seems to be doing fine in Arizona.
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didn’t know if you saw this
Amaro expected to be named Phils’ GM
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
General manager Pat Gillick’s three-year contract with the Phillies expires Friday, a day after a possible Game 7 of the World Series.
His replacement?
In recent days, several team insiders have said that assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. is expected to get the job, and that an announcement from Phillies president David Montgomery could come within 24 to 48 hours after the conclusion of the World Series or after Gillick’s contract expires.
The general managers’ meetings begin Nov. 3 in Dana Point, Calif., so the Phillies likely want to have Gillick’s replacement in place before then to begin working on next year’s roster.
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Great to see Blanton making converts.
As Rodeo mentioned above, his value isn’t just what he has done to help the Phillies reach where they are today but also that he will improve the back-end of their rotation for the next couple of years as well…
Overall, a good trade for the Phillies and quite possibly a good deal for the A’s as well..
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My hat is off to Gillick on this one. He made the right deal and it put the Phillies over the top. The irony is that Blanton has pitched better than either Sabathia or Harden in the postseason. If he doesn’t make the trade, they obviously wouldn’t rely on Eaton for anything so the only reasonable alternative would have been to use Happ, but that would be asking an awful lot from a pitcher with very little experience at the big league level. If they win the Series, as PP says, what they gave up is almost irrelevant. Go Phillies!
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As a ardent, and often outnumbered, defender of the Blanton trade from early on, I couldn’t be happier about last night’s performance. He was worth every penny of that trade. That he hit a HR was just gravy.
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At the time of the Blanton trade, it seemed like a reasonable deal to me. CC will be a free agent, and he had to pitch like Cy Young to be worth his cost. But Blanton’s age, past success, and remaining arbitration years make his deal something we’ll have to revisit in the future to really evaluate. Of course a World Series ring is nice, and we wouldn’t be in this position, as James said, if Eaton was still pitching in September.
Outman and Cardenas are good prospects, but that’s all they are right now–prospects. The Phillies have to take risks like the Blanton trade if they hope to win during the handful of years with this extraordinary nucleus they currently have. And they’re lucky to be in the financial position to fill future holes with free agents, if need be.
One more win, guys!
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The ultimate success of the Blanton trade will be determine by the organization’s depth chart. Who replaces Cardenas at second base and Outman as a lefty starter/pen on the chart?. Harman showed some power and was judged as the best fielding second baseman in the EL by the managers but hit only .207 and struck out a ton. Switch hittiing Harold Garcia might be the key. He put up good numbers in rookie ball and stole 17 of 19 bases but committed 8 errors in 50 games and just turned 22. His numbers in the GCL were similar to Utley’s numbers in the NY-Penn at same age. They jumped Utley to Clearwater the next season. Who will take Outman’s lefty depth role is another question. Can Savery do it as a starter or Escalona as a reliever? They seem to be the leading candidates. If these guys come through, Cardenas and Outman can be quickly forgotten and the Blanton trade already paying hugh dividends will be an unqualified success.
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Blanton won Game 4 of the WS and hit a HR in doing so…no matter what else happens, chalk it up as an unqualified success.
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I think you and I were alone then NEPP. I might dig up the original thread, all 300+ posts.
I can’t stand Amaro getting the big job, but I’m sure James is saving that discussion for when it’s offical. I hope Woelver and Arbuckle stay.
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“I can’t stand Amaro getting the big job, but I’m sure James is saving that discussion for when it’s offical. I hope Woelver and Arbuckle stay.”
Really? I am getting the feeling Amaro might become the next Manuel. He might make head scratchin gmoes but they’ll work out.
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Nepp and Rodeo – i was right there with you. but i always get hammered on this blog, so i thought nothing of the strong attacks 🙂
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To be fair this isn’t like the Josh Beckett trade. If Cardenas becomes the Hanley of his position than Blanton better win us a ton of games because right now this trade depends on how Cardenas does not how well Blanton has pitched for us.
Yes he won us games but it’s not liek he was lights out with the exception of his 2 post season games.
Bascially we have to wait to see what Cardenas does to judge this.
