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Moving day: Flurry of trades made
Phils acquire Cy Young winner Lee; Mariners add Wilson
Harold on the day's big tradesDuration: 00:02:0507.29.09: Harold discusses the Pirates dealing veterans for young talent, and the Phillies' acquisition of Cliff LeeRelated Video
Amaro Jr. on the Lee tradeBy Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com
07/30/09 12:35 AM ET
Approaching the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, several teams shuffled players in search of their best possible hands.
The Pirates split a pair up the middle -- Freddy Sanchez and Jack Wilson -- for prospects while the Indians dealt their strikeout king Cliff Lee to Philadelphia.
All the while, the straight-faced Blue Jays continue to hold on to Roy Halladay, their ace in the hole.
Trade rumors became reality Wednesday for 15 other players, and if the events are any indication of what's to come, it's going to be a busy time in the hours leading up to Friday's 4 p.m. ET deadline.
Lee, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, and outfielder Ben Francisco were sent to the Phillies for pitching prospects Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, shortstop Jason Donald and catcher Lou Marson. Lee will make his debut Friday or Saturday for the Phillies in San Francisco. He bolsters a rotation that already features Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer and J.A. Happ. Philadelphia's surplus of starters in the organization also features Rodrigo Lopez and Pedro Martinez.
"Obviously, we're pretty pleased," said Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro. "One of our goals was to acquire a top-of-the-rotation guy, somebody who we felt like was going to make a difference. And we think that Cliff can certainly do that. We've talked a thousand times about the right-handed bat. We've given ourselves some versatility."
The Phillies were considered the favorite in the Halladay sweepstakes but could not come to terms with Toronto regarding prospects.
"I don't think it impacts us," said Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi, referring to Lee's trade. "Obviously, it impacts the Phillies. I would say we're probably out with the Phillies, but we're still talking to other teams."
In the Pacific Northwest, the rumors of Seattle's demise have been greatly exaggerated. The Mariners, currently 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Angels in the American League West, splashed into the trade pool Wednesday by acquiring an All-Star shortstop in Wilson and right-handed pitcher Ian Snell from the Pirates for catcher/first baseman Jeff Clement, shortstop Ronny Cedeno and top right-handed pitching prospects Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin and Nathan Adcock. The Mariners also traded outfielder Wladimir Balentien to Cincinnati for right-handed reliever Robert Manuel
Cedeno is the only player that will immediately join the big league club, but the Pirates are elated to have landed Clement, the No. 3 overall selection in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft who came up through the Mariners system as a catcher.
Wilson will jump right into the Seattle lineup. Snell may start out at Triple-A Tacoma.
"Whenever you get talent, you have to give up talent. That's what it amounts to," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "Then you have to weigh: Does this deal fit us? And it did. We addressed two nice needs with this move and you have to give up talent to get talent.''
Moving talent to gain talent is a familiar act in Pittsburgh this season. In addition to moving Wilson to the Mariners, the club later traded Sanchez to the Giants for right-handed pitcher Tim Alderson.
The addition of Sanchez's bat complements the offensive prowess of newly acquired first baseman Ryan Garko from the Indians. The Giants are in second place in the National League West and trail the first-place Dodgers by 7 1/2 games. San Francisco leads Colorado in the NL Wild Card standings by a half-game.
"To think that we got two players of this caliber for two Minor League pitchers -- albeit they're probably going to pitch in the big leagues -- we're very fortunate," Giants general manager Brian Sabean said.
Sanchez's $8.1 million option for 2010 becomes guaranteed if he reaches 600 plate appearances. He currently sits at 382. Sabean said he expects Sanchez to be with the Giants in 2010.
"I'm not saying I can come in here and be a savior and hit .300 or .400," Sanchez said. "I'll tell you this: There won't be any plays where I'm not giving 100 percent."
Trading Sanchez and Wilson was not a complete surprise. The Pirates cut off contract talks with the players after the pair rejected offers to extend their contracts and the Pirates rejected Sanchez's counter-offer.
Last week, the Pirates traded first baseman Adam LaRoche to Boston for Minor League pitcher Hunter Strickland and shortstop Argenis Diaz. Earlier this summer, the club sent Nate McLouth to Atlanta and Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett to Washington.
"[The Mariners] were reluctant to talk about a number of players that we got back in this situation," Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said, pointing to the inclusion of Clement. "But at the end of the day, they realized they're getting two good players. They need to give up talent to get talent."
Toronto could still be a player this week. The club engaged in trade discussions with Boston and has been linked to the Angels, Dodgers, Yankees and Rangers.
The Red Sox might be willing to offer pitcher Clay Buchholz and prospects for Halladay, however, the Blue Jays appear reluctant to deal their ace.
"All the teams we've been talking to, we've looked at them as potential matches," Ricciardi said. "But, once again, we said from the beginning that we'd have to be moved to move the player. At this point, we haven't been moved."
For his part, Halladay admitted the past three weeks have taken its toll.
"Of course, for me and my family, it's not fun to go through" he said. "That's why I'm trying to do the best I can to turn the page right now. There's not much I can control at this point. It comes to a point where you have to quit worrying about those things and do the best you can to move on."
Jesse Sanchez is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
fieger88 wrote:Now the Phillies should go out and get Halladay... they didnt give away any players that need to be involved in the deal!!! Our rotation would be... Hamels, Halladay, Lee, Blanton, and Martinez (or Moyer)... you could basically just hand them their world series trophy now!7/30/2009 10:26:12 AMReport Abuseaprz33 wrote:When are teams going to realize that winning championships is about chemistry and not money. Just look at Boston (and I hate the Red Sox), and the Yankees team of the 90's. Those championship teams had the perfect combination of great veterans that were about winning as a team instead of looking out for their own personal stats and rookie that played with heart because they were happy that they finally made it the majors.7/30/2009 10:20:57 AMReport AbusewhiteAngus wrote:so true, and alvarez is looking like a serious run producer. and all of those people saying that tony sanchez shouldnt have been picked are eating their words as well... mlb ready defensively and hitting very well already. we spent 10 million on the draft last year and about the same is planned this year. weve invested millions in the dominican. we even paid the red sox to take laroche and the mariners to take snell and wilson. everyone is saying salary dump when we are spending more than anyone else on the draft and the minors...7/30/2009 10:18:18 AMReport Abuse
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