Major League Baseball is taking a break this week, and when it resumes, much of the talk will be about the trade deadline and who is going where. I feel like we, as baseball fans, spend so much time debating whether or not we should give up our prospects, but then we stop paying attention to them once the deadline passes, and they either remain with the same franchise, or continue their career elsewhere.
On the heels of Cliff Lee being dealt for the third time in less than a year, I figured it was a good time to check in on the prospects that the Phillies have either traded away, traded for, or considered trading over the last year. I’ll see this off-the-bat though, the Indians and the Phillies are both looking pretty foolish for dealing Lee for what they did. The Mariners have to have their fingers crossed that they don’t look as incompetent in a few months.
July 29, 2009: Phillies trade Carlos Carrasco, Jason Donald, Lou Marson, and Jason Knapp to the Indians for Lee and Ben Francisco:
-Carlos Carrasco, SP, 23: Carrasco was considered the Phils’ top prospect for a couple years, but his stock was falling throughout 2009. He made 5 starts for the Indians last year and gave up 22 runs in 22.1 ugly innings. He’s spent all of
2010 in AAA, where he has a pedestrian 4.38 ERA on the season. The Indians said recently that they fully expect to have him back in the majors at some point this season, but it’s looking more and more like the best-case scenario for Carrasco is becoming a back-of-the-rotation starter.
-Jason Donald, IF, 25: Many Phillie fans envisioned Donald as the 3B of the future, but it was seemingly clear to the experts all along that he would never hit enough to make it as a corner infielder. He started 2010 in AAA but was called up in May. He’s hit .274 with 2 HR in 146 AB’s for Tribe, playing mostly SS and some 2B. He’s been poor defensively at short. He may make it as a starting 2B still, but he looks like he should at least have a decent career as a utility infielder.
-Lou Marson, C, 24: Another guy that Phillie fans probably had over-valued. Many were touting Marson as a guy that should take over for Carlos Ruiz. He started 2010 in the majors, but after an abysmal showing (.191, O HR) he was shipped to AAA in June. He’s looking like back-up caliber if he can work his way back to the bigs.
-Jason Knapp, SP, 20: This has probably been the biggest disappointment for the Indians, though at 20 years old, he has a lot more time than the other three to put things together. He had shoulder surgery in September and has not pitched since, even though, at the time of the surgery, he was expected to be ready for Spring Training. As opposed to Carrasco, Knapp’s stock was soaring prior to the trade last year, and he remains the best hope to keep this trade from going down as a complete disaster for Cleveland.
December 14, 2009: Phillies trade Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, and Travis d’Arnaud to the Blue Jays for Roy Halladay:
-Kyle Drabek, SP, 22: After a rough start to his minor-league career, Drabek started really putting things together in 
2008, and by ’09 he had emerged as the club’s top prospect. Throughout July ’09, the Blue Jays demanded that Drabek be part of a deal for Halladay but it wasn’t until December that the Phils agreed. Drabek has been very good at AA this season, with a 3.03 ERA, including a no-hitter on July 4th. It’s surprising that he hasn’t been to AAA yet, but I imagine it won’t be long before he makes that move.
-Michael Taylor, OF, 24: Taylor was immediately traded to the A’s after the Blue Jays acquired him. He was looking major league-ready in ’09, posting a strong second-half at AAA, but he’s been a disappointment so far for Oakland. He’s been in AAA all season, and has hit just .253, with 4 HR and 9 steals in 269 AB’s. I guess that’s good news for Phillie fans, but he might still become a productive major league OF.
-Travis d’Arnaud, C, 21: d’Arnaud was basically a throw-in of the trade, but he’s been solid at High-A for Toronto. He’s hitting .282 with 6 HR in 209 AB’s.
December 14, 2009: Phillies trade Lee to the Mariners for Phillippe Aumont, Tyson Gillies, and J.C. Ramirez:
-Phillippe Aumont, P, 21: Can you say ‘bust’? Aumont was a 1st Round pick of the Mariners, but was having plenty of struggles. The Mariners moved him to the bullpen in ’09, in the hopes that his raw ability could translate into a future closer. Well, things have gotten even worse, it seems, in 2010. He had a 7.43 ERA in 11 starts at AA before being demoted to High-A. He’s been moved to the ‘pen once again at High-A, to mixed results thus far.
-Tyson Gillies, OF, 21: Gillies has been hurt most of the season, but when he’s played he hasn’t really resembled the guy that hit .341 in the minors last year. He’s hit .238 with 2 HR and just 2 steals (he’s supposedly a speed demon) in 105 AB’s at AA.
-J.C. Ramirez, SP, 21: Ramirez has definitely been the most promising of the prospects in this trade, but that’s not saying much. He started the year at High-A, but was promoted to AA in June. He’s been solid, but not great, at both stops.
And, finally, the one that didn’t get away:
-Domonic Brown, OF, 22: Brown keeps making it harder and harder for Amaro to deal him for pitching help. After tearing up AA to the tune of .318, 15 HR, and 12 steals in 236 AB’s, it’s been more of the same since he was promoted to AAA. In 55 AB’s for the Iron Pigs, Brown is hitting .364 with 4 HR. You can rip Amaro for the Lee dump (and by all means, you should), but at least it does look like he made the right choice by dealing Taylor instead of Brown in the Halladay deal. I can’t wait to see this guy play.
