Lidge, Contreras, Fans, NL East News

As seen on Phillies Nation.

There's eighty days until Roy Halladay (I'm already penciling him in as the Opening Day starter) throws the first pitch of 2010. There's 35 days until pitchers and catchers report. The season is quickly approaching, and soon we'll be hearing more Phillies news on a daily basis. There was still plenty of baseball news today:

• The Phillies announced that Brad Lidge had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, and his status for Opening Day is questionable.

"The surgery went well, and Brad is expected to begin his throwing program in 10 days," head athletic trainer Scott Sheridan said. "We're not sure if he'll be ready by Opening Day, but we don't expect that he'll be too far behind. This surgery was not directly related to any previous surgeries."

Loose bodies and a portion of his meniscus were removed. This is Lidge's second surgery this off season (elbow). This is his third surgery on his right knee since 2007. Lidge missed opening week in 2008 due to knee surgery, and also missed part of 2009 due to knee pain.

• The Phillies, along with four other teams, are interested in Jose Contreras.

Contreras, 38, had a 4.92 ERA in 131.6 innings with the White Sox and Rockies last year. Contreras would likely relieve, despite spending some time as a starter last year. If you were hoping for a reliever like D.J Carrasco, cross his name off the list. He reached an agreement with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Phillies need bullpen help, but personally I don't think Contreras is the answer.

• Smile! The Hardball Times named Phillies fans "the happiest in MLB."

Honestly, I was kind of surprised to see the Phillies listed as number one. I was expecting the 3-5 range, thinking Philadelphia would recieve the usual Philly fan stereotypes. A championship, two pennants, and three division titles in three years; yeah, that makes me happy.

• Brandon Duckworth and Jason Standridge sign minor league deals with the Phillies.

The Duck Pond is back!! I can’t believe I missed this news. Honestly, Duckworth was one of my favorite players in the early 2000’s, despite his struggles.

Since leaving the Phillies, Duckworth, 34, has spent time in the Astros’ and Royals’ system. Standridge, 31, was a first-round draft pick in 1997.

National League East news:

• The Atlanta Braves are pursuing Johnny Damon.


• Carlos Beltran had surgery on his knee without asking the Mets for permission.

The Mets' injury woes continue into 2010. Beltran is expected to miss at least twelve weeks.

In other Mets news, the Mets are close to signing catcher Bengie Molina. Molina batted .265 with 20 home runs with the San Francisco Giants last year.

• The Washington Nationals are interested in Orlando Hudson.

The Nationals could offer Hudson a two-year deal -- at the right price. Hudson could want as much as $9 million, which may be too much for the Nationals.

• What about that other team in the National League East?

The Marlins? You may have noticed that they haven't been spending a lot of money. Well, they reached an agreement with the players' union to increase spending due to complaints about the team's payroll violating baseball's revenue sharing provisions.

Blog of Note: We Should be GM's has a nice motion picture of the man, Chase Utley.

Week In Review: January 7th

I apologize for the lack of substance on Swing and a Long Drive this week. I had all intentions of updating, but one thing led to another. Plus, our numbers have been down so it's not like anybody is rushing to see our site. It's the off season, so it's slow.

The good news is that there are 87 days until Opening Day (or bad? It depends how you look at it, if you want baseball tomorrow). Either way, we're going to catch you up on the latest baseball news from the week.

The Phillies signed Danys Baez to a two-year, $5.25 million deal. The Phillies gained a reliever, but they also lose one-- or two.

Clay Condrey has official moved on. The long man has agreed to terms with the Minnesota Twins. Condrey missed most of last year with injuries. He has a career 4.10 ERA. Clay, have fun throwing to that stud behind home plate that they call Joe Mauer.

Reliever Scott Eyre is calling it quits. The 37-year old has decided to retire after 13 major league seasons. During the 2009 season, Eyre pondered the idea of retirement. Eyre had surgery during the off season, and the Phillies offered him a minor league contract for 2010, but Eyre had his mind set or retiring.

