Phillies fans stop crying for Lee!

Stop the crying! Seriously! You just got the best pitcher in baseball. Enjoy it. Remember, nothing is guaranteed. Don't listen to the sports talk people that say that the Lee/Mariners deal was a bad deal. No matter what they say you have to do your own research. Three things:


First: The Halladay deal was set on getting something back for him. In the Halladay deal we got 6$ million dollars from Toronto and gave away Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, and Travis d'Arnaud. The most important part was the 3 year extension for $60 million. So for the 2010 season we have the best pitcher in baseball at a discount.
Second: We gave away Cliff Lee for Phillippe Aumont, Tyson Gillies, and Juan Ramirez (all minor leaguers).
Third: Most importantly the Philadelphia Phillies organization has made a lot of money, but if you believe what President David Montgomery said then you have to applaud this deal because they are looking at the bigger picture.

Don't think that the Phillies are cheap. According to the interview the Phillies are in the red and been for awhile! So if that is true, they have to look at ways to control their payroll and everyone is baseball knows the best way to do that is to have a good farm system. That being said, let’s talk about why this deal makes sense.
The Phillies have become an elite team in baseball and players want to come here. Quality players, not just your average Joe looking for a paycheck. I think that the Roy Halladay deal has the potential to set a precedent that will allow the Phillies to negotiate with players like Jason Werth, Ryan Howard, and Shane Victorino in the near future. Halladay took less than market value ball all accounts (see C.C. Sabathia, John Lackey, and Johan Santana) because he wanted to play for a team that is dedicated to winning. Ruben Amaro's job is to keep us winning for the long haul. Spending all the money in the world on players will not make you a World Series Champion, it helps your chances but I believe what is most important is the heart of a team and the trust that management puts in these players.
Here in Philadelphia, we love one thing and ask for it every time an athlete takes the field, heart. We want them to play 110% win or lose. We want them to sign with us not for the money but for the feeling they get when they hear 15,000 fans cheering for them and booing them when they do not live up to their talent. We also want the organization to do everything they can to keep us on the winning side. We don't want to be average because we know that we are not. Now factor in all these reasons and you begin to understand why this is such a good deal.
How can Howard, Werth, Victorino, and others ask for Yankee/Red Sox type money when they know that the best pitcher in baseball took a discount to play here? How can they not work with the Phillies management knowing that they don't print money for a living? If they truly are playing the game because they love the game, then I believe this deal will make it a lot easier to sign them in order to keep winning for years down the road. Remember players do not only make money by signing huge contracts. Players sign endorsement deals too. How much easier will it be for them if they are playing for a winning team World Series Championship team? Amaro know that he is going to have to pay these guys close to what market value projects for them. But now know the players know that the Phillies are going to ask for a home town discount because of what we have here.
Remember, Ruben Amaro said that he would have kept Cliff Lee. So don't give up on getting Lee yet. All we have to do is keep being Philadelphia fans and selling out the ball park and truly believe that come 2010 offseason, we will be one of the teams Cliff Lee wants to sign with because of the atmosphere of winning that this organization has created. If he, like Halladay, truly wants to win then he will give Philadelphia a discount and come play for the best team, best franchise, and best city in all of baseball.

Also, let’s start a Cliff Lee fund this year. At every home game 950ESPN the Fanatic has suggested we collect money to help the Phillies sign Cliff Lee this offseason. I’m all for it. Imagine how much we could get if every fan gives 1-2 dollars at the game. This will show Cliff Lee that we do care about him and we want him back and put even more pressure on the Phillies and his agent to sign here.