Archive for category Trades
What To Expect From Roy
Posted by Even Stevens in Miscellaneous Rants, Phillies Rants, Trades on February 28th, 2010
Hey everyone! I hope you all had as good of an offseason as I did Roy Halladay did, since the fucking guy has been guaranteed 60 million dollars over the next three years to play for a World Series contender. He should be really happy about that. I’ll tell ya what – I’m even happier.
And he better be fucking great, too, because I’ve heard enough of the “but we could have kept Cliff Lee, too” talk to last me a lifetime. I would have been on board with that decision, but it is what it is, so we’ve got to get over it. Roy Halladay is here now, and Cliff Lee is just going to “have to make the best of it in Seattle.” He said it – not me. Sound bitter?
If Roy Halladay sucks even a little bit, the talk about Cliff Lee is going to annoy the shit out of me. If the Phillies are pretty good with Roy but not the NL’s dominant team in the first half of the season, the talk about Cliff Lee is also going to annoy the shit out of me. Roy Halladay needs to be great, and the Phillies need to follow suit. Now let’s talk expectations.
Often times, when a big player moves to a new team and everybody gets excited, the expectations for said player are through the roof. I’m hearing people act like it’s a given that Roy Halladay will win 20 games and have a sub-3.00 ERA. Phillies fans need to back down a little bit and give him some time to settle in before making such demands of the talented pitcher. He’ll be good for us, but we all need to take a step back and let him fall into a groove. If he can put 15-16 wins on the board and give you somewhere around a 3.5 ERA, that can’t be looked at as anything other than a greatly successful season.
I’m kidding of course. This fucking guy better sit people down more often than diarrhea. Roy Halladay has been setting the tone since pitchers and catchers reported, and his work ethic is a huge part of the reason he’s been so successful through his career. I expect that to continue, and I expect it to show. Anything less than 20 wins and I will be part of the charade of assclowns writing hate-mail to Ruben Amaro about the fuck-up of 2009. If we’re not seeing Halladay give us the 3.0 ERA that every other one of our starting pitchers is incapable of producing, I’m unhappy.
There’s a reason why people get paid at the top of their profession – in this case, $20 million a year. Ryan Howard gets paid the big bucks to hit the long ball and drive in big runs. Roy Halladay is being compensated similarly so that he can throw his heavy sinker and test our ground crew’s ability to eliminate the bad hops for Jimmy and Chase.
I’d like to say that in about 4 weeks, we’ll all watch and evaluate him together – but you and I both know that we’re going to hang on his every pitch against the Yankees in the first MLB Spring Training competition of the year. It might be insignificant to some, but 4DaysRest exists for the rest of us idiots.
Lee: Phillies raped me blind in the woods
Posted by Dickie Assburn in Breaking News, Playoffs and World Series, Trades on December 18th, 2009
Cliff Lee had a phone convo with some ESPN guy recently and said that he and Amaro exchanged a few pleasantries over a contract extension. He says that Amaro made an offer, that he (Lee) made a counteroffer, and then Cliff went off to the mountains or something to go hunt with his buddies. His wife called him and said she heard that he might be getting traded, so Lee called Ruben and he said that it basically ‘wasn’t real’ or something like that. And then, apparently, the deal was done a day later. Cliff says he is shocked and bit hurt over all of this.
So yeah, as I said, the Phils raped Cliff Lee blind in the woods… what else could you get out of that information?
This might be the main difference to me when comparing Cliff and Doc: Halladay will DEMAND the ball on 3 days rest if we need it in the Playoffs. I know Cliff said he’d take the ball if Charlie asked him too, but I didn’t really like that. You need your ace in those moments. The Yankees used a three man rotation for a long ass time throughout the playoffs… Their three best pitchers – guys who are pretty damn good. I just would’ve liked if Lee was a vocal leader in that situation, and a guy who would’ve demanded that he pitch – something that, I believe, Halladay will be if given the chance.
That is my lone beef with Cliff Lee. He’s an amazing pitcher and he was lights out for us. I have no complaints.
