Phillies Acquire Cliff Lee

Multiple sources are reporting that the Phillies and Indians have agreed, pending physicals, on a deal that would send Cliff Lee to Philadelphia.
The Phillies would, reportedly, send RHP Carlos Carrasco (AAA), IF Jason Donald (AAA), C Lou Marson (AAA), and RHP Jason Knapp (A), to Cleveland, in exchange for Lee, and OF Ben Francisco.

While it is disappointing not to pick up Roy Halladay, acquiring Lee, without dealing top prospects Kyle Drabek, Dominic Brown, or Michael Taylor, is a great move. A rotation of Cole Hamels, Lee, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ/Pedro Martinez could go deep in the playoffs, with Martinez/Happ/Rodrigo Lopez/Brett Myers bolstering the sagging bullpen. (Starter Jamie Moyer and reliever Chad Durbin seem likely to be the odd men out, when the playoffs start.)

Ben Francisco gives the Phils a legit RH bench bat/late-inning defensive replacement for Raul Ibanez. Eric Bruntlett can return to being a utility infielder, who is used sparingly. John Mayberry, Jr. can return to Lehigh Valley (AAA), and play more regularly.

As for the players the Phils gave up:
Jason Donald doesn't seem to be anything more than a utility infield prospect. Not a lot of upside there.
Lou Marson could be a suitable backup catcher, but likely won't hit (or field) well enough to supplant Carlos Ruiz. Travis D'Arnaud was the Phillies' likely "catcher of the future", even before this deal. (Unless you consider Sebastian Valle to be the "catcher of the future.")
Carlos Carrasco could be really good, #2 starter good. He has the stuff, but lacks the poise. However, he is certainly young enough to gain the necessary maturity to be a mid-rotation starter, and he has been very unlucky this season (in AAA).
Jason Knapp is an incredible prospect- 18 years old, throws high-90s heat. But anything could happen here, fireballers that young don't always pan out/stay healthy.

The Phils gave up some quality prospects, but they definitely improved their WFC II/III chances, without seriously jeopardizing their ability to contend in subsequent seasons.
Great job by Phillies' GM Ruben Amaro!

(Of course it would be a REALLY great job, if Amaro still managed to get Halladay. Don't see that happening though...)

Breaking News: Carrasco, Donald, and Marson Out of Lehigh Valley Lineup For Morning Game

Potential trade pieces Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, and Lou Marson are all on the bench, as the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) play an 11:05am game against the Columbus Clippers.

Infielder Jason Donald, who returned from the DL on Tuesday night, was not expected to start. Catcher Lou Marson was also not expected to start, in a morning game after a night game. (Outfield prospect Michael Taylor, who's name has been oft-mentioned in trade proposals, is in the starting lineup.)

Carlos Carrasco was scheduled as the starting pitcher, but was replaced by journeyman bullpenner Jake Woods. Carrasco has been mentioned in trade talk with Cleveland, who are considering trading southpaw Cliff Lee. Carrasco's 6-9 record, and 5.18 ERA do not look very impressive, but the northpaw is only twenty-two, has "electric" stuff, and has suffered from BABIP (.330) and LOB% (62.8) issues. His FIP of 4.01 is impressive, when you consider his age/experience level.

Carrasco's removal could:
-mean that the Phillies are close to dealing Carrasco to Cleveland
-that the Blue Jays have softened their alleged trade demands, and are considering Carrasco as part of the package for Roy Halladay
-be a bluff by the Phillies, who want the Blue Jays to believe that the Phillies are close to dealing for Lee

Things continue to get interesting...

Bunts and Balks (7/8)

Raul Ibanez will continue his rehab on Thursday, with another appearance for Lehigh Valley (AAA). It doesn't appear that Ibanez will return to the P-Phils before the All-Star break. It does appear that Ibanez will be taking part in the MLB All-Star game.

Raul Ibanez' rehabilitation appearances at Coca-Cola Park, the Home of the IronPigs, are sponsored by Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network. This blog would like to sponsor Jack Taschner's post-DFA appearances at Coca-Cola Park. And Paul Bako's actual DFA'ing.

Jayson Werth is getting closer to gunning down a baserunner at first base on a grounder/liner to right field. Remember when Glenn Wilson used to try this maneuver, usually on pitchers/slow-footed catchers? Werth might need the pitcher to start covering first on these attempts, as Ryan Howard is having trouble getting to first base in time. Never seen a 9-1 putout at first base before...

Shane Victorino continues to battle in the Final Vote. Reliever Chan Ho Park showed his support for Victorino by wearing a Vote Victorino sandwich board. Victorino has supported Victorino by being a human highlight film this week. I think he will make the All-Star team. (But I'm not sure that Jayson Werth wouldn't be a better choice...)

Paul Bako got another start on Wednesday. Is Gabor now the personal catcher for Rodrigo Lopez? Has Manager Charlie Manuel given up on Chris Coste behind the plate? Does Chris Coste have any trade value whatsoever? The Phils should dump Bako and Coste, call up Lou Marson as the backup catcher, and Sergio Escalona (or Gary Majewski) as another bullpen arm.
Paul Bako attempting to bunt was even more nightmarish than Paul Bako attempting to bat. (Still less nightmarish than Eric Bruntlett attempting to bat...)

Rodrigo Lopez left his Wednesday night start, after five innings, with right shoulder inflammation. Not good. The Phils need him to stay in the rotation until the trade for Roy Halladay is completed, in two weeks.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) ravaged the Pawtucket Red Sox, 12-0, on Wednesday night. The FeHogs had a 12-3 hit advantage, with catcher Lou Marson contributing three hits (double, two singles). Starter Andrew Carpenter took advantage of a woeful Pawtucket lineup (4 batters with BAs of .209, or lower, none higher than .262) to throw seven scoreless innings (two hits, one walk, nine strikeouts). Carpenter is now 8-2, with a 2.45 ERA, and Marson's average is up to .292. Those numbers should help their respective trade values...
The FeHogs will host the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees on Thursday and Friday, as unplayable conditions at S/W-B 's PNC Field forced the games to be moved to Coca-Cola Park.

