July 29, 2009, at 4:05 pm
Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi report that the sides have agreed to a deal that sends Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco to Philly for Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald and Lou Marson. The teams still have to examine medical records for the deal to go through.
Another trade that’s very easy to like for both sides. What is it common sense day?
The Phillies get a front line pitcher with a reasonable contract, 8 million in 2009, for less than it would have cost (both in terms of prospects and cash) to get Roy Halladay. The upside for the Phillies is obvious, Hamels and Lee form a great one-two punch at the top of the rotation. The Phils already had a tea that was one of the favorite to make a deep playoff run and now they just might have become the team to beat.
The appeal for the Indians is obvious. They save money, the Phillies were assuming all of Lee’s contract, and get a lot of prospects as well. The Indians say that Knapp is the centerpiece of the trade. Knapp, an 18 year old right, is a pitcher that one scout called “a Roy Halladay clone.” At 6′5 he’s got the size and raw stuff to be a front of the line pitcher. Needless to say, at 18 years of age there’s an awful lot of projection that goes with a statement like that. At A ball he’s 2-7 but don’t let the record fool you, Kanpp has a stuck out 111 batters in only 85 innings.
Along with Knapp the Indians get two potentially MLB ready prospects in Carrasco and Marson. Going into the season Carrasco was considered by many to be the prospect in the Phillies organization. However, Carrasco has struggled mightly at AAA. He has a 5.18 ERA but has struck out 112 in 114 innings. He also has an impressive 3-1 K/BB rate. Ideally Carrasco projects as a number three starter.
Marson is a catcher who could be called up right away if Victor Martinez is dealt. While many will peg Marson as the catcher of the future I’m not so sure. He’s struggled somewhat at AAA and has no pop in his bat. He’s a guy whose going to take a lot of pitches and get a lot of walks but he projects as more of a number two hitter. On the other hand the Indians have Carlos Santana already in their system. Santana has crushed every level of pitching in the minors. He currently has a .275/.397/.536 line at AA.
Jason Donald is a player who is struggling at AAA and turning 25 in a couple of months. I’m not sure if he projects as anything more than a utility player at this point in his career.
Again it’s easy to like the trade for both sides but you have to really like what the Phillies did here. They got Lee while holding onto Drabek, Brown, Taylor and J.A. Happ. For the Indians they get a ton of young talent back but you have to wonder if they could have gotten more back. I like Carrasco and Knapp but I’m lukewarm and Marson and Donald. I wonder if they could have substituted Taylor or Brown for Marson and Donald. Wouldn’t that have been a better trade?
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