Braves Exchange Vazquez for Melky

And... the Phillies biggest competition in the National League East just got weaker! The New York Yankees traded Melky Cabrera to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Javier Vazquez.

Melky is a career .269 hitter and has a career .716 on-base plus slugging percentage. He has five major league years under his belt, and he is only 25.

Vazquez, a former Yankee, is 142-139 with a 4.19 career ERA. Vazquez pitched excellently with the Braves last season. He went 15-10 with a 2.87 ERA in 219.1 innings pitched. He struck out 9.8 batters per nine.

The Yankees got the better end of the deal. Melky's decent, but the Braves are losing a solid pitcher, who pitched well for them last year. A good pitcher is arguably more valuable than an average outfielder, at best. Pitching can be hard to come by; there is a lot of outfield depth throughout the league.

With Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens, and Derek Lowe, the Braves have a solid rotation, but it won't be as strong without Vazquez. The Yankees, on the other hand add Vazquez to a rotation that already involves CC Sabathia and A.J Burnett.

This could open the gate for a return of free agent Johnny Damon. Right now, the Yankee outfield consist of Nick Swisher and Curtis Granderson. Brett Gardner would be the next best on the depth chart, but knowing the Yankees, they would want to do better.

In other MLB news, the Blue Jays acquired Brandon Morrow from the Seattle Mariners. Morrow would have been a great piece in the deal for Cliff Lee. Morrow is somebody that the Phillies need -- a reliever. Even if it wasn’t Seattle, plenty of teams would have listened on a Lee offer, so the Phils could have gotten more in return.

Speaking of the Lee trade and relievers, the Phillies are interested in Fernando Rodney. Rodney is seeking a 2-year $12 million deal. If that deal goes down, I won’t be happy. Some of that money could have belonged to Lee. The Angels are also interested.

Farewell Clifton Phifer Lee

This is goodbye, Clifton Phifer Lee. Philadelphia loves you, and will miss you.

It didn't take long for the average fan to fall in love with Lee in the five months that he was here. His 5-0 start, his postseason dominance, complete games, shutouts, and even his hitting will always be remembered.

Nobody is upset about getting Roy Halladay. We look forward to watching him pitch in red pinstripes in 106 days. It's the fact that the Phillies could have both Halladay AND Lee -- Ruben Amaro practically admitted it.

It was a "baseball decision." Amaro wanted to restock prospects after losing seven of the top Phillies prospects.

Refilling the farm system is understandable, and the Phillies seemed to have gotten talented prospects in return, but they could have done better. How about a major league reliever, something the team needs now? Or maybe better prospects? There are plenty of teams that could use Lee, and would be willing to give something up for him. But what doesn't make sense is the fact that the Phillies would not part with Kyle Drabek in July, but dealt him now. Why not just trade him for Halladay in July and we wouldn't be in this mess? The Phillies would still have three or four more of those top prospects.

Another reason for the trade is money. Lee thought that the Phillies were working on a long term deal with him. "I thought that I was going to spend the rest of my career there. This goes to show this is a business, and you never know what’s going to happen until you have a full no-trade clause." David Montgomery later said that the Phillies were "in red" as far as salary goes. Yes, the payroll has reached $140 million, but three million fans supported the team in 2009. Merchandise flies off the hook. The Phillies could absolutely afford Lee. Lee will only make $9 million in 2010. If he couldn't be signed long term, it would make sense to ride him for one more year, and let him walk, get two draft picks, and have Halladay for the long run.

Lee truly thought that he would be a Phillie in 2010, and had no notice what-so-ever of being traded. He was "shocked" and in "disbelief" when he found out about the trade.

Lee comment's were saddening to the everyday Phillies fan. He accepted his new team, the Mariners, and never put them down, despite wanting to "make a third run" at a World Series. He had great praise for the Phillies: "Those guys are the real deal. It was a true team and I can’t say enough about them."

We'll miss you Cliff.

The Fightins recently provided audio of Lee's conference call.

Minor Leaguer Fails Physical, But Deal Done

UPDATE (4:00 PM): Nevermind, the deal is done, officially! Press conference at 5:00 PM to introduce Roy Halladay.

The Roy Halladay/Cliff Lee blockbuster is now on hold. Apparently, somebody failed their physical, and it is not Lee or Halladay.

The likely targets are Phillippe Aumont and Kyle Drabek. Both have had a histroy of injury problems, however the latest reports are stating that Aumont passed. Chances are that it is Drabek or even Michael Taylor. Ruben Amaro is confident that a deal will still get done, but talks will likely extend into Thursday.

Blogs of Note: Help get a Harry Kalas Memorial Statue! Also, the We Should be GM's boys created a Phillies Phantastic Phour!

