With deadline expired, waiver trade gossip begins

The big moves are over. Bring on the spare parts.

A couple of lists are starting to circulate identifying potential waiver trade candidates, aka, owners of bad contracts playing for teams out of the running. Several of them would help the Phillies right now, many would not, so the question becomes how much contract the club is willing to absorb for two months of help.

The Phils came up empty in their quest for another arm when the non-waiver trade deadline expired on July 31. While earlier targets, like Atlanta’s Will Ohman and Kansas City’s Ron Mahay, may not become available, a couple of names, like Paul Byrd (pictured right) are sure bets to pass through. Expect the Phils, who were linked to rumors involving everyone from Manny Ramirez to C.C. Sabathia to Matt Holliday, to pony up for at least one of them.

The Phils could be looking at starters, relievers or bench help. The list of possibilities could actually include a couple of former players, including both Byrds, Paul and Marlon, Tampa lefty Trever Miller and Cleveland outfielder David Dellucci, who’s in the second year of a three-year deal, the final year worth an unattractive $4 million. Picking up Dellucci would be a similar situation to when they picked up outfielder Jeff Conine after the deadline in 2006. A deal would depend on how much the Phillies are willing to spend, which prospect they’re willing to part with and how much contract the selling team agrees to absorb.

I mention Dellucci (knowing full well his numbers are basically identical to those of Geoff Jenkins) only because he’s typical of the type of marginal player who could be made available in the coming weeks, and also because the Phils have a moderate need for an extra bat like Dellucci’s off the bench. There are several bats like his to choose from, in addition to some aging or struggling pitchers and, of course, roster albatrosses, like Andruw Jones.

John Heyman, Tim Dierkes, Keith Law, and Nick Cafarado break down the players believed to be on the block, and several of them are at least somewhat tempting. Waiver trade rules can be found here.

Comments

[Sophist]

"With deadline expired [and an off day], BL comments descend into wild and non-topical discussion of the coming off-season and the FO vices generally."

I was just thinking of Dellucci the other day. He had a .904 OPS against RHP for the Phils in 2006. I was thinking I wish we could have the 2006 version of Dellucci on this club.

[Sophist]

Also a report on traderumors that the Mets inquired into Rich Aurilia, who we all know crushes Cole Hamels (and other lefties) for some reason (1.417 OPS against.)

[Tartan69]

FWIW, Mitch Williams on DNL tonight thinks Myers "is back". And that Cole's struggles won't last. Take that with whatever grain of salt you wish.

[Hitman]

JW - You think the Phils need a couple of bats? I can name two who would come pretty cheap. How about Donald and Marson? Why on earth haven't they been called up? Of course, Gillick might prefer the mighty bats of So Taguchi and Eric Bruntlett.

[Sophist]

Mitch Williams is a relatively objective analyst. He's been on Myers' case since the struggles began.

[Verdeforce]

That's a pretty big glass house Mitch is throwing from....

[denny b.]

"How about Donald and Marson?"

They are in Beijing right now. Maybe in September, when they get back, Donald gets the call (I think Jaramillo will be the 3rd catcher called up).

Weitzel mentioned Jody Gerut's name a few weeks back. I like this possibility. He looks like a Philly type of player, has some speed and can hit off the bench. A nice, contact hitter. I don't know if he was mentioned in any of the above reports, but I like this guy.

This team already has one capable starter, that is rotting in the bullpen. They don't need another one in some August trade. And, if they need another starter, not named JA Happ, they are getting Carrasco ready at AAA for some reason, just in case. And, its not for 2009 either, I don't believe.

A lefty reliever and/or a contact bat off the bench (a professional hitter) should be what is added, if possible, in the next few weeks. That's it.

[GM-Carson]

The Phils do have the upperhand in the pitching matchups in this series considering the 3 guys going for the Phils have 38 wins on the season (Jamie Moyer 10, Kyle Kendrick 9, and Cole Hamels 9), and the Marlins only have 4 (Josh Johnson 1, Anibal Sanchez 1, and Chris Volstad 2). Career victories 292 Phils, 28 Marlins.

About Mitch Williams- he does great analysis. He knows what he was good at and bad at as a MLB pitcher, but his job now to tell it like it is and describe what he sees, an he does a damn fine job in my opinion.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Tray (Nady from last thread):

It is not paradoxical to say that the Yankees could afford to take on Nady but the Phillies could not. First, I didn't say that the Yankees had a better offense than the Phillies. Their offense is different, not necessarily better. The Phillies have four guys (Utley, Howard, Burrell, Rollins) who are the core of the offense. The Yankee's essentially have about 4 stars in their lineup, but as a team they are more balanced. I would take the Phillies top four players over the Yankees' in a heartbeat. The Yankees, however, have a much stronger bottom of the order than the Phillies even without the benefit of a DH.

Additionally, as you pointed out, the Phillies core offensive players are streaky themselves. If Nady went on one of his infamous cold streaks at the same time as one or two of the Phillies top four, the results could be devastating for the Phillies offense, whereas the Yankees have more players that are capable of picking up some of the slack when their stars slump. Ruiz, Coste, Dobbs, Bruntlett, Werth and Jenkins just don't measure up with the bottom of the Yankees order.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

GM-Carson: I agree with your point about pitching for the most part, but the Marlins pitchers have been throwing well of late. I'm particularly intrigued/nervous by Chris Volstad. He seems like a guy that the Phillies typically struggle against. He is tall and benefits a lot from the angle that his pitches come in at hitters. The Phillies have struggled against pitchers like him (See Chris Young/Randy Johnson/healthy Aaron Harang). Volstad also throws a good sinking fastball which makes him all the more troublesome against the Phils. Fortunately he faces Hamels, so maybe the Phils will only have to score a few runs, assuming Hamels reverts to his norm after two bad starts.

[AWH the RBP]

Carson, you've been around long enough to know that individual W-L records don't mean much going into a thre game series, especially with a pitchers like Johnson and Sanchez, who are coming off the DL.

That said, this series worries me, because the Fish aleays do. They're a good team with a winning record.

What was the Phillies' record against teams over .500?

Tough series. Should be fun!

[BobbyD]

Not that my expectations are low, but baring a sweep the Phils will still be in first place after the Florida series.

[TommyT]

Aubrey Huff - extra help this year at LF and 1B, and insurance if you can't/don't resign Pat.

[Joe]

Carson, since when does 10+9+9 equal 38? I would settle for 2 of 3 in this series.

[EastFallowfield]

Yo, new thread.