John Sickels from minorleagueball.com released an updated report on who he believes the top 20 prospects are in our organization and why about an hour ago.
sup fool
1) Domonic Brown, OF, Grade B+: Borderline A-. I love this guy, but the tools aren’t quite refined yet and they need to give him a solid consolidation season in 2010, start him off in Reading and leave him there until July no matter what he does.
2) Trevor May, RHP, Grade B-: Borderline B. I love the upside with this arm as demonstrated in his K/IP and H/IP ratios, but he needs to cut back on the walks.
3) Phillipe Aumont, RHP, Grade B-: High upside arm acquired from the Mariners but I worry about his durability and mechanics.
4) J.C. Ramirez, RHP, Grade B-: Another high upside arm acquired from the Mariners. High Desert hurt his numbers. I’ve always liked him better than the numbers indicate I should, and I think a breakout is possible in 2010.
5) Anthony Gose, OF, Grade C+: Love the speed, youth, and the athleticism. Don’t like the high strikeout rate for a guy without much power. Most advanced of the uber-tools players collected in this system in recent drafts.
6) Sebastian Valle, C, Grade C+: Excellent power potential and very young, but plate discipline and defense need work.
7) Domingo Santana, OF, Grade C+: Another tools guy, excellent power production in the Gulf Coast League but plate discipline/contact could be issues. Could rank much higher next year.
8 ) Tyson Gillies, OF, Grade C+: Draws walks, steals bases with outstanding speed, good glove, fun to watch. Most of his power came at High Desert; Double-A production could raise him to a B- or even a B. Could rank as high as fifth if you want to value his polish over pure upside of Gose, Valle, and Santana.
9) Jarred Cosart, RHP, Grade C+: Live arm, good stats in limited GCL sample, negative reports about makeup are a concern but he’s young enough to outgrow that. Like Santana, could rank much higher next year.
10) Antonio Bastardo, LHP, Grade C+: I’ve liked the guy for awhile and expect him to be a good pitcher, but durability problems make it more likely as a reliever. – http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/12/18/1207506/philadelphia-phillies-top-20
Oh, and the Phils exercised their club option on Rollins for 2011… keepin’ the rims spinnin’ on that Cadillac, I guess?
Rest assured, the Wild Card winner won’t be from the NL East
Posted by Dickie Assburn in Ballplayer Lifestyle, Breaking News, Enemies, Free Agency, Mic'd Up, NL East Reviews, Playoffs and World Series, Trades on December 4th, 2009
I hate the beginning of a new season. It reminds me a lot of this sort of scenario:
You get a new job, and you’re low down in the company. Your co-workers are douchebags, and you can’t fucking wait to get a promotion. You get a promotion, and you leave those loser co-workers behind to work at the company’s corporate offices. Eventually, you become a CEO. Life is great, and you are on top.
And then? You get caught sending dirty text messages to some slutty bitch that works with you. She sells you out, and the fiscal year is over. You are forced to start back at the bottom with a new batch of douchebag co-workers. The grueling road back to the top pains you to think about, but unless you plan on committing suicide, you’re going to have to do it.
... like she didn't want it ...
For the last two years, we have reached the promised land. We’ve brought home the goods 50% of the time. We have a pretty good track record over this time span if I don’t say so myself! However, we’re forced to text the dirty co-worker every year. Before we know it, we’re sorting through the douchebag co-workers aka the NL East, just trying to find our way back to the top.
Here is a look at the shit we’ll probably have to deal with:
Washington Nationals: Rumor has it that they might be moving Adam Dunn. Did you really think he was going to stay there? I feel like they have to have the most awkward clubhouse in the world. What do those guys talk about? I feel like Zimmerman and Dunn just sit around and talk about what they’re going to buy with their money as a sort of brotherly code of suicide watch. You CAN’T have fun playing for this fucking team. They suck dick. I don’t care what Stephen Strasburg does with his life; they will be the joke of the division for years to come.
