Phillies Trade Victorino to Dodgers

UPDATE – Shane Victorino has officially been traded to the Dodgers for reliever Josh Lindblom and Minor League pitcher Ethan Martin.

ORIGINAL — Shane Victorino’s tenure as a Phillie may officially end by 4 PM today.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are working on a deal with the Phillies that will send Victorino to Hollywood.

In Jayson Stark’s report, he said the Phillies and Dodgers have a deal in place that will include Josh Lindblom and another player.

Lindblom, 25, is a right-handed reliever with two years of Major League ball under his belt. Lindblom is 2-2 with a 3.02 ERA in 48 games this season, striking out 43 in 47 2/3 innings.

Murphy: D’Backs Interested In Lee; Upton Could Be In Deal

Another possible suitor for Cliff Lee has surface, at it comes from the desert.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are reportedly interested in Cliff Lee according to David Murphy of the Daily News. If the Diamondbacks want Lee, expect 24 year-old outfielder Justin Upton to be the centerpiece of that deal, especially with Shane Victorino likely out the door and the rumors surrounding Hunter Pence.

Ken Rosenthal has the original story.

Phillies SP Joe Blanton Available; Orioles Want Him

The Phillies haven’t made it clear if they are buyers or sellers at the deadline just yet, but one thing made clear is the availability of starting pitcher Joe Blanton.

The Phillies said that Blanton is available in a potential trade, and that the team with the most interest in him right now is Baltimore.

Amaro Squashes Hamels Trade Rumors; Wants to Sign Hamels

Hamels (Photo by Sarah Glenn/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA — In the midst of the worst Phillies season in the past decade, the future of Cole Hamels staying in Philadelphia has cast a dark shadow.

Will the Phillies extend the left-hander before the season ends, ship him off to a contender for top prospects or let him walk outright? Fans are hoping for the former, and it’s driving a lot of people crazy right now.

RUMOR: Indians contact Phils about Victorino

“(The) Philadelphia Phillies (are) reportedly listening to offers for CF Shane Victorino, attempts to clear money for a big move.” – Rich Smith of All Sports Intel, a Twitter account for rumors.

Granted this isn’t a serious source, it’s still something to think about. If the Phils do in fact intend to clear money for a big move, Victorino is one of the players teams would covet as well as guaranteeing the Phillies a good return of prospects.

As noted by one of our followers, this “source” is the only one to report on a Victorino trade. Until a serious Phils beat writer or ESPN/MLB reporter weigh in on it, it’s nothing but a harmless rumor to stir the pot and get Phils fans a little riled.

Olney: Phils want to center a deal for Houston’s Pence around Worley

ESPN's Buster Olney reports the Phils want to center a deal around Astro's OF Hunter Pence. (Photo by Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images)

Buster Olney certainly is a bigger name than Phuture Phils or myself so that is why, unlike the very short stay in Los Angeles, the trip to Houston may be a longer one for the Rumor Bus.

After the Matt Kemp rumors were pretty much smoke and mirrors – more so the fact LA has no reason to nor really can deal Kemp – Olney reported on Twitter that the Phillies would look to center a deal around pitcher Vance Worley in a trade for proven outfielder Hunter Pence.

This, unfortunately for the fans who hastily bought their Worley shirseys, jerseys and other fan gear, is the best possible trade for the Phils. Pence is a complete player, combining power and speed along with a great glove. He also rocks the high socks! He has also been the topic of trade talks through out the entire season among Phillies fans on Twitter, the radio and other media outlets.

We all know the type of production Pence brings to the table. He’s batting .316 with 11 homers and 61 RBIs, putting him on pace for the .300/20-25/85-95 type season he is capable of giving a team every year. And at 28, he’s a proven talent that will not demand a ridiculous pay check this off season when he is eligible for arbitration.

But what people don’t realize about the Vanimal is that he is a very ordinary pitcher. If you look his numbers, he’s 6-1 with a 2.01 ERA in 10 starts. Those are some pretty darn impressive numbers for a kid who has only made a handful of starts prior to this season. But if you look at his innings pitched, he’s only thrown 58.1 IP; or less than six innings a start.