In 1997, the lefty broke into the majors at the age of 25 with the Chicago White Sox. In 649.1 career innings, Eyre went 28-30 with a 4.23 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. Eyre had the most success in Philadelphia, where he went 5-1 with a 1.62 ERA in two seasons.

With Eyre gone, this puts more on J.C Romero, who was suspended and hurt last year. If he can be healthy and as effective as he was in 2008, the Phillies are in good shape as far as a lefty-specialist goes.

Other Phillies News:

The Phillies invited 13 to spring training. Some of the bigger names include Domonic Brown, Joe Savery, B.J Rosenberg, and Phillipe Aumont and Tyson Gillies, who were involved in the Cliff Lee deal.

MLB News:

Andre Dawson was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Dawson had a .279 career average, 438 home runs, and .807 OPS.

The decision by the writer's association wasn't a bad choice at all, but Roberto Alomar, Edgar Martinez and Bert Blyvleven wouldn't be poor choices either.

Speaking of the Hall of Fame and retirement, a future Hall of Famer is retiring. Randy Johnson is hanging up the cleats after 22 seasons. The lefty went 303-166 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in his career. Johnson, a five-time Cy Young winner, spent most of his career in Seattle and Arizona.

The biggest splash came from the Cardinals, who signed Matt Holliday to a seven-year, $120 million deal. Holliday is a career .318 hitter. He averages 29 home runs and 100 runs batted in per year. Holliday and Albert Pujols make for one of the best 3-4 punches in baseball.

The Boston Red Sox signed third baseman Adrian Beltre. The Red Sox plan to move Mike Lowell, but are having a tough time because he's injured. A thought was a trade to the Mets, where Lowell would play first base, and Luis Castillo would head to Boston. Meanwhile, the Mets are still interested in bringing back Carlos Delgado.

A decision for Cuban Adrolis Chapman could be coming soon. Every team in the majors seems to have interest in the prized pitcher.

The Mariners acquired Casey Kotchman. They also extended Franklin Gutierrez's contract. Gutierrez was signed to a four-year, $20.5 million deal with an option for a fifth year.

The Atlanta Braves signed Eric Hinske and Troy Glaus. Hinske is a career .254 hitter and Glaus has 300 career home runs.

In other news, the Rangers offered Vladimir Guerrero a $7 million deal, the A's agreed to sign Jack Cust, the Twins made an offer to Jarod Washburn, and the Nationals signed Matt Capps to a one-year $3.5 million deal.

Mets Sign Bay; Giants Sign DeRosa

With the holidays, there was a lack of baseball news throughout the week. When Eric Bruntlett signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals, that was the biggest headline in Philadelphia sports. With the new year approaching, a few more moves were made.

The New York Mets signed free agent Jason Bay to a four year, $66 million contract. The Mets were desperately in need of a left fielder. They got one. However, like so many major league contracts, Bay was given too much money.

Bay is a great player, but has been extremely over rated since his departure from Pittsburgh. The money shows.

In addition, Bay was a better fit for Boston. Bay, not known for his defense, will go from a very small left field in Fenway to a very spacious outfield in Citi Field. In addition to potential defensive struggles, Bay's power numbers will go down. Citi Field has taken a damper on home run numbers; just look at David Wright's decrease in home run totals from 2008 to 2009.

In other baseball news, the San Francisco Giants signed Mark DeRosa to a two year, $12 million deal. DeRosa, an extremely versatile player, will likely spend the majority of his playing time at third base, with Pablo Sandoval moving to first. DeRosa may spend time in the outfield as well.

The Giants need a bat badly. DeRosa probably won't be the answer, although he will help a very weak hitting ball club. The Giants have pitching, but if they can improve their hitting, they could be the favorites in the National League West.

There's not much left of the free agent market. Matt Holliday seems to be the only big name remaining. The Cardinals are rumored to have offered him a $100 million contract.

In minor moves, the Arizona Diamondbacks signed Kelly Johnson and the Oakland Athletics signed Justin Duchscherer.

