Phillies’ Deadline Wish List

It seems reasonable to believe that the defending National League Champions would not want to find themselves third in the NL East this close to the All-Star Break. Granted, they are only 2.5 games out of the division lead, but the fact still remains, the Phillies more than likely expected themselves to be holding the lead rather than trying to chase it down at this juncture. Should they go on to win the division, nobody will be able to say they did so without facing adversity. Injuries have been a major theme for the 2010 Phillies, losing stars Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley to extended stints on the Disabled List, as well as finding team Batting Average leader Placido Polanco (.318) and pitchers JA Happ, Brad Lidge, and Ryan Madson there as well. However, the Phillies are not the first team to face significant injury problems, one of the other major themes has been slumping bats, and a pitching staff that doesn’t have anyone that strikes fear into the hearts of opponents beyond its Ace, Roy Halladay. Philadelphia finished 4 th in Major League Baseball with 820 runs scored last year, at this point in the season they are 10 th. It is my belief (and one I think is shared by the Phillies’ front office) that the bats will end up near the top of the heap once again, and that the problem that needs to be addressed is pitching. There is currently nobody in the Phillies rotation beyond Roy Halladay that sports an ERA under 4. This is why I believe the Phillies will attempt to make a push at adding another Starting Pitcher before the deadline, and here is my guess at what the Phillies’ wish list might look like.

1.) Roy Oswalt, SP, Houston Astros

Why: Don’t let the 6-10 record scare you away. Roy Oswalt has had a solid season thus far, sporting a 3.08 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and 112 Ks. With the Rangers landing Cliff Lee, Oswalt’s about as steady a hand as they could hope for to help them make a push down the stretch.

How: It’s been rumored that the Astros are interested in acquiring whatever kind of help they can get, whether it be Major League help or minor league players who will be able to help them down the road. Though the Phillies do have the Major League help to provide in Jayson Werth, the Astros won’t be interested in his expiring contract (translation: ticket out of Houston) and would want prospects from the Phillies, which they don’t really have beyond Domonic Brown who, the Phillies have seem to alerted everyone, is going nowhere.

Prediction: Since the Phillies aren’t going to give up Domonic Brown, and don’t really have a wealth of prospects to offer other than him, it doesn’t look like the Oswalt deal will work for them unless a third team gets involved, which would allow Philly to send Jayson Werth to a team that wanted immediate help, have that team send prospects to Houston, and Houston send Oswalt to Philadelphia. I don’t see that happening, though.

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2.) Dan Haren, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Why: Though Haren’s ERA is .7 over his career average (4.38 as opposed to 3.68) it doesn’t make him an unattractive candidate for the Phillies. He still strikes batters out at a good clip, having punched out 119 already this season. A change of scenery would likely do him good, and if he performed like the Dan Haren who sported ERAs of 3.14 and 3.33 over the last two seasons, he would become a worthy addition to the #2 spot in the Phillies rotation.

How: Same song, different pitcher for the Phillies. Arizona is in a position to add pieces that will be able to help them in the future, and Jayson Werth’s expiring contract won’t look the least bit attractive to them. Teams like Arizona and Houston will see Domonic Brown and salivate, but the Phillies likely won’t budge on any deal that has his name in it.

3. ) Javier Vazquez, SP, New York Yankees

Why: Though it might be hard to sell Phillies fans on the addition of another struggling pitcher, Vazquez might be the only starter on the market that the Phillies have the pieces that the seller would be looking for. Also, Javier Vazquez tore through the NL East last season with the Braves, sporting a 2.87 ERA and averaging 1.81 Walks per-game, less than half of what he is allowing now with the Yankees at 3.86 per-game. He has proven that he can thrive in the National League, and this might be something the Phillies see as a bright spot in his trade value.

How: Finally, a pitcher than the Phillies might have the right pieces to acquire. The Yankees have already contacted the Phillies stating that they’re interested in Werth if he’s available. The Phillies might be hesitant about their ability to re-sign Werth (and the Yankees know nothing of that fear) and would probably like to get something in return for him, rather than just watching him walk.

Prediction: If the Phillies deal for a starter at the deadline Vazquez will probably be the one they get. If they get the Vazquez that tore through the National League last year, they become the odds-on favorites, once-again, to win the National League. If Vazquez continues to struggle, however, they may find themselves in hot water.

Overall Prediction: If the Phillies don’t get a deal done for Vazquez, they’re not going to get one done for a starter at all, unless there’s a three-team deal brewing, or they can do some serious selling on some prospects other than Brown. They might end up dealing some less sought-after prospects with good potential to get another arm in the bullpen, or a bat off the bench. If the talks for a starter fail, to help the rotation they’ll wait for JA Happ to come off the DL, hoping he adds a spark to the rotation. In addition to this, they have been in contact with Pedro Martinez this season, and could likely bring him back for another second-half stint. Odds are with all the time he’s had to re-charge his battery he’d be a decent back of the rotation option for the Phillies. It’s hard to see the Phillies running deep into October with their 2 and 3 starters as Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer with how inconsistently both of them have pitched this season. Thus, hopefully Happ and the possibility of Martinez, or a deal for the likes of Vazquez will help solidify the rotation for the Phils, and get them to where they want to be.

By: Steve Sabato
MLBCenter.com Philadelphia Phillies Correspondent

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