This is old news at this point, but it's the first time that I'm getting a chance to sit down and write about it. As you all know by now, Ruben Amaro did it again on July 29, getting right fielder Hunter Pence from the Houston Astros for four prospects.
First, and most importantly, Pence fills a big need for the Phillies this season. He's a right handed bat that can hit in the middle of the lineup, which is something that hasn't been there all season long. His .308 batting average with Houston would lead the Phillies, and he also has 11 home runs and 62 RBI for an Astros team that is one of the worst in baseball. He can also play solid defense in right, something that Ben Francisco and Domonic Brown were not able to do each game.
Secondly, the Phillies did well in not giving up two of their better prospects at the major league level. Neither Brown, nor Vance Worley were involved in the deal, which sent Jarred Cosart, Jonathan Singleton, Josh Zeid and a player to be named later to the Astros. While Cosart and Singleton are two of, if not the best, prospects that the Phillies had, they're just that: prospects. Kyle Drabek was once considered the best pitching prospect in Philadelphia, and he's been struggling with the Blue Jays. J.A. Happ was considered a pitcher of the future, and he's had a horrible season in Houston. Prospects are never a sure thing, that's why they're prospects. Meanwhile, Pence is a sure thing. He's an all-star caliber right fielder that can fit into this lineup right away without a problem.
The aftermath of this is what is going to happen to Domonic Brown. For the moment, Brown has been sent back to Triple A Lehigh Valley, where he'll be playing in left field for the Iron Pigs. That seems like the best move at the moment, because with Pence and Ibanez playing the corner positions, the chances of Brown seeing much playing time is very slim. With a young player like Brown, you want him to get as much playing time as possible, and he can get that down in the minor leagues. It gives him a little time to learn how to play left field and keeps him in a starting lineup every night. Come September, he'll be called up again, and once Raul Ibanez's contract expires at the end of this season, he'll become the every day left fielder for the Phillies. It's not a bad thing that he was sent down, it was needed.
Now, is this the move that's going to put the Phillies over the top and give them another World Series title? It's certainly possible, but nothing is set in stone. Remember when the Phils got Roy Oswalt last year, everyone thought that was the move that was going to secure another ring. It didn't happen. The Giants are still a damn good team with a damn good pitching staff, and pitching will beat hitting in the playoffs nine out of ten times. However, the Phillies have a pretty solid pitching staff as well, and should be getting Roy Oswalt back sooner, rather than later. Placido Polanco was taken off the disabled list today, which is almost like trading for another all-star player.
This was a good trade for the Phillies, there's no doubt about that. When Ruben Amaro sets out to get someone, it seems like he always gets him, no matter what it will take. So far, it's gotten the Phillies some good players, but this move signals that the team is World Series or bust this year. There's no middle ground. Without that ring, this season is a failure, and all of us fans know that now as well.
The next two months should be very, very fun to watch.
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