Oswalt struggles in Phillies debut but there is no reason to overreact

As Phillies fans, we've grown accustomed to our newly acquired aces having impressive debuts with our team. About a year ago, it was Cliff Lee who pitched a complete game 4-hitter and gave up only 1 run. Then, on Opening Day this season, Roy Halladay threw a gem of his own, striking out 9 batters and giving up 1 run in 7 innings. Fast forward to tonight's Phillies debut by Roy Oswalt, though, and you saw a much different outcome: Oswalt struggled against the Nationals, giving up 5 runs (4 earned) and 7 hits in 6 innings of work as the Phillies win streak came to an end. That's not what I would call a good first impression on his new team.

Most of you know, however, that there is no reason to panic. In Oswalt, the Phillies have acquired a known commodity who has established himself as an above average pitcher, not someone who is going to fizzle out and be terrible for the entire second half of a season. These types of starts happen to every pitcher, even Lee and Halladay, who weren't dominant pitchers every time they took the mound for the Phillies. For example, take a look back at three starts Lee made back in late August and early September of last season where pitched a total of 15 innings and gave up 17 earned runs. Even our beloved Roy Halladay has also had four starts this season where he gave up 5 or more runs.

My point isn't that Lee and Halladay aren't stud pitchers, though, my point is that bad games happen to every pitcher. You can chalk it up to nerves, chalk it up to trying too hard to impress his new team or just simply say that Oswalt had an off night; whatever the case, don't overreact to this one start and compare it to how J.A. Happ did in his Houston debut (0 runs in 6 innings) and rant about how the Phillies made a bad trade. Bad starts happen to good pitchers and Oswalt is going to do just fine with the Phillies.
(AP PHOTO)

Roy Oswalt is officially a Phillie

The Phillies have acquired their third ace pitcher in the last 12 months, getting Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros in exchange for J.A. Happ and prospects Anthony Gose and Jonathan Villar. The Phillies will also get 11 million dollars in cash to pay some of Oswalt's salary, which is about 5 million more for 2010 plus 16 million more next season. Oswalt also has a 16 million dollar option for the 2012 season that the Phillies can pick up or buy him out for 3 million dollars.

The two teams had an agreement in place since last night but were waiting on Oswalt's approval of the deal since he had a no-trade clause. Getting Oswalt gives the Phillies a 1-2-3 punch in the rotation that rivals any other rotation in the majors. Sure, Oswalt is about to turn 33 and isn't quite the same dominant pitcher he was back in 2004-2006, but he's still a workhorse that goes deep into games, gets plenty of strikeouts and will keep the Phillies competitive every time he pitches. As long as he stays healthy, a legitimate concern the last few seasons, the Phillies just got themselves a No. 1 pitcher who will slot in third in their rotation.

To get Oswalt, the Phillies did have to give up some good, young players. The toughest player to lose was Happ, who has had a strong start to his career with the Phillies. Look beyond Happ's 14-5 lifetime record, though, and you notice a pitcher who lets a lot of guys on base and constantly has to work his way out of jams. Happ should develop into a nice middle of the rotation guy but he was never going to be an ace with the Phillies.

As for the two prospects in the deal, both has spent the season playing A ball and are a few years away from having any kind of impact in the majors. Gose is an outfielder with some serious speed that seems to be in the mold of fellow Astro and former Phillie Michael Bourn. Villar is a shortstop with a decent glove and very little power. Neither was considered the cream of the crop of the Phillies farm system.

Welcome to Philadelphia, Roy Oswalt. While there will be a number of fans who will complain that he isn't Cliff Lee, Oswalt is not a bad consolation prize. At this point, I think we all understand that Ruben Amaro made a mistake in the whole Lee situation but he is doing the best he can to make the Phillies a World Series team yet again. Say what you will about the job Amaro has done but having Oswalt and pairing him up with Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels for this season and next only further strengthens the Phillies title chances. The fact that Amaro pulled this deal off without giving up much and even got cash to pay Oswalt with from the Astros makes this trade a big win for the Phillies.

