Sports Thread #1 For 12/14/09: Phillies To Get Halladay, At The Price Of Giving Up Lee?

I really don't get this trade if you are giving up a guy in Cliff Lee, who proved himself as the best pitcher in the most recent postseason.

Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman reported that a three-way trade has been agreed to involving Philadelphia, the Blue Jays and the Mariners, though he did not specify which players are moving besides Halladay coming to the Phillies.

A source said Monday that Halladay is in Philadelphia, likely to take a physical and talk about a contract extension. The Phillies are trying to sign Halladay to an extension before they complete the trade for the former American League Cy Young Award winner. Halladay would waive his no-trade clause to pitch for the Phillies.

It is unclear who will be part of the deal, but there have been rumors that Cliff Lee could be involved. The Phillies could ship Lee to another team in return for prospects, which they possibly could spin to the Blue Jays to complete the deal.

It appears Phillies GM Ruben Amaro viewed this entire deal as whether he could sign Halladay or Lee long term, and that is very unfortunate in my mind if I'm a Phillies fan.

Lee was the main reason why they won the National League for a second consecutive year. And he was why people fancied them to repeat, despite a sub standard bullpen and abysmal Cole Hamels, over the Yankees following his World Series Game 1 masterpiece.

If you are getting rid of Lee, even for Halladay, how exactly can you say you haven't gotten better and improved your chances at returning to the baseball's zenith? This deal (if it goes through) is one that just doesn't make enough sense in my mind from Amaro. The belief that they wouldn't be able to re-sign Lee, and the feeling that they would lock up Halladay long term instead (with him taking a physical in Philadelphia as reports indicate), appear to be the reason for this deal.

Lee has proven himself in the postseason while Halladay, for all his brilliance coupled with the fact he is pitching in the inferior hitting National League, hasn't yet. And to give up a starter like Lee, even for someone of Halladay's caliber, really is replacing dandruff as the number one head scratcher.