Idiot is Spelled E-D-W-A-D-E

I have a conspiracy theory. I believe that when former Phillies General Manager Ed Wade was hired by the Astros in 2007, he had a secret monetary agreement with Philadelphia ownership that ensured them he would do everything in his power to help the Phillies win championships at Houston's expense. How else can you explain the Roy Oswalt trade????

Here's the deal - the Astros are paying about $11M of the remaining $23M on Oswalt's contract. And Oswalt is no longer demanding his $16M option for 2012 be picked up. So, essentially, the Phillies are paying $12M for 1 1/2 years of Oswalt's services - that's great market value. But the money isn't even the best part. That would have to be the prospects Philadelphia is sending Houston in this trade. They are absolutely MEDIOCRE for a player of Oswalt's talents.

Houston is NOT getting top hitting prospect Jonathan Singleton, as was previously reported. Philly wouldn't part with him and the Astros caved. According to ESPN sources, Philly will be sending over "prospects" Anthony Gose (CF) and Jonathan Villar (SS). You can check out my writeup on Gose here. He's a super-fast guy and great defender who has no power and struggles to get on base. They traded Houston another Michael Bourn. Villar is a 19-year old shortstop in Class-A Lakewood. He's another guy who can run and field but has no power and struggles to get on base. Houston not receiving a top prospect is especially sorry for them when you consider how much salary they are eating in this deal.

If this trade isn't enough of an example of Ed Wade's ineptitude, here's another beauty from the recent past:

November 8, 2007:
Wade trades closer Brad Lidge, along with reserve infielder Eric Bruntlett, to the Phillies in exchange for second-year outfielder Michael Bourn, middle reliever Geoff Geary (fail), and third base prospect Mike Costanzo (epic fail). Lidge goes 48-48 in save opportunities in 2008 and closes out the Phillies second-ever World Series Championship. Bourn is a guy that steals bases when he gets on base.....which is infrequently.

And I'm not even going to touch Wade's horrific Curt Schilling and Scott Rolen trades, or the J.D. Drew debacle, when he was running the Phillies show.

But that was then and this is now. I'd actually like to thank Ed Wade for his dedication to being the worst General Manager in baseball. His skill at sucking wasn't fully appreciated in Philadelphia but I think I speak for all Phillies fans when I say that his unique talents couldn't make us happier today. I'd congratulate Phillies GM Ruben Aramo on this overwhelmingly lopsided trade, but let's be honest, that would be like congratulating the captain of a high school football team for beating the crap out of a special-ed student.

***UPDATE***
Wade deserves a little bit of genuine credit in this deal - he flipped Anthony Gose to Toronto for 23-year old first base prospect Brett Wallace. In 95 games at Triple-A this season, Wallace is hitting .301/.359/.509 with 18 homeruns. Apparently, Toronto wanted to get "more athletic." Wallace is a legitimate successor for Lance Berkman, so good for Wade. He didn't get Jonathan Singleton, but he got another firstbaseman who can mash and is closer to the big leagues (though Singleton's upside is higher). I have no idea what new Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos is thinking. Lyle Overbay is playing first base for the Blue Jays. They needed Brett Wallace and should have called him up months ago. When Ed Wade pulls one over on you, it's not a good indicator that Toronto's franchise is in capable hands.

Oswalt Gives Phils Aces in Spades

According to multiple sources, the Astros and Phillies have agreed to both money and players in a trade for Roy Oswalt. The Phillies will send J.A. Happ and "prospects" to the Astros in exchange for Oswalt with the 'Stros picking up the remainder of Oswalt's salary this season. The Phillies will be on the hook for Oswalt's $16M salary in 2011 and may or may not be reponsable for picking up his player option in 2012 (also $16M).

The only thing stopping the trade is Oswalt himself - who has three days to approve the deal. Philadelphia, riding a seven-game winning streak and having just called up electric rookie phenom Domonic Brown, can potentially boast a three-pitcher playoff rotation of Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Oswalt. Talk about gaining some huge momentum for a playoff push. This move is a potential game-changer in the division and would make the Phillies a formidable World Series contender.