Oswalt agrees to come to the Phillies

Roy Oswalt has agreed to waive his no-trade clause and come to the Phillies. Apparently the deal is not official just yet so we still have to wait to hear what the Phillies gave up in return but so far the word is that J.A. Happ and two prospects are going to the Astros.

I'll have more when the trade goes official.

Happ returns to help suddenly hot Phillies

That's called a winning streak, folks. On the heels of Roy Halladay shutting the Rockies down in a 6-0 win on Friday, Kyle Kendrick had a strong outing of his own on Saturday to help the Phillies win big yet again, 10-2. While the big story of both games might be the re-emergence of the offense (coincidentally getting hot after the team switched hitting coaches), the Phillies also got two very solid pitching performances, one expected and the other a nice surprise. Whether the couple of days in the minors made a difference or not, Kendrick certainly looked like a much better pitcher than he did earlier in the week when he was shelled by the Cardinals.

Looking to follow up with a strong outing of his own will be J.A. Happ, who will be making his first start for the Phillies since April 15th. As you may recall, Happ made a pair of starts back in April, gave up zero earned runs in 10+ innings, then suffered a strained forearm and missed three months. While the Phillies will continue to search for a starting pitcher to add to the rotation, putting Happ back into the mix at least gives the team someone they can trust. While Happ has had his issues with allowing too many runners on base, he did put up some great numbers in 2009 (12-4 record, 1.23 WHIP, 2.93 ERA) and a performance anywhere close to that will be a big boost for the Phils.

With Happ's return, the Phillies have dropped Vance Worley, who was originally called up when Kyle Kendrick was sent down, back to the minors. Worley made his major league debut on Saturday and had a perfect inning and struck out 2 hitters. While he made a leap from Double A to the majors, the hard-throwing Worley could be someone to keep an eye on as a possible Phillies bullpen piece in the coming months or for next year.

End of an era? Moyer to the DL as Phillies pursue pitching help

We may have seen the last of Jamie Moyer in Philadelphia. According to Todd Zolecki on Twitter, the Phillies will place Moyer on the disabled list due to the left elbow strain he suffered against the Cardinals on Tuesday. The injury is believed to be similar to the one J.A. Happ suffered that kept him out for three months, meaning Moyer's season could very well done. Since Moyer's contract also runs out at the end of this year, it's possible that he won't be suiting up for the Phillies ever again. While you can bet he will try to continue his career if he is able to, this would certainly be a sad way to see Moyer leave the Phillies.

As for who will replace Moyer in the rotation, the Phillies are expected to call up Happ, who was pulled early from his start at Lehigh Valley and will probably join the team shortly.

Of course, bringing up Happ is only one piece of the puzzle since the Phillies have another rotation spot to fill. According to Jayson Stark of ESPN, the Phillies are working on a major trade that could see them bring in a top starting pitcher and then ship out Jayson Werth in a separate trade to get some prospects in return. The pitching names rumored to be targeted include top pitchers like Roy Oswalt and Dan Haren as well as lesser choices like Ben Sheets and Jeremy Guthrie. Look for the Phillies to try to bring in someone who they will have under contract for at least another season beyond this year since bringing in a rental would be a waste of their resources.

Should the Phillies deal Werth, minor league sensation Domonic Brown will step into his spot and play every day. While Brown is yet another lefty bat to add to an already lefty-heavy team, with the way he is tearing up Triple A he deserves a spot on the big club.

Expect the Phillies to make these moves quickly and not wait until the trade deadline; Ruben Amaro needs to get something done quickly if he wants to keep the Phillies rapidly diminishing playoff hopes alive.

Phillies starting pitching woes continue: Moyer strains elbow

With the demotion of Kyle Kendrick, the Phillies were already on the lookout for a new starting pitcher. While the team could turn to J.A. Happ or bring back Nelson Figueroa to fill in, rumors are swirling that Ruben Amaro is close to making a deal for a top-flight pitcher, with the names Dan Haren and Roy Oswalt being tossed around.

