Phillies make offer for Indians LHP Lee
July 29, 2009
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—Looking for a top starter to bolster their so-so rotation,the Philadelphia Phillies are pursuing reigning AL Cy Young Award winner CliffLee(notes).
The defending World Series champion have offered the Cleveland Indians apackage of players for Lee, a baseball official familiar with the trade proposaltold The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Philadelphia’s offer doesn’t include top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek, theperson said on condition of anonymity because negotiations are ongoing. Thenon-waiver trade deadline is Friday.
Philadelphia is reluctant to trade Drabek, a right-handed pitcher who wasthe 18th overall pick in the 2006 amateur draft. Drabek, the son of former NL CyYoung Award winner Doug Drabek, is 7-1 with a 3.06 ERA at Double-A Reading.
Phillies minor league pitcher Carlos Carrasco(notes) was scratched from hisscheduled start at Triple-A Lehigh Valley for Wednesday’s 11 a.m. game.Infielder Jason Donald(notes) and catcher Lou Marson(notes) also weren’t in the lineup.
The NL East-leading Phillies also have been pursuing Blue Jays ace RoyHalladay(notes), but shifted their attention to Lee because Toronto’s asking price forthe six-time All-Star is high.
Whether Cleveland is willing to trade Lee is unknown. Lee turns 31 nextmonth and the Indians hold a $8 million club option for next season. The Indianstraded a reigning CY Young winner last summer when they sent CC Sabathia(notes) to theMilwaukee Brewers. Sabathia, however, was in the final year of his contract. Hehelped pitched the Brewers into the postseason before signing a $161 million,seven-year contract with the New York Yankees.
Lee would give the Phillies another top starter to join Cole Hamels(notes). Theleft-hander is 7-9 with a 3.14 ERA in 22 starts this season after going 22-3with a 2.54 ERA last year. Hamels, who was MVP of the World Series and NLCS lastfall, has struggled this season. He’s 7-5 with a 4.42 ERA, though he pitchedwell in a Tuesday night victory over the Diamondbacks.
The Phillies have a comfortable lead in the division—seven games ahead ofsecond-place Florida going into Wednesday’s games. They’ve sought pitching helpsince No. 2 starter Brett Myers(notes) had hip surgery in June. Forty-six-year-oldJamie Moyer(notes) leads the staff with 10 wins, but he has a 5.32 ERA.
Philadelphia also remains interested in Halladay. He’s a legitimate acewho’s been one of the best pitchers in the majors for several years. Halladaywas 11-3 with a 2.62 ERA entering his start Wednesday night at Seattle.
Halladay’s price tag is much bigger than Lee’s. He’s due to earn $15.75million next season in the final year of his contract.
AP sports writer Tom Withers in Cleveland contributed to this report.
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