Is it True: Lee for Halladay?

A couple days ago, Ken Rosenthal "had a hunch" that Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee could be traded in the same deal. Either he knew what he was talking about, or he had one lucky guess. Ken Rosenthal's hunch appears to be 100% accurate.

The Phillies are reportedly close to getting Roy Halladay. Cliff Lee would go to the Seattle Mariners for prospects. Those prospects would go to Toronto. The Phillies don't appear to be going anywhere with a Cliff Lee extension; Lee might require $23 million per year, and might want to test the free agency market. On the other hand, Halladay may sign for the Phillies cheaper, due to the chance to contend. Halladay wants around $20 million per year. He would want a contract extension before waving his no-trade clause. The Phillies have been rumored to offer him 3-4 years as of now.

But the deal is not official.

The Phillies may have to give another prospect for the deal to be complete. Michael Taylor seems to be the appropriate choice: major league ready, a great prospect, but not the Phillies top prospect. The Phillies are already losing their ace (granted, they get a better ace in return), but they shouldn't have to give up their best prospect, Drabek, who is now rumored to be involved in the deal.

But if Drabek is dealt, does that mean that Lee still goes? We have yet to find out. There are so many rumors surrounding this trade, that it's almost impossible to keep track of.

Michael Taylor, Travis D'Arnuad, Dominic Brown, Kyle Drabek, J.A Happ, Joe Blanton, Cole Hamels, the Phillie Phanatic, a Schmitter, the Liberty Bell, the bat boy, a dead Veterans Stadium jail cell rat, Chase Utley's hair gel, Ruben Amaro himself, a cheese steak, 6 beer men, FIVE World Series rings, Chris Wheeler's toupee, two beat writers to be named later, and a partridge in a pear tree have all been rumored to be in the deal (well, not the last few!).

We'll see what happens, but one thing is official: the Red Sox and John Lackey agree to a five-year deal. Why is this important? Because the Angels have now lost Chone Figgins and Lackey. If the Mariners do land Lee, watch out. They've made some improvements and could be a surprise after finishing last year at the bottom of the American League West.

Rosenthal: Halladay for Lee Deal?

As seen on Phillies Nation.

I originally wasn't going to post this because there is "no proof" that the Phillies are considering this. However, there seems to be a lot of talk regarding this topic.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders if Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay could be traded in the same deal. It sounds absurd, but if you read into it more, it makes a little bit of sense. It would not be a straight up exchange; it would be a part of a three or four team trade. Basically, Lee would be traded for prospects. Those prospects would be sent to Toronto for Halladay. If the Phillies send more prospects, there is a chance that the Blue Jays would eat some of Halladay's salary. Remember, "it's just a hunch."

Most of you are thinking: the idea is to have Lee AND Halladay. Todd Zolecki of MLB.com also breaks down the idea. Money is the issue. Moving Lee would free up about $2 million. The Phillies aren't making much progress on a contract extension with Lee, who might want to test free agency next year. Halladay, also a free agent next season, would most likely require a contract extension for him to wave his no-trade clause. Then, the Phillies would have Halladay long term instead of Lee. If Lee and Halladay are on the same team, and even if the Phillies are able to lower their payroll (Joe Blanton would probably be the first one to go), it's unlikely that the Phillies would be able to keep both Lee and Halladay past 2010.

With that being said, I do not think trading Lee for Halladay is a good idea. I'd take the risk of having Lee and Halladay on the same team for one year; a year that instantly makes the Phillies World Series favorites. If that can't happen, I'm perfectly fine with signing Lee long term.

What do you think? Is trading Lee for Halladay a good or bad idea?

More Winter Meeting Tidbits

Texas was popular today, but here is what else happened during day three of the Winter Meetings.

The Phillies signed Ross Gload to a two-year deal. The first baseman and outfielder will likely spend most of the season off the bench. Gload also received offers from the Marlins and Braves.

The Phillies have been equally aggressive on Fernando Rodney as they have been on Brandon Lyon. However, it's unknown if the Phillies would pay Rodney "closer-type money.”

