Phillies: Worst trade deadline moves in franchise history
Phillies NOT trading for Randy Johnson, 1993 Trade Deadline
Honorable mentions goes to one of the biggest What-If’s in franchise history. According to former Phillies All-Star John Kruk, in the summer of 1993, the Phillies were still talking to the Mariners about acquiring Randy Johnson at the deadline, a conversation that had begun prior to the start of the season.
The money Johnson was making at the time is laughable now; he made $1.3925 million in 1992, and wanted $3.2 million in arbitration during the offseason. The Mariners countered at $2.05 million.
Kruk said that the Phillies refused to give up “Mike Lieberthal, either him or Tyler Green” and the trade never came to pass.
In retrospect, quite a bold strategy by the Phillies. Green’s career only lasted four years, and he finished it 18-25 with a 5.16 ERA.
Not wanting to part with Lieberthal is more understandable; he spent 13 of his 14 years in the big leagues with the Phillies and ended up a two-time All-Star and won a Gold Glove with the Phillies in 1999. He’s considered the greatest Phillies catcher or all time, and set numerous franchise records for the position. But passing on Johnson? As Julia Roberts said in Pretty Woman, “Big mistake. Big. Huge.”
Johnson finished his career a five-time Cy Young winner (second-most of any pitcher ever), 10-time All-Star, pitching Triple Crown, four-time ERA title-holder, and World Series champion and MVP of said series. The only pitcher in MLB history with more strikeouts than Johnson (4,875) is Nolan Ryan (5,714). Lieberthal was great, Johnson was a legend.
What does the landscape of Phillies franchise history look like with the Big Unit? It’s impossible to say for sure, but almost certainly, the franchise is more successful. Do they win the 1993 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays?
In 1993, the Phillies still had Schilling, who they would eventually send to team up with Johnson in Arizona, where they’d win a World Series and finish first and second in NL Cy Young voting.
That could’ve been the Phillies.
