ML: This is an interesting one. I think the Phillies come out ahead in this deal. Byrd is 37, and although he hit 25 HRs last year, Lively has some significant upside. You think this is a precursor to Cole Hamels getting traded? He obviously isn’t a direct replacement for Hamels, but could fill in a 3rd or 4th starter role very soon. How much does Byrd’s $8M contract + option year play into this? (It’s a club option, not a player option).

KT: The Phillies have done well so far this offseason. Ben Lively for a 37 year old Marlon Byrd, Tom Windle and Zach Eflin for an over the hill Jimmy Rollins (35). If you are the Phillies, you have to trade anything of value at this point. I expect Hamels to be dealt soon. Philly can’t afford to wait until the deadline should something happen to Hamels. No one expected Roy Halladay to become irrelevant so quickly and they can’t make the same mistake here (not saying they should have traded Halladay). I would even eat a lot of the salary of Cliff Lee if I could get some decent prospects in return.

KT: From the Reds side of things, I can understand the deal but I still don’t like it. Cincy’s best prospects are pitchers and I can see why they saw Lively as expendable. I just don’t like trading prospects for a 37 year old, who’s production could drop off a cliff at any moment.