Phillies Like Burnett, Lowe

For bats, Phillies could be looking for catcher, RH bench bat to replace Taguchi, or LH OF to platoon with Werth. It's tough to add a starting catcher at this point in the season though and get him assimilated with the staff

How about a bad contract swap Eaton for Johjima?

The Phillies obviously need a starting pitcher... or 2 for that matter. Other than Hamels, the rest of the rotation is very mediocre.

I can see them getting Burnett and Blanton. I wonder if Bedard's appeal is going down due to him going on the DL with a shoulder injury. Is he a list A player still??

If Harden left the A's.. Blanton should be packing his bags, and Burnett should as well. Toronto's done as far as I'm concerned.

Where can this team upgrade offensively?? I can't see it, unless Victorino is involved in a trade for a starter.

The Mariners will not trade Erik Bedard for Victorino and filler. No way in hell.

The last thing they need is another light hitting outfielder. Removing their #3 bat in Ibanez and replacing it with Victorino would make an already anemic offense even more so. That is just plain stupid. They have no power as is so the last thing they need is a slappy speedster.

If Carlos Carrasco isn't the headliner might as well not even talk about Bedard to Philly. The Mariners aren't in a desperate situation to move Bedard. They still have him for 2009 and he is the best pitcher available right now even though he had a bunch of nagging injuries and a so-so first half. Hell, keeping Bedard and letting him walk after 2009 would net 2 draft picks that would be more valuable than Victorino.

I'm not even a huge fan of a package surrounding Carrasco. The guy is in no way a sure thing and probably won't be an effective ML starter until 2010. They'll want to compete next year and Bedard gives the best chance to do that. Unless they can get the equivalent to the top the 3 main guys they gave up for Bedard (Jones, Sherrill, Tillman), they shouldn't consider dumping Bedard.

There's no reason to.

Despite Jenkins' struggles I don't think they'll target a RF and if anything it just means Werth will see some time versus RHP. But a RH bench bat to replace Taguchi is certainly in play. They've liked Bengie Molina in the past, but the Giants previously said they weren't moving him. As for pitching I don't see them being very interested in Blanton who the As value as an "A" type starter. Oswalt and Burnett seem more like are one of the pieces as the Phils have open lines of communication with Riccardi and Wade

I definitely wouldn't suggest that Victorino would be the centerpiece. But he's a cheap, controllable CF with plus defense, arm and speed. I think he's at least league average at the position. Ms could use that.

Victorino and Carrasco would be a pretty strong core package. Add another top 10 prospect, D'Arnaud or Naylor, and Ms would have to strongly consider that.

I'm just spitballing about Ibanez, since he's probably available and could fit a Phillies need.

I can't see the Phils trading Victorino. They've got no one who could fill in, even next year. They still don't know if Burrell will be back and I'd imagine they'd like to keep as much together as they can.

As for acquiring an arm all the A-list guys come with an asterisk signifying injury or sliding to regular. If they make a trade I just hope the package they send is according.

The only B-list guys I'd be interested in are Wolf, Maddux, and Blanton. The wayne gomes johjima proposal is an interesting one.

Forget that, Victorino just singled in front of a Howard HR. He's off the table now

Blake...not a great fit since I think they'd be looking for a LH bat in the OF, and there's not really room at 3rd.

A little expensive for a bench bat. He'd be useful in that role, but the Phils would have to offer very little to counteract taking that salary. I'd think other teams could have a greater need (Rays?), and thus would give up a better prospect perhaps. Probably not going to get anything that great for him either way though

In my opinion, you either have a guy pitching for a contract or a headliner...
Lohse was a good pickup last year because he fell into category "A"... I would love to see Oswalt, however, it would, more than likely, cost a bundle (even with old Eddie manning the ship out there)... Carrasco, Vic and Happ maybe... Probably Savery as well... That's a hefty price to pay...

But,

Hamels
Oswalt
Myers
Kendrick
Moyer/Eaton

oooooolahlahh

I could actually go for Kenny Lofton. Can take at bats from Jenkins in right, pinch run/sub for Burrell late, and be a solid PH. Played well a few years ago for the Phils. Could his ego take that role though?

The Phillies are going to get a pitcher. We all know that; and Gillick tends to get a pitcher at the best price. I don't think Carrasco, golston, or Marson are going anywhere. Nor is Shane Victorino. Whoever is thinking that is totally stupid. Shane is the glue to the phillies. With that being said i can see the Phils going for a Randy wolf and i think he would waive his no trade clause. They want a left-handed bat and a ryan freel type player to get taguchi DFA'd. They will acquire a left-handed arm also. Gillick always tends to work on the cheap but always makes a good deal on paper. He's not going to overpay for burnett or a Bedard. And speaking of Bedard. U Mariner fans think you're going to get so much for him. He has slightly more value than Burnett and that's only because of his contract. He can't stay healthy and doesnt give innings which is what the phils definitely need. As for Eaton for Johjima. That would be one of the worst trades in philly history. Johjima is an ok catcher with some years left on his bloated contract just signed this year. Lou Marson will be our catcher next year and will get a call up in september so they will not make a move for another catcher.

