Pujols for Howard? In reality?

How's this for a blockbuster: Albert Pujols for Ryan Howard?

This kind of deal gets made all the time in fantasy circles. It's a fairly even swap of slugging first basemen: Howard probably has a little more homer potential, while Pujols is a more even contributor across the board. You'll often see a trade like this get made because one guy is a Phillies or Cardinals fan and really wants his favorite player on his squad.

But could the players ever get swapped for one another in real life? Maybe, according to a report by ESPN, although it seems unlikely. I imagine most major league clubs often take stock of their rosters and try to imagine what it would take for another team to pry away a superstar like Howard - and that's exactly what the Phillies were doing with this hypothetical deal. Of course, they seemingly didn't intend for this hypothetical deal to become public - GM Ruben Amaro called the report "lies," "ridiculous," and "irresponsible." So there.

Pujols-for-Howard? Not happening in the real world. Definitely possible in a league near you - and that's what makes fantasy so great.