Lee is a great pitcher and 99.9% of all Phillies fans appreciate him and what he did for the team last season. However I also think that most will agree Doc is better. Maybe not by much, but he is better. And if there is any truth to the rumors that Lee was not planning to return to the team after this upcoming season, the trade makes even more sense. Now don't get me wrong, if Lee would have stayed this season along with Doc, and Cole, the Phillies would have most likely offered Lee arbitration. Which would have forced any team that wanted him to give the team a few draft picks in return. But would those draft picks turned out to be on the same level as the prospects they received from Seattle? That will remain an unknown.
Another reason I was a little hesitant on the deal was because I didn't want to let Drabek leave the farm system. However who knows if this guy will be great. At first I was hearing that he had the stuff to become one of the top pitchers in the majors. Now I am hearing he will be a third in the rotation type of pitcher. And supposedly this kid they received from Seattle (Phillippe Aumont) is also "supposed to be" the real deal. So if that is true, the deal isn't too bad.
The Phillies added the best pitcher in baseball, who appears to be very good when facing the New York Yankees (a team that the Phillies will most likely face if they make it back to the World Series) and reloaded their farm system. Would I have liked for them to keep Lee, yes, but do I understand the deal, of course. Yes it would have been great to see the team go all in and spend spend spend. But they aren't the Yankees, nor are they the Boston Red Sox. Maybe times will change when Doc leads this team to its second World Series championship in the last 3 years. But until that day comes, Phillies fans should embrace the deal and enjoy this era of good baseball.
Just a thought.
Phillies didnt touch the real problem which is the closing situation
ReplyDeleteMr. 14
I definitely was disappointed to see Lee go. I felt like, at least for this one year we should forget payroll and go for the World Series. You never know how long our window will be open for a title, and a staff with Halladay, Lee, JA Happ and a (hopefully) rejuvenated Hamels would be downright scary. Now, we may be slightly better, but will we beat the Yanks or Sox if they get to the Series...who knows. Steinbrenner would NEVER say we can't afford these guys...they would get Halladay, keep Lee and ask questions later. It's what makes them winners, that winning tradition.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I would have liked to hang onto Drabek. I know lately they've been knocking him, but his dad was a pretty decent pitcher in his prime, and I am thinking he may have the pedigree to rise above the pack.
That said, I can see benefits from the trade. With Lee, Hamels and Happ our three top pitchers would all be lefties. Pedro was a great right hand arm for a 10-game rental, but we need a righty horse and Blanton's not it. I don't know too much about Aumont but he sounds promising. Our farm system could definitely use a retooling, but then again with 30-40 draft picks every year I can't see how difficult it would be to restock, with decent scouting.
Phils get a B for effort and guts, it would have been an A if we kept Lee.