2009 MLB Season Thread

[floydnimrod]

Rumors again have the Reds trading Edwin Encarnacion, and a top 20 prospect (Todd Frazier) to Toronto for Scott Rolen.

I don't know if I like this deal, mostly because Edwin's my favorite player. But I'm running out of excuses for his performance. He is loaded with potential, but he's already been in the league for 4 years.

[BBTV]

That's damned dangerous, and he's lucky that nobody else saw him do it. We Philly fans get a bad rap, but this nimrod is not a true fan.

We're going to get an even worse rap now. A man was beaten to death in the parking lot after a fight spilled out from Mcfadden's. Thats so terrible and such a disgrace.

Link

will - fyp. Was listening to the broadcast on the radio when the game was delayed. For some reason, Sarge and Jim Jackson were doing the broadcast rather than Franzke and L.A. I really wish L.A. was there because I'm sure he would have had some pretty strong opinions on the matter. Instead, we got this brilliant analysis from Sarge (paraphrased) "if something blinds you, it's tough to see, and that reduces your chances of hitting the ball."

As for the other link, it should be stated that zero of the facts have come out about this, and it is very possible that it had nothing to do with the game at all. (So far, at least) it's not like a group of Phillies fans jumped and killed a Cardinal.

[njmeadowlanders]

As for the other link, it should be stated that zero of the facts have come out about this, and it is very possible that it had nothing to do with the game at all. (So far, at least) it's not like a group of Phillies fans jumped and killed a Cardinal.

Exactly. Who the hell knows why. It could've been a fan, it could've not been. It could've been for a myriad of reasons that a fight broke out.

Regardless though, there's no reason someone had to die. Period. Humanity is the one that suffers, I don't care what team you root for.

[JayJaxon]

The Phillies countered with a deal that will send 4 payers to the Jays, but none of those 4 are Kyle Drabek or Dominic Brown (Their best pitching and positions player prospects respectively)

The Jays said no.

Now there is talk that the Phils could pursue Cliff Lee if they can't get a deal done for Halladay. The Jays are not going to budge on their asking price, so that may be the best bet for Philadelphia.

[Cujo]

I know I'm selling a bunch of my Sunday Plan tickets on Stub Hub, hopefully some will just want to experience Citi Field for the first time.

If the Mets were still at Shea, it would be a ghost town the rest of the way, 15,000 a game.

I plan to go to two more games only 1969 Celebration and the K-Rod Bobble Head Giveaway.

Omar has got to go as it is, but the fact the Tony Bernazard still has a job is bewildering.

Don't care.

Don't care.

Don't care.

[CC97]

Now there is talk that the Phils could pursue Cliff Lee if they can't get a deal done for Halladay. The Jays are not going to budge on their asking price, so that may be the best bet for Philadelphia.

Cliff Lee is also nowhere near the pitcher Roy Halladay is.

I don't get the Phils reluctance to ship their prospects... you're holding onto those guys because you hope they'll turn out to be big players and help your team win the series -- or you can turn them into a sure thing when you're building up for a playoff push. It's not like Roy's a rental player, he's signed through the end of next season giving you two more runs at the title. Do Jays fans regret selling the farm (including sending Jeff Kent) for 3 months of David Cone in '92? Hell no, we won the Series, and that's all that counts.

That said, I still hope he's not shipped away.

[BBTV]

Now there is talk that the Phils could pursue Cliff Lee if they can't get a deal done for Halladay. The Jays are not going to budge on their asking price, so that may be the best bet for Philadelphia.

Cliff Lee is also nowhere near the pitcher Roy Halladay is.

I don't get the Phils reluctance to ship their prospects... you're holding onto those guys because you hope they'll turn out to be big players and help your team win the series -- or you can turn them into a sure thing when you're building up for a playoff push. It's not like Roy's a rental player, he's signed through the end of next season giving you two more runs at the title. Do Jays fans regret selling the farm (including sending Jeff Kent) for 3 months of David Cone in '92? Hell no, we won the Series, and that's all that counts.

That said, I still hope he's not shipped away.

Personally, I'd rent a van, give the keys to JP, and tell him to drive to Reading and Lehigh Valley and fill it up with whoever he wants. The window is around 2 or 3 years, and these prospects won't be major players by then (if ever.) Halladay, obviously, will be (at least through next year). HOWEVER - he does have the right to demand a trade after this season, due to the CBA. So if he doesn't like pitching in Citizens Bank Park, or just hates Philadelphia, he could end up being just a rental.

