Phillies trade Jim Thome to the Orioles

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Phillies have traded Jim Thome for the second time, shipping him off to the Orioles this time.  The deal will be officially announced following the game today but don't expect the Phillies to get much in return as this deal was about getting Thome to an AL team where he could get consistent at-bats.

With Ryan Howard missing at least half of the season, the Thome signing in the offseason made sense if he could step in and play first base.  When his back didn't prove up to the task, Thome was left to waste away on the Phillies bench once interleague play in the American League parks ended.  Given how ineffective he was as a pinch-hitter yet how dominant he was as DH, Thome will be a nice piece for the Orioles and should be a big contributor when he gets consistent at-bats.

It is unfortunate that Thome's second stint with the Phillies wasn't nearly as memorable as his first due to a faulty back.  He still has a few good swings left so its nice to see him back in the American League where he belongs.

Update: The Phillies got single-A pitcher Kyle Simon and catcher Gabriel Lino in the deal.

Flyers swap JVR for Luke Schenn

The man that has been rumored to be traded seemingly ever since he was drafted has finally been dealt: the Flyers have traded James van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs for defenseman Luke Schenn.  This deal has been rumored to be happening for the last year or so and the Flyers finally pulled the trigger to trade the two straight up for one another.

Schenn, who is indeed the brother of current Flyer Brayden Schenn, is a young defenseman who has shown plenty of promise but has yet to live up to his potential.  His cap hit is lower than JVR's by nearly a million and he is under contract for fewer seasons so the Flyers are also freeing up money that will likely be used to re-sign Matt Carle as well as bring in a free agent or two.  If Schenn ever lives up to his potential as a top defenseman, this deal could turn out to be a steal for the Flyers.

Much like Schenn, JVR has never quite lived up to his potential.  He has long been coveted by the Leafs for his size and his occasional flashes of brilliance.  He could be the type of player that will thrive with a change of scenery and could eventually become a star and make the Flyers regret ever trading him.

It's pretty apparent that Paul Holmgren loves trading and isn't afraid to take chances.  On paper, JVR is currently the better player in the deal but neither player has fully developed yet so it is impossible to love or hate the deal.  Given the complete over-pay of his contract, I can't say I'm all that upset that JVR has been shipped out of town.

Flyers deal Bobrovsky to Columbus

This isn't the rumored "big trade" but the Flyers have made a move, dealing Sergei Bobrovsky to the Columbus Blue Jackets for three draft picks, including a 2nd round pick and two 4ths.  While the Flyers are now lacking a backup goaltender, they got a great return for Bob and may have the pieces necessary to make a bigger move.

While Bobrovsky had his moments with the Flyers, he seems destined to be a starter in the NHL and he wasn't going to get that opportunity in Philadelphia.  If the move is the first step towards grabbing a big name player or even if it allows the Flyers to make a smaller move, it was the right time to deal Bob since he still has a good amount of upside.

With the NHL Draft coming tonight, expect the rumors to continue to swirl around the Flyers, who always seem to make a big splash this time of the year.  Don't expect anything as drastic as last offseason but don't be surprised when a young player gets moved for an established star, either.

Eagles sign safety O.J. Atogwe

According to a report out of Washington, the Eagles have added some depth to their secondary, signing veteran safety O.J. Atogwe.  Atogwe is a former Ram and most recently played a season with the Redskins and figures to slide into the backup free safety spot behind Nate Allen.

While Atogwe has had his injury issues the last few seasons, if healthy, he could be a useful addition to the Eagles secondary.  He should provide great depth and can step in and start if needed.  While he isn't the same player that picked off 8 passes for the Rams in 2007, Atogwe is definitely a player worth taking a flier on, assuming he signed a one year contract for very little guaranteed money.

Phillies lose Halladay for 6-8 weeks

After leaving the game early on Sunday, you knew this was coming: the Phillies have placed Roy Halladay on the 15 day disabled list due to a strained lat.  The early word is that Halladay hopes to only miss 6-8 weeks.

While losing Halladay for two months is never a good thing, the injury could have been much, much worse.  Halladay expects to be back by August, just in time for the Phillies to (hopefully) make a playoff run.  Since he has been dealing with shoulder issues all season, if he comes back at full strength, the time off could even be a good thing for Halladay.

With Vance Worley also out, the Phillies rotation suddenly has a hole.  Could this mean the Phillies sign Roy Oswalt?  Since he is apparently about to sign with the Rangers, barring a trade, the Phillies will have to look within for their 5th starter.

Eagles lock up LeSean McCoy for 5 more years

The Eagles have once again made it clear: if you are young and you perform, you are going to get paid.  LeSean McCoy got rich today, signing a 5 year, 45 million dollar contract that will keep him with the Eagles through 2017.  The deal includes 20.765 million dollars in guaranteed money and makes Shady one of the highest paid running backs in the league.

Given that McCoy could possibly be the best running back in the NFL, locking him up was a priority.  Though he still had another year on his rookie contract, the Eagles rewarded him for a strong 2011 season and have guaranteed that he won't hit the open market for several more years.

Despite the lofty figures in the contract, it's hard to complain about this deal.  The Eagles have plenty of cap space and they are giving a lot of money to an elite player that is still getting better.  Barring an injury, McCoy should more than earn his paycheck.