Well, now things are about to get even more interesting as Phillies might have two rotation spots to fill: Jamie Moyer, who left Tuesday's game after just one inning, has a strained left elbow. While there has been no initial word as to whether Moyer will miss any time, I would be willing to bet that Moyer will miss at least his next start and could easily find himself on the disabled list.

Moyer hasn't exactly been great this season but his injury puts the Phillies in a tough position, basically forcing them to make a deal for some rotation help and bring Happ back to the team whether he is ready or not. Being forced to make a trade is not a position you want to be in; you can bet that other teams around the majors will try to take advantage of your desperation. As I've said all along, as long as Amaro doesn't move Domonic Brown, I'm all for the Phillies making the necessary moves to improve their rotation.

Add all of this speculation to the rumors surrounding the possible trade of Jayson Werth and we have the makings of a very interesting week and a half before the trade deadline. Of course, if the Phillies keep losing games, there might not be much of a point to them doing anything.

Phillies dump Kendrick to minors

After his weak showing last night against the Cardinals, it was probably only a matter of time before the Phillies made this move: Kyle Kendrick has been demoted to Triple A. In his place, the team has called up Andrew Carpenter from Lehigh Valley.

Kendrick hasn't been terrible for the Phillies this season, posting a 4.82 ERA, but he also isn't someone you can rely on every 5th day, especially if you have a team trying to make a playoff run. The curious thing about the move, however, is that the Phillies really don't have anyone on the roster that can replace Kendrick in the rotation. While Carpenter was the pitcher called up, I can't imagine the Phils want to hand a rotation spot to a guy who has made one major league start.

If the Phillies don't have a trade in the works for another starter, the other likely scenario is that the team thinks J.A. Happ is finally ready to re-join the team. While Happ hasn't pitched particularly well in the minors in his rehab starts, the Phillies might feel comfortable enough in his mechanics to toss him back in the mix.

Either way, it looks like we won't be seeing Kyle Kendrick with the Phillies again for awhile. While he isn't to blame for the Phillies struggles this season, he also hasn't exactly helped.

Phillies roster shuffle: Romero activated, Happ to the DL

Sometimes you have to take the good news with the bad news: while one Phillies pitcher is returning from injury, another is going on the DL.

First, the good news: J.C. Romero has been activated. The lefty has been out all season dealing with elbow isssues but after several successful rehab appearances, he's ready to go. Romero will be a welcome sight to a Phillies bullpen that has been taxed on the days when Roy Halladay isn't pitching.

As for the bad news, the Phillies will be without J.A. Happ for at least his next start. Happ, who didn't feel right in a side pitching session today, will be placed on the 15 day DL due to a left forearm strain. Nelson Figueroa will be called upon to start in place of Happ, who isn't expected to be out for long. In fact, the way the rotation shakes out in the coming week, Happ could be activated after 15 days and only miss one start.

Like I've said with the injuries to Jimmy Rollins and Joe Blanton, it's better to have these minor tweaks in April rather than in September. Missing Happ for a couple of starts now won't have a huge impact in the long run for the Phillies especially when you have a capable spot starter like Figueroa ready to step in.

Phillies starting pitching woes continue: Happ hurt

A lot has gone right for the Phillies this season. The offense has been tearing the cover off the ball, Roy Halladay has been as good as advertised and, with the exception of Danys Baez, the bullpen has held its own so far. Of course, you can't help but notice the one thing left off that list: every other starting pitcher besides Halladay has been a big question mark. Joe Blanton got injured in the preseason. Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer have been shaky, at best. Kyle Kendrick and his 17.47 ERA have been atrocious. And then there's J.A. Happ, who, according to Jim Salisbury, is now dealing with an injury and may miss his next start.

Apparently Happ, who has put up good numbers this season (0.00 ERA) but has been more than a little lucky with runners on base, is experiencing some discomfort in his left forearm. It's an injury that could be nothing or it could be a big deal depending on how he feels in the coming days. Happ is scheduled to make his next start in Atlanta on Wednesday but the Phillies aren't saying yet if he will be able to answer the bell.

