Phillies

End of Days Running Commentary

By Kyle Scott

Published: Jul 30th, 2012 · 1:04 PM EDT

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I really didn’t want to do this. I mean, I really didn’t want to implement a 30-hour-long running tracker of the dismantling of the Phillies. But, it looks like we have to.

The rumors are coming in fast and furious now, and no one is safe. Women and children and Joe Blanton off first, please.

4:19 p.m.

That's it. We're shutting it down. Phillies trade Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence at deadline. No other moves.

Re-live the last 30 hours… after the jump.

 

4:14 p.m.

 Not surprisingly, the Yankees couldn't eject Chad Qualls fast enough. He was traded to the Pirates for Casey McGehee.

Joe Blanton, it seems, remains a Phillie.

 

4:02 p.m.

Nothing. Deadline is up.

 

3:44 p.m.

Police are searching for Ruben Amaro. He was last seen wandering through NATITUDE Park with an assault rifle, a box of Liscio's rolls, and a hula skirt. Team officials are frantically searching for sacrificial box of doughnuts and Joe Blanton. Trade deadline in 16 minutes.

 

3:33 p.m.

Cool, guys:

3:30 p.m.

Joe Blanton hasn't been traded yet. He's throwing in the outfield in D.C.

 

2:16 p.m.

More reports that Joe Blanton may be traded to Orioles. Todd Zolecki and Bob Brookover both feel it could happen. Phils would receive second-tier prospects. Awesome.

 

2:05 p.m.

Hunter Pence has a sad:

Hunter Pence bobblehead night, August 21st. 

 

2:03 p.m.

Jayson Stark reports the Phillies won't be trading Lee.

 

2:01 p.m.

Phillies will get minor league catcher Tommy Joseph, Nate Schierholtz and Single-A pitcher Seth Rosin for Hunter Pence.

 

2:00 p.m.

Todd Zolecki reports Phillies will get Single-A pitcher Seth Rosin in Pence deal, as well.

 

1:53 p.m.

Blanton to the Orioles is gaining steam again, according Baltimore writer Dan Connolly:

Giants outfielder Nate Schierholtz has been told he's going to the Phillies. Physicals are passed. 

Todd Zolecki reports that Phillies may get a third player in Pence deal. Perhaps a pitcher.

 

1:17 p.m. 

Jerry Crasnick reports that Pence deal is not officially done and some issues need to be completed beyond physicals.

 

1:07 p.m. and we suck again

via (@ChampDaley21)

1:02 p.m

Reader Will Yost:

Crumbs, everywhere.

 

12:59 p.m.

Orioles and Phillies are still far apart on Blanton trade, according to Jayson Stark. Deal may still get done, though.

 

12:57 p.m.

Phillies officially announce Victorino trade. They get reliever Josh Lindblom, minor league pitcher Ethan Martin, and a player-to-be-named-later or cash.

 

12:45 p.m.

Jim Salisbury reports Phillies may get a player-to-be-named-later for Victo.

 

12:44 p.m. and I'm crying into a bucket of my own shame

No update.

 

12:37 p.m.

Conflicting reports. One report says a deal is done, but Ken Rosenthal and Todd Zolecki say the deal is close– not finished yet.

Jayson Stark says it's done pending one more physical. It appears the Phillies will be getting catcher 21-year-old double-A catcher Tommy Joseph.

 

12:27 p.m.

Phillies and Giants are working on final piece in Pence deal, according to Jim Salisbury.

 

12:25 p.m.

Hunter Pence has been traded to the Giants, according to Jon Heyman.

12:22 p.m.

They're not done. Both Jim Salisbury and Jon Heyman report that the Phillies are close to sending Hunter Pence to the Giants:

12:06 p.m.

It's official. Shane Victorino has been traded to the Dodgers for Josh Lindblom and minor league pitcher Ethan Martin.

 

11:11 a.m.

Dom Brown has been scratched from the lineup for today's noon game with the Iron Pigs. He'll be coming up, presumably to take Victorino's place. Mr. Brown is on his way to Washington.

 

11:03 a.m.

10:49 a.m. and the sounds of Buffalo Soldier echo through an empty Citizens Bank Park, a child cries

Still no news on the Victorino trade, but it appears likely.

 

9:54 a.m.

Jayson Stark reports that the Phillies and Dodgers are close to completing a trade that would send Victorino to LA and reliever Josh Lindblom and another player to Philly.

Lindblom has pitched in 48 games this year and has a 3.02 ERA. 

 

9:49 a.m. 

Todd Zolecki reports that the Phillies and Orioles are still in talks over Blanton, but his bloated salary remains an issue. Perhaps his figure, too.

 

9:43 a.m.