Not all Phillies fans are as enthused about Oswalt as I am. Lots of fans look at Oswalt's size (5-11ish, 185pounds) and wonder if he can hold up over the next 2 1/2 years. I've also heard uninformed comments like "he's not that good" and "he has a losing record." First off, Oswalt's 6-12 record is useless information. His ERA is 3.42 and his xFIP is 3.45. He's pitched 6.45 innings/start and his 8.37 K/9, 3.53 K/BB and 1.11 WHIP rates are outstanding. As for the question of whether a short, thin dude can maintain his status as a power pitcher over the next few seasons, let's take a look at his annual average fastball velocity, courtesy of the amazing site fangraphs:

2002: 93.7
2003: 93.1
2004: 94.0
2005: 93.1
2006: 92.7
2007: 92.7
2008: 92.6
2009: 93.1
2010: 93.0

Not much change in velocity right? Oswalt is throwing harder now than he was four years ago. He's still only 32 years old and I'd gamble his arm will hold up over the next two seasons. The upside is huge. Halladay is the perfect pitcher to throw three times in a seven-game playoff series. A World Series matchup with the Yankees doesn't seem nearly as daunting with a rotation of Halladay-Hamels-Oswalt-Halladay-Hamels-Oswalt-Halladay.

The real question, other than if Oswalt will actually approve the trade, is what prospects the Phillies will have to part with. J.A. Happ is no big deal - he's a decent #4 pitcher who will always walk too many batters and doesn't throw nearly hard enough (89.2mph avg fastball) to become an impact pitcher. I put together an updated Phillies Top 10 Prospects list a few days ago, and it's a good reference point to look at when names of prospects included in the trade become public knowledge. I just hope the Phillies hold on to Jarred Cosart and Trevor May, two righthanders who light up the radar gun. The Phillies have plenty of talented bats and outfielders they can part with (Jonathan Singleton, Jiwan James, Anthony Gose), but few impact pitchers. Cosart and May are the cream of the crop and hopefully the Phillies won't have to let them go in a trade for a 32-year old pitcher with $32M left on his contract.

***UPDATE***
Richard Justice, columnist for the Houston Chronicle, is reporting that Jonathan Singleton and Vance Worley are the two Phillies prospects being sent to the Astros in the Roy Oswalt trade. You can read my writeup on Singleton here. He's my #3 overall prospect in the Phillies organization, but is restricted to playing first base which makes him highly expendable in Ryan Howard's considerable shadow. Worley is a 6-2, 220-pound righthanded pitcher who is 9-4 with a 3.03 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 118 innings this year at Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. I love this trade. Singleton could potentially become an impact hitter in three years, but Howard will still be under contract. Worley is an OK pitcher who will never become a star and probably ends up in the bullpen.

***DOUBLE UPDATE***
Richard Justice needs new sources. Oswalt has agreed to the trade, making it final, but Philadelphia will NOT be sending top-prospect Jonathan Singleton, or Vance Worley for that matter, to Houston. Philly is sending Anthony Gose (#7 on my Updated Top 10 Phillies Prospects List) and Jonathan Villar instead. The Phillies have absolutely fleeced Astros General Manager Ed Wade with this deal. Read my full post here.

IN OTHER PHILLIES NEWS:
The aforementioned Domonic Brown put his considerable talents on full display in his major league debut last night. Brown blasted an RBI double off the wall against flamethrower Edwin Jackson in his first MLB at bat and ended his night 2-3 with 2 runs and 2 RBI. Just as I suggested yesterday, Brown hit 6th in the order, behind Jayson Werth, but it looks like the Phillies are committed to playing him in rightfield with Werth manning center. This makes sense as Werth has played some centerfield in the majors before, but I still maintain Brown can play the position better than Werth with his superior speed and range. However, I completely understand the Phillies not wanting to move Brown to a position he hasn't played at in two years for his major league debut. Shane Victorino will be back in two weeks, so the issue is a minor one. Now what the Phillies will do with Victorino if Brown, Werth and Ibanez continue to hit is an entirely different story.

What Can (Domonic) Brown Do For You?