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Umm, you’re missing the point. The trade should be judged based on Blanton’s post-season performance. They brought him in to help us get over the hump. If they win the WS, the trade can only be viewed as an unqualified success, regardless of what type of player Cardenas does or does not become.
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Exactly right. You don’t judge a trade a failure if the other team gets something out of it — in this case, Cardenas becoming a useful ML player.
In a perfect world, BOTH teams get something out of a trade. That’s what fans never understand — that you have to give up something to get something.
Most people here wanted us to trade Golson and Happ for Sabathia or some similar deal. That just isn’t how it works. Blanton has paid dividends. At this point, the Phils are trade winners. The trade can even out down the line depending on what Outman and Cardenas do, but the Phils will never be considered “losers” on this deal.
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From Section 113 – I make my opinion on Amaro based on not much information. It’s hard to judge what he’s done versus what was done by Gillick or Wade. I don’t know how anyone outside of the organization could judge him, we have so much limited information.
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Indeed, I’m glad to see there is only a small sample
who would grouse about the prospect list, when
there is Major League Post Season sucess as a
result. I am also glad Reuben Amaro Jr. is likely to
be named GM/ seems a very good choice.
Also , for those listing minor leaguers, I thought
I saw an article saying Phillies signed Karim Garcia to
a minor league contract, if that was not previously on
here, Don’t see in transactions.
Also, following along in the Baseball America transactions
sections, in the past couple months J.D. Durbin, Travis
Blackley, and Chris Snelling have been granted Free Agency.
Don’t see in transactions, either.
Should be a new transactions list up shortly.
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Isn’t it about time that ALL of us acknowledge the job done by Pat Gillick in the short time he’s been with the Phils…??
Playoffs in ’07 and WS in ’09!
Amaro?
There will be plenty of negativity about tha despite the fact that Amaro has sat at PGs side for these several years and couldn’t help learning….a kind of mentoring.
If Amaro follows that lead, I’d be more than happy with his taking over as GM!
Additionally: let it be known that the Phils organization has taken on the true image of being very good to excellent in the coaching staffs throughoiut their farm team AND at the ML level.
To those who kvetch aqbout Carlie’s in-game decisions, why not take note that there resides a committe of first rate coaches in the dugout with Charlie. He makes ‘most all of his decisions based largely on their input plus his own viewpoint.
With DUBEE (my candidate for coach MVP) setting up the approach to the Raysbased on his own talents/perceptions plus those of SIX (6) Phils ML scouts covering the Rays during their last several weeks at least; advantage Phillies for having the best scouting and pitching approach in this WS!
Check out the big club’s coaching staff. It’s one of the best…due to cobbling it together by PG with ownership approval.
Their hiring/presence may be one of the great aids for bringing the grasped brass ring to Philly this year.
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That’s the question, is Amaro going to be Wade Jr. or Gillick Jr.? He doesn’t have the type of influence over management that Gillick, an experienced outsider had. He may not be able to convince them to up the payroll for another Blanton like accquistion to push them over the top next year.
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RodeoJones- Not saying you are wrong just that we, Philly phans didn’t give Manuel a chance from the start.
G$- I cannot see the trade that way. If you are Boston and you don’t get back to the WS with Beckett and Hanley becomes a Super Star than you possibly gave up a dynasty for 1 year.
And the pressure is all on Cardenas, that unless he becomes a mega star than the trade i undoubtedly a success for the Phills. But if Blanton is no better than he was in ’07 or early in ’08 than we will always wonder.
If Blanton does nothing for us next year and Cardenas becomes a top position player than we can always have ’08 but we might have had so much more. Plus we are just basing this on Cardenas, what if Spencer and Outman due something?
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One thing Blanton has proven to me this month–and I hated the trade at the time almost as much as James did–is that he’s as mentally tough as his rotation-mates. I give the Phils credit for evidently having figured this out despite his lousy numbers at the time of the deal.
That start in Milwaukee to clinch the NLDS was tremendous. And last night, in the biggest game of his life, he did exactly what he had to do: commanded his stuff, kept his composure, and made big pitches every time he had to. Seven strikeouts in six innings against that Tampa lineup is fantastic; from your #4, it’s beyond anything you can hope for.
Oh, and he homered… easily the single most unlikely thing I’ve ever seen at a game.