More indications that Shane Victorino is westbound. Jon Heyman reports that the Dodgers are in "serious talks" with the Phillies. He believes the return will be a reliever.

 

9:13 a.m. AND I CAN'T KEEP UP

Jon Heyman reports that the Phillies and Reds have ceased talks on Victo and Pierre. Dodgers are the favorites to land Victo and his never-ending quest for the perfect poon.

 

9:09 a.m.

You can bury that Justin Upton boner in a carafe of cold water. USA Today's Bob Nightengale, whose name belongs as the protagonist in a mystery or porn novel, says there are no truth to the rumors:

Bobby Night does, however, say that Stephen Drew will be traded today. Not to the Phillies. Just somewhere.

 

8:50 a.m.

Thanks to our friend (@Tooozy) for pointing this one out: One rival executive (love that moniker– I want to be a rival executive, what do they do other than screw up other teams' negotiating?) told bow-tie man Ken Rosenthal that the Phillies and Diamondbacks may be discussing a blockbuster Cliff Lee-for-Justin Upton deal.

Rosenthal led his report off with a horrific pun: [FOX Sports]

Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers likes to refer to the final hours before the non-waiver deadline as “the lightning round.”

This year, Towers wants to make some thunder.

 

But then gave us this:

Lee, meanwhile, is clearly available – and one rival executive said early Tuesday that he had received indications that the Phillies and Diamondbacks had discussed a deal involving Lee and Upton.

Those talks, however, are unconfirmed, and it is not known whether Lee can block a trade to the D-backs. His contract with the Phillies allows him to veto trades to 21 teams.

 

Upton was an MVP candidate last year, but has fallen off this year. He's batting .270 with 8 home runs, 43 RBIs, 65 runs scored and 12 stolen bases. The good news is that he's 24 and under contract until 2015, for under $15 million per. If the Phillies were to trade Lee, which it doesn't appear like they will, this would be the type of move you'd expect in return– young, ready-to-rake now Major League talent.

 

8:46 a.m.

Jon Morosi, FOX sports:

Meanwhile, Amaro faces more difficult choices with right fielder Hunter Pence and the oft-traded Cliff Lee. The Giants, who need a right-handed outfield bat, have talked with the Phillies about Pence. Lee is difficult to move because (a) he has a huge contract and (b) he hasn’t been dominant this year, but Amaro may want to take advantage of a seller’s market. The Phillies’ payroll is about to burst, and Lee will be owed a minimum of $87.5 million after this season is over.

 

Morosi thinks the Dodgers and Reds are likely landing places for Shane Victorino and Juan Pierre, respectively. Which is perfect. Pierre will fit into that old-school baseball city and Victo will undoubtedly love the poon in LA.

 

Tuesday 8:32 a.m.

Lots of chatter late last night surrounding Joe Blanton. A deal could be likely, but the Phillies want prospect Jonathan Shoop. One scout, however, thinks that’s a lousy deal for the Orioles. He told CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman “I liked Shoop when I saw him. I didn’t like Blanton.”

Ouchie. The scout and I, it seems, have something in common.

More from Heyman:

As things stood late in the evening, one person said the Orioles believed the righthander Blanton was "too rich,'' for them, referring to about $3 million left on his contract and how much of it the Phillies were willing to pay.

 

My gut tells me something gets done here. Way too much chatter for it to not be almost a foregone conclusion.

Heyman also notes that the Phillies are trying for a reliever and then some for Shane Victorino.

Stay with us today. Updates all day. I have coffee, a dark room, and fish Clarke along for the journey. We’re going down with this ship, folks, and only Clarke stands a chance of survival.

 

5:39 p.m.

It appears Blanton may be headed to Baltimore. Which is great, because he loves crab cakes.

According to this reporter from Baltimore, the Phillies have faxed (faxed?) Blanton’s medical records to the Orioles’ orthopedist:

 

Now, this one is ripe for a joke. So we’re going to go with: His X-rays showed only a doughnut and three Cheetos in his stomach. Everything else appeared to be fine. Told it shouldn’t hold up trade. 

Next bit of news will be that the Phillies sent over Blanton’s non-team equipment on the back of a camel.

 

5:00 p.m. in the East, 1972 in NBC time

Buster Olney Tweets for Jayson Stark that talks between Phillies and Rangers have all but ended:

Annnnnd Kristen Lee takes her kids to a celebratory dinner at Capital Grille.

4:20 p.m. and your GM is high

The Dodgers are in on both Pence and Victorino. 

Jon Heyman, CBS Sports: 

The Dodgers still looking for offense, have been talking to the Phillies about their outfielders Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino.

Victorino may be the more likely of the two but it's interesting that they are also in on Pence since their archrival Giants are known to be talking about Pence. 

