FanHouse GeoffGeary

It's deja vu all over again!. Just over four years ago I remember reading a headline saying the Phillies had traded some minor leaguers/fringe players to Houston in exchange for their closer, Billy Wagner. Tonight it happened again when the Phils sent Michael Bourn, Geoff Geary, and Mike Costanzo to Houston in exchange for Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett.

Wait, is this really happening? Lidge found his form again in Houston this year and for much of the second half of the season was his old dominant self, especially after coming back from an early season injury. The Astros will also send Eric Bruntlett, but Bruntlett and Geary are basically a wash (because they're both basically worthless). Costanzo is mildly interesting as a guy that hit 27 homers in AA this year, but I'd put his ceiling at the moment right there, at "mildly interesting." That means the bulk of this five player swap is Bourn for Lidge.

Bad news for Astro fans, but Bourn for Lidge is not a good trade. Bourn looks like he's headed down the Juan Pierre/Willy Taveras career path. That's not a compliment, that's me saying that he's a fast outfielder that can't hit for power or get on base and he's going to make a ton of outs. Lidge, on the other hand, is still one of the best closers in baseball, even with all his recent struggles. I understand the desire to trade Lidge to a contender that needs him, but he's got to be worth more than Michael Bourn. Ed Wade knows he works for the Astros now, right?

The final ramifications of this deal, as noted by Mullet on the A-Team MLB FanHouse e-mail list, are that Brett Myers will likely be headed back to the rotation and the Phillies are pretty clearly planning on keeping Aaron Rowand. That's actually way more interesting than the trade itself, which seems more like a fleecing to me.

Greg Dobbs, for now, is on the hook.

Brett Myers, who strained his shoulder on his 27th pitch on Wednesday night, has had his MRI ... and while it only revealed nothing more than a strain, Myers still landed himself on the 15 day DL.

But let's face it, is Dobbs really to blame? His bonehead play did mean that Myers had to last longer than he should have. But while it's true that Myers wouldn't have strained his shoulder that night, you had to figure that at some point, he would have had to throw 27 pitches some night, right? And with Myers making an in-season adjustment from starter to reliever, one would think that would have had something to do with it. So rest easy, Greg Dobbs.

The good news is that Myers' spot will be filled by the return of Ryan Howard from his own DL sting. The bad news is that Howard is still hitting .204. The worse news is that the Phillies still need a closer, and Charlie Manuel has already thrown out the names of Antonio Alfonseca, Ryan Madson, and Geoff Geary in terms of save opportunities. You know what that means ... the dreaded bullpen by committee. See: Sox, Red 2003 for reasons why this would not work.

Previously on The Fanhouse:
Greg Dobbs causes Brett Myers' Injury indirectly
Charlie Manuel sends Brett Myers to Bullpen
Ryan Howard DL'd

Looks like Brett Myers might be headed out of the abyss of middle relief ... although this isn't how he wants to get out. Tom Gordon's shoulder is flaring up on him, so he is flying back to Philadelphia to have it examined:

Gordon, who had blown 3-of-8 save chances, was to head back to Philadelphia on Thursday to get examined by Dr. Michael Ciccotti, the team's medical director. The 39-year-old right-hander has given up 12 hits in 9 1/3 innings with an ERA of 4.82, though he did pick up a save in his lone appearance against the Braves on Tuesday. "He has some discomfort in his shoulder," Manuel said. "We won't know more until they check him out." Manuel had not decided who would take over as closer when the team gets to San Francisco. Former starter Brett Myers could fill the role. Geoff Geary and Antonio Alfonseca also might be candidates.

"We'll figure that out on the 5-hour plane trip," Manuel said.

I don't see how it could be anybody else but Myers. There had to be a method to Charlie Manuel's madness regarding sending Brett Myers to the bullpen ... with the miles on Gordon's arm, one could surmise that Manuel saw this coming. Myers to the bullpen, if he were to take over as closer for a potentially ailing Gordon, was probably a better fit than Jon Lieber being the closer, hence Myers was sent to the bullpen in place of Lieber way back when.

Hey, I'm trying to give Charlie Manuel the benefit of the doubt here, but if it's anyone other than Myers, I'd be extremely surprised. And I hope the food is good on that five hour plane trip to San Francisco.

Previously on The Fanhouse:
Charlie Manuel Sends Brett Myers to the Bullpen
Phillies Get Screwed by Awful Scheduling