For a Phillies rotation that is barely surviving 4 out of every 5 starts, losing Happ for any amount of time would be pretty crippling. With Blanton not ready to come back yet and Kendrick already working his way out of the rotation, the Phillies would really be in need of two starters. Sure, Nelson Figueroa and Andrew Carpenter could fill in if needed but neither should be relied on for more than a spot start or two.

The only positive that can be taken from this news is that, if there was a time for the Phillies rotation to be in shambles, it's early in the season. Still, let's keep our fingers crossed that Happ's arm gets better fast because, while Halladay is great, he can't pitch every day.

Phillies news: five new free agents and the ROTY

Those guys over at Fire Eric Bruntlett will be happy about this one: the Phillies have non-tendered former World Series hero Eric Bruntlett, officially making him a free agent. Bruntlett, who can't hit a lick, will have to take his position versatility elsewhere if he hopes to continue his major league career. Bruntlett will forever be remembered for scoring a few big runs in the 2008 World Series and his unassisted triple play this season. For a guy who was basically useless, Bruntlett actually had quite the highlight reel. He was kinda like Forrest Gump in that he was always in the right place at the right time.

The Phillies also granted free agency to four other players: pitchers Tyler Walker and John Ennis, catcher Paul Hoover and infielder Andy Tracy. Walker had the biggest contribution of this group in 2009 but is just an expendable bullpen piece. Hoover's lone claim to fame with the Phillies was his walk-off hit in the final regular season game of the season.

In other news, the National League Rookie of the Year award was given today to Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan. Coghlan narrowly beat out Phillies pitcher J.A. Happ for the award, winning by a score of 105-94. Happ was a solid contender and likely would have taken home the award had he not been shuttled between the rotation and the bullpen at various parts of the season.

Pitching change: Happ to replace Pedro in Game 3

With the postponement of Game 3 until tomorrow, the Phillies have announced a change in their starting pitcher: J.A. Happ will now take the mound instead of Pedro Martinez. Clearly, the Phillies want a left hander facing this Rockies lefty-heavy lineup, so Happ, given an extra day of rest, makes for the smart choice.

With Happ pitching Game 3, Cliff Lee likely pitching Game 4 and Cole Hamels set for Game 5 if need be, the Phillies are now going to put a lefty on the mound to start every game this series. In the playoffs you take every advantage you can get.

Phillies rotation shake-up: Pedro in, Moyer to the bullpen

The Pedro Martinez era is about to begin in Philadelphia! The Phillies have finally announced who there starters will be for the next few games, selecting J.A. Happ for Tuesday, Pedro for Wednesday and Cliff Lee for Thursday. That news means that Jamie Moyer is the odd man out and will be demoted to the bullpen.

Moyer was the clear choice to leave the rotation, but that doesn't make this news any less surprising. The Phillies took a veteran pitcher who has done nothing but start games for two decades and shifted him to the bullpen, where he figures to be completely useless. As you know, Moyer is anything but young and will require a ton of stretching and preparing before he can be ready to pitch, meaning he can't just jump out of the bullpen and enter a game. Likely the Phillies will have to tell Moyer well in advance when he should be ready to pitch, like perhaps every 5th day when Pedro takes the mound.

The Phillies also made another move today, activating Chad Durbin off the disabled list and sending Rodrigo Lopez down to the minors. Durbin will be a welcome addition to the bullpen that has featured a little too much Tyler Walker and Chan Ho Park for my tastes. Yes, I know both have been effective at times, but it always seems like the Phillies are playing with fire when they enter the game.

