Guest writer Joe Gallagher returns to pick a bone with Ruben Amaro:
A little over two months ago, our Philadelphia Phillies were sitting pretty. They had just won 2 Pennants and a World Series title in two years. They had held a stirring and emotional parade just a year and a half ago. The city was and still is in love with them. They had perhaps the top lineup in all of baseball and a top of the line farm system. They were the envy of every other team in baseball. Then they messed up. They traded one of the top 5 pitchers in all of baseball, a man who almost single-handedly guided them through the postseason, Cliff Lee. They also sold their farm system for Roy Halladay. Halladay then rode in as a White Knight, brandishing an arsenal of crippling fastballs and wicked, knee buckling breaking balls. Roy is supposed to cure all. He is supposed to lead the Phillies to their 2nd World Series title in 3 years. Here’s why, no matter what happens, the Phillies messed up.
Now, this article is not my condemnation of the Phillies acquiring Roy Halladay. I do believe that Halladay is in fact the best pitcher in baseball. He has proved durable, and downright nasty. He outsmarts hitters like Mr. Burns steals money from Springfield. When Halladay is on the mound, there is no doubt that the show stops – all eyes are on him. No, this article is about Ruben Amaro, the Phillies young, headstrong General Manager, whose mistake may cost this team the ultimate prize.
Like I said, this team was the envy of baseball just two months ago. They appeared to be a dynasty in the making with that powerful lineup, solid pitching staff, and phenomenal minor league farm system. Look, I have loved my Phillies all 16 years I have been alive, through the days of Rico Brogna and Tyler Greene and I cannot say I have ever been more pleased in my life. Now, I know that sounds shallow, or stupid, or ridiculous, but I love baseball. For the past 11 or so years prior to 2008, almost every time I saw 11:11 strike the clock I wished the Phils a World Series win. So, to see them in this position was truly unbelievable.
Consequently, when I heard they traded for Roy Halladay on December 15, 2009, I was even happier. But then I heard that Cliff Lee would be sent to Seattle as part of the deal. That excitement quickly turned to a feeling of exasperating emptiness. See, in late July of ’09, Ruben Amaro pulled an all-time heist, acquiring Cliff Lee for a package of prospects nowhere near Lee’s worth. Lee, as I said above, proceeded to make himself very comfortable in Philly, baffling hitters and pitching the Phils through the playoffs with stuff made of legends. You thought Cole Hamels was a cool customer in ’08, well how about Lee’s one handed, practically yawning, nab of the baseball in Game 1 of the World Series? That is a moment I do not think I will ever forget.
But the Phillies did not close the deal. The bats went cold with the fall air and the rest of the pitching staff collapsed. So, Amaro figured he would go out and get the best pitcher available to push his guys over the top. Only problem is, as a result, he got worse. He traded a package of Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, and Travis D’Arnaud for Hallday. Drabek was considered their top pitching prospect and is supposed to be at least a #2 starter with ace potential. Michael Taylor is a guy I’m a huge fan of but was not going to fit into the Phillies’ plans anytime soon, as the corner outfield positions are locked up and he is already almost 24. D’Arnaud, however, was their only polished catching prospect at this point and with Carlos Ruiz turning 31, the trade left no successor in waiting.
Still, I am not condemning the trade of the prospects. Trading prospects works for me if it can help push the team towards the ultimate goal. I philosophize that you should always seize the moment rather than living your whole life waiting for the future. The problem with the whole ordeal was that Ruben then was so insecure about trading his farm that he decided he needed some retribution. He traded Cliff Lee for Phillipe Aumont, Juan Carlos Ramirez, and Tyson Gillies. These were not the most highly regarded prospects in baseball. Amaro essentially traded a top of the line pitcher for a not-so top of the line collection of prospects. That is the kind of move that gets GMs fired.
Now, sure you might argue that money was the reason for this move. The Phillies could not possibly afford to keep Lee and Halladay together long term. Well, that may be true, but they certainly could have kept them together for one year. Imagine a front line rotation of Halladay, Lee, and a rejuvenated Cole Hamels. Yep, that’s right – downright unstoppable. That rotation also leaves room for injury. You would have not one, maybe two, but possibly THREE aces.
So you say, what about the future? Well then after the Phillies celebrate World (Insert Chase Utley’s adjectival phrase) Champions Part 2 with another smashing parade, they would offer Lee salary arbitration. He would probably decline seeing that he wants his first big contract, which at 31 or 32 years old is very understandable. By declining that salary arbitration the Phillies would be granted two additional first round picks in the next Major League Baseball Draft. With those additional picks, right there is the potential for more talent than the Phillies received for Lee from Seattle. Say he accepts the arbitration, well then you have Cliff for another year at maybe 15 million or so. Still though, there would be no commitments long term. Amazing isn’t it? That Ruben Amaro can make such a vital miscalculation, and he can still be so celebrated.
See, it is widely accepted that Mr. Amaro upgraded his starting pitching with the acquisition of Roy Halladay. But then again how much better can Halladay pitch in the playoffs than Cliff Lee did last year, when every time he took the hill, Scott Graham could be heard somewhere shouting “Put this one in the win column for the Phightin’ Phils’!” But even if you remain adamant that Halladay is a better pitcher than Lee, which overall I will concede that he is, ever so slightly, you cannot rationally argue that Ruben Amaro succeeded in making the team’s standing better. He decimated his farm system and may have cost the Phillies two maybe three World Championships. I say three, because if he was willing to trade Drabek, Taylor, and D’Arnaud now. Remember the reason they did not acquire Halladay this past July was that they were unwilling to part with Drabek. He could have pulled both trades and had Halladay, Lee, and likely another parade in ’09. It truly baffles me.
The karma of the deal can be spotted if you look to Lee’s middle name: Phifer. Disambiguated it is: Phillie Lifer. Not anymore. Sorry, Ruben you may have your true love, Roy Halladay, the best pitcher in the game, but amazing you screwed up the standing that I and so many other Phillies fans have cherished for so long: the envy of baseball.
Our only hope now is that “Amaro’s Folly” turns out the same as the famed “Seward’s Folly” (the acquisition of Alaska from Russia, which was met by much criticism) – with success. The fact of the matter is, however, even with a World Series win, a costly blunder was made. And at that point success won’t come because of Ruben Amaro, it will come in spite of him. I leave you with the only words I can find nestled in my limited vocabulary that adequately describe the issue, “UnbeLEEvable.”
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Signing off, saying you stay gritty, Philadelphia – I’m Joe Gallagher.
