The Time is Now to Move Jayson Werth

Today's news of second baseman Chase Utley needing to have surgery on his right thumb may have just forced the Phillies to seriously think about trading right fielder Jayson Werth. With Utley being out for the next eight weeks and third baseman Placido Polanco also being out with an inflamed left elbow, a Phillies lineup that once looked very potent now looks like a shell of themselves.

A couple of trades will needed to be pulled off by General Manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. to strengthen the lineup and possibly the back end of the pitching rotation. Werth will be movable piece on the Phillies since the club's top prospect outfielder Domonic Brown is waiting in the wings for his moment on the big stage.

With each day passing and no progress on a new deal for Werth, it looks more and more like next year the left fielder for the Phillies on opening day will be Brown. Why not now try to get something in return for Werth instead of just letting him walk at the end of the season.

The Phillies have been in this position before when Utley missed some action in 2007 season. That season, General Manager Pat Gillick went out and acquired Tadahito Iguchi, who fared to prosper while being a Phillie.

Even if the Phillies weren't in their injury depleted situation, they should have looked to move Werth anyways to acquire prospects to replenish the farm system. With recent acquisitions of pitchers Joe Blanton, Cliff Lee, and Roy Halladay, the farm system has been emptied out. Even with the Phillies trading Lee to Seattle this past off season, the farm system doesn't have the prospects that the organization should have if they run into a situation like being injury riddled.