Home Visit From the Doc: Why Halladay Makes Sense For the Phils

Notice to Ruben. The pitcher you’ve openly pined for is on the block. The arm you so desperately need is there for the taking.

All J.P. Ricciardi needs is a phone call, an offer he can’t refuse, and the best pitcher in baseball is yours.

The naysayers will point out that the only reason the Phillies won last year’s World Series is because of home grown talent. But then where would they have been without team MVP Brad Lidge last year? Who’s to say a Joe Blanton-less rotation is good enough to parade down Broad Street?

Were these high profile type additions to the squad? Absolutely not,  but then again, last year’s team didn’t need a C.C. Sabathia type. All they needed was a boost.

Turn the page to July 7, 2009. The Phillies find themselves in yet another dogfight at the top of the NL East. Those pesky Marlins fought and clawed their way back up the standings. The Braves are within striking distance, and those Mets just won’t seem to go away.

The Phillies have been in search of a Brett Myers replacement since he went down. The spot has been filled by an overeager, fastball hurling gunner in Antonio Bastardo, and then by former AL ROY runner-up, turned journeyman, Rodrigo Lopez.

The rest of the rotation of course, still has its question marks. Jamie Moyer has been steady as of late, but is still liable to break down at a moments notice. Joe Blanton keeps chugging along; the ideal No. 4 in a rotation.

J.A. Happ has actually been their best starter in the past month, compiling a 5-0 record with a sub three ERA, but does author a slightly alarming K:BB ratio.

Cole Hamels hasn’t yet hit his stride, but if last night was any indicator of future success for Hamels, expect him to return to form sooner rather than later.

Now plug the Doc’ in that rotation and you’re looking at a very tough one-two punch in Hamels and Hallady. Can any NL team beat either one of these guys twice in a short five game series? My money would be on the Phils.

Furthermore, unlike the Phillies of old, they have the necessary cogs in their minor league system to pull of such a blockbuster. The likes of Carlos Carrassco, Joe Savery, Jason Knapp, Jason Donald, Lou Marson, Dominic Brown, Michael Taylor, and Kyle Drabek all serve as enviable players to many major league teams.

Many fear mortgaging the future for the present. But while those prospects are certainly bursting with potential, when it comes down to it, that’s all it is, a possibility, a chance that someday perhaps they’ll be great.

Roy Halladay is already great. A dominant pitcher in the AL East, the toughest division in baseball, and transferring to the suddenly offense depleted NL East? Sounds like a match to me.

The window of opportunity to win championships is only open for so long. The Phillies are in a great position to open that window a little wider this year.

Go get Roy Halladay, run away with this division, and in the playoffs, as we all saw last year, anything can happen.