rolex wrote:Cherington has done a good job of re-doing the Red Sox into potential WS contenders. Notice that he did it in incremental steps- (1) trade off Lester; (2) Trade Lackey for a decent return of MLB players; (3) Sign a Cuban FA; (4) sign two top level MLB free agents. Maybe this will all blow up on him but on paper Cherington has a team that can challenge now because he has mostly tested major leaguers and stayed away from obtaining prospects/suspects.
There is no reason why the Phillies can't move some of their pieces in the same manner and get a similar return. Hamels, Rollins, Byrd etc. Hamels is in hot demand. There is no reason to accept risky prospects in return for him. LAD need a caretaker SS until Saeger is ready- JRoll anyone? I wouldn't underestimate the ability of a good GM to work this so that in 2016 the Phillies are back in serious contention. The with a cleared out payroll sign a top level FA pitcher to replace the traded Hamels.

WheelsFellOff wrote:Larry Anderson cannot rap.

1 wrote:What about Larry Andersen?

ReadingPhilly wrote:

rolex wrote:Cherington has done a good job of re-doing the Red Sox into potential WS contenders. Notice that he did it in incremental steps- (1) trade off Lester; (2) Trade Lackey for a decent return of MLB players; (3) Sign a Cuban FA; (4) sign two top level MLB free agents. Maybe this will all blow up on him but on paper Cherington has a team that can challenge now because he has mostly tested major leaguers and stayed away from obtaining prospects/suspects.
There is no reason why the Phillies can't move some of their pieces in the same manner and get a similar return. Hamels, Rollins, Byrd etc. Hamels is in hot demand. There is no reason to accept risky prospects in return for him. LAD need a caretaker SS until Saeger is ready- JRoll anyone? I wouldn't underestimate the ability of a good GM to work this so that in 2016 the Phillies are back in serious contention. The with a cleared out payroll sign a top level FA pitcher to replace the traded Hamels.

i think he's done a pretty meh job and would take a lot more heat if he was in a different city.

Wheels Tupay wrote:Guys, what is the point of trading for Cespedes?

Grotewold wrote:Yeah that only works if Cespedes has negative value to all of the other teams. In which case, who do we "flip" him to?

JFLNYC wrote:I doubt they make Boegarts available. Isn't he going to be their starting SS in 2015? I think the most you could hope for would be Betts, Vazquez and Barnes.

Wheels Tupay wrote:

JFLNYC wrote:I doubt they make Boegarts available. Isn't he going to be their starting SS in 2015? I think the most you could hope for would be Betts, Vazquez and Barnes.

Can't Hanley play SS now?

rolex wrote:

ReadingPhilly wrote:

rolex wrote:Cherington has done a good job of re-doing the Red Sox into potential WS contenders. Notice that he did it in incremental steps- (1) trade off Lester; (2) Trade Lackey for a decent return of MLB players; (3) Sign a Cuban FA; (4) sign two top level MLB free agents. Maybe this will all blow up on him but on paper Cherington has a team that can challenge now because he has mostly tested major leaguers and stayed away from obtaining prospects/suspects.
There is no reason why the Phillies can't move some of their pieces in the same manner and get a similar return. Hamels, Rollins, Byrd etc. Hamels is in hot demand. There is no reason to accept risky prospects in return for him. LAD need a caretaker SS until Saeger is ready- JRoll anyone? I wouldn't underestimate the ability of a good GM to work this so that in 2016 the Phillies are back in serious contention. The with a cleared out payroll sign a top level FA pitcher to replace the traded Hamels.

i think he's done a pretty meh job and would take a lot more heat if he was in a different city.

An OF of Craig, Castillo and Cespedes backed up by Victorino and Betts with an IF of Panda, HRam, Pedrioia, and Napoli is going to get some runs. Rotation of Lester or whoever they get at the top to go with Bucholz, Kelly, Workman and whoever probably can get this bunch into the POs. He's added five MLB caliber starters in nine months-Craig, Cespedes, Castillo, HRam and Panda. That's not too shabby.