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Trade Deadline Winners & Losers
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Winners
New York Yankees
Let's face it: the Yankees needed to add some offense; it's hard to believe, but it's true. They added a productive bat in Xavier Nady, a quality veteran lefthanded relief pitcher in Damaso Marte and an everyday catcher in Ivan Rodriguez. The Yankees didn't give up anything that cannot be replaced. Ross Ohlendorf has really good stuff but no command, at the moment. He is still young enough that he might be good. Mike McCutcheon and Jose Tabata are solid prospects. Tabata was once referred to as a Manny Ramirez without power. Now he's tossed aside because of disciplinary problems? He's only 19, so giving him up was a gamble. Jeff Karstens had no future with the Yankees. Kyle Farnsworth is not to be trusted in a big spot. Plus, if Jorge Posada has any setbacks, don't rule out the Yanks resigning Pudge and making Posada a first basemen (Jason Giambi's contract is up next year).
Los Angeles Dodgers
C'mon, how can you not love this trade? They get Manny Ramirez, don't have to pay him and give up two prospects. Sometimes one big bat like Manny can reconstruct an entire lineup. Really, the Dodgers have quality bats in Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Andre Ethier, Jeff Kent, and James Loney, but they lacked the straw to stir the drink. Manny's presence might make this a potent linuep, I still think the Dodgers are a little thin on pitching, but this is a weak division, so perhaps they can pull it out.
Chicago Cubs
Granted it wasn't at the deadline, but I still love the Cubs getting Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin. The Cubs showed you that you can never have enough pitching. Harden is a no. 1 starter when healthy and Gaudin is good in middle relief. Plus, I don't like Matt Murton or Eric Patterson. They showed nothing in their stints with the Cubs. Sean Gallagher has good stuff, but he's too young to rely on this year for a World Series run. The Cubs have given themselves a legitimate shot to win it all this year.
Arizona Diamondbacks
"What did they do?" you might ask. Well, quietly, they added Tony Clark to their bench and Jon Rauch to their bullpen. Clark is a power bat off the bench and a veteran presence, which this young Diamondback team can use more of. They also, obviously, have trouble scoring runs, so Clark should help. However, getting Rauch was a steal. This guy is as durable as they come and has excellent stuff. Adding him to an already solid bullpen (Chad Qualls, Tony Pena, Brandon Lyon) was quietly a really solid move.
Neutral
Chicago White Sox
I didn't know that the White Sox needed another guy who hits .240 and hits home runs (see Nick Swisher, Paul Konerko, and Jim Thome). I also didn't know that Ken Griffey Jr. can play center field anymore or not get hurt doing it. He has to play center with Carlos Quentin and Jermaine Dye manning the corner spots. I don't think the White Sox needed offense and Nick Masset was important in the bullpen. Kenny Williams sounded as though he made this trade so that Griffey had a chance to play in a World Series. Nice sentiment, but I don't think it helps the White Sox at all.
Los Angeles Angels
Not quite sure this trade was necessary either. Casey Kotchman is younger, still under arbitration and is having a breakout year. He only has 11 homers but that should improve with age. He has been hitting close to .300 all year and driving in runs behind Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter. Teixiera has better power numbers and RBIs, but he also was hitting third in Atlanta. Plus he is a free agent at the end of the year, meaning that the Angels will really overpay to keep him or they end up without a first basemen next year. I just don't think this team needed more power and Kotchman was a nice compliment in the lineup.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Really, what difference does anything that this team does make? Now they have a million prospects, some of which will become good major league players. When that happens, they will trade them for prospects. This team should be blown up.
Philadelphia Phillies
I don't know, I just don't get the whole Joe Blanton fascination. He's just not that good and he's not a difference maker for the Phillies. In fact, they have plenty of starting pitchers who are just like him.
Losers
Boston Red Sox
I like Jason Bay, but give me a break. The Red Sox gave up one of the best hitters I've ever seen, pay the rest of his contract and give up two solid prospects (Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss) for Jason Bay. Bay is basically slightly better than J.D. Drew, a .280 career hitter who will hit 30 homers and drive in 100 RBIs. He's a nice player, but he can never put fear in an opponent like Ramirez and cannot protect Ortiz to the same degree either. Boston already has some problems offensively and this trade won't help. Nor did they improve their bullpen.
Atlanta Braves
Atlanta gave up 5 prospects, including Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Elvis Andrus (SS) for Mark Teixeira last season, failed to make the playoffs and then trade him for Casey Kotchman and a prospect this year because they didn't want to pay Teixeira. Kotchman may turn out to be good, but they traded a lot to get Teixeira and they needed to resign him.
New York Mets
I don't know what Omar Minaya is smoking, but this team has holes in the outfield, in the rotation, and in the bullpen, and the Mets stand pat. John Maine has shoulder problems, Pedro Martinez is a shell of his former self, they have gotten way more than they could have ever thought out of Fernando Tatis, and the bullpen needed a shot in the arm. I don't think the Mets will have enough to make the playoffs this season.
Seattle Mariners
This team has shown no guts all year and had pieces to trade in Jarrod Washburn and Raul Ibanez. Make the trade! They should have given Washburn to the Yanks for a bunch of bats if they were going to take his $11 million contract for next season. Jarrod Washburn has been awful since they signed him. Plus, Raul Ibanez, a rather average outfielder, was also in demand.
Oakland Athletics
Don't get it at all. Someone explain to me why the A's are fielding a team? To continue to beat the small market mantra is understandable, but when you trade Dan Haren, who was signed to a reasonable contract beyond this year, and Rich Harden, who was signed to a reasonable contract beyond this year, and you trade Harden when you are only 5 games out of first before the All-Star break, then you aren't even trying. Like the Pirates, the A's give their fans no reason to root for them. Take them off the map.
Detroit Tigers
They should have been sellers because they aren't making a run at anything this year. They have a lot of tradeable pieces too.
