Let’s make a deal

Two down, one to go.

With both New York teams and the Phillies in contention, we knew it would be a busy trade deadline for the three teams we cover here at TGE.  The Phils swung their deal, and now the Yanks have followed suit, swapping a package of prospects for Xavier Nady and Dámaso Marte.

So what’s our take on the deal?

Say it ain’t so, Joe!

Let’s not beat around the bush here: I’m not a big fan of this trade. I understand that the Phillies needed a starter, and I appreciate what Joe Blanton brings to the table, but I just don’t think this was the right move. For ease of expression, I’ll break my complaints down into two components.

In case you haven’t heard…

Our goal at Them’s Good Eaton has always tended more toward “analysis” than “up-to-the-minute updates,” as we try so intently to explain in our About TGE section. So when Ed Stefanski masterminded the free agent signing of Elton Brand for the Sixers, we set about thinking of some different kind of analysis we could give you on the move.

July MMLBRC: New York Mets

On the first Monday of each month we roll out our Monthly MLB Report Card (forever to be known as MMLBRC) for the Mets, Phillies and Yankees. We’ll still check in from time to time with short posts to quickly take the pulse of each team, but think of the MMLBRC as an in depth physical (anal probing not included). Truthfully, a month is probably too small of a sample size to make overarching claims like we will attempt to, but dammit, you want content! So rather than write well-reasoned quarterly updates, we’ll make rash decisions based on far too little data. Last up: the Metropolitans.

July MMLBRC: New York Yankees

On the first Monday of each month we roll out our Monthly MLB Report Card (forever to be known as MMLBRC) for the Mets, Phillies and Yankees. We’ll still check in from time to time with short posts to quickly take the pulse of each team, but think of the MMLBRC as an in depth physical (anal probing not included). Truthfully, a month is probably too small of a sample size to make overarching claims like we will attempt to, but dammit, you want content! So rather than write well-reasoned quarterly updates, we’ll make rash decisions based on far too little data. Now in the box: the Bronx Bombers.

July MMLBRC: Philadelphia Phillies

On the first Monday of each month we roll out our Monthly MLB Report Card (forever to be known as MMLBRC) for the Mets, Phillies and Yankees. We’ll still check in from time to time with short posts to quickly take the pulse of each team, but think of the MMLBRC as an in depth physical (anal probing not included). Truthfully, a month is probably too small of a sample size to make overarching claims like we will attempt to, but dammit, you want content! So rather than write well-reasoned quarterly updates, we’ll make rash decisions based on far too little data. First up: the Fightin’ Phils.

The case for J.A. Happ

Maybe we’re making a bigger issue out of this than it really is — after all, by Thursday this could be a moot point if Pat Gillick & Co. exercise the same logic we’re about to — but we feel pretty strongly that J.A. Happ should be the man to replace the recently-demoted Brett Myers. Since the early noises coming out of Gillick’s camp are a bit mixed regarding Myers’ replacement, we figured it was a good opportunity to lay out the case for the lanky southpaw.

So listen up, Mr. Gillick…