Phillies trade Ryan Franklin to Reds

The last two Phillies trades have been with the team they’re trying to catch in the NL Wild Card race. Today, they sent reliever Ryan Franklin to the Reds for a player to be named later.

Considering the Phillies inconsistency on the field, one can only wonder if GM Pat Gillick has resorted to catching the front-running Reds by deceiving them into adopting our orphaned, napalm-laced relievers.

It’s hard to consider Franklin as anything more than a time bomb, waiting to explode during the critical moment of a decisive game, hopefully this weekend in Philadelphia.

Franklin, a 33-year-old right-hander, who once tested positive for performance enhancing drugs, was designated for assignment July 30 after going 1-5 with a 4.58 ERA in 46 relief appearances. He signed a one-year, $2.6 million deal with the Phillies on Jan. 5, becoming the highest-priced pitcher added by the Phillies through 2006 free agency. The Reds will now pay the remainder of Franklin’s contract.

As expected, Franklin never fit in with the Phillies and their cozy confines, and is now headed to another bandbox in Great American. True to form, he surrendered an absurd number of game-killing home runs and gradually worked himself from critical late-game situations, to DFA limbo, to punchline for the early stages of the Pat Gillick era.

In every report you read, it says Franklin had trouble adjusting to his role in the bullpen. In Cincinnati, it appears he will be doing more of it, mainly in long relief.

I’m not up on my Reds headlines like I ought to be, but it appears this trade has a lot to do with their decision regarding Brandon Claussen, whose 30-day rehab assignment ends today. That means the club must make a roster move by tomorrow. Claussen has been even worse than Franklin this season. The club recently added Kyle Loshe to shore up its fifth starter spot, so it was looking like Claussen would be pushed to long relief when he returned from the DL. Since then, Claussen has been lit up in his two rehab starts, and now it looks like he’s out, Franklin is in.

It feels good knowing that the Phillies aren’t the only team making frequent voyages to the island of misfit pitchers. The Reds have been frequently using their map to this dreadful place, where stone idols of Todd Jones, Rick White and Ed Wade guard the inner sanctuary. Inside, there are tears.

Comments

[John]

Now that Franklin is gone how much longer will we have to deal with this Rick White character? Im sure there is a better option in the minors than that guy.

[zach]

It's really genius. If the Phils find themselves in a big deficit in one of the games this weekend, we just may see the Reds trot out Franklin, and then they'll automatically be back in it.

[Connecticut Phan]

Are the stone idles guarding the god of the island, Jon Lieber?

[joe]

Rick White, looks awful yes, but I think that he's only given up 1 run as a phillie....

Kids; this is why you're arm motion is supposed to be exactly the same on your curve and fastball. otherwise you end up as a mediocre balding reliever with plus facial hair.

its comical to watch. rick's curveball is really nasty, but no one swings because his arm motion telegraphs it loud and clear.

[clout]

Those fantasizing about the Phillies WC chances should compare, man for man, the rosters of the Reds, Astros etc. and the Phillies. It will bring you back to reality.

[Dan]

Is "idles" a typo (for "idols") or is it a clever way of describing what the Phils are doing in the race to the playoffs?

[joe]

clout-

bring us back to reality? bah, all i see is that the other teams are just as flawed as the phils. thats the reality that is the NL.

[voice of reason]

Clout - Agreed, the Reds and Astros may be slightly better, likewise Milwaukee, Colorado and LA. but all of the above are still merely mediocre teams with similar records to the Phils.

As usual, it will come down to whoever gets hot.

[zach]

In clout's world, it's not reality unless you're deeply depressed by it.

[clout]

zach: Sometimes reality is depressing, sometimes not. But, in the end, reality trumps fantasy. And usually the teams that get hot are the teams with the better players.

[Tim]

dammit clout - take your meds before you post here!

[Mike H.]

It's not reality until you start wearing your "No Cup, No Title" t-shirt for some. You look at the rest of the NL pitching, even for a four man rotation, and two-thirds of the teams still in it need to make a trade for starting pitching. No wonder the Reds accepted Franklin. They're thinking a warm body and a change of scenery might be that guy. Fat chance.

[voice of reason]

You're correct again Clout, pardon my ignorance but I just noticed the scintillating 57-54 record posted by the Reds juggernaut.

Must be the Kool-Aid clouding my senses again........ it's good though!

[zach]

Reality is that any one of the teams currently in the WC race could easily make it with 52 games left in the season. Also, obviously, reality is that only one of those teams actually will make it. So to say that your team won't is a safe bet regardless of what that team is. Everyone realizes this, and I'm sorry that you have such a low opinion of our intelligence that you feel you need to draw us "back to reality" by constantly repeating this obvious fact in one form or another.

[dane]

we will know better where the phillies stand in the wc race after their 3 game set with the braves and 3 game set with the reds. so long ryan franklin

[clout]

zach: Everyone realizes it? Until that post it sure looked like you don't realize it.

[zach]

Exactly, thank you for proving my point. It didn't look like I understood that to you - regardless of the fact that I never said anything to the contrary - because I didn't focus on the negative, and thus in your mind I obviously didn't have a grip on reality. Simple.

[Mike H.]

Wow, check out the boxscore in Cincy tonight. 7-0, St. Louis in the second, and look who the Red Stockings put in the game on mop-up duty! Good ol' Ryan Franklin! Don't be surprised if Pujols retakes the home run league lead tonight...

[MG]

Adios Franklin, hardly had a chance to know you. It really looks like the Phils are trying to save every nickel and dime they can from this season. I would be shocked if they don't try to move Lieberthal just to not have to pay the remainder of his contract.

[cap]

The Phils didn't save every nickel and dime. They sent cash with Franklin.

[Drama Queen]

Finding a taker for Lieberthal is about as difficult a task as testing a mine field.

[michaelmc]

It feels good knowing that the Phillies aren’t the only team making frequent voyages to the island of misfit pitchers. The Reds have been frequently using their map to this dreadful place, where stone idols of Todd Jones, Rick White and Ed Wade guard the inner sanctuary. Inside, there are tears.

Amazing. Well done yet again, J.