So, the Pedro era is set to begin on Wednesday. While it took the removal of a pitcher we all like as a person, I am interested to see what Martinez has left in the tank. He has had some promising minor league starts that went well for 4 or 5 innings and then went south quickly, so the bullpen better be ready. It's nice to see that the Phillies made the right decision in keeping Happ in the rotation and bumping Moyer out instead of playing the loyalty card and favoring the veteran. Of course, Moyer better be ready because I have a feeling that he will get another start at some point this season, whether it's due to an injury or Pedro is a bust. I don't think we've seen the last of Old Man Moyer.

Breaking: Happ to remain in rotation

All of those fans who are demanding that Happ stay in the rotation can relax, at least for now. According to Phillies beat writer Todd Zolecki on Twitter, Ruben Amaro has said that Happ isn't going anywhere and he will remain in the rotation. Apparently the case Happ made yesterday proved that he belongs.

So, at least for now, Happ will remain in the rotation. Of course, we don't know if that means Happ stays in until Pedro Martinez comes up or if this is a permanent thing. Either way, Amaro still has one more decision to make about Pedro and Jamie Moyer. One of them has to go.

Happ makes his case, will it be enough?

(AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr)

Amidst all the discussion about what the Phillies should do with their starting pitcher "problem", the man that many thought would be pushed aside to the bullpen stood up and made his case for a permanent spot in the rotation. J.A. Happ pitched 9 innings of shutout ball against the Rockies, leading the Phillies to a 7-0 win. Happ needed 127 pitches to do it, but he only allowed 4 hits and 2 walks while he struck out 10 Rockies to pitch a gem. He even threw in a double at the plate for good measure.

So, what it all enough to secure Happ's spot in the rotation? With Pedro Martinez opening eyes with an 11 strikeout effort in a 6 inning start for Double A Reading, the question still lingers: What will the Phillies do? With Jamie Moyer of no use to the team except as a starter and Martinez looking ready to step into the big league rotation, the Phillies don't seem to have many options. Happ has spent some time in the bullpen already this season, so unfortunately in this case his versatility may be his downfall. The Phillies won't send Moyer to the pen and I can't foresee the team at least not trying Pedro out as a starter, so that leaves Happ as the odd man out, which is a ridiculous notion. How does someone pitch one of the most dominant games for the Phillies all season long and then get ousted from the rotation?

Such is the conundrum that the Phillies now face. I would expect every blogger and Philly related website to have their take on this situation, so I might as well weigh in with my opinion. With the 6 game lead they have opened up in the NL East, the Phillies are going to inevitably make the playoffs. They need to figure out who the best four starters are for the team and make sure that each is in the rotation for the rest of the season as they prepare for a playoff run. Happ has certainly done enough to prove that he belongs in the playoff rotation, along with Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton, so what happens to Pedro and Moyer? The Phillies need to see what they have with Pedro, so, sadly, they need to figure out something to do with Jamie Moyer. Whether it's some kind of phantom injury that sends him to the DL or the Phillies begin transitioning him to a coaching role, Moyer has to step aside. It's a tough call to make, but if the Phillies want to give themselves the best shot to win this year, Moyer can't be a part of the rotation.

Look, I like the Old Man as much as the next person, but even he has to see the writing on the wall. The Phillies have to go with the best option to win now, and Jamie Moyer isn't in the mix. One only needs to look at what Moyer did on Tuesday against the Rockies and compare that to Happ's performance on Wednesday and realize there is no question: Happ needs to stay in the rotation. I hope the Phillies realize that Happ has to stay and they can figure out a way to end things nicely with Jamie Moyer. Unfortunately, I have a feeling the Phillies won't have the guts and instead will force the kid to the bullpen. Let's hope I'm wrong and the Phillies do what's best for the team: Save Happ.

Is J.A. Happ the next Kyle Kendrick?

I hope the Toronto Blue Jays front office doesn't read this....

J.A. Happ is having a phenomenal rookie year. His record is currently 7-1 and has a 2.97 ERA and has been a pleasant surprise as he holds up the back of the Phillies rotation. There has been much debate amongst Phillies fans, however, as to whether Happ should be part of a trade that would bring Roy Halladay to Philadelphia. Many Phillie fans don't want to give up the rookie pitcher while others would be willing to pack his bags for him. As for myself, I just want to caution Phillies fans to not get too far ahead of themselves before they christen Happ as the next Cy Young. Rookie pitchers have a way of taking the league by suprise in their first season and then fizzling out, just think back to the last time Phillies fans were this excited about a rookie pitcher.

