"I should be somewhere else", Antonio Bastardo said last season, after the trade deadline passed and the Phillies did not trade him. With the left-handed side of the Phillies bullpen now primarily in the hands of Mario Hollands and Jake Diekman, Bastardo was and remains expendable. The Phillies may finally move him.
According to Sean McAdam of CSN Boston, the Phillies and Red Sox are talking trade, but not about Cole Hamels (well, just yet, anyway):
The Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies haven't gotten very far in trade talks involving starter Cole Hamels, but they have made progress on a smaller deal involving some relief help for the Red Sox.
Mulitple industry sources have confirmed that the two teams have discussed a possible trade that would net the Sox lefthander Antonio Bastardo in exchange for infield prospect Sean Coyle.
Coyle is a Philadelphia-area native.
Born in Chalfont, PA, Coyle played at Germantown Academy alongside Phillies pitching prospect Jesse Biddle. Check out this game story of Germantown Academy winning the state title in 2010:
Sean Coyle doubled and tripled, and Greg Guers and Alex Wilson also lined doubles for Germantown Academy, which grabbed an 11-2 lead in three innings.
Germantown Friends (21-8), which had its six-game streak snapped, got home runs by Jesse Biddle and Ben Rogers.
The article notes that Coyle broke the record for home runs in a season in 2010.
In the Red Sox system, Coyle is an infielder. The Portland Press Herald wrote about Coyle this past season while Coyle was playing for the AA Portland Sea Dogs:
“He’s developing his swing,” Sea Dogs hitting coach Rich Gedman said. “For a guy who is not tall or big, he’s really a strong guy.”
Coyle is also one of several infield prospects for the Red Sox. Drafted as a shortstop, he moved to second base as a pro and has played mostly third with the Sea Dogs.
That logjam in the infield has the Red Sox trying Betts in center field. Coyle would be open to the same thing.
“I would like to play every position,” Coyle said, “second, third, short, even the outfield. Anything that gives me a chance to break into the big leagues somewhere and make an impact.
“If it makes me more versatile as a player, it makes me more valuable as a player.”
The Phillies would like taking a chance on someone like Coyle, who could help the Phillies infield down the line.
If the Phillies can land Coyle, he would be a good bet to open the season at AAA Lehigh Valley. Coyle batted .295 with 16 home runs and 61 RBI for the Sea Dogs in 2014. Coyle also compiled an OPS of .813.