As others have pointed out, you don’t make a deal like that with “career value” in mind; you do it to win a title (which is why Cardenas and Outman are kind of irrelevant to this question). The reason I didn’t like the trade in July was because I didn’t think Blanton would materially improve their chances to do that. I couldn’t be happier to have been wrong.
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I was very negative about the Blanton trade but am now pleased they made it. He has shown up big when most needed.
I felt the same way when the 83 team won–Ivan Dejesus helped them get to the series. I am sure through the prism of history few people remember his contributions that year but do remember Sandberg.
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Put it this way I won’t be upset if we win, but if Cardenas turns out to be special I will always wonder.
That being said, I am buying a Blanton t-shirt this yr!
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I hated the Blanton trade when it was made and for a months thereafter.
However, a few weeks ago I said that if the Phils even made the WS it was worth it. Well, they did and it was.
I was wrong, very wrong, about this trade. It’s nice to see that the people whose job it is to run this baseball team actually know a lot more than we all think we know. Blanton was a great acquisition and, as someone pointed out, his mental toughness (I mean really, the guy could care less about the circus that swirls around him – he barely reacted to his own home run) was obviously a point the team recognized when they got him.
What has me really excited, however, is knowing that our three best mature prospects (Marson, Carasco and Donald) are ready to come in next year and continue the present run the team is currently on.
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Alls well that ends well. But I still feel Happ could of done as well. If Blanton shows up in shape next spring then ok
Amaro will be a big mistake
ps. Dubee for most valuable and he admitted he pitch Blanton
with miseries ????
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This is why you have a farm system. You use that talent to win a championship. The Phillies parlayed a stength in the minors for an upgrade on their ML roster. This is exactly why teams have a farm system; to develop guys and to have players available to trade for need.
If Blanton can continue to keep these K-rates up (7 last night) and the walks down (2 last night), he’s going to be a very, very, very good pitcher for the Phillies. An ideal #3. But he’s getting good movement on all of his pitches. The key is getting into pitcher’s counts, which he did all last night.
But his SO rates (and BB rate for that matter) over the last 3, 4, or 5 starts is very promising going forward.
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When Blanton was effective in the past, it was mainly because he walks few and allows few home runs. He wasn’t a big strikeout pitcher and he gave up a lot of hits. Further, he very much benefitted from his home park in Oakland.
He is young and durable. There is a good chance he struggled for most of this season some due to the soreness in his bicep. Given the improvement in his stuff recently, it looks like he no longe has that problem.
Blanton should be a pretty good #4 type pitcher for the Phils next season. If he is the Phils fourth or fifth best starter, they will almosty certainly have a very good staff next year.
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I also see Blanton’s optimum role as a very solid #4 guy. In fact, to start next year, everything in the rotation should look similar with Happ assuming the #5 role. I think that sometime next year, the team will make a decision whether they want to keep Blanton or Myers – in the long haul both will not be on the roster as it is too much money for what they bring to the table, especially since they are going to have to show Hollywood Hamels some huge dollars (which he has earned).
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Happ could not have stepped in and done as well as Blanton. For one, he doesn’t have as good of stuff as Joe. Secondly, he’s an untested rookie. Blanton is a veteran and proved that he’s mentally very tough. Besides, we’d have been hurting in those spot starts that Happ made if we didn’t have Blanton too. Who’d have made them, Kendrick? ~shudders~
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Marfis- I think that Karim Garcia article is from 2007. He is definitely no longer with the organization.
Section 113- The Phillies are about to win a world series. Without Blanton, they would not be in this position. Simple as that. They could have given up the crown jewel of the system, and it would be worth it. By the way, how many championships have the Marlins won with Hanley Ramirez?
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Just the point Nepp why is he an untested rookie. Sure as hell isnt his fault.
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G$: “By the way, how many championships have the Marlins won with Hanley Ramirez?”
You cannot compare it that way since the Marlins aren’t a caliber team in the NL. How good would the Red Sox be with Hanley over Lugo and Lowrie? I am happy Blanton is on this team and I liked him just it will always make me wonder what if? That’s until we see what becomes of Cardenas.
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nowheels: It doesnt matter why…he was and you dont bank on an untested rookie in a pennant race when you can go out and get a solid starter like Blanton.