Adam Dunn in 30 years
Florida Marlins: Cheap ass fucking team. They’re trying to move their young ace and Dan Uggla (I always thought he was a little bitch, but in all honesty, you could do way worse at second base.) You have to question how much they want to win. They’re also rumored to be hanging Ricky Nolasco out there. Nick Johnson likely won’t be re-signed, and Jeremy Hermida was traded for some random prospects. I don’t know whether they plan on keeping Hanley Ramirez or not, but if they keep pulling shit like this, he’d have to be a DUMBASS to want to stay. I give him one more year until he demands a trade.
Atlanta Braves: They just signed two of the Red Sox’s (I’m an English major and I don’t even know how you’d express that) best relievers, so they are getting better. I just question what good that’s going to do when they still haven’t addressed their need for more offense. Chipper looked like he was breaking down last year, and I’m pretty sure he might not be around for much longer. Brian McCann is good, but they have nothing else. Their pitching is great, but it was last year, too. You can’t get by without offense, no matter how good your pitching is. You win the game by outscoring opponents – if you can’t score, you can’t win. Period.
"Big fish, right?! I know! I'ma fuck it later!"
New York Mets: Are we finally at the point where, going into the season, people don’t think it’s realistic to assume that the Mets will be a contender? I think we are. The Mets are a mess – even Mets fans will admit this. They have glaring needs for starting and relief pitchers. They have no first baseman, and lack 2/3 of a credible starting outfield (and the guy in right field sucks, too.) You ideally do not want Jeff Francoeur as your right fielder, just as you ideally do not want him to be the only confirmed member of your outfield, either. The Mets and their fans are fuming over the successes of the Yankees and Phillies, and will likely address this by doing what they always do: spending a lot of money, and falling flat on their asses. Expect them to make a strong push for John Lackey and/or Holliday/Bay.
Jayson Stark of ESPN reported that there may be a three-way deal that goes down including the Mets during the Winter Meetings. This deal would send Pat Burrell to the Mets (why do they think he wouldn’t throw the season?), Luis Castillo to the Cubs, and Milton Bradley to the Rays. I really don’t want to see Pat in the enemy uniform, but he may not have a choice. Let’s hope he strikes out everytime he plays us if this goes down.
If shit goes down, does Pat wear this logo? Or did this yuppie ruin it?
If this deal did happen, the Mets would reportedly attempt to quickly sign Orlando Hudson. They wouldn’t have to give up draft picks because the moron Dodgers didn’t offer him arbitration… ugh
——————————
My point? The Phils have nothing to worry about. If we don’t surpass 100 wins, we clearly weren’t trying.
The Big Picture: Gillick’s Successor
Posted by Even Stevens in Free Agency, General Thoughts, Phillies Rants, Playoffs and World Series, Trades on October 20th, 2009
It’s playoff time, and it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of each game – hell, each pitch. The more the season progresses and the Phillies turn up their intensity, one thing stands out to me: Ruben Amaro, Jr. When he was announced as the guy who would succeed Pat Gillick, some in Philadelphia (including myself) thought the Phillies took the easy way out and gave the promotion to a yes-man from within. As it turns out, Amaro has not only held his own but is making a very strong case for the best Jew Executive of the Year.
"Man, I am so money right now. I still can't believe how much I owned Ricciardi. What a doucher."
Think about it: Do you know how fucking hard it is to get to this same position two years in a row? Don’t give me the “He had basically the same team from last year” bullshit, because he didn’t. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest pieces from a year ago see where they tie into this year’s success:
Cole Hamels was a pussy this year and has not showed up at all this Postseason. Pat Burrell is gone. Brad Lidge had an abysmal year. J.C. Romero was a non-factor and pitched in less games than Tyler Walker. Greg Dobbs was more annoying to watch at the plate than that hyper weeble David Eckstein.
The reasons go on and on. There were large holes to fill, and the Phillies certainly would not have gotten to this position without making some large moves. In some cases, the non-moves were just as important. Let’s observe:
The Phillies signed Raul Ibanez, who had a ridiculously productive year and was a slight upgrade defensively from Pat Burrell. Burrell had a .221 batting average and hit 14 homers for the Rays. Though Ibanez really fell off in the second half of the season, he still completely owned Burrell in every single category.
