Trade Deadline Winners & Losers

 

Trade Deadline Winners

 

·         Tigers: Just adding David Price makes them a winner but doing so by just shipping out Drew Smyly, Austin Jackson, and Willy Adames is amazing for Dave Domrowski.  The Tigers now have 3 Cy Young award winners in their rotation.

·         Athletics: The A’s turn Yoenis Cespedes, Tommy Milone, and a comp pick for Jon Lester, Jonny Gomes, and Sam Fuld which alone is a decent haul for Billy Beane but then add in the fact they got Jason Hammel and Jeff Samardzija on the 4^th of July; WOW! 

·         Cardinals: As it pains me to say this they had a great deadline by giving up Joe Kelly and struggling Allen Craig to get John Lackey and Corey Littrell.  Add this to their awesome buy low acquisition of Justin Masterson the day before and you can argue they had as good as a deadline as any team not named the Tigers or A’s.

·         Red Sox: Honestly the moves they made throughout the trade season rivaled what the A’s did getting Lester and Samardzija.  On deadline day they acquire the power hitting young OF to damage their short porch in LF with Yoenis Cespedes. They also get more young pitching with Joe Kelly and a struggling hitter but good rebound candidate in Allen Craig for a year of John Lackey and minor leaguer Corey Littrell. Then they move top notch reliever Andrew Miller for lefty Eduardo Rodriquez who was their #3 prospect at the start of the season according to John Sickels.  Then to top it off they saved 5 million bucks by shipping Stephen Drew to the Yanks for Kelly Johnson.  The BoSox were a winner at the deadline but again you take that and add that they also acquired Edwin Escobar and Heath Hembree for Jake Peavy who has similar number to Edwin Jackson… that blows me away.

·         Mariners: The M’s needed hitters so they got some with Chris Denorfia and Austin Jackson.  They did have to pay a hefty price with Nick Franklin, Abraham Almonte, and Stephen Kohlscheen but overall I think the pieces they acquired are far superior to the pieces they gave up.

 

Trade Deadline Losers

 

·         Pirates:  The Bucs did nothing during the deadline to improve their team and they watch the Cardinals just load up on pitching.  Big time losers are the Pirates for not landing Price or Lester especially giving the cost of both.

·         Phillies:  How do you not trade anybody on a team full of aging veterans.  They need to start over but opted to hold high priced old vets in Lee, Byrd, Rollins, Howard, and Utley.  While their best trade chip Hamels is also staying put.  Very disappointing for the Phils.

·         Blue Jays:  Again they had several needs including a hitter and a top line pitcher but opted to stay put while the Yankees and O’s bought in.  Even the Red Sox got better in my book and at least the Rays did something by acquiring some decent prospects for Price (although the Price deal still baffles me).

·         White Sox:  Again!  A team that should have sold off some of their pieces remain stubborn and hold on to guys who are get less valuable by the day.

·         Rangers:  Failing to trade Alex Rios is beyond excusable since hitters were at a premium at the deadline giving the lack of them available.  Inexcusable.

 

The others

 

Teams like the Cubs, Braves, Nationals, Orioles, Dodgers, Reds, etc… did not impress or disappoint with their moves or non-moves.  The teams above are clearly defined as winners or losers by the moves they made.

 

WHAT A FREAKING AWESOME DEADLINE!  THE REAL WINNERS ARE US WHO LIVE FOR THIS STUFF!

 

Until Next time