By: Matt
The reigning World Series Champion Phillies have struggled throughout this year. While they did win 9 of their last 10 games going into the all-star break, they slumped through the month of June and leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins got off to the worst start of his career. While injuries and the Rollins’ struggles have hurt the Phillies, the biggest problem has been the Starting Rotation. Brett Myers, the Phillies #2 starter went down early with a hip injury and, IF he recovers, the soonest he could be available is September. Cole Hamels has also struggled; the 25-year-old southpaw was arguably the best pitcher in baseball at the end of last year. He was named both World Series and NLCS MVP, he won his last 3 starts (all of which were in the playoffs) and at times was simply un-hittable. After being penciled in as the opening day starter Hamels suffered a minor elbow injury and missed the first few games of the season. Even when he has played, Hamels has been inconsistent. After winning 15 games in 2007 and 14 last year Hamels has only 5 wins going into the All-Star break this year, he has lost games where he only gave up 2 runs, but he has also been roughed up, particularly when he gave up 5 runs in two innings in his final start before the All-Star break. Ultimately, Hamels has a 4.87 era and a .500 record, numbers that hardly back the title of staff ace Hamels seemed to have earned during the post-season. The injury to Myers, and to his young and inconsistent replacement Antonio Bastardo, and the underwhelming play of Hamels leaves the Phillies starters with a 5.03 era, ranked last in the NL. Clearly, something needs to be changed.
The change that Phillies fans are clamoring for is a trade for Roy Halladay. Halladay has been, arguably, the best pitcher in baseball over the last few years, he is going to start the All-Star game this year, and would easily become the staff ace and leading right hander in the Phillies rotation. The price for Halladay is high, the Jays would definitely want a highly valued player like young starter J.A. Happ, top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek, or young outfielder Michael Taylor. A package for Halladay would likely hurt the Phillies long-term future, but the best offensive team in baseball could potentially be a dynasty over the next 3-4 years with a pitcher like Halladay at the top of the rotation. If Cole Hamels ever returns to form, the Phillies could have the best 1-2 punch in all of baseball, however, the dream situation seems unlikely. Phillies GM Reuben Amaro Jr. feels that the cost for Halladay is too high, and the likelihood of a trade for the highly touted pitcher is looking like a lost opportunity. While Halladay may remain a Jay, the Phillies have made a move, they signed veteran right-hander Pedro Martinez.
Pedro, most recently seen as a member of the New York Mets, ironically the Phillies hated division rival, is not the pitcher he once was. In the late 90’s and early 2000’s Martinez was one of the best power pitchers in baseball, now he has a mid 80’s fastball, but he has produced results. Clearly, the 37 year old Pedro is not a long-term solution, but signing Martinez to the reported 1 year, $4 million deal makes a lot of sense for the Phillies. Martinez is no longer an elite pitcher, he does not have his great power, and he has lost some of his ability to generate K’s at will, but he is still Pedro Martinez. Despite his advanced age, Pedro could stabilize a Phillies rotation that has been anything but stable in 2009, and his experience and control could make him an effective pitcher for the Phillies. Pedro won’t be the rotation, but if Cole Hamels gets under control and Jaime Moyer and Joe Blanton pitch effectively, the Phillies starting pitching will not be the problem it has been so far in 2009. The other advantage to signing Martinez is that it is a 0 risk move, the Phillies lose no players, and in the worst case would simply cut the pitcher. Martinez will take a physical in Philadelphia on Tuesday; however, the team has scouted the pitcher twice in the Dominican Republic already, making Tuesday’s visit a formality. Nobody can know if adding Pedro will help the Phillies, but change is good and adding a future hall-of-famer can never hurt.
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