Kyle Kendrick burst on the scene back in 2007, rolling up a record of 10-4 with a 3.87 ERA down the stretch as he helped the Phillies get to the playoffs. By all accounts, Kendrick was going to lock down the number 3 spot in the Phillies rotation for years to come. Well, I don't have to tell you how that turned out: the league caught up to Kendrick in 2008 and he has since washed out in the minors.

So, why the cautionary tale about J.A. Happ? Let's take a closer look at his numbers. In three starts this season against what I would call "good" teams, the Cardinals, Red Sox and Yankees, Happ has been pretty bad, going 17 and 2/3rds innings and giving up 12 earned runs on 21 hits and 6 walks. That's an ERA of 6.11, and a record of 0-1. It's safe to say that Happ hasn't performed well against good competition. Then, when you look at the rest of his starts and notice that he has faced the Marlins, Pirates, Reds, Braves, Blue Jays, Orioles, Mets, Padres and Nationals, and you can begin to see that Happ was able to pad his stats against weaker competition. Of those teams, I would classify 5 as terrible and 4 as mediocre. It's pretty easy to look good against that kind of competition.

I do like J.A. Happ and if the Phillies find a way to keep him and still get Roy Halladay, that would be great. I just find it crazy that anyone would think he was an untouchable pitcher who is going to be a star for the next decade. The best possible future for Happ is likely as a 3rd starter on a decent team and a 4th starter on a good team. I think, and hope, his career turns out better than Kyle Kendrick's, but Phillies fans have to know: a half season of good pitching does not make you a great pitcher. A decade of good pitching does, and that's the resume Roy Halladay brings to the table.

Please don't forward this post to anyone from Toronto.

Phillies Rumor Update: Halladay talks, Cliff Lee an option

With 10 days to go until the Trade Deadline, things are starting to heat up for the Phillies in their search for a starting pitcher. While many are beginning to feel that the Phillies don't need to get another starting pitcher because of their huge division lead, the team knows that they need another pitcher to put into their playoff rotation. A staff of Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ and Pedro Martinez is good, but shaky, in the playoffs.

The biggest name being thrown about is Roy Halladay, with all indications being that the Phillies are the favorites to land the Blue Jays ace. The Phillies would likely have to give up a package of three or four prospects to get Halladay, but word has come out today that they aren't willing to give up their best prospect, pitcher Kyle Drabek. According to Jon Heyman of SI, the Phillies have informed Toronto that they will not include Drabek in a deal to get Halladay, essentially making him untouchable. While this could kill any deal with the Blue Jays, it does show that the Phils are playing hardball with the Jays, who may not have any other teams making serious offers. The best package Toronto will likely get from the Phillies now is Michael Taylor, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald and another prospect or possibly J.A. Happ. This may lead the Blue Jays to decide not to trade Halladay and wait until next season.

As a precaution if they don't get Halladay, the Phillies are starting to seek out other options. According to Ken Rosenthal, the Phillies have also looked into getting Cliff Lee from the Indians. While I wouldn't be happy with a rotation that featured 4 lefties (Hamels, Lee, Moyer, Happ), Lee could be acquired for much less and he is nearly as good as Halladay. Lee also has another year on his contract and is set to earn 11 million next year, not a bad value for a top of the rotation guy. And, with Lee, you know the Phillies wouldn't even have to consider giving up Drabek, although the Indians could demand J.A. Happ, someone I'm sure the Phils are trying to hold onto.

With the deadline approaching, the Phillies will continue to work the phones to try and get a deal done. With so many quality prospects in their system, it seems pretty likely that the Phillies should be able to get a deal done, whether it's for Halladay or Lee or another top pitcher. Should that happen, I think it would be safe to say that a return trip to the World Series is in order. These should be an exciting 10 days.