[HedleyLamarr]

Now there is talk that the Phils could pursue Cliff Lee if they can't get a deal done for Halladay. The Jays are not going to budge on their asking price, so that may be the best bet for Philadelphia.

Cliff Lee is also nowhere near the pitcher Roy Halladay is.

I don't get the Phils reluctance to ship their prospects... you're holding onto those guys because you hope they'll turn out to be big players and help your team win the series -- or you can turn them into a sure thing when you're building up for a playoff push. It's not like Roy's a rental player, he's signed through the end of next season giving you two more runs at the title. Do Jays fans regret selling the farm (including sending Jeff Kent) for 3 months of David Cone in '92? Hell no, we won the Series, and that's all that counts.

That said, I still hope he's not shipped away.

Halladay, for as great a pitcher he is, would only be making around 10-12 more starts this season. Giving up a ton of prospects for a guy who won't be playing in more than 15 games the rest of 2009 makes little sense. If it were an everyday position player, the Phillies might be more inclined to make that deal.

Besides, the Phillies are playing pretty well right now, and have proven to MLB that they can win the World Series without Halladay. Toronto's not going anywhere, and Halladay has told them that he'll be testing the free-agent waters.....this gives the Phillies more leverage than Toronto.

[STL FANATIC]

Hedley, Halladay is signed through next season. Toronto can wait to trade him then if they want. It also means the Phillies get more than 12 starts out of him.

When the Cards were still in contention for them, I said give Toronto anybody they want in our minor league system. Just nobody on the major league club (well, there's certainly some guys on the ML club I wouldn't care about, but they also wouldn't want them).

But Toronto wants Phillies top minor league pitcher in addition to a guy who has come up and pitched very well in the majors.

At some point you wonder how much better you're making your team this year by getting Halladay's 12 starts vs. 12 more by JA Haap.

No doubt Halladay is the better, safer pitcher, but is he that much better to make it worth it? I don't know.

[STL FANATIC]

Making good on a bet with Will.

By the way. F-U Todd Wellemeyer. Loser in the truest sense.

[BBTV]

Now there is talk that the Phils could pursue Cliff Lee if they can't get a deal done for Halladay. The Jays are not going to budge on their asking price, so that may be the best bet for Philadelphia.

Cliff Lee is also nowhere near the pitcher Roy Halladay is.

I don't get the Phils reluctance to ship their prospects... you're holding onto those guys because you hope they'll turn out to be big players and help your team win the series -- or you can turn them into a sure thing when you're building up for a playoff push. It's not like Roy's a rental player, he's signed through the end of next season giving you two more runs at the title. Do Jays fans regret selling the farm (including sending Jeff Kent) for 3 months of David Cone in '92? Hell no, we won the Series, and that's all that counts.

That said, I still hope he's not shipped away.

Halladay, for as great a pitcher he is, would only be making around 10-12 more starts this season. Giving up a ton of prospects for a guy who won't be playing in more than 15 games the rest of 2009 makes little sense. If it were an everyday position player, the Phillies might be more inclined to make that deal.

Besides, the Phillies are playing pretty well right now, and have proven to MLB that they can win the World Series without Halladay. Toronto's not going anywhere, and Halladay has told them that he'll be testing the free-agent waters.....this gives the Phillies more leverage than Toronto.

That's simply not true. The 2009 Phillies haven't proven that at all.

The 2008 team featured a lights-out Cole Hamels, a resurgent Brett Myers (pitched really well after his minor-league bannishment), a solid Joe Blanton, a 16-game winning Jamie Moyer, an unbelievable bullpen, and a perfect Brad Lidge.

The 2009 team features an extremely shaky Cole Hamels, no Brett Myers, a big question mark in Joe Blanton (pitched great last 4 or 5 outings, but was crap before that), a Jamie Moyer who is really showing his age and has an era of >6, an unproven rookie in J.A. Happ who despite his good record, has not gone through the league more than once yet, fill-ins like Antonio Bastardo and Rodrigo Lopez, a bullpen that constantly has guys on the DL (three of them currently), and a Brad Lidge that flat out doesn't belong in the major leagues the way he's pitched this year.

The NL East has been very disappointing, and the Phillies offense has been able to build them a nice cushion, but pitching is so valuable in the playoffs, I wouldn't at all feel comfortable throwing Hamels, Blanton, and... someone out there (and then not having the horses in the 'pen or a closer.)

I don't know that they absolutely need Halladay, but I do feel like they cannot win the WS again without acquiring someone to help in the rotation.

[Shumway]

Ervin Santana sucks. At least Kendry Morales is a pleasant surprise this year.