When Brett Myers went down, the entire world was pressuring Ruben Amaro, Jr. to go out and get Roy Halladay, no exceptions. Amaro stuck his (likely) uncircumcised cock in Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricchardi’s ass and said no thanks. Instead, he absolutely stole Cliff Lee from the Indians for a handful of good prospects. Did I mention he was able to keep Kyle Drabek and J.A. Happ, who the Blue Jays were demanding in order to bring Halladay to the Phils?
"Hit this - you won't! Bitch."
All season long, there was a large void on the Phillies bench. While Amaro had Matt Stairs and Greg Dobbs to pinch-hit late in games from the left side, there was only a talentless bearded man available from the right side. Amaro killed two birds with one stone on the Cliff Lee deal and brought Ben Francisco to the club as well, who has been able to provide some pop from the right side and spell Ibanez in left field for a defensive upgrade.
When Jamie Moyer continued shitting his pants at a rate by which his Depends could no longer hold the mess together, Amaro essentially put the old dog to sleep. He brought back a less-old dog from the dead in Pedro Martinez and gave the 37-year old Dominican a chance that several other clubs were not willing to. Martinez rewarded Ruben Amaro, Jr. for his gamble and posted a 5-1 record with an ERA in the mid-3’s.
How many other General Managers in the league can you name that have made such bold, impactful moves that have helped their team win? In a league that is all about consistency, the Phillies have been a model of maintaining their consistency through the use of different personnel over the last several years. The winning years started with Pat Gillick, but Ruben Amaro, Jr. has effectively taken the reigns of the newest powerhouse and potential dynasty in sports.
Many would say that Amaro deserves it already, but nearly all would agree that another World Series Championship would put the icing on the cake for the Executive of the Year Award.
So let’s beat those fuckin’ Yankees.
Carlos Carrasco Was Dealing In Detroit Tonight
Posted by WTT in Breaking News, Enemies, Miscellaneous Rants, Trades on September 1st, 2009
Remember Carlos Carrasco? You know, the “future” of the Phillies’ rotation? He’s the overrated, under-performing, 23-year old who was absolutely atrocious in Lehigh Valley this season. He was also, thank god, the centerpiece of the trade to Cleveland that brought Cliff Lee to Philadelphia. I know you remember him.
Best. Trade. Ever. Really.
I just want to tell you that Carlos made his Major League debut tonight in Detroit, and let’s just say that he had a rough go of it. Carrasco lasted only three innings. That’s like dipping your stuff in a girl’s sauce and just blasting off right away. And then the girl is looking at you like, “Are you fucking serious?” And you’re all like, g2g, bye!
He was pasted for six earned runs, while allowing nine hits, three walks, and striking out three. That’s so good. How can you go from starting the 2008 Future’s Game (and getting the win) to being a complete turd in only one year? You know, sometimes you just have a hunch about a guy and I had a hunch that this guy was going to suck a fat one. And after three innings, I’m absolutely convinced that Carlos Carrasco totally sucks. It takes a special kind of turd to completely flame out like that, like say, Carlton Loewer. You’re probably all like, “What? It’s only three innings, man. How could you say that?” And I’m all like, shut the fuck up. He’s beat. G2g, bye!
“Lhets pley sum khards!”
Posted by Even Stevens in General Thoughts, Miscellaneous Rants, Trades on July 30th, 2009
The last two weeks have been the equivalent of a final table poker showdown between Ruben Amaro, Jr. and J.P. Riccardi. It was a game, with the back and forth negotiations to try to figure out who was bluffing and who really was laying their best cards out on the table.
Ruben Amaro had offered up a couple Kings (Taylor, Happ) but J.P. Ricciardi was holding out for the Aces (Drabek, Brown). As it turns out, Amaro was never going to give up his Aces. If he felt the need, he would just get up from the table (Toronto) and walk on over to the next game (Cleveland).
Here at 4DaysRest, we are all about giving you terrible metaphors for what’s going on inside the heads of our players and mangement. As such, we want to show you the reaction of J.P. Ricciardi upon hearing that Ruben Amaro Jr. had dealt a lesser package to the Indians to obtain Cliff Lee:
[Fast forward to the 2:50 mark to watch where the negotiations get REALLY good]