Two Trades That Probably Won't Happen, But Maybe Should

The title kinda sums this baby up, so right to it then:

#1: Roy Halladay to the Philadelphia Phillies

The defending world champion Phillies are having some pitching problems. Whereas last year everything pitching-wise the team touched turned to gold (sometimes from poop), this year they haven't been so fortunate. The Phillies are currently 14th in the National League in team ERA. But they're in first place in the NL East because they've scored the most runs in the NL and average the most runs a game (not all the teams have played the same number of games). It doesn't take a rocket fucking scientist to figure out what the Phils need.

Conversely, the Blue Jays, a good team and one which would be in the playoff picture if they were in any other division in baseball, are as good as dead. Nine games behind first place Boston in the American League East and eight behind second place New York for the wild card, the Jays are just treading water. Since they're not going anywhere, they may as well start cashing in this team and trying to build for the future. The Jays biggest trade chip is Roy Halladay, possibly the best starting pitcher in baseball and if not, certainly in the top five. He's a horse, a stud, and an ace in one package. Also, he's got a massive dong. Or, uh, so I've heard.

Halladay's contract is up at the end of next season, and he's 32 years old. The writing is on the wall: he's not re-signing with Toronto. He wants to win and, right now at least, that won't happen where he's at.

From the Blue Jays perspective, it's time to cash Halladay in for some good, cheap, young talent. From the Phillies perspective, they nead pitching. Badly. So, yes please!

Halladay is owed about $23 million over the next season and a half, a bargain if I've ever heard one, but not chump change. This, plus Halladay's desire to get a contract extension from his new team limit's the Jays options to teams with at least some dough. Many of the other teams who have been linked to Halladay by the media are in the same division as Toronto. This shouldn't be a huge impediment (if Toronto is doing the deal it stands to reason they think they're getting more than they're giving up), but if the Jays can get as much or more from a team outside the AL East, even in the NL, I'm sure they'd prefer to move Halladay there.

Lots of people have questioned the Phils minor league system, and last year that criticism was probably legitimate. But, this year there have been a number of big improvements down on the farm that make the Phils players in this sweepstakes. Carrasco, Marson, Taylor, and especially Drabek are all either valuable commodities (Carrasco and Marson) or top end prospects (Drabek and Taylor). The Phils have the chips to get it done, if they're willing to give them up.

It might take that much, and it might will kill the the Phils system, but it's worth it. The Phillies core is getting older, and by adding Halladay they'll actualize their core for another year beyond 2009 as well. Not to mention they'd make themselves favorites in the National League, or minimally co-favorites with the Dodgers. The Jays would improve their system and re-stock for the future while decreasing payroll. Sounds like a win/win to me.

#2: David Wright to the Boston Red Sox

Not unlike the Dan Duquette Red Sox of the 90's, this edition of the Mets consists of three or four amazing players and 21 or 22 reclamation projects/roster filler/utter and complete fucking garbage. Third baseman David Wright is one of the former. An excellent player, a cornerstone, and by all accounts, a stand up guy, Wright is signed to a team-friendly contract for 5 more seasons at a well below market rate of 6 years, $55 million (or 7/$71 if his 2013 option is picked up). Wright is not the problem on the Mets (despite what you might hear on WFAN), but trading him could vastly improve the team both now and even moreso a few years down the road.

Unlike the Phillies who have a very specific (and obvious) need, the Mets need everything. They're ninth in runs scored in the NL and next to last in ERA. Despite what Mets fans want to hear, this is not the roster of a World Series contender.

If you want to see a World Series contending roster, look at the Red Sox. Third in both ERA and runs scored in the AL, the Sox can compete for the championship as currently constituted. However, they're not perfect. The two teams that have scored more runs than them in the AL are both in their division (NY and Tampa), and Boston is dealing with a minor crisis with injuries to their infield corners. Mike Lowell who had major hip surgery this past off season may have re-injured it, and the Sox system, while deep, doesn't happen to have many big league ready first or third baseman who aren't already injured.

So, the Sox need either a first or third baseman who can hit (Kevin Youkilis can play both), and they have the prospects (and the cash) to pay for him. AA first baseman Lars Anderson was one of the top 20 prospects in baseball going into the season, and would be a long-term solution to Carlos Delgado. Boston also has pitching up the wazoo, with starters Michael Bowden and Clay Buchholz in AAA, along with relievers Daniel Bard and Justin Masterson already in Boston's pen. Any one of these would be a huge improvement over what the Mets are puking onto the mound.

It might take three or four of those guys plus something else or even more than that to pry Wright free, but the Sox have the prospects to get a deal done. They also have the need at third with an injured Lowell and no clear or decent replacement and only a one game lead in the toughest division in baseball. The Mets would begin to rebuild their minor league system with an eye towards building a team one half of which doesn't consist of cast-offs from the Mexican league.