If they do win, will you really care about Cardenas?
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~ Blanton is a great get, if he is able to do what Eaton was supposed to do for his 24 million dollars. Great Teams need many different role players. An innings eating 4th starter who gives your team a better than even chance of a Win each time out is crucial get. So far Blanton is doing better than this – and he was pitching hurt in August. ~
~ A great Solid Guy: Kentucky Joe ~
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Nepp-Rookies have always played a role in championship for those have the nerve and skills to recognize talent. You have to admit this has not been a year for great baseball or even good baseball. Check Happ’s stats at Reading against Myers
and tell me he wasnt ready Last year he was hurt three times
by overextension by Dubee and Russel after the first injury.
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5 1/2 innings per start does not a Inning eater make
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But 200 innings per season for 4 straight years does!!
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Lol. How can you possibly know that Happ’s injuries were caused by overextension?
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well mr lol check the record Happ was coming off rehab last year when he was called up He had a rough first inning (he got no help from his catcher or pitching coach(the second batter should of been put on his sliding pads after Reyes acted
poorly) He was sailing thru the fourth when Rollins made an
error and Happ then struck out the same Reyes. That was further then he had pitched in his minor rehab. They brought him back for the fifth .He broke down and allow 9 runs in 2/3
at AAA his next start.
eventually he ran a streak of 20 innings no errand runs
and Russel knowing he had been hurt twice brought out
for another tragic inning
THAT is how I know
repeat 5 2/3 a start
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Nowheels…are you talking about Happ’s 5 2/3 innings per start or what? At BEST he is as good as Blanton was this year. You can’t look at this as a 1 for 1 trade (ie Happ could’ve done what Blanton did) because the Phillies just didn’t have the depth. At the time of the trade, they had Moyer, Hamels, and pray for…Camels? They had no idea what the would get out of Myers. Eaton was/is/always will be a mess. Kendrick couldn’t get anybody out. They needed something, and they needed it fast. The Blanton deal was a great trade as that, along with the Myers rebound, stabilized the starting pitching and allowed the Phillies to keep running the grease fire that was Kendrick out to the mound. Now, if you want to say that they should’ve given more of Kendrick’s starts to Happ then I think a few more folks may agree. But, it doesn’t really matter at this point if the Phillies can score more than the Rays over the next 3 1/2 innings.
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I look at Blanton as how he helped the Team since he was here. He kept them in games enough that the Phillies were 12-4 in his starts. That to me is a good. Lets also not forget that Joe is only 27 and we own his right for a few more years. I think that if we wanted to deal him after this season we could get slightly more than we gave up, considering his post season performance. Have to say the trade was a plus for the Phillies at this point. No matter what Outman, Cardenas and Spencer do.
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blanton 5 2/3 Happ doesnt have enough history . I dont object to the trade and there were option they didnt even try
Burnett would of been nice if….
They obviously knew what was happening at Reading with the pitchers
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Happ threw 94 pitches in his one start with the Phillies in 2007, not exactly a pounding. But the real question, what were his pitch counts in his previous AAA starts leading up to that game and what were his pitch counts in AAA before Russell brought him out for that “tragic” inning?
As for the whole 5 2/3 per start, look a little deeper into those numbers. That includes a 2 inning start vs. Atlanta where the game was delayed by rain and he didn’t return and a game against FLA on Sept 20th where he was lifted for a pinch-hitter after 5 because the bases were loaded in a 1-run ball-game. Toss out the rain-delay, and Blanton went at least 6 inning in 1/2 of his Phillies regular season starts and has been superb in the post season.
Maybe Happ would have done just as well but except for the fortunetellers, we will never know!!
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Seriously guys? We are win one away from a championship and we are bickering about how many innings Joe Blanton threw, or how many JA Happ would have? Joe has been very good for us, especially in the playoffs. Case closed. Great Trade.
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june 30.2007
last point then lets watch the game
long first
2nd inning 1up 3 down
3rd inning ”
4th 1bb error by Rollins
eight pitchs to k that Punk Reyes(I came out of my chair)
btw that was the start of the Reyes slumb
if you didnt see the game it IS hard to get what went on
go Phils
anyway how do we get thru the winter???