Halladay Blockbuster Complete

It looks like the deal is complete. It’s two separate trades. Cliff Lee goes to Seattle. The Phillies get Phillippe Aumont, Tyson Gillies and Juan Ramirez for Lee. For Halladay, the Phillies trade Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, and Travis D’Arnaud to Toronto. The Phillies also get $6 million.

The Phillies and Halladay have agreed to an extension. The contract is an average of about $20 million per year, taking Halladay through 2013.

Michael Taylor will likely be traded to Oakland for Brett Wallace.

I'm not a fan of this trade. The Phillies barely got anything in return for the ace they gave up: Cliff Lee. Aumont, a reliver, doesn't macth Drabek. Plus, I thought Drabek was "untouchable." If Drabek was going to be in the deal, why not trade him last July for Halladay?

The Mariners are the clear cut winners of this deal. If the Blue Jays get Wallace, that doesn't put them too far behind. Wallace is projected to be bettert than Taylor. Halladay is great; he's better than Lee and it'll be scary to see what he does switching from the American League to the National League. However the Phillies -- well, they gave up way too much.

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.

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."

Texas Headlines Day 3 of Winter Meetings

The Texas Rangers made the most headlines during day three of the Winter Meetings:

Rich Harden is close to a deal with the Rangers, which would be a terrific move. When healthy, Harden can be a great pitcher. The Rangers have a great offense, however their pitching could use a boost, although they have a lot of up and coming talent in Scott Feldman and other starters. Their bullpen was toward the top in ERA (3.95) last season. With their potent offense and improved pitching, the Rangers could finally get over the hump and be in the playoffs.

Speaking of the Rangers and pitching, they traded Kevin Millwood to the Baltimore Orioles for Chris Ray. I'm not sure how much of an upgrade this is. Ray was great in 2005 and 2006. He had Tommy John Surgery in 2007 and hasn't returned to his old form. He had an awful 2009: an ERA over seven. Millwood was one of the Rangers best pitchers in 2009, but he has had a history of injuries. The move serves as a salary dump more than anything. Millwood had a 3.67 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 2009.

The Rangers are done yet. They're also discussing a deal with the Red Sox for Mike Lowell.

Staying in the state of Texas, the Houston Astros acquired Matt Lindstrom from the Florida Marlins. The Marlins will receive Robert Bono and Luis Bryan.

Tigers, D'Backs, Yankees Make Blockbuster Deal

It's day two of the Winter Meetings, and we have a blockbuster deal. The New York Yankees acquired Curtis Granderson; the Arizona Diamondbacks acquired Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy; the Detroit Tigers acquired Max Scherzer, Phil Coke, and two other young prospects.

Granderson has a healthy mix of speed and power. He batted just .249 last year, but hit 30 home runs. He has a career .828 OPS. For Granderson, the Yankees surrender Ian Kennedy, one of their top prospects. However, Kennedy has yet to live up to his expectations. A change of scenary may help him; there won't be as much pressure to succeed in Detroit than in New York.

The biggest loss in the trade goes to the Diamondbacks. They get 25-year old Edwin Jackson, who had a 3.62 ERA in 214 innings last year. However, they lose 24-year old Max Scherzer and other young prospects. It's surprising that Scherzer was even in the deal; he's young and has a load of potential, equal or greater than Jackson's. Jackson is a good pickup, but losing Scherzer was a negative.

Dodgers Acquire Thome, Garland

The Los Angeles Dodgers made a couple late night moves prior to the waiver deadline. They acquired Jim Thome from the Chicago White Sox and Jon Garland from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The White Sox will receive Justin Fuller. The Diamondbacks will likely receive Tony Abreu.

The Dodgers fell to the D'backs last night in 10 innings. Garland did not need any travel arrangements. All Garland had to do was walk across the hallway to get to the other side of the clubhouse. Adding Garland was a good addition for the Dodgers. He'll fill in as a fifth starter. He was 8-11 with a 4.29 ERA.

The Thome trade is a little strange. With James Loney manning first base, Thome will serve nothing more than a bat off the bench. Thome is batting .252 with 22 home runs and 74 RBI this season as a designated hitter. The Dodgers are not going to take out one of the best defensive first baseman for Thome, who hasn't played first base since his days as a Phillie.

Angels Acquire Kazmir

The Los Angeles Angels acquired Scott Kazmir from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for two prospects, Alexander Torres and Matthew Sweeney, and a player to be named later.

In 111 innings, the 25 year old had a 5.96 ERA and 1.54 WHIP this season.

