12-19-2009 8-20-28 PM
 It was mid-June, and the World Fucking Champs were lacking something.  Cole wasn't the same.  Lidge sucked.  Pat was gone.  Harry had passed.  They needed a boost, a starter an ace, to get them back on track.

Enter Jays GM, J.P. Ricciardi.  He just sounded like a douchebag (btw, I have no idea how to spell that word, Wikipedia tells me it's two words, Urban Dictionary, one.  I'll go with UD) .  A douchebag, that Phils fans would become obsessed with.  It was his goal in life to trade the best pitcher on the planet, Leroy Harry Halladay (how does he not go by Harry Halladay?!?).  All that Ricciardi wanted from the Phils, was Drabek, Taylor, Brown, Marson, Donald, and our dignity.  Ruben wouldn't part with Drabek or Taylor, and Ricciardi wouldn't budge.  The Phils looked elsewhere, acquiring Clifford Phifer Lee from the Indians, in exchange for Marson and Donald.

Our excitement was tempered a bit because we missed out on Halladay, but Lee would soon make us forget about ol' Leroy, leading the Phils to the World Series, turning in one of the best playoff performances of all-time.  Halladay who?

In November, rumors swirled that the Phils were still interested in Halladay.  Really?  Could it be? Halladay and Lee together, two aces in a deck?  Then came word, that this time, it would be Lee who would need to flee.  Ruben still wouldn't part ways with his dignity.  He needed something in return for Drabek and Taylor, who he was now willing to move.  The answer?  Trade Lee to the Mariners for some supposed, highly touted youngsters.  

Now, we have ol' Leroy, the guy we wanted all along.  But something is missing.  Our savior from the season past.  Gone.  It will be up to Halladay to fill his role, and lead the Phils back to the World Series. Can he?  Time will tell.  But surely, the ripples cast by the dealing of aces, impacted the Philly sports landscape like no other in 2009.  The Halladay/Lee Saga, #4 in our countdown.

Read the rest of the Top 10 here.