Nay, the Phillies totally meant to get fleeced in the Pence deal

It's been a busy week for your Constable, between going to a conference, the first six rounds of the draft, and then driving to Alabama, to watch his brother-in-law graduate from college, and back. But the Most Notable story of the weekend has to be this one:

Jose de Jesus Ortiz reported that the Phillies basically accidentally traded Domingo Santana as the player to be named later to the Astros, in addition to Jarred Cosart, Jon Singleton, and Josh Zeid:

In Spring Training, a Phillies official admitted that Santana wasn't actually supposed to be on the list that was given to the Astros to pick from to satisfy the final piece on August 15, 2011.

Well. CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury says Phillies GM Ruben Amaro says Nay! that's not true. According to Amaro:

We didn't want to put Santana on the list but we had to get the deal done. There were several prospects we didn't want to part with in that deal but we were trying to acquire the best right-handed hitter on the market and that was the price. I understand we're going to get picked apart because we haven't had success for a couple of years, but this is not true...There was no mistake. If someone said that, they are misinformed because it's absolutely, unequivocally wrong. It's false.

Now Ortiz was wise to couch this language in that it came from A Phillies Official. Say what you want about Ortiz, but there's no way he just makes that crap up on his own - 22 months after the deal is made. So it's a Phillies official who is mistaken - which is great. Why? Because either the Phillies:

(a) Totally screwed up and accidentally let a prospect walk
(b) Gave up way too much for Hunter Pence, whom they traded 367 days later for not much of anything at all
(c) Can't trust their Unnamed Officials.

It's pretty great not being an absolute train-wreck of a franchise anymore. But you know what would be the Greatest Twist of All? If Ed Wade was the Phillies Official...

Ed Wade Speaks!

Ed Wade sat down with Bob Brookover for an interview and discussed his past few months.

Wade:
I did not want a token position. I didn't need it from an economic standpoint and I don't want to just be there. The role they carved out for me is very fulfilling. I'll have a chance to see the entire system from the major leagues to the Gulf Coast League. I'll scout a few outside triple-A and big-league clubs."

On the location of Wade's heart:
"My heart and soul is with the Phillies. I want to wear a ring that says Phillies on it. I still get a paycheck from the Astros and I want all those kids we acquired, whether it was from the Phillies or Atlanta in the Michael Bourn deal, to show up at the big-league level and be good players. They all have a chance to be really good players."

Amaro:
"Ed is not someone who has a tremendous ego," Amaro said. "I don't see any downside to this."

Davey Lopes is not impressed with Ed Wade's work

USA Today's Bob Nightengale has a story on Hunter Pence (who, along with Berkman, will likely be the sole source of posts at Astros County for the time being). Dodgers First Base Coach Davey Lopes, who spent the last four years with the Phillies, wasn't impressed with the Astros side of the trade:

"That's why Ruben Amaro is the executive of the year," said Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Davey Lopes, who spent the previous four years in Philadelphia. "You get Cliff Lee to come there and take less money. And then you steal Pence? That wasn't a trade. That was a steal. You kidding me?"

Amaro told Nightengale that he told Wade of his interest in Pence as early as May:
"It was a lot more perfect fit that we thought. The fans are really into him. And he fit right into this clubhouse."

Ed Wade didn't favor the Phillies

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Bob Brookover has a good piece on what happened with the Pence deal, and the perceived favoritism towards the Phillies from Ed Wade.

There's so much in the article that we're not even going to pull anything - you should read it for yourself.

There is a little throw-away line that deserves some attention, for Astros fans:
A baseball source indicated that the Astros' annually shrinking payroll will continue to plummet even after Crane officially takes control of the team.

Before you get all worked up, remember that part of the plummeting payroll will include Carlos Lee, who could make up to 30% of the Astros payroll, coming off the books after Crane takes over. If Crane has indicated that payroll will continue to shrink, it means the youth movement has begun, and stupid free agent signings has ended. Which is good news all around.

A bone thrown to Ed Wade?

I almost can't believe mine eyes. Is this a bone being thrown Ed Wade's way?

Ruben Amaro, on the Phillies' core of Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Carlos Ruiz:
"Our whole mantra when [former Phillies general manager] Ed [Wade] took over was to try to get a nice core together, and a lot of those guys are homegrown guys. Bring that core together and see where we'd go with them. It's great to have had that group of guys together."

ESPN: Major Trade in works in Philadelphia

With a captip to Citizen Trae, we find this story on ESPN, in which Ruben Amaro Jr might be desperate to turn the season around, and "hinted strongly to reporters" that the Phillies could make a trade by the time Kyle Kendrick's turn in the rotation comes back around on Saturday.

But there were indications they've spent a lot of time in recent days exploring a trade for Astros ace Roy Oswalt.

There are no guarantees that Roy would approve the deal, but Buster Olney appeared on Baseball Tonight...uh, tonight...mentioning that Jayson Werth could get dealt as part of a three-team trade with Tampa Bay (whom Karl Ravech pointed to) as a potential destination for Werth, evening out the salaries. The Astros would then receive players from Tampa Bay (provided this all even happens in the first place).

It's a lot of conjecture, and a lot of what-ifs, but it is interesting.

Maybe it's our turn to pillage the Phillies

Billy Wagner. Brad Lidge. Roy Oswalt? In a continued effort to stock the Phillies' pitching ranks, maybe the Phillies are interested in Roy.

Jon Heyman defies JJO and continues to speculate on potential destinations for the Astros SP1:

The world champions are aiming high now in their quest for a starter, with Jake Peavy appearing to top their list of desirable aces, perhaps followed by Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee and Erik Bedard.

Phillies GM Ruben Amaro, Jr.:
"We'd like to add depth at the top of the rotation if we can," But as he admitted, swinging a deal for a top pitcher is "easier said than done," especially with complications such as existing contracts, no-trade clauses and the whims of outside ownership. "There's no question it's tough to do," Amaro conceded.

Heyman runs down the Phillies' minor-league talent that could be made available for a top-of-the-line starter:

Multitalented outfielder John Mayberry Jr. has been impressive in a cameo this year. Also, Philadelphia's farm system contains respectable talent, such as shortstop Jason Donald, catcher Lou Marson, pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Kyle Drabek and outfielders Dominic Taylor and Michael Brown.