Perhaps this is the best barometer of just how far the Phillies have come as an organization

The team yesterday acquired the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner.

And some fans were disappointed.

The pitcher they got was Cliff Lee. Not Roy Halladay.

Here’s a few other names to consider: J.A. Happ, Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, Dominic Brown. They are all still the property of the Phillies.

Halladay, the ace of the Blue Jays, was considered by most the best pitcher in baseball. But the Blue Jays wanted a truckload of talent in exchange for him. That would have included both Happ and Drabek, the minor league phenom who is now considered the top arm in the Phils’ farm system.

Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. tried to coax Toronto into other players.
They weren’t biting. So he moved on.

Yesterday Amaro sent minor league pitchers Kyle Carrasco (last year’s untouchable player) along with highly thought of prospects infielder Jason Donald, catcher Lou Marson and another minor league pitcher, Jason Knapp to the Indians for Lee.

In exchange they got a horse of a left-hander who is 7-9 this year with a 3.14 ERA in 22 starts. Last year Lee went 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA. They also picked up a valuable right-handed bat in outfielder Ben Francisco.

Amaro seems to have done what many thought was not possible. He managed to shore up the Phils’ starting rotation – adding the Cy Young winner will do that for you – without giving up two young stud pitchers.

And he’s still taking heat in some quarters. That’s what happens when you win a World Series. Suddenly, fans get greedy. Just winning is no longer good enough. Making the playoffs was last year’s goal. Now we want another parade.

Amaro might just have taken a huge step toward that goal yesterday.