Roger Dorn wrote:@magelb: Astros to call up Domingo Santana, according to @brianmctaggart. So all four Phillies traded for Pence are in MLB less than 3 years later.
We did give up way too much, and there's no way it can be defended as a good trade in sum. However, I do think a lot people have irrational Pence hate that colors their view of it, not to mention Amaro hate. Heck, I never liked Pence much myself and certainly felt he was overrated when he was with the Astros. I think it needs to be kept in mind though that that 2011 squad, for all its winning ways, was not all that good offensively, ranking 7th in the NL in runs and OPS. And Pence was the Phillies best offensive player during his time here. The Phillies' failure in the playoffs was unfortunate, but having Pence decreased the likelihood it would happen, not increased. And the collapse in 2012 would have been difficult to foresee, and again, Pence was not at the forefront of this.
The Phillies gave up a lot of young talent, but no one that would have helped them in 2011, 2012, 2013 or really even 2014, other than if they'd traded them again. They hoped to get a productive hitter to make one last run, as teams do, and unlike some teams, they actually got one. They also got someone signed for the next year so they could then flip him for prospects if things didn't work out well.
Clearly I wish we had all of those guys still in the organization, and a mess was made of the trade of Pence to the Giants. But I don't think the bare bones of the trade were all that stoopid, and I think the Phils' failure in the playoffs and the feeling toward Amaro and Pence get in the way of fairly evaluating it.
