Phillies: Ten trades that have molded the last decade

November 7, 2007

A move that was hotly debated at the time, with the Phillies giving up one of their most promising young players in Michael Bourn for a closer criticized as streaky. However, Lidge proved to be anything but, emerging as a storyline in the Phillies 2008 World Series run. His “perfect year” in which he did not blow a save, proved to be a key to the Phillies success.

His value to the team earned him the nickname “Lights Out Lidge”, speaking to his dominance on the mound. Additionally, Bruntlett played an important role off of the bench, adding depth deep into the playoffs. You can’t talk about Bruntlett and forget to talk about his unassisted triple play against the Mets.

On the other hand, Geoff Geary was only with the Astros for two years and 84 innings, and Mike Costanzo has made just one appearance with a minor league ball club. The center piece of the trade, Michael Bourn, has been a very solid major league player, but Lidge’s immediate impact on the field and World Series contribution far outweighs Bourn’s promise as a young player.