"We do whatever it takes," team president David Montgomery told The Inquirer. "If there's an opportunity, we'll make adjustments."
Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. broke his silence on trades by saying nothing of substance, not that he should. This time of year is shrouded in secrecy, the only chatter coming from anonymous sources, most of whom typically have their own agendas.
"I enjoy listening to all the commentary," Amaro said. "It's pretty entertaining. It's not any different than any other year. It's all the same. We just try to operate as we normally do. There is nothing all that different except there is a deadline."
Amaro said his staff is still not sure what the team's needs are in a slow-moving market. Translation: If an impact bat is not readily available or too costly, the Phillies must decide if they'd rather prioritize a bullpen arm instead.
One bat they are targeting is Carlos Beltran, the Mets outfielder having a phenomenal season in a contract year. A Phillies scout followed Beltran and the Mets from Miami to Cincinnati, where they began a series Monday.
Houston's Hunter Pence, frequently speculated about as a favorite of the Phillies, is off the market, according to Sports Illustrated (which cited anonymous sources). The Astros, under new ownership, have made it clear they must be significantly overwhelmed to move the 28-year-old outfielder - if they are to trade him at all.
"I think people should know how difficult doing trades are and how different the needs are from year to year," Amaro said.