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed Bobby Crosby. Crosby never lived up to his expectations. After winning Rookie of the Year and receiving a five-year $12.75 extension from the Oakland A's, Crosby fell off the radar. This deal will be worth approximately $1.5 million.

The Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels are interested in Hideki Matsui. The White Sox may be closing in on a deal with J.J Putz.

Ben Sheets is seeking a contract around $12 million. Talk about ridiculous. The guy's a great pitcher when healthy, but he didn't even throw a pitch in 2009. I'll be completely shocked if he gets anything close.

The Red Sox have interest in Adrian Beltre. They would trade Mike Lowell first. The Giants, however, do not have interest in Beltre.

More MLB News, in bullet point form:

• The Kansas City Royals offer Jason Kendall a two-year deal.


• The Colorado Rockies are closer to a two-year deal with Yorvit Torrealba.


• The New York Yankees re-signed Andy Pettitte. One year, $11.75 million.


• Multiple teams are eyeing Joel Pinero, Nick Johnson, Derek Lowe.


• The Milwaukee Brewers signed LaTroy Hawkins.


• The New York Mets and Washington Nationals are going after Jason Marquis.
• The Mariners sign Corey Patterson.


• The Tampa Bay Rays are front runners for Rafeal Soriano.


• The Padres are discussing trades for Kevin Kouzmanoff.

Breaking News: Some Halladay rumors are coming out.

The Phillies are "joining the fray" for Halladay, as well as the Red Sox and Yankees. But the Angels are pulling trigger. They made the following offer, according to Jon Heyman of SI:

Joe Saunders, Erick Aybar and Peter Bourjos for Halladay. If the Blue Jays accept, the only question is if Halladay would wave his trade clause. Halladay previously said he would acccept a trade to the Angels.

Update (9:41 PM): Not long ago, the Phillies headlines read "Phillies in the mix for Halladay." Now, the Phillies.com homepage reads: "Phillies not likely to land Halladay."

MLB News Bullet Points

The Tigers, D'Backs, and Yankees made a blockbuster deal. Here's some other bullet points of what happened today around MLB.

The St. Louis Cardinals signed Brad Penny to a one-year deal worth $7.5 million, or up to $9 million in incentives. Absolutely ridiculous. Way too much money for a guy who has barely pitched in the last three years, and isn't nearly as good as he was before injuries took a toll.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays are discussing trade options for Ryan Doumit.

The Milwaukee Brewers offered a three-year, $31 million deal to Randy Wolf. It would be smart to accept that puppy, unless he gets offered another deal (the Mets seem to be the only other team with interest). Like the Penny deal, $31 million is a lot of money.

Multiple teams are interested in Kelvim Escobar. The White Sox and Angeles are interested in Hideki Matsui. The Dodgers and Rockies are going after Luis Ayala. The Marlins are hearing offers for Dan Uggla, Matt Lindstrom, and Renyel Pinto. The Giants and Padres are discussing Kevin Kouzmanoff.

The Texas Rangers are hearing offers for Kevin Millwood. The Phillies may also be hearing offers for Joe Blanton. The Phillies may also be interested in Cuban Aroldis Chapman.

The Washington Nationals signed Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. They are also interested in former Phillie Vicente Padilla.

Speaking of former Phillies, the Chicago Cubs are close to a Milton Bradley- Carlos Silva trade. It's still ideal for the Cubs to trade Bradley to the Tampa Bay Rays for Pat Burrell, who they would flop for prospects or a second baseman.

The Rockies offer backup catcher. Yorvit Torreabla a two-year deal.

Iverson Returns; Baseball News

Allen Iverson is back in Philadelphia. Iverson almost retired, however he met with the Philadelphia 76ers, who eventually offered him a contract. He accepted, and is back with the team that he became a Hall of Fame player with.

Iverson led the 76ers to the NBA Finals in 2001, but the Sixers haven't been back since. When Iverson left the Sixers, he started to decline and the Sixers became a weak team.

