Post: Phillies celebrate trade day by trouncing Pirates

The headline: The Phillies are the proud owners of a new right fielder. Hunter Pence is coming to Philly in exchange for Jonathan Singleton and Jarred Cosart, as well as a couple of players to be named later.

The buzz: Minor league pitcher Josh Zeid is one of the players to be named later that is heading to the Astros, according to Jim Salisbury. Zeid was a 10th-round pick in 2009. He is 2-3 with a 5.65 ERA in 21 games (11 starts) for Reading. Bob Brookover offers a quickie scouting report on the 24-year-old right-hander. Jayson Stark reports that Houston is sending Philly some cash in the deal as well, likely to help the Phils stay below the luxury tax threshold. Jon Heyman has sources that say the cash is $1 million. Heyman also says that the Phillies refused to include Cosart in a trade for Carlos Beltran. He notes that the Mets weren't particularly high on Cosart in the first place. Meanwhile, Randy Miller tweets - and I'm not sure if this is a joke - that Ed Wade actually preferred Zeid to Domonic Brown in the deal. He could have had Brown and turned him down in favor of a 24-year-old Double-A pitcher with a Baezian ERA.

The game: A mere footnote on this night, but the Phillies snapped their brief two-game skid with a 10-3 victory over the Pirates. Roy Halladay allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings to become the NL’s first 13-game winner. Chase Utley tripled, homered and singled in the first three innings but was unable to complete the Phillies’ first cycle since David Bell in 2004. Jimmy Rollins chipped in a two-run homer, while Shane Victorino singled, doubled and tripled in a winning effort.

Next up: Cliff Lee (9-7, 3.05) takes on the Pirates on Saturday evening. He will be opposed by James McDonald (7-4, 3.95), who should expect to face Hunter Pence at some point in the first two innings.

Comments

[NEPP]

Good game and we are now a better team than we were 3 hrs ago with Pence in the fold.

If Polly comes back and is even remotely healthy, we have a very tough lineup from top to bottom.

So, who goes to AAA to make room for Pence? I go with BenFran.

[denny b.]

Mitch thinks Kendrick will be the 4th player named later.

[Steve]

Does Randy Miller just make sh8t up? Whats that tweet about turning down Brown?

[NEPP]

Randy Miller is saying Dom Brown is going to AAA.

[Old Phan]

Utlerino hit for the cycle tonight.

[TheTheory]

It pains me that the Phillies most recent cycle requires me to read the name David Bell.

Hell, I was thinking it all evening just anticipating the possibility of a cycle.

[GTown_Dave]

NEPP: If it's not Francisco, it should be Francisco. Or possibly Francisco.

[ZT]

I hate seeing David Bell's name, I hope someone hits a cycle soon just so there is less of a chance of his name ever coming up again.

[John]

No way Worly can be sent down, he is pitching on Sunday. Only way that's true is if Rube is dealing him for Josh Johnson.

[Fatalotti]

Not big on pitcher wins, but Halladay has a .765 winning percentage this year.

[TheTheory]

Steve- I was thinking the same thing.

And then I realized that Zeid instead of Brown totally makes sense because Zeid is Zeideriffic.

[ZT]

Zeid confirmed by Stark.

[The Truth Injection]

Randy miller has to be joking in that tweet. If Wade turned down Brown and instead opted for Zeid he is even stupider than people perceive him to be.

[Mike G]

Think Pence will be in the lineup tomorrow? My son and I are taking his 9 year old stepson to his first Phils game.

[Rauls grandpa]

I hope the Nats and Braves keeping the bidding going against each other for Span or Bourn

[GTown_Dave]

Brown to AAA, & Pence takes his uniform number ... That would be a real kick in the nuts for ol' Dom.

[Andy]

Heck, I wouldn't even be upset if they named Jiwan James later. Or Anthony Hewitt. Or Ruf or Susdorf. Or Chance Chapman, Tyson Brummett, or Tag Bozied.

There are all kinds of names to name later.

[CJ]

Don't know if anyone noticed... but Herndon has been MUCH better since being recalled.

22.1 IP, 23 H, 3 B, 17 K, 2.42 ERA, 1.164 WHIP, 1.57 GB/FB

[PhilsGal]

What's the purpose of a player being designated "to be named later" if it's already been determined who said player is?

[NEPP]

Is Randy Miller drunk?

[curt]

"RandyJMiller Word is Ed Wade could have had Dom Brown. He apparently instead opted for Reading RHP Josh Zeid, a 2009 10th rounder who has 5.65 ERA. "

Tweet on Randy.

[Fatalotti]

Bourn does more for the Braves then Pence does for us, in my opinion.

[GTown_Dave]

I have ass hairs that are more intelligent than Randy Miller.

[gjs]

Stats masters: How well does Pence hit Giants pitching?