 

Heyman goes on to say that Phillies people assured Pence he wouldn’t be traded… but, Amaro's word is about as reliable as one of those cone-shaped drinking cups you find at a water cooler– it holds for about five minutes before it inexplicably shape-shifts into something unrecognizable, leaving you with hands covered in water and a healthy dose of shame. I would put to much stock in that promise if I was Pence. Which, it seems, I am not.

Ken Rosenthal notes that, while the Dodgers appear interested in Victo and Pence, they are not interested in Lee.

Chris Branch, of the Wilmington News Journal, writes that trading Lee would set a bad precedent. Agreed. 

After Amaro traded Lee the first time and “broke [the Lee family's] heart,” Cliff came back, accepted less money and looked to be a centerpiece for the future of the franchise. That was a year and a half ago, and now it appears Lee could be on the verge of more heartache.

What does that say to a big-name free agent? You have to think that, if Lee gets shipped off, they’ll be a little more pensive about cementing long-term plans in Philly.

 

Somewhere, Paul Holmgren nods in approval.

3:39 p.m. 

Some more music, this one courtesy of (@M_Torrey). I'm not sure what made me cry harder: this or watching that 17-year-old American swimmer sing the Star Spangled Banner on the podium.

 

3:37 p.m.

Howard Eskin gets the pun of the day right here as he reports that the Phillies are close to sending Fat Joe to Baltimore:

Get it, heavy? Heavy B?? Anyone? Ah never mind, this sucks.

3:05 p.m.

Phillies are going to unload

Jim Salisbury, CSNPhilly.com:

“They’re going to unload,” a person with knowledge of the Phillies’ deadline plan said Monday afternoon. 

 

He then goes on to reaffirm just about every rumor out there now, including trades of Pence, Victorino, Blanton, possibly Lee, Pierre and Wigginton.

 

2:37 p.m.

FOX Sports' Jon Morosi reports that the Phillies are more likely to trade Hunter Pence than Cliff Lee, but both are possible.

Neither makes sense.

 

1:57 p.m. 

Phillies beat writer Matt Gelb gives four reasons why trading Cliff Lee would be difficult: there are only eight teams he can be traded to (the list is not public knowledge but the Rangers are believed to be one of them), broken promises (to Lee, his wife, and Hamels about keeping Lee), Halladay remains a question mark, Lee is still owed $95 million.

 

1:47 p.m.

 

1:42 p.m.

The Phillies are sellers… and buyers. They're intersted in Shin-Shoo-Choooooooch, along with Chase Headley: [FOX Sports]

Yes, the Phillies likely will move their potential free agents – center fielder Shane Victorino, left fielder Juan Pierre and right-hander Joe Blanton – and entertain offers for right fielder Hunter Pence and, according to reports on Monday, left-hander Cliff Lee.

But club officials also are exploring deals that will add to the Phillies’ core – hence, the team’s interest in San Diego Padres third baseman Chase Headley and Cleveland Indians right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, according to major-league sources. 

1:38 p.m.

Danny Knobler, CBS Sports:

The Phillies, pushed into sell mode after they were swept over the weekend in Atlanta, have indicated to teams that they're willing to discuss Cliff Lee, sources say.

A deal for Lee remains complicated, because his contract is so big and because the Phillies will want so much in return. But with Cole Hamels and Zack Greinke off the market, Lee could still be the perfect answer for teams like theRangers and Dodgers.

 

1:27 p.m. 

Don't worry– we'll be here with you throughout the ordeal. We've been ordered to play something cheery to make this process a bit more palatable:

 

1:13 p.m.

Ruben Amaro is like a rich kid who unwillingly stumbled into a pawn shop– he's used to spending mom's money on shiny new toys, but all he can do here is sell… and he has no idea what he's doing. Here! I'll give you my shoes, Playstation, Mac and innocence in exchange for that toy clock and some sponge capsules that might one day grow into something of little use. LOOK MOM! I did it. I traded now for later. I made a deal!!! All my worldly possessions are gone, but I have these sweet fucking things.

Yeah, I'm not real confident in Rube's ability to navigate these uncharted waters.

 

12:52 p.m.

Despite reports on Friday that Cliff Lee would not be traded, Buster Olney reports otherwise. He told 97.5 The Fanatic the following: "A strong source is telling me that Cliff Lee is in play for a trade, it'll take a significant package to get it done, but if he's going to be traded, the most obvious location is Texas."

More. XM’s Jim Bowden tells 97.3 ESPN that the Phillies are in “sell, sell, sell” mode and that Lee, Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton and Juan Pierre could all be gone.

CBS Sports’ Jon Morosi reports that the Phillies are interested in Padres third baseman Chase Headley, 28, who is hitting .267 this year with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs. They could use prospects obtained for a veteran to do so. Presumably, the Phillies will just shoot Placido Polanco.