Adding Iverson is exactly what the Sixers needed. Before the Iverson talks, nobody cared about the Sixers (sorry to those few die-hards). But once the AI Rumors came out, the Sixers were mentioned before any other team, including the Philadelphia Eagles. That never happens, not even for the playoffs.

The Iverson move will help the Sixers more than record-wise. Without him, the franchise would continue to lessen in popularity. Now, more tickets will sell, and perhaps increase the Sixers' popularity. With Iverson on the court, more fans will watch. When more fans watch, they will notice some of the other, younger stars. They needed that, because right now they're not very popular in a football town.

We're aware that this is a baseball blog, so here's your daily dosage of MLB:

The Atlanta Braves signed Billy Wagner. The deal is worth $7 million with an option for 2011.

There is a "strong possibility" for a Pat Burrell-Milton Bradley trade. The Cubs are Rays could make the deal, although it's also possible to see Burrell in a Mets uniform. With a left fielder in Alfonso Soriano, the Cubs could flip him to the Mets. The Mets are in need of a left fielder. They could get rid of Luis Castillo and get Burrell in return.

The Phillies have their eyes on J.J Putz. Putz missed most of last season due to arm troubles. The Pirates and Astros also appear to be interested. The Phillies are also being linked to Randy Wolf and Rafeal Bentancourt for the first time this offseason.

The Mariners are pursuing Rich Harden.

The Astros and Rangers are interested in Brett Myers. The Rangers would likely want him as a reliever.

Arbitration, Catchers, and Red Sox

The Hot Stove was buzzin' today. There was a lot of baseball news:

The Phillies signed Brian Schneider to a two year-deal worth just under $3 million. The Phillies might be eyeing John Smoltz. The Phillies also declined arbitration for free agents Chan Ho Park and Scott Eyre.

The Phillies and Mets are basically switching catchers, because the Mets signed Chris Coste. The Mets also re-signed Alex Cora.

The Boston Red Sox are asking Dustin Pedroia to play short stop. The Red Sox are without a shortstop and the free agent market is small. Pedroia has played shortstop in the past, although not at the major league level. The Red Sox may also be looking at Adam Kennedy or Adam Everett. They are also interested in Rich Harden.

Roy Halladay said that he will not accept a trade after Spring Training. The pitcher said he would accept a trade to the Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox and Angels.

Joe Mauer denies any rumors stating that he has set a deadline for a contract extension.

Placido Polanco was not offered arbitration from Detroit. Adrian Beltre was offered arbitration from Seattle. The Angels offered arbitration to John Lackey and Chone Figgins.

The Houston Astros offered Jose Valverde arbitration, but not Miguel Tejada. The Cardinals, Phillies, Rangers, Astros and Giants are all interested in Tejada.

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired Kelly Shoppach from the Cleveland Indians. The Indians have some of the top catching prospects, including Lou Marson or Carlos Santana, both who could start this year.

Last but not least, Derek Jeter was named SI's Sportsman of the Year.

Hot Stove Commentary

Here is the latest Hot Stove news and rumors, and some unnecessary commentary:

Roy Halladay said that he would approve a trade to the New York Yankees. Traitor! Going to a division rival!? The Blue Jays want a pitcher and a hitter for him.

The Marlins might be looking to deal Josh Johnson. Typical Marlins: draft a good player. Bring him up through the farm system. Have a successful first few years in the big leagues. Then, trade him away for some prospects. Have those prospects come up and put together a successful team. Possibly win, then trade those players away. Repeat the process.

The Cubs are looking for an outfield bat. They still have to get rid of Monopoly-- errr, Milton Bradley.

Pirates would like to bring Mike Gonzalez back, but would it matter? They also might be looking at Blalock and Ankiel. Iwamura, Gonzo, Blalock, Ankiel, are they trying to be contenders?

The Baltimore Orioles would consider Erik Bedard and Ben Sheets. This is not much of a risk. Orioles probably won't contend in 2010 and both these guys have health issues. It would be worth a shot, as long as it's not too expensive.