[CJ]

PhilsGal: Sometimes "player to be named later" just means "beat writers haven't figured it out yet." Other times, a player has to be named later because of roster rules (like a player on the DL can't be traded).

[curt]

Question is whether the Bravos are prepared to pony up a couple of those AAA pitchers. But yeah, Bourn solves a big problem for them.

[Iceman]

I think that the lineup construction here will be very interesting. You figure Pence is going to hit either 3rd or 5th- you could make an argument for both. personally I'd like to see:

Rollins-Utley-Pence-Howard-Vic-Ibanez-Polanco-Ruiz

But that won't happen, because Cholly is not going to hit Utley 2nd. He will probably hit him 3rd no matter what.

The question is, does Cholly actually have the good sense to put Polanco as low in the order as 7th? I guess a lot of it depends on whether or not he's fully healthy, but I don't think he's deserving of an extra AB per game over a guy like Vic.

So since he's probably not going to go with the lineup I'm hoping for, the best lineup scenario I can think of is this:

Rollins-Vic-Utley-Howard-Pence-Ibanez-Polanco-Ruiz

Please Cholly, do the right thing and put Polanco in the bottom third of the order.

[Rauls grandpa]

Please don't let Tag Bozied go.

[CJ]

gjs: Not well. He's dreadful against Lincecum. He's barely faced Cain.

[NEPP]

Another possibility is that Wade now has a list of 3-4 guys to pick from for that final player and he'll make his decision later in the year.

[Old Phan]

GTown, can I follow them on Twitter?

[Abraham Lincoln Nunez]

This week I was turned off of Pence by the rumors of the sky high price and all the talk about Brown v. Worley going to Houston. I started listening to the folks touting Upton and now am bummed we didn't get him instead. He seemed like he probably could be about the same as Pence, with a slight chance of becoming a superstar when freed from the Trop.

[ZT]

gjs: I was listening to Mike Missaneli and he had Jayson Stark on. Stark actually brought this up already, short answer Pence doesn't do too well. Pretty awful against all the pitchers except Cain.

[BobbyD]

Thought: We always have fun talking about trades as fans, but imagine what it's actually like experiencing it. Imagine if your boss tapped you on the shoulder today and said tomorrow you'll be working in our Houston office, and the day after that, and the day after that. Of course it's a lot easier to make the adjustment with millions in your pocket. OK carry on.

[clout]

The Miller tweet is obviously a joke. Zeid didn't even make the Phillies top 20 prospects.

He's a hard thrower, but he's been old for each of his levels. His fastball and slider are plus pitches and he's been working on a changeup and he's got a good BB/K ratio, so he's definitely a prospect, but he's a C+ prospect. Brown is an A- prospect. Even Ed Wade knows the difference.

[bay_area_phan]

I am pretty sure that Randy Miller is trying to be funny. For one thing, it seems very unlikely that they "could have had" Domonic Brown.

[Iceman]

Rube on CSN looking spent. This guy has been staring at Pence's baseball card for weeks (and maybe months) with stars in his eyes. Take a nap, Rube.

The difference between Rube and Captain Ahab: Amaro always gets his man in the end.

[NEPP]

So basically Pence will fit right in as the Giants pitchers are mowing us down in October.

[denny b.]

What will be the combined salary's of Vic, Pence, Brown and Mayberry in 2012?

And what is Werth's salary in 2012?

I think Ole' Rube made out pretty well with his OF situation. He let Werth walk, and his team had the best record in baseball without him. Then he got Pence with 60 games to go, without giving up Brown or a player who would likely contribute in either 2011 or 2012. And saved money in the process.

[Shawn]

goodbye dom brown. see ya next year.

[EastFallowfield]

66 wins matches the totals for the 1931 and 1948 seasons.

[Iceman]

clout- inquiring minds want to know. What do you think of this trade?

[krukker]

What I want for the playoffs:

Rollins
Utley
Victorino
Howard
Pence
Brown
Polanco
Ruiz
Pitcher

What I think will actually happen:

Rollins
Polanco
Utley
Howard
Pence
Victorino
Ibanez
Ruiz
Pitcher

[GTown_Dave]

Old Phan: Sorry, they're too smart for that.

[Mike G]

He's dreadful against Lincecum

As most people are.

[CJ]

Phils get healthy... and quite a team...

Rollins
Victorino
Utley
Howard
Pence
Ibanez
Polanco
Ruiz

Bench: Gload, Francisco, Martinez, Schneider, Mayberry Jr. (I think Brown is back for the playoff bench)

Halladay
Lee
Hamels
Oswalt
Worley

Bullpen: Madson, Bastardo, Lidge, Stutes, Herndon, Perez, Kendrick (I'd like to see another bullpen arm added)

[ZT]

Rube is making it sound like Dom just lost his starting job.

