Amaro Pulls Off Heist

In a thoroughly one-sided deal, the Phillies acquired ace pitcher Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros for J.A. Happ, minor leaguers Anthony Gose, Jonathan Villar and $11 million dollars.

That's right: to obtain Oswalt (two-time 20-game winner, multiple All-Star, 2005 NLCS MVP, etc.), Phils GM Ruben Amaro Jr. gave up fourth starter Happ and a pair of one-dimensional prospects. And received half of Oswalt's salary over the next two years.

From where we sit, the return is nothing short of breathtaking. Amaro didn't part with any of the blue chippers toiling in the lower ranks of the system - Jared Cosart, Jonathan Singleton, et al - and added a third ace to the rotation.

For half the cost.

Oswalt, who will make his debut in Washington tomorrow, comes to Philadelphia with a lifetime record of 143-82 (.636 winning percentage), 3.24 ERA and 1,593 strikeouts 1,932.1 innings pitched. He is also durable, as his 221 innings pitched per season average attests.

Check out additional coverage from David Murphy, Jayson Stark and Todd Zolecki.

The official announcement appears below:

Righthander Roy Oswalt was acquired by the Phillies today from the Houston
Astros in exchange for lefthander J.A. Happ, outfielder Anthony Gose and
shortstop Jonathan Villar, Senior Vice President & General Manager Ruben
Amaro Jr. announced today. The Phillies also received cash
considerations.

Oswalt, 32, is 6-12 with a 3.42 ERA in 20 starts this season for
Houston. The Astros averaged just 2.51 runs per game for Oswalt this
season and were shut out in five of his starts. In his 12 losses this
season, Houston scored 10 runs in his 76.0 innings. On July 8 against
Pittsburgh, Oswalt pitched a one-hit shutout, the seventh shutout of his
career.

A two-time 20-game winner (2004-05), Oswalt ranks second in Astros history
in wins (143) and strikeouts (1593) and third in starts (291) and innings
pitched (1932.1). Since entering the major leagues in 2001, he ranks third
in wins among all major league pitchers, trailing only CC Sabathia (149) and
fellow Phillie Roy Halladay (147).

In his postseason career, Oswalt is 4-0 with a 3.66 ERA in eight games
(seven starts), including a no-decision in Game 3 of the 2005 World
Series.

Originally selected by the Astros in the 23rd round of the 1996 draft,
Oswalt has a career record of 143-82 with a 3.24 ERA in 303 games (291 starts),
all with Houston.

Happ, 27, was 1-0 with a 1.76 ERA in three starts for the Phillies this
season. He was originally selected by the club in the third round of the
2004 draft and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting last
season. For his career, he is 14-5 with a 3.11 ERA in 47 games (31
starts).

Gose, 19, was hitting .263 with four home runs, 20 RBI and 36 stolen bases
for single-A Clearwater. He was a second-round selection by the Phillies
in the 2008 draft and led all minor league players in stolen bases (76) last
season.

Villar, also 19, was hitting .272 with two home runs, 36 RBI and 38 stolen
bases in 100 games for single-A Lakewood. A native of the Dominican
Republic, Villar was originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Phillies
in May of 2008.

Domonic Brown: A Closer Look

He's succeeded at every level of the Phillies' minor league system.

And now, Domonic Brown is poised to make his debut in red pinstripes.

We'll borrow a line from the Mad Med premiere and ask the question: "Who is Domonic Brown?"

First we'll look at what the 6-5, 200 pounder from Zephyrhills, Florida has done so far. After turning down a scholarship to play wide receiver at the University of Miami, Brown signed with the Phils after becoming the team's 20th round selection in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft. (If Mel Kiper, Jr. covered the MLB Draft, he would undoubtedly call Brown a great "value" pick.)

The only year in which Brown has struggled at all was his first season in pro ball, as a member of the Rookie League level Gulf Coast Phillies. In just 34 games, Brown hit .214 with one home run. After that, Brown began a run of success that has culminated in his promotion to the Phillies.

In 424 minor league games, Brown has compiled a .296 BA, .373 OBP, .464 SLG, .836 OPS, 48 home runs and 232 RBI. He's also swiped 89 bases. His best numbers at any level are at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he hit .346 with five home runs and a .951 OPS.

All that's left for Brown is to relax and do his thing at the big league level.

Brown to Debut Tonight

We interrupt the breathless trade deadline speculation to bring you news of a new starter in the Phillies lineup: Domonic Brown.

In order for Brown to join the big club, Shane Victorino had to be placed on the 15-day DL with an abdominal strain on his left side, an injury sustained in yesterday's 9-5 win over Arizona.

Widely considered the best prospect in minor league baseball, Brown will make his debut tonight playing right field, with regular Jayson Werth sliding over to center.

From the official release:

Center fielder Shane Victorino was placed on the 15-day disabled list with
an abdominal strain on his left side, Senior Vice President and General Manager
Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today. To take his spot on the 25-man roster,
the Phillies selected the contract of outfielder Domonic Brown from triple-A
Lehigh Valley.

Victorino, 29, was hitting .250 with a career-high 15 home runs and 53 RBI
in 98 games for the Phillies this season. Victorino, who has a team-leading 20
stolen bases this season, suffered the injury while diving back into first base
during a pick-off attempt in last night’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks
at Citizens Bank Park.

Brown, 22, has combined to hit .327 (112-for-343) with 46 extra-base hits,
including 20 home runs and 68 RBI over 93 games for double-A Reading and Lehigh
Valley.

Brown will wear #9 and will be available for tonight’s game against the
Diamondbacks.