Tim Lincecum is looking for a one year deal. Probably smart for him because when he wins another Cy Young, he'll be able to get another contract that makes even more money.

Jamie Moyer is doing well after minor surgery. Moyer had surgery to wash out a small collection of blood cells that could have been infected.

“The surgery is not likely to impact his rehab schedule and is likely to have minimal impact on his spring training schedule,” said Michael Ciccotti, the team doctor. Moyer will remain hospitalized until Monday.

Castro Rumors and MLB News

The Phillies reportedly agreed to a deal with utility infielder Juan Castro, pending a physical. The deal is for one year with a club option for 2011. The deal might not be officially announced until next week.

Castro will fill Eric Bruntlett’s spot on the roster. The 37-year old batted .277 in 112 at-bats with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. Castro was given a minor league contract worth $700,000 in 2009. If the deal is official, it is unlikely to exceed that price

In other MLB news, the Milwaukee Brewers re-sign Chris Capuano. He was signed to a minor league deal, and is recovering from Tommy John Surgery in 2008.

The Chicago White Sox signed Omar Vizquel to a one-year, $1.375 deal. Vizquel, 42, is known for his defense. He played with the Rangers this season and batted .266 in 195 plate appearances. The White Sox are also interested in Coco Crisp.

Phillies News & Notes

There are only 137 days until opening day, but there is still plenty of Phillies news during the off season.

The Phillies added Quintin Berry (OF), Yohan Flande (LHP) and Jesus Sanchez (RHP) to the 40-man roster.

Chan Ho Park wants to start in 2010. Park had his eyes on starting entering 2009. It didn’t work out for him, as he lost his starting job to J.A Happ. Park, a free agent, posted a 2.52 ERA out of the bullpen in 2009. The Phillies could use him back — as a reliever.

The Phillies are the favorites to land Mark DeRosa, but don’t buy into this too much. Weren’t the Phillies the “favorites” to land Roy Halladay? There are still other options: Chone Figgins, Placido Polanco, Adrian Betlre, etc. Pedro Feliz isn’t out of the picture either.

Pedro Martinez intends to pitch in 2010, but this time for the entire season. Pedro spent half of the season in the Dominican Republic, and he wasn’t happy about that. As of now, the Phillies fifth starter is Jamie Moyer (by the way, happy 47th birthday, Jamie!), but the Phillies could bring him back for 2010.

Before The Deadline

The Detroit Tigers acquired Jarrod Washburn from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Luke French and Mauricio Robles.

Washburn is 8-6 and has a 2.64 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP in 133 innings. He is a free agent after the season.

The Mariners later rejected six offers for Feliz Hernandez.

The Marlins acquired Nick Johnson from the Washington Nationals for Aaron Thompson.

The Twins aquired Orlando Cabrera for prospect Tyler Ladendorf.

The Boston Red Sox acquired Victor Martinez from the Cleveland Indians for Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price. Because of the deal, the Sox traded Adam LaRoche to the Braves. LaRoche was just traded to Boston not too long ago. The Red Sox acquired Casey Kotchman in the deal.

The Rockies acquired Joe Biemel. The Yankees acquired Jerry Hairston Jr. for Chase Weems. Also, the Cincinnati Reds will acquired Scott Rolen for Edwin Encarnocion.

The San Diego Padres dealt Jake Peavy to the White Sox for Aaron Poreda, Adam Russell, Dexter Carter, and Clayton Richard. Unlike before, Peavy accepted this trade. Peavy may not even pitch this season because of an injury.

Phillies Acquire Lee

Fox Sports reports that the Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to a deal that sends Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco to the Phillies for Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald and Lou Marson. Both team still have to examine medical records before the deal is official.

The Phillies were able to get the deal done without trading Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, J.A Happ or Dominic Brown, their best prospects.

Knapp has a lot of potential, but Marson and Donald were being blocked anyway, and Carlos Carrasco has been falling off the radar. Carrasco, Donald, and Marson have all been scratched from today's IronPigs lineup.

