Staff report
Big-name pitchers are on the move in the major leagues, according to reports from SI.com and ESPN.com.
According to a report by SI.com's Jon Heyman, the Phillies will acquire right-handed pitcher Roy Halladay as part of a three-team trade with the Mariners and Blue Jays in which left-hander Cliff Lee likely will go to Seattle.
Meanwhile, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports that the Red Sox have reached a tentative deal with right-hander John Lackey, pending a physical, on a deal worth slightly more than the five-year, $82.5 million dollar deal A.J. Burnett signed with the New York Yankees last year. Lackey reportedly traveled to Boston for a physical exam today.
Big-name pitchers are on the move in the major leagues, according to reports from SI.com and ESPN.com.
According to a report by SI.com's Jon Heyman, the Phillies will acquire right-handed pitcher Roy Halladay as part of a three-team trade with the Mariners and Blue Jays in which left-hander Cliff Lee likely will go to Seattle.
Meanwhile, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports that the Red Sox have reached a tentative deal with right-hander John Lackey, pending a physical, on a deal worth slightly more than the five-year, $82.5 million dollar deal A.J. Burnett signed with the New York Yankees last year. Lackey reportedly traveled to Boston for a physical exam today.
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I would have to say that Cliff Lee is about the same as Roy Halladay when you go into next years schedule. As much as I like Cliff Lee as a Phillies fan, and I honestly think that they wanted to sign him to a 3,4, or 5 year contract to stay here, he (Cliff Lee) might have had other plans... Going into next years offseason the Phillies want to have Cliff Lee or Halladay signed to a 3+ year ext. to there current contract to keep them here till 2013. They can then spend time looking at extending other contracts with there #1 pitcher locked up...
I can say that I would be happy with the trade in the long run. Some fans are saying lets give up those prospects and keep Lee and Halladay to win it all next year!!! As good as that does sound, and I think they would win regardless then, that would actually cripple the team for years to come... Because at the end of the year if Lee and Halladay left as free agents, the Phillies would loose there farm system that took years to develop as one of the best... For a lotto ticket... In baseball, anyone can win, and if the Phillies came short of winning it all, it would be the biggest mistake they ever did... Keep the team together, trade as little as you can, continue to improve positions and build an empire this city needs is what I think they need to do...
If they kept Lee and traded Joe Blanton who is about to make almost the same as Lee, the trade wouldn't be talked about after today... If they kept Halladay, they can at least fill the stands so the difference in price means nothing... If they can get 3-6 prospects they would have a future... However, TORONTO would NEVER get what they are asking for in return for Halladay...
He has 1 year left on his contract and will leave Toronto at the end of the season 100%... Therefore the manager that is accepting or rejecting these trade offers should be FIRED if he cant get Halladay signed long term or get some prospects in return and save on salary spending for Halladay if they don't see themselves in the playoffs NEXT YEAR... This manager wouldn't last leaving the office and going to his car in Philadelphia if our manager didn't make a move on this and came up empty handed... He would then have to take his kids out of public school and send them out of the country next with his $6.50/hour salary because they also lost there job on top of that...
Anyway, this is a good trade for everyone, but the Blue Jays can't have the same price tag on the same thing that was turned down a 1/2 year ago when teams WERE MAKING A PLAYOFF RUN!!! The Yankees and Red Sox both laughed at what they wanted, and it is getting closer to watch them loose him as a Free Agent, then one of these teams can give the Blue Jays a player like Eric Brunlett batting .001 this season, and that should then be a win! Why? Because they already did everything to make this fail, at least they get a player out of it, lol...
The Blue Jays really only should deal with the Phillies, only because the other teams would haunt them for the next 4-9 years in the American league. The main teams interested are the Yankees, Angles, Red Sox, and Phillies... The Angles spent a pretty penny already and I dont see them trading anything valuable enough to win this, the Yankees want to give there damaged prospects and hold there almost damaged prospects (Phil Hughes)... The RED SOX just signed LACKEY!!! They already have Josh Beckett as a FA next year, right? So basically this leaves there last shot with the Phillies... Get greedy and we will back out again, possibly end up with someone better... When they didnt win last time, Cliff Lee became a solid trade... The Phillies will do it again, so dont expect the Phillies to give away the farm to do this...
But I see Roy Halladay going to Philadelphia by Wednesday... Stay tuned!!!
Some how I am simply shocked that these teams currently have the financial ability to acquire these players. You would think both the Phillies and Red Sox would already have their fill of huge contracts, I guess not... Makes you wish for a competent front office.
I guess what I'm really surprised about is that these teams have enough high quality minor league talent to appease trade demands from the like of Toronto and Detroit!!! How do the Yankee's and Red Sox continually have prospects that other teams want, and then the following year have another batch ready to sell for what they need? It just doesn't seem plausible..
Phils get Halladay, Seattle (?!!!) gets Cliff Lee. Where the hell is Jim Hendry? Starching Crane Kenney's suits? The hundred year-plus streak goes on, unabated. Embarrassing.
Whatever happened to winning teams in Chicago? Why is it that we seem to almost not want any? The Bulls couldn't wait to break up the team, the Bears haven't won for an extended stretch since the '40s, the Cubs are a joke, the White Sox only slightly less so, and who cares about the Blackhawks? Really.
So the phils get roy halladay.This shows exactly why the cubs have'nt won in 102 years they stay stagnant other teams get better.The Horribly Bad investment in bradley continues to hang over this team its the middle of december and the cubs still cant make moves.Phillies were better without halladay now they will go back to the World series.With lee and lilly's contracts expiring next year looks like this window is about to shut on the cubs chance.2008 will be the biggest choke job ever that was a legit team that could of won it all.Bad investments in Ryan Dumpster(52 million) and bradley's 30 million thats 82 million the cubs could of spent on other players instead of 2 bums with good contract years.
Might wanna correct your headline...