Getting Closer to a deal?

With only a few days to go before the July 31 trading deadline, it appears as if the Phightin' Phillies are still the leader in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes. We learned at the tail end of the week what the asking price for Halladay is: Kyle Drabeck, JA Happ and Dominic Brown. For weeks I have been hoping for the Phillies to land Halladay, for weeks I have felt that Hallaway gives us the best chance to repeat as World Champs, but now, I feel that this price is too high. Drabeck is the Phillies top pitching prospect and Brown is our best position player prospect. As a life long Phillies Phan, I do not want to sell the future for a pitcher, a GREAT pitcher that is planning to test the market at the end of next season. Sure Halladay gives us the best possible chance to repeat as World Champs and even does as far as a Phillies Dynasty, but this price tag is too steep. But some good news was traveling the MLB tradewinds in that the Blue Jays sent a scout to watch Carlos Carrasco pitch. Ideally, I would much rather see Happ or Drabeck and Carraso in a deal then Happ and Drabeck.

The only flip side to this argument of not selling the farm is that for years, the Phillies have seen their top prospects fizzle out. How many of us remember how high we were on Gavin Floyd and Brandon Duckworth and so on? Yes those guys might not have been the same caliber as Drabeck or Happ, but there is never any certainity with young developing players.

Barring an injury, we know Roy Halladay is the real deal, a proven winner and will give the Phillies the best possible chance to repeat as World Champions since the New York Yankees 3-peated in 1998, 1999 and 2000. The question the Phillies and us a loyal Phans have to ask ourselves which is more important gambling on a proven winner to help take us back to the World Series or passing on the now and gambling that our future propects will turn into great pitchers of themselves.