Cliff Lee must remain with the Phillies.

With
the July 31st trading deadline around the corner, the talk in Philadelphia is
that the Phillies come Tuesday will make some significant changes for the
future. In fact, Cliff Lee has been mentioned as a possible trade bait to
acquire some much needed bullpen help that the Phillies are in desperate need.

Cliff
Lee is a premier pitcher and to give up on him a second time will be a clear disaster.
Currently, with the signing of Hamels to a long-term contract, the Phillies
have three of the best pitchers in baseball and although 2012 did not turned
out as many of us expected, this Phillies' team with the addition of a couple
of relief pitchers will contend for a very long time.

Ruben
Amaro and the Phillies made one big blunder in 2009 when Lee was sent to Seattle
for some  future prospects. Well, that
scenario did not turn out as the Phillies expected and in the process,  they lost a golden opportunity to win a second
World Series.

I hope
the Phillies and Ruben Amaro will not repeat the same mistake and give up on
Lee a second time or trade Shane Victorino, a proven winner in
Philadelphia.  Phillies’ fans will never
forget Victorino’s heroics in the 2008 World Series when he played and hit like
a champ.

You
just do not give up on players who perform above one’s expectation.  We all remember Jason Werth who came to the
Phillies and did a splendid job. Werth is no longer with the Phillies neither
is Michael Bourn and some other Phillies farmhand players who have turned out
to be players to be noticed with other teams.

I say
to the Phillies, play as hard as you can. Anything can happen in the next 3
months, making the playoffs in 2012  is
not completely out of reach. A run is still possible for this Phillies' team
but in order to do that, the core of this team must remain intact.

With
Lee, Halladay and Hamels together with Howard and Hutley, the Phillies can once
again recapture the glory days of 2008 and win another World Series in 2013.

Break
up this team and the rebuilding might prove to be more difficult than keeping
this team intact and in the process, the other teams in this National League
East will have a leg up on the Phillies. This year is the Washington Nationals
and the Atlanta Braves. Who knows what team will surface next year as the equivalent
of this year's Nationals?