Time to start the J.A. Happ Rookie of the Year talk

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

The Phillies aren't going to need Pedro Martinez, or Roy Halladay for that matter, if this keeps up. J.A. Happ, considered the Phillies 5th starter and likely a target by the Blue Jays in a trade for Halladay, put yet another solid effort together on Sunday, shutting out the Marlins in 7 innings to lead the Phillies to a 5-0 sweep over Florida. The win gives the Phillies a commanding 7 game lead in the NL East, their biggest division lead since 2001.

Happ gave up 5 hits and worked his way out of several jams to move his record on the season to 7-0. Couple that unbeaten record with a 2.68 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP and a batting average against of .222, and you have a pitcher who is having a great rookie campaign. Is it strong enough for Happ to be considered Rookie of the Year?

I would say yes. There aren't a lot of strong candidates in the NL this year, from Colby Rasmus to Andrew McCutchen, there isn't a rookie having a dominant campaign. Jayson Stark of ESPN felt that Rasmus was the first half NL Rookie of the Year, but looking at his numbers, 11 HR, 34 RBI and a .270 average, those aren't nearly as impressive as what Happ is doing with the Phils.

The only thing that may work against Happ is how difficult it is for a pitcher to win the award. Since 2003, only 3 pitchers have won a ROTY award in either league, and those three pitchers had to put up big-time win or save totals to even be considered. It's kind of like the MVP award, if a pitcher is going to win it, he has to be truly dominant above the rest of the candidates. Happ will need several more starts like today to be the front-runner for Rookie of the Year.

Of course, there is also the possibility that Happ is traded to the Blue Jays and never gets a shot at ROTY. As the Halladay to the Phillies rumors continue, you can be the Jays will insist that Happ is included in any deal. I would still be fine with Happ being dealt for a known ace like Roy Halladay, but it would be even better if the Phillies found a way to hold on to Happ and still got Doc. A rotation of Hamels, Halladay, Blanton, Happ and Moyer/Martinez would be phenomenal.

Now that the Phillies have a 7 game lead in the division, however, they may not feel the need to make any drastic changes, and who could blame them. With the emergence of J.A. Happ, possible Rookie of the Year, the Phillies rotation is looking better and better.

Click here to take a look at how the Phillies were built!

Phillies sign Pedro Martinez. Maybe.....Tuesday?

While Phillies fans were buzzing about Shane Victorino making the All-Star Game, another story broke: Pedro Martinez has signed with the Phillies. Or, at least according to a report from the Domincan Republic, he has. Candela Deportiva is reporting that Martinez has signed with the Phillies for the remainder of the season, with a 4 million dollar contract that would prorate to about half that amount.

When asked about Pedro Martinez, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro initially said he had no comment, but later it has been confirmed that the Phillies are speaking with Martinez and his agent, and a deal could be in the works, pending a physical. The Phillies were apparently very pleased with how Martinez pitched for them during a recent workout and are trying to lure the 37 year old to Philadelphia.

My initial reaction to these reports was sheer horror. Did the Phillies watch Pedro try to pitch last season for the Mets? Did they not see his 5.61 ERA and 1.57 WHIP? Thinking more about it, however, the Phillies essentially are buying a lottery ticket. Pedro Martinez may have nothing left in the tank, but at 2 million bucks, why wouldn't you take a chance that he has something left to contribute? He would slot in as the Phillies 5th starter right now, replacing the revolving door of Rodrgio Lopez and Antonio Bastardo, so how could he not be an upgrade? A rotation of Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer, J.A. Happ and Pedro Martinez isn't great, but it's not terrible, either.

Plus, the signing of Martinez in no way hinders the Phillies from acquiring Roy Halladay. In fact, it might actually help bring Doc to town. If Pedro pitches well, then the Phillies would be willing to part with J.A. Happ, someone Toronto is believed to covet, to get Halladay. With Pedro in the rotation, losing Happ isn't as big of a deal and the Phillies can have a rotation of Hamels, Halladay, Moyer, Blanton and Martinez. That's a World Series rotation.

