The Philly media and blogosphere has been abuzz the past few weeks after Blue Jays G.M. J.P. Ricciardi said that he would listen to trade offers for wunderpitcher Roy Halladay. That sent everyone with an interest in the Phillies into a tizzy because the Phillies had to be the obvious frontrunners for landing Halladay. After all, they had inquired about him last season and have the prospects and money to acquire him this year.
Since these rumors came floating out however, the Phillies have been on a tear, helped along immensely by their starting pitching. Who could have seen these outings coming from J.A. Happ, yet alone Rodrigo Lopez? Happ has to be at the front of the list for NL Rookie of the Year while Lopez looks well on his way to reestablishing himself as a major league pitcher. The Phillies have also added Pedro Martinez to the roster and someone will have to be bumped in order for Pedro to make a start. Right now, I think it would have to be Lopez, but that could change if Happ is included in any potential deal for Halladay.
The Phillies recent 9 game winning streak has gotten some people to back off the claim that the Phillies need to do this trade. That’s horseshit. This is just a nice stretch that they’ve run into. They still don’t have a strong enough rotation for the playoffs, and that’s a concern.
The rumors being thrown around have all included some of the Phillies’ best prospects in any deal that would bring Doc Halladay to Philly. Players like Kyle Drabek, Dominic Brown, and Michael Taylor have all been mentioned as having to be included in order to pry him loose from the Blue Jays.
Which brings me to the title of the post: Do the Phillies need Halladay? That depends. They will amost assuredly win the division without him, but how far can they potentially go in the playoffs with a rotation of Hamels-Happ-and ?? I guess Moyer would be trotted out there as well, but can you imagine a Phillies’ playoff rotation of Hamels-Halladay-Happ? Truly Triple-H material right there.
The “need” may not necessarily be there, but anytime you have a chance to acquire someone like Halladay, you make every attempt to.
The Phillies don’t need Hallady to make it three straight NL East titles and a return trip to the playoffs, but in order to repeat as WFC, I think they do need the Doc, at any price necessary.