If Johjima was acquired for Eaton he wouldn't automatically start for the duration of the contract. The two contracts would cancel each other out for '08 and '09, so it would basically be a straight swap of players at the same numbers. Marson and Johjima could compete for the job next year, and Marson would likely take the job in 2010.

They'd have to eat the 8 mio on Kenji in 2010, but they would be gambling that you can get some of the production out of him from 2006, during the second half of this season (.287-14-61, 46% CS). Or they could keep running Ruiz out there four times a week

Johjimas trash and coste has assumed the starting role anyway.eaton leads the phillies in quality starts. Believe me when i tell u marson is the real deal. There wouldnt be any competition with him and johjima next year. Eaton is a good #5 pitcher and unless they're dumping his salary I don't think theyll trade him especially for an underperforming catcher. Ibanez mite be something they would explore but he would most likely cost too much. And wayne gomes we got iguchi last year for a terrible prospect so gillick knows how to negotiate

Looks like Burnett is a strong possibility to pith in Philly, gotta say I'm much more interested in Derek Lowe. Either one would be a large improvement from what we have now. Both of them would fit nicely behind Hamels.

I don't think the Dodgers are going to actually trade Lowe. I have been back and forth on this one for a while but they may well re-sign the guy. After his sparkling performance last night, the fans are behind him and the team has always seemed comfortable with him, even if he has gotten abysmal run support. I would think any trade for Lowe would have to come with a significant price tag, given that the Dodgers don't really need prospects. Since there would be no possible way the Phillies would, or should, give up Rollins in a potential Lowe deal, the Dodgers don't really have a need for anything on the Phillies roster.

Burnett would be the smart choice for the Phillies. Your buying Low and AJ is a much better 2nd half pitcher. Also why not Greg Zaun if you need a catcher. Switch Hitter, bats ok doesn't really throw out runners very well but he can really handle a Pitching staff.

CS is BJ pitching not the catching. Go look at Molinas numbers befre he came here, when he was here, and year after he left.

Burnett Zaun RRomero 4 Golson Donald Carrasco

BTW, Zaun is a phenomenal defensive catcher in all aspects except throwing out runners. As was pointed out, that is mostly on the pitchers, but his arm certainly doesn't help. He is a switch hitter and always posts solid OBPs - he would be a good fit in that park and on that team off the bench.

Ricky Romero is looking like a failed prospect at this point. Don't think he has value.

Carrasco shouldn't be in-play for Burnett mostly because of the controllability. If AJ agrees not to opt out..can he opt out again after last year or would the team be on the hook through 2010? I'm not sure which is better for acquiring team, honestly

Golson Donald and Josh Outman seems more fair to me. Both the position players should be 2010 ready, maybe earlier

Catcher's the one obvious position for an offensive upgrade. And if the Phils make an offer for Bedard, taking Johjima's contract might bring down the price considerably.

bjsguess, you might want to look beyond this year's stats on Burnett.

ERA the last 4 years: 3.68, 3.44, 3.98, 3.75
WHIP the last 4 years: 1.167, 1.258, 1.305, 1.189

As for "what have you done for me lately," his last 4 starts:

vs CIN: 8 4 1 1 3 7
vs ATL: 7 4 0 0 4 11
at LAA: 7 12 8 6 0 3
(note: 5 5 2 1 0 3 before falling apart in 6th)
vs BAL: 5.1 7 7 7 3 7
(note: 5 2 1 1 2 7 before falling apart in 6th)

He's shown definite flashes of dominance this year, and his K rate is still superb (right around one per inning). His big problem of late appears to be getting rattled easily and running out of gas. In other words, he looks an awful lot like Brett Myers before the '08 collapse to me. Not an ace, but a very solid #2 starter to slot behind Hamels.

He's not perfect, but if he were, he wouldn't be on the market. As it stands, assuming he passes a physical, he's exactly the type of pitcher the Phils should be targeting.

This comment is patently wrong:
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"Eaton's contract might be the worst in baseball, if you can get rid of it, you do in a heartbeat..." - allabouthephils

I will admit, Eaton's contract was a dumb one and I said it at the time. But no contract in baseball is worse than Zito's right now. That is almost a franchise wrecking contract to be on the hook for 100 million to a pitcher who can't keep an ERA under 6 in a weak hitting division.