Mook vs the Phillies... and other bad moves

Sorry Phillies fans.
Your team made a good move... and it may even get them to the playoffs and another world series... but it has to be bitter-sweet

Gose > Gillies
JA Happ > JC Ramirez

Aumont probably better than Villar, but about even

Of course it wasn't as bad as rumored when they were giving up a guy like Worley or Singleton in the deal instead of Villar...

but Oswlt vs Lee?
Oswalt is a good pitcher to be sure. A good vet too.
But Lee actually wanted to play in Philly and Oswalt doesn't really want to.
Plus they could have had Lee the whole season. They'd be a lock for post-season now... They could haved used Happ to get a good reliever, which is what they really need...

How much money does it end up saving them? They still have to pay Oswalt 12 million.. couldnt they have paid Lee his 9 mil this season and got a cheap FA for 3 mil next year... not to mention they then would have got some draft pick compensation for Lee...


Of course they could have saved some money by not signing Polanco. He has been good, but is he worth 6 mil/year the next 3 years. Pedro Feliz likely would have signed a 2 yr 6 mil deal to stay in Philly... and they could have traded Blanton and his 7.5 mil contract to Sea for one of those prospects... they then could have had a bit of money to resign Chan Ho Park...

Even better would have been if they didn't give Raul Ibanez a 3 year 30 mil contract... or vastly overpaid Ryan Howard (whose contract made me say are you serious?)

i will give the Phils this: they're able to get other teams to pay for people to play for them. How they do that i don't know...
Let someone else develop prospects, that's ok, get players when they're good during free agency or trade works out pretty well...



As for other GM's?
i thought the Astros could have got more - but trading Gose for Wallace was a big win... i'm surprised they were willing to pay so much of Oswalt's contract though, it seems like if you're gonna pay a guy so much, let him make some money for you- he was still a popular player in Houston... trading Berkman makes more sense

i can't believe the twins gave up Ramos for Matt Capps. i like Capps, he's on my fantasy team and working wonders for me, but still... they should have gotten more for Ramos, even if they don't plan on using him as more than a back-up...


i think i would have made a move for Prince or Hart from Milwaukee... and if i was Milwaukee i would have tried to trade them as much as possible - i'm surprised they couldn't work out a deal with the braves - who have a ton of pitching and need some hitting...

one of these years i'd love to see a team in no contention make some of these trades. Haren & Oswalt were had cheap... Smoak & Ramos were traded for crap...