Ruben Amaro Jr. seemingly traded away four prospects last summer for “Plan B.” As far as I was concerned, “Plan B,” a.k.a. the services of Clifton Phifer Lee, was not necessarily a bad thing for a team looking to repeat as World Champions. Considering that we had dealt four UNproven prospects that would suit another team better anyway, Amaro Jr., once again came out looking like a genius. Philadelphia Phillies fans and the baseball world alike would soon learn that this form of “highway robbery” was only the beginning for Amaro Jr. on his way to the top. He may not be the best General Manager in the league just yet, but he damn sure is the ballsiest. At this point some are probably still asking what exactly “Plan A” was and why Amaro settled for Lee. Well, you are about to get your July memory refreshed, so fast-forward ahead to nine days before Christmas Day 2009; December 16, 2009, that day truly was Christmas for a Philadelphian.
On December 16, 2009, Philadelphia received its ace in the form of Roy Halladay. Amaro Jr. was finally able to pry his original “Plan A” away from the Toronto Blue Jays. Not that he was not content with Lee, the man who had dominated his way through October and into November, but for the betterment of the franchise, while the window was still open, Amaro Jr. was able to shoot right through the ceiling and shatter the glass. Another handful of prospects were lost, and also “Plan B,” but this time Amaro Jr. was able to achieve his goal and lock up his top priority through 2013 with a vesting option for 2014.
Plans A & B have now come full circle as the 2010 season commences. Roy Halladay is now 1-0 for the Philadelphia Phillies, while Cliff Lee is on the DL in Seattle, yet, once he is healthy, he should form a powerful 1-2 punch with “King” Felix Hernandez in the AL West. While the Phillies appear to have “Plan A-Team” in place with both Halladay and Cole Hamels. Much of which of course is contingent on Hamels and his hopes of a rebound campaign in 2010.
Well, Roy Halladay got his work done yesterday and came as advertised in an 11-1 romping of the lowly Washington Nationals. The Nats hit Halladay a tad in the early going, but one thing appears to be for certain as far as that sentiment goes, Halladay is better when he’s bad. At any point in the early going that the Nats felt a surge coming on, Halladay was quick to snuff it out. His power pitching prowess may be better than advertised, quite frankly, I am not so sure that Phillies fans knew just what they were getting.
The highlight, or lowlight of the day (whichever you prefer) for the Nats may have actually been the first pitch by President Barack Obama. Not only did he have the willpower to throw an absolutely awful pitch, but at the same time, had the decency to sling on a Chicago White Sox cap on to boot. Credit Ryan Zimmerman with the grab, yet that was one of the better pitches thrown from anyone donning Nats paraphernalia. At least that pitch would not have allowed for Ryan Howard to hit a bomb as he did off of a hanging John Lannan curveball in the 4th, instead it would have clunked the big lefthander in the head.
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