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Todd Zolecki: 'It Did Not Sound Like They Were Close'

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- If you have yet to hear, the MLB Trade Deadline came and went on Thursday afternoon and the Phillies did not trade away any of the players rumored to be on the block. Following the deadline, Ruben Amaro Jr., met with several members of the media to explain the team's thinking when it came to trades and to explain why they will continue to roll the same team out on the field.

MLB.com's Todd Zolecki joined Anthony Gargano and Rob Ellis to give some insight into what Amaro had to say.

"[Amaro] said that they simply did not believe the prospects that they were being offered in return, or the players that they were being offered in return were going to help them," Zolecki said. "He said that they plan on being active, or he believes they will be active in August."

LISTEN: Todd Zolecki on with WIP Afternoons

Zolecki added that Amaro felt that the prospects being offered by other teams were not up to par with what was fair for the talent on the roster. Amaro claimed that other teams were not "aggressive enough," with their offers.

It was clear to Zolecki how upset many fans were and he believes that also was true for the team. "There's a lot of frustrated people in the Phillies front office. They really thought that they were going to be able to get something done," Zolecki said.

"Honestly guys, it didn't even sound like they were close on anything. It did not sound like they were close on anything."

Zolecki also addressed the comparison made between the Phillies and the Red Sox. The Red Sox have shipped out a number of core players over the last  few seasons while maintaining a level of respectability on the field including a World Series title last season.

"You have very attractive players on the Red Sox with almost no money committed to them down the road. To me that was the biggest difference."

It appears that Amaro and the Phillies approached this deadline already shackled by contracts and vesting options that scared teams. Amaro said that other teams were not aggressive enough when it came to his players, but a number of big name players moved on Thursday. It sounds like no one wanted what Amaro had to offer.

Zolecki asked if maybe the Phillies overvalued their assets.

"[Amaro] said no I don't think that we are overvaluing our players," Zolecki said. He added that Amaro said the Phillies were willing to eat some of their players salary in a deal, but there was no indication of how much they were willing to take on.

Fans will now have to set their calendars for the waiver trade deadline of August 31st. The market spoke and it is now clear that other MLB teams do not see the Phillies players in the same light that their general manager does. Amaro will now be tasked with convincing those teams that he does indeed have valuable pieces.

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