As I predicted two days ago, Domonic Brown's stay in Triple-A Lehigh Valley was going to be a very short one. According to CSN Philly's Jim Salisbury, the Phillies have placed Shane Victorino on the 15-Day Disabled List (abdominal strain) and recalled top-prospect Domonic Brown.

Brown, a natural rightfielder, shouldn't have too much of an issue playing centerfield. After watching Shane pussy-out on a deep fly ball at the warning track last night, a ball Aaron Rowand would have caught with his face, I don't think the Phils are losing anything defensively with Brown. He played CF two years ago and should be able to play the position better and with more range than Jayson Werth. Offensively, Brown hit .327/.391/.589 with 20 homeruns and 17 stolen bases in 93 minor league games this year, so I'm not too worried about his ability to match Victorino's .749 OPS.

It will be interesting to see what the Phillies do with Brown when Shane gets off the DL. His performance in the big leagues will no doubt dictate how much he plays, but there is no way the Phillies are demoting the top-prospect in the game. Let's assume Brown plays well. Will Werth, Victorino or Raul Ibanez get traded? If the Phillies can't find the right trade partner, it would be tough for them to sit Ibanez now that he's finally hitting. Again, Brown's performance will dictate any future moves this season, but I'm excited for the "Domonic Brown Era" to begin. Brown should slide right into the #6 spot in the lineup tonight, behind Werth and ahead of Ruiz.

IN OTHER PHILLIES NEWS:
Trevor May struck out 14 batters in seven innings for Lakewood (Class-A) yesterday. Even more impressive, May did not walk a single batter after issuing 61 walks in 70 innings at Class-A Advanced Clearwater this year before his demotion to Lakewood. Since his demotion, the 6-5, 215-pound righthander has seemingly found his way - he's 3-1 with 42 strikeouts and just 10 walks in 29 innings at Lakewood. I'd say he's ready for another shot at Clearwater. May, who boasts a 95mph fastball and devastating curve, profiles as a #1 starter if he can maintain his control and command.

Top 10 Phillies Prospects - 2010 UPDATE

As baseball's July 31 trading deadline looms right around the corner, I wanted to take a closer list at the top prospects in Philadelphia's farm system and put together an updated "Top-10" list.

The Phillies lost a number of prospects in the Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay trades and received essentially nothing in the Cliff Lee trade-debacle this past off-season, so it would appear that the proverbial cupboard is empty. Astonishingly, this isn't the case at all. Thanks to their draft philosophy of selecting athletes over baseball players and signing guys away from strong college commitments in later rounds, the Phillies have developed a number of players, many of them in Class-A baseball, who rank among the top prospects in the game.

Some of these players could figure into a potential trade this week that could push the Phillies into the postseason. Others, like Domonic Brown, could get called up sooner than later and inject some much-needed youth into a rapidly-aging roster. Either way, these players will shape the future of the organization in both the short and long term. Here's my updated 2010 ranking of Philadelphia's Top-10 prospects (statistics through June 25):

1.) Domonic Brown (Triple-A Lehigh Valley / Double-A Reading)
Drafted: Round 20 (607 overall pick) in 2006
Height: 6-5 Weight: 200 Age: 22 Bats: L Throws: L Position: RF
2010 Statistics: .325/.388/.585, 91GP, 64R, 109H, 20HR, 66RBI, 35BB, 71SO, 16SB
The top prospect in all of minor league baseball, Brown is a true 5-tool talent. Having watched him play in Lehigh Valley several times in the past month, Brown is as good of an athlete as you will ever see in baseball. A former Miami U. wide receiver recruit, everything he does is just so smooth (his swing path, running style, outfield play). With all the trade rumors swirling around free agent-to-be Jayson Werth, Brown's stay in the minors might be over within the week. His helicopter-like swing has started to produce serious power this season and he'll continue to improve in that category as he adds mass to his wire-thin frame. Nothing is stopping Brown from becoming a 30-30 player and future all-star.