Ben Francisco is the right-handed bat that the Phillies have been looking for. Francisco is batting .250 with 10 homers and 33 RBIs.

Lee is 7-9 with a 3.14 ERA and 1.30 WHIP. He is the reigning American League Cy Young winner.

Not only do they get a former Cy Young winner, but a bat off the bench.

More Halladay Rumors

Roy Halladay rumors can not be avoided! Here is the latest surrounding Roy Halladay. The trading deadline isn't until July 31, but the Toronto Blue Jays may create their own Halladay deadline on the 28th.

The New York Mets reportedly turned down an offer for Halladay. The Mets and Yankees don't seem to be a big threat to land Halladay. Besides the Phillies, the Brewers, Dodgers, and Giants are making the biggest push for him.

Although Kyle Drabek would likely seal the deal, SI's Jon Heyman reports that the Phillies decided not to include Drabek in a trade for Halladay.

The Phillies may also be interested in Cliff Lee if a Halladay deal doesn't pan out. J.A Happ, Dominic Brown, and Carlos Carrasco could get Lee. Other scouts like Michael Taylor and Jason Knapp as much as Drabek.

Yesterday, the Phillies scouted Chad Qualls, although the Diamondbacks are unlikely to trade him. They would want a pitching prospect in return.

Did the Mets Turn Down Halladay Trade?

Earlier this evening, the Mets reportedly turned down a deal for Roy Halladay. In the deal, the Mets would send Fernando Martinez, Bobby Parnell, Jon Neise and Ruben Tejada to Toronto for Halladay.

It sounds like a robbery for the Mets, but hours later, Keith Law and other sources called the deal "bogus."

The teams that have been the most serious about Halladay are the Phillies, Dodgers, and Angels.

Some reports say the Phillies' interest in Halladay may diminish because of their marginal lead in the division. This does not makes sense because despite their big lead, it is still early. Remember when the Mets were up 7 games with 17 to go? I hate to say it, but it could happen to the Phillies like it's 1964 again.

Also, having Halladay for the postseason would give the Phillies a better chance at repeating. They may be able to get past the NL East, but they have to get through other teams in the postseason. Also, having Halladay for 2010 would instantly makes the Phillies favorites again.

Bran Torino & Pedro

Brandon Inge and Shane Victorino win the Final Vote for the 2009 All Star Game.

A Dominican Republic website posted that the Phillies signed Martinez for $4 million. The reports are unconfirmed, but the Phillies are serious about signing Pedro.

Ruben Amaro said that the Phillies have not signed Martinez. Amaro had no comment on whether an agreement has been reached.

Martinez told the Associated Press that his agent is negotiating with the Phillies.

David Murphy reports: “Pedro Martinez’s agent shoots down report, but says interest is mutual between Pedro and Phils. Calls client 'close' to making decision.”

Jason Stark reported that the Phillies requested Pedro to throw for a second time. Martinez originally declined, but changed his mind and will throw Friday at 1:00 PM.

Martinez’s agent who said Pedro decide where he would like to play by Sunday.

Taschner DFA'd, Ibanez Delayed

Jack Taschner was voted off the island. The reality show, "The Pen" will no longer feature Tascher. He was designated for assignment to make room for Rodrigo Lopez, who had his contract purchased today. Also, Brett Myers was moved from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.

Taschner called the Phillies a "class act organization" because they could of optioned him. Instead other teams can give him a chance.

Raul Ibanez's rehab assignment was delayed for the third day in a row. Ibanez was eligible to come off the disabled list today, however it is uncertain when he will return.

Ibanez says he feels "way better," but there is still a little discomfort. A rehab appearance is possible this Sunday, but he is scheduled to see team doctor Michael Ciccotti first.

The Phillies remain interested in Chien Ming Wang, but also have looked at Juan Cruz of the Royals. They also haven't quit on Erik Bedard, Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee. They've also discussed Pedro Martinez.