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They made the playoffs and then the Series with Blanton’s help. Would they have done it without him? Unlikely! Great trade!
As for next year, how much of the farm system do you offer Colorado to get Holliday, assuming he signs an extension? Would anyone offer Carrasco and Marson? (I wouldn’t) How about Carrasco and Michael Taylor (I would) or Carrasco, Taylor and a 3rd prospect (maybe). This will be one of the first Amara decisions because I doubt that Pat will be back and Holliday would be a terrific upgrade and he’s a fiery guy which would be great as they try to repeat.
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Murray- You have some great posts but it’s gonna take alot more than Carrasco + Taylor + Marson.
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I don’t agree: Carrasco+Taylor+Marson is a huge package and should be enough for Holliday. Three top 100(maybe top 50) prospects, two of which are MLB ready. I wouldn’t even do that deal. If anything, I’d make an offer for Peavy or Greinke.
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NoWheels = Worst poster on here.
Still can’t admit that it was a good trade.
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B if you read i dont object to the trade only not looking at other options before the trade
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Too much to give up for a soon to be expensive LF’er. Holiday will be a FA after 2009 and will be looking for $15-$20 million per.
If they won’t pay both Howard and Holiday $20 million per season…
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Blanton is a gamer, no doubt about it, and I agreed with you 100% when the trade went through, because I felt like giving up Cardenas and Outman was way too much. But I guess Gillick looks like a genius once again.
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Werth to LF???
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Rockies can get 2 draft picks, so they have to better that. They also would be trading their best player so they would need to definately come out on top.
Taylor is unproven. 1 good minor league yr?
Marson has had 4 ABs
Carrasco has make up questions.
Personally, I think they would require another pitcher.
THis all shouldn’t matter because we don’t need Holliday, we need pitching. But to get off this topic, I just think it would take more than those 3 players.
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Please no Holliday, he’s not a long term solution and will not be signed for anything less then what he’d get on the free market (represented by Boras).
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Werth in LF wastes his range and arm…
Dont trade for Holliday…he’s not worth that amount of cash.
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Werth to Lf let them go for a CF or RF I liked Vic in right . Maybe Pittsburg will put McCouth up for trade again. They are idiots
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Magglio Ordonez would make the most sense…probably some kind of deal centered around Jason Donald, because they need a shortstop
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Forget big money guys here besides if they go bad they play anyway and i hate that and all the spin that goes with it.
McClouth made less than 400k this year Probably the best production for the buck in baseball. There may be others out
there. We just have to deal with the dumber GM’s like Ed
Lidge was the key for sure
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I disagree that the Phils don’t need hitting…there needs to be a righty replacement at the ready for Burrell. Preferably someone who may not have as much power, but hits for a higher average and has about the same OBP as PTB.
I know that there aren’t too many LF’ers out there that have those credentials…
Don’t trade Donald, Marson or Carrasco. Those guys will make it easier to pay Cole and possibly Howard. You needs youngsters to balance out the payroll with the big salaried guys.
Plus Vic, Werth, Blanton, Ruiz, Madson are all due for raises in the offseason.
Gotta look at the big picture guys…and by the way, we think Burrell has no range in LF? Holliday is even worse!
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Phillies win the whole shooting match. Yahoo!!! Let me savor the moment….
Okay, that’s enough. Time to look ahead. The Phils have some decisions to make. Super-minor-leaguer Eaton for one. Kendrick, is he back in the minors? Can Moyer handle one more season? Do they want Donald to be a utility guy? Where do Carrasco and Marson start? What about Jaramillo? If Burrell leaves, which I believe he will, Can Werth, Jenkins and Vic fill the outfield. Will Golson get a look as a 5th outfielder? Who else will make a splash sometime during the year?
I think Marson, Carrasco and Donald will all start in AAA. I think Golson will go there too. It’s near impossible to see him making the Phillies. Kendrick can be effective but he definitely needs another pitch or two. AAA may be where he perfects something. How about a knuckleball? Eaton has to be let go. I don’t see the value. the only possibility is it’s the last year of his contract, he might just figure out how to pitch so he can get another big payday. He hasn’t put anything together in a long time. They will have to sign another outfielder. If Taylor is the real thing, I think he’s still 2 years away. Brown’s 3 years away, if he’s the real deal. Slayden has to do his .270 with 16 HR and 70 RBIs one more time in AAA.