2.) Jarred Cosart (Class-A Lakewood)
Drafted: Round 38 (1156 overall pick) in 2008
Height: 6-3 Weight: 180 Age: 20 Bats: R Throws: R Position: RHP
2010 Statistics: 7-3(W-L), 3.79ERA, 14GP/14GS, 71.1IP, 60H, 30ER, 3HR, 16BB, 77K
Cosart was a raw, two-way high school standout from Texas when the Phillies drafted and converted him to pitcher. Currently, he is on the Disabled List with a strained right elbow (yikes) but it's not supposed to be serious and he's scheduled to pitch in a week. When healthy, Cosart has the best arm in the Phillies system and one of the better arms in all of minor league baseball. He sits at 94-96 as a starter and can dial it up to 98. His control has been spectacular this year, issuing just 16 walks in 71 innings. If he can bypass an arm injury, Cosart will sky-rocket through the system and profiles as a #1 or #2 starter down the road.

3.) Jonathan Singleton (Class-A Lakewood)
Drafted: Round 8 (257 overall pick) in 2009
Height: 6-2 Weight: 215 Age: 18 Bats: L Throws: L Position: 1B
2010 Statistics: .309/.418/.538, 66GP, 41R, 73H, 12HR, 57RBI, 42BB, 43SO, 6SB
Projected as a 1st or 2nd round pick going into his senior year of high school, Singleton dropped to the Phillies in round 8 of the 2009 draft after a poor senior season and perceived college commitment to Oregon. This should show you how little high school numbers really mean as Singleton has blossomed into an offensive force as an 18-year old in Class-A. Singleton has superior plate discipline, and even as he's cooled down after a red-hot start, he's maintained a 1:1 walk-strikeout ratio. Singleton could potentially reach Double-A as a 19-year old next year and profiles as a prototypical lefthanded firstbaseman who walks, hits and hits for power. Ryan Howard is a $125M roadblock, so hopefully he can learn to play LF down the line.

4.) Trevor May (Class-A Lakewood / Class-A Advanced Clearwater)
Drafted: Round 4 (136 overall pick) in 2008
Height: 6-5 Weight: 215 Age: 20 Bats: R Throws: R Position: RHP
2010 Statistics: 7-6(W-L), 4.79ERA, 20GP/18GS, 92.0IP, 73H, 49ER, 9HR, 71BB, 118K
Built in the classic power-pitcher mold of Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling and Josh Johnson, May has every tool a scout looks for in an ideal pitching prospect. The big righthander throws an easy 95 and his strikeout rates in the minors have been prolific. Only control problems have held him back. In fact, May was demoted to Lakewood after posting a 5.01 ERA and issuing 61 walks in 70 innings at Clearwater. He's rebounded nicely at Lakewood, walking 10 and recording 28 strikeouts in 22 innings. If May ever figures it out he will turn the minors into his own personal playground. He's a boom or bust player with a #1 starter ceiling and spare-part in the bullpen floor.

5.) Jiwan James (Class-A Lakewood)
Drafted: Round 22 (683 overall pick) in 2007
Height: 6-4 Weight: 180 Age: 21 Bats: S Throws: R Position: CF
2010 Statistics: .273/.321/.370, 97GP, 62R, 110H, 3HR, 47RBI, 27BB, 91SO, 25SB
James has a similar game, similar tools and similar numbers to Anthony Gose, but he's two years older than Gose and plays one level below him. So why on earth would I rank James two spots higher than Gose on this list? Simple - James has a higher ceiling. The Phillies drafted James as a pitcher, but after he developed an arm injury in 2008, they converted him to outfield. So essentially everything about hitting and fielding is fairly new to him, yet he's holding his own in Class-A. James is blistering fast, has a great arm and projects to hit for power as he fills out. The sky is the limit for him and the Phillies hope he develops like Domonic Brown - another raw baseball talent when he was drafted.

