Southpaw Lee a Better Trade for Philadelphia
Thursday, August 26, 2009
Around the time of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, there was plenty of talk about the Philadelphia Philliles making a better trade in order to acquire another starting pitcher. Lack of depth in the rotation was deemed as the only concern for the defending world champions, as their offense was unmatched in the National League.
So the rumors began to swirl about the Phillies making a better trade for a No. 1 pitcher and the name most commonly heard was Roy Halladay of the Toronto Blue Jays. Halladay has a big contract and the Blue Jays are not in contention again this year in the American League East Division. Rather than lose Halladay as a free agent at the end of the 2010 season, most observers felt the Jays would trade him now and get plenty of value in return. But one thing prevented the trade from occurring: the Blue Jays wanted too much in return. Toronto wasn't going to gift wrap one of the best pitchers in the league and give him away to a contender; he was going to command a high price.
That's when the Phillies opted to go in a different direction. They quit chasing Halladay, as well as San Diego ace Jake Peavy, and decided to target Cleveland lefty Cliff Lee. The better trade was consummated on August 1 at the trade deadline when the Indians sent Lee and outfielder Ben Francisco to the Phillies for four minor league players: pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Jason Knapp, catcher Lou Marson, and shortstop Jason Donald. Lee was 7-9 with a 3.14 ERA in 152 innings when traded and becomes a free agent following the 2010 season.
"The Phillies are the defending world champions, they're a good team and they're in first place," Lee told ESPN after the trade. "Honestly, it's an honor and I look at it as a good thing. If other teams are wanting me and are willing to trade some of their key players and future players for me, it's a compliment."
Lee wasted no time proving the Phillies got the better end of the trade. He won his first four games and had a 0.82 ERA for Philadelphia. Two of his starts were complete games, which tied him for the club lead, and he had 34 strikeouts in 33 innings.
Lee won the American League Cy Young Award in 2008 when he went 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA. It was just one year after Lee had been demoted to the minor leagues.
Francisco hasn't fared as well since the trade. He's batting just .229 with two homers and six RBI in 14 games. None of the players traded to the Indians earned an immediate place on the major league roster, but most are expected to be called up when rosters expand on Sept. 1.
