Phillies Best Trade Deadline Deals

Cliff Lee

As I write this blog entry, I bask in the glow of the Phillies clinching their first post season appearance in 11 years. Some of the credit for where the Phillies find themselves can be laid at the feet of General Manager Dave Dombrowski who pulled off several trade deadline deals that helped the Phillies finish strong enough to get the last wild card spot. Pitchers Noah Syndegaard and David Robertson, centerfielder Brandon Marsh and utility infielder Edmundo Sosa all arrived via deadline deals. While the Phillies gave up some players of value (catcher Logan O'Hoppe, pitcher Ben Brown, forever prospect Mickey Moniak), they gave up none of their top pitching prospects and the trades filled glaring needs and provided a boost to the team. The Marsh trade may prove to be one of long-term value, as he looks poised to be the solution to the Phillies long-standing centerfield woes for several years to come.

Despite the Phillies reputation for making bad trades, the team has actually made a number of deadline deals that were difference makers for the team. Here are a few.

2009: Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco for Carlos Carrasco, Lou Marson, Jason Donald, and Jason Knapp

Lee was good down the stretch for the defending World Series Champions and absolutely incredible in the post season, going 4-0 in the playoffs and winning two games in the World Series, which included his iconic nonchalant catch of a popup. Francisco was a useful extra outfielder.

Carrasco has had a good major league career. He currently pitches for the Mets, but it took him a long time to become a consistent winner. Marson, Donald, and Knapp disappeared quickly. Side note: I thought Lou Marson was going to be a great catcher for the Phillies. I got to watch him in spring training and the ball came off his bat with a crack that was different from the other players down there. This is why I have never gotten a job as a player evaluator.

1989: Lenny Dykstra and Roger McDowell for Juan Samuel

Trading away fan favorite Juan Samuel to the New York Mets did not endear General Manager Lee Thomas with Phillies fans, but Dykstra became one of the keys that led the Phillies back to the top in 1993, with his inspired play in the leadoff spot. McDowell pitched well for the Phillies in the two years he was here. Samuel struggled in New York and was traded away after only one season.

2008: Joe Blanton for Matthew Spencer, Adrian Cardenas, and Josh Outman

Blanton may be best remembered for his World Series home run in fourth game of the 2008 World Series, but he was a very effective pitcher for the Phillies in both 2008 and 2009. Less effective in his final 2 1/2 seasons with the club, Blanton was, nonetheless, 34-25 in his time with the Phillies, with two post season victories. Cardenas and Outman had marginal major league careers. 

2008: Matt Stairs for Fabio Castro

Matt Stairs, central casting for pinch hitter/designated hitter, wrote his name into the hearts of every Phillies fan with his playoff blast off Jonathan Broxton of the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the 2008 NLDS. The home run, which Joe Buck said was "launched into the night" at Dodger Stadium was a majestic Ruthian blast that no Phillies fan will ever forget. The homer provided the margin of victory for the game and set the stage for the Phillies to take the series 4-games-to-1 at home two nights later. 

2008: Scott Eyre for Brian Schlitter

When 36-year-old Scott Eyre came over from the Cubs in an August 2008 deal with the Chicago Cubs, the deal didn't make much of ripple in the news, but Eyre proved to be a very valuable "LOOGY" (left-handed one out guy) for the future World Champions. Eyre went 3-0 for the 2008 Phillies with a 1.86 ERA in 19 games and just 14.1 innings pitched. Eyre was great for the 2009 NL pennant winners as well, compiling a 1.50 ERA in 42 appearances. Eyre worked in 12 post season games for the Phillies allowing just two earned runs in 7 1/3 innings. For his efforts he has been enshrined forever in The Relief Room. 

As we go into the playoffs in 2022, Syndegaard seems likely to be relegated to long relief, Sosa is injured, and Robertson has been struggling with control. Marsh seems likely to be a key player with his centerfield defense, speed, and better than advertised hitting. Just how good the 2022 deadline deals turn out to be is yet to be determined, but it already seems they helped the Phillies get this far.