As Lou Marson heads to the DL for another go, who would you call the winner in the Cliff Lee-for-Lou-Marson-and-several-others deal?

Sep 20, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians catcher Lou Marson (6) walks to first base during a game against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Cleveland won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

As much as it pains me to say it, the Phillies were the clear winner of that trade. Jason Donald and Jason Knapp were disasters, and Lou Marson has been nowhere near as good as advertised (although that hasn’t stopped the ladies from falling in love with him). We also received Carlos Carrasco in that deal and while the jury is still out on him, it’s not looking good.

Between injuries and suspensions for beaning batters he just can’t stay on the mound. Meanwhile, the Phillies have won a World Series title, been regular contenders year in and year out, and adding insult to injury, you were even able to trade him away and then resign him in free agency.

We still complain about this trade every chance we get.

I remembered the Indians had Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn late in the offseason and for some reason I gave them a ton of props. Why did I do that, and did others do the same?  Are they okay?

We all loved the moves of signing Swisher and Bourn along with Mark Reynolds and trading for Drew Stubbs. Actually, we still do. So far the results have been mixed, though. It’s either feast or famine right now with little to no in between. One game they’ll go out and score 12 runs and then they won’t score 12 over the course of the next four games.

It’s a total crap shoot on a nightly basis what we’ll get out of this team offensively. Bourn has been out for almost two weeks now with a cut on his hand and should be back. Hopefully his presence can help right the ship offensively.

Apr 19, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona (17) prepares for a game against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Terry Francona once broke down crying in an interview close to his firing as manager of the Phillies, due to how irreparably bad the Phillies were.  Would you say these deeply emotional scars have healed in time? Or was that just because the Phillies were so dumb and terrible back then.

I’d say they’ve probably healed. No one seems to remember Francona managing the Phillies. Everyone ignores it and instead focuses on his time in Boston.

It makes sense, though. The Vet, that astro turf, the God-awful roster the Phillies put together. I don’t blame Francona if he has repressed any and all memories from his time there. That’s not the same franchise now that it was about 15 years ago or so.

Wahoo’s on First recently interviewed another intersection of Phillies/Indians history, Paul Byrd, who talked about his HGH usage. His inciting of a brawl at this Phillies-Braves game in 1999 is one of my favorite memories from that horrible era.  Was there a less likely person to start a riot?

Byrd seems like the least likely person to incite a riot.

I don’t see how anyone who uses that old school, arm swinging wind-up could be taken seriously enough for someone to think to themselves, “Hey, I need to charge the mound and knock that guy’s head off of his shoulders.”

Stranger things have happened though. Speaking of riots, I think you all missed out by trading away Carlos Carrasco. He’s going to be the instigator of a massive bench clearing brawl by the time his career is over if he keeps up with his current shenanigans.

Apr 14, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Brett Myers (39) reacts after giving up a two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Wow… Brett Myers is on the Indians, too.  How are all of these former Phillies working out, and does anyone really remember than as “former Phillies?”

Well, we remember Myers from his time in Philadelphia, but not necessarily for his pitching. I’ll leave it at that. I think that’s the case for a lot of people. As for his performance on the mound. Wow, he was awful. The games quickly degraded into home run derby.

Turns out he was apparently dealing with a strained elbow ligament and is on the DL right now trying to get healthy. If he can get healthy, maybe he comes back and gives us a few quality starts, but no one is really banking on it. The fan base was very skeptical of his signing and the idea that he could become a starter again in the first place. It would take a miracle a this point to change that opinion.

In 2009, Lou Marson was sittin’ pretty.

The 23-year-old minor league catcher out of Scottsdale, Arizona for whom it looked like shaving was merely a monthly chore, was an up and coming player in the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies’ farm system.  Fresh off receiving the Paul Owens Award, Marson had to know his name was sliding in and out of conversations held by the Phillies brass. It was a key position for the team, one that they could probably see him filling in the future, relying heavily on his natural talent and leadership qualities.  When Carlos Ruiz went down with an injury to his right oblique on April 11, Lou Marson was the guy stepping into the pads.

Some day soon, Marson and the Phillies would no doubt be a big part of making each others’ futures a little bit bett–

And then suddenly, he was in Cleveland, where times were just a little tougher.

"Take THAT, more than half the baseballs I see with the bases loaded!"

Jarring, probably, to go from being a hot prospect to one fourth of Cliff Lee’s price tag. However, the move made an impact on a few others, as well, one being also a young catcher; also somehow from Scottsdale.

“It was fortunate that they traded Lou [Marson] away, they trust you and they know you can play,” said Tuffy Gosewisch.

And so, the spotlight shifts a little further to the right, and in steps James “Tuffy” Gosewisch, a new Phillies catching prospect, golf enthusiast, and an active participant in “getting jacked out of my mind,” according to Facebook.

Ha ha, yeah!  What?

Gosewisch came screaming out of Arizona State with a .320 batting average as only the second catcher in the school’s history to start three years in a row; and in that time, he only made 10 errors and batted .526 with the bases loaded. Which is so clutch it’s disgusting.

The Phillies drafted him in 2005 in the 11th round, seeing the benefit of an extremely defensive young catcher who somehow apparently hit exponentially better the more people were on base.  He played seasons with the Clearwater Threshers in 2006, Lakewood BlueClaws in 2007, and landed back with the Threshers for 2008 .

Last season, Tuffy was promoted to both Double A Reading (batted .235 in 60 games) and Triple A Lehigh Valley (.200 in 16 games).  He was also a participant in the Arizona Fall League, playing for his hometown team, Scottsdale, and hitting .318 in 11 games; numbers offensively that are more akin to “regular season Carlos Ruiz,” rather than the white hot “postseason Carlos Ruiz” Tuffy had been emulating with his hitting at Arizona State.

Making his way onto the 2010 Phillies Spring Training roster is a step further along in filling a keystone roll for the Phillies in coming years.  We will have to wait and see if Brian Schneider can bring some life to a backup catcher’s role that was drowning in the incompetence of Paul Bako in 2009.  His season may dictate how briskly Tuffy ascends the ranks of the farm system.  With an aggressive, well-rounded play style, Tuffy could be jacking baseballs professionally soon enough.

Assuming “jacking” means “hitting with a bat.”

Manuel said that Werth was “his guy”, and that that helped in picking Werth over other players such as Matt Kemp or maybe Manny Ramirez.

The Phillies now have five players in the All-Star game: Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Howard, Victorino, and Werth. The Phillies are only the second team in the history of the All-Star game to have their whole outfield elected to the Mid-Summer Classic.

While half of the Phillies lineup was celebrating their All-Star bids, back-up catcher Chris Coste was placed on waivers today, and was picked up by the Houston Astros.

Coste made a statement saying that Manuel said that Coste was a Philly kind of player, and with the Spring Training that Coste had, you would expect him to compete for some playing time pretty much everyday with other catcher Carlos Ruiz.

With the recent call-up of catcher Paul Bako, the Phils had no need for Coste with young prospect Lou Marson waiting in the wings as well, as already carrying both Bako, and Ruiz.

Injured outfielder Raul Ibanez made his return to the majors tonight against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Ibanez did not play in the game, but at least he is on the active roster.