The Reading Phillies (AA) lost to the 1st Place Akron Aeros, 4-0. The R-Phils were held to three hits, all singles, and a pair of walks. Mike Stutes took the loss, surrendering four runs (only one was earned), on five hits (three walks/four strikeouts).

The Clearwater Threshers (A) were rained out. The Threshers will play two against the Brevard County Manatees on Thursday. Steve Susdorf does not fear the Sea Cow.

Bunts and Balks (6/18)

DL'd outfielder Raul Ibanez is progressing well. This is promising news, but it would have been good to have him available to DH in the interleague road games next week.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) won their sixth game in a row Friday, 8-6, over the Norfolk Tides. The FeHogs have won eight of ten, moving a mere 2.5 games out of 4th Place in the International League's North Division. Some have credited the LV pitching for the streak, while others have drawn a correlation between the FeHogs' streak, and the beginning of the Bunts and Balks entries on this blog. (It should be noted that Norfolk has won 2 of their last 10, and Durham (LV's previous opponent) has 1 victory in their last 10.)
Chad Tracy had a pair of homers for LV, and Gustavo Chacin had a "quality start."
(Note: "Fe" is the symbol for the chemical element Iron, and "Hogs" is a synonym for "Pigs." Brilliant, no?)

Lou Marson was activated from LV's Disabled List, and went 2 for 5. Marson started behind the plate, and batted fifth. His reinstatement makes him eligible to be traded for Pawtucket's Clay Buchholz, who would take Antonio Bastardo's spot in the parent club's rotation. (Bastardo would replace Jack Taschner, who would be optioned to LV. It's all figured out, Ruben and Theo just have to complete the paperwork.)

The Reading Phillies (AA) snapped a three-game losing streak, beating the Harrisburg Senators, 4-0. Top prospect Kyle Drabek was invincible, pitching eight scoreless innings. The Senators had scored nineteen runs in their previous two games, and have now scored nineteen runs in their previous three games. Drabek permitted a mere five hits, struck out five, and did not walk a batter. He retired the last sixteen batters he faced. (Don't even THINK about it, Ruben!)

Brad Lidge will start for the R-Phils on Saturday night, at 6:05pm. The right-handed Lidge was acquired by the P-Phils in the Eric Bruntlett Deal, in which Geoff Geary and Michael Bourn were sent to the Houston Astros. Lidge's portion of the game will be broadcast on the internets, conveniently before the P-Phils start their game against the B-Orioles.)

The Clearwater Threshers (A) are spending their All-Star break ten games out of first place, and will be sending five players to Saturday night's All-Star Game.
If the Florida State League North squad wins the All-Star game, the P-Phils are guaranteed homefield advantage in the National League playoffs. (OK, that part might not be true. Yet.)

Bunts and Balks (6/12)

The Phillies placed LOOGY Scott Eyre on the 15-day DL, with a strained left calf. As predicted in my previous post, Eyre was replaced on the roster by IronPigs LOOGY Sergio Escalona. Or, not. The Phillies recalled right-handed starter Kyle Kendrick from AAA, to take Eyre's place on the roster. Kendrick will work as a long reliever, for the time being.
(Another possibility would be to move Bastardo into the pen, send Kendrick back to AAA, and promote Andrew Carpenter into the rotation. Carpenter has been pitching much better for Lehigh Valley than Kendrick has, but he wasn't a good recall choice for Friday/the weekend, as he had started for the IronPigs on Thursday.)
Southpaw reliever Jack Taschner will take over the LOOGY role during Eyre's absence. (Egads, no! Taschner has reverse splits, and is more viable as a ROOGY. Taschner will, likely, remain in the "Taschner" role, pitching irregularly, and at inexplicable times.)
The Phils' don't, currently, have a viable LOOGY, as lefty J.C. Romero is the primary eighth-inning option, in Brad Lidge's absence. I'd expect to see Kendrick replaced by Escalona, or Bastardo replaced by Carpenter, to add a second lefty to the pen, in the near future.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) lost two more key players, as catcher Lou Marson and infielder Jason Donald hit the DL, on Friday. Donald is expected to miss a month, and Marson should return in two weeks. (Guess they won't be traded for Roy Oswalt, for at least a few more weeks.) It wasn't immediately clear what roster moves Lehigh Valley will make to cover for these losses.

The short-handed IronPigs defeated the Charlotte Knights, 3-2, in ten innings. The IronPigs had 12 hits, and 6 walks, but left 14 on base. The bullpen pitched six scoreless innings, with closer Tyler Walker getting the victory.

The Reading Phillies (AA) got demolished by the Harrisburg Senators, 11-0. Two R-Phils fans got married at home plate prior to the game, and the Senators ruined their memorable day with sixteen hits, and six home runs.

The Clearwater Threshers (A) were destroyed by the Jupiter Hammerheads, 7-2. It was a 3-2 game in the ninth, when Jupiter scored four runs. The Threshers had four hits, and made three errors. Not an ideal ratio.

San Diego Padres' starter Jake Peavy is expected to miss a month, with an injured right ankle. Toronto Blue Jays' starter Roy Halladay left Friday night's game against Florida, with a strained right groin.
Looks like the Phils will have to wait on a Halladay trade, or just go ahead and trade for Houston's Roy Oswalt.

The debut of "The Pen" is less than 48 hours away...