MLB Trade Rumors: Will Prospect Jonathan Singleton Be the Cost of Mike Adams?

According to the blog insidethepadres, Phillies prospect Jonathan Singleton could very well be the centerpiece of the trade to bring setup man Mike Adams from the San Diego Padres.

As far as I'm concerned, if it would only take one additional middle-level prospect to finish off this deal, I could see Ruben Amaro Jr. pulling off this type of a deal.

I am not 100 percent sure what I feel about this deal though, either positively or negatively.

First, Singleton plays first base, which is a huge negative.

Ryan Howard is signed through 2016 with a team option for 2017 according to Baseball Reference. Singleton is 19 right now.

In 2017, he will be 25. I know that Ryan Howard joined the Phillies for good at the age of 25. It is not too late for a great prospect to start in the majors.

He is also beginning to play left field in Clearwater, which would raise his value tremendously to the Phillies because they have had some problems filling that hole recently.

However, the Phillies have definitely adopted a win-now model, and this type of trade would definitely help that.

In 2017, many of the Phillies will be aging right along with Howard. The Phillies stars of today will be fading or retiring at that point. The Phillies do have a very good farm system, but I do not know if the Phillies will be able to have enough talent to rival what they have now and dominate then.

This is arguably the best era in the history of Phillies baseball.

I think that Ruben Amaro Jr. is looking to do whatever he can to keep the Phillies on top right now. If that means trading away a very talented prospect, I think that he is willing to do that.

In 2017 or 2018, the Phillies will have so much payroll room with the contracts that are expiring between now and then that it will be possible to sign a first baseman at that point.

This type of trade seems to be very possible and the most likely scenario if Amaro Jr. decides that acquiring a bullpen arm is more important than the right-handed bat. However, I am not sure if I'm sold on it.

What do you think?