Phillies Get Cliff Lee From Indians for Prospects

[Dirty]

Phillies get Lee from Indians




The Cleveland Indians traded Cliff Lee and outfielder Ben Francisco to the Philadelphia Phillies for four minor leaguers on Wednesday.
Edge of the Cliff

Cliff Lee is moving to Philadelphia and a ballpark that tends to punish fly-ball pitchers. Lee has fly-ball tendencies (54.5 pct of balls in play), but when the ball goes into the air, he keeps it in the park. A look at the pitchers with the lowest fly-ball to home run percentage for pitchers with a minimum 900 batters faced (2008-09):

Player/Team	HR/FB Pct.
Tim Lincecum, SF	3.3
Cliff Lee, CLE	3.4
Jair Jurrjens, ATL	3.8
Ubaldo Jimenez, COL	4.0
Mike Pelfrey, NYM	4.1

Triple-A right-hander Carlos Carrasco, Class A righty Jason Knapp, catcher Lou Marson -- the likely heir apparent to Victor Martinez -- and shortstop Jason Donald were sent to Cleveland.
"At the root of this deal was balancing the conviction of our ability to compete in 2010 with the opportunity to impact the team's construction for years to come," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said in a statement. "Without the sense of confidence in the team's ultimate competitiveness, we acted aggressively to add players that will impact the organization in 2010 and beyond."
The Phillies weren't required to give up pitcher J.A. Happ or the three prospects they balked at trading for Roy Halladay -- outfielders Dominic Brown and Michael Taylor and pitcher Kyle Drabek.
Asked in Seattle whether he felt the Blue Jays dodged a bullet by the Phillies acquiring Lee instead of Halladay, Toronto manager Cito Gaston noted that some of Philadelphia's top prospects were still available and said with a chuckle, "Yeah, I guess. Who knows? They may come back and get [Halladay], too. That'd be a pretty good staff there, wouldn't it?"
Lee, the 2008 AL Cy Young winner who turns 31 next month, is having another solid season for the Indians, posting a 3.14 ERA while walking just 33 in 152 innings. He will make $8 million in 2010 and then be eligible for free agency.
Lee, who was a guest on ESPN950 in Philadelphia on Wednesday morning, was asked if he definitely plans to test free agency.
"That's where every player wants to be, so honestly, the closer I get to that point, the more likelihood I'm going to be testing free agency," he said. "But I still have a year and two months 'til then, so we'll see."
Lee would be the sixth Cy Young winner to be traded in the offseason or during the season following his Cy Young win. Last season, 2007 AL Cy Young winner CC Sabathia was traded by the Indians to the Milwaukee Brewers.

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Lee gives the Phillies another top starter to join Cole Hamels. Hamels, who was MVP of the World Series and NLCS last fall, has been inconsistent this season. He's 7-5 with a 4.42 ERA, though he pitched well in a Tuesday night victory over the Diamondbacks.
The Phillies have a comfortable lead in the division -- seven games ahead of second-place Florida going into Wednesday's games. They've sought pitching help since No. 2 starter Brett Myers had hip surgery in June. Forty-six-year-old Jamie Moyer leads the staff with 10 wins, but he has a 5.32 ERA.
"Obviously the Phillies are the defending world champions, they're a good team and they're in first place," Lee, sitting in the Indians' clubhouse in Anaheim, Calif., said hours before the deal reached fruition. "Honestly, it's an honor and I look at it as a good thing. If other teams are wanting me and are willing to trade some of their key players and future players for me, it's a compliment."
Francisco is batting .250 with 10 homers and 33 RBIs. He upgrades Philadelphia's bench, which has lacked a solid, right-handed hitter.
Jayson Stark covers Major League Baseball for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.




MLB trade: Cliff Lee traded to Philadelphia Phillies by Cleveland Indians - ESPN

[doc mercer]

Good move by the Phils

[djefferis]

Reaction here in Cleve not good, lee was popular and losing doesn't help. Tix are being discounted regularly 50%.

My biggest concern 3 of 4 of these guys are coming off injury. How is it one minute they raise our hopes with rumors of kershaw and the next we are getting someone elses damaged goods.

Would have loved to have gotten drabek, watched his dad for many years and if he could match his old man he will be a keeper.

Glad for lee, he gets a chance to win. In all fairness the guy is a solid 2. He isn't a 1, he pitches well but is not a guy I'd take in a 1 game play in situation.

2 straight cy young winners dealt by Cleve...what's that say about the commitment to winning now vs 2012...

[rjordan1979]

Phillies are now the front runners in the NL.

[Dirty]

I would put them with the Dodgers now and Maybe Cards.... But they are a LOCK to win the East now

[cassiusclay]

cards got no pitching, gonna be an interesting race to the finish

[Dirty]

This is for the Whole MLB Sortable Team Stats | MLB.com: Stats

	Team		LEAGUE		W		L		ERA		G		CG		SHO		SV		SVO		IP		H		R		ER		HR		HBP		BB		SO
			1. San Francisco Giants		NL		56		46		3.50		102		9		14		27		38		906.0		799		374		352		83		23		364		812
			2. Los Angeles Dodgers		NL		63		39		3.63		102		1		6		30		49		930.1		798		403		375		79		41		387		773
			3. Atlanta Braves		NL		52		50		3.74		102		1		7		24		39		913.0		858		422		379		69		36		351		755
			4. Chicago Cubs		NL		54		46		3.75		100		1		3		25		38		906.0		821		408		378		107		36		384		768
			5. St. Louis Cardinals		NL		56		49		3.76		105		6		7		26		36		930.2		915		432		389		87		38		303		659

[Dirty]

Oh yea... you have to scroll down to find the Sillies in 20th place

[Dirty]

Cards Starters ERA

Carpenter 2.19
Wainwright 2.80
Pineiro 2.84
Lohse 4.14
Wellemeyer 5.77


Closer

Ryan Franklin 1.63 ERA and 23 saves in 25 Ops


Major League Baseball Stats — Sortable Statistics | MLB.com: Stats

[PEYTON REILLY]

Yes Phills r going to win the east , Yet getting Lee will not be enough to get past Dodgers, Cards, I would like to add da Cubs to that list but unfortunatly da Cubs R Cursed.......... DODGERS/ ANGELS WORLD SERIES...............

[cassiusclay]

you wanna throw up a little side wager there dirtster?

[Dirty]

On what? Lets Wait and see if it is fair for you after Today's deadline... rumor has it Cards are going to get a Starter today to take Wellemeyers place...

[cassiusclay]

no worries about the cards

[doc mercer]

It would be funny as hell if the Cards pulled the trigger and got Roy Boy ...

[Dirty]

What you got in Mind CC?

[cassiusclay]

phils get further than the cards.....what ya got that ya want to lose?

[Dirty]

lets think of something Monetary and Unique

[cassiusclay]

giddy up...

[Reno Paul]

I'll just be happy if my Giants reach the Wild Card.

[cassiusclay]

bump for mr deeds.....you got drinks at the first giq bash....