In news around MLB, Scott Boras has hinted that first overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg could play in Japan if the Washington Nationals do not offer him enough money.

The 104?

This is a RUMORED list floating around the Internet of the 103 players of a list of 104 who were tested positive for steroids in 2003. The test was supposedly anonymous, however it was recently leaked that Alex Rodriguez was on the list. A-Rod admitted to steroid use. Please note this is an UNCONFIRMED list and Swing and a Long Drive has no proof this is accurate. It was found on another website and spread around the Internet.

1.Nomar Garciaparra
2.Manny Ramirez
3.Johnny Damon
4.Trot Nixon
5.David Ortiz
6.Shea Hillenbrand
7.Derek Lowe
8.Pedro Martinez
9.Brian Roberts
10.Jay Gibbons
11.Melvin Mora
12.Jerry Hairston
13.Jason Giambi
14.Alfonso Soriano
15.Raul Mondesi
16. Aaron Boone
17.Andy Pettitte
18.Jose Contreras
19.Roger Clemens
20.Carlos Delgado
21.Vernon Wells
22.Frank Catalanotto
23.Kenny Rogers
24.Magglio Ordonez
25.Sandy Alomar
26.Bartolo Colon
27.Brent Abernathy
28.Jose Lima
29.Milton Bradley
30.Casey Blake
31.Danys Baez
32.Craig Monroe
33.Dmitri Young
34.Alex Sanchez
35.Eric Chavez
36.Miguel Tejada
37.Eric Byrnes
38.Jose Guillen
39.Keith Foulke
40.Ricardo Rincon
41.Bret Boone
42.Mike Cameron
43.Randy Winn
44.Ryan Franklin
45.Freddy Garcia
46.Rafael Soriano
47.Scott Spiezio
48.Troy Glaus
49.Francisco Rodriguez
50.Ben Weber
51.Alex Rodriguez
52.Juan Gonzalez
53.Rafael Palmeiro
54.Carl Everett
55.Javy Lopez
56.Gary Sheffield
57.Mike Hampton
58.Ivan Rodriguez
59.Derrek Lee
60.Bobby Abreu
61.Terry Adams
62.Fernando Tatis
63.Livan Hernandez
64.Hector Almonte
65.Tony Armas
66.Dan Smith
67.Roberto Alomar
68.Cliff Floyd
69.Roger Cedeno
70.Jeromy Burnitz
71.Moises Alou
72.Sammy Sosa
73.Corey Patterson
74.Carlos Zambrano
75.Mark Prior
76.Kerry Wood
77.Matt Clement
78.Antonio Alfonseca
79.Juan Cruz
80.Aramis Ramirez
81.Craig Wilson
82.Kris Benson
83.Richie Sexson
84.Geoff Jenkins
85.Valerio de los Santos
86.Benito Santiago
87.Rich Aurilia
88.Barry Bonds
89.Andres Galarraga
90.Jason Schmidt
91.Felix Rodriguez
92.Jason Christiansen
93.Matt Herges
94.Paul Lo Duca
95.Shawn Green
96.Oliver Perez
97.Adrian Beltre
98.Eric Gagne
99.Guillermo Mota
100.Luis Gonzalez
101.Todd Helton
102.Ryan Klesko
103.Gary Matthews

Phillies Looking Everywhere for Pitching

Antonio Bastardo will be unable to make his next start on Wednesday due to a strained shoulder.

Cole Hamels will start Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves. The Phillies are expected to call up Carlos Carrasco from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and he will make his Major League debut on Thursday.

The Phillies will likely be buyers at the July 31 trade deadline. In the past, they may have been looking for a right-handed bat, but now the priority is pitching, starters and relievers. There are a few pitchers the Phillies scouted.

They have looked at Brad Penny the most, but it is unsure whether the Red Sox make him available with Daisuke Matsuzaka on the disabled list. They scouted Chien-Ming Wang in case the Yankees decide to make him available. They have also looked at Jarod Washburn and Jason Marquis.