Kendrick Optioned; Carpenter Recalled

As was first reported by CSN Philly's Jim Salisbury, the Phillies have sent down the struggling Kyle Kendrick and called up righthander Andrew Carpenter from Lehigh Valley.

Righthander Andrew Carpenter was recalled from triple-A Lehigh Valley,
Senior Vice President and General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today.

Carpenter, 25, was 7-6 with a 3.41 ERA in 18 starts for Lehigh Valley
this season. For his major league career, he is 1-0 with a 9.45 ERA in
four games (1 start) for the Phillies between the 2008 and 2009 seasons. This is
the second recall of the season for Carpenter who was also recalled on April
3. He did not appear in any games before being optioned back to Lehigh
Valley on April 8.

To make room for Carpenter on the 25-man roster, righthander Kyle
Kendrick was optioned to Lehigh Valley. Kendrick, 25, was 5-4 with a 4.82
ERA in 20 games (18 starts) for the Phillies this season.

Frankly, it was about time for Kendrick to be removed from the rotation and last night's disasterous outing merely reinforces that position. We feel as though Amaro would have replaced Kendrick long ago if he felt there were better options (trade, promotion) available at the time.

Whether a trade is imminent of not, we'll find out in the coming hours and days. Amaro, however, decided he could not wait any longer and promoted a career minor leaguer to take his place.

Polanco Back, Castro Gone

The Phillies struggling offense will get a major boost today with the activation of third baseman Placido Polanco from the 15-day DL.

Juan Castro, signed in the offseason to provide defensive middle infield depth, was released.

From the official release:

Infielder Placido Polanco has been reinstated from the 15-day disabled list, Senior Vice President & General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today. To make room on the Phillies’ 25-man roster, infielder Juan Castro was given his unconditional release.

Polanco, 34, was originally placed on the DL on June 29 (retroactive to June 26) with left elbow inflammation. He hit .571 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in two rehab appearances between single-A Clearwater and the Gulf Coast League Phillies earlier this week. In 62 games with the Phillies this season, Polanco is batting .318 with 15 doubles, five home runs, 27 RBI and 39 runs scored.

Castro, 38, hit .198 with 13 RBI in 54 games this year for Philadelphia.

An Ill-Timed Break

Unfortunately for the Phillies, they don't have any input in the Major League Baseball schedule.

Because if they did, they would have certainly stowed away the three-day All-Star break for a time in which they weren't holding the opposition scoreless for 21 consecutive innings.

The last two games in Chicago (12-6 loss yesterday and 4-3 loss today) are proof of how important momentum is in baseball. Jamie Moyer was all over the place yesterday, no doubt a consequence of going too long in between starts. Two hit batsmen in the first inning (both eventually scored) was enough to give anyone watching a case of indigestion.

Today, Joe Blanton was the culprit. It's easy to point to Aramis Ramirez' gamewinning home run off Ryan Madson in the bottom of eighth, but it was Blanton who walked in a run earlier by issuing a free pass to Cubs starting pitcher Ted Lilly with the bases loaded. Lilly, you may have noticed, entered the game hitless in his previous 26 at-bats.

If there is one positive on which to cling, it would be Ryan Howard and his three home runs in the previous two games. The Big Piece is starting to feel it in his favorite time of year.

Another bright spot will be the imminent return of Placido Polanco, who will likely rejoin the team tomorrow or Sunday. Adding the National League's third leading hitter (.318) to the lineup can only help.

The brightest spot of all is this: There is a lot of baseball to be played this season.

Thank God.

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Phils Have Always Been Second Half Team

The Phillies enter the All-Star break on a four-game winning streak, thanks to a home sweep of Cincinnati this past weekend. Another rock-solid outing from Cole Hamels and lockdown pitching from the bullpen have given the Phils a 47-40 record.


The record at this point in the season is comparable to what it was at the All-Star break in 2008 and 2009.


Is there reason to worry? Plenty. Injuries, unlike the last couple seasons, have played a major role in the team's drive to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Placido Polanco, the National League's third leading hitter (.318) joins superstar second baseman Chase Utley on the DL. Polanco could be back this Saturday, but Utley will remain sidelined through August.


The loss of the two and three hole hitters from the NL's best offense has, quite obviously, created a major hole. To compensate, Charlie Manuel has plugged Shane Victorino back into his familiar second spot and experimented with Raul Ibanez and Jayson Werth batting third. The upheaval means the Phils will have to win ugly by scratching out runs and getting solid pitching.


The Reds series was a perfect illustrartion of the way this team is going to have to win for the foreseeable future. Bench players like Greg Dobbs, Cody Ransom and Wilson Valdex stepped up. Roy Halladay was Roy Hallday. And Hamels pitched like the 2008 vintage for which he should be known. It also helped that Jimmy Rollins drove in the game winning run twice and Ryan Howard hit a walkoff home run.


Because of the way they enter the break, there is also much reason for optimism other than the reasons listed above. Ryan Madson is back from a stint on the DL necessitated by kicking a metal chair. Brad Lidge, while inconsistent at times, looks more like his normal self than not. Ross Gload and Ben Francisco have provided a power lefty-righty combo off the bench.


But the biggest reason to feel good is that this group consistently plays its best baseball in the second half of the season. Forget that the team is in third place; we guarantee the players are more locked into where they're going than where they are right now.

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From David Murphy, here's a look at what the Phils' rotation looks like coming out of the break.

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Speaking of Sunday's game, we were fortunate to have been among the 44,000+ in attendance. We spent the prior night in the city, and thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Reading Terminal Market. If you've never been, do yourself a favor and stop by your next trip into Philly.

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