Hamels, Myers, Moyer, Blanton and Happ(?) will be a major discussion topic as it is every year. Can they be a group of starters? If they rest on this year’s race to and through the playoffs, we’ll be disappointed. Remember Myers took some time in the minors to straighten himself out. Hamels was a stud in the playoffs. Do it all year long. Moyer can’t do any better, he’s a hundred year’s old. Blanton’s got to get back to his early career form. Happ should get a chance to prove he belongs on the big club. Carrasco and Kendrick are your fall-backs and injury replacements.
I want to continue to bask in the glow of a World Series win for a little bit longer. Our minor league prospects are starting to knock on the door. The next GM doesn’t have a lot of time for relaxing. He has to be named (I assume Amaro’s the guy) and get his depth chart out. At least we don’t have to say… wait ’til next year.
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Champions!!!
Well the first part of your post summed it up well- LV had little to be happy with aside from JA Happ’s solid year. Jaramillo played poorly enough to get passed by Marson. The rest of these teams were forgettable, save for a few late season appearances by CC. I can say that my group will be renewing our partial plan for next year. We had a lot of fun, even if the team played so poorly. I got to see a no-hitter by Happ and a 17 K performance by Walrond. Not bad.
I def. think Golson will be in AAA and CC too. Now you have a decision on Marson. Do you start him at AAA and move Jaramillo? Do you move Coste and let Marson back up in Philly? Maybe spring training will determine that. As for Donald, I think that if you need to start Dobbs in Burrell’s absensce, then you should have Donald be the utility infielder in philly. Otherwise he def. earned a promotion to AAA.
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Wow, we’re already thinking about next year? At least it’s not a “we’ll get ’em next year” scenario.
Here’s what I think they should do: Let Coste go (but do it early and respectfully, and also tell him that there is a coaching slot waiting for him should he not get any offers), and let Marson and Jaramillo duke it out in spring training. Marson will probably win, but if he doesn’t, then he benefits from a bit more seasoning in AAA, and probably gets a callup midway through the year and split time with that World Series Hero Carlos Ruiz.
As for LF, if Burrell doesn’t return, then I would just fill the position with “placeholders” – Dobbs, Jenkins, and maybe some righthanded veteran on a one-year contract. Either Taylor or Golson should be ready by the end of the year.
I think Donald gets a shot to make the club out of Spring Training, and does so as a Utility Guy, but sees more and more at-bats as the season progresses.
Okay, back to celebrating. Woohoo!!!
– Jeff
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My issue with the Blanton trade was always the amount of value given in comparison with the Harden deal. The Phillies needed to make a move, it just seemed like a lot to give up for Blanton. I regret that Cardenas was traded, but will never know if they could have filled that void without trading him.
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Harden is constantly injured, and blanton is under control a year longer.
There’s a very good chance we wouldn’t have made the playoffs without Blanton, let alone win the WS.
Happ seems good, but I for one don’t trust his high heat enough to let him be the guy who is starting in the WS.
I’m all for giving him a shot in the rotation next season though….
Assuming we resign moyer, we have a pretty lefty-dominated staff. I’m guessing Carassco is at the pig pen to start the season.
Hamels
Myers
Moyer
Blanton
Happ
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Am I missing something. Please tell me and the rest of the LV contingent why Jaramillo has fallen off the map? Look at the guys stats. Top two catcher in the ENTIRE International League! Two-time all-star. I understand the infatuation with Marsom but WOW — poo-poo Jaramillo is way wrong. Please correct me if my stats say anything different.. Thanks! 2009: Ruiz/Jaramillo in MLB, Marson in AAA. Enough said. Marson is still young and will no doub have a long career. Give Jaramillo a shot for crying out loud….
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Happ As Starter
era W L GS INN HITS ER HR BB K AVE
2.28 1 0 4 23.2 166 6 1 11 15 .188
Wade was terrified of stats Hopeful Amaro will use stats to confirm what he sees or thinks he sees . Baseball will fool you
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