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Regardless of the outcome of Roy Oswalt’s first pitch and first start with the Phillies, the trade that brought the 32-year old to Philly should put all the Cliff Lee trade talk to rest. For good. Lee is not coming back to Philly and while that still hurts every fan that scarves down cheesesteaks, soft pretzels and Wawa hoagies, it’s the reality that seems to be hard to digest for the last 7 months.



Lee’s performance in last year's World Series will always have a special place in the town’s heart. He was dominant and reliable -- all things that Roy Halladay has been in his first year with the team. But dreams of having both in the rotation were soon dashed when Lee was shipped out to Seattle for 3 minor leaguers. Wait a second, didn’t I start this blog saying that Phillies fans should move on? It's clear, that we’ve all had a tough time trying to reason it but GM Ruben Amaro should feel redeemed if the team on the field gives him a shot in the playoffs. The 3-man rotation of Halladay, Hamels and Oswalt can match up with anyone and any empire. While the Phillies will have Oswalt an extra year and get some money back from the Astros to pay Oswalt’s contract, you have to wonder why this extra move had to be made and what J.A. Happ would have looked like as the 4th man in this rotation come the Fall. There I go again, talking about and dreaming about Cliff Lee back in Philly. One year after he started Game 1 of the World Series in the Bronx wearing red and grey, the nightmare would be seeing him on the bump in red and grey again with the words Texas across his chest starting Game 1 of the World Series in Philly.

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