Great move by the Phillies. Adding last year’s AL Cy Young winner without giving up two top prospects and a starting pitcher for Halladay has calmed down the Phillies phaithful who were swearing up and down that Phillies management needed to do whatever it takes to get Halladay or else. Sometimes there is another way.

Lee, 30, the 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner, is 7-9 this season with a 3.14 earned run average. Francisco, 28, is a righthanded hitting outfielder, batting .250 with 10 home runs this season. Francisco has pinch hit twice this season, going hitless in two at-bats.

The Phillies had long been engaged in talks with the Toronto Blue Jays to acquire pitcher Roy Halladay. But the Blue Jays asked for pitcher J.A. Happ and top prospects Kyle Drabek and Dominic Brown. Phils general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. was able to acquire a former Cy Young Award winner without trading any of those players.

via Sources: Phils agree to Lee trade | The Phillies Zone | 07/29/2009.