[clout]

I agree with NEPP that Francisco, who has options, is the logical one to go.

Whether that will happen is another story. If it were me, I'd start Pence over Brown against all LHP and Pence over Ibanez against half of the RHP.

[TheTheory]

I still have fingers crossed that they make the right move and bench Ibanez rather than demoting or benching Brown.

[NEPP]

clout, that makes way too much sense. I think we all know that Brown will be sent down.

[clout]

Iceman: I like it. It makes the team better.

[CJ]

Dom has lost his starting job, and he should. Since Dom's arrival, Ibanez has actually been better than Dom. I think Dom is back for the playoffs.

[denny b.]

Dom can go down for a few weeks, and get 4 AB's a night and play the OF on a nightly basis.

Then he can come back before September 1st, so he'll be elgible for the playoff roster. Where he probably will be used as the 2nd lefty pinch-hitter off the pine and possibly the DH (if they get to the WS).

Dom is still in development stage. If all things were equal, he probably shouldn't have even been up as early as he was. Now he can settle back down and ramp up for 2012.

[ZT]

oooooo Charlie talking about moving Vic up

[GTown_Dave]

From r00b's general tone & non-answers, I'll guess that Dom will be sent down when Pence arrives, & Francisco will follow when Polanco returns.

And (surprise!) Charlie says Pence will probably hit 5th.

[Iceman]

Manuel just said "maybe" he's gonna hit Pence fifth. That means he's hitting fifth, end of discussion.

But he sounded on the fence about moving Vic up or putting Polanco at #2. Cholly, do the right thing. Bat Vic 2nd. Do not bury him in the lineup.

[krukker]

We need a LOOGY. I don't want Perez as our situational lefty in October. Bastardo is a back end guy, not a situational guy. We can probably get someone in August but it is still a need.

[CJ]

Woo hoo! Charlie says Pence will bat fifth and Vic will MOVE UP TO 2nd!!!

[Chris in VT]

Brown will go down to AAA and play LF, I'd guess. He'll be back Sept. 1st and they'll try to get him regular ABs then.

He really should play ahead of Raul, but everyone knows that isn't happening.

[CJ]

If the small amount of cash the Phils are getting from Houston will keep them under the luxury cap... that sure makes getting a reliever awfully hard.

[NEPP]

So its...

Rollins
Vic
Utley
Howard
Pence
Ibanez
Polly
Ruiz

Or would Ibanez and Polly be flipped?

[whitey]

Dom will be sent down but will be a September call-up and on the playoff roster. He would be the World Series DH.

[CJ]

NEPP: Ibanez than Polly... splits up the righties.

[Old Phan]

Don't expect Raul to be benched.

[krukker]

Moving Vic to 2 doesn't break up the lefties Utley and Howard. Cholly mentioned moving up Vic and splitting the lefties so maybe he will put Chase 2 and Vic 3.

[clout]

Iceman: Totally agree Vic needs to move up now. If it were me, Utley would bat 2nd, Vic 3rd, Polly 7th, pitcher 8th and Rollins 9th. Ruiz, because of his OB skills, would be my leadoff hitter.

[GTown_Dave]

NEPP: I like that lineup as is.

[denny b.]

With that theoretical lineup Cholly is fumbling around with, all you do is bring a LOOGY in to face Utley and Howard, and then pitch around Pence, to get to Ibanez or Polanco. And likely never have to take out your pitcher.

For the love of baseball, put Pence 3rd. Opposing managers have it way too easy with Utley and Howard in the 3/4 holes. Put Pence in the 3 spot. Let Utley hit 2nd. Keep Vic (who has been your best hitter) in the 5 spot. Polanco 6th.

Then your lineup is more LOOGY-proof:

S, L, R, L, S, R, L, R,

You can't construct a lineup better then that, to combate lefty relievers.

[Drew]

Sorry to make you guys play thread hopscotch, but there's a new one up there.

[CJ]

Kinda nice not having to worry about the OF next year. For anyone who thought there was a slimmer of a chance that Raul would be back... you have the answer.

[limoguy]

Never thought Raul would be back next year.

[Old Phan]

Yo, another new thing.

[bullit]

i like the way pence wears the high socks. i wish the whole team would adopt that look.

[Fatalotti]

I like

Rollins
Utley
Vic
Howarad
Pence
Ibanez/Brown
Polly
Ruiz

[PhxPhilly]

Phillies are at the tax threshold (i.e. out of money) so I think they will not be obtaining any more guys now or in August. Brown to the minors for the rest of the year may save the Phillies some significant money in his arbitration calculation.

I still wanted a bullpen piece for this year who could close next year. I think Phillies will overpay Rollins and not match Madson's very high price.

[goody]

That money from Houston will be put in escrow until Ed is fired, and then paid to him as a "consultant" as he lays on the beach in Clearwater.