Of course, all of this talk is just talk if the Phillies don't actually sign Pedro. The speculation right now is that that Martinez is going to come to Philly and have a physical and then decide if he wants to play for the Phillies. While I initially won't like the sight of Martinez in a Phillies uniform, this is really a no-lose situation. If Pedro pitches well, the Phillies have made a hell of a deal. If he struggles, the Phillies simply wasted 2 million bucks. Of course, if this signing somehow leads to Roy Halladay being a Phillie, then this is a brilliant move.

POLL: Do you want Pedro in a Phillies uniform? Vote to the left!

UPDATE: Looks like Pedro will have an extensive physical Tuesday, and if he passes it, he will be a Phillie. I'm not that excited about the move, but Pedro should do just fine as a 5th starter. Hopefully he doesn't do anything to disrupt the clubhouse.

Phillies lose out on Sheffield, finalize bullpen

That didn't take long. After hearing grumblings all morning that the Mets had interest in Gary Sheffield, the 40 year old slugger has already signed a deal with New York. The Phillies had expressed interest in bringing Sheffield in as a pinch hitter but he opted for the extra playing time he will get with the Mets as he platoons with Ryan Church in the outfield.

Sheffield never looked like a great fit for the Phils and I'm not at all upset that they didn't sign him. Sheff would have likely been more trouble than he was worth as he would have surely complained about not getting enough at bats. He will get some big hits for the Mets but I don't think he swings the division in their favor or anything.

While they lost out on Sheffield, the Phillies did announce their final bullpen spots today. Lefties J.A. Happ and Jack Taschner will round out the bullpen as the Phillies Opening Day roster appears to be set:

Catchers (2): Carlos Ruiz, Chris Coste

Infielders (7): Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Pedro Feliz, Eric Bruntlett, Greg Dobbs, Miguel Cairo

Outfielders (4): Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Matt Stairs

Starting Pitchers (5): Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton, Chan Ho Park

Bullpen (7): Brad Lidge, Ryan Madsen, Chad Durbin, Clay Condrey, Scott Eyre, Jack Taschner, J.A. Happ

Keeping Happ is an interesting choice because it gives the bullpen a third lefty, an option that this team doesn't usually have. Chances are they kept Happ to help raise his spirits after missing out on the rotation spot to Chan Ho Park, and you can bet that Happ will be getting all of the available spot starts.

All that is left now for the Phillies is confirm whether Miguel Cairo has made the team or they will be bringing in another right handed bench bat, not that there are a lot of options left out there.

Chan Ho Park named the Phillies 5th starter

It's official: Chan Ho Park will take the ball every 5th day for the Phillies. Park beat out J.A. Happ with a solid spring where he had an ERA of 2.53 and struck out 25 batters in 21 and 1/3 innings.

There is no word yet on whether Happ will make the team. Since the Phillies already have two lefties in the pen following the acquisition of lefty Jack Taschner, it appears that Happ will start the season in Lehigh.

With this news and the release of Geoff Jenkins, there is essentially one roster spot left for someone in the bullpen that will likely go to Gary Majewski or Bobby Mosebach. The smart money would be on Majewski. Barring a trade or signing (Sheffield, anyone??), listed below is how the Phillies Opening Day roster will look, except for that one bullpen spot. Keep in mind that J.C. Romero is suspended for the first 50 games so someone will have to removed down the road.

Catchers (2): Carlos Ruiz, Chris Coste

Infielders (7): Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Pedro Feliz, Eric Bruntlett, Greg Dobbs, Miguel Cairo

Outfielders (4): Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Matt Stairs

Starting Pitchers (5): Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton, Chan Ho Park

Bullpen (7): Brad Lidge, Ryan Madsen, Chad Durbin, Clay Condrey, Scott Eyre, Jack Taschner, ?????