Deals to be made

Phillies in talks to land DeRosa, while Moyer wants 2 years



It's quite fitting that this year's 2008 Winter Meetings are taking place in Vegas. This is the time of the year when teams take gambles. Sometimes they work out incredibly.

The Rays hit the jackpot when they landed Matt Garza for Delmon Young, who is turning out to be a jagoff.

The Phils hit the jackpot with Brad Lidge who was their MVP.

Both of these moves helped these respective teams to make it to the Fall Classic and the rest is his.

Ruben Amaro Jr. would do best to abstain right now. Who the hell wants the Phillies to help the Cubs land Jake Peavy? Are you kidding? And, the word around the proverbial grapevine has the Phils sending J.A. Happ (a future #2/3 starter) for Mark Derosa, who is a rich man's David Bell.

If the Phillies make that move, it would be David Bell Part Deux. DeRosa is an aging journeyman coming off a couple career years. And, Happ solidifies a rotation that may be without Jamie Moyer and in need of a replacement.

One of our flunkies at Phillypurge.com went up to Ruben at a crap's table in the Bellagio and put this to him and he had this to say, "I'm not going to comment on any of that. We don't comment on other team's players, but if you think I'm going to s**t the bed right away and start making bad moves then f**k you", said Ruben as he gave us the finger and walked away.

I personally don't think Amaro Jr. will do a bad job at this point. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and hope he's learned the lessons from Ed Wade's blunders and learned a good deal from Gillick about how to make those small moves to build a winner.

DeRosa for Happ would be a bigger mistake than swapping Polanco for Uggy Urbina. And, yes the Phils did win the World Series with Feliz, but imagine how good they would have been in '06 and '07 with Polanco in that lineup.

Rumbings and Grumblings

Jamie Moyer wants two years and $10 million annually according to Bill Conlin of The Phila Daily News.

Ruben Amaro Jr. isn't worried that the Mets signed Francisco Rodriguez.

Charlie Manuel gets his extension.