In my opinion, the deal is a great move for the Angels, but strange one for the Rays. Kazmir does not have great numbers this year, but he is still young and has a lot of potential. In his career he is 55-44 with a 3.92 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and averages 9.4 strikeouts per nine. In addition, he has World Series experience.

Most of his struggles can be related to injury, but when healthy he is a terrific pitcher. He could have been a key peace for the Rays in years to come. If anything, it takes out the $20 million he is owed for the next two seasons.

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.

Baseball's Latest

The New York Times reported that Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were on the list of 104 players who tested positive for steroids in 2003. Both Ortiz and Ramirez were teammates at the time.

Ortiz previously made this comment about steroids:

"I think you clean up the game by the testing. I know that if I test positive by
using any kind of substance, I know that I'm going to disrespect my family, the
game, the fans and everybody, and I don't want to be facing that situation."

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired George Sherill from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for prospects Josh Bell and Steve Johnson. Sherill has a 2.40 ERA and 20 saves as the O's closer.

The Pirates continue to be sellers and are basically giving up their whole team. The Cubs acquired John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny for Kevin Hart, Jose Ascanio, and Josh Harrison.

Omar Minyaya apologized to a reporter after saying that he "lobbied for a player development position." Today, Minaya said that his comment about Adam Rubin was "out of character."

QUOTE SOURCE: MLB.com

The Other Side of the Trade

Many are calling the cops on Ruben Amaro Jr. for stealing. As you know by now, the Indians traded Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco to the Phillies in exchange for Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, and Lou Marson.

The edge appears to be for the Phillies who got a Cy Young winner, a right handed bat, and saved their best prosepcts in J.A Happ, Kyle Drabek, Dominic Brown and Michael Taylor. While they aren't the highest ranked prospects, the Indians got four decent prospects in return, two who are very close to being Major League ready.

The Indians are set in the catching department with Victor Martinez and Kelly Shoppach, but Marson is very close to being MLB ready. The 23 year old doesn't have much power, but hits for a high average. His catching abilities are impressive; he blocks the ball well and has a strong arm.

Donald, like Marson, is returning from an injury this year. Donald can also hit for average, but has a little more pop than Marson. Donald is very versatile. Primarily a plays shortstop, he can also play second and third. In the long haul, I think second will be a better option for him because he doesn't have the greatest arm strength. Asdrubal Cabrera is doing okay for the Tribe this year, but Donald could make an impact in 2010.

Jason Knapp has the most potential of the bunch, and he was the centerpiece of this deal. He is a strikeout machine, and he is only 18. He has 111 strikeouts in 85.1 innings, that's 11.7 K/9.

Carlos Carrasco has fallen off the radar, but he once touted as the Phillies best prospect. He has a very good curveball, and people forget how young he is (22). He'll probably be a middle of the rotation starter in the future, but he has always been a top prospect despite a shaky year this season. A change of scenery might help him too. He can turn around his struggles, he is a talented pitcher.

Even though the Indians didn't get the Phillies best prospects, the Indians still received a good amount of talent in return.

Pirates Sellers At Deadline

With all the hoopla surrounding Cliff Lee, the Pittsburgh Pirates moves were overshadowed.

The Giants just finished a three game sweep of the Pirates. Moments later, a Pirate switched clubhouses, joing the G-men.

The Pirates traded Freddy Sanchez to the San Francisco Giants for minor league pitcher Tim Alderson. The 20 year old Alderson was ranked the Giants fourth best prospect and 26th best prospect in all of baseball according to Baseball America.

Because of a knee injury, Sanchez proposed a 3 year $20 million offer to the Pirates, which they turned down.

Sanchez is batting .296 with 6 HR and 34 RBI. He won the 2006 batting title.

It wasn't the only move the Pirates made. The Pirates and Seattle Mariners made a seven player deal.

The Mariners acquired Jack Wilson and Ian Snell for Ronny Cedeno and minor leaguers Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin and Nathan Adcock. The Pirates will also pay almost all of Snell's and Wilson's contract for the remainder of the season.

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.

Happ Pitching Over His Head

Originally featured on Phillies Nation.

With the struggles of Cole Hamels, J.A Happ has been the Phillies ace this season. He has been the most consistent starter and his numbers open eyes.

The value of Happ is much larger than it was in spring training when it was uncertain whether he would make the roster. Now, Happ has made himself a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate. In 100 innings pitched, he is 7-1 with a 2.97 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and opponents are batting .222 against him.

Happ finally came back to Earth last night after allowing five earned runs in six innings. Last night's performance was either a fluke, or the real J.A. Either way, Happ has been pitching way over his head.