6.) Brody Colvin (Class-A Lakewood)
Drafted: Round 7 (227 overall pick) in 2009
Height: 6-3 Weight: 195 Age: 19 Bats: R Throws: R Position: RHP
2010 Statistics: 5-6(W-L), 3.50ERA, 19GP/19GS, 103.0IP, 96H, 40ER, 7HR, 32BB, 84K
A projected 1st round talent in high school, Colvin dropped to the 7th round because he was viewed as having a strong commitment to play college baseball at LSU. The Phillies snatched him up and bought him away from his college commitment. This is becoming a common theme for the Phillies as they have acquired top talents Dominic Brown, Jarred Cosart, Jonathan Singleton and Jiwan James under similar circumstances. Colvin sits at 91-94 and has seemingly found his way after a miserable start to the season. In his past 10 starts, Colvin has posted a 1.65 ERA in 60 innings. Colvin has the pure stuff to miss more bats than he currently does, so look for him to work on establishing his breaking ball in the future.

7.) Anthony Gose (Class-A Advanced Clearwater)
Drafted: Round 2 (51 overall pick) in 2008
Height: 6-1 Weight: 190 Age: 19 Bats: L Throws: L Position: CF
2010 Statistics: .265/.326/.387, 101GP, 65R, 108H, 4HR, 20RBI, 31BB, 100SO, 36SB
Some have compared Gose's skill-set to Carl Crawford's, but I just don't see it. He's a marvel in centerfield and has true "80" speed on the 20-80 scouting scale but he is no Crawford at the plate. A former high school pitcher who topped out at 96, Gose has a cannon for an arm. In the majors, Gose will play Gold-Glove defense and steal 40-50 bases annually, but his batting average, power and on-base percentage will be below average. Think Doug Glanville at the plate and Corey Patterson in the field and on the basepaths.

8.) Jesse Biddle (Rookie Gulf Coast League)
Drafted: Round 1 (27 overall pick) in 2010
Height: 6-4 Weight: 225 Age: 18 Bats: L Throws: L Position: LHP
2010 Statistics: 0-1(W-L), 5.19ERA, 5GP/5GS, 17.1IP, 20H, 10ER, 2HR, 6BB, 21K
Biddle is living out every Philadelphian's dream - local high school kid (Germantown Friends HS) gets drafted by the team he grew up rooting for. The Phillies drafted Biddle in the 1st round after he posted a 9-2 record and 1.06 ERA with 140 strikeouts in just 59 1/3 innings as a senior. The big, chunky lefthander pitches at 88-93 and has been clocked as high as 96. He also features a slow 72-74 curveball. Biddle should maintain or increase his velocity as a professional and with improved control he will shoot to the top of future Phillies prospect rankings.

9.) Scott Mathieson (Triple-A Lehigh Valley)
Drafted: Round 17 (509 overall pick) in 2002
Height: 6-3 Weight: 190 Age: 26 Bats: R Throws: R Position: RHP
2010 Statistics: 3-3(W-L), 2.20ERA, 38GP/0GS, 45.0IP, 31H, 11ER, 5HR, 17BB, 58K 20SV
Mathieson has overcome numerous injuries, including Tommy John surgery in 2008, to re-establish his position as a top prospect in the Phillies farm system. Now viewed solely as a reliever, he sits at 94-96 and can reach back for 98. It's not really clear why Mathieson is still pitching in Triple-A. He's 26 and has nothing left to prove in the minors as he's currently overwhelming hitters at Lehigh Valley. The Phillies called him up very briefly this year and he stumbled, giving up 2 runs while recording just 2 outs in his one-and-only outing. Still, that's an extremely small sample size and he has a better arm than anyone in the Phillies pen outside of Ryan Madson.

10.) Sebastian Valle (Class-A Lakewood)
Signed: Amateur Free Agent (Mexico) in 2007
Height: 6-1 Weight: 170 Age: 20 Bats: R Throws: R Position: C
2010 Statistics: .257/.298/.398, 86GP, 32R, 84H, 9HR, 53RBI, 19BB, 76SO, 2SB
Never known for their international scouting, Valle is the best the Phillies have to offer outside North America & Puerto Rico. Valle's skill-set is similar to current Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit - average defensive skills with a below average bat and the ability to hit 10-20 homeruns. Carlos Ruiz is firmly entrenched as the starting catcher right now, but after trading away Travis d'Arnaud in the Halladay deal, the Phillies have poor depth at the position outside of Valle. He should progress through the minors one level at a time before establishing himself as a quality backup in the majors or perhaps even Ruiz's successor by 2014.