Gillick's lame duck season costs the Phillies another blockbuster

By now, you probably have heard about the recent trade acquisition of starting pitcher Joe Blanton, and the potential acquisition of Colorado Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday and relief pitcher Brian Fuentes.

While on the surface it appears as if General Manager Pat Gillick and the Phillies' top brass are trying to make moves to push the Phillies over the top and solidify their club as a World Series contender, the Joe Blanton trade and other trade rumors reveal a key problem with this team: Pat Gillick is a lame duck general manager and it is holding back the Phillies.

I have praised Gillick on many occasions, including his ability to build the team's bullpen into the best in the National League, but those were all minor moves, compared to the blockbuster deals that he hasn't made.

Remember those rumors that the Phillies were trying to bring 2007 American League Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia to Philadelphia? The Phillies were said to be close, but didn't beat the package that the Milwaukee Brewers sent to Cleveland.

Now suddenly, the Phillies were rumored to be close to acquiring last year's National League MVP runner-up Matt Holliday and closer Brian Fuentes.

Apparently, the Phillies were talking about sending minor league pitchers Carlos Carrasco and J.A. Happ, minor league catcher Lou Marson, and starting centerfielder Shane Victorino to the Rockies for a two-month rental of the best relief pitcher and the best hitter available on the trade market.

Gillick had an opportunity to pick up the two best players available on the trade market without hurting the major league club, and for some reason he didn't get the job done.

Why not?

Well, it would have left the farm system completely barren above Single-A Clearwater. And I mean supermarket before a blizzard barren. Outfielder Greg Golson would have been the only player who could even resemble a prospect in Reading or with the Iron Pigs.

On the big club, Victorino is easily replaceable by Jayson Werth as the everyday centerfielder. Matt Holliday steps in as the starting right fielder. Brian Fuentes becomes the setup man for Brad Lidge, where along with J.C. Romero, Chad Durbin and Ryan Madson, the Phillies bullpen would be so dominant that they would only need a lead after the fifth inning to guarantee a win.

By the way, Holliday is only 28 years old, under contract next season, regularly hits above .300, smacks 30 homers and drives in more than 100 runs each year. He also clubbed five homers last year during the same playoffs that the Phillies couldn't seem to find any offense. I mean, he wouldn't look great hitting between Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, right? No, not at all.

And even if the Phillies didn't re-sign Fuentes at the end of the season, they would still get both a first round pick and a supplemental first round pick for losing him, which would help re-stock the farm system.

If Pat Gillick wasn't retiring at the end of the season, I believe that he would have made this trade in a heartbeat. This also means that neither Mike Arbuckle nor Ruben Amaro, Jr., is going to be the next general manager. This trade is a no-brainer, and both of those guys would sign off on this trade, but without the next general manager's permission, Gillick is too much of a stand-up guy to completely ruin the farm system for the next guy.

The fact of the matter is that Matt Holliday isn't coming here. Brian Fuentes isn't coming here. C.C. Sabathia and Rich Harden didn't come here. Pat Gillick is the reason why.

However, Joe Blanton did come to Philadelphia for prospects that the Phillies didn't need, and thankfully, that means Adam Eaton won't be starting anymore!

See? It's not all gloom and doom in Philadelphia. I can look on the bright side of the things.