The Beltran Conundrum

I keep going back and forth on this Beltran trade. Like Brett Favre contemplating retirement, I simply can't make up my mind. On one hand you add a bat with power, pop and overall a player who can make your team that much better. But on the other hand you're giving up a young starter in Worley with a starting rotation that isn't getting any younger. To help myself process the potential trade, I decided to write up the pros and cons of acquiring Beltran and possibly having to deal Worley.

Pros:

-Remember all the crap the Phillies front office got when they dealt J.A. Happ to the Astros last year? Happ went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA in 2009 and was 1-0 with a 1.76 ERA last year when the Phillies traded him. Happ was the lefty starty of the future with a huge upside. This year Happ is 4-11 with a 5.88 ERA and the Phils front office look like absolute geniuses. Could the same thing happen with Worley? Will hitters simply adjust? This is where the Phils scouts and talent evaluators will really have to step up. If they think Worley is a possible number 3 or 2 pitcher they should hold on to him. If however they think he is nothing better than a 4, I would do the Worley for Beltran trade in a heart beat.

-Beltran is hitting .293 with 15 HR and 61 RBI's this year. Putting him behind Ryan Howard in the lineup would open this offense up and give them endless possibilities. And when Beltran was traded to the Astros in 2004, he hit .430 with 8 HR and 14 RBI's in the 2004 post season. Simply put Beltran is a big time player who could maximize the Phillies' chances of winning the World Series.

-The Phils are in all likelihood going to make the playoffs. Once they reach the post season they don't need a 4th starter. The Phils used a 4th starter just once last year and could easily win the World Series with Halladay, Hamels and Lee.

Cons:

-Beltran is 34 years old and is extremely expensive. With Ryan Madson, Cole Hamels and Jimmy Rollins all awaiting extensions, there is no way they can re-sign Beltran at the end of the year. Basically Beltran would be a 3 month rental who would leave in November.

-The Phillies can do as much scouting and analysis on Worley as they want but at the end of the day nobody knows just how good this guy is. Will he end up like Happ? Or is he a potential ace? Only time will tell and the Phils would be taking a huge risk if they decided to trade the Vanimal.

-Who will be the Phils 4th if Vance leaves? Blanton? Oswalt? I have faith in neither and while the Phils can clearly get away with having Kendrick as their 4th, having Worley takes a ton of pressure off of the starting rotation. Plus Worley is a guy who can come out of the bullpen and I feel that the Phils need all the help they can get in terms of relief pitching.

At this point, I'm just glad I'm not in Ruben Amaro's position. Amaro and the Phillies front office are going to have some extremely tough decisions to make in the upcoming week. The Phils are going to make a move whether or not they decide to move a guy like Vance Worley remains to be seen.

Reports are starting to come in that the Phils are targeting Hunter Pence. Make sure you stay updated to the blog for all your Phillies deadline news.