[Billy B]

A Cubs sweep of the Reds and the Phillies beating the Cardinals today puts the Cubs at the top of the NL Central by half a game. It's going to be an exciting race down to the end, it's wide open right now.

[Bmac]

[Cujo]

A Cubs sweep of the Reds and the Phillies beating the Cardinals today puts the Cubs at the top of the NL Central by half a game.

The Cubbies have had a pretty brutal year thus far with a mob of slumping players, and a mediocre pitching staff, and ONE All-Star in Ted Lilly. Yet, Sweet Lou & Company find themselves alone in first place..... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?

And what the hell happened to St. Louis? Before the ASG break, I thought they were gonna run away with the division.

[Still MIGHTY]

Ervin Santana sucks. At least Kendry Morales is a pleasant surprise this year.

and poof goes Ervin Santana. At least when we get to the playoffs, he probably won't have to start.

Even more of a reason to trade for Halladay. The Angels either need to strengthen the starters or strengthen the bullpen to help stop the bleeding in the bad starts, because when there is a bad start for the Angels it gets bad and Scioscia is terrible at managing the pitching. He trusts his pitching staff to work through in game problems and correct themselves. Too bad it actually doesn't work that way. And the Angels are going to go to this "4-man rotation until we need to use a 5th starter" thing again until the 8th of August.

I read in the OC Register is the rumor of what the Jays want from the Angels is Brandon Wood, Joe Saunders, Erick Aybar, and a top prospect or Jered Weaver in place of Saunders. They can have Wood. They can take Weaver. They can take whatever prospect they want. I'd like to keep Saunders and there is no way in hell they are getting Aybar... The article also said that the Jays are asking something similar from the Dodgers.

Until the Jays start to lower their asking price on Halladay, Doc is probably right in saying he most likely won't be moved.

[Shumway]

Ervin Santana sucks. At least Kendry Morales is a pleasant surprise this year.

and poof goes Ervin Santana. At least when we get to the playoffs, he probably won't have to start.

Even more of a reason to trade for Halladay. The Angels either need to strengthen the starters or strengthen the bullpen to help stop the bleeding in the bad starts, because when there is a bad start for the Angels it gets bad and Scioscia is terrible at managing the pitching. He trusts his pitching staff to work through in game problems and correct themselves. Too bad it actually doesn't work that way. And the Angels are going to go to this "4-man rotation until we need to use a 5th starter" thing again until the 8th of August.

I read in the OC Register is the rumor of what the Jays want from the Angels is Brandon Wood, Joe Saunders, Erick Aybar, and a top prospect or Jered Weaver in place of Saunders. They can have Wood. They can take Weaver. They can take whatever prospect they want. I'd like to keep Saunders and there is no way in hell they are getting Aybar... The article also said that the Jays are asking something similar from the Dodgers.

Until the Jays start to lower their asking price on Halladay, Doc is probably right in saying he most likely won't be moved.

If that's what the Jays want, I highly doubt he'll be coming to Anaheim.

[cjzilligen]

A Cubs sweep of the Reds and the Phillies beating the Cardinals today puts the Cubs at the top of the NL Central by half a game. It's going to be an exciting race down to the end, it's wide open right now.

Go Cubs!

[Epiphanic]

HOWEVER - he does have the right to demand a trade after this season, due to the CBA. So if he doesn't like pitching in Citizens Bank Park, or just hates Philadelphia, he could end up being just a rental.

What does this mean? If Halladay does demand a trade, what happens?

[Jigga]

HOWEVER - he does have the right to demand a trade after this season, due to the CBA. So if he doesn't like pitching in Citizens Bank Park, or just hates Philadelphia, he could end up being just a rental.

What does this mean? If Halladay does demand a trade, what happens?

MLB.com Phillies beat writer Todd Zolecki explains it here

Is there a chance Halladay could walk after this season?

Players who signed multiyear contracts before Oct. 2006 can demand a trade, if they are traded in the middle of their deals. Halladay signed a three-year, $40 million contract extension with the Blue Jays in March 2006, which means if Toronto trades him, he can demand a trade in the off-season.

In other words, there is some risk the Phillies could lose Halladay after just a few months of baseball (and after sending several top prospects to the Blue Jays to get him). Because if Halladay demands a trade and the Phillies don't trade him, Halladay would become an unrestricted free agent March 15.

But "Doc" already has a no trade clause. So it's highly unlikely he will end up with a team he doesn't want to play for. However, as already said, he could use this rule as leverage to get an extension after the season. The Jays are pretty much convinced that Doc wants to become a free agent a see what's out there for him...which prompted this whole trade talk in the first place.