Happ was never considered a top prospect like the Kyle Drabek's of today. In a way, he came out of no where, much like Kyle Kendrick. Kendrick had a decent rookie year, going 10-4 and posted a 3.87 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. The following season, Kendrick suffered the hated sophomore slump and never returned to form while in the majors. Happ and Kendrick are similar in that they are not big strikeout pitchers. Happ has 71 strikeouts, but Kendrick got into trouble by relying on contact to make outs. Happ is much better than Kendrick, but will he suffer from a sophomore slump next season once hitters figure him out?

Even though Happ is having a tremendous season, his future is not as an ace. Down the road, he will likely be a number three or four starter, at best. He is not overpowering and does not have a big strikeout pitch. Having a middle of the rotation guy is important, however having multiple aces is better.

Trade rumors haven't seemed to affect Happ. Happ isn't going to solely replace Drabek in a deal because Drabek has a higher ceiling. Even though Happ has been successful in the majors, Drabek is projected as an ace once he reaches the big show. There is always a possibility that Drabek could fall off the radar, but since he is ranked as one of the best prospects in all of baseball, his value is larger than Happ's. In order to replace Drabek in a deal, the Phillies would have to throw in Happ and one or two other smaller prospects, in addition to Michael Taylor or Dominic Brown and then some. Luckily, Happ's value is high enough that the Phillies could save a couple prospects if he was in a deal.

Because of his terrific season, the Phillies would like to keep Happ, however, it might not be a terrible idea to throw him in a deal while his value is high. After all, if the Phillies get one of the best, proven pitcher in today's game, it would be worth it.

Done Deal: Holliday To Cards

ESPN reports that Matt Holliday has been traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Oakland A's acquire the Cardinals top prospect Brett Wallace (3B), in addition to Shane Peterson (OF) and Clayton Mortensen (P).

Additionally, the A's wil pay $1.5 million of Holliday's remaining salary, leaving $4.5 million for the Cardinals to pay. Holliday becomes a free agent at the end of the season.

Holliday batted .287 with 11 HR, 54 RBI and a .837 OPS. He finished second in the 2007 MVP voting behind Jimmy Rollins (but Holliday deserved it more).

Holliday spent most of his career with the Colorado Rockies, before being traded in the offseason. He is a career .315 hitter with a .926 OPS. The Cardinals had interest in Holliday before he was traded to Oakland.

The Cardinals are in town this weekend to face the Phillies.

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.

Other Options for Halladay

Also featured on Phillies Nation.

Left and right, fans are making fantasy trade proposals for Blue Jays' ace, Roy Halladay. Who to give up, who to keep, are the popular questions. We hear about digging deep into the farm system trading away some of the most promising talent. Popular names include Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, and J.A Happ. The fact is, nobody wants to get rid of these rising young stars, but in order to get Halladay, at least one of them has to be packaged.

Halladay has been one of the best, if not the best, pitchers in baseball. No matter the cost, getting Halladay would be worth it. Nobody can predict the future, but there may be a Cy Young in Drabek's future, or a MVP award in Taylor's.

The Phillies will scrutinize all options, which may be at the Major League level. Happ, yes, but the Phillies would prefer to keep him. Right now, Happ is the ace of the staff. Will he face a sophomore slump? Time will tell. Happ may not be an ace down the road, but could find himself as the number two or three starter. Having a middle of the rotation guy like Happ is important. There is other Major League talent that could be explored. Not many people have mentioned him, nor thought about trading him. How about Shane Victorino?

Nobody wants to see Victorino go, but he is a trade alternative. The Blue Jays would like to dump outfielder Vernon Wells and put him in a trade with Halladay. With the move, Jayson Werth could move to centerfield, and Wells in right. Wells is batting .263 with nine home runs, however a change of scenery may do him good. Citizens Bank Park would be a nice fit for Wells, who has hit for power in the past. Or the Phillies could do the same deal, only Werth instead of Victorino.

The deal would mean that at least one top prospect would stay, meaning Drabek or Taylor. The Phillies would get the best pitcher in baseball, plus hold on to a potential Cy Young or MVP winner. One prospect that will not stay is Jason Donald. The Blue Jays want a shortstop, and the Jays scouted him in the past, liking what they saw.

I am not saying the Phillies should make this deal. I am simply exploring all trade possibilities and this is something to consider. Would you be willing to trade Victorino/Werth for Halladay?

Mets and Braves Swap Oufielders

The New York Mets traded Ryan Church to the Atlanta Braves for Jeff Francouer.

Chruch, 30, is batting .280 with 2 HR and 22 RBI and .707 OPS.

Francouer, 25, has one of the best arms in the league. He is also batting .250 with 5 HR and 35 RBI and .634 OPS.

It's a fairly even trade. Francouer's five year age advantage and a semi-increase in defense is good for the Mets, however he can go into painfully long slumps.